Mackie said he’d run a car by as often as he could spare an officer. “We’re pretty shorthanded. You know how it is.”
“What I know,” Dru said, “is that there’s a murderer running loose, and it appears my daughter and the members of her bridal party are targets. You need to get off your ass and catch this guy before another one of these girls comes to harm. Catching bad guys, it’s what you’re paid to do, isn’t it?”
Clint reddened and looked to Lily as if she might defend him. Dru glanced at Lily, too, but she looked at the floor, tense, fuming. How either of them—Mackie or Dru—could expect support from her was a mystery. She was grateful for it, though, when Shea took a step toward her. It was tiny, almost imperceptible, but a sign of support all the same.
Mackie mentioned the break-in. “I guess from what Jeb said, it’s no longer an issue?”
Lily gave her head a small shake, hoping that would be the end of it. It wasn’t.
“I heard about that,” Dru said.
Lily could feel her gaze. It’s not your business. She was on the verge of telling Dru, of making it clear, when Clint said, “I understand,” in a way that let her know her dad had been honest. She couldn’t imagine what it had cost him, admitting to his mental lapse, something so humiliating. He would have been thinking of AJ, though, wanting to get him clear of that suspicion at least.
Clint said, “Okay, ladies, if we’re done here—”
“No,” Shea said. “We’re not done.” She looked at Lily now, brow knotted, jaw set in a stubborn line. “I know who murdered Kate and Becca. I told him”—she jerked her thumb at the captain—“but he’s refusing to investigate.”
“If you can bring me something concrete—” Clint began.
Shea kept Lily’s glance. “Becca and Kate both dated this guy—Becca only went out with him a couple of times, but he and Kate got kind of serious until he abused her.”
“As I explained before, Shea, if you can bring me evidence, a police report. Proof of injury. I need something more than your word before I can question the guy.”
“Fine,” Shea said. “I’ll do it myself, then.” She headed out the door.
“I don’t advise it,” Clint called after her.
“Shea!” Dru followed her daughter.
“You’re sure about this guy, that he’s the one who hurt the girls? Does he have AJ? Do you know?” Lily asked, catching up with Shea and Dru outside.
“Probably, yes,” Shea answered. “But no one believes me. Not even my own mother.”
“I didn’t say I didn’t believe you,” Dru protested. “You need to let the police handle it, that’s all. If it’s true, we are not talking some minor act of delinquency; the man is dangerous. He could be a killer, for God’s sake. You can’t go there. I won’t have you getting hurt, too.”
“Two of my friends are dead.” Shea addressed Lily, nearly shouting. “One of them was my best friend in all the world. And my fiancé, the man I love more than anything, is gone, lost somewhere, in trouble, terrible trouble, and Mom wants me to go home and lock the doors.”
“I want you to be safe.”
I know. Lily’s understanding of Dru was automatic and visceral and had nothing to do with her dislike of Dru. It was something universal to mothers, the instinct to protect her child. “Who is the man?” Lily asked.
“Harlan Cate,” Shea answered, and on hearing the quick intake of Lily’s breath, she asked, “Do you know him?”
“I do,” Lily said. “I certainly do.”
14
Harlan worked for my dad,” Lily said.
Dru and Shea had gotten into the car to escape the midday heat. It had been at Shea’s invitation that Lily joined them. Left up to Dru, they wouldn’t be having this conversation.
“Really?” Shea was animated. “Was he—did he have a temper that you saw?”
“I remember he got into a couple of fights. He was a hard worker, though, and Dad kept him on until he sold the herd last year.” Lily took a moment.
“What?” Shea asked.
Looking at Lily in the rearview mirror, Dru saw it, too—the flash of misgiving that crossed Lily’s expression.
“Harlan didn’t take the news well. He said something to my dad to the effect that the richer a man was, the harder he could fall.”
“That sounds like a threat,” Shea said.
“You said he was abusive to Kate. Did he hurt Becca, too?” Lily asked.
“Not that I know of, but he did hit Kate one time in the arm. That was all it took. She broke it off.”
This was news to Dru. But like most best friends, the girls had always kept secrets.
“Did it happen recently?” Lily asked.
“Around six months ago, right before Kate and Erik started going out. Harlan stalked her, too, and Erik wanted her to get a restraining order, but Harlan stopped, or so they thought. Now I’m not so sure.”
Dru said, “You do realize that finding who did this to Becca or Kate, getting justice for them—it won’t bring them back.”
“I can’t just go home, Mom.”
“Well, I can’t ignore the risk for you, Vanessa, or Leigh. Their parents are upset, and I am, too.” Dru found Lily’s glance in the rearview. “The breakin at the ranch—I heard money and jewelry were taken. It was AJ, wasn’t it?”
“That’s what the police thought, but the truth is that Dad—” Lily looked off, uncomfortable. Dru thought she might not explain after all, but then she looked back. “The truth is Dad is having some issues with his memory.”
“You’re saying he got the money out of the safe?” An unexpected flush of sympathy warmed Dru’s tone.
“Yes,” Lily said. “There have been a few incidents lately. I want—I hope to get him to see a doctor.”
“Well, that’s awful—a man like Jeb Axel—”
“Does AJ know? He must be heartbroken.” Shea sounded stricken. “He loves his granddad so much.”
“I haven’t talked to him about it,” Lily said, “but I plan to. I will . . .”
She couldn’t be sure anymore that she would, Dru thought. She caught Lily’s glance again. “How did you know to look for AJ’s truck at the lake?”
“I had a dream. It was the oddest thing—so vivid. We were swimming—”
Dru interrupted her. “He called you again, didn’t he? I bet you know where he is.”
“No. No, I don’t,” Lily insisted.
But the way she dodged Dru’s glance, the evasive shift of her shoulders, made her look guilty. She knew—something. Dru was convinced of it, and it pissed her off. She rounded her seat back. “Would you even tell the police if you knew where he was?”
“I keep asking myself that.” Lily’s gaze was unflinching now. “Do you know what you would do if you were in my place? Would you turn Shea in?”
Dru didn’t know what she’d do. Protect her child, but how far? At what cost?
“I feel like Harlan Cate’s involved.” Shea broke the silence. “He’s the one who knows where AJ is.”
“He’s a big man,” Lily said.
“The same size as AJ,” Shea said. “It would have taken someone big to take AJ out of his apartment.”
Lily bent forward. “Maybe if I go with you . . .”
“You can’t be serious.” Dru met her gaze in the mirror. “Do you even know where he lives?”