Confessions. JoAnn Ross

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СКАЧАТЬ get to be chairman of the Armed Services Committee without some powerful friends.”

      His easy drawl irritated her. Her gaze met his and held. “I just thought I should warn you.”

      “Consider me warned.” His gray eyes darkened, but his tone remained mild. Only a well-honed ear could have detected the steel in it.

      Mariah swallowed the rest of the thick brown brew and stood up. “Well, thanks for the coffee, Sheriff. I’d better check into the lodge. I’ve got a lot to do.”

      “Before you go, I need to ask you a couple of questions. About your sister.”

      She sat back down. “All right.”

      “Were you close?”

      “When we were kids, we were as close as two people can be.”

      “And later?”

      Mariah sighed. “Not as close as I would have liked.”

      She’d never forget the knock-down-drag-out fight between them on her last night in Arizona. Laura had only been attempting to soothe the always turbulent waters between father and daughter when Matthew Swann had discovered her intention to become an actress, like her mother.

      But at the time, Mariah had viewed Laura as a traitor. Embarrassed, angry and young, Mariah had struck out with her most powerful weapon—words. She’d flung hurtful accusations like bullets, claiming Laura had abandoned her the same way she’d abandoned Clint Garvey on their wedding night.

      Knowing that her sister had never gotten over the painful events of that disastrous night, Mariah had gone so far as to suggest that Laura would never marry any man because of her unhealthy relationship with her own father.

      The word incest was never spoken, but the unpalatable suggestion had hovered over the room like a deadly cloud.

      When an apoplectic Matthew had demanded Mariah apologize, she’d refused. It was the last time she was to see her sister for a very long time.

      Then, two years ago, during a trip to California, Laura had surprised her by showing up on the set of a made-for-television movie. Their first meeting had been cautious. Their stilted conversation had reminded Mariah of two boxers, circling the ring, feeling each other out in the early rounds.

      Gradually, emotional walls began to go down. Enough so that Mariah believed that while they’d probably never regain the relationship they’d once shared, perhaps, if they both continued to try, they’d be able to create something equally satisfying.

      She began turning the empty cup around in her hands as she considered bleakly how she’d thought they would have time to patch things up.

      “Did she happen to discuss her marriage with you?”

      “Only in passing.”

      “Did you get the impression her marriage was a happy one?”

      “How could it be? Considering who her husband was.”

      “That sounds a lot like conjecture.”

      Mariah swore. “All right, I’ll admit to being prejudiced. But that doesn’t mean the man isn’t a rat. And although Laura never got into specifics, whenever the conversation would drift Alan’s way, I received the definite impression that she was far from happy. Which wasn’t that surprising, considering all the rumors about his infidelity.”

      “Rumors aren’t necessarily fact.”

      “True. But believe me, Sheriff, in Alan’s case, they were more than true. In fact, the worm even hit on me once. During one of his political fund-raising trips to California.”

      She scowled. “He actually had the gall to invite me up to his hotel suite. Allegedly to discuss my relationship with Laura, but since his hand was on my knee at the time, I had the impression that his wife wasn’t uppermost in his mind.”

      The senator was either incredibly nervy. Or stupid. “You didn’t take him up on his offer.” It was not a question.

      “I assured him that if he ever touched me again, he’d learn exactly how a bull feels when a cowboy with a pair of nutcutters turns him into a steer.”

      Trace inwardly flinched. “Did you tell your sister about the incident?”

      “Of course not. I figured she had to know what kind of man she’d married. Why should I make her feel worse?”

      “Did she ever mention another man?”

      There it was again. That not very subtle accusation. She lifted her chin and met his veiled gaze straight on. “My sister would not sleep around.”

      “You’re sure of that.”

      “Absolutely.”

      “Would you happen to know if she had a friend whose name began with the initial C?”

      C? Clint Garvey immediately came to mind. Deciding that Laura’s brief, disastrous elopement was none of this man’s business, Mariah said, “No.”

      From the way she’d begun tearing that cup into little pieces, Trace knew she was lying. He’d bet the Suburban, along with a year’s pay on it.

      “Your sister and her husband have been married a long time not to have children.”

      She arched a brow. “I believe that’s what they call a leading question, Sheriff.”

      “I suppose it is,” Trace said agreeably.

      “Not that I can see what bearing it would possibly have on this case, Laura always wanted a large family. But things didn’t work out.”

      Trace decided against mentioning the home pregnancy test the evidence unit had found in the bathroom wastebasket. “One more question.”

      Something new had crept into his voice. Something that had her instantly on alert. “All right.”

      “Your earlier comment about all the senator’s powerful friends—” he braced his elbows on the scarred wooden arms of the chair, linked his fingers together and eyed her over the tent of his hands “—were you concerned about my competence to investigate this case?

      “Or were you worried that when push came to shove, I’d turn out to be just one of those stereotypical, corruptible rube cops you write into your television programs?”

      Mariah had the grace to flush. A band of tension tightened at the back of her neck. But she held her ground.

      “I’m not sure.”

      The answer wasn’t the one Trace would have preferred to hear. But he couldn’t help respecting her honesty. He pushed himself out of the chair. “When you decide, let me know.”

      “I’ll do that.” Mariah stood up as well and tossed the tattered pieces of cardboard into the metal wastepaper basket. “Are you finished questioning me?”

      “For now. I’ll СКАЧАТЬ