Confessions

She began turning the empty cup around in her hands as she considered bleakly how she’d thought they would have time to patch things up.

“Did she happen to discuss her marriage with you?”

“Only in passing.”

“Did you get the impression her marriage was a happy one?”

“How could it be? Considering who her husband was.”

“That sounds a lot like conjecture.”

Mariah swore. “All right, I’ll admit to being prejudiced. But that doesn’t mean the man isn’t a rat. And although Laura never got into specifics, whenever the conversation would drift Alan’s way, I received the definite impression that she was far from happy. Which wasn’t that surprising, considering all the rumors about his infidelity.”

“Rumors aren’t necessarily fact.”

“True. But believe me, Sheriff, in Alan’s case, they were more than true. In fact, the worm even hit on me once. During one of his political fund-raising trips to California.”

She scowled. “He actually had the gall to invite me up to his hotel suite. Allegedly to discuss my relationship with Laura, but since his hand was on my knee at the time, I had the impression that his wife wasn’t uppermost in his mind.”

The senator was either incredibly nervy. Or stupid. “You didn’t take him up on his offer.” It was not a question.

“I assured him that if he ever touched me again, he’d learn exactly how a bull feels when a cowboy with a pair of nutcutters turns him into a steer.”

Trace inwardly flinched. “Did you tell your sister about the incident?”

“Of course not. I figured she had to know what kind of man she’d married. Why should I make her feel worse?”

“Did she ever mention another man?”

There it was again. That not very subtle accusation. She lifted her chin and met his veiled gaze straight on. “My sister would not sleep around.”

“You’re sure of that.”

“Absolutely.”

“Would you happen to know if she had a friend whose name began with the initial C?”

C? Clint Garvey immediately came to mind. Deciding that Laura’s brief, disastrous elopement was none of this man’s business, Mariah said, “No.”

From the way she’d begun tearing that cup into little pieces, Trace knew she was lying. He’d bet the Suburban, along with a year’s pay on it.

“Your sister and her husband have been married a long time not to have children.”

She arched a brow. “I believe that’s what they call a leading question, Sheriff.”

“I suppose it is,” Trace said agreeably.

“Not that I can see what bearing it would possibly have on this case, Laura always wanted a large family. But things didn’t work out.”

Trace decided against mentioning the home pregnancy test the evidence unit had found in the bathroom wastebasket. “One more question.”

Something new had crept into his voice. Something that had her instantly on alert. “All right.”

“Your earlier comment about all the senator’s powerful friends—” he braced his elbows on the scarred wooden arms of the chair, linked his fingers together and eyed her over the tent of his hands “—were you concerned about my competence to investigate this case?

“Or were you worried that when push came to shove, I’d turn out to be just one of those stereotypical, corruptible rube cops you write into your television programs?”

Mariah had the grace to flush. A band of tension tightened at the back of her neck. But she held her ground.

“I’m not sure.”

The answer wasn’t the one Trace would have preferred to hear. But he couldn’t help respecting her honesty. He pushed himself out of the chair. “When you decide, let me know.”

“I’ll do that.” Mariah stood up as well and tossed the tattered pieces of cardboard into the metal wastepaper basket. “Are you finished questioning me?”

“For now. I’ll drive you to the lodge. When J.D. arrives with your Jeep, I’ll have him drop it off there.”

“I’d appreciate that.”

Silence settled over them on the short drive. Suddenly exhausted and emotionally drained, she leaned her head against the passenger window.

When he pulled up in front of the lodge office, she unfastened her seat belt and opened the door. “Thanks for the ride.”

“No problem.” She was already on the curb. “Oh, one more thing, Ms. Swann.”

Mariah glanced back over her shoulder and found herself staring into a rigid, determined face that was a dead ringer for Dirty Harry. His heavily lidded eyes were hard gray stones, his poet’s mouth was pulled into a grim line.

“Yes?” Her voice was neither as strong or self-assured as she would have liked.

“You don’t have to worry about me bowing to political pressure.” Deep hash marks like goal posts slashed their way between his dark brows. “Because if the senator does turn out to be the one who killed your sister, I will personally nail his balls to the jailhouse door.”

“I’m glad to hear that.” Mariah refused to flinch at the crude cop language she suspected he’d deliberately chosen to shock her. “And when you do,” she shot back, “I want to be the one swinging the hammer.”

With a toss of her head, she turned on her heel and marched away.

* * *

Trace returned to the Fletcher ranch, where the evidence team was methodically continuing their investigation.

The crew would never be given a Good Housekeeping award for neatness. Papers and other items were strewn throughout the house, fingerprint powder clung to furniture and doorframes.

He climbed the stairs to the bedroom, careful not to touch the bannister. The room, which had been messy earlier, now looked as if a hurricane had blown through it.

He bent down, picked up the towel he’d noticed on the floor the first time he’d been in the room, and lifted it to his nose. An exotic oriental scent rose from the still damp terry cloth.

“Shalimar perfume,” a female voice offered behind him. Trace turned around and saw Jessica Ingersoll, Mogollon County Attorney standing in the doorway. She looked cool, crisp and professional in a white linen suit.

“There were bottles of bath oil and cologne in the bathroom,” she informed him. “Along with some talc. It appears to have been the late lady’s signature scent.”