In the Shadows (The Outsiders Book 1) (23 page)

“We argued because she was trying to get Peter back. She would make up excuses to call him over to the house.”
She retrieved the cigarette and took another nervous drag, blowing smoke into the air.

Dave interjected.
“Who do you think murdered Jared?”

“Peter thinks it’s either Elizabeth or that woman, the teacher who rented a room from Elizabeth.”

“But what do you think?”

“Eli
zabeth could have killed him. She’s an alcoholic, you know. Jared disapproved of her drinking, and the two of them fought about that all the time.”

“Are you sure she’s an alcoholic? That’s a pretty big claim.”

Robin took another drag and stubbed the unfinished butt out in the ash tray. “She was often drunk. That’s part of what drove Peter away. He would stay at work later than necessary frequently so he wouldn’t have to go home and deal with her.”

The front door opened, and a man’s voice called out to Robin.

“I’m in the living room,” she answered. When he appeared, Robin went to him and kissed him, made the introductions, and explained why they were there. Peter Raybourne watched her walk out of the room, then sat in the spot she’d vacated.

Peter’s hair, the color of wet sand, was a darker shade of blonde than his ex-wife’s and
their son’s, and was wavy. He looked older than Elizabeth, certainly older than Robin. Dave tried to recall the man’s age. He’d read it in one of the reports or an article. Forty-one or forty-two.

“Robin told us you used to be her boss
,” Kate said.

Peter nodded.

“Did she leave the company?”

“Yes.”

“How long ago was that?”

He shrugged.

“Where’s she working now?”

“I don’t see why you’re asking,
” he said with an edge of truculence.

“We’re trying to get to know the main people in your son’s life.”

“Why? We already know who killed him.”

Dave noticed a slight twitch in Kate’s jaw.

Kate said, “Who do you think it was?”

“I’ve already been through this with the police.” He leaned forward
with his arms resting on the chair’s arms.

“But not with us.”

“And I still don’t see why I should talk to you.” He sighed. “All right. I’ll say it again. The schoolteacher, Maura Barrington, had a key since she’d previously rented a room in that house. And she had a motive. The school officials told us she was under investigation of an affair with Jared.”

“And you believe they had an affair?”

He walked over to the fireplace, picked up a framed photograph, and stared at it briefly before handing it to Kate. “He was a good looking boy. It’s not surprising, really, that she could fall for him,” he said.

“Have you met her?”
Kate asked, avoiding the obvious affirmation.

“Briefly.”

“She is attractive, too, isn’t she? Is it possible that he had a schoolboy crush on her and that she didn’t really have an affair with him?”

Peter shrugged.

“Is it possible that he was obsessed with her and that’s why she moved out of the house? That he spread rumors about her because he wanted it to be true?”

Kate handed the photo to Dave. It looked fairly recent. Jared was dressed in school uniform, his hair groomed and his expression cocky.
Jared was slender and good-looking. A slightly older woman might be attracted to him, as distasteful as that seemed to him. Maura had denied that. Dave looked up at the fireplace mantel at another photo, a picture of Peter and Robin. She didn’t appear to be much older than Maura. Dave handed the photo back to Peter, who was still standing.

Peter sat back down, the frame in his lap, and leaned toward Kate. “Even if that was the case
, that he was obsessed with her and made up everything, she still had motive.”

“How is that?”

“She was under investigation by the school’s governing board. Wouldn’t she save her job if Jared was gone?”

Dave said, “
Not really. Jared’s murder only added to the suspicions, not made them go away. Also, if that was true, she would have stayed here and fought the allegations, wouldn’t she, if she was so desperate to keep her job?”

Peter looked deep in thought. “I don’t know. But if she didn’t kill him,
then who did?”

“Did your son have any enemies?”

Peter shrugged. “I won’t lie to you. He went through some difficulties after his mother and I split. He got into fights in school. He was accused of vandalism at school and around the neighborhood. I can’t tell you who he might have angered.” He stared at them with an oddly defiant expression. “Look, I think I have given you enough time now. I will expect to see anything you write before it is published.” He stood, and waited for them to follow suit.

After Dave and Kate left
the house, Kate said, “Do you want to go to Elizabeth Raybourne’s house tonight, or wait till morning?

“
I’d really like to talk with her now, if you don’t mind.”

She reached into her handbag and pulled out her phone.

Dave said, “Wait, why don’t we surprise her, not give her a chance to turn us down?”

She nodded
and dropped the phone back inside.

They took the train from Euston to Hampstead, then made the familiar trek to the neighbor.

At the Raybourne house, Elizabeth did indeed look surprised when she answered the doorbell.

“What are you doing here?” she asked.

Dave detected the smell of alcohol on her breath. Maybe Robin was telling the truth and it wasn’t simply malice on her part.

Kate said, “We need to ask you
a few more questions.”

“Then make an appointment at the agency.” She started to close the door on them, but Dave stuck his foot in between the door and the jamb.

“We really need to talk now. We’ve just come from your ex-husband’s home.”

She pursed her lips
. “Give me a minute to tidy up.” She closed the door.

Dave looked at Kate and shrugged.
He wasn’t sure what Elizabeth would do.

Elizabeth returned a few minutes later, hair combed. She opened the door wide and led them into the living room.
“Please have a seat.” She motioned toward the beige sofa. Dave glanced around and peeked through the kitchen doorway. An empty glass and an uncorked wine bottle sat on the countertop.

