Pretty Little Wife(80)

He acted as if the idea had never crossed his mind. She couldn’t decide if this was a case of rabid denial or something else. “You are the most likely candidate.”

“Because we’re blood related?”

Because no one else made sense. As far as the accomplice theory went, the two she could see were Brent and Jared. No one else got close enough or spent enough time with Aaron to make it work, but both of those men did.

She opened the envelope and pulled out the photograph that had given Lila pause. “Have you ever seen this bracelet?”

“No.”

“You’re sure?”

He gave the photograph another glance before shaking his head.

She tapped on the corner of the photo. “Take a longer look.”

“I don’t need to.” But he did pick it up and study it, then threw it down again. “You clearly think I should see something.”

“You mother’s name was Anna.” She tapped the edge of the photo. “‘A’ as in Anna.”

His eyes narrowed. “That’s a leap. How many words start with that letter?”

He wasn’t wrong, but the possibility was too important to drop without at least poking around a bit. “Is it her bracelet?”

The theory carried horrific connotations, but she had to ask. Even the FBI agents had looked stumped when she’d told them the old story and shown them the photo of the bracelet. The idea that Aaron could have been killing that long, leaving bodies in his wake, shook them all.

“She’s been dead for decades.”

“But do you remember if she wore jewelry?” To be fair, she didn’t know if her son could identify her jewelry, but then he wasn’t a killer who collected trophies.

“What does all of this have to do with Aaron?”

“The bracelet was in with what we think are the souvenirs from Aaron’s other kills.”

“My mom was shot by a hunter, not hunted down by a killer in training who happened to be her son.” Jared glanced at the mirror before looking back at her again. “You can look it up. It was all over the news back then. She was hanging the wash out on the line. It was set off from the house in a spot that got more direct sun, and this group mistook her for a buck they were tracking.”

“And you and Aaron have the trust fund as a result of the accidental shooting.”

Some of the shock faded from Jared’s expression. “I’m going to ignore how you phrased that.” His voice took on an angry edge. “Look, I was out of town when Aaron went missing.”

“I’m aware of your alibi. That conference was an hour and a half away. Plenty of time to go back and forth and not miss a session.” They’d checked traffic cameras for his car, but he could have used a rental they hadn’t found, or borrowed a car.

“You’re reaching, don’t you think?” He shook his head. “Ask me about the date this woman went missing.”

“You gave us your calendar going back two years.” A fact that always intrigued her. Most people didn’t give more information than was requested. “You were at a conference then, too.”

He threw his hands up in the air. “Okay, well. That’s your answer.”

“Is it?”

“I don’t get what you want from me here. A confession?” His emotions seemed to bounce as he moved around in his chair. He shifted from shocked to pissed off. “Are you asking Lila these questions?”

Now, that was interesting. He’d always come off as her strongest ally . . . until right then. “You think she killed your brother and then came up with an elaborate plan to frame him for the murder of a woman he didn’t know?”

“I know she was having an affair with a serial killer expert. That is a fact and the rest of what you’re asking is based on wild assumptions.”

He sounded fully in control now, acting like she’d expect from a suspect. Shifting blame off of him to others he viewed as less likely to have alibis. “And?”

“She’s the only person I know who hated Aaron.”

There was nothing supportive or brotherly in his tone now. “Hated?”

“Did that strike you as a happy marriage?” He’d calmed down, and his voice stayed steady.

“Most people don’t kill to get out of a marriage.”

He nodded. “But some do.”

THE INTERROGATION WENT on for another half hour before Ginny gave up for the day. She walked out of the room and into the adjoining one, where Charles stood. Pete had left to escort Jared out of the building.

Before she could say anything, Charles handed her a file. “The FBI found Yara James’s body an hour ago. It was buried about twenty feet from the cabin, deep in a thicket.”

“They know it’s hers?” She opened the cover and saw the photos. Lights set up to spotlight the ground. Mud and earth dug up to reveal bones wrapped in a disintegrating cloth of some sort.

“Dr. Timmons has the medical records. Yara had knee surgery and an arm broken in two places from a skiing accident when she was younger. The doc said the injuries match the ones on the body. She’s working on time of death.”

“Was that body frozen, too?”

“I don’t know. The official verification will come later.”