Mean Streak(75)

She shot a look up at him, and he thought, Aha! A score.

“She was a child when you left New York, too young to understand the implications. Running away with Mommy in the dead of night was a big adventure. It wouldn’t be like that now. She would balk. She wouldn’t want to leave her friends. She would resent you for making her.”

“It’s almost time for her to get home. You have to go.”

“Will you tell her that I’ve been here?”

“Do you think I’m crazy?”

“Then how will you explain being so upset?”

“Don’t flatter yourself, Jack. You don’t have the ability to upset me.”

“That you called me by my first name indicates just how upset you are. Furthermore, you’re lying. I think it upsets you a lot to keep your daughter living a shadow life.”

He could tell she wanted to kill him for saying that. She was bristling. “Leave.”

Their standoff lasted for several moments, neither giving an inch, then he swore under his breath. “All right, I’ll go. For now.”

“And don’t come back.”

“No promises of that.” He stepped out onto the porch. “Thanks for the use of your bathroom.” He pulled his jacket up over his head.

“Special Agent Connell?”

He turned.

“If you go anywhere near Sarah with the idea of weaseling information out of her, I’ll run you down with my car and then I’ll castrate you.”





Chapter 25



The press conference was conducted in the atrium lobby of the hospital. The SO’s public information officer kept his statements short and sweet, providing little more information than that dictated by Emory Charbonneau herself.

Following the official statement, Jeff Surrey stepped to the podium and thanked all the law enforcement agencies and the dozens of volunteers who’d participated in the search for his wife. Then he petitioned members of the press to leave them in peace while she continued to rest and recover.

“She’s anxious to return to her medical practice and resume normal activities.”

“Does that include running marathons?” asked a reporter.

“Of course,” Jeff replied. “But following this experience, she may rethink where she trains.” That won him a smattering of laughter. He addressed another couple of questions, both relating to Emory’s charitable pursuits. “In fact, this experience has left her more enthusiastic than ever. She has inspired me to accompany her on her next trip to Haiti.”

That announcement came as a big surprise to everybody, but none more so than Alice Butler. Knight, standing on the fringes of the gathering, noticed her reaction. He and Grange ducked out as soon as the press conference concluded and returned to the sheriff’s office. Grange wandered over to Knight’s desk, bringing a saucer-sized chocolate chip cookie for each of them. “This might spoil your supper, but what the hell.”

“Not a chance. The missus called a while ago and promised me chicken and dumplings.” Knight bit off a quarter of his cookie. “You notice Alice Butler’s reaction to Jeff’s announcement about Haiti?”

“I was watching Jeff.”

“Looked like she’d swallowed an egg.”

“Well, the wife has returned. Jeff is showering her with affection and attention. Alice has got to feel slighted.”

“I don’t doubt that she’s glad to have her partner and friend safely returned.”

“Me either,” Grange said. “But she’s human. On the flip side, she has to be relieved that she wasn’t drawn into a criminal investigation.” He chewed his cookie. “Why do you think she’s lying? Not Alice. Emory.”

Knight leaned back in his chair, propped his feet on the corner of his desk, and reached for his trusty rubber band. “Because she doesn’t want her husband and the rest of the world to know that she was cozied up with some guy while good people were out freezing their asses off looking for her.”

“Payback for Jeff’s affair with Alice?”

Knight shrugged. “Could be that his affair is payback for one of Emory’s. Who knows? Anyhow, she got cold feet when her romantic getaway turned into a missing person case. Smart lady that she is, she decided to get herself on home.”

Grange frowned with uncertainty. “I don’t think it’s as cut and dried as that, Sam.”

Knight didn’t either. “So talk.”

“The concussion was recent,” Grange said. “I asked the doctor myself. The wound on her scalp, also recent. During her four-day absence, she sustained those injuries. The how is what remains unclear.”

“You think she lied about falling and hitting her head?”

“Possibly.”

“Why lie?”

“I don’t know. But I think it must have to do with the Good Samaritan. How could she stay four days with him and not know his name?”

Knight twisted his rubber band. “Jeff seemed to buy into her story of ‘I don’t remember.’”

“Making him guilty after all.”

“Of what?”

“Stupidity.”

Knight laughed. “I said he seemed to buy her story. Only way he can save face is to pretend he believes her. He wasn’t about to point at her and shout, ‘Liar, liar, pants on fire,’ in front of God and everybody.”