She returned the supplies to the garage. Sticking her head in the kitchen door, she called for Luke. He appeared a second later.
“Kayla is going to ride Pumpkin. Does she need the saddle and bridle checked?” Bree hadn’t saddled a pony since she was a child, and she didn’t know the correct parent protocol. Pumpkin was bombproof, but instinct told Bree it was better to be overprotective.
“Mom usually helps her. I’ll show you.” Luke grabbed a jacket and boots. They walked across the yard side by side. Kayla led Pumpkin out of the barn. The fat pony wore an English saddle and bridle. Kayla wore a hard hat.
Luke checked the bridle buckles and tightened the girth. Kayla scrambled aboard. She walked the pony around the barnyard once, then steered him toward an empty patch of meadow that ran alongside the pasture. Mud sucked at the pony’s hooves as he broke into a slow jog. Kayla posted with his gait. Healthy color flushed her cheeks as she trotted the pony around the meadow.
Bree leaned on a tree. Her heart cracked as she thought of the pony being sold. If Craig took the kids, Bree would have to find a way to keep the horses. She would not let the kids suffer one more loss.
Luke faced her. “I saw Craig leaving the barn last night.”
Ugh.
Bree nodded. “I was trying to decide how to tell you he was here.” She nodded at Kayla. “Does she even know who he is?”
“No.” Luke shoved his bare hands into the pockets of his jacket. “I barely recognized him. Why was he here?”
Bree inhaled. “He wants custody of you and Kayla.”
“What!” Luke’s eyes opened wide. “Why?”
Bree searched for words and decided honesty would be best. “I don’t know why. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you right away. I don’t know what to make of him.”
Anger brightened Luke’s eyes. “Are you going to let him take us?”
“What do you want me to do?”
He crossed his arms over his chest. “I’m not going with him.”
“You want me to fight him for custody?” Bree clarified. “I am more than willing. I’m prepared to move up here. But I don’t want to make life worse for you or Kayla.”
“I heard Dana tell you that Mom wanted you to be our guardian.”
“She did. But Craig is your biological father. I’m honestly not sure how a judge would rule.”
“They can’t make me live with him.” Luke’s eyes went moist.
“I’m going to be totally honest with you. You’re almost sixteen. The court would likely consider your wishes.”
“What about Kayla?” Luke’s eyes darted to his sister, trotting in a big circle on her pony.
“She’s young. The decision would be made for her.”
Luke gnawed on his lip.
“What do you remember about the time he lived here with you and your mom?” Bree phrased her question carefully. She wanted Luke’s impressions. She didn’t want to put ideas into his head.
“I remember him yelling a lot. He was mean to Mom, and he scared me.” Luke’s jaw went tight. “He wouldn’t scare me now. If I was older and bigger back then, I wouldn’t have let him treat Mom that way.”
“You were eight.” Bree nodded toward Kayla and Pumpkin. “No bigger than your sister is now. You were not to blame for anything that happened.”
Craig was at fault for being an asshole. But Erin was also to blame. She’d put up with Craig’s emotional abuse and obvious mooching until he’d physically abused her. Bree couldn’t remember how many times Erin had taken him back after he’d left her.
“I wouldn’t let Kayla go alone,” Luke said.
“You’re a good brother.”
“Where would he take us?” Luke asked without taking his gaze from his sister.
“He lives in Albany. He’s a minister now.”
Luke glanced at her. “Seriously?”
“He says he’s changed,” Bree said in a neutral voice. She would never say anything bad about him to the kids. He could win. They could have to live with him. Bree would not make the situation worse for them.
Luke shook his head hard. “Nope. I don’t believe him. He lied to Mom and me all the time.”
“If you want me to, I will get the best lawyer and fight him as hard as I can.”
“That’s what I want.”
“All right, then,” Bree said. “I have to tell Kayla. I don’t want her to find out from anyone else.”
He nodded. “You should wait until after Mom’s funeral. Kayla’s kind of strung out right now.”
