by Jane Godman
“But he was?”
Alyssa was chopping carrots, but the question stilled her fingers and blurred her vision.
Of course he was. Why had it needed a surprise baby and a crazed attacker to make her see what she’d always known?
“Everett loved his job. He didn’t see the danger. For him, it was about righting wrongs.” She laughed. “That makes him sound like a modern-day Robin Hood. I guess it was his way of helping people. As our relationship grew more serious, and I started to get spooked, I asked him if he wouldn’t consider going back to his old job. Wasn’t there a chance he’d get the same sense of satisfaction from helping people in the legal world?”
“I’m guessing it wasn’t a popular suggestion?” Melody said.
Alyssa thought back to the way Everett had responded, to the way his jaw had clenched and he’d stared out of the window in silence for several minutes. At the time, she’d taken it as a signal that he didn’t care for her interference in his career. Now? She wasn’t so sure. It was almost as if he’d seen a ghost.
“He didn’t really answer me. Just gave a strange sort of laugh and said there were more dangerous ways to earn a living than facing a terror suspect with a live device.”
“Was he trying to fob you off? Change the subject?” Melody asked.
“Probably.” Alyssa continued with her chopping. “We continued as we were. I tried to push the knowledge of what he was doing to the back of my mind, but the closer we got, the harder it became. Then, one night, I switched on the TV and started watching the evening news. There was live coverage of a hostage situation at a drug dealer’s home. I couldn’t make out the shadowy figures in the darkness, but I just knew Everett was there. Even though I didn’t want to watch, I couldn’t help myself.”
It had been her idea of torture played out in front of her eyes. As the siege deteriorated into a battle, with shots being exchanged and agents scaling the walls of the dealer’s mansion, she had been convinced that Everett was lying dead or dying in the uproar. When he finally walked through the door in the early hours of the morning, he had been tired, dirty and bloody, but mostly unhurt.
“Making the world a safer place is what I do, Lyss,” Everett had said. He’d sounded helpless as she sobbed in his arms. “Another bad guy was taken off the streets tonight.”
“A few days earlier, he’d asked me to move in with him. That night, he questioned if I would ever get used to his job.” Her voice was a whisper as she placed the carrots in a saucepan. “I said I couldn’t. That was four years ago. I didn’t see him again until I acted on the letter inviting me to attend the reading of Kennedy’s parents’ will.”
“Do you still feel the same?” Melody took the saucepan from her shaking hands and placed it on the heat. “Can you find a way to live with what he does?”
Alyssa blinked rapidly as she tilted her head back. “All I know is we don’t have luxury of getting it wrong this time. We have Kennedy to think of...”
Her head ached with the pressure of thinking about everything that was going on. At the same time, her heart was being flung in every direction as she tried to decipher her feelings. One thing she had already realized was that she didn’t lack courage. From deep within herself, she had found the strength to face her fears. Now, she had to make the right choice, for herself and for her daughter.
“That’s not an answer.” Melody brought her back to the original conversation.
“It’s all you’re going to get.” Alyssa managed a slight smile. “Because, when I do figure out how I feel, I don’t think you should be the first to know.”
* * *
Everett and Casey arrived at the Torrington Law office at 9:30 a.m. the following morning and found the building still locked.
Casey peered through the window. “Looks like Raymond may be sleeping in today. Either that, or he’s having himself a vacation. Tell me again why we need to talk to him.”
“I’m certain that the guy was planning to cheat Kennedy when he didn’t tell me that I was one of her trustees. That doesn’t necessarily mean he’s mixed up in anything else, but it makes me suspicious. I’d like to ask him how much he knows about Georgia’s custody bid. Or anything else to do with Georgia, for that matter.”
“You think Georgia could have recruited him to help her?” Casey asked.
“Stranger things have happened,” Everett said. “Let’s ask the neighbors what they know.”
The adjoining store was a Western outfitters. As kids, it had been one of their favorite places. From the buffalo head and Apache artifacts on the wall, to the boots and hats displayed on top of barrels, everything about Freeman and Hicks was a magical taste of Cactus Creek’s heritage.
Tom Hicks, the owner, was one of their dad’s golf buddies. A living advertisement for his own products, he tipped his Stetson in greeting as he strode forward to meet them.
“Hey, guys. Did Ryker tell you about the sweet deal we’ve got on hand-stitched leather boots?”
Casey quirked an eyebrow in Everett’s direction. “No, but if anyone is wondering what to buy me for Christmas...”
“Judge your timing,” Everett growled out of the corner of his mouth.
“I’m sensing it’s something I should work on.”
They explained to Tom that they were there on business and accompanied him through to his office. Once he’d shifted stacks of plaid shirts out of the way, they were able to take a seat in the two chairs opposite his desk.
“This won’t take long,” Everett said. “We want to ask a few questions about Torrington Law. Specifically, if you know how long the office has been closed?”
Tom tented his fingers beneath his chin. “Ray shut the place up yesterday. Said he had a family issue and he had to leave town. I asked him when he’d be back, but he couldn’t say.”
