Page 6

Outside the Courthouse, Colly followed Avery to one of the cruisers and waited nervously while she unlocked it. Colly had offered to take her own car to the counseling center, but Russ had waved her off.

“People will cooperate better if you turn up in a squad car.”

During her career, Colly had developed a cynical view of young drivers, and Avery’s purple-streaked hair and aura of barely suppressed rage did nothing to improve her expectations. Sliding into the passenger’s seat, she was startled and mildly amused, therefore, to see the girl adjust the mirrors and test the tension of her shoulder harness with care before pulling gingerly out of the lot.

“You said you don’t think Willis killed your brother,” Colly said as they headed east on Market Street. “Can I ask why?”

Avery’s sullen expression vanished. “Because it doesn’t make sense.”

She’s been waiting for that question , Colly thought. “How so?”

“Willis couldn’t drive. How would he get Adam to the stock pond? Plus, the chains and gas can used in the crime came from our toolshed.” Avery tugged absently at her collar, pulling it higher on her neck.

“You think the perpetrator knew your family’s property?”

“Must have. There was no forced entry to the house, either. Investigators thought Adam probably knew the killer.”

They stopped at a traffic light. Outside, a woman in a dingy apron emerged from the Blue Moon Saloon to sweep the sidewalk. Colly nodded, and the woman stopped sweeping to stare.

“Maybe your brother was friendly with Willis from church or somewhere.”

“Every kid in town knew to stay away from Willis Newland. He was our boogeyman.” The light changed, and Avery turned left. “I read Adam’s case file and watched the tapes of Willis’s interrogation. They didn’t threaten him, but they promised he could go home as soon as he confessed. I don’t think he understood what was going on.”

Colly leaned against the headrest. “Usually, a victim’s family is thrilled when someone’s held accountable.”

“Nobody should be wrongfully convicted, even a pedophile. Prison must’ve been hell for someone like Willis.”

Avery seemed sincere. But Colly couldn’t escape the feeling that she was withholding something. “How old were you when Adam died?”

“Eight.”

“You didn’t hear or see anything that night?”

Avery seemed unsettled by the question. She hesitated. “I was in bed asleep. I only remember my dad carrying me out of the burning house. I was cold, so I got clothes off the clothesline.”

Colly said nothing. Instinct and training told her that Avery was lying. It was something about the angle of her shoulders, the overly even timbre of her voice. But why?

Two blocks north of Market Street, they parked in front of a red-brick building ringed with trimmed boxwoods. The sign said, “Compass Counseling Center, Dr. Niall Shaw.”

Avery reached for the camera, but Colly shook her head. “We’re just here for a friendly chat.”

Inside, a grandmotherly woman smiled at them from the reception desk. “Can I help you?” She had just taken a bite of the sandwich she was holding, and she covered her mouth as she spoke.

Colly introduced herself and started to explain the reason for her visit, but the woman cut her off.

“Oh, yes, Detective, Brenda mentioned you might stop by. I’ll tell her you’re here.” She reached for the phone.

A minute later, a door down the hall swung open, and Brenda emerged.

They chatted briefly before Colly said, “I didn’t know you counseled here. Russ told me.”

“Didn’t I mention it? My time’s split between this and the school. I’ll finish clinical supervision hours this summer.”

“And then I’ll have to find another way to keep her around,” said a deep, male voice.

Colly looked up. A tall, slender man in gray slacks and a crisp Oxford was strolling down the hall towards them. He was African American—in his late thirties, Colly judged—with a handsome, perceptive face and an air of casual confidence. Brenda introduced him as her supervisor and boss, Dr. Niall Shaw.

“More of a colleague.” He laughed. “Pearl’s the real boss around here.” He patted the receptionist affectionately on the shoulder, then extended his hand to Colly. “Brenda explained why you’re in town. Happy to help.” He gave Avery a friendly nod, clearly recognizing her. She returned it coldly.

What’s the story there? Colly wondered. “We’re reviewing Denny Knox’s movements the day he died. Is this a bad time?”

Shaw glanced at his watch. “Perfect. We never schedule noon clients. Not that I’ll be very helpful—I was out of town that whole week. But I’m glad you’re here. These last six months have been rough. Parents are scared stiff there might be a killer out there. Here at the clinic, we’re seeing more kids for depression and anxiety. I’m treating a kindergartener with an ulcer, believe it or not. Something’s got to give.” He waved them around the reception desk. “Let’s chat in my office. You too, Pearl. Lock the front door.”

In contrast with the lobby, Shaw’s office felt cluttered and masculine, furnished with deep leather armchairs and walnut paneling lined with bookshelves. An enormous stuffed trout hung on the wall behind the desk.

Shaw noticed Colly staring. “That’s Oscar. Beauty, isn’t he?”

“You didn’t catch him around here, did you?”

“Hardly.” Shaw chuckled as he offered them seats. “I’m originally from Montana. I get back there to fly-fish when I can.”

Brenda grinned at Pearl. “That’s a new record.”

“Record for what?” Colly asked.

“They like to see how long it takes me to mention fishing,” Shaw said good-naturedly.

