Total pages in book: 127
Estimated words: 127715 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 639(@200wpm)___ 511(@250wpm)___ 426(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 127715 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 639(@200wpm)___ 511(@250wpm)___ 426(@300wpm)
Jesus Christ.
So that was what Willie had been up to.
“I’m going to need to punt you to my investigator, Sanford,” Harry told her. “I’m in a relationship with Zowkower’s ex-wife.”
“Interesting,” she muttered.
“Lillian kicked him out fifteen years ago,” he stated stiffly. “After he read the writing on the wall he wasn’t getting back in, she hasn’t spoken to him in all that time. And bigamy would be off the table if the man just let her divorce him way back when she initiated those proceedings.”
“Didn’t mean anything, sheriff. A small town is a small town.”
“It is that.”
“I’d be keen to talk to this guy,” Sanford remarked.
“I would too. We find him, you’ll be my first call,” Harry replied. “You find him, one of those charges is assault. He put a man in the hospital. So I’d appreciate the same.”
“You got it, sheriff. And we’re in the know here in Seattle about what all’s going down there. Good luck with that.”
“Appreciated.”
They rang off and Harry went back to what he’d been doing before Dr. Theresa Pfeiffer called—reading the reports on the complaints lodged that morning—when Rus showed at his door.
Harry’s stomach twisted.
“It’s time,” Rus said.
Fuck.
Harry nodded and picked up his phone. He texted Lillian, not telling her what was about to happen, because he didn’t want her to spend the next ten minutes fretting.
Then he shut down his desk, got up, went to the door, shrugged on his jacket, and he and Rus left the station.
FORTY-TWO
A Fusion?
Lillian
I heard the dogs get restless, then the door opening, and I knew it was Harry because he’d texted he’d be home soon, because the dogs didn’t lose their minds barking and because Harry had a key.
“As you know, I had four units to prepare for their owners today, and I was ambushed by Kimmy. I’m afraid I got in the spirit and bought more than lights and Jawa witches,” I told the oven I was sliding a casserole into. “I don’t have it in me to cypher something healthy. We’re having the last of the alfredo gnocchi casserole, but I made you a salad to go with.”
I closed the oven door, turned, and smiled, because not only was Harry standing there, so was Rus.
So much for our quickie while the casserole heated up.
I moved in their direction, saying, “Hey, Rus.”
“Heya, Lillian,” Rus replied.
I went right to Harry and gave him a lip touch.
When I rolled down off my toes was when I noticed the vibe.
I put my hand to his flat abs. “Is something wrong?”
“Rus has some questions for you, Lilly,” Harry said, his voice tight. “About the days before your parents died.”
My stomach did an impersonation of a pretzel.
I looked to Rus.
“Is something happening?” I asked.
“We don’t know, Lillian,” Rus said. “Maybe. It won’t take long. Just a few questions.”
I nodded and gestured to the kitchen table. “Do you want to sit down?”
Rus moved that way.
Harry took my hand and guided me that way.
Rus was waiting until I took a seat, but I didn’t take a seat.
I was freaking out.
I wasn’t sure what I was feeling from them, but it seemed…electric.
However, I’d been trained by my mother and Ronetta, so I offered Rus, “Can I get you a drink?”
“This really won’t take long, so no,” Rus declined. “But thank you.”
I nodded.
“Sit down, Lill,” Harry murmured.
I sat down.
Rus did too.
Harry did as well.
I was at the end of the table, they were on either side of me.
“What do you want to know?” I asked.
“In your mother’s journal, she wrote that your father heard someone talking to Gerald Dietrich about his financial situation and setting up to make a fraudulent insurance claim,” Rus began.
I nodded.
“Did you hear either of your parents talk about that?” Rus inquired.
I shook my head, trying to calm my heart. It was beating like crazy.
“Nothing?” Rus pressed.
I again shook my head.
Rus switched topics. “You mentioned that Dern was harassing your mom.”
This time, I nodded.
“Did you notice him doing that?”
I shook my head.
“Not at all?”
“Dad was really protective,” I said in a small voice. “Mom was too. I mean, I did hear them discussing it. But I didn’t see anything. I just know Mom was super freaked about it, and Dad was super pissed.”
“Did you notice any other sheriff’s deputies paying particular attention to your parents or this house?”
“Well, they arrested Mom and Dad, and after they took off, Dern would come around every once in a while to ask if I’d seen them. But other than that…no.”
Rus looked to Harry.
“Except the guy he had sitting on our house,” I added.
Rus’s eyes raced to mine.
“What guy?” he asked.
“Youngish. Dark hair. Beard. I thought it was weird, because he was never in a police car.”
If the electric level could ratchet up between these two guys, which I didn’t think it could, it did.
Astronomically.
“Do you remember the kind of car he was in?” Rus asked.