Dead Giveaway (Stillwater Trilogy 2)

"We have another search warrant." His teeth flashed again. "This one's for the entire property--the house, the barn and outbuildings, the land. We won't leave a single inch of dirt unturned."

Allie went cold inside. Jed had just told her the Montgomerys had buried the reverend behind the barn, but his remains weren't there when the police searched before. Where had they been moved? She guessed what was left of Barker was still somewhere on the property. As bleak as the Montgomerys' outlook seemed, they had a better chance if the police couldn't prove beyond a reasonable doubt that there'd even been a murder.

"You didn't have the warrant a month ago," she pointed out. "And it bothered you that I wouldn't go after Clay, although I didn't have the evidence to justify it."

"It didn't bother me enough to waste two grand."

"Is that how much Hendricks was paid?"

"I'm guessing it was about that much."

Enough for a down payment, like her father said..."Still, whoever--" Suddenly, Allie fell silent. A snippet of conversation had popped into her mind: I'll bet fifty, too. I'm expecting a big tax refund.

Enough to spare two thousand dollars?

And then another snippet, from a different time and place: Has the reward you posted for information on the shooting turned up any leads?...No...None?...Not one.

True or merely self-preserving?

Could it have been Madeline? No! Clay's stepsister wouldn't do anything to make Clay look guilty. She defended him constantly.

But it was entirely possible that Madeline hadn't seen hiring Hendricks as a risk to her stepbrother. Clay had told no one he was coming to the cabin. After his call that Thursday night, even Allie hadn't been expecting him. Maybe Madeline had believed a mysterious scare would simply increase Allie's determination to prove Clay wasn't guilty.

Allie remembered the way Madeline had acted about the shooting. She'd been so upset, she'd called Allie almost daily that first week.

Because she was afraid it might happen again, as she'd said? Or because she felt responsible?

Do you know who did it yet, Allie?

"Oh, boy," Allie muttered.

"Now you're catching on," Joe said.

"You think it was Madeline."

"It was Madeline."

"Hendricks told you that?"

"I got it out of him eventually. He came to me, saying he was afraid you thought he'd shot Clay, that because of the rumors Cindy's spreading about seeing your gun in my house, you thought it was both of us. I bet he was hoping I'd solve the problem by making sure you wouldn't be able to tell anyone else."

Allie felt a shiver of fear. They were completely alone. It wouldn't be hard for Joe to do just that.

"He acted as if he'd done me some kind of favor, planting Jed's hat up here," Joe went on.

"As if I owed him for dropping that cap in the woods."

"Why would Cindy say she saw my gun at your house if it wasn't true?"

"Because she hates me."

Covering her mouth, she mumbled through her fingers. "I can't believe Maddy did it."

"Call her and see for yourself. Tell her you've got proof it was Hendricks and that he's claiming it was her. See what she says."

Allie's phone was inside. She hesitated, because she didn't want to risk being cornered, but he handed her his.

She stared down at it for a moment, then dialed Madeline.

"Hello?"

"Maddy, it's Allie."

"Hi, Allie. What's going on?"

She glanced up at Joe. "I'm at my father's cabin with Joe Vincelli."

"Joe?"

"He says you hired Hendricks to scare me the night Clay was shot. Is that true?"

Silence. Allie waited, but there was only more silence.

"Maddy, is that true?" she repeated. But she knew from Madeline's lack of response that it was.

"I didn't mean for Clay to get hurt," she said, tears in her voice. "I didn't even know he'd be up there. He--he's always in town or at the farm."

Closing her eyes, Allie shook her head. "What were you trying to do?"

"I just--I was afraid you were giving up. I wanted you to keep looking. You're the only one who might be able to find my father, Allie. But...it was a mistake."

"You nearly cost Clay his life!"

She was sobbing openly now. "I feel so bad. I--I'm actually glad you know. I was going to tell you myself, but...I was so afraid Clay wouldn't love me anymore."

"Maddy, he'll always love you."

"I've lost too many people. And Hendricks! He's such an idiot. He thought Clay had spotted him, but even if Clay did see him I would never have agreed with firing that gun! Clay's my brother. "

Allie didn't know what to say. Madeline, in all her denial and confusion and desperation, had hired Hendricks to motivate Allie to solve the case. And Hendricks had shot Clay on his own, out of fear of discovery. "Joe's still here. I'll call you later, okay?"

Madeline didn't answer. She was crying too hard.

"See?" Joe said as she handed him his phone.

Allie ignored him. Lee Barker's life--and death--had affected so many people.

"So you're going to quit trying to pin it on me, right? Forget that bullshit of Cindy's and keep me out of it."

She was still collecting her thoughts when he said, "Because if you don't, you'll be damn sorry."

"Is that a threat?" she asked.

"What do you think?"

"Madeline knows I'm here with you."

"So? Accidents happen. It'd be a real shame if your car was found in the bottom of a gully, wouldn't it? But these roads twist and turn something awful."

Joe's character had never been much to admire, but the disappointments and challenges of his life had turned him into a darker version of what he could've been. She knew Grace was sincerely afraid of him, that he'd probably given her reason to be.

"The truth is out," she said. "Why risk that kind of trouble?"

"Because I don't like anyone getting in my way."

He still saw her as an impediment to his revenge against the Montgomerys.

"And they wouldn't be able to prove anything," he added. "I'd make sure of that."

"You're not stupid enough to land yourself in jail when you already have the search warrant you've always wanted. If Clay killed your uncle, that should be enough, shouldn't it?"

He chewed, spat and chewed again. "You're right. The body's there, and I'm going to find it."

The sudden lightening of his tone released the tension between them. He didn't intend to hurt her. He didn't need to. He had the D.A. pressing charges against Clay and a search warrant that would most likely turn up the proof they were lacking--while she had nothing.