The Wrong Bones (Widow's Island #10)(16)

“Why?” Simon tilted his head back.

Anger emanated from Logan.

“Because we do.” Tessa breathed through her own irritation, but her face hurt from clenching her teeth. She shifted her jaw to ease the tension. She couldn’t make him bring his wife outside. She couldn’t charge them with anything. Having a kid run away for one night wasn’t a crime. Social services would open an investigation into Chandler’s claims of abuse. Until then, the teen was in limbo.

“I’ll let her know.” Simon stepped back, as if he was going to close the door.

Tessa stuck her foot in the doorway. “Don’t you want to know where your son is?”

“You said he was with social services.” Simon stared down at her. “Now move your foot.”

Tessa didn’t. “That’s not how this works. Chandler is your minor child, and he’s made accusations of abuse against you.”

“What kind of accusations?” Simon asked.

“That you subjected him to physical and emotional abuse.”

“Emotional abuse?” Simon rolled his eyes. “He’s such a drama queen.”

“He also said you hit your wife,” Tessa said.

Simon leaned into the house and yelled, “Shannon! Would you come to the door, please.” He said please, but it was an order.

A woman with long blonde hair scurried down the hallway and stood next to her husband.

“Did I hurt you?” Simon asked.

Shannon stared at him with almost adoration. “You’d never do that. You love me.”

“There. Now that’s settled. We’ve established my earlier statement about Chandler lying.” Simon looked pointedly down at Tessa’s boot, still on the threshold.

Tessa continued to ignore him. “Shannon, I’d like to speak with you outside.”

Shannon looked up, clearly alarmed. “Why?”

“Please step outside.” Tessa used her official tone. Protocol in a domestic abuse situation was to separate the parties and question them outside each other’s hearing.

Shannon glanced at her husband. A look for approval? Tessa ground her molars.

“Go ahead.” Simon held Tessa’s gaze, his expression smug.

Tessa gestured for Shannon to come with her. The woman reluctantly stepped outside. As soon as she was on the doorstep, Logan placed himself between Simon and his wife. Logan towered over him.

Tessa led the woman twenty feet away. “Shannon, your son claims your husband hit you.”

“Chandler needs to mind his own business,” Shannon said bitterly. “I love my husband.”

“So you deny that Simon hit you?”

“Simon loves me.” Shannon evaded the question again. “He would never hurt me.”

Tessa noted she used the word hurt instead of hit, as if she was making a mental distinction.

“But you were separated until recently?”

Shannon sniffed and wiped her nose with her sleeve. “But now he’s back.”

“Chandler said it was better while he was gone.”

“Maybe better for him, but Chandler didn’t work three part-time jobs to pay the bills. I’m tired. Simon is a good provider. Chandler needs to appreciate the roof over his head and the food on his table.” Shannon turned. “Where is my son?”

“Social services will contact you.” Tessa evaded the question.

“Is he all right?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Tessa said.

“You can’t take him away,” Shannon protested. “I’m his mother. He belongs with me.”

Tessa felt a little better that at least Shannon seemed to care about Chandler. “Ma’am, it’s not up to me. A judge will make that determination.”

Shannon’s face hardened. “Then we’re done here.”

They returned to the door, where Logan was winning a stare down with Simon. Logan wore his army ranger face. Simon didn’t stand a chance.

“One more question, Mr. Dooley.” Tessa pulled out her phone and scrolled to a photo of Alyssa Collins. “Does this girl look familiar?” She turned the phone to face him.

Simon didn’t even glance at the screen. “No.”

Logan maintained his combat stare. “You lived on Bainbridge, right?”

Simon didn’t answer, but his posture stiffened. “Yes.”

“Why did you come back to Widow’s?” Tessa asked.

Simon answered, “Shannon and I reconciled, and I missed my family.”

“Where are you working now?” Tessa asked.

“I’m working remotely,” he said.

“As an insurance agent?” Tessa pressed.

“Yes,” Simon snapped. “Greater Pacific Insurance.”

“And where did you work while you lived on Bainbridge?” Tessa asked.

Simon said, “Callaway Insurance. It’s a small family-owned firm.”

“This girl also lived on Bainbridge.” Tessa lifted the phone and shoved it closer to him. “Before she was murdered.”

Simon reflexively glanced at the phone in his face. His smugness evaporated, but Tessa couldn’t tell if he recognized Alyssa or not because his eyes shuttered, closing off all emotion in a hard, blank stare. “I won’t speak to you again without my lawyer.” He slammed the door before she could say anything else.