Best Kept Secrets(50)

broke the awkward silence. "I wonder why Grandma didn't

take the remains."

' 'I wondered about that myself when I offered them to her.

I think it was because she couldn't face the fact that Celina

was dead. An urn of ashes was tangible proof of something

she couldn't accept."

Knowing how obsessed her grandmother had been with

Celina's life, his explanation was feasible. Besides, unless

Merle came out of her coma and Alex posed the question to

her, she had no alternative but to accept as truth what Angus

told her.

He was absently massaging his big toe through his sock.

"I couldn't see storing her ashes in a mausoleum. I never

could stand vaults and tombs. Goddamn spooky things. The



very thought of them gives me the creeps. Went to New

Orleans once. All those cement graves sitting on top of the

ground . . . ugh."

He shook his head in repugnance. "I'm not afraid of dying,

but when I go, I want to become part of the living again.

Dust to dust. That's the natural cycle.

"So it seemed fitting to buy a cemetery plot and have

Celina's ashes buried in the soil she grew up on. Guess you

figure I'm a crazy old man, Alex, but that's how I felt about

it then, and that's how I feel about it now. I didn't tell anybody

because I was embarrassed. It was so sentimental, you see."

"Why not just scatter the ashes somewhere?"

He pulled on his earlobe as he pondered the question. "I

thought about it, but I reckoned you might turn up one day

and want to see where your mama was laid."

Alex felt her spirit slump, along with her posture. Lowering

her head, she studied the toes of her suede boots, which were

still damp from walking through the sleet. "I guess you think

I'm a ghoul for wanting to open her grave. Reede did."

Angus made a dismissive gesture. "Reede's trigger-happy

when it comes to forming opinions. Sometimes he's wrong."

She drew a shaky breath. "This time he is. Believe me,

it wasn't an easy thing to even consider, much less ask for.

I just thought that an extensive forensic investigation might

shed some light ..."

Her voice trailed off. She lacked the will and conviction

to continue. Yesterday she had thought that an exhumation

might provide the physical evidence she needed. As it had

turned out, she was no closer to learning the truth, and all

she had to show for her efforts was the traumatic upheaval

she'd put herself and everyone else through.

Angus's explanation sounded so damned plausible and

guileless. Paying all the funeral expenses, making all the

arrangements, had been an act of charity to alleviate her

grandmother's grim responsibility and financial burden.

Alex earnestly wanted to believe that. As Celina's daughter,

it made her feel good inside. As a prosecutor, however,



it left her empty-handed and frustrated and more suspicious than ever that something had been swept under the rug.

"You ready to go back to town, or what?"

Reede was standing in the doorway with his shoulder

propped against the frame, insolently maneuvering a toothpick

from one side of his mouth to the other. He might have

eaten breakfast, but his tone of voice let her know that his

foul disposition remained intact.

"Yes, I'm ready, if you'd be so kind as to drive me."

"Good. The sooner I get back to work, the better. Somebody's

got to ride herd on the crazy sons of bitches out driving

in this."

"As long as you're out here, why don't you spend the day

by the fireplace?" Junior suggested to Alex. "We could pop

popcorn. Celina used to love that. Maybe we could talk Lupe

out of a batch of pralines. I could drive you back later when

the roads have cleared."

"It sounds wonderful, Junior, thank you, but I've got work

to do."

He wheedled charmingly, but she remained adamant. The

Mintons walked her and Reede to the door. She didn't see

Sarah Jo. If she were even aware that she had guests in the

house, she made no effort to present herself.

Angus looped Alex's arm through his as they made their

way down the hall. He spoke softly. "I know this is difficult

for you, girl."

"Yes, it is."

"Heard anything about your grandma?"

"I phone the nursing home every day, but there's been no

change."

"Well, holler if you need anything, you hear?"

Alex gazed at him with genuine puzzlement. "Angus, why

are you being so nice to me?"

"Because of your mama, because I like you, and mainly,

because we've got nothing to hide."

When he smiled at her, Alex realized that it was easy to

see where Junior had come by his charm. He and Reede were