Guilty as Sin by Tami Hoag Read Free Book Online

her arms around her knees. A variation on the fetal position. She was a lovely woman with delicate features and ash-blond hair that hung like silk in a classic bob. The only sign that she had spent the past several days in tears was the red that rimmed her big doe eyes and tinted the end of her upturned nose. Somehow the color managed to coordinate with the rose-colored leggings and soft gray sweater she wore.
     
    "Karen? I'm Ellen North with the county attorney's office." Ellen pulled out the chair from the writing desk and sat. "I'd like to talk with you for a few minutes if that's all right."
     
    "It was a mistake," Karen said without looking away from the print. "Garrett's never even had a parking ticket."
     
    "We have a good deal of evidence against him, Karen," Ellen said gently. "By law you can't be compelled to testify against your husband, but if you know anything at all that could be helpful in finding Josh, you would tell us, wouldn't you?"
     
    Karen nibbled at a cuticle and dodged Ellen's gaze. "Do you know any reason he would single out the Kirkwoods, any reason he would take Josh?"
     
    The silence stretched into a moment, two.
     
    "This must be especially hard for you. You must feel betrayed, maybe even guilty in a way."
     
    The feelings had to be there somewhere, deep inside. She had been stuffing missing-child fliers into envelopes at the Josh Kirkwood Volunteer Center, had gone to the Kirkwoods' house to baby-sit Josh's little sister, while her husband had been holding them all in the grip of fear. Had he fooled her that completely or had she known all along?
     
    "Karen, you have to be aware that you could be considered an accessory," Ellen said. "People are having a hard time believing you didn't know what Garrett was doing."
     
    Not a flicker of response. Karen combed a strand of hair behind her ear. Slowly, a smile spread across her mouth. "Lily's so sweet," she murmured. "I don't mind watching her. Garrett and I don't have any children." Tears glittered in her big dark eyes. "I suppose Hannah won't let me watch her anymore."
     
    She put her head down on her knees and sobbed softly, as if the prospect of not being able to baby-sit was too much for her but the idea that her husband was some kind of sociopathic monster made no impact on her whatsoever. Ellen didn't know whether to feel sympathy or horror. Frustration took up the slack.
     
    "Karen, you have to listen to me." Leaning forward, she reached out and took a firm hold of the woman's wrist. "Josh is still out there somewhere. If you have any idea where Garrett may have taken him, you have to tell us. Think of Hannah and Lily. Think how much they must miss Josh."
     
    "And Paul . . . ," Karen murmured, lifting her head a fraction. Her gaze fixed on the fringed lamp that sat on the night table. "He has such a nice family," she said wistfully.
     
    "Yes, Josh has a very nice family and they miss him very much. You have to help them if you can, Karen. Please."
     
    Ellen held her breath as she watched the play of emotions in Karen Wright's eyes. Confusion, pain, fear. Was she afraid of her husband? Had ie somehow brainwashed her? He was a professor of psychology; he had :o know how to manipulate minds.
     
    "He can't hurt you, Karen. It can only help everyone for you to tell us vhat you know."
     
    Karen slowly pulled her arm from Ellen's grasp and unfolded herself rom the chintz chair. Hugging herself, she wandered the room, ending lp in front of the antique ash dresser, staring at her own reflection in the >val mirror above it. Slowly, she picked up a brush and started in on her lair with gentle strokes.
     
    "A terrible mistake," she whispered. "Garrett would never . . . He wouldn't do that to me."
     
    Ellen pushed herself to her feet and headed for the door.
     
    "I'll leave you my card, Karen," she said, placing it on the dresser as ic passed. "You can call any time of the day or night. Any time you think f something that might be helpful