Best Kept Secrets(4)

my life--at least, as far back as I can remember. I graduated

high school there, went to the University of Texas, and then,

straight into law school. I passed the bar a year ago."

"Law school. Imagine that. Well, you turned out fine,

Alexandra, just fine. Didn't she, Junior?"

Junior Minton turned on his charming smile full blast. "I'd

say so. You don't look a thing like you did last time I saw

you," he told her teasingly. "Best as I recall, your diaper

was wet and you didn't have a single hair on your head."

Considering the reason for this prearranged meeting, his

flirting made Alex uneasy. She was glad when Pat Chastain

intervened again.' 'I hate to butt into such a touching reunion,

but I'm still in the dark."

Angus enlightened him. "Celina was a classmate of Junior's

and Reede's. They were best friends, actually. Rarely

did you see one of them without the other two when they

were in high school. Crazy kids."

Then, his blue eyes turned cloudy and he shook his head

sorrowfully. "Celina died. Tragic thing." He took a quiet

moment to collect himself. "Anyway, this is the first time

we've heard a word about Alexandra since her grandma,



Celina's mother, moved away with her." Smiling, he slapped

his thighs. "Damned if it's not great to have you back in

Purcell."

"Thank you, but--" Alex opened her briefcase and took

out a manila envelope. "I'm not back to stay, Mr. Minton.

Actually, I'm acting in an official capacity." She passed the envelope across the desk to the district attorney, who looked

at it with puzzlement.

"Official capacity? When Greg called me and asked if I'd

help out his top prosecutor, he said something about reopening

a case."

"It's all in there," Alex said, nodding down at the envelope.

"I suggest that you peruse the contents and thoroughly

acquaint yourself with the details. Greg Harper

requests the full cooperation and assistance of your office and

local law enforcement agencies, Mr. Chastain. He assured

me that you would comply with this request for the duration

of my investigation." She closed her attache with a decisive

snap, stood, and headed for the door.

"Investigation?" District Attorney Chastain came to his

feet. The Mintons did likewise.

"Are you working with the Racing Commission?" Angus

asked. "We were told we'd be carefully scrutinized before

they granted us a gambling license, but I thought we had

already passed muster."

"I thought it was all over except for the formalities,"

Junior said.

"As far as I know, it is," Alex told them. "My investigation

has nothing to do with the Racing Commission, or the

granting of your horse-racing license."

After a moment, when she didn't elaborate, Chastain

asked, "Well, then, what does it have to do with, Miss

Gaither?"

Drawing herself up to her full height, she said, "I am

reopening a twenty-five-year-old murder case. Greg Harper

asked for your help, Mr. Chastain, since the crime was committed

in Purcell County."

She looked into Angus's eyes, then into Junior's. Finally,



she stared down hard at the crown of Reede Lambert's hat.

"Before I'm finished, I'm going to know which one of you

killed my mother."



Two



Alex peeled off her suit jacket and tossed it onto the motel

bed. Her underarms were damp and her knees were ready to

buckle. She was nauseated. The scene in the D.A.'s office

had shaken her more than she wanted to admit.

She had left Pat Chastain's office with her head held high

and her shoulders back. She hadn't walked too fast, but she

hadn't dawdled. She had smiled good-bye to Imogene, who

had obviously been eavesdropping through the door because

she stared at Alex bug-eyed, her mouth agape.

Alex's exit line had been well rehearsed, well timed and

perfectly executed. The meeting had gone just as she had

planned it, but she was vastly relieved that it was over.

Now, she peeled off one cloying piece of clothing after

another. She would love to think that the worst was behind

her, but she feared it was yet to come. The three men

she had met today wouldn't roll over and play dead. She

would have to confront them again, and when she did, they

wouldn't be so overjoyed to see her.

Angus Minton seemed as full of goodwill as Santa Claus,

but Alex knew that nobody in Angus's position could be

as harmless as he tried to pretend. He was the richest, most

powerful man in the county. One didn't achieve that status

solely through benign leadership. He would fight to keep what

he'd spent a lifetime cultivating.