Best Kept Secrets(135)

"I can see where you'd think that, but don't let that tough

pose fool you. When people let him down, as they invariably

do because they're human, it hurts him. When he's hurt, he

turns mean."

"Was he mean to my mother?"



"No, never. Their relationship being what it was, she had

the power to hurt and disappoint him more than anybody

could. But he couldn't turn mean toward Celina because he

loved her so much." He looked at Alex levelly. "He just

couldn't forgive her."

"That's why he stepped aside and gave you the advantage."

"Which I unabashedly took," he said with a short laugh.

"I'm not as hard to please as Reede. I don't demand perfection

in myself or anybody else. Yes, Alex, in spite of her

mistakes, I loved your mother and wanted her to be my wife

on any terms."

"Why didn't she marry you, Junior?" Alex asked, genuinely

perplexed. "She loved you. I know she did."

"I know she did, too. And I'm damned good-looking."

He winked and Alex smiled.' 'Few would believe this because

of the way I live now, but I would have been faithful to

Celina and made you an excellent daddy, Alex. I wanted to

try, anyway." He clasped his hands together on the table.

"But Celina said no, no matter how many times I asked her.''

"And you went on asking her, right up until the night she

died."

His eyes snapped up to hers. "Yes. I invited her out to

the ranch that night to propose."

"Did you?"

"Yes."

"And?"

"Same as always. She turned me down."

"Do you know why?"

"Yes." He shifted uncomfortably in the booth. "She still

loved Reede. Always and forever, it was Reede she wanted."

Alex looked away because she knew it was a painful admission

for him to make. "Junior, where were you that

night?"

"At the ranch."

"I mean after that, after you took Celina home."

"I didn't take her home. I presumed Dad would."

"Angus?"



"I was upset because she had refused me again. See, I'd

told my parents to get used to the idea of having a daughter-in-law

and a grandchild in the house soon." He spread his

hands in a helpless gesture. "I got mad and stormed out--

just flew the coop and left Celina there."

"Where did you go?"

"I hit all the places that would sell liquor to minors. I got

drunk."

"Alone?"

"Alone."

"No alibi?"

"Junior doesn't need an alibi. He didn't kill your mother."

They had been so immersed in the conversation that neither

had noticed Stacey Wallace's approach. When they looked

up, she was standing at the edge of the table. Her stare was

even more hostile than it had been at their first meeting.

"Good morning, Stacey," Junior said uncomfortably. He

seemed less than pleased by her sudden appearance. "Sit

down and have a cup of coffee with us." He moved over to

make room for her on his side of the booth.

"No, thank you." Glaring down at Alex, she said, "Stop

bothering Junior with your endless questions."

"Hey, Stacey, I'm not bothered,'' he said, trying to smooth

over the situation.

"Why don't you just give it up?"

"I can't."

"Well, you should. It would be best for everybody."

"Especially the murderer," Alex said quietly.

Stacey's thin, straight body quivered like a bowstring just

plucked. "Get out of our lives. You're a self-serving, vindictive

bitch, who--"

"Not here, Stacey." Junior, intervening quickly, scooted

out of the booth and took her arm. "I'll walk you to your

car. What are you doing out this morning? Oh, your bridge

group is having breakfast," he said, noting the table of

women watching curiously. "How nice." He gave them a

jaunty little wave.

Alex, as aware as Junior of all the prying eyes, slipped a



five-dollar bill beneath her saucer and left the coffee shop

only a few moments behind Junior and Stacey.

She gave Stacey's car wide berth, but watched from the

corner of her eye as Junior pulled Stacey into an embrace

and rubbed her back consolingly. He gave her a soft kiss on

the lips. She clung to him, appealing to him about something

that had caused her consternation. His answer seemed to

soothe her. She went limp against his chest.

Junior worked himself out of her clutches, but in such a

charming way that Stacey was smiling when he tucked her

into the driver's seat of her car and waved her off.

Alex was already inside her room when he tapped on the