“If Trey’s lawyers found out their client had millions of dollars on the line, they’d be making up evidence to get the guy off,” Gentry blurted with a sudden flush of annoyance. “Everybody knows money talks. And attorneys spend more time on clients with money.”
Wow. That was quite a theory. One Gentry had obviously put some thought into. “You mustn’t have much faith in the legal system.”
“Nope. None,” Gentry said with conviction. That explained a lot, Seth thought. Like why he had no respect for law enforcement in general. “Don’t you watch the news? Guilty people get off all the time.”
And innocent people went to jail. Seth eased against the wooden porch post and crossed his arms. Interesting perspective. One that had him wondering about the evidence in Trey’s case. Had it been planted as a way to frame Trey? And if so, was Gentry involved?
“So.” Seth cleared his throat. “Do you think Madison’s money played any part in her murder?”
Gentry said nothing for a moment. He shifted slightly, stuffing his hands in his sweat jacket pockets. “Actually, no. I think Trey is just crazy. My sister didn’t want to be married, and he just couldn’t accept that.”
“So why, then, would you think someone would want to kill Amy? Madison’s best friend?”
Gentry didn’t bother to think about that. He looked Seth hard in the eye and said, “How would I know? You’re the detective, Detective.”
Ignoring his attempt at sarcasm, Seth scratched his head. “It just makes me wonder what Amy might have known that someone would be willing to kill over.”
Gentry lifted his chin. “Amy’s dead, Detective. So I guess that’s something we’ll never know.”
* * *
“I’m thinking about reopening Madison’s murder investigation.”
“What? You can’t be serious.” Brett shifted to the edge of the couch, nearly spilling his coffee, his body rigid as a scowl narrowed his face. “Why open that can of worms when we still have so little to go on?”
Paige walked into Seth’s living room from the kitchen and was taken aback. As much as she was both surprised and elated by Seth’s statement, her stomach curdled at Brett’s hostile reaction. As her brother’s close friend, shouldn’t he be receptive to reopening a case that could possibly help prove Trey innocent?
Paige quietly eased into a seat at the opposite end of the sofa from Brett, knowing this wasn’t the best time to voice her opinion.
Seth rose from his chair and started to pace, the heels of his boots thudding against the hardwood. “I really think we should reopen Madison’s case, now that we have Amy’s preliminary autopsy report deeming her death a homicide. Somebody killed her to keep her quiet. About what, we don’t know. But she was Madison’s best friend and had doubts about Trey being Madison’s killer.”
Paige’s heart stopped. The autopsy report was news to her. Although what she’d expected, it was still an awful revelation, but one she hoped would help the case against her brother.
But Brett wasn’t so easily convinced. “I don’t think that’s enough of a reason,” he shot back and then began stating his case as to why it was best to leave Madison’s murder investigation alone. Although he didn’t directly mention Trey, the reality was that Trey would remain the prime suspect.
The dinner in Paige’s stomach tumbled into a tight knot.
“I could understand you going that route,” Brett continued, “if we didn’t suspect Paige’s attacks to be a vengeful act committed by someone looking for revenge against Trey. Amy was unfortunately a casualty of that someone’s paranoia. The guy is getting nervous, impulsive. He needs to be stopped before he gets to Paige or hurts someone else he thinks may suspect him.”
Paige shifted on the sofa. On that one note she agreed with Brett. Her attacker—Amy’s killer—was impulsive. Who knew what he’d try next. Still, her focus was to link him to Madison’s murder. She only wished she could convince Brett.
Seth stopped short and looked at Brett. “That’s a great scenario, but like you said, there are too many unknowns to bank on anything conclusive yet.”
The tension in the room inched up a notch, radiating between Seth and Brett like a high-voltage line.
