Page 89 of Wasted

Cillian returned the short dip of his head.

“Glad you were there.” Robert looked from Cillian to Victoria and back again. He was noticing more than he said. But his words and expression didn’t show any disapproval.

“Well, I think that settles it. Ryan is the killer.” Treese stood and reached for the bowl of baby carrots on the coffee table. “Now how do we prove it?”

“You might as well keep those.” Robert gave the carrots a pointed look. “You’re the only one who likes them, and you’ll need something to fortify your strength as I debunk your theory.”

She wrinkled her nose at him as she lifted a carrot to her mouth. “It’ll be amusing to watch you try.” She crunched the carrot with intentional volume as she smiled around it.

“Now that the amateurs have had their say,” Robert teased Treese with another grin, “allow the professionals to unpack this for you.”

“Oh-ho…” His siblings laughed and kibitzed about the “Great Psychiatrist in their midst.”

Cillian laughed along with Torin, and they exchanged a glance—the two non-Westons being allowed to observe the family. The Weston siblings together were something else. All intelligent and opinionated, they still managed to stay friendly, their ribbing revealing an affection they didn’t need to voice.

Robert met the teasing with an even wider grin and a patronizing wave. “You mock now, but you will be speechless by the time I’m done.”

“Can somebody wake me when that happens?” Hank slumped into the sofa and dramatically laid his head on the cushion behind him, closing his eyes.

“Hilarious.” Robert got to his feet, wiping chip crumbs off his sweats before looking upon his audience like a magician about to perform a trick. “I agree that Ryan seems like the obvious suspect.”

“But it’s never the obvious suspect, right?” Spring lifted her finger in the air as she grinned at him.

Torin looked at her and opened his mouth like he was about to say something.

“Oh, I know, honey.” She glanced up at her fiancé as if she’d read his thoughts. “It’s not like that in real-life police work.”

“Don’t worry.” Robert nodded toward Torin. “In honor of the actual police investigator with us tonight, I will not build my case on what I’ve seen on TV or read in fiction.”

“Thank you.” Torin played along, pressing his palm to his chest as if the gesture was deeply meaningful.

“Okay, trying to be serious here.” Robert pulled the corners of his mouth down. “I think we should take a closer look at Clinton Glenn. Given what Cillian and Victoria shared about the housekeeper, I agree she isn’t the murderer, and the groundskeeper was with his family at home at the time of death. But the evidence Cillian and Victoria found gives Glenn a powerful motive to kill Thomas.”

“Because Thomas found out he had stolen his paintings to sell them on the black market.”

“Exactly.” Robert pointed to Spring like she was a student who’d gotten the right answer. “He’s guilty of theft, fraud, and forgery—or at least hiring someone to produce fake paintings.” He sent Torin a glance. “I’ll leave that to the legal expert among us. But the point is, we can’t ignore his very powerful motive.”

“But Ryan and Brenda have strong motives, too.” Hank pushed a hand through his blond hair. “Greed.”

“True. But you said,” Robert pointed at Cillian, “Glenn’s car matched the one you chased away from Thomas’s estate. And Glenn would definitely have reason to ransack the office, looking for the evidence Thomas had against him. Even with Thomas dead, there’s a risk that evidence could be found, and Glenn would still be in serious trouble.”

“You’re right.” Torin nodded. “He has a lot to lose—his job, reputation, and money. Not to mention getting jail time. I ran a background check on him, and his record is clean. But that could only mean this is the first time he’s dipped his toes in crime, or he’s been careful enough to never get caught.”

Torin looked at Cillian and Victoria. “I’d go ahead and take the evidence you found, or that Thomas found, to the police. It sounds solid. Even McCully should be willing to consider Glenn is involved in fraud, if nothing else.”

“I doubt it.” Victoria’s lips pinched at the corners. “I would never have believed a police officer could be so biased against someone, but I have to admit Detective McCully seems determined to pin this murder on me.”

“We could go to Willis with it.” Cillian angled toward her.

“Going above his head again would only anger him more.”

Cillian opened his mouth to argue, then stopped.

Worry hovered in her eyes. She wouldn’t want to risk it.

But that didn’t mean he shouldn’t. If it was done the right way, this could get her off the hook.

“Let’s not get distracted by focusing on the wrong guy.” Treese held up a hand like she wanted everyone’s attention. “What about Ryan’s temper? He attacked our sister. He totally would’ve conked Thomas on the head and killed him without a thought.” Treese extended a hand toward Victoria as if her presence proved the point.