Love Inspired Suspense April 2021--Box Set 2 of 2 Laura Scott (speed reading book .txt) đ
- Author: Laura Scott
Book online «Love Inspired Suspense April 2021--Box Set 2 of 2 Laura Scott (speed reading book .txt) đ». Author Laura Scott
Geraldâs color returned, bloodred. Colt had crossed a line but it unfortunately needed exploring. âIf you are suggesting that my son had an illicit affair with Alice, then you didnât know him at all.â
âIâm sorry, but I have to cover every angle, even the ugly ones, Gerald. I guess she can explain herself. But we have a direct link between them. Weâll be looking good and hard.â He slid his gaze to Amber, who remained silent. âNowâs the time to tell what needs told if there is anything.â
When no one spoke, he motioned Georgia to follow him down the attic stairs, each step reminding him of the searing wound from the fire. Colt didnât expect anyone to follow him out or wish him well. Heâd just cast a stone at their son.
As they reached his truck, Georgia sighed. âYou donât think Alice Parker and Jared...â
âNo. But he was there in the summers. Holiday breaks. Occasional weekdays. Who knows? But bases werenât covered fifteen years ago and the case went cold. I canât afford not to cover them now.â
She laid her purse on the floorboard. âI understand. It could be as simple as she reached out and grabbed him because he forgot his jacket. Chance said he laid it on the chair and searched it when Jared went to the restroom.â
âMaybe.â He started the engine. âIf Alice had come forward about seeing Jared the night he died, then a simple answer like that would be believable. But she didnât.â
âIf sheâs linked at all to Chance or his father, she might have been too afraid to talk. Reggie Leeway is a powerful man.â Georgia situated Coltâs crutches so they wouldnât fall on her. âYou need to rest that leg at some point.â
No time. They were close. He called his team as he backed out of the drive. âHey, I got news.â
âUs too,â Poppy said. They were on speakerphone as well. âGo first.â
He laid out the new info and where they were headed. âWhat do you have?â
Rhett spoke up. âI got in touch with Tyler Burgessâs mom, and she admitted that Harry Benard approached her about using the address, but it was Reggie Leeway who called her after Georgiaâs attack and told her to respond with âno commentâ if she was questioned by anyone. He said sheâd be rewarded monetarily. But she said it wasnât worth it.â
âHarryâs dead. That dog wonât hunt.â
âTrue. Thatâs not all, though. We got a call earlier from Carter Wagoner, one of athletes who used the address the year the land was purchased. He said that his dad was out of a job and they were going to lose their house, but then they didnât. Next thing Carter knows, heâs transferring to Courage High and his dad told him it was for the best and not to ask questions. Guess where the house loan went through?â
âTerry Helmsâs bank.â
âAnd guess what that did?â Poppy asked.
âGot you a warrant for bank records regarding the studentsâ families who used 4214 Pine Road.â
âWell, you took all the fun out of that,â she huffed.
Rhett cleared his throat, and Colt could imagine him rolling his eyes at Poppyâs dramatics. âWe did. With a different judge. Weâre on our way there now. If he was falsifying information, weâll find it. Anything at all to do with 4214 Pine Road is within our scope.â
âKeep me posted.â He hung up.
Georgia grinned. âTerry is involved. And Coach Flaniganâprobably Sunny Wilkerson. One of them has been attacking me and probably killed Dandyâbut what about Jared?â
âI donât know. It doesnât seem connected to the athletic department. What if Jared accepted the offer to play for Ole Magnolia without telling his parents? He was eighteen. Then changed his mind and was going to tell the coach the night he died that he was reneging on the deal so he could play for State instead. Maybe the phone call stopped him short. Or maybe he did tell Coach and he conveniently left that part out. Coach could have asked him to meet him laterâafter the workout. Then killed him. Or he could have told Terry or Sunny, and one of them killed him.â
âWhy kill him and bring him back to the training room?â
âThrow the scent off him. Because it makes no sense. But more likely he was moved because the killer didnât want the location of his murder discovered. It would reveal the killerâs identity.â
They parked along the curb near the courthouse and walked inside. After going through security, they entered the clerkâs office. Alice Parker might have aged fifteen years, but she didnât look a day over forty-five or-six. Her hair hung at shoulder length, dark and wavy, and her sharp green eyes matched her business suit. She did a double take. âColt McCoy!â Then she noticed his crutches, and a motherâs concern radiated in her tone and facial expression. âHoney, what on earth happened to you?â
âYou hear about Georgiaâs house?â
âYes. I heard after lunch. Iâm sorry, hon. Thatâs awful. Where are you staying? Iâm gonna bring you a pie.â Yes, because pie would help, but in crises thatâs what folks did. Bring food.
âThank you. Iâm staying at the Magnolia Motel with the cold case unit.â
A flash of disapproval flared in her eyes.
âIâm gonna cut to the chase,â Colt said. âWe ran old evidence, and this time we got a hit on prints from Jaredâs watch. Theyâre yours.â
ELEVEN
âWell, that went about as expected,â Georgia said through a frustrated huff as Colt pulled out onto the main highway. Alice had been appalled that they would even think to implicate her in a murder. Sheâd loved Jared like her own son and would never have harmed him.
âDid you believe her when
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