Dead Secret dffi-3

by Beverly Connor

  He grinned. “I take checks.” They all laughed. “Seriously, I’m glad to help. This is just a terrible miscarriage of justice.”

  They left without any apology from the warden and without looking back. On the way out to the car Reynolds asked Diane who it was who recommended him. When she told him it was Frank, Reynolds smiled.

  “Frank Duncan. I’ve had him on the stand before. So he recommended me, did he? One of the toughest people I’ve ever cross-examined. He knows his stuff.”

  “Apparently he thinks the same about you.”

  Diane’s mother didn’t even want to stop to eat. Diane tried to talk her into going first to the doctor to get checked out, but she said she’d make an appointment later.

  “I just want to get home,” she said. “I just want to get home.”

  They drove the two hours back to Birmingham. Glenda had a huge meal waiting for them, but the first thing her mother wanted to do was take a shower and change clothes. As they waited for her, Diane managed to subtly herd Gerald out to the patio. She was not looking forward to this, but with Alan’s recent behavior, she had even more reason to try to keep their marriage intact. She took a sip of wine and bit her lower lip before she began.

  Chapter 25

  “Susan told me about what the two of you are going through right now,” said Diane.

  “What we are going through? Nice way of putting it. How about what Susan is making me go through? I suppose she wants you to talk to me.” Gerald looked at his wineglass, turning it in his hand as if examining the ruby-red color. “She wants you to convince me they weren’t having an affair, is that right?” He took a drink.

  She sat down on the low rock-garden wall. Gerald sat down beside her. “I don’t believe she was having an affair.”

  “You’re her sister. What else would you say?”

  “You know we don’t get along. I was surprised she took me into her confidence enough to ask me to help.”

  “I guess it shows her desperation.” He took another sip of wine.

  “Desperation doesn’t mean guilt.”

  He looked over at Diane, his jaw set, his face like granite. “Why do you believe her, Diane? Can you tell me that?”

  “I’ve spoken with enough liars in my time to pretty much be able to pick them out. Susan’s a bad liar; she always has been. I know her, and I know when she’s lying and when she’s telling the truth. She’s telling the truth.” Diane took a drink of her wine. It was sweet-a little too sweet. “Gerald, it was just a kiss.”

  Gerald’s laugh was without any mirth. “She said it wasn’t even a good kiss.”

  “I can believe that. Alan never was very good.”

  Gerald chuckled again. This time he seemed to mean it.

  Diane laughed with him. “You don’t like him, do you?” he asked.

  “No. I never have. Gerald, I know this has to hurt like hell, but it was New Year’s Eve, for heaven’s sake.”

  “It wasn’t a New Year’s kiss; even Susan admitted that.”

  “It probably wasn’t. I’m sure everyone was drinking. I’ve noticed that Susan is feeling like she’s getting older these days and less attractive. I’m sure that had something to do with it. Just forgive her and move on.”

  The afternoon air was smothering in a way that only Southern climates could pull off. The rain the day before made it steamy. Even with fall approaching, it still felt like summer. The heat never left the South quickly.

  “It’s not that easy,” said Gerald.

  Diane looked over at Gerald. “Is it harder than disrupting your children’s lives?”

  “It wasn’t my doing that got us here.” His voice was filled with emotion.

  “Nevertheless, you are now the one with the power to stop it.” Diane took another sip of her wine. “Don’t let Alan do this to you.”

  Gerald set set his wineglass down on the wall. “You should come around more often, Diane. You’re the only one in the family I can talk to sometimes. Is Alan the reason you don’t?”

  “Part of the reason, but not all of it. There were some things said about my daughter that are hard to forget.” Diane touched her locket.

  “Your daughter? Oh. . look, Diane, I suppose I’m as guilty as the others. I’m really sorry. Honestly. I would like to have met her.”

  “Ariel was very bright. She spoke three languages and was working on a fourth, and she was only six. To her, learning a new language was like learning a song. She loved music. Ariel was very special and very precious.” Diane’s eyes teared up. “This is what she looked like.” Diane showed him the locket with their pictures in it.

  “Cute little girl. It looks like the two of you were dressed alike.”

  “We were.”

  “I don’t think any of us appreciated what you went through, and I’m sorry for my part.”

  Diane snapped the locket closed. “You are the first person in the family to express that.” She paused, and there was an awkward silence between them. She wondered if he yet understood what Ariel meant to her. “I also have another reason I want you and Susan to patch things up.”

  “What’s that?”

  “I’m concerned about Mother and Dad. I’m afraid that Alan might have excessive influence over them and that he’s going off the deep end.” Diane took another sip of wine and swallowed hard. “Alan came into my bedroom last night.”

  Gerald jerked his head around to Diane. “What? What did he do? He didn’t. .”

  Diane shook her head. “This is going to sound really strange, and all I can say is that I’ve been gun-shy lately. I heard footsteps outside my door and I hid in the closet. He came in, called my name, stared around the room and left, after sniffing my clothes.”

  Gerald made a face. “Good heavens, did you tell Nathan?”

