31906844db5c02010017a90f3f2ca805

“But youhave to find out what really happened. You justhave to. My daddy—hecan’t be in jail. He’s not going to last a week—even a day. He’s a sensitive soul—a poet and a tender-hearted man. He simply won’tsurvive if he’s locked up in that dreadful place.”

Odelia remembered her uncle’s description of the murder scene and thought that Jeb Pott was anything but a tender-hearted soul. More like a crazed killer.

“Fae, even if I wanted to, I don’t have the skillset to—”

“Oh, but you do! I’ve read all your articles, and I’ve heard all the stories. Mom says you’re an ace detective and you’re the one who’s solved all those murders, not the police—and definitely not your uncle. You and only you have been solving crime in this town.”

“I’m sure that’s not true,” said Odelia. “The thing is, to do what you’re asking me to do—to investigate Camilla Kirby’s murder, and to take you on as a client…” She hesitated.

A look of distress had crossed the girl’s face. It was obvious she wasn’t going to take no for an answer.

Odelia decided just to say it.“I’m not entirely convinced your father is innocent, Fae.”

The girl had gripped Odelia’s arm again. She had a firm grasp, in spite of her thin frame. So thin Odelia thought she might be a model. She remembered reading something about Jeb launching her in that industry when she was fifteen. Or she could be confusing her with another celebrity’s daughter. “Oh, but I’ll convince you. Why do you think he did it?”

“Well, for one thing, he’s the only one out here—staying in this lodge. No traces have been found of anyone else inside the cabin.”

“The killer could have worn rubber-soled shoes and have entered the cabin while my daddy was asleep.”

“Yes, but that doesn’t explain why Camilla’s blood is all over your father’s clothes, and why the knife is covered in his fingerprints.” She decided to neglect to mention the part about blood in Jeb’s ear, where it must have splattered when he murdered his ex-wife.

“The killer could easily have smeared that blood on Daddy while he was asleep, and planted the knife in his bed,” she insisted stubbornly.

All true, Odelia agreed, and was surprised to find the girl’s thoughts following her own so closely. “But there’s a witness, Fae. A witness who saw what happened.”

“A witness?” The girl frowned.

“Yes, this witness saw your father arguing with Camilla and then attacking her. He’s the one who called the police. He’s the reason they showed up here so fast and were able to arrest your father.” Before he could get rid of the body and cover his tracks.

“So who is this witness? Have the police told you his name?”

“They don’t know his name. He doesn’t want to come forward. The only thing we know about him is that he was walking his dog.”

“Here? Inside the gate?”

“Out on the street.”

The girl laughed.“Oh, but don’t you see?! He’s lying! There’s no way you can look in from the street. There’s the fence, and it’s overgrown with weeds and whatever. So this witness must be the real killer—he’s the one trying to blame this whole thing on Daddy!”

“I don’t know…” said Odelia, wishing those reporters would take a hike so she could take a look at that fence herself. Fae had a point. How could this witness have looked through the lodge’s window if the entire place was fenced off?

Fae clasped Odelia’s hands in hers. “Oh, won’t you help me? My daddy is innocent. Absolutely innocent. He didn’t kill Camilla. I’m one hundred percent sure he didn’t.”

Odelia studied Jeb’s daughter, who stood looking at her with a pleading expression on her face, practically willing her to take the case. But she decided she simply couldn’t. So she handed back the cash. “I’m so sorry, Fae, but I can’t. Like I said, I’m not a detective.”

A mutinous look came over the girl’s face. It was obvious she was used to getting what she wanted.

“You don’t believe me, do you? You think I’m just a silly little girl who loves her daddy so much she’d do anything to save him—even if he’s guilty of murder. But I’m not. I’m not an innocent little girl. I know what’s out there in the world. I’ve seen evil and I know what it looks like. I’m a model, you see, and I’ve come across my fair share of predators and monsters in this business. I’ve looked into their eyes and seen the depravity and the horror and the lechery. And I’ve looked into my father’s eyes and seen nothing but love and tenderness and kindness. He’s a true innocent, and that’s why he finds it so hard to live in this world sometimes. People can be cruel, Odelia. Very, very cruel.” And with these words, she abruptly turned on her heel and strode off back in the direction of the manor house.

“That was tough,” said Max, who hadn’t spoken a word throughout the exchange.

“Yeah, very tough,” Odelia agreed. “But I can’t take Fae’s money. She wants me to prove her father’s innocence, and I can’t. Because he did it, Max. Jeb Pott is a murderer. He’s a brutal cold-hearted killer and I’m not going to try and prove otherwise.”

Chapter 8