Living Lies (18 page)

Chapter Twenty-One

Dean waited as the gray Lincoln pulled out from the gap in the wall of pine trees edging the highway. As soon as Lara’s car turned onto the strip of road, he followed, hanging back so she wouldn’t notice. Even with a car or two between them, keeping track of Lara was easy. While dirty brown and white stains from the snow and salt covered most vehicles, Lara’s gleamed spotlessly in the hard winter light.

She led him to the shopping mall well away from Hareton’s downtown and he managed to find a parking space not far from hers. As she walked toward the main entrance, Dean fell into step beside her.

“Stalking me now?” Lara asked, walking a little faster. “What will people say?”

Dean did his best to clamp down on his growing anger. “Don’t flatter yourself. We need to talk. Let’s find somewhere to sit down.”

“I thought when I didn’t return any of your phone calls, you’d get the hint. I’m not interested in talking to you.”

“Let me make something perfectly clear.” He grabbed her arm and stopped her in her tracks. “I don’t give a shit what you’re interested in. I want answers, now.”

“I’ll scream.”

“No, you won’t. You don’t want to do anything that would lead your darling husband to think you’re still talking to me.”

The color in her cheeks rose. “What do you want to know?”

“There’s a restaurant over there.” He pointed to the diner on the far side of the lot. “I’ll buy you breakfast.”

“I’ve eaten.”

“Well, then a coffee at the very least.”

“I don’t want to be seen with you.”

He bared his teeth a little and gripped her elbow, pulling her across the parking lot. “Then you shouldn’t have lied to me in the first place.”

Inside the diner, the pungent aromas of bacon grease and disinfectant tickled his nostrils and, combined with the Christmas carols blaring out the speakers over the counter, aggravated the steady throb behind his eyes. He and Lara found a booth at the back of the restaurant, away from prying eyes and big ears. Although none of the morning crowd gave them a second look, and for that, at least, Dean was grateful.

After ordering coffee from a gum-snapping waitress who couldn’t be more than sixteen, Lara leaned forward and glared. “I’m here. What do you want know?”

“Who told you not to help me?”

She gave him a coy smile. “A friend.”

“Cut it out, Lara. People’s lives are involved. Someone has been breaking into Haley’s house and watching her. If something happens to her because of your stupid games…” He didn’t finish the sentence.

“First Michelle, now Haley. What is it about the women in that family? Are you hoping to marry up?”

“No, Lara, that’s your thing.”

Her eyes narrowed and she lowered her voice to a furious whisper. “What do you know about it? Who are you to judge me? You don’t know what I come from.”

“You grew up two doors down from me.” Dean rolled his eyes. “Our lives were remarkably similar.”

“Not even close. You’re mother didn’t bring home a string of men. Didn’t let them use her and hit you.”

“Is that why you married him?” Dean asked. Sympathy he didn’t want to feel touched him. “So you wouldn’t end up like your mother.”

“None of your fucking business.” She started to stand, but he put his hand over hers and held her in place.

“We’re not done here. Who told you not to help me?”

Her eyes bored into his. “Jonathan.”

“Why? What does he care?”

She shrugged.

“Haley went to see him yesterday.”

“Really?” She looked about the diner, pretending disinterest.

“Really. He implied that he still believes that Michelle and I were seeing each other while he was dating her. But here’s what I don’t get; when you know that isn’t true, and he’s keeping you from admitting what you know, why would he still claim that Michelle and I were together?”

“How should I know?”

“He was also very angry when Haley suggested his housekeeper might be lying for him. Did he go after Michelle that night?”

“You’ll have to ask him.”

“Maybe I will. I’ll swing by the mill and tell him you sent me.”

“Do you think you can scare me?”

“Yes. What about Richard?”

Her eyes went wide. “How do you know about him?”

“Haley had a run-in with him yesterday too. He said some rather unflattering things about Michelle.”

“He’s very jealous of Jonathan.”

“Could he have killed Michelle?”

“I don’t know.”

“God damn it, Lara, give me something.”

“I don’t know anything, I truly don’t. I don’t know why Jonathan won’t let me come forward for you. He knows you and Michelle weren’t together then.”

“So somehow it benefits him if I look guilty. Takes the spotlight off him? Do you think he killed Michelle?”