  It was a relief to be able to talk to Gerald about Alan. Her parents were so upset when she divorced him, she felt the whole family was against her. “No. I didn’t tell Dad. I don’t want to introduce another issue with everything that’s going on. Dad is very fond of Alan.”

  “Tell me about it. I sometimes wonder if Alan isn’t really his son.”

  Diane smiled. “I doubt he would have let me marry him.”

  “Yeah, right. I sometimes forget,” said Gerald, chuckling.

  “God, Gerald, don’t put that thought in my head.” They both laughed. Diane noticed dark clouds in the sky and wondered if they would have another shower.

  “I understand,” he said. “But really, you need to tell your father about last night. That had to scare you.”

  “It did, but they have had enough to worry about. They need a break.”

  “I agree. It’s been pretty awful for all of us, especially when we didn’t know where she was.” He shook his head. “Susan was a wreck. She tried to hide it for the kids, but. .”

  “Just keep an eye out for Alan. Has he mentioned me at all?”

  “No, not really. Sometimes in passing, and I’m afraid nothing complimentary.”

  “I just can’t imagine what last night was about. I had to ask someone from my crime lab to investigate him. He’s made himself a suspect.”

  Gerald frowned. “You don’t think he could have stabbed you?”

  The edge of the rock wall cut into her legs, so Diane stood up and smoothed out her slacks. “Honestly, I doubt it, but I have to check. I’ll do it discreetly.”

  She thought of her discreet investigation of Annette Lymon. Stressors could cause people to do some amazing things, and she seemed to have a lot of stressed-out people around her. Diane saw her mother through the glass doors of the patio returning from her shower.

  “Let’s go eat lunch.”

  Diane and Gerald walked into the dining room from the patio. Susan looked up expectantly. Diane smiled at her. She didn’t know what to tell her, except that she thought that the conversation had gone well. Gerald walked over to Susan and whispered in her ear. Susan turned to Diane with a horrified look and mouthed, Alan? Diane no
dded. Susan grasped Gerald’s hand and they walked into the dining room. Glenda was serving a feast for lunch-grilled salmon, ambrosia salad and grilled summer squash.

  “It’s a relief to have you back, Mrs. Fallon.”

  “Thank you, Glenda. This looks delicious,” Diane’s mother said as she sat down heavily, sighed and spread her napkin in her lap.

  They ate in silence for several minutes. One or the other of them would occasionally try to make small talk. Suddenly her mother broke down and started sobbing.

  “Iris,” said Nathan Fallon, reaching over to put an arm around her shoulders. He looked helpless.

  “I just don’t know how I’m going to face everybody.”

  “With indignation and a sense of dark humor,” said Diane.

  Everyone looked at Diane, as if no one had expected her mother’s question to be answered and was surprised that she had. Diane felt that what her mother needed was some practical advice.

  “Mother, most everyone will take their cue from you. If you act ashamed, they will treat you as if you have something to be ashamed of. Be frank and indignant about what happened to you and outraged that such a thing could be allowed to happen. Accept no guilt or shame whatsoever.”

  “Good advice,” said Gerald.

  “You might want to write an article for the newspaper,” said Diane. “Let everyone know what can happen to a perfectly innocent, law-abiding citizen.”

  Her mother shook her head back and forth. “I couldn’t.”

  “I can write one for you and let you read it. If you are comfortable with it, send it in as a human-interest article on the perils of relying too much on computers without proper safeguards.”

  Her mother moved her fork around in her vegetables. “I don’t want anyone to know.”

  “They will find out anyway, but the knowledge will be passed on in whispers behind your back. Making it public knowledge takes the power away from gossipers. When you talk to people about it, sprinkle in some humor here and there. People react favorably to people who can laugh at themselves in the direst situations.”

  “What could possibly be funny about any of this?” said Susan.

  “I don’t know,” said her mother. She tried to eat a few more bites of her food, but ended up putting down her fork. She looked at Diane. “You mean something like, ‘I had to leave before I could get my prison tattoo’?”

  Diane laughed out loud. “That’s funny.”

  Neither of her parents was known for their sense of humor, and her mother had made a joke. Susan and the others laughed, too. Diane was relieved to see it.

  None of them did justice to Glenda’s terrific meal, and all of them apologized to her. Susan and Gerald went out on the terrace to talk. Diane sat in the living room visiting with her parents, trying to steer clear of all the argument traps she usually fell into. That was made easier because both of them were more subdued in their opinions today.

  Then her mother said, “You know, dear, Alan is still very fond of you.”

  Diane started to open her mouth to give some sort of noninflammatory reply, like I could tell by the way he sniffed my clothes, when her phone rang. Whoever it was, she felt grateful.

  “Excuse me.” She looked at the display. “It’s the museum. I need to take this.”

  It was actually David. Diane walked into another room and flipped up her phone to answer.

  “David, hello.”

  “Sorry to bother you at your parents’ home.”

  “No bother.” She felt like giving him a raise for getting her away from her family. “You called at a very fortuitous moment. Did you get my e-mail? It was rather abbreviated because I did it by phone.”

  “Yes, I’m getting on it. The reason I called is to tell you that the crime lab and your osteology lab were broken into. They stole several things out of the crime lab, including a couple of microscopes and some of Caver Doe’s things. They also stole the skeleton from England that was in your bone lab.”

