Page 117 of Dead Man's List

Emma sat up straighter, preening. “Maybe. But I’m right, right?”

“You could be,” Kit admitted. “But even if you’re wrong, Drummond is getting desperate. That means we’re doing all the right things. I would never take the easy way and let that asshole off for murdering your mother, even if he’d never laid a hand on you. But that he did that, too? I want him to rot in jail forever.”

Rita let out a quiet breath. “Thank you, Kit. I’m sorry I caused so much trouble.”

Harlan appeared in the doorway, looking like his normal self, much to Kit’s relief. “You are never trouble, honey. This one?” He pointed to Kit. “She was trouble.”

“Guilty,” Kit said, giving Rita a small, affectionate shake. “Let’s get a snack and then I have to head back. Connor’s holding our leads in interview rooms until I can help with the questioning.”

Rita exhaled. “I should have known you wouldn’t let him go free.”

“Have a little faith,” Emma said, giving Kit a smile.

“I will.” Rita slid off the bed and gave Sam a hard hug before hugging Harlan. “I’m sorry, Pop. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

Harlan kissed Rita’s forehead. “Just don’t do it again. I think I’ll see that car narrowly missing you in my dreams for a long time. Your life is precious, Rita. Let’s take better care of it, okay?”

Rita put her hands on her hips. “Likeyouwill by going to the doctor?”

In the hallway, Akiko laughed. “Busted, Pop. I’ll take you now.”

Kit watched her parents, Akiko, and the three teenagers head downstairs. “Thank you for reassuring Rita,” she said to Sam.

“It’s not that she doesn’t trust you,” Sam said. “She does.”

“I know. But she needed verification. She reminds me so much of myself. Pop never knew it, but I was ready to run after Wren died. I was going to investigate and find her killer. I’d even have killed him myself if I’d found him. Pop offering to help me find Wren’s killer kept me here.”

“I think he knew that when he offered. He’s pretty smart.”

“He probably did.” It made Kit love her father all the more. “I was actually about to call you before Pop called me. You wanna come watch some interviews and tell me what you think?”

He smiled at her. “Sure. Who’s in the hot seat today?”

“Mr.Maserati and Mr.Ex La Jolla.” She chuckled at his confusion. “I’ll explain when we get there. Suffice it to say that today I am grateful that Connor’s family is loaded.”

“I can’t wait to hear about it. Is Laura representing them? Please say she’s not.”

Kit laughed out loud. “I truly hope not.”

Chapter Fourteen

San Diego PD, San Diego, California

Wednesday, January 11, 5:10 p.m.

Joe Rooney sat at the interview table with his head in his hands. “I didn’t know,” he said sadly. “I didn’t know that Earl was in such financial trouble. I would have helped him. We’d been partners for years, friends for even longer. But he never said a word.”

Kit believed him. Joe’s best friend, Earl O’Hanlon, had committed suicide because he’d lost everything. Clearly Joe Rooney was still grieving.

“I understand you two ran a grocery store chain together,” Kit said. Connor and Sam were on the other side of the glass, observing. She thought Navarro might be back there, too. They’d agreed that Kit would talk to the man alone. Too many people might put him on the defensive and, as far as they knew, Joe Rooney wasn’t involved in Munro’s blackmail scheme.

Joe nodded. “Earl started it with one little corner store. I washis first franchise. We knew each other from college. Had been friends for years already when we joined forces. I retired first, mainly because my wife was diagnosed with MS.She needs more help these days. I didn’t want to leave Earl in the lurch, but he urged me to retire. Said I needed to take care of my wife. So I did.”

“And then?” Kit asked, because it felt like something was coming.

“Earl managed the company as a whole. I’d focused on sales because that was what I enjoyed. When I left, he brought in someone to take my place. Young fella, just graduated with his MBA. Son of another friend. I think that might have been when things started going sideways. I wish I’d paid more attention.”

“It’s possible that Earl didn’t want you to know,” Kit suggested. “If he hid it from you, there’s no way you could have known.”