The Pursuit of Lies (Book #4, Paradise Valley) (18 page)

Chapter 20

After phoning Ernie and telling him not to wait up for him, Colin and Emily hit the road, meeting Peter as planned. The dark country road was only lit by the highway lights half a mile away, with no cameras in sight. Peter came alone, giving Maggie deniability in case they were found out.

“You two look like me and Maggie,” Peter laughed.

“That’s the idea,” Emily replied.

“When do you plan on being back?” Peter asked.

“Early Friday morning,” Colin replied. “Just a quick down and back, hopefully before anyone notices we’re gone.”

“Be safe, you two.” Peter shook Colin’s hand. “Let me know when you return.” He climbed in Emily’s Volvo and drove off.

Emily slid in behind the wheel of Peter’s rental car, a late model white Honda Accord, not that different from her own automobile. Colin scooted into the passenger seat and strapped his seatbelt on.

“Ready?” Emily asked, glancing over to him, his face barely lit from the glow of the instrument panel. She would take the first four-hour shift driving while Colin slept off his pain meds.

“Ready.” He grinned at her, looking so odd in his auburn wig and mustache. He reclined his seat and closed his eyes.

She started the engine and they were off.

It would be a long twelve-hour drive, first through the pitch-black desert, then over the dark mountains. Emily estimated they would drop down out of the Sierras, into the Sacramento Valley, about the time the sun would be coming up over California. They should reach his parents’ home about eight a.m., just in time for breakfast.

They hadn’t dared to call them and let them know their son was coming for a visit in case the Boise police had obtained permission to tap his phone, and maybe even his parents’, to bolster their case. It wasn’t likely, but the possibility was always there and they couldn’t take the chance.

Colin had even left his cell phone at Emily’s house so he couldn’t be tracked by GPS. It didn’t matter if they tracked Emily’s phone—she wasn’t the one who had been forbidden to leave the state.

She glanced over at Colin, sleeping with his jacket spread over his chest and arms like a blanket. What a sight they would be when his mom opened the front door—him in his brownish-red wig and mustache and her in the long flowing blonde one. She shook her head at the thought. What a way to be introduced to your prospective in-laws.

In the middle of nowhere in the Nevada desert, the four-hour mark passed. Emily decided to drive on another hour to the town of Winnemucca before waking Colin to take over. As she pulled into the small city around one a.m., the only signs of life were the handful of gambling casinos that dotted the main street and a well-lit twenty-four-hour gas station with wide bays catering to the many long-distance truckers that traveled that route.

Emily swung the car into a parking spot at the gas station’s convenience store and turned the engine off.

“Colin.” She shook his arm lightly. “Colin, wake up.”

He mumbled something to her and shifted in his seat.

“Time to switch places.” She shook him again, but he wouldn’t wake up. Her eyes were beginning to get drowsy and she had hoped for some relief, but she figured with his pain meds he was probably in a deep sleep. It wouldn’t be safe for him to drive like that, so she decided she’d continue.

First, she’d need to make a pit stop in the ladies room and get herself an energy drink, then she’d be good to drive for a few more hours. It was probably best to let him drive the last four hours anyway, since he was familiar with the busy California freeways and driving into San Francisco.

~*~

After being behind the wheel for three more hours, they were now on a highway skirting the north shore of Lake Tahoe. The clock in the dash read four twelve. She could see a gas station brightly lit on a frontage road up ahead and took the next off ramp.

“Colin.” Emily shook his shoulder. “Colin, wake up.” She pulled up on the shadowy side of the gas station building that had a small convenience store. “Time to take over the driving.”

He straightened in his reclined seat and pulled it into an upright position. “Already?” He rubbed his eyes and looked around. “Where are we?”

“North Lake Tahoe.”

“You’ve been driving for eight hours?”

“Nine.”

“Why didn’t you wake me after four?”

“I tried but you wouldn’t wake up, so I kept going.”

“I’m sorry,” Colin said, rubbing his hand over his face. “I didn’t mean to sleep so long.”

“No worries. You can drive the rest of the way.”

He peered over at the gas gauge in the dash. “Looks like we’ll need to fill up the car, and I need to take a bathroom break.”

