Secrets Never Die (Page 21)

Duncan, Jake’s quasi guardian, was at the bottom of Sharp’s suspect list.

“Could you try and find any information on a man named Sam Jones who was arrested by the Randolph County Sheriff’s Department between six and twelve months ago? He sued the county and Deputy Brian Springer for use of excessive force.”

“Yes.” Jenny made a note.

Sharp stood. “Thanks, Jenny. No one is as thorough and quick as you.”

Jenny blushed. “I’m happy to help. I enjoy the work. I don’t like to be idle.”

“I’m sure we’ll have additional names for you to run as the investigation proceeds.”

Jenny followed him out of the room and walked him to the door. Once outside, he heard the dead bolt slide home.

Sharp texted Lance from the car, eager to share the news about Tina’s father. Then he headed for the office. As he stepped out of his vehicle into the heat and humidity, another spot of fatigue washed over him. What the hell? He was almost tired enough to break into Morgan’s coffee and donut stash.

Instead, he went inside, grabbed an orange from the kitchen, and took it to his desk. Jenny had emailed him detailed reports and photographs of everyone. He skimmed through them. Sometimes, a clue wasn’t so obvious as a criminal history. But nothing jumped out at him.

He downloaded the New York Times article Jenny had sent him. It was a lengthy piece, part of the newspaper’s expanded Sunday edition. His gaze dropped to the byline under the article headline and shock gave him a quick buzz of energy.

By Olivia Cruz

Excitement stirred in his gut. He tried to squash it and failed. He should not be looking forward to asking her for yet another favor.

But he was.

Chapter Fourteen

In the passenger seat of the Jeep, Morgan drummed her fingers on her thigh. One thought dominated her mind as she watched Lance walk across the sheriff station’s parking lot toward the vehicle.

Tina keeps too many secrets.

Lance opened the driver’s door and slid behind the wheel. Looking up, he frowned. “Is that Esposito?”

“Where?” Morgan’s gaze darted back to the sheriff station.

A dark-haired man in a slick gray suit crossed the asphalt.

“That’s him,” she said.

In the back seat, Tina sat bolt upright. “Who is Esposito?”

Morgan answered, “Assistant District Attorney Anthony Esposito.”

“Why would the ADA be at the sheriff station?” Lance asked.

His tone implied he did not think it was a coincidence that Esposito had been in the station while the sheriff was questioning Tina. Morgan glanced at Lance. He stared through the windshield, his eyes narrowed with suspicion.

“I don’t know.” Lance started the engine. “But I don’t like it.”

Lance didn’t like Esposito. Period.

“He ran into a burning building with you,” Morgan pointed out. On their last case, Esposito had backed them up when it had counted.

Lance shrugged. He was not convinced the ADA had good qualities.

“We don’t know that his presence has anything to do with Evan’s case.” But Morgan was pretty sure it did. “He’s the prosecutor. He could be here for any number of reasons.”

Lance’s snort was not in agreement.

Tina fastened her seat belt. “I don’t trust the sheriff. He seems more interested in Evan and Paul’s arguments than in finding who killed Paul.”

Morgan twisted in the passenger seat to face her. “I don’t like the sheriff focusing on Evan and Paul’s arguments either.”

Lance glanced in the rearview mirror. “Is there any other reason you didn’t tell the sheriff about the arguments between Paul and Evan?”

“No.” Tina’s eyes shone with anger. “I didn’t think they were important. There wasn’t a huge rift between Evan and Paul. Twenty minutes after that argument, Paul and Evan had a heart-to-heart about it. Evan liked Paul. He was just upset that night.”

Knowing Evan, Morgan thought Tina’s explanation was plausible.

“What about your father?” Morgan asked. “Why did you keep that a secret?”

Tina’s gaze dropped to her lap. “Because I don’t want anyone contacting him. He hasn’t come after me. Maybe he’s just too old to care anymore. Whatever the reason, I’d like to keep it that way.” Tina lifted her head. “Do you think they have other suspects? Or are they focusing only on Evan?”

