“I know this is a tough time, Honor, but don’t give up hope that Mary Alice’s name will be cleared,” he said, as if he’d been sitting inside her head, listening to the worries that had kept her awake.
“I’m not giving up hope, but as an investigator, I’d be a fool not to realize how guilty she looks.”
“She’s the perfect scapegoat.”
“What do you mean?”
“She has means to betray you. Maybe not motive, but she’s certainly not proving to anyone that she doesn’t want you dead.”
She winced.
“Sorry. That was blunt.”
“It’s okay. Go ahead with your train of thought. I’m curious to see where you’re heading.”
“Aside from means and knowledge, she has no alibi and no explanation for how she connected with Absalom. She sidesteps more questions than she answers. She’s vague about her reasons for going to The Sanctuary. She refuses to reveal who told her about it. Overall, it’s not looking good.”
“We’ve established all that, Radley,” she said wearily. She felt weary. Of the questions, the lack of answers, the feeling that she couldn’t trust her closest friend.
“We have, but we haven’t established why an intelligent woman, one who has to know that she’s in trouble, wouldn’t at least try to give us explanations. She hasn’t made up a story, hasn’t tossed us any leads. Why just continue to refuse to answer?”
“Mary Alice has high ethical and moral values. She tries to be honest whenever she can.”
“And when she can’t?”
“She stays silent.”
“Then, maybe we should be looking at this from a different angle.”
“What do you mean?”
“She won’t give us information that will clear her name. There must be a reason. Someone she’s protecting or something she’s hiding because she’s afraid. What does she care about, Honor?”
“Up until a few months ago, I would have said her family and me. Her job.”
“She took a leave of absence from that.”
“Right. To get her head together after Scott cheated.”
“So we’re down to you and her family.”
“Like I said, a few months ago, I would have thought she cared most about those things. Now, I don’t know.”
“Maybe it’s time to find out.”
“What do you mean?”
“She’s the prime suspect in a criminal investigation. We’ve already subpoenaed her phone records, her bank records and gotten a search warrant for her house. What we haven’t done is had the two of you sit down and talk things out. I’m going to contact Wren and see if we can set up a meeting.”
“Now?”
“I want this over with, and I know you do, too. The sooner, the better.” He pulled out his phone, sent a quick text.
“I told Wren I wanted to meet with Mary Alice. She wasn’t agreeable to the idea,” Honor said, but for the first time in days, she felt hopeful that they’d be able to get some answers.
“We keep hitting roadblocks and dead ends, we all know that Mary Alice is the key to a breakthrough, so I have a feeling Wren will be open to the idea now.”
“I’m sure the team is anxious to close this case. We’re wasting a lot of manpower on it.”
“It has nothing to do with wasting manpower. Wren is concerned for your well-being. I’m just as concerned. Maybe more so.” He reached past her and turned off the gas burner, and she realized the kettle had been whistling.
She also realized how close he was, and how much she wanted to step into his arms again.
She stepped back, bumping into the oven.
“This isn’t working,” she muttered.
“What?”
“The two of us in the kitchen together,” she replied.
“I was thinking it was working really nicely,” he responded.
“Radley, I don’t know what your game is, but you should probably stop. I’m not the kind of person that falls in love easily. I’ve never been one of those girly-girls chasing after her next happily-ever-after. I’ve always been content to do my own thing and go my own way, and I don’t want to fall for someone who isn’t interested in falling for me.” The words escaped in a rush, and she could feel heat shooting up her neck and across her cheeks.
“Who said I wasn’t interested in falling?” he asked.
“I...” For maybe only the second time in her life, she was speechless.
“You look surprised.”
“I am.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m me and you’re you, and we work together. It could be awkward.”
“I’ve thought about that,” he said, still so close she could see the fine lines near his eyes and the flecks of silver in them.
“And?”
“I don’t see why it should be a problem. We established at the beginning of all this that we barely speak to each other at work.”
“And, we established that we were fine with that.”
“Actually,” he said, leaning even closer, his warm breath fanning her lips. “If I remember correctly, I was wondering why we didn’t talk more and thinking that maybe we should have.”
“What does that have to do with anything?”
“Did I ever mention that I almost got married once upon a time?”
“I don’t think we’ve had much of a chance to talk about personal things,” she hedged, her mouth dry, her fingers itching to touch his face, feel the rough stubble on his jaw.
“I was young. Early twenties. Still in the military. My fiancée thought I was too committed to my work and not committed enough to her. She told me I needed to choose between one and the other.”
“I’m sorry, Radley,” she said, imagining how it must have felt to be him—in love but still longing to make a difference in the world, still wanting to pursue his passions and goals.
“I’m not. It helped me see that my work was important, that I felt more fulfilled in it than I did in that relationship. It kept me from making a mistake I’d have regretted eventually. And, if you think about it long enough, you might even say it brought me here. To you.”
“I might?”
“Sure,” he said, smiling into her eyes.
