Page 56 of Deeper Than the Dead

“One last question, Mr. Boyett,” Bent said, ignoring her edict.

So much for hoping she could count on him for leeway in all this.

Her father raised his chin. “I’m listening.”

“Were you aware there were more remains—of other people—tucked away in that cave?”

“Daddy—” Vera started, but he cut her off.

“I told them,” he said. “I told them to stay away from that cave. But they didn’t listen.”

Vera leaned down and kissed his cheek. “We have to go, Daddy. You enjoy the rest of your day.”

Before she could move away, he grabbed her arm with surprising strength. “Don’t go in that cave, Vee. There are things in there no one needs to see.”

Bent was suddenly right beside her. “What kind of—”

Vera got between her father and Bent, cutting him off. “This ends now.”

Bent nodded his understanding, but it was impossible to read his reaction. “Good day, Mr. Boyett.”

It wasn’t until they were outside the facility and headed to Bent’s truck that Vera turned on him.

“What the hell was that about? Were you trying to make my father incriminate himself when most of the time he can’t even remember the names of his own daughters? We cannot be sure a single word of what he said is accurate.”

“I did what I had to do.” Bent paused at the passenger-side door of his truck. “You know the drill. You would have done the same thing if this was your case.”

He had her there, but that wasn’t the point.

“First, anything he says will be thrown out by a judge, and you know it.” She would see to it.

Bent inclined his head and considered her as if he didn’t understand why she was so angry. “But he told me the names of other people who may have wanted Sheree to disappear. Isn’t that our goal? To find out who killed her and to see that justice is done?”

Bent had no idea that in this situation there was no justice any way one looked at closing the case. But how did she make that clear without giving away the one part she couldn’t share with anyone?

Before she could figure out a response to his question, her cell vibrated. She yanked it from her pocket, grateful for the distraction. William Talbert’s name and face flashed on the screen.

The chief of special operations in Memphis ... her boss.

“I have to take this.” Vera walked several yards away and accepted the call.

At this point she wasn’t sure which was worse, going down this path with Bent or hearing from her boss about the investigation of her team.

One was about as appealing as the other.

20

“Chief Talbert, I’m glad you called.” Vera swallowed against the burn of that whopping lie. “I’ve just been on pins and needles waiting to hear something.” That part was mostly true.

“I wish I could say I had good news, Vera.” He exhaled a big breath.

Vera held hers. He’d braced her for the worst. The idea that she was just a little surprised was ridiculous. She had known this was coming. There were no other conclusions or decisions to be reached. Someone had to pay for what happened. End of story. Made complete sense that the one to pay would be the one who made the mistake. God knows the other two involved had already paid the ultimate price.

“I understand,” she said, bracing her free hand on her hip to stem its shaking. She refused to sound weak or cowardly about this. “Just tell me how this is going to happen, and be done with it.”

“The investigation has concluded that Detective Bedwell was not without fault in all this,” Talbert explained. “There were things said and actions taken that may have led Detective Carver to believe he was interested in a relationship.”

When that news had come out, Vera had been blindsided. She was completely unaware of any inappropriate behavior on Detective Bedwell’s part, much less his connection to Detective Carver’s husband, Lee. Just another of Vera’s epic failures. She felt compelled to repeat her previous statement on the matter. “Neither Detective Bedwell nor Detective Carver showed any inappropriate behavior in the workplace. Not once.”

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