“I don’t think so.”
Aubrey continued tapping on her phone. “We also have Ernest and Prudence Simmer, Kevin and Kim, and Dad.”
“You’re putting them on the list?” her mother said. “But no one in the family would put Ethan in danger.”
“We can’t rule out anyone.”
“Kevin and Kim wouldn’t kidnap their own child,” Mama said.
Aubrey didn’t want to believe it, either, but she considered the possibility.
Her brother and his wife could have set up the kidnapping and the threat to Jonathan as a way of punishing Mama for the wedding incident, but it seemed like an over-the-top reaction, and they had never shown signs of being viciously vindictive. Besides, they were loving, protective parents—not the kind of people who would use their child as a pawn.
“I don’t think they would,” Aubrey agreed. “Let’s focus on the others who were in the house earlier and consider if anyone else could have something against Jonathan.” She thought about the Simmers. “Could Jonathan’s appointment to the Supreme Court impact Prudence’s interests in Baer Business Machines? BBM has come under fire recently for acquiring competitors, and Jonathan has been outspoken about being against large corporate mergers. If he’s appointed, Prudence could take a major financial hit.”
“You’re right.” Her mother leaned toward her, nodding. “The Simmers are bringing in their own investigators. That would make it easier for them to come up with their own facts and interpretations and keep attention away from themselves.”
“True, but—”
“But that means Ethan is safe.” Her mother’s cheeks were flushed. “Prudence and Ernest would never hurt him. Never.”
A scenario in which the Simmers had orchestrated the kidnapping had appeal. Her mother was right—they would never hurt their grandson—but their best chance for getting Ethan back safely was to consider every angle. “The Simmers might be behind this, but what if they’re not?”
Her mother’s face fell.
“I asked you earlier if Jonathan has enemies,” Aubrey said. “Can you think of any? Someone upset by a ruling he made as a circuit-court judge or threatened by his possible nomination?”
“Not that I can recall.” Her mother looked out toward the darkening horizon. “But wait . . . I don’t know why I didn’t think of this before. If this is about his Supreme Court nomination, I can just talk to him. I’m sure he’ll withdraw from consideration.”
It seemed like a good solution. Too good. “Did the kidnappers offer that as an option?” Aubrey asked.
“Well, no.”
“Wouldn’t they have? If this were just about keeping Jonathan off the bench, they could have simply demanded he withdraw. They wouldn’t have told you to kill him.”
“Maybe they knew I’d tell him about the note and are using it to frighten him into stepping away from the nomination.”
“You could be right,” Aubrey said, “but let’s go back to the people who had an opportunity to leave the note in the house today.” Like her father.
She watched a pelican sail across the sky, then abruptly dive into the water and scoop up a fish. So innocuous, then, without warning, going in for the kill. Just like her father had done eight years ago. And none of them had been prepared.
Was her father capable of kidnapping his own grandson?
He had been acting oddly in the backyard—his exaggerated anger at Mama, his body language not matching his words. He’d been lying about something.
“Could Dad have a reason for wanting Jonathan dead?”
“Your father?” Mama got quiet. A mockingbird’s raspy call cut through the silence. “I don’t see it,” she said finally.
“Does Dad know him?”
“I don’t think so, but it’s possible. They may have met at a law convention or on a case.”
Aubrey thought about Smolleck’s questions. Now it occurred to her that he may have had something specific in mind. “What about back at Columbia?”
Her mother flinched. “Columbia?”
Something Aubrey had said had hit a nerve in her mother, but she couldn’t imagine what.
“Jonathan was at the law school when your dad was an undergraduate,” her mother said. “I doubt they knew each other there. But even if they had met, I think you’re taking this in the wrong direction. Why would your father want me to kill Jonathan?”
“Jealousy that you’re finally happy?”
“No, sweetheart. Put that out of your mind. Your father and I may have issues, but he’s not capable of killing anyone, and he certainly wouldn’t set me up to do so. And he never would have kidnapped Ethan.”
“You don’t think Star could manipulate him?”
“Not that far. And why would she want Jonathan dead?”
“Who knows? But what do we really know about her? Only that she appeared in Dad’s life eight years ago, and suddenly he’s obsessed with her. How could she have such power over him?”
Her mother looked sad. “It’s not that hard to charm a man after he’s been in a marriage for over thirty-five years, especially when his wife spends too much time with her patients and not enough with him.”
Did her mother believe this? Aubrey knew her parents’ marriage had been shaky for years, but all four of them had pretended everything was fine. Keeping the family together had been everyone’s mission. At least, that’s what Aubrey had always thought. Until Dad walked. But maybe he had become tired of pretending.
Maybe he had a point.
“Where’s the note, Mama?”
Her mother squeezed her bag.
“You have it with you, don’t you?” Aubrey said. “Show it to me.”
“I don’t see what that would accomplish.”
“Please. Maybe when I read exactly what it says, I’ll get an idea.”
Her mother glanced around. It was growing dark and most everyone, including the joggers, had left. Only a couple of people remained in the dog park with their dogs.