“Maybe you’re right. And when I do tell her, I’d like you to be there. I don’t want to scare her about him, though. OK?”
“OK,” he agreed. “But I won’t lie to her.”
“Fair enough,” Bree said.
Luke had overheard her conversation with Dana. Had he eavesdropped on other discussions?
“Can I ask you a few questions about your mom’s friend Steph?” Bree asked.
“Sure.”
“She stayed with you guys recently.”
“Uh-huh. It was after Justin moved out. Mom and Steph spent most of the time sitting in the kitchen and talking.”
“What did they talk about?”
“Steph’s marriage. She cried a lot.”
“Did they ever argue?”
“Yep. They had a pretty big fight when Steph moved back in with Zack. Mom didn’t want her to get back together with him. She didn’t like him much.”
“What did Steph say?” Bree asked.
“She said Mom was just hating on men since she’d split up with Justin.”
Erin had been angry and resentful when Justin had been arrested for the second time.
“They made up, though,” Luke said. “Mom apologized, and they were still friends.” He cocked his head. “But they didn’t seem as close afterward. They didn’t talk or text as much. Before Steph moved back home, she and Mom used to go out every other Friday night. Nothing big. Just a movie or dinner.”
“Girls’ night.”
“Yeah.” He nodded. “But they stopped doing that.”
“They made up, but their relationship suffered for it.”
“Yeah. Things always seemed awkward between them afterward.”
Yet, Steph had said Erin was her best friend. Did she lie about that too? Did something else happen between Erin and Steph?
“Do you know why Steph and Zack broke up?” Bree asked.
“Zack came here one day, and they talked on the porch. All the windows were open. I heard the whole thing. Zack said Steph cheated on him.” He lifted a shoulder. “She denied it, but he seemed pretty sure, at least at first.”
“What happened?”
“She convinced him he was wrong. Told him she loved him. All that.” Embarrassment flushed Luke’s cheeks.
Kayla trotted back and stopped the pony in front of Bree and Luke.
“Are you finished?” Bree asked.
“Yep.” Kayla slid down off her pony and led him toward the barn.
For the next half hour, Luke refreshed Bree’s knowledge of tack and horse care.
“I’ll have to practice,” she said.
Luke gestured toward the paint. “You can ride Mom’s horse, Cowboy. He’s a great trail horse. Never spooks or anything, and he’ll need exercise.”
“I will.” The thought perked Bree up. Some of her only good memories from her childhood involved her old pony. He’d been sold after her parents’ deaths. Bree had been heartbroken all over again.
She would definitely find a way to keep these horses no matter what happened, even if she had to beg Adam for money.
They turned the horses out into the pasture. Riot bucked and raced away, mud flying from his hooves. Pumpkin and Cowboy were more interested in grazing.
“Riot looks full of it.” Bree shielded her eyes from the sun and watched Luke’s quarter horse prance the fence line.
“Oh, yeah,” Luke said. “I’ll ride him after he burns off some of that energy.”
They went inside and stripped off their outerwear. The kids washed their hands, and Kayla told Dana all about her ride while Dana made sandwiches.
“I’m going to shower.” Bree had forgotten how dirty barn work was. Her jeans were caked with mud. Even her hair smelled like horses.
She went upstairs and closed the bedroom door. In the bathroom, she began stripping down and piling her clothes on the tile floor. They would stink up the hamper and needed to go directly into the washer.
Bree peeled off her socks and pulled the Band-Aids off her ankle. The barbed wire cuts had scabbed over. She traced the vine tattoo around her ankle and the raised scar beneath it. Looking up, she turned around to see the tattoo on the back of her shoulder in the mirror. The scar on her ankle had been two thin lines where the dog’s canines had grabbed and torn her skin. But her shoulder was covered with a web of irregular lines. He’d had a much better grip on her there, and his teeth had sunk deeper into her flesh.