Elizabeth sat in a chair beside the sofa, her hands wrapped together in her lap.

Kate said, “How would you describe your son’s mental condition immediately prior to his death?”

Her eyes
widened. “I—I don’t know. I’m not a doctor.”

“But you’re a mother. You told us that your son wasn’t happy about your divorce
, and he had been acting out.”

“Peter wanted to take Jared to a psychologist, but
Jared refused, saying he would do something dreadful if we forced him to go.”

“Do you think he meant suicide?”

“No, he wouldn’t kill himself. I’m certain of it.”

How many times had Dave heard that from
the families of people who had taken their own lives? Rarely did a parent or spouse believe their loved one would resort to suicide. Was Elizabeth one of those who refused to believe, or did she know her son well enough? And if she didn’t think he would kill himself, what did she mean by ‘do something dreadful’?

He glanced at Kate, waiting for her to ask the questions he
wanted to ask.

“What did you do when he threatened to do something terrible?”

“We let him believe we would hold off, but he overheard us discussing it one night. He came in and flew off the handle, raging at both of us. After that, well, we didn’t really know what to do. All we could do was keep an eye on him. You know, try not to leave him home alone if we could help it.”

“What were you afraid he would do?
” Kate asked. “You said you didn’t believe he would harm himself.”

Elizabeth shook her head,
hesitating and chewing on her lower lip.

“You mean you thought he might hurt someone else?”
Kate asked.

She shrugged
, suddenly looking close to tears.

“I’m
a bit confused here. Just now you said you were trying not to leave him home alone. Then why did you leave him alone that night if you were worried he might do something? He was home alone the night of the murder, was he not?”

“Yes,” Elizabeth said, in a shaky voice. “The one time we left him alone, he died.”

“You haven’t answered the question. Why did you leave him alone that night?”

“Because my car
eer was on the line, that’s why! The agency was struggling in the bad economy. Roger Newton—he’s my boss— was desperate to acquire a client, Fournier Industries, which could save the company. He planned a dinner party with the heads of Fournier as guests of honor. Roger made it quite clear that it was my duty to attend the party and snag the client. If we landed the client, he promised me a promotion and a raise. But if I failed, my promotion and raise wouldn’t happen. He intimated that I might even find myself jobless. I really had no choice. When Maura Barrington moved out, I lost the rental income. I needed the job and the raise.”

With the mention of Maura, Dave decided to broach that subject. “Did you know Maura well? Do you really believe she killed your son?”

“I barely knew her, but who else could have done it?”

“Do you believe that she was having an affair with Jared before she moved out?”

“I don’t know,” she whispered. “She told me once that he had made advances toward her. I didn’t think much of it at the time.”

“Could Jared have instigated the
rumors?” Dave asked. “Could it be that he wanted a relationship and that when she refused, he started spreading rumors to get back at her? Or maybe he really believed there was something going on between them when there wasn’t.”

She leaned back in her chair, looking defeated. “I suppose that’s possible.”

“If true,” Dave said, “then maybe she didn’t kill him either. So, the question is—who might have had a grudge against your son? Who might he have angered?”

Elizabeth shook her head, her eyes
now filling with tears.

Changing the subject, Dave said,
“We heard that you and Robin Sutcliffe quarreled several times before the murder. Can you tell us what you argued about?”

“Who told you that? I wouldn’t dream of seeking an argument with Robin. We don’t like each other
, but we tried to get along as well as possible for Jared’s sake.” 

“You never quarreled with her?”

“It’s none of your business!” Elizabeth looked away. There was a silence, and then she finally shrugged. “She complained sometimes, but I wouldn’t say we argued. She—she disliked Peter’s spending so much time at the house. But we were civil to one another.”

Dave
recalled Ian Waitley’s words and Robin Sutcliffe’s words, both of them contradicting what Elizabeth was currently saying. “Why was Peter spending so much time here?”

“Because of Jared’s problems.
” Elizabeth seemed defeated, answering mechanically.

“Did Robin know that?”

“Yes. Of course she did. It didn’t really help, though. She thought that if Jared needed his father, he should spend time at their house, where Peter wouldn’t have to see me. I could understand that.”

“And did you suggest that to your son?”

Elizabeth nodded. “He refused.”

“What was your last conversation with Robin—before Jared’s murder
—about?”

Elizabeth sighed
. “Robin accused me of taking advantage of the situation to get Peter back home. She thought that I was in some way causing, or perpetuating Jared’s problems, to get Peter to come around more often.”

“Were you?”

”Of course not!” She stood up abruptly. “Now, look, I have work to do. I’ve given you more than enough of my time.”

They both
rose and turned to go.

“Will
. . . .” Elizabeth began. “Will you let me see what you’ve written before it’s published?”

Kate looked back at her and smiled. “Of course.”

As they stepped outside, Dave turned around. “One last question,” he said. “Does Robin have a key to this house?”

Her mo
uth gaped open, then closed. “I—I don’t know. Peter has one. Jared once told me he keeps it on a hook by the front door of his house.”

ON THE TRAIN
ride back to Kate’s house, Dave said, “Don't you wonder why they're all so ready to talk to us?”

“The power of the press. People complain about it, but they always want to talk. If they don't, it usually means they have an exclusive deal with another paper.”