Dead Giveaway (Stillwater Trilogy 2)

"Then let's get this over with."

She snapped photographs of his hands. Then he stripped off his T-shirt and she took several pictures of his face, chest and arms. When she purposely neglected to take pictures of his back, he raised an eyebrow. "That's it?"

"That's it."

"So...is this going to blow over?" he asked hopefully, pulling his T-shirt on over his head.

Even with Beth Ann no longer on-site, Allie felt reluctant to discuss his alleged murder confession with him. Mostly because, regardless of what Beth Ann had said, she wasn't prepared to point a finger at Clay or anyone else. She needed proof, forensic proof, not circumstances and hearsay. And she was good enough to find it. Eventually.

But eventually wasn't now, and it was only a matter of hours before he heard what Beth Ann had told her. Especially since Hendricks knew. The other officer had listened avidly to every word Beth Ann had said. If Allie didn't tell Clay herself, he'd probably feel as if she'd duped him in some way, and she saw no reason to alienate anyone involved in the case. She'd learned long ago that help often came from unexpected places. "I don't think there are grounds for an attempted murder charge, if that's what you mean."

She let him know by the tone of her voice that there was more, and he didn't miss the inflection.

Standing with his legs spread a shoulder width apart, he folded his arms. "Somehow I'm getting the impression I'm not completely off the hook."

Allie sat on the edge of her desk. "Not quite."

The shuttered look returned to his face but not before Allie saw a hint of the underlying weariness she'd occasionally noticed before. "Feel free to explain anytime," he said.

"She says you killed your stepfather."

He seemed unaffected. "A lot of people say that."

"She's claiming you admitted it to her." Allie clasped her hands together, knowing, if he was innocent, how terrible Beth Ann's words must feel. "She just signed a statement to that effect,"

she added gently.

Allie had thought he'd get angry and holler, as he had about the pregnancy that might or might not be real. But he just stared at her--or, more accurately, stared through her.

"I didn't confess anything," he told her at last.

"That doesn't mean you're innocent of the murder," she said, to gauge his reaction.

His chest lifted and fell again. "It doesn't prove the opposite, either."

Allie's question hadn't rattled him into revealing more than he wanted to. She could tell by his response that he already knew Beth Ann's statement wasn't as incriminating as his enemies would like to think. So she played it straight. "What's really going on? Is she out to get you?"

"Of course. And she's not the only one."

"That's the problem, isn't it?" she said. "Fortunately, I intend to discover the truth."

He picked up the picture of Whitney, which she kept on her desk. "What I've heard is true, then?"

"What have you heard?"

"That you're determined to find out what happened to my missing stepfather."

She waited until he looked back at her to answer. "Madeline has requested my help. We've known each other since high school, socialized a bit in the past. I'd like to bring her some closure, if I can."

He returned the photograph to her desk. "Madeline still believes her father is alive."

"What do you believe?" she asked.

"I believe nineteen years is a long time. It won't be easy to find anything."

Was that wishful thinking on his part? Or was he merely stating a fact? "I've solved older cases."

"I'm guessing those cases had some forensic evidence. There is no evidence here. Plenty of other people have tried to find it and failed, including your father."

"I have tools the police didn't possess back then."

"That's hopeful," he said, but the slight twist to his mouth made Allie wonder if he was being sarcastic.

"If your stepfather's dead, wouldn't you like to see his killer brought to justice?" she asked.

The expression on his face gave nothing away. "I'm all for justice," he said, his voice completely deadpan.

"What are you doing, waking me up so early? It's barely seven!"

Only five foot two--but with a bustline to rival Dolly Parton's--Clay's mother hid behind the door of her little duplex, which she'd recently begun to redecorate. It was becoming so cluttered with new rugs and furniture, paintings and knickknacks, Clay couldn't help worrying that others would soon suspect what he already knew. Irene obviously wasn't buying such expensive items with the money she made working at the dress shop. She told everyone she'd gotten a raise, but even an idiot would guess she couldn't be making that much.

"Considering I get up at four most mornings--" and that he hadn't slept at all last night "--I don't feel too sorry for you," he said. Especially because he knew she wasn't really grumbling about being dragged out of bed. She hated anyone to catch her before she could "get her face on,"

as she put it. Even him. He could count on one hand the number of times he'd seen his mother without the thick mascara she wore on her lashes and the deep red lipstick she put on her lips. "Are you going to let me in or not?"

"Of course." She tightened her bathrobe, then patted her dark hair, which she usually backcombed, before stepping to the side. "What's gotten into you, anyway? What's wrong?"

He barely fit inside the cluttered room. Since he'd last been over a month ago, his mother had acquired a new leather couch, two lamps, a big-screen TV and some sort of fancy tea cart.

"Tell me you quit seeing him," he said the moment she closed the door.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she responded, but she wouldn't look him in the eye.

The gardenia scent of her perfume lingered as she headed straight to the kitchen, which had been remodeled so that it opened directly into the living room. "Would you like some coffee? I have the most delicious blend."

Gourmet coffee. Allie's father was sure taking care of her. "Do you realize what you're doing?" he asked in amazement, following her. "Do you know what you're risking?"

"Stop it," she replied. "I'm living, like everyone else."

She was living, all right--in denial. Most of the time, her unwillingness to acknowledge what had happened to Barker was harmless enough. As long as Clay was around to take care of her and his sisters, he figured everything would be okay. He wanted them to be happy...and to forget.