“I don’t know. Really, Dean, I don’t.”

He sighed and threw a couple of dollars on the table before standing. “All right, I give up.” What a waste of time, at least he could pick up Haley’s new locks at the hardware store in the mall.

“Dean.”

Lara glanced around her as if to make sure no one was listening. Her gaze met his and she lowered her voice. He had to lean in closer to hear.

“Erin didn’t want me to speak up for you either.”

“Erin Johnson—I mean Carling?” he corrected automatically.

She nodded. “Erin also helped spread the rumor about you. She was always jealous of Michelle.”

“Erin?” He asked again, still not really believing what he was hearing. “Nate’s daughter? Garret’s wife?”

“Yes, but don’t tell her I told you.” She slid out of the booth. “I’m leaving now and I don’t want to be seen leaving with you.”

Dean rolled his eyes, only half listening. “Whatever, go. I’ll count to twenty before I leave.” Erin? Would she have killed Michelle? He hardly knew her.

For Carling’s kids, the shop had been a second home, but Erin rarely came by to see her father. And, except for the few months he and Michelle had dated, Dean and Erin had traveled in very different social circles.

Dean had run into her at a party once. He had only gone because Michelle had nagged him. Garret hadn’t been there and Erin had had too much to drink. She’d said something about Michelle slumming it with Dean, and kept calling him Michelle’s boy toy all night. More embarrassed for her than annoyed, he’d chalked the whole incident up to far too much alcohol. Maybe Lara was right. Looking back, he hadn’t been Erin’s target at all. Michelle had been.

Erin could easily break into Haley’s home. Haley herself said that Garret had a key, giving Erin plenty of access.

When he left the diner, Lara was long gone. He walked over to the hardware store. He’d get Haley her new locks and when she got home from work, he’d find out what she knew about Erin and her relationship with Michelle.

Haley was already home when he got back. She was sitting on the couch, pale and shaken, her arms wrapped around herself as if she were freezing, her eyes wide and haunted. Paige sat in the armchair across from her. Just as pale and just as shaken. Fear clutched him in its boney grasp.

“It’s only one o’clock, why are you home? What happened?”

Haley’s eyes met his and she swallowed hard. “Al’s dead.”

A strange, sinking sensation enveloped him. He set down the plastic bags he was carrying onto the floor. “How?”

“Bludgeoned I believe is the term.” Her voice was hoarse and low. She ran a trembling hand through her hair. “No one would say for sure, but his head looked crushed. I thought I could see bone.”

“You saw him?”

Haley met his gaze, her eyes glassy with unshed tears. “I found him.”

“My God, why didn’t you call me?” He started to move toward her, but she stood and backed away.

“I overheard someone say that it probably happened last night. I guess when we thought he’d closed early, he was actually being murdered.”

Her voice rose and she spoke too quickly. He wanted to do something to take that terrifying edge from her tone, but he was afraid to move closer. Afraid she would shatter if he tried to touch her.

“I was worried about Billy, but the police said he was okay. Al let him go early. Do you think that had he worked until his shift ended he would have been killed too, or do you think that Al letting him go early left Al vulnerable? I keep wondering about that.”

Her voice hitched and Dean moved toward her again, but she held her hand out to him, palm open. “No. Don’t.” She swallowed. “I’ll be fine. I just need a minute by myself.”

She turned her back to him and went into the kitchen. When he would have followed Paige blocked him with her leg. He looked down at her and she shook her head. “She doesn’t like for anyone to see her cry. She never has, even as a kid.”

“Did she call you?” Dean asked, trying not to feel hurt.

Paige scowled and shook her head. “Yeah, right. God forbid she call anyone. Remember I said I would swing by the store?”

He nodded.

“When I get there, the police are all over the place and there’s Haley answering their questions. She didn’t call me, or you, or Garret, or anyone else.”

Al dead, left for Haley to find. “I did this,” he muttered. “I brought all of this on. To Al and Haley.”

“Don’t kid yourself. If this is Michelle’s killer we’re dealing with, this has been coming for awhile.”

Dean didn’t buy it. He’d wanted to clear his name and from the first moment Haley talked to him things started to happen. If someone hurt her… Not an option. From now on he was her shadow. Wherever she went, he would be there. Whether she liked it or not.

