“Gabby, you know him better than any of us…could he have done this?”
She didn’t know what to believe. She knew what her heart told her—no way would Robert murder anyone, much less someone he considered family—but her mind kept going over the facts of the case. “I really don’t believe Robert capable of murder, no matter if he had motive or not.”
Conversation halted as Gabby turned into the driveway of the Ellison home. Decades-old magnolia trees lined the long and winding driveway. A wide flower bed trimmed the entire front of the antebellum house, full with greenery of the spring flowers about to burst into full bloom. The lawn appeared lush and well manicured. The hint of wisteria filtered in through the air conditioner. It made a perfect picture, if you didn’t know about the tragedy facing those who called it home.
Gabby put the gear in Park and released her seat belt, then let out a long sigh. “Okay, gang, let’s go reassure Amber.”
God, please let this all be a horrible mistake .
The doorbell chimed the tune of “Dixie” when Gabby pushed the button. The door opened and Amber peered out, her eyes puffy and bloodshot. Gabby instinctively patted the woman’s back. “Oh, Amber, I just heard. We’re so sorry.”
Amber sniffed, then moved to let the girls enter. She pushedthe door closed behind them and led them to the sitting room. Imogene wound an arm around Amber’s waist and walked with their hostess. Gabby followed, then took a seat on the Queen Anne wingback chair. She stared at Robert’s wife sitting on the couch beside Imogene. “Eric called and told me. I’m so sorry. What did the police say?”
More tears and sniffles erupted. Imogene patted Amber’s leg. “It’s okay. We understand.”
Amber smiled politely, but Gabby could tell her heart wasn’t in it. “Sheriff McGruder wants to arrest my Robert. Said Robert had murdered Howard.” Her voice cracked with sobs. She lifted her gaze to meet Gabby’s. “You know he wouldn’t do such a thing.”
“Of course not.” At least she prayed it wasn’t so. “I don’t understand how the sheriff arrived at such a ridiculous conclusion.”
“Well,” Amber began, shredding the tissue she clutched, “Robert and Howard argued about the sale of the station. Howard didn’t want Robert to sell, but Robert wanted out. And just last week, KLUV lost two big advertisers, making Robert even more desperate.” She swallowed, audibly. “But that’s Martin Tankersly’s fault, not Robert’s.”
“Martin Tankersly?” Tonna asked from the other side of the room.
Gabby shifted through her mental filing cabinet again. “He owns KROK.” The rival radio station, the only other one in Mystique. He’d tried to woo Gabby to his station several times over the past years.
Amber’s head bobbed, her brown hair grazing her shoulders. “He undercut advertising prices. The sponsors who went to KROK were the biggest advertisers for Howard’s time slot. Sheriff McGruder said that’s even more motive for Robert to have killed Howard since he had another year on his contract.” Fresh tears slid down her cheeks.
Even though Gabby knew Amber was only forty-seven, with streaked makeup and puffy eyes, the woman looked well into her mid-fifties. Ordinarily, she was an attractive woman. Funny what grief and despair could do to a person. “I didn’t know.”
“You couldn’t have.” Amber dabbed her fading brown eyes with the strip of tissue left. “Robert didn’t want anyone to know.”
“So, the sheriff plans to arrest him?” Tonna inched to the edge of the designer couch.
Amber nodded. “As soon as he wakes up. They have a police guard watching him at the hospital That gun…his fingerprints on it…none of it makes sense to me. Robert’s innocent.”
“Of course he is,” Imogene crooned while patting Amber’s shoulder.
Gabby stood and paced.
Amber sobbed harder. Imogene patted her hair. “Don’t worry, Ms. Amber, God is
She didn’t know what to believe. She knew what her heart told her—no way would Robert murder anyone, much less someone he considered family—but her mind kept going over the facts of the case. “I really don’t believe Robert capable of murder, no matter if he had motive or not.”
Conversation halted as Gabby turned into the driveway of the Ellison home. Decades-old magnolia trees lined the long and winding driveway. A wide flower bed trimmed the entire front of the antebellum house, full with greenery of the spring flowers about to burst into full bloom. The lawn appeared lush and well manicured. The hint of wisteria filtered in through the air conditioner. It made a perfect picture, if you didn’t know about the tragedy facing those who called it home.
Gabby put the gear in Park and released her seat belt, then let out a long sigh. “Okay, gang, let’s go reassure Amber.”
God, please let this all be a horrible mistake .
The doorbell chimed the tune of “Dixie” when Gabby pushed the button. The door opened and Amber peered out, her eyes puffy and bloodshot. Gabby instinctively patted the woman’s back. “Oh, Amber, I just heard. We’re so sorry.”
Amber sniffed, then moved to let the girls enter. She pushedthe door closed behind them and led them to the sitting room. Imogene wound an arm around Amber’s waist and walked with their hostess. Gabby followed, then took a seat on the Queen Anne wingback chair. She stared at Robert’s wife sitting on the couch beside Imogene. “Eric called and told me. I’m so sorry. What did the police say?”
More tears and sniffles erupted. Imogene patted Amber’s leg. “It’s okay. We understand.”
Amber smiled politely, but Gabby could tell her heart wasn’t in it. “Sheriff McGruder wants to arrest my Robert. Said Robert had murdered Howard.” Her voice cracked with sobs. She lifted her gaze to meet Gabby’s. “You know he wouldn’t do such a thing.”
“Of course not.” At least she prayed it wasn’t so. “I don’t understand how the sheriff arrived at such a ridiculous conclusion.”
“Well,” Amber began, shredding the tissue she clutched, “Robert and Howard argued about the sale of the station. Howard didn’t want Robert to sell, but Robert wanted out. And just last week, KLUV lost two big advertisers, making Robert even more desperate.” She swallowed, audibly. “But that’s Martin Tankersly’s fault, not Robert’s.”
“Martin Tankersly?” Tonna asked from the other side of the room.
Gabby shifted through her mental filing cabinet again. “He owns KROK.” The rival radio station, the only other one in Mystique. He’d tried to woo Gabby to his station several times over the past years.
Amber’s head bobbed, her brown hair grazing her shoulders. “He undercut advertising prices. The sponsors who went to KROK were the biggest advertisers for Howard’s time slot. Sheriff McGruder said that’s even more motive for Robert to have killed Howard since he had another year on his contract.” Fresh tears slid down her cheeks.
Even though Gabby knew Amber was only forty-seven, with streaked makeup and puffy eyes, the woman looked well into her mid-fifties. Ordinarily, she was an attractive woman. Funny what grief and despair could do to a person. “I didn’t know.”
“You couldn’t have.” Amber dabbed her fading brown eyes with the strip of tissue left. “Robert didn’t want anyone to know.”
“So, the sheriff plans to arrest him?” Tonna inched to the edge of the designer couch.
Amber nodded. “As soon as he wakes up. They have a police guard watching him at the hospital That gun…his fingerprints on it…none of it makes sense to me. Robert’s innocent.”
“Of course he is,” Imogene crooned while patting Amber’s shoulder.
Gabby stood and paced.
Amber sobbed harder. Imogene patted her hair. “Don’t worry, Ms. Amber, God is
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