Beth Andrews - In This Town

“That’s fine,” Bertrand told Nora as if he expected no less than them all dragging attorneys in here before saying another word. “I’d like to set up times to speak with you all—individually.”

“Divide and conquer, eh?” Tori asked.

He slid an unreadable glance her way.

“My secretary can set up interview times,” Ross said, straightening.

“Griffin has to get back to work,” Nora blurted, her fingers twisting together.

Griffin, in the act of getting to his feet, stilled. “I do?”

She nodded slowly, her eyes on his. “Yes. You do. You have that car coming in at ten for that thing. Remember?”

Griffin may be sex on a stick, but he wasn’t dumb. Then again, a blind person could see what Nora was pulling. “Right,” Griffin said. “The car with the thing. Important customer.”

“Yes,” Nora said in a rush. “Very important.” She blinked innocently at Bertrand—no one did innocent like Nora. “Do you think Griffin could set up his interview time first?”

Before Bertrand could call her on her bullshit, Ross stepped in. “After we’ve set up Mr. York’s interview, I’ll show you to the office you can use while you’re here,” he told Bertrand.

The detective looked ready to argue but Griffin was already walking away. They all watched him leave and Ross crossed to the door, stopped and sent Bertrand a raised brow look.

Bertrand nodded stiffly at Tori and her sisters. He had to be pissed, but he gave nothing away, kept his expression clear, his movements easy as he joined Ross.

She wrapped her arms around herself, chewed on her lower lip thoughtfully as she watched his back. A man who could hide his emotions so well was dangerous. Best to keep that in mind.

“What the hell was that about?” Layne asked Nora after the door closed behind the cops.

“I wanted to talk to you both alone.”

“Next time,” Tori said, “just hold up a sign saying Trying to Get Rid of You! It would’ve been more subtle.”

“It worked, didn’t it?” Nora turned to Layne. “Okay, no bull, no sugarcoating, just give us the truth, the unequivocal truth. How bad is it?”

Layne swallowed and wiped her palms down the front of her uniform. “It’s bad. But nothing I can’t handle,” she added quickly.

Tori’s stomach dropped. Layne was worried. Scared. Neither of which Tori was used to seeing on her sister’s face. Couldn’t say she liked seeing them now.

“How bad is ‘bad’?” she asked, not sure she wanted to know.

“Ross and I are suspended,” she said, as if forcing the words out.

“What?” Nora slapped her hands onto her hips, her cheeks flush with anger. “The mayor suspended you? What is he thinking?”

Layne took the band from around her hair and slid it onto her wrist, then combed her fingers through the long strands, her movements jerky and agitated. “He’s thinking there are questions that need to be answered. Charges of wrongdoing that need to be investigated.”

Tori shook her head. “But you didn’t do anything wrong.”

Layne always played by the rules. Plus she’d never do anything to jeopardize the career she loved so much.

“Neither one of us did anything wrong.” Layne smoothed her hair back, wrapped the band around it again before letting her arms drop to her sides. “But it doesn’t look good,” she admitted flatly as if she didn’t care her entire life was blowing up in front of her. Tori knew better. “It looks like Ross and I used our positions to cover up facts about Dale’s death—even though we didn’t know he was murdered until an hour ago.”

“Why bring in someone?” Tori asked. “Why not let another officer from Mystic Point investigate Dale’s murder? Someone from the county to look into the accusations against you and Ross?”

Layne shook her head but it was Nora who answered. “Too big a risk of an investigator from the county having a connection to someone here. Plus, it’s no secret Jack Pomeroy and Uncle Kenny are good friends. Pomeroy even worked under Ken when he was D.A.”

“It’s better this way,” Layne said, somehow sounding as if she really meant it. “There will be no questions about the validity of the investigation when our names are cleared.”

Okay, Tori could understand that. But it didn’t mean she had to be happy that Bertrand was going to be around for a while, dredging up the past when she’d finally thought they could all move forward.

“What can we do to help?” Tori asked.

Gratitude entered Layne’s hazel eyes, softened her expression. “Just cooperate with Bertrand. Tell the truth.”

“I don’t trust him,” Nora said, her arms crossed, her shoulders hunched. “You heard what he said. He thinks one of us killed Dale.”

“It’s his job to suspect everyone.” Layne’s soothing tone couldn’t disguise the apprehension beneath her words. “But we have nothing to hide so we have nothing to worry about.”

“Well, we may have nothing to hide,” Tori said, “but what about Griffin?”

Nora whirled on her. “Don’t. Start.”

“Griffin was with Nora the night Dale died,” Layne pointed out, all logical and coplike. “But Tori’s right, he’s going to be looked at,” she told Nora. “We’re all going to be looked at—even Ross because of his relationship with me. We all had motive for wanting Dale dead.”

Nora went white. Swayed. Tori held her arm, ready to catch her in case she passed out. “Hey, you okay? Honey, you don’t look so good. Sit down.”

Nora shook her off, stumbled a few feet away. Her eyes were wide and bleak, her lips trembling. “No. Thanks, I’m fine, I’m just… It’s all…crazy. I just…I have to go.”

“What?” Tori watched, her mouth open, as Nora grabbed her purse and jacket.

Layne reached out to their younger sister. “Nora—”

“I’m sorry,” she said, backing away from them both, her purse clutched to her chest. “I’m really sorry.”

Nora slipped out of the room, closing the door softly behind her.

Tori turned to Layne. “We need to hold an intervention. Your place or mine?”

“An intervention for what?”

“To get Nora to tell us what’s going on with her. She’s obviously keeping something from us.”

“I know, but she’ll come to us when she’s ready.”

Tori wasn’t so sure. What if they lost her? “You don’t think whatever it is it has anything to do with Dale’s death. Do you?”

“Of course not. And that’s just what Bertrand wants. Us doubting each other, turning against each other.”

“You cops are a sneaky breed, you know that?”

“Look, I don’t know much about Bertrand but if he works for the A.G.’s office, it means he’s good. Really good. We have to be careful.” She searched Tori’s eyes. “We have to be able to trust each other and count on each other no matter what happens. We have to stick together. It’s the only way we’ll get through this.”

Like they’d done when their mom disappeared and so many other times. No matter the differences between them, her love for her sisters, her commitment to them, was a blessing. And a burden. And she couldn’t break free.

“No matter what,” Tori repeated, squeezing Layne’s hand. “Together.”

* * *

WALKER’S GAZE SWEPT the Ludlow Street Café’s dining room as he headed toward a booth in the back. Busy place. Busier than he would’ve thought given that it was midafternoon on a Tuesday. Then again, his quick research told him it did a brisk business, one that increased during the summer months when tourists came in droves to the small town.

Sliding into the booth so that he faced the door, he noted the other two visible exits before he turned his coffee cup over. He inspected it and, finding no lipstick smudges, set it on the saucer and waited.