Family Sins(84)

Clayton threw up his hands. “I have no intention of watching two guys boink each other.”

Andrew frowned. “That’s not what’s on the disc.”

“Then what is?” Clayton snapped.

“It’s video of the man who, I’m quite certain, shot Stanton Youngblood.”

Clayton leaned forward.

“The hell you say! You aren’t trying to tell me you have video of the murder?”

“No, sir. But what I do have is video taken on the morning of the murder, showing a member of the Wayne family running into the house, taking a rifle out of a gun cabinet and leaving just as quickly. Forty-five minutes later the same man comes back, breaks down the rifle, cleans it, then puts it back in the gun cabinet.”

Clayton’s eyes narrowed. “Show me.”

Andrew nodded, opened his laptop, slipped the disc into the slot, hit Play and turned the screen toward the chief. It didn’t take long for Chief Clayton to get the gist of what he was seeing, and it was obvious he was as surprised as Andrew had been by who it was. The minute the video was over, he reached for the phone and called Constable Riordan.

A few moments later Riordan answered. “This is Riordan.”

“Chief Clayton here. I have just been given evidence that I would say clears Justin Wayne of Stanton Youngblood’s murder.”

“No,” Riordan said, and then sighed. “Well, hell. When are we going to catch a break on this mess?”

“Oh, we already caught it,” Clayton said. “My evidence gives you the identity and damning evidence of the killer’s culpability, and if I remember the transcripts of your interviews of the family, this completely refutes his alibi. Grab a pen and paper to take down the info you’ll need for an arrest warrant. I’ll be waiting for you here at the office. You can see the video for yourself before we bring the sucker in.”

“Who is it?” Riordan asked.

Clayton spilled the beans, and after he’d hung up, he leaned across the desk and shook Andrew’s hand.

“You did a good thing today, Mr. Bingham. I hope you don’t mind waiting here a little while longer. Constable Riordan may have a question or two for you himself. Since his office has the lead in the murder case, you will officially turn over your video to him.”

“No problem,” Andrew said. “In the meantime, may I ask for a cup of coffee? I didn’t eat breakfast this morning. A little anxious about coming here and all.”

“I’ll get your coffee. Feel free to enjoy the donuts and sweet rolls on the table at the back of the room.”

“Thank you,” Andrew said, and went to get something to eat as the chief poured him some coffee.

*

The Pharaoh brothers arrived right after breakfast with the backhoe to dig Stanton’s grave, but they also came prepared with pickaxes, should the need arise. Sometimes mountains were more rock than dirt.

Leigh’s heart skipped a beat when she saw them coming. One more step toward making Stanton’s absence horribly final.

“Want me to do this?” Bowie asked.

“No, but thank you,” she said, then stuffed a tissue in her jeans pocket and went out the back door, past Talia, who was sitting in the porch swing.

“Where you goin’, Mama?” Jesse yelled, as Leigh walked past the garden.

“To the cemetery,” she said. “You keep picking the berries, okay?”

“Okay, Mama. Picking berries,” he said.

Talia saw the stiff set to Leigh’s shoulders and the fact that her hands were curled into fists, and looked away.

Bowie came out carrying a glass of cold water and handed it to her.

“Drink up, honey. It’s already getting hot out.”

She took a big drink and then cradled the glass between her hands as condensation began to coat the outside of it. “I feel so sad for what’s happening.”

“We all do,” he said, and then eased down on to the swing beside her. “I have news,” he said.

“Is it good?” she asked.

“Yes, very.”

“Then tell me.”

“I’ve been offered an onshore job by my company. Supply engineer. It’s coordinating what both offshore and dry land rigs need, and then facilitating getting the goods to them. I have the experience. The pay is good, the hours are regular, and I’ll be based in New Orleans and home every night.”

“Oh, Bowie! This is wonderful!”

Her delight and excitement were evident on her face.

“It’s going to be a new start for both of us,” he said.

“Do you have a deadline for when you have to be there?” she asked.

“Within the next two weeks. We’ll be here for the funeral and still have time to do some house hunting before I start work.”

“Rather than rush the house hunting, why don’t we just settle into an apartment, preferably with a short lease, and then take our time finding a permanent home?”

Bowie grinned. “You wouldn’t mind that?”

She threw her arms around his neck.

“I don’t care where we are, as long as we’re together, remember?” she said, and kissed him, then didn’t turn loose.

The kiss went longer and grew more heated until Bowie stopped with a groan.