  Diane’s face flushed with anger-not only at the thieves, but at her security guards. How could they let this happen? “When?” she asked.

  “Last night around three A.M.”

  “I’ll leave here as soon as I can make arrangements.”

  “That’ll be a relief. I don’t like cutting your visit short, but frankly, we’ve suddenly got bodies piling up.”

  Diane told her parents that there was an emergency at the crime lab and she had to get back.

  “Oh, no,” pleaded her mother, “With everything that’s happened, couldn’t you stay a little longer? I’ve just gotten to see you after all this time. We haven’t really had time to visit. I’m still so-”

  “Surely, Diane,” said her father, “someone else can handle matters for a few days. We need you here with us right now.”

  Diane could feel her guilt index rising. “I’m sorry to leave sooner than I expected. But with the authority I have at the museum also comes the responsibility. Something very serious has happened involving a break-in at the crime lab and the loss of evidence entrusted to me. I simply have to get back to take charge of the investigation.” Besides, she thought, we’ll only start arguing after a few days, and then I won’t be out of your hair fast enough.

  “But what about your mother?” asked her father.

  “Daniel Reynolds will do everything that needs to be done. It’s all legal procedures and paperwork now, and I’m no help with that. She’s in the best of hands. And Susan is right next door. She was a big help when we were at the lawyer’s office.” That wasn’t exactly true, but complimenting her sister was bound to get her some credits with them.

  “You don’t have to leave right this minute, do you?” asked her mother.

  “No. I’ll stay tonight and leave tomorrow morning on the first available flight.”

  “Well, that’s something, at least,” said her mother. By the tone in her voice, Diane could tell she was hurt, and frankly, Diane couldn’t blame her. It was callous to leave so soon after her ordeal. But Diane had to see about the crime lab and the museum. She thought about asking them to come with her and visit, but dismissed that idea. She wouldn’t have time to spend with them, and that would also hurt their feelings. There was no way to win.

  “I’ll drive you to the airport in the morning,” said Susan.

  Considering the condition everyone was in, Diane might as well have gone back to Georgia that afternoon. Despite everyone’s wanting to hear about her mother’s experience, Iris was simply too exhausted after her ordeal to carry on a conversation. She kept dozing off and finally went up to her bedroom shortly after dark.

  Diane’s father was fidgety, worrying about her mother, and didn’t seem to know what to do with himself. He appeared to be blaming himself for not being able to help her mother sooner, while not really understanding what had happened or why. He seemed very concerned that he was somehow responsible.

  Susan and Gerald were distracted by their own problem that needed to be resolved, and they made their excuses and left while Diane’s mother was napping.

  The only absolutely positive event of the evening was that Diane was saved from having to see Alan again. He was uncharacteristically absent.

  When she and Susan pulled away from the house the next morning, Diane’s mother and father stood on the steps and waved good-bye to her. Her father stood with his arm around her mother’s shoulders, trying hard to be strong. Her mother had tears in her eyes and leaned her head against her father’s chest.

  On the way to the airport, Susan told her that Gerald had been easier to talk to about “the event,” as she called it. Diane must have had some influence with him. And probably for the first time in her life, Susan expressed gratitude. Diane was surprised that she could have a positive influence on the family. That alone would have made the trip worthwhile.

  Susan was as disturbed by Alan’s behavior as Diane. “Do you think he’s flipped out?” she asked.

  “I don’t know. Just keep an eye on M
other and Dad.”

  “That’ll be hard. Alan is in and out so much. Gerald thinks Alan would like for Mother and Dad to take both of us out of their will.”

  “I hadn’t thought of that.” The idea chilled Diane. She knew her parents had a lot of money. For someone like Alan, money was a tremendous temptation. “That’s scary, but they would never disinherit us-you, anyway,” said Diane.

  “I don’t think he would actually do anything to them. Do you?” asked Susan. “Threaten them in some way?”

  “Probably not. But I’m glad though that you and Gerald live next door,” she said.

  “Me too.”

  Susan dropped Diane off at the curb, and she rushed to the ticket counter with just enough time to get her ticket, pass through security and catch her flight.

  Chapter 26

  No matter what was awaiting her at the museum, Diane was relieved to be home. She had taken the airport limo service from the Atlanta airport to Rosewood and a taxi to her apartment, arriving there before ten A.M. When she walked in the door, she felt like kissing the floor. Instead, she took a quick shower, got dressed and called Kendel.

  “I’m in Rosewood. David called me about the breakin. Is anything missing from the museum?”

  “Good to have you back,” said Kendel. “No, the museum proper is just fine. I had security double-check everything here, and nothing seems to have been taken.”

  “I’ll be in shortly and you can brief me on anything I need to know.”

  Diane hung up, then called David and told him she was coming in. He told her that Chief Garnett and the head of security for the crime lab were coming over to meet with him.

  “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

  After David, she dialed Frank’s cell phone and was relieved when he answered immediately. She really wanted to hear his voice. “Hey, babe. You back?”

  “Yes. And I’m so glad to be here.”

  “How were things in Alabama?”

  “Interesting.”