Page 105 of Deeper Than the Dead

“But,” Gallagher picked up from there, “one of his staff members who wasn’t interviewed twenty-two years ago has told us that your father borrowed his car to run home for a few minutes. This staff member recalled that he seemed a bit frazzled when he returned.”

Again, there was nothing she could or would say to his statement.

“Let’s be candid here, Ms. Boyett,” Gallagher suggested, when she remained silent. “I don’t fully understand why this particular person at your father’s place of employment was not interviewed at the time of your stepmother’s disappearance, but obviously he should have been. As you know, your father had motive and, we now understand, opportunity to murder her.”

“Do you have a question for me?” He wanted to rattle her, and to some degree, he had succeeded, but she would not allow him to see any measure of success. “Otherwise I would refer you to former Sheriff Walter Fraley, since he was the sheriff who conducted the investigation.”

“Less than a week after she disappeared,” Trotter said, “the man she was rumored to be cheating on your father with was murdered. Beaten to death with a baseball bat.”

This was growing tedious.

“We’ve spoken with your father’s physician,” Gallagher said. “He has agreed that an interview won’t be detrimental to his condition.”

Vera laughed. “Nor will it be useful to your investigation. As you well know, anything he says isn’t going to make it to a courtroom. He is mentally incompetent.”

“We don’t need his testimony for a courtroom,” Trotter said, angling his head to study her. “We’re hoping for a detail that will help us determine who else had a motive to want Sheree out of the way. You have any ideas about that?” His gaze narrowed. “Seems as if you and your sister didn’t really like her.”

“Well.” Vera pushed back her chair and stood. “This has been ... interesting, if not enlightening. You know where to reach me if you have other questions.”

Bent was on his feet but made no attempt to slow or to stop her departure. She would thank him later.

The agents said nothing.

She closed the door behind her and walked down the long corridor that led past the sheriff’s office, as well as the offices of others in the department, until she reached the lobby. Once she was out of the building, she strode straight to her SUV, climbed in, and drove away.

It wasn’t until she was on the Thornton Taylor Parkway that she let out all the emotions that had built inside her. She screamed.

Then she took a breath and drove straight to Sweet Things Ice Cream Shoppe. She went inside, ordered a vanilla ice cream cone, and asked to borrow the phone. She called Barrett’s Funeral Home and asked for Eve—rather than calling her cell.

While Vera’s phone was silenced during the meeting with the FBI, Eve had tried to call her back. That was just like her sister to return a call at the most inopportune time.

As soon as Eve said hello, Vera instructed her to go to the park where they played as kids. They had to talk.

If Eve was protecting their father ... or their mother, Vera needed to know why and to what extent.

36

Stone Bridge Memorial Park

Thornton Taylor Parkway, Fayetteville, 6:20 p.m.

Vera parked in the lot and walked down to the spot by the water she and Eve had loved most. The park wasn’t so large, but it was interesting. With a trail that meandered along the water and a gazebo hidden in the trees. Ducks waddled along, heading for the water. It was peaceful and somewhat secluded, no matter that it was actually in the middle of their little town.

Within two or three minutes of Vera’s arrival, Eve showed up. Vera had already taken a seat on her favorite boulder. More of the big rocks were scattered about in the park and along the river. Eve settled on the one she had favored as a child. Funny how some things you just never forgot.

“This must be bad,” Eve suggested.

“Depends on how you define bad. If being questioned by the FBI fits your definition for bad, then, yeah, it’s bad.”

Eve’s eyes widened a little. Her body eased back a fraction, as if drawing away from the danger. “How did it go?” She shook her head. “I mean, have they figured anything out?”

For a few seconds Vera thought about how to answer that question. “Too early to tell.” As much as she wanted to, Vera couldn’t put off the other. “I need some answers from you, Eve. I need the whole truth about everything, and I need it now.”

“I know.” Eve bowed her head for a moment, toed the grass. “Fire away.”

Fire away? Vera made a face. What the hell? Where was the insistence that she’d told Vera everything already? The roll of her eyes and remark about having been over this territory before? Since her sister stared expectantly at her, Vera opted to let it go and press on.

“Let’s start with the easiest question first,” she suggested. “Was the dead guy in our cave Suri’s microbiology instructor?”

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