He ended the called and entered the interview room. He steeled himself for his first look at Alex-and for what her response to him would be. The truth was, he was afraid he would give himself away.
She didn’t kill Clarkson. The evidence might be damning, but his gut said otherwise. And he still trusted his gut-foolish or not. Which was why, rightly, he was off the case.
“Hello, Alex,” he said softly.
She looked up, her immediate expression of relief becoming one of hurt. “How could you think I did this?” she asked, voice cracking. “How could any of you? Forget the fact that I could never do that to anyone, let alone someone I loved-”
She fisted her fingers, as if fighting for strength. “Forget all that and consider that I waited all my life to learn something about who my father is, and you all think I might have killed the one person who knew something about him?”
He crossed to the table and sat in the chair across from hers. “No, Alex, I don’t think you killed your ex-husband.” His lieutenant and the others watching would think he was working her. Problem was, he meant it. “Are you okay?” he asked softly.
“I am now.”
He imagined the groans and guffaws in the viewing room at that. He leaned slightly toward her. “I need to find out who did kill him. And I want to make certain that he doesn’t hurt you. To do that, I need your help.”
She nodded and wiped the tears from her cheeks. “Why are they letting you talk to me?”
Tough question. He went for partial honesty. “Because they know, if anyone can help, it’s me. And frankly, you look like you’ve had it.”
“I’m so tired.”
“I know, sweetheart.”
“I can’t believe Tim’s dead. It’s like a bad dream. All of it. Everything that’s happened since I got here.”
“There’s been a lot of bizarre stuff going on, and it all seems to revolve around you.” He laid the legal tablet on the table between them. “I need you to tell me about this.”
She stared at it, paling. “It’s a list.”
“Yes. Why’d you make it?”
She swallowed audibly. “I was trying to get a grip on what was happening. You know, to put it all together.”
“I get that,” he said. “But what about this-Max’s house torched. Alibi/Reed?”
“Because we were together. I knew I couldn’t be responsible for doing that.”
He cocked his head frowning. “But you worried you were responsible for the others?”
“Yes,” she whispered. “Because of the word on the mirror.”
“Remember,” he said.
“Yes.” She cleared her throat. “I awakened that Monday, suddenly. I thought someone had been in my house. But then it was so… quiet. I figured another nightmare had awakened me.”
“Another nightmare?”
“I’ve always had them, but lately… they’ve been bad. It’s this place, I think.” She leaned toward him, expression pleading. “I think something bad happened to me… I don’t know what-So I struggled to remember, concentrated on trying to…
“Suddenly this vision filled my head. Robed men holding me down. I knew I had to run and did. I ran to the bathroom. That’s when I saw it.”
“Remember written on the bathroom mirror?”
She nodded. “The window was open, I thought someone had climbed in, but-”
“What, Alex?”
“My hands. They were stained with the lipstick. It scared me. I wondered if I could have written that myself and not… remember doing it. That’s why I called Tim. I knew he could help me figure it out.”
“Why didn’t you call me, Alex?”
“Because… I didn’t want you… to think I was… crazy.”
“What did Tim think?”
“That someone was messing with me. He was going to help-” She bit that back and leaned forward, eyes widening. “That last call from Tim, why’d he make it?”
“I don’t follow.”
“He didn’t expect me to answer. He knows spa rules, he’s had more experience with them than I have. He even said he was surprised when I answered, that he thought he would leave me a voice mail.”
“Okay, go on.”
“He called to tell me about my dad. That’s all he said.” She leaned forward. “Why, Reed? Why then?”
“You tell me.”
“My mother told him my father was a really bad man. That she left Sonoma to protect me. And that she blamed him for what happened to Dylan.”
“Whoa, wait. Did she accuse your father of harming Dylan Sommer?”
“I don’t know for sure.” She dragged a hand through her hair. “We never got a chance to talk further.”
“So, what are you saying, Alex?”
“She didn’t care if they told lies about her. If they reviled her after she left.”
Reed thought of his father, his story about Patsy. And of their conversation the night before, the way his father had acted. The way he had effortlessly changed personas.
At his silence, Alex added, “The BOV, Reed. That story about her. Maybe he killed Tim.”
“He, who?”
“My dad. Maybe he’s behind it all.” Her voice rose. “Maybe they did it. Maybe they took Dylan, too! The real BOV. Whoever they are.” She held out a hand, pleading. “Don’t you see. It makes sense.”
He gazed at her, heart sinking. She was irrational. “No, Alex. It doesn’t make sense. I’m sorry.”
He glanced up at the camera with a small shake of his head, then stood. “I’m going to see what I can do about getting you out of here. Hold tight a little longer.”
She reached out and caught his hand. “I’m right about this.” She lifted her chin. “I know I am.”
He opened his mouth to reason with her, then said instead, “We’ll figure this out. Whoever did this, we’ll get him.”
CHAPTER SIXTY-THREE
Tuesday, March 16
10:10 P.M.
They released her with the warning she was not to leave the area. She almost laughed out loud at that. Where would she go? The only two people she had called family were gone now.
Tears flooded her eyes. Where did she go now? She was alone. On her own with no one to turn to.
“Alex!”
Alex turned. Rachel. Hurrying across the Sheriff’s Department waiting area. Alex ran to meet her. She still had Rachel, she thought. Thank God.
“I’ve been beside myself,” Rachel cried, hugging her tightly. “I saw the squad cars and Coroner’s wagon… My God, that could have been you!”
“But it was Tim,” Alex whispered. “Maybe it should have been me.”
“Don’t say that.” Rachel held her at arm’s length. “Look at you. They didn’t let you clean up? I’d like to give that Danny Reed a piece of my mind.”
Alex didn’t bother telling her that they had-after photographing her, they’d allowed her to change clothes, though they had kept hers as evidence.
“It’s my fault he’s dead. He came to help me. I asked him to come because-”
She bit the last part back and Rachel searched her gaze. “Because of what, Alex?”
She shook her head, “It doesn’t matter, does it? He’s gone now and they think I did it.”
“No!”
People were looking their way. She caught Rachel’s hand. “Get me out of here, please.”
She did, hurrying to her Infiniti coupe. She opened the passenger door for Alex. “You’re staying with me. No arguments.”
Like she would argue, Alex thought, sinking into the leather seat. She had nowhere else to go.
“What about Margo?” she asked.
“We’re going to go get her. And anything else you need.”
Alex shuddered. “I don’t think I can go back in there. Not ever.”
“I’ll do it,” Rachel said. “I’ll take care of everything.”
She did. While Alex waited in the car, Rachel collected everything she needed, including a traumatized Margo. In what seemed like no time at all, Rachel had Alex installed in the guest room of her charming cottage on the winery grounds. From her bedroom window, she could just make out the entrance to the caves.