“Okay,” Haley said, wiping her damp cheeks with the heels of her hands. "I’m better now.”

Her voice still shook, but that wild edge had gone.

“I want to get this bastard.” Haley looked at Paige. “Whoever did this has taken so much from us and he keeps taking more. I want him to pay.”

“So let’s get him,” Paige agreed.

“Al is dead,” Dean snapped. Couldn’t they see what was happening around them? “Haley has someone coming and going from her house, vandalizing her bedrooms, spying on her through her windows. No more. Let the police do their jobs. Paige go home and Haley come back to the city with me.”

“Come on, Lawson,” Paige said, narrowing her eyes. “Don’t wimp out on us now.”

Dean locked his gaze with Haley’s. “I don’t want anything to happen to you. Either of you.”

“He took my sister and destroyed my family in a single blow. He took things from me and Paige that we’ll never even know. And he took from you. Hell, you came here to clear your name. Don’t you want justice?”

“Not at the expense of your life, Haley.”

Paige stood up between them. “Let’s do this. Why don’t we sum up all that we know and if we feel like we’re getting somewhere we’ll go to the police.”

“Fine.” Dean sighed. “I can live with that.”

Haley nodded.

“Okay, then. I’ll need a pen and paper,” Paige said.

“Why?” Haley asked. “Will there be a quiz after?”

“You must be feeling better.”

“In the kitchen.”

Paige stood and left the room. Once she had gone, Dean reached for Haley’s hand. She took it and gripped hard.

“I’m sorry I yelled at you,” he said on a sigh, the fear and fury still too fresh to make his apology more gracious. “But I can’t stand the idea of something happening to you.”

“I know.” She squeezed his hand and drew in a sniffling breath. “Don’t look at me like that or you’ll set me off again.”

Haley tried to swallow the tight ache in her throat as Dean released her hand. Exhausted, she would have liked nothing better than to crawl into bed, preferably with Dean. His body curved around her like it had been that morning. No. She had to remember her resolution to take care of herself, and if meant nailing the bastard who killed Al, that’s what she would do.

“Okay,” Paige said, returning with a pen and paper in hand. She dropped onto the armchair, crossed her leg and balanced the notepad on her thigh. “So, where do we start?”

“I spoke to Lara,” Dean said.

Haley turned sharply. “When?”

“This morning.” A faint smile touched his mouth as if he had a private joke that no one else in the room knew. “I ran into her at the mall.”

“And what did she tell you?” Paige asked.

“Jonathan told her not to admit anything for me, but she doesn’t know why.”

Haley frowned. Her head felt muddled and slow to work things out. “That would mean everything he told me wasn’t true.”

“Surprise, surprise,” Paige muttered.

“So we’re back to square one.” Haley flopped back onto the couch and Dean sat down next to her.

“Not quite,” Dean said. “She also told me Erin didn’t want her to come forward and that Erin had helped to spread the rumor.”

“No way. Erin and Michelle were friends.” Erin couldn’t know anything. “She’s married to Garret for crying out loud.”

Dean shrugged. “Lara said Erin was jealous of Michelle.”

“I told you Erin was a big fake,” Paige said. “And she was jealous of Michelle. Every time Michelle left the room, Erin would make a dig.”

“Do you really think Erin could have killed Michelle and then married Garret?” Haley asked, not buying it for second.

“Yes.”

“She had access to everything,” Dean pointed out. “The delivery van, the store, your father’s coveralls. She knew your grandmother’s house would be empty and her father was helping with the upkeep.”

“Why have we never considered Nate?” Paige asked.

“This is a serious attempt to find our sister’s killer, not Paige’s private witch hunt.”

“I’m being serious. He had access to all the things Erin did, and the strength to carry a body down to the basement.”

“That’s a good point, he also knew your father’s first wife. Still, he had no motive for killing Michelle,” Dean said. “And we haven’t ruled out Jonathan and Richard yet.”

Haley sat up. “Yes we have. I was with both of them at the time Al was murdered.” A shudder rippled up her spine as the image of his shattered skull popped into her head. As if sensing her thoughts, Dean absently rubbed her back.

“He’s hiding something or covering up,” Dean said. “He lied to you, and me looking guilty benefits him somehow. Now, you saw Richard when you were leaving. Could he have killed Al and then returned to the mill in time to catch you before you left?”