Brett sat up straighter, his face set in hard lines. “We have to have a direction to go in or we’ll get nothing accomplished. But before I start tangling what we know now with the evidence connected to Trey, I need to see some hard facts. Until then, I have my eye on Gentry for Paige’s attacks. He’s angry about his sister’s murder, and Paige coming back to town probably amped him up even more and pushed him to the brink of trying to kill her. And we both know that guilt breeds paranoia. My guess is everyone he worked with knew his feelings about Trey and also his annoyance at Paige being back in town. When he saw Amy talking to Paige, he blew a gasket. He was worried about something. Maybe worried that Amy suspected he ran Paige off the road. It doesn’t seem like he kept his hatred for Trey a secret. It makes sense, and I plan to continue running my investigation to that effect.”
Seth stared at Brett from across the room. “And you don’t think Gentry could have killed his sister? Remember, there was a trust fund at stake.”
Brett shook his head and clunked the mug he was holding on the coffee table. “At this point, no.”
What if Gentry was Madison’s killer? Paige’s jaw dropped, unable to believe what she was hearing. Brett was so eager to dismiss a trust fund, but wouldn’t let go of the evidence stacked up against her brother. Yet he was speculating scenarios for the recent events where there was also no firm evidence. Why did she ever think he’d be willing to help her? “Brett...” Her throat threatened to close, and her heart ceased to beat. “I can’t believe you wouldn’t give my brother the benefit of the doubt and at least consider the possibility that he was set up. By Gentry or someone else.”
That brought both Seth’s and Brett’s eyes back on her.
“Paige, I’m sorry,” Brett said after a moment. “I just can’t ignore the evidence we already have against Trey. And trying to disprove it and then connect Gentry to Madison’s murder sounds to me like a complicated, futile venture at this point. One that could cost us weeks. And we can’t afford to lose time running on wild-goose chases, not with a murderer still on the loose.”
What? A bad feeling gathered in her midsection, spiking her adrenaline. So was Brett saying he was willing to sacrifice her brother’s life out of convenience? She sat up ramrod straight. “Brett—”
“Paige,” Seth gently cut her off.
Paige swung her gaze to meet his, and the look he shot her said, I’ve got this. The tension bunching her muscles started to dissipate.
Relieved, Paige settled back in her seat. Finally, an advocate for her brother.
“Brett, I disagree,” Seth started, hands on his hips. Paige could feel a standoff brewing. “I think you’re not giving Gentry enough credit for what he could be capable of. For years Gentry controlled everything. The family business. The trust. Madison. And then Madison grew up and wanted control of her life and her own money. So much so she makes her husband her trust fund’s beneficiary and keeps it a secret from her brother. And as type A as Gentry is, he didn’t find out accidentally. He made it his business to know her business.”
“So Gentry might have set up my brother,” Paige blurted before she could stop herself. Trying to fit the pieces together. “Because if Trey was the beneficiary and is convicted—”
“He wouldn’t get a cent,” Seth said, catching her gaze. “And the money stays with the family.”
“Wow, that’s a great scenario,” Brett said as he stood. “And you almost had me sold, but you’re still forgetting about a mountain of evidence stacked against Trey. A better scenario, in my opinion, is Trey didn’t want the divorce, and losing Madison and all her money pushed him over the edge.”
Paige ground her teeth. Frustration didn’t even begin to describe what she was feeling about Brett’s better scenario.
A s
hrug preceded Seth’s words. “I used to see it from that perspective, but now I think that both scenarios need to be explored.”
“Then you better get on it.” Brett huffed and started for the door, then just as quickly turned back and pointed a finger at Seth. “Please help me understand one thing before I go. You were Trey’s arresting officer and saw every shred of evidence linking him to Madison’s murder, and even declared him the only suspect. But now you think you might have been wrong and he might be innocent?”
There was cold silence, stretching painfully long before Seth finally answered the question. “Yes, Brett. It is a possibility that I might have been wrong about Trey.”
Paige’s heart stopped before it jolted into a jubilant cha-cha. Ten long months and finally the words she’d longed to hear. She wanted nothing more than to jump from her seat and swing her arms around Seth in a big hug. A friendly hug, of course, but she stopped herself. Hardly appropriate. She fought back a sigh.