And, she was caught there, breathless and hopeful, a dozen dreams she’d never allowed herself filling her mind. A house. A puppy. A white picket fence. Children. Christmases. Laughter. Love.
“If you think about it long enough,” he murmured against her lips.
And she didn’t pull away.
She didn’t tell him to stop.
She let herself sink into the sweetness of the moment with him.
He got lost in the moment, in the addictive taste of her lips, the warmth of her breath against his. The whisper-soft touch of her hands as they flitted from his waist to his nape.
His cell phone rang, and he wanted to ignore it, wanted to stay right where he was. In her arms.
But a killer was still on the loose, and Radley was waiting to hear from Wren.
He pulled away reluctantly. One hand cupping Honor’s cheek, the other reaching for his phone. He was staring into her eyes, and he didn’t stop as he answered.
“Hello?” he nearly barked, his voice gruff with longing.
“No need to be testy, Radley. You’re the one who texted me,” Wren said, a hint of amusement in her voice.
“Sorry, I was—”
“I’m assuming you’re with Honor since you texted me about setting up a meeting.” She cut him off.
“Right.”
“For the record, there’s no hard-and-fast rule about office relationships. As long as you’re not out on the field together—which you won’t be—I don’t see it as a problem.”
He wasn’t one to blush. Ever. But his c
heeks heated.
“For the record,” he responded, still watching Honor. Her lips were pink from his kiss, her eyes the deep blue of the sky at twilight, “I’d transfer if I needed to.”
“Noted, but I didn’t call to discuss your budding relationship.”
“Why do you think we have a—?”
“I called because you suggested setting up a meeting between Honor and Mary Alice. Let’s go ahead and do it,” she cut him off, not allowing him to deny what they both knew was true.
“Now?” he asked, surprised at how quickly she wanted to move on it.
“Ms. Stevenson is very controlled, very focused and very careful. Having her escorted to our offices in the early hours of the morning might shake her up just enough to get the truth out of her. I, for one, am more than ready to hear it. If Honor is up for it, let’s get it done.”
“Are you willing to have the meeting now?” he asked Honor, and she nodded.
“There’s no time like the present,” she responded. “I’ll get dressed.”
She nearly the ran from the room, and he knew she was fleeing from him and what they’d shared.
He almost followed, but she needed time, and he had a job to do. He needed to get her to the field office, make certain that she had the meeting with Mary Alice.
This might be the answer they were looking for, an end to the weeks of uncertainty and fear for Honor’s safety.
He woke Jessica, filled her in on the plan, grabbed his coat and waited at the door. Minutes later, Honor appeared at the top of the stairs. Dressed in faded jeans and a fitted sweater, hair pulled into a high ponytail, she looked casual, natural and beautiful in a way he couldn’t remember any other woman ever being.
He took her coat from the closet and helped her into it, his fingers skimming her nape as he lifted the end of her ponytail from her collar.
“Thanks,” she murmured, her cheeks pink.
“No problem,” he said, then leaned in and whispered in her ear. “We’ll talk later.”
“About?” she whispered back, her gaze darting to Jessica.
“Would you like me to go into details?” he asked, and she shook her head, laughing nervously.
“That’s okay. I’ve got a pretty good imagination. I’ll figure it out.”
“Secrets are only fun for the people who are whispering them to each other,” Jessica said, opening the door and stepping outside. “So, how about you two stop with the sweet nothings murmured into each other’s ears and start acting like we’ve got a job to do?”
“We weren’t whispering sweet nothings,” Honor protested, her cheeks scarlet.
“Of course you weren’t,” Jessica said, a wry edge to her voice. “And, I’m not grumpy when people wake me up before dawn. Come on. Let’s get going.”
“Right. Sorry,” Honor said, hurrying outside after her.
Radley followed, anxious to get to Boston, to listen to what Mary Alice had to say. He was hoping she’d open up to her friend in a way she’d refused to open up to law enforcement.
If not, they’d be back at square one.
The drive to Boston was uneventful, the conversation easy. Honor seemed relaxed, and he was happy to see her that way. After weeks of tension and fear, she seemed...content.
By the time they arrived at the field office, Mary Alice was sitting at a small desk in an interrogation room. She stood as they entered, her face pale, her hair hanging around her gaunt face.
“This is an odd time for a meeting,” she said quietly. “But I’m glad it’s finally happening.”
“Me too.” Honor said, glancing at the two-way mirror on the wall across from them. She knew, of course, that they were being observed and listened to. He wasn’t sure if Mary Alice did.
“I’ve missed you,” Honor continued.
“I’ve missed you, too,” Mary Alice said, her voice breaking.
“It didn’t seem that way when you were avoiding my phone calls, text messages and emails. So how about we both have a seat, and we can talk about what you were thinking when you went no-contact with a friendship that we’ve shared for over two decades.”
Mary Alice glanced at Radley. “I’d rather talk to you alone.”
“You’re going to be disappointed then.” There was no hint of sympathy in Honor’s voice, no hint of softness. That surprised him.
