He grimaced. “You and I were the only ones. They made fun of her. Not when I was around, but twice I found her crying.”
Kate frowned. “I can’t imagine that Roy or Barbara or Lea would hurt her.”
“I don’t think they did it intentionally, but she was excluded from things. People went silent when she showed up.”
“I thought she was fun!” Kate again felt that she was four years old. Greer was her friend.
Reid smiled in a reassuring way. “She adored you. She talked nonstop about you to Grans. Greer used to say she wanted to get married and have a dozen children just like you. We never told her that was impossible.”
“Why was it?” Kate asked quickly.
“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to upset you. I loved my sister very much but her mind wasn’t...wasn’t the highest functioning. That’s why Grans and I—” He abruptly stopped.
“Why you what?”
“Protected her as much as possible.” He took a while before speaking. “You have to understand that Derek Oliver was a very nasty man. He believed that putting a person down made him rise higher. I don’t know how Oliver was killed, but my sister was a big girl. Strong. Grans and I are afraid that she...” He didn’t finish.
“Like what happened in the barroom brawl?” Kate asked softly. “He drove her too far and she snapped? Hit him with something?”
Reid gave a shrug of not knowing. “Grans and I really and truly hope that you find out who committed the murder. She and I want to besureit wasn’t our dear Greer. As for the others, I have no idea. They probably all had a reason to get rid of him. Their lives seem to have gone well without him. Maybe that’s a coincidence, or maybe the good happened because he was no longer around. I don’t know.”
He reached across the table to put his hand over hers. “Please. Grans and I beg you to find out who killed Derek Oliver. We want Greer’s name cleared.”
“We will do our best.” Kate pulled her hand away and looked at her watch. It was almost four. “I need to get back.”
“Of course,” he said as she stood up. He put their empty cups in the trash. “Whatever happens, thank you for bringing all this to the light.”
Kate just nodded. Her mind was full of a hundred thoughts and facts.
When they got back to Lachlan House, Kate texted Billy:
James Lachlan’s nephew, Reid Graham, was hanged for murder in a barroom brawl. Don’t know the year but his wife Alish was pregnant with Reid II, a lawyer in town. Lachlan’s son was named Aran.
She sent a second text to Sara:
Young Greer seems to be a possibility. Reid’s granny sent you a gift. I got Billy and co looking at the execution. See you at four.
Like her father, she included the texts she’d exchanged with Billy.
Thirteen
Jack wasn’t sure if he’d ever had a more uncomfortable task. From seeing Lea and Randal together, it was quite possible that she might someday be his mother-in-law. It wouldn’t be good to start out by asking her if she was a murderer. Of course she’d say no, then he’d have to figure out if she was a liar. Either way, it was bad.
He knew that the guests had figured out that each person had been assigned an interrogator. Jack overheard Barbara say, “We don’t get to choose who grills us? Will we be put into a barren little room and told we can’t smoke?” Lea answered, “I could stand an afternoon with Randal.” Barbara said, “Jack is mine.”
With a red face, Jack hurried away. He didn’t want to hear any more. So now he’d postponed the interview long enough and he had to face Lea. He had no idea how to begin.
She was sitting in the living room, wearing black pants and a white blouse, her handbag beside her. She looked like she was ready to go somewhere.
“Hi.” Even to himself, he sounded cautious.
“Hello,” she answered.
“Could I take you to lunch? Whatever you want to eat, we have it in South Florida. How about Cuban?”
“You know what I’d like?” She didn’t wait for his answer. “I want to know everything about Randal. He won’t talk about himself much, but I want to know.”
Jack was pleased at that idea. Telling about Randal was preferable to asking about murder. He’d just segue into what needed to be asked. “I can understand that. He’s been through some pretty awful stuff.”
