The faint light of the dawning day made it possible for him to make out the silhouette of her head. Her gaze appeared fixed on the front door. How could he prevent her from entering her own home?
Suddenly, Angie's Cadillac screeched around the corner and came to a sudden halt behind Sandy. She jumped out and headed for the driver's side of the BMW. At the same moment, the porch light came on and Ken Weber stepped out the front door. Tom hit the gas pedal and lurched forward.
Sandy and Angie were standing outside the car on the driver's side, watching Ken as he came to the edge of the property and stopped. He folded his arms across his chest. "About time you decided to come home."
Angie gripped Sandy's arm and whispered. "You can't go into that house. You might not come out alive."
"I've got to find out the truth or I'm going to lose my mind." She yanked away from Angie and started around the car.
Tom ran up behind her. "Just a minute, Sandy."
Ken stared at him as he put his hand out toward his wife. "Why don't you and Angie stay out of our lives?"
Tom grabbed Sandy's arm and pulled her out of Ken's reach. "There's a restraining order out on you, Mr. Weber," he lied. "You're to stay away from your wife."
Ken's arm dropped to his side. "That's ridiculous. I don't believe it. Even if it's so, nothing says she can't come to me."
Sandy stood quietly listening.
"I think she just wants to ask you some questions. She can do that from this side of the fence." Tom glanced at Sandy. "Wouldn't that be possible?"
Ken's eyes narrowed. "You son-of-a-bitch, you have no right to do this."
"I'm a police officer, Mr. Weber, protecting a citizen. Now, Mrs. Weber, go ahead and ask your questions."
Angie quietly made her way around to Sandy's other side and slipped an arm through hers. "Go ahead, ask him."
Sandy raised her gaze to her husband's face. "Why didn't you tell me that Melinda is really your daughter?"
Ken shook his head slowly. "Sandy, Sandy, who's been feeding you all this crap? Bud told me a long time ago about Melinda."
"But the DNA tests proved she's not Bud's. And you were there that night."
His head jerked up; his eyes had changed into a stormy green. "What?" He glanced at Angie.
"That's right, Ken. The tests proved that Melinda is not Bud's daughter. Marty told me you and Bud were the only men there that night."
His gaze darted from Angie to Tom and back to Sandy. He tossed his hands out in a gesture of defeat. "Look, honey, it's no big deal. It happened long before we met."
Angie and Tom held on to Sandy as she started to move forward, tears flowing down her cheeks. "What do you mean it's no big deal. She's your daughter. Why didn't you tell me?"
He hooked his thumbs in his hip pockets. "How the hell did I know which of us was the father? Bud figured she belonged to him, so he paid her way. She's a grown woman now, so why get all steamed up over something that happened over twenty years ago?"
"Why are you embezzling money from the company?"
Ken threw his head back and laughed. "Who told you that lie?"
She narrowed her eyes. "Did you kill Bud?"
His hands clenched into fists and he stepped forward. "How the hell can you accuse me of that, Sandy? He was my best friend."
She flinched, then straightened her shoulders. "What about Ryan Conners?"
Suddenly, Ken's demeanor changed. His hands clenched into fists, his eyes spit fire and his jaw tightened, making the veins stand out on his neck. He glared at his wife. "Who's feeding you these crazy ideas? He must have been skimming off the company and Bud caught him. Conners probably killed Bud. And I have no clue who killed him. Ask Tom, he's the detective."
Tom could tell it took all of the man's strength to hold himself from lurching across the fence.
Then Ken punched his thumb into his own chest. "So, now I'm the prime suspect?"
Tom shook his head. "No one's accused you of anything."
Ken pointed his finger at his wife. "Well, goddammit, tell her that. She thinks I'm a murderer and embezzler."
"Your abuse has caused questions in her mind."
Ken's face softened and he stared at Sandy. "I promise. I'll never hit you or the girls again. I've just been through a lot with Bud's death and the company going downhill. Please, bear with me. I want my family back home."
Sandy sucked down a sob. "Ken, I can't. You've hurt me several times and each time you tell me you won't do it again."
Tom noticed how Ken kneaded his hands together as Sandy spoke. When she finished, he abruptly headed for the house. As he reached the front door, he turned and stared at his wife. "Maybe you better not come home." He disappeared inside and slammed the door.
Chapter Twenty-three
Sandy's sobs echoed through the air. Tom and Angie caught her as she crumbled to the ground.
"Let's put her in my car," Angie said, struggling to get Sandy back on her feet. "You drive her car to my place. I certainly don't want it left here. I'll bring you back to get yours."
"Sounds like a good plan," Tom said, opening the Cadillac door and helping Sandy inside.
Back at the house, they escorted her to the guest room, then Angie put Marty in charge while they went to get Tom's car.
Tom frowned as they passed the gate. "I hope she doesn't try to leave again."
Angie patted her purse. "I have her keys. Even with Marty in charge, I didn't want to take any chances."
Tom smiled. "Good thinking."
"I'm going to have Doctor Parker examine her. I'm worried she's on the verge of a nervous breakdown."
"I noticed her demeanor last night and wanted to talk to you about it. She appeared to be escaping into another world."
"She's been that way all week. Thank God, we found her before Ken persuaded her to go inside." Angie shuddered. "I've never seen him look so mean."
Tom remained silent.
*****
Later that day, Angie sat at her desk in the kitchen, fingering the report she'd picked up for Melinda at the doctor's office and mulling over the idea of how she would approach the girl about Bud not being her father. She didn't know how to contact her and hesitated about asking Marty just yet.
Deep in thought, she jumped when the buzzer at the gate went off.
She pushed the intercom on the phone. "Yes."
"Mrs. Nevers, this is Officer Kelley. A Melinda Smith wants in. Is that okay?"
Angie sighed. This isn't what she had in mind. But Melinda appeared to be hot-headed and aggressive. And Tom even thought her capable of physical violence, so why agitate the girl? She reached across the counter and pulled her purse toward her. Running her hands inside, she felt the barrel of the Barretta and wrapped her fingers around the cold metal.
The gravelled voice of the officer brought her back into focus. "Are you still there, Mrs. Nevers?"
"I'm sorry. Yes, let her in."