Read Online Where Truth Lies by Christiane Heggan - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Christiane Heggan
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seem…fuller.”
Lucy laughed and wrapped an arm around his shoulder as he drove. “Where are you staying?”
“The Centre Bridge Inn.”
“You know that you’re welcome to stay at the house, don’t you? Denise said to tell you that your old room is always ready.”
“Thanks, Luce, but I like it better this way. It’s easier to come and go without having to give anyone a lot of explanations.”
“That’s not why you’re staying away.”
He took the coward’s way out and ignored the comment. “How about some lunch?” he asked as he slid into a parking space in front of the Everything Goes Café. “I’m famished.”
“How about an answer to my question?”
He held her gaze for a moment and recognized in them their mother’s determination. “Okay, if you must know, my relationship with Denise wasn’t all that great before, and what she did to Dad didn’t do anything to improve it. Any way you look at it, he’s in this mess because of her.”
“I’m mad at her, too, Matt, and it may take me a long time to forgive her, but she’s truly sorry. I hear her cry sometimes at night, and I have to admit that it breaks my heart.”
That was Lucy, tenderhearted and always ready to go to bat for the underdog. “I can understand that. She’s been like a mother to you over the years. Just don’t expect me to be as kindhearted, that’s all.”
But Lucy wasn’t ready to give up just yet. As they stepped onto the sidewalk, she said, “Did Dad tell you that she attacked Josh when he came to arrest him?”
“Attacked him? Physically?”
“When Josh tried to put the cuffs on Dad, Denise pushed him against the wall and told him to ‘put his handcuffs where the sun don’t shine’—her words, not mine. Josh was so intimidated, he tucked the handcuffs back in his pockets and told Dad to get in the car.”
Matt chuckled at the image. “I’ll say this for her, the woman has guts.” He opened the door to the café. “Now, about that lunch?”
Although the lunch hour was over, the brightly lit café was packed with college students nibbling on cheese fries and thick slices of Lorraine’s mile-high apple pie. Delighted to see Matt, Lorraine quickly cleared a table for them and handed them a menu. “I put aside a little care package for your dad,” she told Matt. “I was going to deliver it in person, but since you’re here, you might as well take it to him. Is that all right?”
“You’re a doll, Lorraine. Thank you. I’m sure my father will be thrilled.” He waited until she had moved away before asking, “Does she do that often?”
“Send Dad his favorite food?” Lucy opened her menu. “Every day. She worships him.” She leaned over the table. “I think she had designs on him,” she whispered. “But then Denise came along.”
“Really?” He watched Lorraine lift a tray over her shoulder and carry it across the room. “I never knew that.”
“You were in some other part of the world, chasing bad guys.”
“How did she take it? Denise coming into the picture, I mean.”
“She was a good sport about it. She didn’t hold a grudge against Denise or anything. In fact, she’s one of the few people in town who still speaks to Denise.”
“Did she know Steven well?”
Lucy looked surprised at the question. “Lorraine? I don’t think so. Why?”
“Just curious. How about the rest of the town? How did everyone react when they heard that Steven Hatfield had died?”
Lucy put her fist on her hip and pretended to be upset. “Matthew Frederick Baxter. Are you pumping me for information?”
“How else are you going to earn your lunch?”
She hit him with her menu. “You rat.”
“The more I know, the better I can help Dad.”
“True.” She looked around her and lowered her voice a little. “There were mixed reactions. I guess Dad told you that Steven wasn’t very well-liked.”
Matt nodded. “Did anyone go to his funeral?”
A
Lucy laughed and wrapped an arm around his shoulder as he drove. “Where are you staying?”
“The Centre Bridge Inn.”
“You know that you’re welcome to stay at the house, don’t you? Denise said to tell you that your old room is always ready.”
“Thanks, Luce, but I like it better this way. It’s easier to come and go without having to give anyone a lot of explanations.”
“That’s not why you’re staying away.”
He took the coward’s way out and ignored the comment. “How about some lunch?” he asked as he slid into a parking space in front of the Everything Goes Café. “I’m famished.”
“How about an answer to my question?”
He held her gaze for a moment and recognized in them their mother’s determination. “Okay, if you must know, my relationship with Denise wasn’t all that great before, and what she did to Dad didn’t do anything to improve it. Any way you look at it, he’s in this mess because of her.”
“I’m mad at her, too, Matt, and it may take me a long time to forgive her, but she’s truly sorry. I hear her cry sometimes at night, and I have to admit that it breaks my heart.”
That was Lucy, tenderhearted and always ready to go to bat for the underdog. “I can understand that. She’s been like a mother to you over the years. Just don’t expect me to be as kindhearted, that’s all.”
But Lucy wasn’t ready to give up just yet. As they stepped onto the sidewalk, she said, “Did Dad tell you that she attacked Josh when he came to arrest him?”
“Attacked him? Physically?”
“When Josh tried to put the cuffs on Dad, Denise pushed him against the wall and told him to ‘put his handcuffs where the sun don’t shine’—her words, not mine. Josh was so intimidated, he tucked the handcuffs back in his pockets and told Dad to get in the car.”
Matt chuckled at the image. “I’ll say this for her, the woman has guts.” He opened the door to the café. “Now, about that lunch?”
Although the lunch hour was over, the brightly lit café was packed with college students nibbling on cheese fries and thick slices of Lorraine’s mile-high apple pie. Delighted to see Matt, Lorraine quickly cleared a table for them and handed them a menu. “I put aside a little care package for your dad,” she told Matt. “I was going to deliver it in person, but since you’re here, you might as well take it to him. Is that all right?”
“You’re a doll, Lorraine. Thank you. I’m sure my father will be thrilled.” He waited until she had moved away before asking, “Does she do that often?”
“Send Dad his favorite food?” Lucy opened her menu. “Every day. She worships him.” She leaned over the table. “I think she had designs on him,” she whispered. “But then Denise came along.”
“Really?” He watched Lorraine lift a tray over her shoulder and carry it across the room. “I never knew that.”
“You were in some other part of the world, chasing bad guys.”
“How did she take it? Denise coming into the picture, I mean.”
“She was a good sport about it. She didn’t hold a grudge against Denise or anything. In fact, she’s one of the few people in town who still speaks to Denise.”
“Did she know Steven well?”
Lucy looked surprised at the question. “Lorraine? I don’t think so. Why?”
“Just curious. How about the rest of the town? How did everyone react when they heard that Steven Hatfield had died?”
Lucy put her fist on her hip and pretended to be upset. “Matthew Frederick Baxter. Are you pumping me for information?”
“How else are you going to earn your lunch?”
She hit him with her menu. “You rat.”
“The more I know, the better I can help Dad.”
“True.” She looked around her and lowered her voice a little. “There were mixed reactions. I guess Dad told you that Steven wasn’t very well-liked.”
Matt nodded. “Did anyone go to his funeral?”
A
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