The Truth We Bury: A Novel

“This is my husband, Clint,” Lily said. “Paul Isley.”

Clint’s nod was curt. “We can’t rule out any possibility at this point, Mr. Isley. Both your son and Erik Ayala were involved romantically with Ms. Westin. They both had ties to Ms. Kincaid.”

“So if Ayala and AJ are in it together, explain to me how my son ended up shot? Or maybe you think AJ shot himself?” Paul glanced at Lily. “Now there’s an idea.”

“They might have argued,” Clint said reasonably. “Any number of things could have gone wrong between them. Like I said before, nothing can be ruled out.”

There was a measure of silence, as if Clint was giving Paul time to consider the possibilities. But he didn’t need time, did he? Lily glanced at him, waiting for him to say there wasn’t a smidgen of evidence to suggest AJ had played any role in the murders of the two girls.

Instead, Paul said, “Let me tell you something, Mackie,” and Lily tensed with misgiving at his arrogance. “If anything happens to my son, or his fiancée, it’s on you. I’ll have your job. Do you understand me? I’ll see that you never work in law enforcement again.”

Clint’s eyes hardened, but his tone was civil when he said, “I understand you’re upset.”

Paul flung up a hand, dismissing the lawman’s effort at goodwill, even the man himself as unworthy. “If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to see AJ.”

Lily was embarrassed by Paul’s blustering, yet on another level she felt it, too, the need for ultimatums: Protect my son or else.

“I’ll be in touch,” Mackie said.

“The truck,” Lily said, “that nearly ran Shea and Dru off the road earlier—”

“What about it?”

“Were you aware that Becca and Kate had a similar experience in Dallas right before Becca was killed?”

“We’re following up with the Dallas PD on it, Lily. Trust me, we’re doing our job regardless of what you, your husband, or Jeb thinks. If there’s a connection to the traffic altercation or anything else, we’ll find it. We’ll get to the bottom of it.”

“Not if you can’t look farther than AJ, you won’t.”

“I’m not out to get him, okay? I want the truth like everyone else.”

Mackie sounded sincere enough. The trouble, Lily thought, watching him walk away, was that people could say anything, and when it came to saving themselves, most of them did.

Lily was outside AJ’s room and just about to step through the door when she caught the mention of Edward’s name and realized AJ and Paul were discussing him. She retreated, turning to lean against the wall, aware of her heart beating, the flush that warmed her neck and face.

“He did a good job for me before, Dad,” she heard AJ say. “If I need legal help, I don’t see a reason to find anyone else.”

Lily didn’t trust herself to join AJ in his defense of Edward. She wondered if he knew that AJ was safe. Looking down the corridor, she wondered if she could steal a few minutes to call him. But then she heard Dru say, “Shea told me you were arrested before,” in a sharp, accusatory voice, and she straightened. No, you aren’t doing this now.

“That’s got nothing to do with anything,” Paul said, barely glancing at Lily when she crossed the threshold. “The charges were dismissed.”

“She knows that,” Shea said. “Mom, I told you—”

“It’s unsettling.” Dru came away from the window. “I mean, that he was charged with murder before, and now this.”

“He was cleared—” Lily began.

“Please, Mom.” Shea’s eyes on her mother’s were half-angry, half-pleading.

Dru fanned a hand at her. Whatever. “I think we should go, let AJ rest.”

“I’m staying,” Shea said, “but you go. I know you’re tired.”

“I can’t leave you here, Shea. Not when we have no idea where Erik is, assuming he’s the one behind all of this.” Dru looked hard at AJ.

“He is, Mrs. Gallagher, as sick as it makes me. Everything I told Captain Mackie is the truth. I wish you could believe me. I wish I knew where Erik was. I want him caught as bad as you do.”

“I’m sorry”—Dru didn’t sound at all as if she was—“but I’m not taking chances with my daughter’s life.”

“Hold on—”

Paul began to speak even as Lily said, “That’s unfair—”

Shea’s voice overrode them both. “It’s not your call to make, Mom. It’s mine. Please, go home.”

It was a moment before Dru conceded. Lily watched as she lowered her gaze, then her shoulders. She let go a sigh, and Lily had the sense it was a struggle for her—giving up her parental authority. But Shea was grown now. It wasn’t as if Dru had a choice.

“I’m sorry.” Dru repeated her apology, crossing the room, pausing at the door to look back at Shea. “I’ll be the first to admit it if I’m wrong.”

An awkward silence lingered in her wake.

AJ broke it. “I didn’t have anything to do with any of this.” He was looking at his father, and following his gaze, Lily saw it, too, the flash of Paul’s doubt, the lack of faith that was very like Dru’s lack of faith that mere seconds ago Paul had decried.

Lily set her hand on AJ’s shoulder. “Your dad and I know that, honey.” She smoothed her voice over the rough saw of her fury.

“You need legal counsel, AJ.” Paul was equally cool. “The sooner the better. I’ll make some calls.”

“No, Dad—”

“Paul?” Lily interrupted. “Since Shea’s here to keep an eye on AJ, I think we should go.” She divided her glance between AJ and Shea. “Captain Mackie promised to have a uniformed officer outside the door. You’ll both be safe.”

“Thank you,” Shea said. “Thank you for letting me stay.”

“You didn’t cancel the wedding, did you?” AJ asked.

Lily exchanged a look with Shea and saw she was as unprepared as Lily to respond.

“We talked about it,” Shea said tentatively.

“You haven’t changed your mind?” AJ sounded panicky.

“No. No!” Shea repeated. “Never, it’s just—”

“Well, thank God.” He kissed her hand, set it against his cheek. “Because Doc Matthews says I’ll get out of here in a couple of days. I can get down the aisle on crutches. I’ll crawl if I have to, but we are getting married. Two weeks from tomorrow, right? Today is Friday?”

“Yes, and I want to, AJ, more than anything, but so much has happened.”

“I know, but—”

“It’s just—people are—they think—”

“I don’t care a damn what they think,” he said.

But Lily sensed he knew feeling in town was running against him. As Clint had said, the evidence was there to support AJ’s guilt. Paul thought AJ needed legal counsel. Even Lily had wavered. Only Shea had remained steadfast in her faith, and Lily loved her for it.

“Our life together—it’s all I thought about while I was trapped at the fort.” AJ’s voice was low and rough. “You’re my heart, babe.”

Lily glanced at Paul, but he was intent on his phone. When he looked up, she gestured toward the door, launching into a flurry of good-byes. She walked with Paul to the elevator. He pushed the “Down” button.

She shot him a heated look.

“What?”

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