Everett flicked a glance in Casey’s direction. Was it a coincidence that Ray had gone away on the same day that Georgia had escaped? He supposed it was a possibility. It was just that he had never liked the words coincidence and possibility in connection with criminal acts.
“You don’t have a contact number for Ray’s receptionist, by any chance?”
“Brenda Caplin? I don’t, but my wife will. They are both members of the Cactus Creek Community Choir.”
Ten minutes later, they were back in Casey’s car and Everett was ending a call to Brenda.
“Anything?” Casey asked.
“Only some fairly bitter words about what it’s like working for Ray. He didn’t tell her he was closing the office. She just turned up for work as usual and couldn’t get in.”
“He always was a slimeball. Even when we were kids. Remember when he smashed the church window and blamed it on Philo Harper? Then Ray’s dad paid a small fortune to the church fund to keep the truth quiet.”
“Ray’s dad.” Everett pointed to the ignition. “Of course. It’s time we paid Robert Torrington a visit.”
Casey groaned. “The guy has spent his whole life covering up for his son. Nothing has changed since then.”
“That’s not true.” Everett flexed the fingers of his right hand, feeling the pull deep in his damaged muscles. “I’ve changed.”
Casey kept his eyes on the road. “You need to tell Alyssa.”
“That I’ve changed?” Keep it light. It was the tactic he used for making the big stuff go away. It worked pretty well most of the time. The only person who didn’t get the message was sitting right next to him. Casey figured that twin thing gave him additional rights. Everett couldn’t carry a grudge. It worked both ways.
“Am I the only person who knows?” They were on a quiet stretch of highway, heading out of Cactus Creek, and Casey flicked a glance in his direction. “You’ve never gotten any counseling, or other support?”
“I don’t need—”
“Sure you don’t,” Casey snorted.
“Let’s not do this.”
When Casey spoke again, his voice was softer. “All I’m saying is, tell Alyssa what happened, or lose her.” Everett held up his good hand, palm facing his twin. “Okay, I’ll leave it there.” They completed the rest of the journey in silence.
* * *
Robert Torrington lived with his second wife, Renata, in an elegant colonial-style mansion. The acid-tongued lawyer was still considered a force to be reckoned with, despite having been wheelchair-bound for the last ten years.
As his twin drove up the sweeping drive with its towering palm trees, Everett viewed the house. “I’ve never heard any rumors about Torrington Senior operating on the wrong side of the law. You?”
Casey shook his head. “The guy is a major pain, but he’s an honest one. The son? There are rumors, so I’m not sure.”
Everett thought back to his most recent encounter with Ray, and the guy’s bungled attempt to defraud Kennedy of her inheritance. “I’m certain Ray Torrington is a crook. There’s only one reason I can think of for wanting to keep me out of the loop. He wanted to get his hands on the money the Dodds left their daughter. Was he smart enough to plan that himself, or did he have someone giving him advice? Someone who knew the details of Sean and Delilah’s estate? That’s what I’d like to ask him.”
“I wouldn’t recommend sharing your suspicions with his dad.”
“Robert may expect other people around here to quake in their boots every time he speaks, but I intend to get some answers.”
When Everett left Cactus Creek, he had shaken off its expectations and hierarchies. Although coming back had brought him an unexpected sense of satisfaction, he wasn’t about to step back into the small-town mindset.
As soon as they halted in front of the house, the front door opened. Alighting clumsily from the vehicle as he struggled to get used to his sling, Everett found he was being scrutinized by a tall man in black pants and a white shirt. Not quite a uniform, it nevertheless proclaimed his status as an employee.
Although Everett held out his badge, the guy’s gaze skimmed right past him and landed on Casey. “Deputy Colton. I don’t believe we were expecting this visit.”
“That’s right.” Everett spoke before his brother could answer. “Law-enforcement officers don’t need to make appointments.”
“This is Deval Holden,” Casey said as the other man’s eyes finally dropped to Everett’s badge. “He’s Mr. Torrington’s butler.”
“While an appointment may not be a requirement, Agent Colton, it does signify a level of courtesy to an elderly gentleman.” The butler hadn’t shifted from his original position and was effectively blocking their entrance to the house.
Everett wasn’t about to fall into the trap of justifying his actions. “As you’ve already correctly assumed, I’m here to speak to Mr. Torrington.”
He kept on walking, daring Holden to stop him. At the last moment, the butler stepped back, holding the door wide. “Mr. Torrington had a bad night. I’ll see if he’s well enough to talk to you.”
He escorted them into an elegantly furnished living room and left them there without any further conversation.
“I know this is hard for you, but you might want to tone down the bad cop and dial up the good cop,” Casey said. “Just a little.”
Everett drew in a deep breath, then let out a long and slow exhale. The action restored a little of his calm. “Someone stabbed me. That person is threatening my little girl. And scaring Alyssa.”
“We’ll catch whoever it is.” Casey gripped his shoulder. “I just don’t think it’s Robert Torrington. And he’s more likely to respond to flattery than hostility.”
“Right. So now we offer a choice of interrogation styles?” Although Everett grumbled, he knew his brother was right. He was letting his emotions cloud his judgment. There was too much at stake for him to mess this up.
