watched Ford. His face gave away little, but she sensed a prickle of excitement coming to life inside him. They’d barely started, and already they had a new lead.
Still, the questions continued. They talked almost three hours, until a warden told them they had over-stayed their welcome.
As they took their leave, Robyn searched for something to say to Eldon. Something to ease his pain, to reassure him, to give him a thin shred of hope to cling to.
But she could see nothing they’d done here today gave him hope. He was a defeated, broken man.
“Eldon,” she said. It was the first she’d spoken since her outburst. “You’re not alone. I won’t abandon you, and neither will Trina. She loves you.”
Eldon shook his head. “You both loved a man who didn’t really exist.” On that note, a guard escorted him away.
Robyn didn’t take a good, deep breath until they were outside. She had never appreciated hot, muggy, fresh air so much in her life.
“It must be awful for him,” she said as they walked across the steaming parking lot toward the car. “Eight years behind bars, most of them in that place.”
“It’s bad,” Ford agreed. “Guilty or innocent, it changes a person forever.” He opened the passenger door of the Crown Vic. “Robyn, what do you think he meant when he said you loved someone who didn’t exist?”
She leaned her back against the car. “I guess because we both thought he was a devoted husband. When in reality he was jumping everything in his path with an X chromosome.”
“There were others?”
Robyn slid into the passenger seat and waited until Ford was behind the wheel. “Trina was the third one I knew about. When I caught him with the first one, he swore it had been a onetime deal, a momentary lapse, and that it would never happen again. I was pregnant with Justin at the time, and I didn’t want to make waves, so I chose to believe him.
“After the second one, I threatened to leave, but he said he would get counseling, and he did. The salon where Trina worked as a shampoo girl was next door to the counselor’s office.”
“What a bastard,” Ford muttered.
“I know you must think I’m an idiot.”
“Not at all. Eldon’s a good liar, very convincing. He turns those emotions on and off like a faucet.”
Robyn sat up straighter. “You think he was lying?” she asked, alarmed. If Ford believed Eldon was guilty, he would drop this case so fast her head would spin.
“No. The story he told today sounded legit. I tried every which way to trip him up and I couldn’t. But he was faking some of that angst. Milking his anguish and regret for all it was worth. For your benefit.”
“Mine?”
“You’re his last ally. He might lose Trina and he knows it. He’s going to manipulate your emotions every which way to make sure you give this your all. He’s a master manipulator, Robyn. I’ve been dealing with his type my whole life.”
Robyn squeezed her eyes shut. “You’re going to drop the case.”
“What? No. I told you, I believe his story. The guy doesn’t deserve the needle for being a cheater. I just want you to promise me one thing.”
“What?” she asked warily.
“If we get Eldon out of jail, you’ll have nothing to do with him. Ever.”
“But if he gets out, he’ll need—”
“Ever. Promise me, Robyn.”
Why did Ford care? “I could promise anything. How do you even know I would keep my word? I’m a liar, remember? I lied about stealing those art supplies.”
Oh, hell, why had she brought that up again? It was so many years ago, and revisiting that time only served to put her and Ford against each other. But the memory had never completely lost its kick. Whether falsely accused of a murder or a minor theft, it felt awful.
“So you admit you were lying?” His tone was conversational, curious.
“Of course not. I didn’t steal the damn art supplies.”
“Look, whatever I believed about you then is immaterial. If you make me a promise
Still, the questions continued. They talked almost three hours, until a warden told them they had over-stayed their welcome.
As they took their leave, Robyn searched for something to say to Eldon. Something to ease his pain, to reassure him, to give him a thin shred of hope to cling to.
But she could see nothing they’d done here today gave him hope. He was a defeated, broken man.
“Eldon,” she said. It was the first she’d spoken since her outburst. “You’re not alone. I won’t abandon you, and neither will Trina. She loves you.”
Eldon shook his head. “You both loved a man who didn’t really exist.” On that note, a guard escorted him away.
Robyn didn’t take a good, deep breath until they were outside. She had never appreciated hot, muggy, fresh air so much in her life.
“It must be awful for him,” she said as they walked across the steaming parking lot toward the car. “Eight years behind bars, most of them in that place.”
“It’s bad,” Ford agreed. “Guilty or innocent, it changes a person forever.” He opened the passenger door of the Crown Vic. “Robyn, what do you think he meant when he said you loved someone who didn’t exist?”
She leaned her back against the car. “I guess because we both thought he was a devoted husband. When in reality he was jumping everything in his path with an X chromosome.”
“There were others?”
Robyn slid into the passenger seat and waited until Ford was behind the wheel. “Trina was the third one I knew about. When I caught him with the first one, he swore it had been a onetime deal, a momentary lapse, and that it would never happen again. I was pregnant with Justin at the time, and I didn’t want to make waves, so I chose to believe him.
“After the second one, I threatened to leave, but he said he would get counseling, and he did. The salon where Trina worked as a shampoo girl was next door to the counselor’s office.”
“What a bastard,” Ford muttered.
“I know you must think I’m an idiot.”
“Not at all. Eldon’s a good liar, very convincing. He turns those emotions on and off like a faucet.”
Robyn sat up straighter. “You think he was lying?” she asked, alarmed. If Ford believed Eldon was guilty, he would drop this case so fast her head would spin.
“No. The story he told today sounded legit. I tried every which way to trip him up and I couldn’t. But he was faking some of that angst. Milking his anguish and regret for all it was worth. For your benefit.”
“Mine?”
“You’re his last ally. He might lose Trina and he knows it. He’s going to manipulate your emotions every which way to make sure you give this your all. He’s a master manipulator, Robyn. I’ve been dealing with his type my whole life.”
Robyn squeezed her eyes shut. “You’re going to drop the case.”
“What? No. I told you, I believe his story. The guy doesn’t deserve the needle for being a cheater. I just want you to promise me one thing.”
“What?” she asked warily.
“If we get Eldon out of jail, you’ll have nothing to do with him. Ever.”
“But if he gets out, he’ll need—”
“Ever. Promise me, Robyn.”
Why did Ford care? “I could promise anything. How do you even know I would keep my word? I’m a liar, remember? I lied about stealing those art supplies.”
Oh, hell, why had she brought that up again? It was so many years ago, and revisiting that time only served to put her and Ford against each other. But the memory had never completely lost its kick. Whether falsely accused of a murder or a minor theft, it felt awful.
“So you admit you were lying?” His tone was conversational, curious.
“Of course not. I didn’t steal the damn art supplies.”
“Look, whatever I believed about you then is immaterial. If you make me a promise
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