“Whatever happened that day, Pauline and Jim covered it up. They’ll both be assigned attorneys. After that, it’s up to the courts to decide.”
Miranda watched the Beises file out as a group.
Regardless of what their mother had done, they were a family.
They would get through. Probably come out on the other side even stronger. Families were like that. Resilient. At least, the ones that loved each other, anyway.
She had a few more things to follow up on—they needed to find Monica and confirm what they’d learned today—which confirmed what they’d already suspected. Pauline and her mother had argued, most likely Helen tried to strike her daughter. Pauline hit back, then panicked. Asked her lover to bury the body.
They’d have Clint’s people and Joel’s deputies follow up with interviews, have forensics comb over the barn one more time to see if they could find a murder weapon—she suspected it would be a rake handle, now—and they’d take the next steps before having Pauline and Jim Hollace charged with the murder of Helen Caudrell.
The arrests were officially Clint and Joel’s.
It would be time for PAVAD to step back and move on to the next case, very, very soon.
Now though, she was going to finish what she needed to today, and she was going to go home. Spend some time with her family.
And put a few states between herself and Allan Knight for a while, too.
The man had completely disconcerted her. Miranda needed to work through that for a few days, at least. Then everything would get right back to normal.
60
Knight was glad the case was over. It had been more intense than he’d expected it to be. What had happened to Clint Gunderson for no good reason would stay with him for a while.
Clint’s daughter and the woman he loved could have died because a cop had gotten pissed and gotten drunk. That would never sit right. He didn’t think it ever could.
He was sticking around for one more night. Miranda had made it clear she would handle the official end-of-case protocols in the morning. He’d started the case with her, he was going to finish with her.
Jac Jones was off somewhere; he suspected she was staying in order to visit with the Talley family, who had made no bones about the fact that they’d semi-adopted her as one of their own. She even called Miranda’s grandmother Grandma Flo.
It overwhelmed the quieter Jac, Knight suspected. He didn’t know her story, but he didn’t think she had much family of her own. Something he definitely understood.
Jac had quietly impressed him. He’d gladly offer her a position with the cold-case division. If he took it. He’d offer all the agents he’d worked with a position, if they applied.
Except for Dr. Miranda Talley.
That woman was like his own personal lightning storm. When she struck—usually with just a smile—she singed him clear down to his toes.
No. Distance between them was the name of the game.
If he wanted to keep his sanity.
He entered the Masterson Sheriff’s Office in time to see her wrapped up in Clint Gunderson’s arms, just giving him what comfort she no doubt thought he needed.
She loved.
Miranda loved openly with all those who mattered to her.
Welcoming, beautiful, loving, open.
She was the antithesis of what he needed in his life right now. Knight just stopped walking and stared at her. Glared.
No woman had confused him like she had in years.
He just stood there until she shot him a sunny smile and strolled out of the building like she owned it.
Knight just watched her go.
Yep. She was a storm of problems. He’d best just keep himself far away. A few more hours, and he’d be out of Masterson forever.
61
She was going to miss home. No surprise. It was always bittersweet to leave here. But Miranda knew the truth; unlike her cousins and Marin and Meyra, while she loved Masterson, it wasn’t where she was meant to be. At least not in this season of her life.
Season. She smiled; maybe she and Marin were a bit more alike than she realized. Meant? People weren’t meant to be anywhere. They either chose to be happy where they were, or they chose not to be.
She’d always love Masterson. Always.
Jac was waiting at the diner. Unlike the rest of the team, she hadn’t flown back with Carrie Lorcan. She’d understood that Miranda needed a night with her family before she headed back to St. Louis. Jac was a good best friend; Miranda would keep her. Her grandmother had taken Jac under her wing from the first time Miranda had convinced Jac to swing through Masterson when they’d finished a case in northern Idaho. Something Miranda had long suspected Jac needed. Jac was so alone sometimes.
Miranda pushed open the door to the inn, expecting to be met by Chloe. She wasn’t. Miranda had accepted it a long time ago—there would be a time she came home and wasn’t greeted by the dog any longer. And that she’d probably not get to be with Chloe when the end happened. That stung. Hurt in ways she didn’t want to think about.
Bittersweet.
“Chloe! I’m here, baby.” That was the word to describe Masterson now. It was always that way when it was time to leave. Bittersweet.
The silence of the inn was her only answer. “Chloe!”
The sound of doggie claws on the hardwood didn’t come. Her heart jumped; just a little. Miranda forced herself to relax. Chloe was partially deaf, and old. She was probably curled up on Dusty’s bed, sound asleep. Dusty had assumed care of Chloe when Miranda had left seven years ago. Now, Chloe followed her cousin just about everywhere. She’d always be thankful for how much her cousin loved Chloe. It made leaving Chloe a little easier.
Miranda started down the hall.
Dusty had the bedroom behind the kitchen
