dependable?â
âAbsolutely.â The word came out hard, as if pushed through a blockage. Canaday unclenched his hands, looked at his wristwatch. âI donât mean to be rude, Mr. Runyon, but I have an appointment at five-thirty and I really should be leaving soon. If you donât have any more questionsâ¦â
âNot unless you have anything to add.â
âNothing, no,â Canaday said. âNothing at all. Iâve told you everything I know about the woman.â
No, he hadnât. Hiding something, covering upâman with a guilt complex. Runyon wouldâve bet Canaday had had something going with Verity Daniels at one time or another, and that it hadnât had an amiable ending.
*Â Â Â *Â Â Â *
The man who opened the door of the house in one of Martinezâs older tracts wore a uniform shirt that had the words Riteway Gutter Installers over one pocket. He was short, squat, with a blocky face dominated by a thick black mustache that bracketed his mouth and small, deep-sunk eyes under bushy brows. The eyes narrowed to slits when he saw that Runyon was nobody he knew.
âMr. Avery? Hank Avery?â
âSo? If youâre a salesman or a religious nut, you better just haul ass. Like the sign right there by the bell says, no solicitors.â
âIâm not a solicitor.â Runyon proved it with his ID.
Avery stared at the license. âA private eye? What you want here?â
âA few minutes of your and your motherâs time.â
âYou donât get any of her time. Sheâs not well, sheâs sleeping. I asked you how come youâre here.â
âVerity Daniels.â
The name made Avery jerk a little, tightened his mouth. He said, âWhat the hell?â and came out quickly onto the porch, closing the door behind him as if he were afraid his mother might overhear. âWhat about her? You investigating her?â
âIâm not at liberty to say.â
âDamn well should be, if youâre not. She killed my brother two and a half years ago. You know about that?â
âI know your brother drowned. And that it was ruled an accident.â
âAccident. Bullshit. She killed him, all right. Even if she didnât hold his head under the water, she killed him. Heâd still be alive if he hadnât gone on that camping trip with her.â
âI understand he was thinking of calling off the wedding.â
âDamn right he was. Should never of had anything to do with her in the first place.â
âWhy was he backing out?â
âHe wouldnât tell me or Ma. Said she wasnât what he thought she was. No shit. Screwing some other guy, probably. Jason, he was big on a woman being faithful.â
âIf she was involved with somebody else, any idea who it might have been?â
âNo. Couldâve been anybody.â Avery cracked thick-knobbed knuckles. âShe do something to somebody else? That what this is all about? Man, I hope so because then maybe sheâll finally get whatâs coming to her.â
âAnd what would that be?â
âJail time, a busted head, whatever hurts her the most.â
âDo the hurting yourself, Mr. Avery? If you had the chance?â
âDonât think I didnât think about it after Jason died.â
âAnd?â
âMa talked me out of it. Didnât want to lose her only other son on account of that bitch.â
âThe last time you had any contact with Verity Daniels was when?â
âNot since Jason died. Not long enough.â
âKnow where sheâs living now?â
âNo, and I donât give a crap. Unless sheâs dead or about to be, so I can go to her goddamn funeral and then spit on her grave.â
âSo you hadnât heard about her inheritance.â
Blank stare. âInheritance? What inheritance?â
âFrom a wealthy relative. Six months
Katherine Holubitsky
Dawn Atkins
Lucy Worsley
K. L. Denman
Anthony Mark
Greg Keyes
Rod Walker
Susan Meissner
Jackson Spencer Bell
Skittle Booth