In the Shadow of Evil by Robin Caroll Read Free Book Online Page A

the room with her hit him in the gut or something. He didn't like it. Made him feel weak. Reminded him of Julie. He wouldn't go there again. Last time he'd allowed himself to be wrapped up in a woman, his mother had died. He no longer let himself be distracted by any woman. He inhaled slowly and focused on her sister. "Do you?"
    Alana's eyes widened. "Of course not."
    "Why would she know anything? She wasn't ever on the site." Layla's hands were balled on her lap.
    A defensive gesture. Maddox's instinct rose. Why was she so defensive? He kept his face neutral as he dared to meet her eyes.
    Huge mistake. An exotic green color, her eyes tilted up in the outer corners. They snatched Maddox's attention no matter how hard he fought to ignore them. Especially now, when something flickered in them, making them appear to glimmer under the afternoon sunlight stealing in through the windows.
    "Our records indicate that some of the workers on the site were staying here," Houston said.
    Alana licked her lips. "Yes, that's correct. The work-release program has been very successful for the Second Chances' residents. After they complete their initial sessions and the therapist believes they're ready to start the process of returning to society, we pair them up with tradesmen. It's kind of an apprenticeship program."
    "How long has this working program been in effect?" Houston held a pencil over his notebook.
    Alana shrugged. "We started it a year after we opened. So for about two years now."
    Maddox leaned forward. "Any problems?"
    She licked her lips again—a definite nervous gesture. "One or two, but nothing major."
    "Every program has glitches. Especially in the beginning," Layla interjected.
    Maddox forced his eyebrow to stay in place and concentrated on Alana. "What kind of problems?"
    "One of the residents stole tools from some carpenters." Alana smoothed her palms over her jeans. "Of course, we recovered most of them."
    "And what they didn't, Alana reimbursed the carpenters." Layla's facial features tightened.
    "I see." Houston looked up from his note taking. "What else?"
    "The only other incident was when a person reverted back to his addictive ways." Alana stared at the worn rug under the coffee table.
    What wasn't she saying? Maddox inched to the edge of the chair. "So, you found someone using drugs again?"
    "Not exactly." Alana lifted her gaze. "He got high, stole my truck, and left. He caused an accident." Big tears shimmered in her eyes.
    Not again. Two crying women in one day?
    She sniffed. "He hit a lady and her daughter. Both died."
    Layla wrapped an arm around her sister's shoulder and threw daggers at Maddox with her glare. "None of which is your fault."
    "I know."
    "Bet that one's still doing time," Houston mumbled.
    Layla snapped her gaze to him. "No, he committed suicide when he sobered up and realized what he'd done."
    Houston cleared his throat. "If I'm understanding correctly, Second Chances has been in operation for three years, right?"
    Alana nodded. "Yes. I hired the assistant director, Fred Daly, two years ago. Approved by the federal board who oversees rehab programs such as Second Chances."
    "And in that time, you've only had two incidents?"
    "Yes."
    "Not a bad record." Houston swallowed loudly, which meant he'd finally gotten rid of his gum. "No other problems or issues?"
    The sisters glanced at each other. Maddox could almost hear a conversation happening between them. Certainly there were other issues. They just didn't want to talk about them.
    He straightened. "Ladies, we're investigating a murder. We need all the information you can give us."
    The nudge Layla gave her sister would've been unnoticeable had Maddox not been scrutinizing their body language.
    "Ms. Taylor?"
    Alana lifted her gaze to meet Maddox's. Her eyes were as blue as her sister's were green. But they didn't captivate his attention. A little gasp slipped through her bow-shaped lips.
    He gentled his tone. "Is there anything else you can