Page 77 of Deeper Than the Dead

“Okay.” Wait. Vera held up her hands. “What’re you suggesting?”

“I’m saying that the paint on this truck matches what rubbed off on your sister’s car, which pretty much confirms that this is the truck that collided with her car.”

“But you just said this truck doesn’t—”

“Eve came to this parking lot, Vee, and she backed into the truck. That’s what I’m telling you.”

Ice frosted in her veins. “You’re suggesting she made up the whole story.”

He nodded. “I don’t know why, but I’m as confident as I can be without an eyewitness and without testing the paint transfer.”

Vera surveyed the other buildings in the area. “No security cameras around here?”

He shook his head. “Not the first one.”

Why in the world would Eve do this?

“Can you think of any reason Eve would try and toss out a distraction related to this investigation?”

Slashes of memory—the two of them hefting Sheree’s cold, wet body into that utility trailer—cut through her brain. Still, she shook her head. “None at all.”

“I’ll have to talk to her about this,” Bent said. “Not only did she damage this vehicle, but she falsified an accident report. Whatever is going on with Eve, we need to get it under control before it becomes a real issue.”

In Vera’s opinion this alone made it a very real issue. What the hell had Eve been thinking?

“Let me talk to her,” Vera urged. As if she hadn’t just done so a few minutes ago. “I’ll get to the bottom of this. But I want you to keep something in mind related to our earlier meeting with Higdon.” She explained the impossibility of what the ME was suggesting about their father in relationship to the time of their mother’s death. “Daddy couldn’t have done what Higdon is suggesting.”

Bent nodded. “You’re right. And I will talk to him.”

“Thanks.” Vera pressed her lips together, told herself to let it go. Bent had only been doing his job.

He stared at the ground a moment. “I feel really bad about that business, Vee.” He lifted his gaze to hers. “I wanted to shut him down, but he already thinks I lack objectivity on this case. That’s why he went to the FBI.”

“I get it. You did the right thing.” As difficult as that meeting had been, he’d handled it exactly as he should have. “And thank you for telling me about this”—she gestured to the truck—“so I can figure it out. I’ll call you after I speak with Eve.”

His lips lifted in a smile. “I’m sure she’ll have a good explanation.”

Vera laughed a pathetic sound. “No doubt.”

“I’ll call you when we can get together at my home office.”

She gave him a nod and headed back to her SUV. She wanted to be relieved that maybe they were off the hook with this exhumation business, but what Bent was suggesting about Eve was equally troubling. She sent her sister a text to meet her at the house ASAP.

What on earth had Eve been trying to do?

26

Boyett Farm

Good Hollow Road, Fayetteville, 12:15 p.m.

Why the hell would Eve lie to her?

By the time Vera reached the house, she was thoroughly pissed.

She climbed out of her SUV and shoved the door shut. Lying to Bent was one thing. Even lying to Luna was acceptable, if it was for the right reason. They’d been lying to their little sister and basically everyone else for years. But having Eve lie to her? After what they had been through together—that was just over the top. Unacceptable.

She shoved the key into the door and gave it a twist. If Eve was hiding something awful, and Vera feared she was, she had better get ready to come clean. Vera could not help her if she wasn’t honest.

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