Page 64 of The Cottage on Plum Island
Harley’s eyes widened.Did Wallis do this?Bleach was an excellent way to taint evidence. He gave himself a mental shake. Harley was being paranoid. No one was as good an actor as how Wallis had reacted to finding out it was Clair. Harley had seen that same look of desperation, denial, and devastation in Angela’s eyes when Daniel passed away. He’d seen it in his own eyes every time Harley had looked in amirror for years after Daniel’s death, and it reappeared each year on Daniel’s birthday or when thoughts of his son crossed his mind.
“Harley?” Jennifer’s soft, concerned voice broke through his thoughts, and her hand curled around his forearm. “Maybe we should go?”
“I’m sorry you and Andrew have been dragged into this,” Harley’s voice was gruff as he suddenly felt exhausted. However, there was still the matter of Angela to attend to. His hand covered Jennifer, and he stepped closer to her. “I know this is selfish of me. But I’m so glad you’re here.”
“I wouldn’t be anywhere else,” Jennifer assured him, their eyes locking.
The chaos around them started fading as they got lost in each other’s eyes. A detective approached them just as he was about to reach and touch her face. The man had his cell phone in his hand. Harley and Jennifer turned toward him, their hands clasping.
“Mr. Donovan?” The police officer addressed Harley. “Can you confirm this is your storage garage?”
Before Harley could answer, Andrew stepped up beside them. “I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to ask my client to refrain from answering any questions.”
Harley and Jennifer looked at Andrew in confusion.
“Very well,” the detective said, holding up his phone and hitting play. “Mr. Donovan, in light of this video, I’m going to have to ask you to come to the police station for questioning.”
Harley’s brow furrowed in confusion until the detective hit play, and Harley’s eyes widened in shock. He remembered that day clearly. It was near the first end of the first quarter of the year. Harley had been called to the mental health institute because Clair was demanding to see Angela. The footage showed Harley and Clair in a heated argument. His words seemed to echo through the garage.
“You won’t like the consequences if you come back here without informing me first,” Harley growled at her. “And don’t think I don’t know what you did!”
CHAPTER 13
“What just happened?” Jennifer stood blinking stupidly as she watched Harley being driven away in the back of a police car. She whirled and glared at Andrew. “Why did you let the police take Harley?”
“He’s not under arrest, Miss Gains,” the older US Marshal assured her.
“I’m going to meet Harley at the police station,” Andrew assured her.
“Andrew?” Randal Wesley walked up to them. “Why on earth are the police taking Harley away?”
“How could they even think Harley would do this?”Margaret joined her husband.
“Because he threatened Clair,” Wallis sneered as he joined them.
“You mean that petty argument you sent everyone?” Margaret turned and glared at Wallis, who looked at her in surprise. “Yes, I know it was you, Wallis.”
“You should learn to edit your videos,” Randal advised him. “Your class ring was showing at the end of the video.”
“Yousent that video of Harley and Clair arguing?“ Jennifer’s eyes narrowed on the man.
Her eyes assessed him. Wallis was a moderately good-looking man. He was about five-ten to five-eleven with sandy blond hair, brown eyes, and all the telltale signs of wealth about him, from his expensive clothes to his wristwatch that cost more than most average people made in a year or two. Jennifer couldn’t see why someone like Angela would cheat on Harley with the man.
“Who are you?” Wallis looked at her down his nose.
“You must be Harley’s friend?” Margaret guessed, holding out her perfectly manicured hand. “I’m Margaret Wesley, and this is my husband, Randal.”
“Jennifer.” She shook Margaret and then Randal’s hand. “I’m very sorry about your loss.”
“Thank you,” Randal said before addressing Andrew. “The police took Harley in over that silly video Wallis sent them?”
“He was caught on camera threatening Clair,” Andrew pointed out. “Right now, that’s the police’s biggest lead, so they would take him in for questioning.”
“But you’re going to help him, right?” Jennifer looked at Andrew.
“Of course, Jen,” Andrew’s voice dropped, and her nickname slipped from his lips. “I promised you I’d help.”
“But you’re also helping because you know Harley is innocent, right?” Jennifer looked at him questioningly.