“Oh, my goodness.” The words were accompanied by a swish of silk and a waft of heavy perfume. “Two handsome men in my house, and I wasn’t expecting either of them. What did I do to deserve this?”
The woman who entered the room was probably in her fifties, but she was so perfectly styled and made-up that she could have claimed to be twenty years younger. Everett had a vague memory of returning home from college for a visit and listening with half an ear as his mom recounted the latest gossip. One of those stories had included an account of how Robert Torrington had scandalized the community by dumping his loyal wife—Ray’s mom—in favor of a lap dancer. This, Everett figured, must be Renata Rose-Torrington.
“Mrs. Torrington? I’m Agent Colton of the Phoenix FBI office, and this is Deputy Colton of the Sur County Sheriff’s Department. We’re here to ask a few questions about your stepson.”
“Ray? Oh, he had to go away.” Renata took a seat on a plush white sofa and indicated the chairs to either side of her. “It was all kind of sudden.”
A witness who wanted to chat. She was every law-enforcement official’s dream. Resisting the temptation to exchange smiles with Casey, Everett took the seat she had indicated. “I hope everything is okay?”
“I don’t know what’s going on. All I know is, he turned up here during dinner in a state of panic. He and Robert locked themselves away for an hour. After that, Ray was out of the door like a shot from a gun.” Restlessly, she smoothed down her skirts. “It’s not like anyone ever tells me anything around here, but this time they just completely bypassed me.”
“Do you have any idea where Ray went?” Everett asked.
“I may have overheard some of the conversation as I was passing the door of Robert’s study.” She examined her nails, favoring him with a pout that told its own story. Renata was jealous of the relationship between her husband and his son, and unhappy at being kept out of this latest crisis. “My husband told Ray he should go to relatives in Denver and lay low for a while. He told him he’d screwed up for the last time. Cheating clients should be easy, but he’d brought the Feds into it. If he didn’t smarten up, Robert would cut him loose.”
“Renata.” Robert Torrington’s voice was a bark as he rolled his wheelchair into the room. “Don’t you have somewhere else to be?”
His wife’s demeanor changed instantly. All traces of her former flirtatiousness vanished and as she got to her feet, she reminded Everett of a wilting rose. “Can I ask the housekeeper to bring you gentlemen some refreshments?”
“Thank you, but we won’t be staying.”
“Well, you got that much correct.” Robert positioned his wheelchair directly in front of Everett. “Perhaps you’d be good enough to explain the reason for this enforced federal presence in my home?”
“Your son and I are joint trustees of a child’s estate. I need to make some decisions about her finances, and I’d like to get in touch with him,” Everett said. “Do you have his contact details?”
He could tell his approach had taken both Robert and Casey by surprise.
“I’m sorry, Agent Colton, that you’ve had a wasted journey.” Robert gave him a smug smile. “If only you’d called first, I could have told you that my son doesn’t have a cell phone. Since he is currently traveling, I have no way of getting in touch with him.”
Everett returned the smile. “You must have the address of the relatives in Denver with whom he’s staying, however.”
He figured the frown that descended on the other man’s brow was generally considered some kind of storm warning. “Did my wife tell you about that?”
“Mrs. Torrington told us she had not been included in any conversations about your son’s whereabouts.”
Everett gained a measure of satisfaction from Robert’s petulant expression as he barked out the address for his cousin in Denver but that was short-lived. By the time he was able to get in contact with the Denver police and give them a list of questions for Ray, Robert would have tipped o
ff his son. The tricky lawyer would be long gone.
The truth was, of course, that Everett didn’t really suspect Ray of being the person behind the threats and attacks. The guy was a sleazy bottom-feeder, but it was stretching the imagination way too far to picture him killing his wealthy clients just so he could get his hands on their daughter’s fortune. It was still possible he could be working with Georgia, hoping that, if she got custody of the baby, he would be in line for some of the inheritance money.
Whatever was going on, it all came back to that curious question. How would anyone have murdered Sean by getting him to drive his car into a wall?
Stranger things have happened.
And that was why, even though, when it came to suspects, Ray was way down the list, they had to eliminate him. He flicked the piece of paper Robert had given him with a scrawled address in Denver written on it.
“What if he’s not there?”
Robert puffed out his chest. “What are you implying?”
“I’m simply thinking of the child. Can a trustee who does not fulfill his duties to the required standard be removed?”
“It’s a matter for the courts.” Robert gave him a look of intense dislike. “Technically, an incapable, or incompetent, trustee must be replaced by another suitable person.”
“Thank you for your help.” Everett got to his feet.
Robert blinked up at him. “That’s it?”
“I’m sure you’ll be in touch if you think of anything that might help our inquiries.”
“What inquiries might they be, Agent Colton?”
“For now, I only have reason to suspect your son of plotting to defraud a newly orphaned child of her inheritance.” Everett let the polite facade slip. “If I find out he is involved in anything more, I’ll be back.”
“You can’t threaten me in my own home—”
“My brother doesn’t make threats,” Casey said, as Everett headed toward the door. “He makes promises. Then he keeps them.”