It must have surprised Mary Alice, too.
She straightened, her eyes flashing with irritation. “I’m not the one who called this meeting, Honor. So, how about we do things my way? Otherwise, I may decide it was a bad idea and leave.”
“I don’t think you’d do that.”
“You’re underestimating me.”
“Or overestimating our friendship.”
At her words, Mary Alice’s bravado dropped away. “You mean the world to me, Honor. You know that.”
“I knew that. Now I’m not so sure. Someone is trying to kill me. You’re my best friend. I’d think you’d want to do everything in your power to keep that from happening.”
“You know I do.”
“Then Tumberg is staying, and there are other agents listening in.” She gestured to the mirror. “That’s what happens when you lie to law enforcement officials. They start getting suspicious and wondering what you have to hide.”
“I didn’t lie about anything.” Mary Alice dropped into a chair, and Honor did the same.
“You didn’t tell the truth,” she pointed out.
“Because... I couldn’t. I can’t.” She sighed.
“Why not?”
“I did something really stupid, and now I’m suffering the consequences.”
“How stupid and what consequences?” Honor asked, as cold and detached as Radley had ever seen her. She might spend most of her time working on computers, but she knew how to conduct an interview. Even with someone she obviously cared about.
“Honor,” Mary Alice swallowed hard, tears suddenly streaming down her face. “I’m pregnant, and I know what you’re going to think about that. I know how disappointed you’re going to be.”
Honor reached across the table, held Mary Alice’s hand, looked into her eyes. “This is the secret? The thing that was keeping you from telling law enforcement the truth about how you ended up at The Sanctuary? You’re pregnant?”
“Not all of it.” She was still crying, and Radley grabbed a box of tissues from the end of the table and handed it to her.
“Thanks,” she mumbled, dabbing at her eyes, still clutching Honor’s hand. “There’s more, and it’s the worst part.”
“Is the baby’s father Scott?” Honor asked, a hint of disgust in her voice.
Mary Alice shook her head.
“Someone at work?”
“No.”
“Come on, Mary Alice. It’s too early in the morning for this. We’re all exhausted, and I’m not in the mood to play twenty questions. If there’s some reason why you don’t feel like you can tell me, I’ll be glad to go back home and—”
“It’s Bennett.”
“Who’s Bennett?” Honor asked, her brow furrowed, because, of course, those things wouldn’t correlate in her brain. Her best friend and her uncle. A baby.
But they were correlating in Radley’s, all the pieces of the puzzle clicking into place.
“The baby’s father is Bennett,” Mary Alice responded, swiping at her tears and pushing away from the table. She paced across the room and back again, still lean as a whip, no hint of a baby bump. “And I know it was stupid. I know he’s a player, a liar and a cheat, but he made me feel good after what happened with Scott.”
“You are telling me,” Honor said, clearly enunciating ever word, “that you and Bennett were together? That you, for whatever reason, decided it would be smart to get into a relationship with a man who’s twenty years your senior, and—�
�
“Honor,” Radley warned, placing a hand on her shoulder, because the emotions she’d done a great job of hiding were bubbling to the surface.
“I’m not finished,” she replied, and he glanced at the two-way mirror, wondering when Wren was going to call a halt to things.
“You had a relationship with my uncle. You got pregnant. I’m assuming one of you broke things off,” she continued, and Mary Alice nodded.
“I did. There were some things he was doing that I didn’t like. That’s what I wanted to talk to you about, but I can see you’re upset. I understand why. I really do. This is a huge betrayal of trust, and I’m sorry, Honor. I’ll understand if you never want to speak to me again.” She was sobbing now, her shoulders shaking, her arms crossed over her stomach.
Radley wasn’t one to be overly sympathetic about people’s mistakes, but he couldn’t deny feeling sorry for her. He’d met Bennett, and he had a feeling the lawyer could manipulate anyone into doing just about anything.
“First, I would never not speak to you again,” Honor said, quietly. “I love you, and we’re going to get through this. But someone wants me dead, and the police think you have something to do with it. I don’t want my...cousin?—” she frowned “—being born in prison. So sit down, and let’s start from the beginning.”
Mary Alice dropped into the chair again. “The beginning was the day I found out Scott was cheating. I thought we’d have forever together, and when I realized I was wrong, I felt lost.”
“And I guess my uncle was there to help you find your way back home?” Honor asked. To her credit, she kept any hint of sarcasm out of her voice.
“He was representing one of the guys I worked with in a DWI case. He came to the office a few times, and eventually he asked me if I’d like to have dinner. I said yes. It was something to do, and I thought we were having fun.”
“Until?”
“He asked for money a couple of times. Ten thousand once. Five thousand another time. He said he was waiting on some retainers to clear and had to pay some bills.”
“Did you lend him the money?” Radley asked, curious as to why a high-profile lawyer would be low on funds.
“Of course not. I was really turned off by it. We’d only been going out for a couple of months, and I started wondering if he just wanted me for my money.” She shrugged.
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