He exited the parking lot and merged into traffic. “I’m hearing all sorts of stories about how people are disappearing in the Legard case.”
Finley made a noncommittal sound in response.
“I’m glad I’m not working that one.”
To this she said nothing. His nonchalant tone and happy-go-lucky “I’m just driving you home” attitude had already warned her where this was going.
Silence stretched for a few blocks. He was hoping she would ask him something about Derrick’s case. When she didn’t, he had to figure out how to kick off the conversation himself.
“Did you look into when your husband bought the house?”
She hated being right all the time. At least he hadn’t leaped ahead of where she was with his allegations. “I did, and you were correct. I must have misunderstood the timeline.”
“You talked to the previous owner?”
He knew she had, or he wouldn’t have asked. “I did.”
“He told you how Reed said he was buying the place for his wife, and the two of you hadn’t married yet.”
“He did.”
More silence. One block. Two. Then three.
“Had you seen the house at that point?”
She hadn’t met Derrick at that point, which was where he planned to take the conversation. He was as easy to read as a flashing neon sign.
“No.”
“Had you ever been in the neighborhood?”
“I’ve lived in Nashville my whole life. It’s possible.”
“You hadn’t even met Reed at that point, had you?”
“No.”
Another turn, and the murder house came into view. Home sweet home.
“Do you believe this is some indication that Reed had targeted you for some reason we don’t know as of yet?”
He was the first to test those waters . . . except for her, of course. In the past twenty-four or so hours, the idea had crept into the back of her mind. Not going there yet.
He glanced at her, expecting an answer.
What did she believe about Derrick?
She believed Derrick had loved her. Who could fake it that well?
She believed the short time they’d had together was the most amazing time of her life.
She believed her husband was murdered by someone related to Carson Dempsey in payback for her putting away his son, which had prompted his untimely death.
She believed she didn’t know the whole story of Derrick’s past.
That was as far as she had allowed herself to go.
“No,” she said in response to his question.
Houser pulled to the curb in front of her house. He turned to her. “Come on, Ms. O’Sullivan. You have to see that what I’m suggesting is the most likely scenario.”
“Derrick got a great deal on the house.” She met Houser’s intent gaze. “He may have been attempting to get a better deal by weaving a story about his wife being in love with the house. Since at the time I had no knowledge of the house, why would his story have had anything to do with me?” She shrugged. “Think about it, Detective. There’s no connection between me and the property. Why would purchasing that particular property have anything at all to do with me?”
While he floundered for a comeback, Finley took the opportunity to make her exit. “Thanks for the ride.”
She rounded the hood and walked to her house. Houser drove away. She’d just unlocked her door when her cell vibrated.
Jack.
“Hey,” she said, pushing the door inward and tossing her bag on the sofa.
“I’m at the office. Detectives Barry and Tanner are here to question me about Inglewood and the twins.”
“At least you weren’t hauled in for your questioning.” She gave him a quick rundown of the questions they’d asked and her responses before moving on to her plan for the day. “I’m heading to Francisco, Alabama, to see if I can track down anyone who knew Holmes and his bio parents. We’re missing something, Jack. I’m starting back at the beginning to try and find whatever the hell it is.”
“I was thinking the same thing. Just be careful. I want regular checkins.”
“Will do.”
She didn’t tell him about Houser. Jack had enough to worry about without her adding an unknown problem to the pile.
And there was a problem. As much as she would prefer to pretend there wasn’t, she wasn’t that naive. Until she had a grasp on what the problem was, she couldn’t begin to understand the magnitude of it.
For the first time since Derrick was murdered, she wondered if she really wanted to.