He looked down at his shoes, ruined now from the caked-on dirt and his mad dash through the trees to slip back into the night. Once he knew he was clear, he walked quieter out of the woods on the edge of the street’s shadows toward his vehicle parked a block away.
As he drove past the overgrown bushes, his stomach clenched. That spot. The place he’d discarded her like nothing. The memory crawled up his spine, cold and shocking, his fists clenching as though the night itself was reminding him what he’d done.
That night had been buried. Locked tight, where it belonged.
And that was where it would stay...even if he had to bury someone else to keep it there.
12
PURPOSEFUL GOSSIP
“What do I owe this pleasure to?” Ford asked her two days later.
“Got a few minutes to talk in your office?”
“Always. Come in.”
Gale walked in and shut the door. “It’s about Rory.”
“What about him?”
“I was going to see if Mom would have dinner on Sunday if you can come and talk to him. I could cook and do it, but I know he’d like to talk to Mom and Dad too.”
“I should be around. Did you check to see if there are any events?”
“Nothing on Sunday.” She debated a minute. “I’ve spent a few nights with him this week.”
“Nights? As in spending the night?”
She laughed and put her hands on her hips. “Ford, I wouldn’t answer that any more than you would if it was asked of you.”
“But I’m your big brother and he’s a stranger.”
“Is he really? We know who he is. I’m positive you and Clay looked into him once you found out that I was helping him.”
It was the look on her brother’s face. Guilt.
“I didn’t.” But the smirk was telling her the guilty party was Clay. She’d deal with that brother another day.
“Either way,” she said, drawing it out. “Tuesday and last night, I was at his place and we were going over the court records of the trial. We aren’t really getting as far as we’d like. Or nothing that is standing out. One thing he noticed was the ankle bracelet I told you about. It wasn’t brought up.”
“And he feels that’s important?”
“Yes. I told you why and he’ll explain more.” No way she was telling her brother that Rory dreamed of his sister. She didn’t think Ford would laugh at it, but she didn’t want to take that risk.
“I’m willing to talk to him. You know I always felt things didn’t go the way they should have for that. Not just because of Cooper.”
“I know. Because of who you are. You know they rushed to arrest and convict. It shouldn’t have gone that far if the deputies and detective had done their jobs. He talked to Austin Robinson on Monday when he was walking by where they found her body.”
“Okay,” Ford said.
“Austin said he gave more than one statement to the police, but Rory doesn’t have that. I can’t ask to get a copy unless I represent him and I’m not.”
“Do you think he needs an attorney?” Ford asked, then typed into his computer.
“No. He’ll ask for it. I’m giving you a heads up to see if it’s even there. Or why he wasn’t given what he should have been. He’ll want to go through the detective on the case.”
“It’s a cold case now,” Ford said. “Detective Miller retired six months ago.”