“You’ll have to watch out for the video cameras,” Emily warned, reaching into her bulky leather purse sitting on the console. She pulled out the faux glasses and handed them to him. “These will help, but try to avoid looking into the cameras anyway.”

“I think I know the drill.”

Emily backed the car out of the darkened space beside the building and pulled up to one of the gas pumps. “If you’ll fill the tank, I’ll use the restroom first, then pay for the gas with cash.”

“See if you can find something for us to eat and drink,” he suggested. “It’s probably best if I stay away from the cameras near the cash register.”

Before long, they took care of business and were back on the road.

The sun was breaking over the mountains behind them as they trekked across the Sacramento Valley toward the coast, reaching the eastern side of the San Francisco Bay Area freeways just in time for the heavy commuter traffic.

After a little more than an hour, they pulled up in front of the Andrews’ house, a white stucco two-story over a two-car garage crammed in the middle of a row of similar old homes that lined both sides of the street. Beyond a tall black wrought-iron gate, a long set of covered concrete steps ran up the left side of the garage to the front door. Black shutters flanked the large picture window perched over the garage.

The clock in the dashboard read eight forty-six. Emily stuck her slim laptop in her oversized handbag before they got out of the car and slowly climbed the stairs to the front door.

Emily noticed Colin holding his side, which told her his pain pills were wearing off. “Do you need more medication?” she asked before they rang the doorbell.

“Yes, but let’s say hello to my folks first.”

She nodded.

Colin pushed the doorbell button and shortly after the matte-black front door opened.

“Mom, it’s me.” Colin pulled the glasses off and smiled at her.

“Colin?” She squinted and leaned her head forward. “Is that really you?”

“Yes, Mom. Sorry for the disguise. And this is Emily.”

Mrs. Andrews’ eyes filled with tears, her gaze moving from Colin to Emily and back to her son. She stepped back and to the side. “Come in, come in.”

Colin entered first, with Emily close behind.

“Jim, come quick!” His mom hollered toward the back of the house.

Colin’s dad lumbered down the hallway. “Who’s here?”

Tears flooded Colin’s eyes as he tore off the wig and mustache. “It’s me, Dad.”

“Colin?” Jim’s shuffle quickened. “What on earth?”

Colin raced toward his dad and pulled him into a hug.

“So this must be Emily,” Jim said, once Colin released him.

“It’s so nice to finally meet you,” Emily said, sticking out her hand.

Jim took her hand and tugged her into a hug. As soon as he let go of her, Donna opened her arms to Emily and she gladly accepted her embrace.

“I don’t usually look like this.” Emily fluffed her flowing wavy blonde wig.

“I assumed that when I saw Colin with that crazy get up.” Donna giggled. “Besides, we have seen photos of you.”

“Oh, of course.”

“Why don’t we sit and we can talk,” Jim suggested.

Colin took Emily by the hand and led her to the sofa that sat below the huge picture window. Donna took a seat beside them and Jim claimed one of the club chairs positioned opposite the couch.

“Don’t get me wrong, Colin, your mother and I are obviously thrilled to see you, but is it okay that you’re here?”

“What makes you ask that, Jim?” Donna frowned and tilted her head.

“The disguises. What’s going on?” Jim leaned back in his chair. “The truth—all of it.”

Emily looked into Colin’s eyes, which seemed to be asking her how much he should share. She shrugged her reply.

“I don’t want to upset you, Dad. It’s probably best if you and Mom know as little as possible.”

Jim leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. “Colin Michael Andrews,” he said sternly. “I’m your father and I have a right to know what’s going on with you. Your mother and I have been sick with worry over what little you and Ernie have told us. We have to be told more than simply that you’ve been arrested for murder and you didn’t do it.”

Colin sat back and laid an arm along the top of the sofa behind Emily. He drew in a long breath. “All right then. Here it is.”

He explained to his parents about the murder and the arrest, the fights in jail while he was held over for his arraignment. Ernie had already phoned them about the emergency surgery to stop the internal bleeding from the beating he took. He went on to detail his and Emily’s plan to drive through the night to see them, but more importantly to meet with a potential suspect who may have been the one who actually committed the murder and set him up to take the fall.

