Сандра Браун - Thick as Thieves

She sighed. “On Monday, detectives from the sheriff’s office came. It was clear from the outset that Dad was suspected of both the burglary and complicity in Foster’s death. Can you imagine what it was like to be interrogated by Rusty’s father? I wanted to blurt out what his psychotic son had done to poor, spineless Brian Foster. But I was afraid that if I breathed a word, Rusty would make good on his promise to harm you. Based on what you’ve told me about recent events, I still have reason to fear that. As you do,” she said, looking over at Ledge.

After a time, Arden said, “They found Dad’s boat caught up in cypress knees in a narrow bayou. There was a manhunt. Helicopters. Search dogs. Where did he go?”

Lisa raised her arms at her sides. “How he managed his getaway remains a mystery.”

“Maybe he didn’t,” Arden said. “Manage it, I mean. Maybe he didn’t survive that night. In his haste to get away, maybe he fell out of his boat and drowned.”

Ledge reminded her that the lake had been dragged in search of his body.

“But only in the vicinity of where they found his boat, and around where Foster’s remains were discovered. Maybe Rusty caught up with him after all, killed him, and hid his body, never to be found.”

Ledge said, “It would have had to happen quickly, or his arrival at Crystal’s house wouldn’t time out.”

“And he was so badly injured,” Lisa said. “I think he would’ve lacked the strength.”

“Also,” Ledge said, “if Rusty had caught up to Joe, he would have reclaimed the money. He wouldn’t still be bitter over losing it.”

“He wouldn’t have hounded me for years.”

Lisa’s statement took Arden by surprise, and Ledge, too, it seemed. He said, “Fill us in.”

“I had made arrangements for Arden and me to relocate as soon as the school semester ended. This would have been almost three months after Easter, and still no sign of Dad. Days before we were due to leave town, Rusty came here to the house and repeated his vows of vengeance if he learned that Dad and I had plotted to screw him out of the ‘haul,’ as he called it.

“Then for several years after we were in Dallas, he would show up periodically and issue the same threats. But he could see how modestly we lived, at least until I married Wallace. After that, I guess Rusty gave up hope. He stopped the surprise visits.”

She reached for Arden’s hand. “Marrying Wallace gave me a sense of security, but I never forgot Rusty’s threats. I knew he hadn’t forgotten them, either. That’s why I was so adamantly opposed to your moving back here. I panicked when you told me you had interviewed him to do repairs.” She tipped her head toward Ledge. “I never wanted you to know any of this.”

“But I should have known, Lisa. I’ve lived in denial that Dad took the money and ran. You enabled that. You let me cling to the hope that he was innocent.”

“I couldn’t bring myself to tell you differently and shatter that illusion.”

“I’m not that fragile. I’ve built up an immunity to having my illusions shattered.” She looked at Ledge. Although his eyes shone very blue in the dim room, his expression was unreadable.

Lisa took a drink of her soda, which must have gone warm. “Now that we’ve bared all, what do you plan to do?”

“Shut Rusty down,” Ledge said.

“We’re going to take everything to the attorney general’s office,” Arden told her. “All of it. Foster. Dwayne Hawkins.”

“The burglary,” Lisa said, looking resigned.

“I’m sorry,” Arden said. “But all this started with that.”

“It’s time I paid the piper for an egregious mistake.”

“You can’t be prosecuted.”

“No, only persecuted. Which,” she said, drawing a deep breath, “is no less than I deserve for being so stupid.”

“We’re both guilty of that,” Ledge said.

“Did Wallace know?” Arden asked.

“God, no,” Lisa said, looking horrified at the thought. “He put me on a pedestal. If he’d ever found out, I couldn’t have borne his disappointment in me.” She gave a wistful smile. “Before this goes public, I’ll resign my position at the firm to spare the board having to demand my resignation. Wallace left me a rich widow. I won’t suffer anything except the humiliation of having been a thief.” She turned toward Ledge and regarded him for a long moment. “You surprise me.”

“How’s that?”

“You didn’t break the pact.” She gave a terse laugh. “Honor among thieves?”

Before he could reply, his cell phone rang. He pulled it from his pocket. “Hey, Don.” He listened, then said, “Oh, shit. Did she say—Wait, this could be a setup. Did you check the caller ID? You’re sure?” Then he hissed, “Son of a bitch. Yeah, yeah, I’m leaving now.” He looked at Arden, who was already on her feet. “She’s doing all right. Yes, yes, I will. I promise. Gotta go.” He clicked off.

“What?”

“A staffer at the memory center called the bar, asking for me. She talked to Don on behalf of George, who was on his way out of the building in a dead run, giving chase to some guy who pretended to be a friend of the family there to see Uncle Henry.”

Arden said, “I’ll come with you.”

“No.” His tone brooked no argument. “Not this time. You two stay together, but leave here as planned. Soon as you can get gone, go.” He looked over at Lisa.

As unflappable as always, she said, “I’ve taken care of her for twenty years.”

Coming back to Arden, he said, “I’ll keep you updated if I can. If not, Don will be in touch.”

“Ledge—”

“I’ve got to go, Arden.”

“I understand. Hurry.”

He left through the back door, but Arden went out behind him. Beyond the steps, the downpour was as heavy as a drapery. He hovered beneath the eaves to fish his key fob from his pants pocket. He flipped up the collar of his jean jacket. Arden had crowded in behind him on the top step.

He turned and reached for her hand, squeezing it hard. “If you were paying attention last night, you know everything you need to know.” He punctuated that with a firm kiss, then hurdled the lower steps and ran through the torrent to his pickup.

Arden stayed and watched him drive away before going back inside.

Lisa was standing at the sink, gazing out the window. “It’s really coming down.”

Arden shut the door forcefully. “That’s what we’re going to talk about? The weather?”

Lisa turned, looking defensive. “Weren’t you better off not knowing?”

“No.”

“What difference would knowing have made?”

“I would have been free of doubt. I would already be well past this stage that I’m in now.”

“What stage is that?”

“Infuriated.”

Lisa shook herself as though throwing off a cloying garment. “We have a lot to talk about. Most of it will be painful for both of us. But it would be beneficial if we presented a united front when we take all this to the attorney general, or whomever. Don’t you agree?”

Arden turned her head aside, raked her fingers through her damp hair, and murmured, “Ever practical.”

“And you’re ever impassioned.”

Coming back to Lisa, she said, “Yes. I take things to heart, I feel deeply, and I refuse to apologize for it.” Having reached an impasse, she turned way. “I’ll pack.”

“I haven’t been upstairs since you’ve been back. I’m going to take a look around.”

Not caring if she sounded snide, Arden said, “Make yourself at home.”

She went into her room, took her suitcase from the closet, and opened it on the bed. She packed only what she would need for several days, not by any means intending to stay with Lisa indefinitely.