The vines mimicked the design on her ankle, dark green with a few tiny blue flowers. They started at her collarbone and meandered over her shoulder. On her back, intricate vines curled from the base of her neck to the bottom of her shoulder blade. In the center, over the deepest part of the scar, the artist had inked a dragonfly the size of a fist. Shades of brilliant blue and pale green were almost iridescent.
It had taken six months to complete. She remembered the day it had been finished, when the reminder of her childhood tragedy had been completely covered, like a mural painted over graffiti.
She’d taken an ugly reminder of her past and turned it into something beautiful. She’d felt like she finally owned her past.
But now, her sister’s death brought every ugly detail back. Her parents’ volatile relationship. Her father’s final and ultimate betrayal. He’d had the last word. But Erin’s marriage hadn’t been like that. Justin had never been violent.
But someone had killed her sister.
Had Bree been completely wrong about Steph? Had she fooled Bree with her bestie act? Bree’s father had been a chameleon, able to change his personality to suit his social surroundings. Could Steph also have that ability? Was she manipulative?
Bree rubbed her temples with her forefinger and thumb. The idea forming in her head was creating an ache behind her eyes. She didn’t want to think about Steph lying to Erin, to her husband, and to Bree.
The intruder Bree had chased out of Erin’s house had been male. Maybe he wasn’t the same person who’d killed Erin.
The fact remained that Steph had told Bree she’d last seen Erin as Erin had left work at four o’clock on Tuesday. Yet, she’d called Erin at six. Had she forgotten, or had she lied to Bree?
Bree turned on the shower and dialed the temperature to hot. She stepped under the spray and let the water run over her, washing the dirt away.
Erin and Steph had been best friends at one time. They’d confided in each other. Maybe Erin had known something about Steph. A deep, dark secret Steph wanted to keep. If Steph had cheated on her husband, Erin could have been the only person who knew the truth. Maybe Steph’s marriage depended on Erin’s silence.
When Bree was clean, she turned off the water and dried off. She wrapped the towel around her body, tucking the end over her breasts, and stepped out of the shower. She reached for her phone.
Bree needed to interview her, without her husband. There was no way that Steph would admit having an affair with Zack at her side. But how could she get her alone?
Then Bree had an idea. The salon was open from noon to five on Sundays. She called Halo.
“Halo Salon and Spa. May I help you?” the receptionist said.
“I’d like to make an appointment for a haircut with Stephanie Wallace.”
“When do you want to come in?”
“As soon as possible,” Bree said.
“Steph is off today. Let me look at tomorrow. You’re in luck. She had a cancellation at four o’clock. Would that work for you?”
“That’s perfect,” Bree said.
She’d just guaranteed an hour with Steph. A busy salon wasn’t the best option for an interview, but at least Zack wouldn’t be there, and Steph would be unable to avoid Bree’s questions.
Bree used a hand towel to wipe the steam from the mirror. Her reflection was blurry, but she could see the bags under her eyes very clearly. Her eyes were slightly bloodshot and red around the edges. Grief left marks.
Craig could have killed Erin, or he could simply be taking advantage of the opportunity her death presented. As much as Bree didn’t want to admit it, Steph was now on her suspect list.
After all, killing someone was the only way to make sure they took a secret to their grave.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Monday morning, the sun peered through the blinds in Matt’s kitchen. He drank coffee and scrolled through the testimonials on a religious website. The day before, he’d had brunch at his parents’ house, worked with his sister’s rescue dogs, and then spent the rest of the day reviewing Bree’s detailed notes.
He’d been researching Craig and his church online. He clicked on “About Us” in the menu and Craig’s bio, which included both his education and a summary of his testimonial. Then Matt wondered how hard it was to become a minister.
He drank more coffee and began researching the online college where Craig had received his ministry certificate. The program looked light, but he didn’t see anything that suggested the institution was illegitimate. Still, Craig didn’t seem to have the experience Matt would have expected. The church secretary had insisted that Craig’s testimonial had been the key.
