“The missing prosecutor, Elena Pierce, found evidence that maybe the person in prison was wrongfully convicted. That maybe there was someone else who killed Sydney…” Spencer hesitated and then said, “Maybe even Josh.”
Maya watched the reactions on their face. Miles raised his eyebrows, the senator’s face flushed red, and surprise registered on Laura’s expression.
“You really think your son had something to do with this?” Dale asked.
Spencer shrugged, playing his role well, Maya thought. “Maybe. I don’t know. That’s what I’m trying to find out, and as long as our prosecutor is missing and my son is also missing, then I don’t know for sure. I would love to know what you remember about the night Sydney was murdered. If you’re okay talking about it.”
“We’d had dinner,” Dale said, seeming to choose his words carefully. “We wanted Sydney to clean up and get her life in order. Do something with it other than being the party girl and especially stop this nonsense with being an escort. It’s not like she needed the money. When Laura’s parents passed, they created trusts for both Sydney and Miles. But she was stubborn and we got into a fight. She became angry and said some choice words, left the house, and then, later that evening, an officer came to our door and told us that she’d been found.”
“Do you know if she was going to meet someone?” Spencer asked.
“I don’t know,” Dale answered.
“She was going to meet Josh,” Miles said, his hands now shoved in his pockets.
“How do you know that?” Dale asked, turning to stare at his son standing behind him.
“I followed her out and she told me.”
“Well, there you go,” Dale said, turning back to Spencer. “Maybe Josh did have something to do with her murder.”
“Is there anything else you can tell us?” Spencer asked, trying to probe.
Maya knew so far they hadn’t really gained any extra information. The Bradfords had stuck to the original story they’d given. Maybe they weren’t connected. Would Tony and Ian have done something to Sydney without the Bradfords knowing?We just need to ask the right questions, but I don’t know what those are. Maybe something about the gangs.
“I can’t think of anything,” Dale said.
Laura started crying and Miles handed her some Kleenex. She blew her nose and said, “This is so hard. I’m still grieving the loss of my baby girl. I don’t want any of this dredged up again. Can’t we just leave it alone?”
Maya wanted to interject, but she knew Spencer would get to the hard questions next. They’d planned out the interview that way.
“Don’t you want your daughter’s real killer found and convicted?” Spencer asked her. “The wrong person is sitting in prison. That’s not right either.”
“Why are you asking us about this if you really think your son killed our daughter?” Laura fired back.
Maya sat up in surprise. Here was another side to Laura that she hadn’t seen before. If the whole family was in on the cover-up with Dale, then maybe they were starting to rattle them.
“I don’t want my son to go to prison,” Spencer said smoothly, keeping a straight face. “But if he did something like this, then he needs to pay for what he did. I also don’t want an innocent person in jail. If Josh was involved, I don’t think he acted alone. I’ve worked some cases with corruption in the police force. What do you know about your guys? Would they have had any involvement in Sydney’s death?”
“You son of a…” Dale said. Maya was hoping they had rattled him enough he’d slip, but instead, he made a quick recovery and regrouped. “I don’t know how you could even think that when it was Tony who helped us find her killer. And Ian was one of the first on scene. Without their hard work, we would never have made it through this difficult time in our life. That’s why they are working for us, not because they had any involvement in Sydney’s death. I think we’re about done here.”
Maya sat a little taller. They were getting somewhere. Dale had a temper, and if they could upset him, then maybe they could get him to say something incriminating.
“Sorry, Dale,” Spencer said. “I didn’t mean to upset you. I guess I’m in denial about Josh doing this all on his own. I do have one more question, though: Do you think Sydney was involved with the Dark Angels gang? Do any of you have ties to the gang?”
Now Dale’s face was completely red. Miles stared off in the distance, like he was checking out and ready for the rampage but didn’t want to listen.
“Did you really just ask me if I have gang ties?” Dale asked.
“I asked if you or anyone in your family, including Sydney, did,” Spencer said. “She was dealing drugs. I thought maybe you knew her supplier.”
“You can all leave now. Get out of our house.”
“Fine,” Spencer said. They all followed his cue and stood. “Thank you for meeting with us.”
They all filed out and Dale slammed the door behind them. They walked down the drive to where they were parked and gathered in a group.
“They’re all hiding something,” Maya said. “I thought it was just the senator, but their responses to the questions varied. I know grief is different for everyone, but their reactions were off. Miles doesn’t show any emotion, and I’m surprised Laura and Dale didn’t ask more questions. We know from the pictures that the scene was changed by someone who knew what they were doing. But we still need better proof.”