Colly found herself warming to his relaxed friendliness. He was an easy person to like—a handy quality in a therapist, she imagined. “I have copies of everyone’s statements to the Rangers, but I wanted to go through things in person. You say you were out of town, Dr. Shaw?”

“Please, it’s Niall. I was in Phoenix at an APA conference. Brenda called me the morning Denny was found. I caught the next flight home.”

“You knew Denny?”

“A little. The woman who cleans our office is his aunt. When Denny got into trouble last year, Carmen asked for my advice. I offered our services to handle his therapy. But I had a sense he’d open up better to a woman, so Brenda took the case.”

Colly turned to her sister-in-law. “Did he?”

Brenda glanced uneasily at Niall, who nodded. “I think therapist-client privilege has to be relaxed somewhat in this situation,” he said.

Brenda turned back to Colly. “Denny divulged some, but he was guarded.” She sighed. “He had the deck stacked against him—learning disabilities, a tough home life. Maybe if he’d gotten help earlier, or if I’d been more experienced ... ”

“You did your best with a difficult case,” Niall said gently.

“Walk us through the last time you saw him,” Colly said.

Brenda nodded. “It was a Friday noon appointment.”

“I thought you didn’t schedule noon clients.”

“He usually came Thursday afternoons, but his mother said he had a conflict. The dentist or something. So I worked him in. He rode his bike here, and—”

“Wasn’t he in school?”

Brenda shook her head. “Expelled last spring. He was attending an alternative program for kids who can’t be mainstreamed, but it doesn’t meet on Fridays.”

“Did he usually ride his bike?” Avery cut in abruptly.

“His mother works nights, so normally she drove him. But that Friday, she was covering a coworker’s day shift or something.”

“What about the stepdad?” Colly asked.

“Their relationship wasn’t good. Denny fended for himself a lot.”

“If he wasn’t coming from school, why’d he have a backpack? Did that seem odd?”

“I don’t remember thinking about it.”

“Do you know what he was carrying?”

“The Rangers asked that, too. Denny mentioned something about returning library books, so he must’ve had those. Not sure what else.”

Beside her, Colly felt Avery stir. “Random question—do you know if Denny had foot problems?”

Brenda’s eyebrows rose. “No, why?”

“What about his folks?”

“Not that I know of.”

Colly and Avery exchanged a look.

Brenda was curious. “What’s this about?”

Nosiness—an occupational hazard of therapists , Colly thought. And cops, too, I suppose. She ignored the question. “Was Denny here on time?”

Brenda looked mildly disappointed, but she nodded. “He was sweaty from riding. I got him a coke from the fridge and gave him a protein bar because he hadn’t eaten lunch. Then we talked.”

“Wait, walk me through the scene.” Colly stood.

Brenda hesitated, but Niall pushed out of his armchair. “Come on, everyone. You heard the detective.”

“Show us where you talked,” Colly said.

Brenda led them to her office, a meticulously neat room with a sitting area at one end and a desk and bookshelves at the other. There were few decorations other than a vase of silk flowers on the desk and a brightly colored abstract painting over the sofa.

“I was here.” Brenda laid a hand on an armchair. “Denny sat on the couch.”

“Nothing unusual happened?”

Brenda frowned. “Not that I remember. We didn’t discuss anything heavy that day—sometimes it’s good just to chat. Builds trust. When he left, he seemed happy.”

“Did he say where he was going?”

“Other than the library, no.”

Colly turned to the receptionist, who was standing in the doorway. “You were in the building, too?”

The woman looked slightly indignant. “Certainly.” She added that she usually met her daughter for a noon lunch on Fridays, but with Dr. Shaw out of town, she’d remained at work.

“It’s our policy,” Niall said. “When a therapist’s with a client, at least one other person should be in the building.”

Colly nodded and turned back to the receptionist. “Did Denny speak to you when he left?”

“No, but that wasn’t unusual. He was a rude boy.” She compressed her lips. “He gave me a little wave over his shoulder as he went out.” She waggled her fingers to illustrate. “He seemed in a hurry. I watched him unlock his bicycle from the telephone pole outside.”

“You didn’t see him ride away?”

“No, I was gathering my things to go to lunch.”

“You said you missed lunch,” Avery said sharply.

“I said I didn’t go at noon. I went an hour late.”

“I didn’t have a one o’clock that day,” Brenda said.

“You went to lunch, too?” Colly asked.

“No. I stayed to do some paperwork before my two o’clock.”

Colly asked if she knew why Denny had been in a hurry, but Brenda had no idea. “He kept glancing at the clock towards the end of our session. But he didn’t seem upset. I thought he was excited about the weekend.” She smiled sadly.

“Where’d you do the paperwork—your desk?” Avery asked.

Brenda nodded.

“Go ahead, if you don’t mind,” Colly said.

Brenda went to the desk and sat down.

Colly squinted around the room. “You were completely alone in the building between one and two?”

“Yes.” Brenda’s face clouded. She reached to straighten the stapler. “Though actually—”

“What?” Colly asked, interested.

