Lucas already judged her for not doing so? She had to be careful how much she said. “I wanted nothing to do with him. I had nothing to do with Luella’s murder. I didn’t even know she existed. I wasn’t with him the night she was killed. For all I could see, he could have killed her. What if he lied to police?” Part of her had hoped he’d be sent to prison. If she could have helped that process along, she would have.
Gloria leaned back, crossing one leg over the other. “Lucas has always believed Jared killed her.”
“Why? What has he discovered?” Surely, Lucas must have unearthed something. And then another thought came. “If he’s so convinced Jared killed Luella, then why go after me?”
“Your affair, of course.” Gloria bestowed her with a shrewder look. “And the fact that you didn’t go to the police.”
Rachel didn’t back down. But neither did she offer any further explanation. No one would look out for her except herself, and revealing too much could draw danger to her door.
“And I wouldn’t say he’s gone after you. He just...needed a way to get information.”
Rachel wasn’t sure she liked this woman. She put on a friendly front, but boy, look out for what lay beneath.
“I should get going.” As she stood, she saw Lucas step out from the entry.
She froze with shock. How long had he been there? Had he listened to her conversation with Gloria?
“Hello, Rachel.”
The way he said Rachel had her on edge. She replayed all she’d said. Nothing too terrible.
Hearing Gloria stir, she watched her stand and smile at her son. “Lucas.” Going there, she hugged him. It all looked genuine. “I can’t imagine what’s brought you here.”
In other words, she had a crystal clear idea. He held his mother, but hard eyes targeted Rachel.
Why did he look at her like that? The kissing. His touches. The passion. None of that mattered now. Flustered, unable to grapple with the conflict between him last night and him now, she stepped toward the entry, intending to pass Lucas and his mother. She would have walked right past them, but Lucas moved in her way.
“You’re not going anywhere.”
What would he do to stop her? Rachel stepped back and out of his reach. Passion had stolen her mind last night. Today she saw his true agenda. She should have never let down her guard. She’d sensed something off in him. She should have listened to the silent warning.
Well, she’d listen now.
“You told my mother you haven’t spoken with Jared,” he said.
Why had he zeroed in on that? What interest did he have in Jared, other than his possible involvement in his sister’s murder?
“I didn’t,” she said. “Not after I found out he was married.”
“But you have talked to him.”
She began to have a bad feeling. How would he know if she’d spoken with Jared or not?
“He tried to restart things with you,” he said.
His mother turned sharply to her, and Rachel drew her head back, an involuntary flinch.
“How do you know that?” Then her jaw went slack as the reason came to her. “You spied on me?” Not only had he lied to her, he’d spied on her! He knew about Jared. Furthermore, his ex-wife was trying to restart things with him. All the distrust she felt with Jared rushed forth with Lucas. She refused to be victimized again.
Giving him a shove, she went to the door.
He caught up to her, taking hold of her arm and pulling her back toward him. “What are you hiding, Rachel?”
“Let me go.” She’d feared consequences like this, both the danger to herself and those close to her. While she even now didn’t second-guess her decision, she often wondered if she should have been braver.
“Tell me about your job at the insurance company. It was Jared’s, wasn’t it? You worked for him.”
Oh, God, no. This could not come out now. She yanked her arm free and left the house.
Lucas followed her. She walked down the street.
“If there’s something you know, you have to do the right thing and tell me.”
She ignored him and kept walking.
“Rachel.”
“Leave me alone. I wish you well and that you find your sister’s killer. I don’t know anything that will help you or the investigation.” She glanced pointedly at him. “If I did, I’d have gone to the police.” If she had something concrete.
“The smallest detail could change the direction of the investigation,” he said.
The smallest detail...
Telling him about the first and last time she saw his sister wouldn’t hand him the killer, and she didn’t qualify what little she did know as a small detail. Or the things that had occurred afterward. But dare she reveal anything?
Without responding, she kept walking. He sighed with resignation.
“Where are you going?” he finally asked.
“Bus stop.”
“Wait.”
He seemed awkward over a shift in his mood, going from angry and frustrated to needing something from her. Information.
“I’ll drive you home,” he said, his persuasive side coming out in a forced way. He must have sensed she held back and didn’t like that, but he’d try to get her to talk. To what extent would he go? He’d already lied to her. She had to expect he could lie again.
“No, thanks. You did that last night.” And he had his ex-wife to deal with. She wanted no part of him with even the slightest chance he’d go back to her.
“This has nothing to do with last night.”
How could he say that? “Last night was based on a lie.”
“I have to find my sister’s killer, and you aren’t exactly a fountain of information.”
She wasn’t helping him at all. She couldn’t. “I didn’t kill her.”
“Do you know who did?”
Rachel thought of the faceless man who’d stalked her, frightened her and still did. “No.” She reached the bus stop, where she’d have to wait twenty minutes.
“Let me drive you home.”
She eyed him, seeing his distrust and lack of appreciation. He’d like to let his irritation loose, she’d bet.
“You lied to me, and all you
