Page 469 of Cold Case, Warm Hearts

“Why?”

Alex snorted, taking the puppy from Gavin. “Take your pick. Because she was poor. Her stepfather is strange. Her mother was an alcoholic. The sun shines on Tuesday.” He shut the cage and double-checked to make sure it was latched. “This is a small town. People don’t need a reason.”

The puppy came to the door of the cage and gave Gavin a sorrowful look. He averted his gaze from those big brown eyes. He didn’t have room in his life for a dog right now.

Claire stood in the doorway. “What was Stephanie’s relationship with her stepfather like?”

“Rotten. Stephanie thought he was mentally and emotionally abusive to her mother. She wanted her mother to leave him. Maribelle refused. Stephanie didn’t like to talk about it much, but you could ask Heather Scott. She and Stephanie were good friends in high school.”

Gavin didn’t recognize the name, but Claire stiffened. “Do you know if Heather has heard from Stephanie since she left town?”

“Nope.”

They asked Alex additional questions, but he didn’t know any more than what he’d already said. He also had an alibi for the night of Faye’s murder. Alex’s house was in the process of being painted and he spent the night with a friend.

Gavin held the door open for Claire as they left the shelter. His gaze swept the poorly lit parking lot. Quiet. Still, his sensesstayed on alert as they walked together to the vehicle. Twilight had turned to evening as they were talking to Alex. There were a lot of dark spots a criminal could hide in.

Once they were safely enclosed in the SUV, Gavin turned to Claire. “Explain to me who Heather Scott is.”

Claire fired up the engine and flipped the heat to max. “She’s married to the mayor’s son, Ian. She also works in City Hall as the mayor’s media spokesperson. My office has been communicating directly with her, providing updates on the development of this case. She knows we suspect Faye’s murder is connected to Stephanie’s disappearance.”

“And she never said a word to you about being Stephanie’s friend?”

“No, she didn’t.” Claire’s expression hardened. “And I’d like to know why.”

“I was friendly with Stephanie,but we weren’t particularly close.” Heather picked at a piece of invisible lint on her lilac sweater. The color accented her ash-blond hair and stunning gray eyes. “I’m sorry, Sheriff. It didn’t occur to me you’d need to speak to me about her.”

Claire studied the woman sitting across from her in the formal living room. Heather was polished and soft-spoken. Her nails were painted a pale rose, her makeup perfect. She was stunning on camera and even more beautiful in person. But she was also incredibly savvy. Heather knew how to answer a question and deflect. It’s what made her an effective spokesperson for Mayor Scott.

“How did you know Stephanie?” Gavin asked. He was sitting on the couch next to Claire. The rough Texas Ranger wascompletely out of place on the silk couch, cowboy hat perched on his knee.

Heather flashed him a smile that bordered on flirty. “We went to school together. Stephanie tutored me in algebra. We lost touch when I went to Harvard, of course. After moving back home, I’d see her from time to time in the bakery. We’d chat, but never about anything significant.”

“At this stage of the investigation, we’re talking to everyone who was friends with Stephanie. Anything you can tell us would be helpful.”

“Of course, I’m happy to help in any way I can. It’s horrible to think Stephanie’s disappearance has anything to do with Faye’s murder. To be honest with you, I have my doubts about whether or not they’re connected. I always assumed Stephanie had left town and was living someplace else under an assumed name.”

Interesting theory. Claire leaned forward. “Why would you think that?”

“Because of her stepfather, of course.” Heather picked up a crystal glass and drank some water. “Stephanie was quite close to her mother, but she had issues with her stepfather from the beginning.”

“We’ve been told there were arguments between Stephanie and Xavier.”

“Daily ones. Her stepfather demanded complete obedience and his rules were…strange. Only a certain amount of juice every morning. No television. Hand washing their clothes in the stream on the property. Xavier didn’t want Stephanie to attend her own high school graduation. She was lucky to have finished school at all. And dating…that was completely out of the question.” Heather set the glass back down. “Faye was kind enough to offer her rental home to Stephanie after she graduated high school. It only made things worse. Xavier didn’t believeStephanie should live on her own. He used to show up at her home, all hours of the night, and make threats against her.”

For someone who claimed not to know Stephanie well, Heather certainly had a lot of information. “So you believe Stephanie left town and changed her name so her stepfather couldn’t locate her?”

Heather nodded, smoothing back a strand of silky hair. “I’m sure you’ll find her living in a different city. Although, Sheriff, I would caution you. It might be best if you don’t look for Stephanie at all. If Xavier catches word about her whereabouts, it’ll cause trouble for her.”

Claire chewed on the inside of her lip. Had she been too quick to assume Stephanie had been harmed? She could be living somewhere under a new name. It was difficult, given social media, but not impossible.

They could be chasing the wrong motive for Faye’s murder. Claire hoped they were, prayed they were, because it would mean Stephanie was alive. A deputy in Claire’s department was tracking down extended family members, contacting them to see if anyone had heard from Stephanie since she left Fulton County.No one had. As every new lead dried up, Claire’s fears about Stephanie’s disappearance grew.

Gavin shifted on the couch. “What was Stephanie’s relationship with Alex like?”

“I’m not sure. Like I said earlier, we weren’t close, especially after I moved back home after college. Most of what I know about Stephanie’s relationship with her family came from conversations we had during tutoring sessions.” Heather laughed lightly. “I’ll do anything to avoid algebra.”

Some of the tension in Claire’s stomach eased. She was stressed and grieving, desperate for answers about her friend’s murder, and it was causing her to be suspicious of everyone.Heather’s explanation about her relationship with Stephanie made sense.