“It’s nothing, don’t get excited. Sitting here, I’ve remembered—someone else did come in briefly.”

Niall’s eyebrows lifted. “Really?”

Brenda nodded, more certain. “I heard a noise, which startled me since the front door was locked. I—”

“What time was that?” Avery interrupted.

“Just before two. I remember thinking Pearl must be back from lunch a bit early. I looked out, and there was a little old lady wandering the hall. She must’ve come in through the alley. She was looking for a bathroom.”

“Recognize her?” Colly asked.

“Never seen her before. She seemed lucid and healthy, so I didn’t question her. She used the bathroom and left.”

“You didn’t mention this to the Rangers?”

“I’d forgotten all about it.”

Nothing else unusual had happened, Brenda said. Lowell picked the kids up from school. It was his weekend to have them at the ranch. So Brenda had worked later than usual, seeing patients till six. Then she’d sent Pearl home, done another hour of paperwork, and left the center shortly after seven.

“You never saw Denny again?”

Brenda shook her head. At that moment, her phone chirped. She picked it up. “I have a client coming in five minutes. But we can talk more, later.”

Pearl returned to her desk while Niall and Brenda accompanied Colly and Avery outside. They strolled towards the curb, chatting.

Halfway down the sidewalk, Avery stopped. “I want to check something.” She ducked back into the counseling center.

Niall watched her go. “Can’t believe Adam Parker’s kid sister is a cop. Seems like yesterday she was playing hopscotch in the street.”

“You’ve known the Parkers a while, then?”

“I lived near them in high school. Budd Parker was a terror, but the mom and kids were sweet. Adam was a few years younger than me and liked to tag along wherever I went. Drove me crazy.” Niall smiled wistfully.

“I thought you grew up in Montana.”

“We moved here when I was fourteen, after my dad died. Mom wanted to live someplace warm. She had a great-aunt near here.”

What was that like? Colly wondered. Not easy to be a Black person in either location. “Must’ve been a culture shock.”

Niall hunched his shoulders. “Cowboys are pretty much the same everywhere—and we were already used to living in a bastion of whiteness.” He grinned, and Brenda laid a hand on his arm.

“Niall’s way too cultured for West Texas. We’ll have to get him to cook for us while you’re here. He’s an amazing chef, and he loves any excuse to show off.”

Colly watched her sister-in-law curiously. Was Brenda flirting with her boss? There was certainly a playful familiarity that seemed to go beyond a colleague relationship. But maybe they were just good friends. Wonder if it’s raised any eyebrows? she thought.

“I’d love to,” Niall was saying with apparently genuine enthusiasm. “Maybe later this week.”

Before Colly could reply, Avery emerged from the counseling center. She walked quickly to the squad car and got inside without a word to anyone. Niall, apparently taking that as his cue, said goodbye and went back inside, but Brenda followed Colly to the curb.

“Did Russ tell you about dinner at the ranch tonight?”

“You’re going, too?”

“One big happy family, like I said.” Brenda grimaced. “Why don’t you and Satchel come by the house around five-thirty? We can drive out together. Safety in numbers, and all that.”

“Great idea.” Behind them, the cruiser’s engine revved loudly, and Colly rolled her eyes. “That’s my ride. See you tonight.”

Inside the car, she turned to Avery. “Where’d you run off to?”

“I’ll show you.” Avery drove to the end of the block and turned, then turned again down an alleyway. She stopped behind the counseling center.

Several cars were parked there. Colly recognized Brenda’s green minivan with its Texas Tech sticker in the back window. It stood beside a metal door that led inside.

“I guess that’s how the old lady got in,” Colly said.

“I don’t think so. Look at this.” Avery shifted the cruiser into park and jumped out.

Colly followed. “What is it?”

Avery went to the door and pointed to a small red sign: “Fire door: Alarm will sound if door is opened. Do not block.”

“Maybe the alarm’s disengaged,” Colly said.

Avery reached for the doorknob, but Colly grabbed her arm. “ Bad idea. We can ask about it later.” She paused. “Get a picture, though.”

Flushed and angry, Avery stamped back to the car. Colly looked around. A CCTV camera hung from the eaves.

She pointed to it when Avery returned. “Did the Rangers download that footage?”

“Why would they? Denny left through the front.”

Avery took pictures of the door, and they got back in the car.

“What now?” The girl’s voice was sulky.

Pout all you want, kid—it’s not my job to coddle you when you do something stupid , Colly thought, glancing at the dashboard clock. She wanted to talk to Denny’s folks, but that promised to be a lengthy interview, and Satchel’s school let out in an hour and a half.

Satchel . Hours had passed since she’d dropped him off, pale and terrified, at the classroom. She’d been so engrossed in the case that she hadn’t stopped to wonder how he was doing. She felt a pang of guilt at the thought.

“Is there time to talk to that mechanic who saw Denny riding towards the ranch?” she asked.

Avery shifted the car into gear and peeled angrily down the alley, kicking up a spray of gravel behind them.

So much for careful driving , Colly thought grimly as they sped through town, heading north.