They’d found Serena’s stolen car over an hour away from Shiloh Springs, abandoned in a shopping center parking lot. Drury had taken it, making his getaway while Rafe and Antonio had been rescuing Serena in the woods. Though Ridge had chased after Drury, he’d lost him in heavy traffic outside Austin. Currently the car was being gone over with a fine-tooth comb, the FBI crime techs searching for fingerprints, fibers, or anything else to prove Drury drove it, because the only person who’d gotten a good look at him after the accident was Serena. All Ridge could tell was the man running away was approximately the right height and build for Drury, but he hadn’t gotten a good look at his face.
“Corinne, is Mr. Drury home? I’d like to ask him some questions as well.”
“Jonathan isn’t due back for a while, Mr. Boudreau.” She coquettishly curled a clump of oily hair around her finger, and gave him another simpering smile, which didn’t do anything except turn his stomach. Was she seriously trying to flirt with him? He needed to get her focused and answering questions, and made an effort to get her attention off him and back onto her husband.
“I see. Well, I do have a couple of questions you might be able to answer. Where was your husband yesterday?”
The hair-twirling finger stopped mid-twirl and she sat a little straighter. “He was here at home. Why?”
“Was he here all day, Mrs. Drury? Did he leave at any time?”
“What is this about, Mr. Boudreau? My husband hasn’t done anything wrong.”
“I’m following up on an accident. Looking for potential witnesses. You understand.” Antonio didn’t want to come right out and tell Corinne he wanted to toss her husband under the jail for hurting Serena. Or that FBI agents didn’t normally go around looking for eyewitnesses to car accidents. That was handled by the local cops.
“You think he saw an accident? Oh, I don’t think so. He was here—”
The front door swung open hard enough to bang against the wall, and Drury raced inside, red-faced and out of breath. His eyes frantically scanned the room before spotting Antonio. In a surprising move, Jonathan stalked across the room and got right up in Antonio’s face, his anger an almost palpable thing.
“Why are you bothering my wife?” He slung an arm around Corinne, pulling her against his side. She slid both arms around Drury’s waist and rested her head against his chest, hugging him close.
“Honey, it’s okay. He’s with the FBI. He wants to talk to you about an accident.”
Drury ran a gentle hand over his wife’s head before cupping her cheek. “I’m sure it’s a mistake. I don’t know anything about an accident. I’m afraid I can’t help you, Mr. Boudreau.”
The tiny hairs of the back of Antonio’s neck tingled at the mention of his name. Neither he nor Drury’s wife had mentioned him by name, simply he was with the FBI. Somebody must have snitched to Drury about a stranger showing up at his house. The neighborhood grapevine moved quickly when it wanted to and small-town suburbs, like this one, meant neighbors watched out for each other. Guess somebody must’ve called Drury when they’d seen Antonio show up on his doorstep. Didn’t explain how he’d known Antonio’s name, but it did mean Drury knew a whole lot more than Antonio expected. Apparently Big Jim’s mouthpiece was neck deep in his conspiracy and his attempt on Serena’s life.
“Mr. Drury, where were you yesterday?”
Drury glanced at his wife before answering. “Here. All day. I never left the house.”
Antonio watched the imperceptible stiffening of Corinne’s body at Drury’s lie, but she didn’t contradict him. “Can anybody confirm your story?”
“Of course. My wife can. Right, sweetie?”
“That’s what I was telling Mr. Boudreau. You were home all day. With me.”
“I have witnesses who claim you were in Texas yesterday, Mr. Drury. And you were involved in an automobile accident with another car. Are you denying their account?”
Drury nodded. “Absolutely. Whoever told you that is either mistaken or a bald-faced liar. I emphatically deny being in Texas or anywhere else yesterday, except for right here, in my home.” He paused, defiantly staring at Antonio. “Am I being accused of anything, Mr. Boudreau? I have to assume it’s serious, if they’ve sent the Federal Bureau of Investigation to interrogate me.”
“Mr. Drury, this is not an interrogation, it’s an informal inquiry into an accident and attempted kidnapping in Central Texas. I’m sure you understand the gravity of the situation. We have to cover all angles and investigate any facts to determine the guilty parties involved.”
“Kidnapping? Now you’ve definitely piqued my interest. Who’d they attempt to snatch?”
The smirk on Drury’s face made Antonio’s hand itch to slap it right off his smug face. With his wife corroborating his alibi, Drury knew Antonio couldn’t touch him. Yet. He’d have to sit tight and wait for the evidence from the car search. SAC Williamson was having somebody check with the car rental agency to see if they could get a description of the person who’d rented the sedan, but until then, he was stuck between a rock and a hard place.
“I’m afraid that’s privileged information. Do you have any idea why someone would want to implicate you in this situation?”
“I’m afraid not.”
“What about Big Jim Berkley’s case? I heard he’s eligible for a new trial thanks to you. Congratulations.” It left a nasty taste in his mouth, saying those words, but he needed to make the little weasel think he was off the hook, even if only temporarily. “Any chance this could be related?”
Drury seemed to
