Dead Giveaway (Stillwater Trilogy #2)(74)
Author: Brenda Novak

Slipping the crowbar she’d brought out of her bag, she wedged it between the back door and the frame, cast a final, wary glance over her shoulder, and tried to force it open.

The resulting noise made her cringe. It sounded so loud she thought Joe and her father would both come running and meet her right there on the porch.

If her father heard anything, however, he was too afraid to give his presence away. And she saw no sign of Joe.

"Good news," she mumbled. It might’ve been good news, if only she’d been able to get in.

But the door held.

After another silent curse, Allie tried the crowbar again and, despite the noise, finally met with success.

So much for stealth. And so much for Clay’s privacy. Three different parties would likely be tramping through his house tonight. She could only imagine how much he’d like that.

Stepping inside, she replaced the crowbar in her bag and used a kitchen chair to hold the door shut behind her. She didn’t want Joe to see it hanging open. Then, careful to keep the beam pointed at the floor, she turned on her flashlight and hurried through the kitchen to the stairs. She was tempted to call out a warning, but refrained. She didn’t dare. She wasn’t sure who might hear her.

Allie had never gone so far into Clay’s house. It bothered her that he wasn’t here. But she didn’t have time to dwell on the sense of loss that made her heart feel even heavier. Instead, she ran up the stairs as quietly as she could.

The rooms off the second-story hallway were all open. Except two.

She’d find her father behind one of them with a woman who wasn’t her mother. Shit…

Taking a deep breath, she opened the first door. It was Clay’s room, and it was empty. The subtle masculine scent that lingered brought him back to her, made her remember that night at the cabin when he’d held her naked against him. She longed to be with him again. Even now. But he was in jail, and might be going to prison for good. Meanwhile, her father was having an affair. And Joe was pressing his advantage.

The world had gone crazy. Everything was wrong. But Allie couldn’t let panic and pain defeat her. She had to find her father and Irene. The rest she could deal with later.

Moving to the other door, she tried to open it but found it locked. They had to be there.

She knocked softly. No response.

"Dad, it’s me, Allie. Open up."

Nothing.

"Dad, listen. Joe’s on his way here," she murmured as close to the panel as she could get.

"He’s planning to search for his uncle’s remains. If he finds your cars, he’ll start looking for a lot more than that. You’ve got to come downstairs with me and pretend we had a meeting here."

She heard movement. Had they received her message? Were they scrambling to get dressed? She couldn’t be sure. "Dad? Did you hear me? I locked the barn, which is where he plans to start, but I doubt that’ll detain him for long." She hesitated. "Hello? Answer me! Joe is–"

"Not as stupid as you think," someone interrupted from behind her.

Allie’s heart lodged in her throat as she turned to see the man she’d been hoping to avoid step out of a third room and flip on the light.

"How’d you know I was coming here tonight?" he asked.

Allie did her best to bluff. "Clay’s behind bars, isn’t he? I figured you’d take advantage of his absence."

He didn’t seem completely convinced she was telling the truth, but he was too excited about having the upper hand to dwell on the mystery. "It’s a good thing I’m here," he said. "This explains so much, doesn’t it? Now I understand why your father never wanted to investigate the people who murdered my uncle. He was too busy getting down and dirty with Clay’s mother and her big tits."

Joe shook his head. "Tsk, tsk. Poor Evelyn. How’s that going to look? A churchgoing man like Dale. The chief of police, no less. Nope, can’t be good."

Allie glared at him. "You’re trespassing. You have no right to be here."

He raised an eyebrow. "And you do?"

"More right than you’ve got. At least Clay likes me."

He chuckled. "Yeah, we’ve all heard how much."

"How’d you get in?" she asked. There were no sounds coming from the bedroom, so she was trying to stall for time, hoping her father and Irene had managed to climb out and were right now scurrying away.

"It was easier to break a window in the basement than to bother with the door, I’ll tell you that much."

"Who’s here with you?"

"What makes you think I’m not alone?"

What she’d overheard. But she couldn’t say that. "Joe, listen–"

Kirk pounded on the door downstairs. "Allie? Allie, are you in there?"

"That’s enough," Joe said. Painfully gripping her arm, he dragged her against him as he banged the flashlight he carried in one hand on the door. "Hey, McCormick. I’ve got your little girl out here."

Allie tried to wriggle free, to let Kirk in, but Joe held her fast. "Are you the one who shot Clay?" she asked Joe.

Laughing, he shook his head. "Are you kidding? Assault with a deadly weapon is a crime."

"Cindy saw my gun at your house."

"Cindy’s a stupid bitch. She didn’t see anything."

She could hear Kirk coming in through the back. "You hate Clay enough to do just about anything."

"I won’t cry when he goes to prison for life," he muttered and hit the door again.

"McCormick! I know you’re in there."

"You’re letting hate twist you into a monster," she told Joe.

"And your father’s a saint? Like the Montgomerys? No doubt he’s trying to crawl out the window right now. But he won’t get far before he runs into Roger," he said and that was when she knew Joe’s brother was waiting outside, blocking her father and Irene’s only escape.

"Allie?" Kirk ran up the stairs.

"You’re too late," Joe said, and he was right. The shrill cry of a siren broke the silence, drawing closer and closer. Then the sound died abruptly.

"You called the police?" Allie cried.

"In addition to a few other key individuals. Figured this could use a little documentation,"

he replied with a grin.

Kirk made him release her, but it was only a few minutes later that Officers Hendricks and Pontiff, together with Allie’s mother, came hurrying up the stairs–Pontiff first, then Evelyn and a huffing and puffing Hendricks.

"What is it?" Evelyn asked when she spotted Allie. "Why was I supposed to meet you here?"

Allie made sure her expression told Joe what she thought of him. The unfeeling bastard had dragged her mother out to see this firsthand.