Page 6 of Betrayed (Alternate Ending)

Randi left Brook alone in the room. Inside, Brook’s mind was flipping switches and making connections, veering from disbelief to rage and back to disbelief again. Finally, shock descended and held her in its numbing grasp.

Chapter 53

Clark loosened his tie as he hurried past the secretary, headed for his office.

"Mr. Parrish," she called after him. "Your wife called."

Clark stopped in his tracks. He turned slowly. "What? What did you say?"

Kim Long blinked innocently. She was a recent hire from out of state. "Uh, your wife called."

"My wife." Clark approached her desk. "What did she say?"

"Nothing. Just said to tell you she called."

Clark turned on his heel and stormed into his office, slamming the door behind him. He tossed his briefcase on the credenza and paced the floor a few times.

He snatched the phone from his desk and buzzed the secretary. "Ms. Long, are you aware my wife disappeared months ago?"

"No, sir," Kim said with a gasp.

He disconnected and immediately dialed Brook's cell phone. The same recording he'd been getting for months, advised him Brook's voice mailbox was full. He laid the receiver gently in its cradle.

Running his hands through his hair, Clark walked to the window as if sleepwalking and looked down on the city. Slipping a trembling hand beneath his tie, he pressed on his chest. Hoarse sobs tore from his throat.

Chapter 54

Randi returned with a slender young detective in tow, his dark hair neatly parted and combed, and his tanned face wearing a serious expression.

“This is Marco Vicente, my partner,” Randi said. “Marco, meet Brook Parrish.”

They shook hands and Brook saw compassion in his brown eyes. Marco removed his suit jacket and draped it over the back of the chair. As he sat, he loosened his tie.

Another officer entered with a video camera and set it up on a tripod while Marco explained the process to Brook.

“Mrs. Parrish, we want to videotape your statement for the record and get as much information from you as possible so we don’t have to drag you through this too many times. I know it’s difficult, but try to relax and just answer the questions as best you can.”

Brook nodded.

Somehow, she made it through the next few hours. Toward the end of the interview, the phone rang again.

"I asked not to be disturbed." Randi listened for a few minutes. "We're almost done. Yes. Have him wait."

She disconnected and turned to Brook. "Your husband's here."

Brook rose to her feet so quickly she knocked the chair over. "Where is he?"

"He's waiting outside. Please sit back down, Mrs. Parrish. We're just about finished." Randi gave Marco a significant look.

Marco reached down, righted the chair, and held it for Brook. She lowered herself to the edge of the seat, and reached automatically for the bracelet on her wrist.

Marco and Randi each posed a few more questions, and then it was over.

As Marco gathered up the video equipment, Randi leaned out the door and called to someone. "Bring Mr. Parrish in here, please."

Brook began to shake all over. Randi gave her a sympathetic smile that did little to hide the shrewd interest in her eyes. “Before your husband comes in, is there anything else you want to tell me?"

Brook shook her head. On the chair beside hers were photocopies of the sketches, printouts of the photos Lance had taken, and her journal writings. Though a part of her dreaded the reunion, she needed to see Clark. She needed her suspicions allayed. Until she had answers directly from Clark, she wasn’t willing to tell the police that Clark had deceived them. She could still give him the benefit of the doubt. She hoped to find he had a good reason for misleading the authorities and effectively sabotaging the search. But she didn’t really believe he would.

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