Dead Right by Brenda Novak Read Free Book Online Page B

hard evidence, he was obviously making an effort to reserve judgment. But Madeline sensed that he believed what everyone else believed—that her stepfamily had caused whatever had happened to Lee Barker.
    “It shouldn’t be long now,” she said, to herself as much as Irene.
    “Do they know what they’re doing? They should’ve asked Al ie for help.”
    “They didn’t?”

    “No. She cal ed and offered, but they turned her down.”
    The Vincel is had gotten to Toby, just as she’d expected.
    Otherwise, he would’ve included Al ie. Al ie had more experience in gathering evidence than anyone in Stil water; she would’ve been the obvious choice. “I’m sure they’re doing their best. Chief Pontiff is a good man.”
    But he was new at his job, and Madeline didn’t have a lot of confidence in his ability to shrug off the political influence of people like Mayor Nibley, who happened to be a friend of the Vincel is.
    “Chief McCormick was a good man, too,” Irene said bitterly.
    Madeline didn’t respond. Her stepmother was stil in love with Al ie’s father. That was clear. Not that she saw him anymore. The McCormicks had relocated in an attempt to save their marriage. According to Al ie, they were managing, although it remained to be seen whether or not they’d ultimately succeed.
    Madeline knew Irene was hoping against it. Her stepmother was so lonely she dropped in more often these days. With Clay and Grace both married, and Mol y living in New York, it was natural that she’d turn to Madeline. But Madeline could’ve survived without today’s visit. Her stepmother’s angst added fuel to her own.

    “Should we cal him?” Madeline asked.
    Irene nodded, but the phone rang before Madeline could reach it.
    Bending over the desk, she pul ed it toward her. Cal er ID registered a blocked number, but she stil hoped it was Chief Pontiff. “Stillwater Independent,” she said.
    “Madeline?” The voice was muffled, odd, as if someone was purposely trying to disguise it.
    “Yes?” she said hesitantly.
    “I heard your father’s car was found in the quarry.”
    Madeline was fairly certain it was a woman, although the cal er was attempting to deepen her voice. “That’s true.”
    “It was Clay who drove it there. I saw him,” she said.
    Then the phone went dead.

    4
    M adeline told herself that it was just another crank cal.
    She’d gotten a lot of them, al promising information they never delivered. But there was something different about this one. The cal er had seemed so nervous, so self-conscious, so… genuine.
    Irene watched her with worried eyes. “What is it?”
    “Wrong number.” She conjured up what was probably a lame smile, but she couldn’t manage anything more sincere. The sound of the cal er’s voice hung over her like the gray clouds outside. Who’d placed that cal ? If she’d real y seen what she’d claimed, why didn’t she come forward, be more specific? Madeline had a list of people who said they’d witnessed this or that. But once her father had left the church that last day, no one could say for sure where he’d gone.
    Movement at the window caught Madeline’s attention.
    “It’s Pontiff,” Irene said.
    Toby stepped through the door, looking very official in his police-issue raincoat.

    Madeline immediately forgot about the cal er. “Chief,”
    she said expectantly.
    He stood dripping on her doormat as he sent a fleeting glance at Irene, then nodded politely.
    “Did you find anything?” she asked.
    His eyebrows gathered over his brown eyes. “Can I speak to you, Madeline? Privately?”
    Madeline hesitated. She wanted to agree, simply because it’d give her a moment to absorb what he had to say before thinking about how it might affect her stepmother. But she couldn’t pul him into the tiny bathroom, and other than that her office was one big room occupied mostly by a giant printer. She wasn’t about to be so rude as to huddle in a corner and whisper while Irene was at