“I think you’re heading down the wrong road with this, Seth,” Brett came back. The scowl on his face nudged her annoyance to a new level. “And I personally don’t have time for it.”
Seth shrugged, suggesting he was more relieved than disappointed. “I’m doing what I think needs to be done. I’ll keep you posted as I find out more.”
“In the meantime, I’ll be focusing on Gentry and his ties to Paige’s attacks and Amy’s death. I’m not going back ten months on this one,” Brett firmly stated and then looked at Paige. “You know how to reach me if you need something.”
She didn’t acknowledge him. She wouldn’t be calling. Instead, Paige looked at Seth as Brett finally walked out the door. “Have you really changed your opinion on my brother’s guilt?”
An uneasy look crossed Seth’s face, and he hesitated as if he didn’t want to commit to anything yet. “Like I said to Brett, it makes sense to do some investigating on how Madison’s murder ties in to your attacks and Amy’s murder. Just in case the same person is responsible for all three. So, I guess you can say I’m keeping an open mind.”
And she was thrilled. She gave an approving smile. “So what’s next on your agenda, Detective?”
Seth crossed his arms over his chest. “Tomorrow morning we head to Durham.”
“Durham?”
“I need to talk to Trey.”
Uh-oh. Seth’s idea had Paige chewing the inside of her cheek. She hadn’t mentioned to Trey that she’d come back to Boone. Nor did she plan to. Not with a killer hot on her heels as she tried to dig up evidence to help him.
Nope. This was not cool.
A small voice inside her reiterated that—one that sensed Trey’s reaction, whispering, Not a good idea. She hoped she was wrong.
EIGHT
At seven the next morning, Seth climbed into the cab of his truck to start the three-hour journey to the Durham County Jail. While Paige had been rather quiet since she got up, he could see appreciation in her eyes for his effort to help Trey.
It warmed his heart deeply to be helping her now. Walking this journey alone had to be difficult. He only wished he been there for her all along. Even more, he wished he could rewrite the history between them.
But one look in Paige’s eyes and the sorrow lingering there and he knew nothing would ever be the same between them. Once this was all over, she’d walk out of Boone and never look back. And he wouldn’t blame her.
“Do you really think going all the way to Durham is necessary?” Paige asked, buckling up. “With his trial still slated for next week, is that the best use of our time? I don’t think he can tell you any more than I already have.”
“No, I have questions that only he can answer.” Seth cranked the engine and shifted into gear, then started down the pocked and rutted driveway. He needed to talk to Trey face-to-face. See his expressions. Look in his eyes. The last time he’d spoken to Trey, he was anything but himself. Distraught. Angry. A poor historian when it came to Madison’s murder. Maybe now, ten months later, he could shed some light on what really happened that night.
He only hoped his gut feeling had pushed him on the right track. He kept asking himself if he’d be making this trip if it hadn’t been for Paige’s persistence that her brother was innocent. He’d like to say yes, but, truthfully, he wasn’t sure. There was a lot of evidence to disprove—fingerprints, DNA, murder weapon—all with Trey’s name engraved on it. Still, someone cunning with an agenda could have orchestrated the perfect crime. And for that niggling maybe, he needed to talk to Trey. Give him one more chance to clear his name.
“I’m sure your brother will be happy to see you.” He cast Paige a sideways glance. “Although I get the impression that you’re not too excited to see him.”
Paige slumped deeper into the seat, crossing her arms over her chest. “No—no, I’m always happy to see Trey.”
He didn’t buy her cool response. “But...”
“But what?” She looked his way, catching his glance.
Seth dropped her a knowing smile and then pulled his eyes back on the road. “Trey doesn’t know you came to Boone, does he?”
“Well, actually...no,” she said after a moment as they turned onto Highway 421, heading west. “I didn’t want him to be concerned. He already has enough on his plate.”
