Page 24 of Five for Silver

“You only have to go to Wiltknot, talk toVincent a bit, and maybe drive him around—”

“Stop it,” Lucy snapped, she raised her handto quiet her son. “Do not take this out on him.”

Chad slid to the edge of the sofa and foundLucy’s eyes. “If I truly believed Vincent would tell us where yoursister is, I’d dance to whatever tune he wanted me to, but I don’tbelieve it. I don’t believe he’s changed and wants forgiveness, andyou said yourself you don’t believe that either.”

“I don’t,” Lucy agreed. “My mom’s dying wishwas to be reunited with Harriet. The space above her in her graveis for Harriet, and I know that if Vincent was serious aboutwashing away his sins, he’d try to find Harriet with or withoutyour or James’s help, but he won’t. But I have to leave that dooropen. If you’re the one that shuts it, then so be it, you save mefrom whatever Vincent has planned, but I can’t be the one to shutthe door. I can’t do that to my mother,” she closed her eyes in along blink before reopening them. They swam with tears. “Ourmother.”

“It’s a game,” Chad shook his head. “That’sall it is to him, a game, and I’m not willing to play it because wehave no idea what the rules to it are, and he’s the only one thatknows how to win.”

“I understand.” The crease above her nosedeepened. “I accept your decision.”

Chad slumped.

“How … how did James take it when you saidno?” Lucy asked.

“He was angry at first, then he pretty muchbegged me to reconsider.”

Lucy snorted, averting her gaze. “That’s hisguilty conscious.”

“Guilty—”

“It’s his fault.”

Chad blinked. It was his turn to clip Josh’sankle with his foot. He knew hardly anything about VincentWhitehall, but Josh at least had the advantage of watching hisdocumentary.

“Why is it his fault?” Josh asked.

Lucy narrowed her eyes on him. “Do you knowanything about my sister’s murder?”

Josh swallowed. “Only that Vincent wanted tokeep her location to himself.”

“James let my sister go.” Lucy hissed.

Chad frowned. “Let her go. What does thatmean?”

“He was with her that night.”

“With your … sister.”

“Yes. A twenty-eight-year-old marrieddetective sergeant was with my seventeen-year-old sister. He gaveher a warning for possession of an illegal substance or so heclaims, then he let her go off in the dark on her own, knowingthere was a serial killer preying on young women.”

Chad pinched his brow. “What do you mean ‘heclaims’?”

“There was no written warning, no recordingsback then. He claimed he searched Harriet, told her to get in thepolice car and gave her a verbal for a joint of marijuana beforeletting her go.” She laughed without humor. “James Poole is thelast person to see my sister alive and he is a damn liar.”

Andrew set his coffee cup down and ran hishand up and down Lucy’s back.

“Calm down, Ma,”

“I’m not saying Harriet was a saint,” Lucycontinued. “But she didn’t smoke marijuana. She hated the stuff.She wasn’t in his car getting a verbal warning, she was in therebecause that creep was obsessed with my sister.”

Chad flashed a glance at Josh, then back toLucy.

“But you know how it is,” Lucy continued,“the police look after their own. At least they did back then. I’mhoping nowadays everyone is held accountable for their crimesequally, no special treatment because of a badge held in yourpocket,” She darted dark eyes between Chad and Josh. “I’d like tothink I can trust you.”

“You can.” Chad replied.

She hummed. “My dad reported James’sinappropriate behavior before Vincent killed her, but it wasignored, explained away.”

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