Page 95 of Just Between Us

It was a police report taken by a local officer, Amy King. June Sullivan had filed a complaint against Russell King, stating that he was trespassing on their land. In her statement, she had accused Russell of being involved in the disappearance of his spouse, and June even went so far as to request the lake be dragged.

To search for a body.

My skin went cold. June was so convinced that something had happened to her friend, she was willing to do anything to get the police to help her. My mind whirled. The puzzle was starting to come together, but some of the pieces were misshapen and didn’t quite fit.

“I find it odd, don’t you?” John said. “Right around the time Mrs. Sullivan is hollering about Russell King, the mayor gets a payoff and absolutely nothing is done about her complaint.”

My teeth ground together. “Russell paid him off so the police would do nothing.”

John’s shoulders lifted. “It’s a theory.”

I frowned. “What would we need to prove it?”

He shook his head. “Short of a confession? Probably a miracle. Officer King is still employed by the Outtatowner Police Department. I have plans to see if she recalls Mrs. Sullivan’s complaint, but ...”

“She’s also a King.” My lips pursed.

John shrugged. “We’ll test her loyalty along with her memory, I suppose.”

I scanned the papers again.

This can’t be it.

I couldn’t believe it. I wouldn’t accept it. “John, this information would have been buried had you not gone the extra mile and looked.”

He smiled and clamped his hands together. “It’s what I do.”

A tiny spark of hope ignited in my chest.

This isn’t over, but we need to move quickly.

I looked past John to his black car with its blackout windows. “Do you happen to have any surveillance equipment in that car?”

He glanced over his shoulder. “What are you thinking?”

I tapped my foot, determined to see it through. “I’m thinking I might know a way to get that confession.”

To an outsider,the King estate represented opulent wealth and abundance. To those who looked closely, it was a prison.

Nerves rattled through me, and my palms began to sweat as I climbed the stairs to knock on the ornate front door. I swallowed hard and sucked in a deep breath as the door opened and I was face-to-face with Russell King.

“Miss Bauer. This is a surprise, what can I do for you?”

Russell smiled, and it amazed me how smoothly he could hide his contempt.

I smiled sweetly and blinked up at him, leaning into the role I had adopted. “Good afternoon. I am so sorry to bother you at home, but I was hoping for a moment of your time.”

His smile widened as he opened the door and gestured for me to come inside. “Of course, my dear. Please, come in.”

I nodded politely and stepped inside. The air within the King estate was chilling, and my spine went rigid. “The office is this way.” His arm swept out in front of him, directing me down the long hallway. I could feel his eyes planted to my ass as I walked in front of him.

Inside his office, floor-to-ceiling bookshelves lined one wall, and an impressive oak desk commanded the center of the room. There was a small couch along with two chairs and a table.

“Please, sit.” Russell King didn’t have a hair out of place, and his manners were impeccable. He moved to a wooden cabinet. On top was a crystal decanter filled with an amber alcohol. He poured two fingers in each glass, then handed me one.

When I didn’t immediately accept the glass, he chuckled. “This is Weller’s Antique 10 year Reserve. One of the rarest and most expensive bourbons in the world. I insist.”

My smile tightened as I accepted the glass, but I didn’t take a sip.

---