Chapters (42)
- Cover Page
- EARLY BIRD BOOKS
- Praise for the Writing of Richard North Patterson
- Title Page
- Dedication
- Epigraph
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-one
- Twenty-two
- Twenty-three
- Twenty-four
- Twenty-five
- Twenty-six
- Twenty-seven
- Twenty-eight
- Twenty-nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-one
- Thirty-two
- Thirty-three
- Thirty-four
- Thirty-five
- About the Author
“I wish it weren’t. From the time I started looking into Lydia’s murder you tried to stop me—for Roland’s sake, you said. And when I wouldn’t, I found your picture on my windshield. You’re an artist, after all.”
“You can’t believe that.”
“I can’t believe you. When I asked you to leave town you refused and tried persuading me to quit. The night I was shot at, you’d switched off every light in the house, your revolver was missing, and you were out. When you came home the revolver was in your purse. This partnership finished it. You hid that from me, damn you, and now Henry and Lydia are dead. I’m giving you to Rayfield.”
I moved toward her. Cade’s face as he stood between us was hard, determined. “I won’t permit this. They’ll try Kris Ann for murder.”
“They’ll do that anyhow. The news people know about Napoleon.”
Cade stared at me. “Then you sent the Culhane woman.”
“That’s right. By nightfall Rayfield will be here looking for Kris Ann. It’s already done.”
Kris Ann looked to Cade, pleading. He stepped forward. “You’ve ruined everything, Adam. I always knew you would. God, how I hate you.”
“For what, Roland? Finding Lydia’s murderer?”
“You’re such a fool.” He shook his head. “Sweet Jesus, to have lived through this for seven years and remained so stupid.”
“Not quite so stupid.”
A strange smile of contempt turned the ends of his mouth without touching his eyes. “But you are. You see, Kris Ann didn’t kill anyone.”
I stopped to face him as he awaited my answer. After a moment I said simply, “I know.”
Cade stared at me in the long silence that followed. I broke it, speaking softly. “I counted on you, Roland. You do love her, in your way.”
Cade’s eyes widened as if admitting light. Kris Ann bolted up, staring wildly at both of us and backing away until we formed a triangle, the couch between us, Cade to one side. The mantel and gun were still behind him. “How did you know?” he finally asked.
“Bayles came to see me.”
“I wouldn’t have thought that.”
“Love is strange. But then you know all about that. It all comes back to the three of us: you, me, and Kris Ann.”
Cade’s head tilted. “How long have you wanted me for this?”
“I suppose since the beginning, on some level.”
“Why so soon?”