Betty Pierre - Murder.Com

Tom nodded. "We know Bud talked to Ryan at work about the ABC Wafer Company. I figure on that Saturday, Conners somehow contacted Bud and convinced him to come to his house so they could discuss the matter. Bud, thinking it would take only a few minutes, drove over. He didn't carry his cell phone on the golf course, so he had no way of contacting Angie to let her know he'd be a few minutes late."

"Makes sense so far." Cliff scratched his sideburn. "But no one saw Bud talking to anyone."

"Ryan could have been in the parking lot in his car. No one would have paid any attention to two men chatting around a car. Then Bud followed him out of the lot without anyone suspecting a thing."

"Yeah. I could see that happening." Cliff rubbed his chin. "But how did they drug him?"

"Good question."

Cliff stared out the window. "They could have knocked him out, then injected him. The condition of his body would have made it pretty damn hard to find a needle prick or a bruise not caused by the wreck."

Tom frowned. "True. And the coroner's report confirmed he was unconscious when the car hit that tree."

"Sounds like the act of a cold-hearted, desperate person."

Stopping the car in front of the Conners' house, Tom stared at the front door. "Yeah, it sure does."

"That BMW is still shining," Cliff commented as he climbed out of the car. "But it won't stay that way long." Tom followed at Cliff's heels as they headed up the sidewalk.

The two detectives stood side by side as Autumn opened the door a few inches.

"What the hell do you want now? Haven't you disrupted my life enough?"

Cliff pushed his face close to the crack. "Let us in, Mrs. Conners, I don't want to break in the door."

She closed and rattled the chain guard, then opened the door with a jerk. Stepping back, she glared at the two men as they entered the house.

Tom glanced at her as she clung to the dark gray shawl around her shoulders. Then he glanced around the living room where the television glowed, giving off the only light in the house. "Where are the children?"

"They're in bed. Where do you think two young babies should be at this hour?"

Neither man responded to her sarcastic remark. Instead, they walked around the house. Cliff checked the kitchen while Tom went down the hall, peering into each of the cold rooms. When he came to the little girl's room, he found them asleep under dirty covers. He shook his head in disgust.

When the two men came back into the living room, Autumn still stood by the front door, tapping her foot. "Well, are you satisfied?"

Tom crossed the room and stood in front of her. "Not yet, Mrs. Conners. We need one more thing, then we'll leave." He pulled a large plastic bag from his pocket.

Her eyes grew wide when he pulled the shawl from her shoulders and carefully tucked it into the sack.

"What the hell are you doing?" She reached for the sack, but Tom jerked it out of her reach.

Cliff stepped forward. "Our warrant is still good, Mrs. Conners. We might return your shawl after we run some tests. If it turns out clean." He took the bag from Tom and walked out the front door.

Tom stared into Autumn's face as she hugged herself. "I'd advise you not to leave the area, Mrs. Conners. I have a man watching your house."

Her eyes narrowed. "As if I didn't know I have a tail."

Tom shrugged and went out the door, slamming it behind him. He heard the rattle of the chain as he sucked in a deep breath of fresh air and stepped off the porch.

*****

Sandy hung up the phone and glanced at Angie. "Do you mind if Ken comes over?"

"No, of course not." Angie studied Sandy's face. "Are you going home with him?"

She bit her lower lip. "I don't know, but I'm sure he'll want me to."

Angie walked over and put an arm around Sandy's shoulders, giving her a hug. "Wait until you see and talk to him. Then make a decision. But I have a feeling you'll see the old Ken again."

"How I pray you're right. I've been so worried."

"We have no way of knowing how these accusations have affected Ken. And it still might be best that you stay here for another day or two. But, I'm leaving that up to you. You know you're welcome."

Marty came into the study. "Excuse me, Mrs. Nevers. How much longer do you want to hold dinner?"

Angie glanced at Sandy. "Do you think Ken would like to eat with us? It doesn't look like Tom is going to make it back."

"I'm sure he'd enjoy it very much."

"Give us another ten minutes."

Marty nodded and left.

*****

Ken felt like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Sandy's voice alone had reassured him, but the news she brought made him feel exuberant. He pledged to himself and God above that he would never strike his wife or daughters again. He prayed for words that would convince Sandy of his promise so she'd come home.

When Ken pulled up to the Nevers' property and gave his name, the officer looked at him suspiciously.

"It's okay, Officer. Just contact Mrs. Nevers. She'll confirm I'm expected."

The officer didn't take his eyes off Ken as he dialed the house. Then he stood in the center of the road watching Ken drive toward the house as the gates slowly closed. Suddenly, a small car screeched past him, the bumper clipping his leg as it slipped through the small opening. Crying out in agony, the officer fell to the ground.

Chapter Thirty-two

His mind elsewhere, Ken almost didn't see the car that sped past him as he crested the hill. "What the hell?" Hitting the accelerator, he followed the vehicle to the house, pulling up sharply behind it.

He jumped out and started toward the Toyota. But, to his amazement, a tall blond woman leaped from the driver's seat. Grabbing her arm, he whirled her around, then stood mesmerized as he gazed into her eyes. "Dear God!" He loosened his grip on her arm and stepped back. "Who are you?"

"Melinda Smith, so what's it to you?"

A tree nearby rustled in the breeze and Ken didn't realize a branch had cast a shadow across his face so that Melinda couldn't see his eyes. She turned on her heel and hurried up the stairs to the big house. An uneasy feeling cut through Ken that Sandy might have called her. He followed close behind.

When Angie opened the door, sheer shock crossed her face. "How'd you get in here? I'm calling the police." Then she spotted Ken standing behind Melinda. "Did you bring her here?"

He stepped forward. "No, she sped past me on the road."

Sandy rushed up behind Angie, but stopped abruptly, putting a hand to her mouth.

Ken pushed past Melinda to Sandy's side and put an arm around her shoulders. "Did you ask her to come?"

She shook her head.

Ken stared into Melinda's face. "Why are you here?"

She looked at Ken and sucked in her breath, her face turned ashen. "Who are you?"

"I'm Ken Weber and this is my wife Sandy."

"Do you know Marty Casale?"

"Yes."

At that moment, two police cars, lights flashing and sirens wailing, appeared over the crest.

*****

Tom left Cliff with the responsibility of getting the shawl sent to the lab and headed back to the Nevers' place. At the gate, he found emergency vehicles with lights flashing. He jumped out of his car just as they were loading an officer into the ambulance.

"What the hell happened?"

"It's not life-threatening, but looks like a bad injury to the hip area." After the paramedics filled him in on the incident, Tom jumped back into his car and sped toward the house. Who would force their way onto the property?

When Tom reached the house, two police cars were parked in front, their top lights still blinking. A congregation of people stood on the porch. Two officers stood on each side of a tall blond woman. "Melinda," he muttered, running up the steps.