Best Kept Secrets

Celina's mother, moved away with her." Smiling, he slapped

 

his thighs. "Damned if it's not great to have you back in

 

Purcell."

 

"Thank you, but--" Alex opened her briefcase and took

 

out a manila envelope. "I'm not back to stay, Mr. Minton.

 

Actually, I'm acting in an official capacity." She passed the envelope across the desk to the district attorney, who looked

 

at it with puzzlement.

 

"Official capacity? When Greg called me and asked if I'd

 

help out his top prosecutor, he said something about reopening

 

a case."

 

"It's all in there," Alex said, nodding down at the envelope.

 

"I suggest that you peruse the contents and thoroughly

 

acquaint yourself with the details. Greg Harper

 

requests the full cooperation and assistance of your office and

 

local law enforcement agencies, Mr. Chastain. He assured

 

me that you would comply with this request for the duration

 

of my investigation." She closed her attache with a decisive

 

snap, stood, and headed for the door.

 

"Investigation?" District Attorney Chastain came to his

 

feet. The Mintons did likewise.

 

"Are you working with the Racing Commission?" Angus

 

asked. "We were told we'd be carefully scrutinized before

 

they granted us a gambling license, but I thought we had

 

already passed muster."

 

"I thought it was all over except for the formalities,"

 

Junior said.

 

"As far as I know, it is," Alex told them. "My investigation

 

has nothing to do with the Racing Commission, or the

 

granting of your horse-racing license."

 

After a moment, when she didn't elaborate, Chastain

 

asked, "Well, then, what does it have to do with, Miss

 

Gaither?"

 

Drawing herself up to her full height, she said, "I am

 

reopening a twenty-five-year-old murder case. Greg Harper

 

asked for your help, Mr. Chastain, since the crime was committed

 

in Purcell County."

 

She looked into Angus's eyes, then into Junior's. Finally,

 

 

 

she stared down hard at the crown of Reede Lambert's hat.

 

"Before I'm finished, I'm going to know which one of you

 

killed my mother."