okay?”
After a long hesitation, she nodded, but he could tell she was reluctant to commit. If he was smart he’d mind his own business, walk away from this house and this woman and forget about it—forget about her. But for some reason, he couldn’t leave. She needed him, and he was going to help her, regardless of how he felt about it, or whether she wanted him to or not. He was also going to learn the truth about what happened back then. Prove to everyone that his father had nothing to do with it. That was his main goal and he had to stick with it.
And it was time he got started. They talked for another half hour, until Macy seemed calmer, more relaxed. He felt easier about leaving her alone. When he left, his intent was to spend the rest of Sunday afternoon trying to learn more about Steve and Megan Douglas. The problem was that the case was so old, it would be difficult to know where to start. The town had been extremely divided back then and he had no idea who had been friends or enemies, so how would he know the truth when he heard it?
His thoughts turned to Macy. He hated to think of her alone in that house. The phone call could have just been harassment, someone resenting Steve Douglas’s daughter coming to town. Or it could have been someone much more dangerous—a killer who didn’t want to be discovered. He couldn’t ignore that possibility. Someone had killed a woman in that house and hurt a child. He probably wouldn’t hesitate to attack another person.
Macy had mentioned Hilda Yates. Maybe he’d stop by and talk to her. Hilda had been a close friend of Opal Lassiter. She might have some information he could use.
Soon he was seated in Hilda’s living room. “Macy Douglas said she talked to you at church.”
Hilda shot him a questioning look. “She did. We had a disagreement and I walked out. I told her the truth, but she didn’t believe me, and I didn’t feel like church was the place to get into an argument.”
“So you’re sure Opal tried to contact Macy?”
“Of course I’m sure. I saw some of her letters. They were unopened and stamped ‘Return to Sender.’ I saw Opal cry over them.”
Nick thought about Macy and how positive she was that her grandmother Douglas wouldn’t do a thing like that. She was bound to find out the truth and he knew it would tear her apart. He hated thinking about it. Hilda was looking at him as if trying to decide whether to say something. He waited, giving her time.
She nodded as if she had reached a decision. “Look, Nick, there’s something I need to tell you. Along toward the end, Opal had acted strange. From some of the things she said, I got the impression she was changing her mind about a few things. Like maybe she was thinking someone other than Steve killed Megan.”
Nick stared at her, dumbfounded. This really wasn’t anything he wanted to hear. “Are you sure about that?” His voice came out harsher than he intended, but Hilda didn’t seem to notice.
“Reasonably sure. Of course, I don’t have any proof, but it’s something to think about.”
It was indeed, and he didn’t like the implications. Not after the things Sam had said. So had Opal Lassiter believed the police sent an innocent man to prison? Then who did she think had killed her daughter? And what had changed her mind? He was just getting started in the investigation, and what Hilda said about Opal was one more piece of information to mull over. Yes, he knew it was an option, but it was one he didn’t want to think about. He had a feeling he wouldn’t be able to ignore it, though. This was the second time someone had mentioned the possibility that the police had messed up the investigation back then. The accusations probably wouldn’t go away.
When Nick left Hilda’s he decided to drive by and see Macy again. Not that he had a reason, he just wanted to check on her. Since he was off duty until tonight, it wasn’t any of Sam’s business what he did. At least he
After a long hesitation, she nodded, but he could tell she was reluctant to commit. If he was smart he’d mind his own business, walk away from this house and this woman and forget about it—forget about her. But for some reason, he couldn’t leave. She needed him, and he was going to help her, regardless of how he felt about it, or whether she wanted him to or not. He was also going to learn the truth about what happened back then. Prove to everyone that his father had nothing to do with it. That was his main goal and he had to stick with it.
And it was time he got started. They talked for another half hour, until Macy seemed calmer, more relaxed. He felt easier about leaving her alone. When he left, his intent was to spend the rest of Sunday afternoon trying to learn more about Steve and Megan Douglas. The problem was that the case was so old, it would be difficult to know where to start. The town had been extremely divided back then and he had no idea who had been friends or enemies, so how would he know the truth when he heard it?
His thoughts turned to Macy. He hated to think of her alone in that house. The phone call could have just been harassment, someone resenting Steve Douglas’s daughter coming to town. Or it could have been someone much more dangerous—a killer who didn’t want to be discovered. He couldn’t ignore that possibility. Someone had killed a woman in that house and hurt a child. He probably wouldn’t hesitate to attack another person.
Macy had mentioned Hilda Yates. Maybe he’d stop by and talk to her. Hilda had been a close friend of Opal Lassiter. She might have some information he could use.
Soon he was seated in Hilda’s living room. “Macy Douglas said she talked to you at church.”
Hilda shot him a questioning look. “She did. We had a disagreement and I walked out. I told her the truth, but she didn’t believe me, and I didn’t feel like church was the place to get into an argument.”
“So you’re sure Opal tried to contact Macy?”
“Of course I’m sure. I saw some of her letters. They were unopened and stamped ‘Return to Sender.’ I saw Opal cry over them.”
Nick thought about Macy and how positive she was that her grandmother Douglas wouldn’t do a thing like that. She was bound to find out the truth and he knew it would tear her apart. He hated thinking about it. Hilda was looking at him as if trying to decide whether to say something. He waited, giving her time.
She nodded as if she had reached a decision. “Look, Nick, there’s something I need to tell you. Along toward the end, Opal had acted strange. From some of the things she said, I got the impression she was changing her mind about a few things. Like maybe she was thinking someone other than Steve killed Megan.”
Nick stared at her, dumbfounded. This really wasn’t anything he wanted to hear. “Are you sure about that?” His voice came out harsher than he intended, but Hilda didn’t seem to notice.
“Reasonably sure. Of course, I don’t have any proof, but it’s something to think about.”
It was indeed, and he didn’t like the implications. Not after the things Sam had said. So had Opal Lassiter believed the police sent an innocent man to prison? Then who did she think had killed her daughter? And what had changed her mind? He was just getting started in the investigation, and what Hilda said about Opal was one more piece of information to mull over. Yes, he knew it was an option, but it was one he didn’t want to think about. He had a feeling he wouldn’t be able to ignore it, though. This was the second time someone had mentioned the possibility that the police had messed up the investigation back then. The accusations probably wouldn’t go away.
When Nick left Hilda’s he decided to drive by and see Macy again. Not that he had a reason, he just wanted to check on her. Since he was off duty until tonight, it wasn’t any of Sam’s business what he did. At least he
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