Trey did have enough on his plate, and Seth could only imagine what he was going through; waiting for a court date couldn’t be easy. But Seth felt better knowing that Paige’s return to Boone was not at her brother’s request. And given the vibes he was getting from Paige, Trey wasn’t going to be happy to hear about his sister’s attempt to help him. Especially if he knew that she’d been putting her life on the line since she’d been in town.
Paige rested her hand on his arm, and he flinched in surprise. It had been a long time since she’d reacted so comfortably around him. And he had to admit it felt good. “By the way, thank you for all you’re doing to help Trey.”
A hint of a smile pulled at Seth’s lips. He was starting to see the old Paige again. “You’re welcome. But I’m just doing my job. Like I told you before, if ever evidence popped up that brought Trey’s guilt into question, I wouldn’t ignore it.”
“You’re a man of your word, and I appreciate that.”
Despite being concerned for her safety, Seth admired her passion and integrity. Although his heart skipped a beat, he knew mending fences with her would be difficult. And honestly, he wasn’t sure they could ever see past their negative history.
His cell phone rang, and he hit the button on his Bluetooth headset. “This is Seth Garrison.”
“Hey, Seth, it’s Ted.”
“Ted, what do you know?” Something good, he hoped.
“I found a couple things about Gentry I thought might be of interest.”
“As long as it involves a trust fund or murder, I’m all ears.”
Ted laughed. “Not specifically, but close. It seems Gentry’s been having some financial issues.”
“Really?” Seth ran his hand along the steering wheel, his interest piqued.
“It began a couple years ago, after he started dabbling in the foreign market, importing high-end pieces of art and other merchandise.”
“I’m sure that’s volatile. So was he a little overzealous with purchases or did he just make some bad investments?”
“Not sure, maybe both. But he did file for bankruptcy protection about this time last year and then retracted it a month later.”
“That was right before Madison’s murder,” Seth muttered more to himself than to Ted.
“Yeah. I found that interesting, too.”
“Do you know if Gentry’s blown the funds from his trust?”
“Not sure, but working on finding out. But, for now, hopefully we’ve got enough to get those rusty wheels in your head going.”
Oh, yeah. The wheels in his head were already busy churning up possible scenarios. All of which included Gentry and cast doubt on Trey’s guilt. “Thanks, Ted. Good work and keep it comin
g.”
Seth disconnected and looked at Paige. “I think I feel progress.”
She gave a strained smile, apparently not sharing his optimism. “I’m glad, because progress still feels a long way off to me.”
“You okay?”
She nodded, smoothed her hair from her face and heaved an exhausted sigh. “As I was sitting here, it hit me that Trey’s trial is in less than a week. Mentally, I get that, but I think emotionally it’s just sinking in. I feel at such a loss, for myself and my brother. I just wish I could do more to help him.”
At her raw sentiment Seth’s heart broke in two. He wished he could tell her everything would be okay, but he couldn’t. “I’ve never seen a greater advocate than you, Paige. Your brother should be proud. Because I’m very proud of you.”
Paige remained quiet for a long moment. Finally she murmured, “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” he said, feeling her sorrow. Her fear. A wave of sadness engulfed him and just as fast, guilt.
“What’s the chance...” She stopped, the strain in her voice evident as she shifted in her seat to look at him. “If you do proceed and reopen the murder investigation, will that be enough to put Trey’s trial on hold?” Another difficult question he couldn’t answer. Nothing in life was ever that simple.
“It wouldn’t be automatic, if that is what you’re asking. Any new evidence would have to be presented to Trey’s attorneys. So, ultimately it will be up to them to petition the court to reschedule or, in the best-case scenario, have the charges against Trey dropped. But unless we can prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Trey isn’t guilty, the trial will likely go on as planned.” And Trey’s fate would be left in the jury’s hands.
“So our time crunch continues.”
“Yes, it does.” Seth gripped the cool leather of the steering wheel. The reality was, time continued to tick by faster than clues were coming in. They still had a daunting task ahead of them. And given the evidence against Trey, things didn’t look good. But Seth stayed mum on that subject, deciding to remain optimistic that if Trey truly was innocent, they’d find what they needed to prove it.
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