Page 108 of Deception

That didn’t surprise her. Whoever broke in and trashed the study would have worn gloves. “How did they get past the alarm?”

“It hadn’t been tampered with, so either the intruder knew the code or it wasn’t set. Do you remember setting it?”

She let out a slow breath. “I can’t tell you that I specifically remember doing that, but I’m thinking Nadine and Dad were in the house when I left, so I may not have. I’ll check with her and see if she set it.”

“I wish the judge had installed cameras when he put in the security system,” Clayton said. “Have you talked to Dani?”

“No, she was in the shower when I called. Bri and I plan to go see her around noon.”

“Bri? Have you heard from her?”

“She’s here, actually spent the night in the back seat of Dani’s Civic in the drive.”

“Would you object to me picking you two up and driving you to the hospital?”

Madison hesitated, but safety won out. “Sure. You want to pick us up in about an hour?”

She ended the call and turned to Bri, startled by the frightened expression on the girl’s face. “You know Clayton. He won’t hurt you.”

“It’s not that.” She chewed her fingernail. “I heard you ask if your neighbors saw anyone at this house yesterday.”

“And?”

“I came by here. Your car was here, and a woman was walking up the drive. It looked like she went to the back door. You didn’t talk to her?”

“No. What time?”

“Around lunchtime, ’cause I thought I might get something to eat here. But when the woman didn’t come back, I figured she was a friend, and I didn’t want to bother you, so I went to McDonald’s.”

“I was with Clayton at the hospital. Can you describe her?”

“I didn’t see her real good—I was on the street and she was near the back of the house ... but I do remember she had dark hair and wore some kind of exercise clothes and tennis shoes. If it hadn’t been the middle of the day and so hot, I would’ve thought she’d jogged here.”

“You didn’t see a man with her?”

“No, but if there was one, he could’ve already gone around to the back.”

How Madison wished her grandfather had installed those cameras. That way she wouldn’t be wondering who the intruder was.

57

Eight o’clock Monday morning, Madison’s cell phone rang as she unlocked her Impala to drive to the lawyer’s office. Hugh Cortland showed up on the caller ID.

She answered, and after they exchanged greetings, she asked, “Have you found anything that points to who might have killed my grandfather?”

“I’m afraid not,” he said. “We’re looking into each of his judgeships, but he had a long career and it’ll take a while to go through them.”

That wasn’t a surprise. “How about Aaron Corbett? How solid is his alibi?”

“I’ll find out today—I’m bringing him in to Chief Nelson’s office for questioning.”

“Anything on who trashed his study?”

“No. Whoever it was wore gloves, so no prints.”

“Whatever happened to Locard’s Exchange Principle? Surely they left something behind.”

Dr. Edmond Locard had determined that an offender always left something behind at the crime scene and took something from the scene with him.

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