Liv opened the door with one hand, ushered Tommy safely inside, and shut the door and locked it. The fear she’d felt for her son’s safety turned to rage. First Danielle Parker at the convenience store, then the cop yesterday, now this. She’d had enough of this goddamned town and its lunatic residents. Liv gave the woman a harsh stare.
Examining the woman more closely, though, Liv’s anger dissipated. Detective Sampson’s wife was frail and sad-looking and a mess.
“I’m sorry for your loss,” Liv said. She was ashamed that she wasn’t sure she meant it. Ron Sampson had railroaded her son.
The woman didn’t reply, just dug through her bag.
“They say I’m nuts. They won’t listen to me.” Liv could smell alcohol on the woman’s breath. But this was more than booze. Pills, painkillers, maybe.
“But my Ronnie didn’t kill himself.”
“I really need to go.” Liv started to walk around the car to the driver’s side. Tommy had his nose to the window. He waved to her, oblivious.
The woman started bawling.
“I’m sorry,” was all Liv could manage.
“Ron was sorry too,” the woman said. “About what he did, about what happened to your boy. He said he was gonna fix it.”
This grabbed Liv’s attention. What on earth was she talking about? Ron Sampson had bullied Danny into confessing.
“He scheduled a meeting with those movie people,” the woman continued. “Was gonna tell them everything, and then…” She started crying again. “He wouldn’t do it. He wouldn’t leave me.”
The woman started digging in the bag again, and Liv feared for a second that she’d produce a weapon. But Mrs. Sampson pulled out a wrinkled manila folder.
“Ronnie told me that this proves everything.” She shoved the file into Liv’s hands. “I’m sorry about your boy,” Mrs. Sampson said.
And then she ran off.
CHAPTER 37
EVAN PINE
BEFORE
Evan tried not to get bent out of shape about Liv having dinner with him. She was trying to help. So was Noah, Evan supposed. Though Noah’s altruism always tended to benefit himself. Granted, he’d been a strong advocate for Danny. But doing so had elevated his political stature and brought him heartthrob status. And it distracted from the fact that it was his son who’d thrown the party that night. At Noah’s house, no less.
Before Danny’s arrest, Evan had never been jealous of Noah Brawn. He thought Liv saw Noah for who he really was: a glad-handing politician. But Evan and Liv had drifted apart before Evan had even realized it, and Noah was undeniably handsome and charismatic. And if Evan were being honest, he had let himself go. Now Evan couldn’t help but envy the man. He wanted to call Liv back and say, Hell no, you’re not going. Something in Liv’s voice said that she hoped he’d tell her not to go. That she wanted him to fight for her. Put her above everything else, even the hope of a pardon. It was one of those moments where he realized how much he’d failed her.
He picked up his cell. Do it. Call her.
But then he heard the jangle of keys at the door and Maggie strolled into the kitchen. She seemed excited, a sparkle in her eyes.
“Hey, Magpie. You just missed Mom’s call.”
“How’s Grandpa?” Maggie asked.
“He’s still having trouble, but at least they’ll let him stay at the home.”
“Did you tell her about the trip?”
“No, but apparently someone did.”
Maggie’s face reddened and she gave a timid smile. “I didn’t tell her. I just mentioned that she might want to talk to you about Mexico. What’d she say?”
“Not much. I didn’t get into it. Said it was a surprise. Don’t worry, it will be fine.”
“Will it, Dad?” Maggie took a stool next to her father at the kitchen counter.
“Will it what?”
“Be fine. I mean, it’s kind of crazy.”
Evan grinned. “I’ve got to live up to my reputation.”
Maggie didn’t laugh. The documentary’s portrayal of Evan as unhinged was a sore spot for his daughter.
He gazed at her, marveling that he’d helped produce such an amazing person. He’d always known she was special. From the time Maggie was a baby, Liv would say that their little girl had a “special edition” heart. It filled his own heart with pride to see that she’d never changed. It was the great mystery of parenting: Who would these little people become? Would the predictions you made when they were babies come true? Were their personalities forged by the age of seven, as he’d read somewhere? Would the morals you tried to instill stick? Or would there be a twist in the story? One fitting of those crime novels Liv loved so much.