Page 13
Story: Ruthless Cross
"Does anyone else work here in the house?"
"There's another woman who comes in to do a heavy cleaning once a week. I don't know her name. There's a gardener." She shrugged. "I'm not sure if there's anyone else."
"I'll need to ask your mother."
"You could also ask Lois."
"Oh, I will. Speaking of your mother…was she happy in her marriage to Arthur? Were they having problems?"
"No. They're practically newlyweds. They're crazy about each other." She drew in a breath, giving him a troubled look. "Why are you so focused on us? Is it just that you always look to the family?"
"That's partly it. But there was also a personal element to Arthur's murder. The killer wanted drama and shame. Arthur's pants didn't just fall down, Callie."
"Maybe when he fell, his clothing caught on something."
"That's not what happened, and you know it."
"Then what do you think occurred?"
"I don't have enough information to answer that question. But as I mentioned last night, I know that Juliette and Arthur argued shortly before his death."
"She explained that."
"I don't believe for one second it was regarding their weekend plans. You came up with that story, and your mother went along with it."
"They were arguing about their weekend plans in the limo. I assumed that's what they discussed at the museum. That's why I mentioned it."
"Nice hedge. Try again."
She frowned. "Look, I don't know any more than you do. She said that's what it was about, and as far as I'm concerned, that's it."
"Did she think Arthur was having an affair?"
Callie paled at his question, which told him a lot.
"Like I said, they were very much in love," she reiterated. "I can't imagine that he would have been having an affair. But if he was, there must be some evidence of it—some text on his phone, charges on his credit card, something…right?"
"I would think so."
"Then maybe you should spend your time on that. Because my mother is grief-stricken. She just lost her husband. She's not able to help you right now. She needs to get herself together."
"What about you? Are you grief-stricken?"
"You don't seem to believe me when I answer you, so why should I bother?"
"You do know that lying to the FBI is a felony, don't you?"
She squared her shoulders and gave him a stubborn look. "Yes. I also know that I don't have to talk to you."
"Actually, you do have to answer my questions. You're a witness to the murder of a federal judge." He paused. "What are you afraid of, Callie?"
She stared back at him, indecision in her eyes. Before she could answer, a scream rang through the house.
Callie bolted toward the door of the study. He followed close behind, jogging up the stairs behind her. More deep, gut-wrenching screams came as they ran down the hall.
She stopped abruptly in front of closed double doors. "Please go back downstairs."
"Not a chance."
"There's another woman who comes in to do a heavy cleaning once a week. I don't know her name. There's a gardener." She shrugged. "I'm not sure if there's anyone else."
"I'll need to ask your mother."
"You could also ask Lois."
"Oh, I will. Speaking of your mother…was she happy in her marriage to Arthur? Were they having problems?"
"No. They're practically newlyweds. They're crazy about each other." She drew in a breath, giving him a troubled look. "Why are you so focused on us? Is it just that you always look to the family?"
"That's partly it. But there was also a personal element to Arthur's murder. The killer wanted drama and shame. Arthur's pants didn't just fall down, Callie."
"Maybe when he fell, his clothing caught on something."
"That's not what happened, and you know it."
"Then what do you think occurred?"
"I don't have enough information to answer that question. But as I mentioned last night, I know that Juliette and Arthur argued shortly before his death."
"She explained that."
"I don't believe for one second it was regarding their weekend plans. You came up with that story, and your mother went along with it."
"They were arguing about their weekend plans in the limo. I assumed that's what they discussed at the museum. That's why I mentioned it."
"Nice hedge. Try again."
She frowned. "Look, I don't know any more than you do. She said that's what it was about, and as far as I'm concerned, that's it."
"Did she think Arthur was having an affair?"
Callie paled at his question, which told him a lot.
"Like I said, they were very much in love," she reiterated. "I can't imagine that he would have been having an affair. But if he was, there must be some evidence of it—some text on his phone, charges on his credit card, something…right?"
"I would think so."
"Then maybe you should spend your time on that. Because my mother is grief-stricken. She just lost her husband. She's not able to help you right now. She needs to get herself together."
"What about you? Are you grief-stricken?"
"You don't seem to believe me when I answer you, so why should I bother?"
"You do know that lying to the FBI is a felony, don't you?"
She squared her shoulders and gave him a stubborn look. "Yes. I also know that I don't have to talk to you."
"Actually, you do have to answer my questions. You're a witness to the murder of a federal judge." He paused. "What are you afraid of, Callie?"
She stared back at him, indecision in her eyes. Before she could answer, a scream rang through the house.
Callie bolted toward the door of the study. He followed close behind, jogging up the stairs behind her. More deep, gut-wrenching screams came as they ran down the hall.
She stopped abruptly in front of closed double doors. "Please go back downstairs."
"Not a chance."
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 57
- Page 58
- Page 59
- Page 60
- Page 61
- Page 62
- Page 63
- Page 64
- Page 65
- Page 66
- Page 67
- Page 68
- Page 69
- Page 70
- Page 71
- Page 72
- Page 73
- Page 74
- Page 75
- Page 76
- Page 77
- Page 78
- Page 79
- Page 80
- Page 81
- Page 82
- Page 83
- Page 84
- Page 85
- Page 86
- Page 87
- Page 88
- Page 89
- Page 90
- Page 91
- Page 92
- Page 93
- Page 94
- Page 95
- Page 96
- Page 97
- Page 98
- Page 99
- Page 100
- Page 101
- Page 102
- Page 103
- Page 104
- Page 105
- Page 106
- Page 107
- Page 108
- Page 109
- Page 110
- Page 111
- Page 112
- Page 113
- Page 114
- Page 115
- Page 116
- Page 117
- Page 118
- Page 119
- Page 120
- Page 121
- Page 122
- Page 123
- Page 124
- Page 125
- Page 126
- Page 127
- Page 128