Page 7 of Death on Riddle Road

“He and Dova married after his first wife was killed by him.”

Clara started to say something.

I held up a hand to stop her.“Wait, let me hear the official version first.”

Teague complied.“The first Mrs.Derrick Dorrio was killed seventeen years ago in what initially appeared to be a random attack — at least that’s what the department was supposed to think.Didn’t stand up to scrutiny for long.Still, took investigators a couple years to get Derrick Dorrio brought to trial.He staged the whole thing to cover up that he’d killed her — his first wife.In the interval before the trial, he married Dova.”

“Not a good look,” I muttered.

Clara scowled, but said nothing.

“Consistent though,” Teague said.“They’d started an affair before his first wife’s murder.”

This time, Clara did protest.“He’s not the first man to have an affair.They don’t all kill their wives or the population of women would drop like a rock.”

Clearly, from the little I’d heard so far, she’d decided Derrick Dorrio was wrongfully convicted.But since that seemed to be based on the current devastation of his son and the son’s girlfriend, I didn’t necessarily fall in line with her thinking.

Pending further information.

“They don’t prosecute people for murder just for having an affair, either,” I said.“There had to be more evidence.”

“Thank you for your expression of confidence in law enforcement and the judicial system.”Teague’s wryness twisted his expression of gratitude sideways.

Clara’s disapproving sniff rivaled Gracie’s — impressive, considering she produced it from a much smaller nose.“We’ll see about that.Robbie and his mother have always said the sheriff’s department rushed to judgment in blaming Derrick.”

“Took years for him to be charged after a thorough investigation,” Teague said evenly.

“And had tunnel vision.”Clara kept her focus on me.“You know how they jump on the spouse or former spouse as a suspect right away.”

“That’s because it oftenisthe spouse or former spouse.The statistics on people being murdered by someone close to them are overwhelming and that starts with spouses and exes.”I’d attended enough research workshops and talks on related topics with Kit to know that.

“Well, now he’s dead.”She shot a look at Teague.

A lesser woman might have added,Are you happy now?Her tone did it for her.

I shifted, prepared to defend Teague’s devotion to truth and justice, not to mention he hadn’t even been in the county when Derrick Dorrio was charged.

But he flicked me a look that said to let it go.

It was one of those moments when you abruptly recognize someone else’s reality.

He’d heard accusations like this before, veiled or not.

A lot.

He had scar tissue over it to protect him, but it didn’t provide one-hundred percent coverage.I felt anger thatClara,of all people, had inflicted the flick of pain this time.

“That’s not fair,” I said coldly.

Clara blinked and her cheeks reddened.“I know you weren’t on the case then, Teague.It doesn’t change that it’s perfectly understandable that Robbie and his mother expect that the sheriff’s department won’t do anything — enough,” she modified, but without much enthusiasm, “to find his killer.They’re not about to talk to deputies or other representatives of the department.”

Teague didn’t argue, which wasn’t out of character.

In the silence, my thoughts followed another path, leading to more questions.

“Clara, you said Derrick Dorrio was killed here.There’s no prison in North Bend County.”

“He wasn’t in prison,” Teague said.