Matt googled Christian Testimonials and received pages and pages of websites devoted to them. There were too many to read each one. He went back to the search engine and added key words from Craig’s story.
Boom.
The first search result was a testimonial dated ten years before.
I took my sailboat out on the lake. It was a beautiful fall day. The sun was out, and the leaves were turning. But a sudden gust of wind hit the sails and capsized the boat. As the boat went over, the boom swung around and hit me on the head. I got dumped into the lake. The water was freezing, I was confused, and my vision was blurry. I couldn’t swim. I was barely able to hold on to the hull when I heard a voice telling me to turn around. There was a life preserver floating a few feet away. A few minutes later, a small boat came along. The man told me he woke up needing to take his boat out on the lake. The next day, when I woke up, I heard the same voice that directed me to the life preserver telling me to go to church. As soon as I entered the sanctuary, I was floored by a feeling of peace. My life has never been the same.
He switched computer windows and returned to Craig’s story.
It was nearly identical. But the story from ten years before had been written by a man named Brandon Smith. Ten years ago, when he’d posted his testimonial online, Brandon had been a fifty-year-old reformed alcoholic living in Idaho.
Craig had stolen his testimonial, almost word for word.
“What a scumbag,” Matt said to Brody.
The dog barely flicked an ear.
Matt picked up his phone and called Bree. When she answered the phone, he said, “Craig plagiarized his testimonial.” He read the online story to her.
“That is not a surprise.” Bree snorted. “The temper tantrum he threw here Saturday night told me he was very nervous about us talking to anyone at the church. He’s getting by on his charisma, but the church isn’t going to overlook lying.”
“How was your Sunday?” he asked.
“I added Steph to the suspect list.” Bree explained her reasoning behind her theory that Erin might have been the only person who knew that Steph had cheated on her husband. “Steph neglected to tell me she called Erin shortly before she died. Nor did she mention they had a major argument. Luke says Erin and Steph didn’t talk to each other nearly as much after that. I left a message for Steph, but she hasn’t ca
lled me back.”
“Either she’s avoiding you or she’s sick.”
“She’s scheduled to work later today.”
“Maybe she exaggerated her morning sickness,” Matt said.
“That’s what I was thinking. It’s also ironic that she got pregnant almost immediately after getting back together with her husband.”
“He was very attentive when we met with them.”
“Maybe she did it to ensure he wouldn’t break up with her,” Bree said. “I made an appointment for a haircut with her at the salon. I used Dana’s name. Steph won’t know it’s me until I show up.”
“I doubt she’ll answer any questions in a very public place.”
“But I will surely catch her off guard,” Bree said.
“I’ll be in the parking lot, just in case anything goes wrong. The gun that killed your sister is still missing.”
“I’m the one who’s armed,” she pointed out. “Speaking of suspects, Dana got a return call from my sister’s attorney this morning. It turns out that Erin had a small life insurance policy.”
“How small?”
“Fifty thousand. The kids are the beneficiaries, but the money would be managed by their guardian until they turn eighteen. She took it out shortly before she got pregnant with Kayla. Craig was living with her at the time.”
“So, he could know about it.”
“Yep,” Bree agreed. “What’s up with Craig’s GPS?”
“He spent all day yesterday at the church, which is what we expected. Hold on. Let me see if he’s moved this morning.” Matt transferred her call to speaker and opened the app on his phone. “He’s in Saratoga Springs.”
Matt zoomed in on his location. “He’s at the Springs Casino.” He was only mildly surprised.
Bree began to laugh. “Gambling? It can’t be that simple.”
“There’s only one way to find out.”
“We’re going to the Springs Casino?”
“Yep. I’ll pick you up in fifteen minutes.”
An hour later, Matt pulled into the parking lot of the casino. The lot was half-full.
In the passenger seat, Bree pointed through the windshield. “There’s Craig’s car.”
CROSS HER HEART Page 23