“I assure you both that I am not guilty of what they have accused me of, and Emily is helping me to prove it.”

“We never doubted your innocence, Son.” Jim leaned back in his chair.

“No, never,” Donna chimed in. “And Emily, you are an amazing woman to stand by Colin and help clear him.”

“You have no idea, Mom.” Colin’s arm slid off the back of the sofa and around Emily’s shoulders.

“Well, Dad looks like he’s getting tired,” Donna said, gazing at her husband. “He’s been up since before six this morning. I’d better take him to the bedroom for a nap.”

“Come on, Donna, I’m not a child,” Jim admonished.

“Jim, you know what the doctor said—not to let you get overly tired.”

“Oh, all right.”

“How about you two?” Donna rose from the sofa. “You want to lie down for a while after driving through the night?”

Colin struggled to pull himself off the sofa, grimacing at the pain in his side. “Sounds good, but I could use something to eat so I can take my pain medication.”

Following a light breakfast, Emily removed her wig before she and Colin snuggled up on the bed in his old bedroom and drifted off to sleep for a few hours. Emily woke first, a little after one in the afternoon, and climbed off the bed to let Colin snooze.

Digging her phone out of her purse, she tiptoed across the room and took a seat at the desk. She called Dr. Walters at the County Medical Examiner’s office back in Boise to see if he could give her more in-depth details regarding the murder. She snuck a quick peek at Colin, to make sure he was still sleeping, before dialing the ME’s number.

Chapter 21

“Hello, Dr. Walters. This is Emily Parker.”

“Yes, Ms. Parker. What can I do for you?”

“Doc, I’d like to get a full report on Allison Laraway’s autopsy. It’s critical that the defense knows what the DA knows.”

“I’m sure the DA has already sent the report to Colin Andrews’ attorney.”

“Yes, but I’m looking for more.”

“I don’t understand. If you’re asking me to help you get Colin off, then—”

“No, I want you to help me find the truth, Doc.”

“Well, I can’t be caught giving information to Colin Andrews. The DA will have my head.”

“Not Colin—me.”

“Six of one, half dozen of the other—what’s the difference?”

“I need your help to catch the real killer, Doc, and I don’t believe it’s Colin.”

“With all the evidence the cops have, you really think he didn’t do it?”

“I don’t believe he did, but I have to know for certain. That’s why I need your help to find the truth—whoever the real killer is.” Emily ran her hand through her hair to cover a quick glance at Colin to confirm he was still asleep.

“Well, that’s what I want too.”

“I’m glad we’re after the same thing, but you probably don’t want me to come down to your lab. So, do you think we could Skype or FaceTime? I’d rather talk to you face to face than over the phone.”

“All right, but I don’t want anyone else knowing about this conversation.”

“Do you know how to FaceTime?”

“Yes, my son taught me. He lives back east, so we keep in touch via FaceTime.”

“That’s good. Give me a few minutes and I’ll ping you when I’m on.” Emily glanced over at Colin again and he seemed to be asleep.

She dragged her laptop out of her leather bag and set it up on the desk, angled so Colin would not show up in the background.

“Hello, Doc,” Emily greeted once she had gotten online and connected with the man, seeing his face and thick white hair fill her computer screen. “Can you hear me okay?”

“Good morning, Emily. Everything seems to be working.” The doctor turned his head away from the screen for a moment. “Just so you know I have Detective Karl Kingsley sitting over there in the corner. I thought about and decided I’d better protect my backside.”

“Hello, Ms. Parker,” Emily heard Kingsley say.

Emily’s stomach tightened. What if Colin woke up and somehow gave them away? “The defense has every right to have all the facts, Doc.”

“I know, so go ahead and tell me, what did you want to know?”

With the detective watching, she worked to keep her face and her voice pleasant. “Can you walk me through your findings? I’m hoping maybe something will trigger a small detail that was left out or anything that made you wonder—”

“Wonder what? Do you think I left something out of the autopsy report?”

“Of course not, but you know how sometimes you can have a feeling about something, but it’s not an actual fact, so it never gets in the report.”

“Like what?”

“Well, I know that over the years you’ve done a bit of profiling.”

“Yeah, as a hobby, not professionally.”