Lance stopped at a traffic light. “The police can’t rule anyone out in the initial phases of an investigation. I’d hoped Evan would be cleared quickly, but the initial evidence isn’t helping. Honestly, if I didn’t know Evan, I’d think he was guilty too.”

“It’s not fair.” Tina shoved both hands through her hair. “Evan gets judged all the time, especially by cops, because of a couple of stupid mistakes he made when his father went to prison. Like vandalism and murder are anywhere close to the same thing.” She pinched the bridge of her nose. “What am I going to do?”

“You’re not alone,” Morgan assured her.

“You’re a lawyer, right?” Tina gnawed on a cuticle.

“Yes,” Morgan said. “But if you want me to represent Evan, you have to answer all my questions honestly. No more holding back information.”

Tina rolled her fingers into a fist. “If you’re my lawyer, then everything I tell you is confidential, right?”

“Yes,” Morgan answered.

Tina glanced at Lance.

“As my agent, Sharp Investigations is also bound by client confidentiality,” Morgan explained.

“Then I want to officially hire you.” Tina lowered her hand. “I need someone to protect Evan and me. I can give you a retainer. I have a little money put aside.”

Morgan waved a hand. “We’ll worry about payment later.”

In a worst-case scenario, Morgan would defend the boy pro bono. She’d done it before. She would do it again. Her sense of justice didn’t make her firm solvent, but money wouldn’t stop her from helping someone she viewed as being wrongly accused.

“You left Newark after the trial. How did you get your nursing degree?” Morgan asked.

“The university was one of the reasons I chose Grey’s Hollow,” Tina said. “Lots of students meant cheap, flexible housing. No one asked questions if you didn’t have any money. I found a job working in the university cafeteria and rented a room just off campus. I went to night school. I was pretty far behind, so getting my GED took years. But because I was a university employee, the tuition was free. Eventually, I applied to the nursing program and was accepted.”

“You must have worked very hard,” Morgan said with respect.

“The definition of hard is relative.” Tina exhaled. “I had a roof over my head and a bed of my very own. Most days, I had something to eat. No one beat or raped me. Life was pretty good.”

That Morgan believed.

“Are you sure you want to stay at the hotel?” Lance asked Tina. “Sharp has a guest room.”

“I like the hotel.” She rested her head on the back of the seat. “No one knows I’m there. The sheriff registered me under a different name.”

“Let’s stop for food on the way back to the hotel.”

Tina pressed the heels of her hands to her eyes. “I couldn’t.”

Morgan doubted she’d eaten since she found Paul.

“You need to eat something,” Morgan said. “Or you’ll be ill. Does your room have a microwave?”

“Yes,” Tina answered. “The room is a suite. There’s a small kitchen.”

“Then we’ll stop for a few basics.” Lance stopped at a convenience store and went inside. Morgan watched the parking lot the whole time he was in the store. He returned to the Jeep and set a bag on the center console.

“Are you sure there isn’t a friend we can call for you?” Morgan hated to leave her alone.

Tina turned to the window. “There’s no one.”

She had no friends? She’d been close to no one except Paul? Tina had claimed that Paul had known about her criminal father, but had he? Morgan wanted to believe her. Tina had admitted she’d held back information. Had she lied as well?

Tina took her phone from her purse and checked it, shoving it back inside with frustration and disappointment. “I wish I could do something.”

Morgan studied the woman’s face. Bags gathered under her eyes. Her dark hair was limp. Tina looked as if she’d aged five years since she’d first called Lance for help.

“Did you get any rest today?” Morgan asked.

Tina sighed. “No. I drove around the lake, then town, like I’d see him on the street. It was stupid, but I couldn’t sit still.”

Morgan understood. Inaction created its own tension and stress. “I know it will be hard to sleep, but you should try to get some rest tonight. You will not help your son by getting sick. We’ll touch base again in the morning.”

“All right.” Tina’s sigh quivered. “But tomorrow, I’m going out looking for my son again.”

Morgan would do the same. No one could keep her from searching for one of her kids.