She broke in, her voice harsh. ”Kirby, promise me you’ll tell the police you were with Lily.”
The doorbell rang.
Judith looked toward the hall, wavered on her feet.
Kirby pushed back his chair. “I’ll take care of it, Mom. I’ll take care of everything.” He was at her side, gripping her arm.
G h o s t at Wo r k
The bell pealed again.
Kirby steered his mother to the window seat. “Sit down and rest.
I’ll see about it.” He gave a worried backward glance as he hurried into the hallway.
When the door opened, Chief Cobb’s deep voice easily carried to the breakfast room. “Good morning, Kirby. If you have a moment, I have some questions about your movements Thursday.” Judith pushed to her feet, rushed to the hall.
I followed and stood by the waist-tall Chinese vase near the entry to the living room.
Judith clasped her hands so tightly the fingers blanched. “He’s told you everything he knows. Can’t you leave us alone? We have family coming. We have to plan the funeral. There’s so much to do.” Kirby glanced from the frowning chief to his mother. “It’s okay, Mom. Go upstairs and rest. I’ll talk to the chief.” Kirby touched her arm. “Please.”
Judith glared at the chief. “Kirby doesn’t know anything about what happened to his father. Nothing.” Her voice was shrill.
The chief rocked back on his heels, his heavy face determined.
“Sorry to intrude, Mrs. Murdoch, but I have a duty to investigate your husband’s murder. He was shot with a twenty-two.” Cobb turned toward Kirby. “You were target-practicing with a twenty-two Thursday afternoon on the river bottom.” It was a statement, not a question.
Kirby jammed a hand through his tangled hair. “Yeah. I shoot most Thursdays. When I finished, I put the gun in the trunk of my car.”
“Where is the gun now?”
Kirby didn’t answer.
Chief Cobb pressed him. “Yesterday you said it must have been stolen from the trunk of your car.”
“Yeah.” He stared at the floor.
Ca ro ly n H a rt
I felt a chill. He was trying not to look at his mother. Kirby thought she’d taken the gun. Why did he suspect her?
The questions came fast.
“What time did you put it in the trunk?”
“About two-thirty.”
“Where was the car between two-thirty and five?”
“Parked in the lot next to my girlfriend’s apartment.”
“Locked?”
Kirby gnawed at his lower lip. He started to speak, stopped, finally spoke. “Yeah. It was locked.”
His mother drew in a sharp breath.
Chief Cobb was somber. “Where were you shortly after five p.m.
Thursday?”
Judith took two quick steps, stood between the chief and her son.
“He was with his girlfriend. He’s already told you.”
“He can tell me again. Here or downtown. This time he can tell me the truth. He was seen outside his father’s office shortly after five o’clock.” Chief Cobb’s gaze was cold. “Your choice, son.” Kirby swallowed. “Yeah, I was there.” Judith gave a strangled cry. “You can’t do this. I’ll call our lawyer.”
Chief Cobb’s eyes narrowed. “I’m seeking information, Mrs. Murdoch. I’m not making an accusation. It looks like you think your son had something to do with his father’s death. Are you afraid of what your son is going to say?”
Judith looked tortured. “You’re twisting my words.” Kirby jammed his hands into the pockets of his sweatpants. “I went to Dad’s office because I had to talk to him.”
“You followed him out of the parking lot?” Kirby’s face ridged. He took a deep breath. “Yeah. I started after him.” He shot a desperate, grieved look at his mother, moved uneasily on his feet. “Dad drove to the church.” He put out the words with effort.
G h o s t at Wo r k
“I waited until he parked. I caught him just outside the church. I told him what a louse he was for getting Lily fired from her job. It was a rotten thing to do. He said he’d make sure she never got another job.” Cobb waited.
Kirby shuddered, again stared at the floor. “We were yelling, and when I looked up we’d walked into the
