Page 136 of Deception

Madison smiled her agreement and closed the door behind them. “Thank you for offering to show us around. I hope we aren’t inconveniencing you or anyone else.”

“You’re not.” Vivian walked around them to the door. “I hope you don’t mind, but this late in the day I usually keep the door locked. Anyone could walk off the street into here.”

A shiver went down Madison’s back as the lock clicked in place. She doubted anyone would venture out in this weather. She wouldn’t have if she’d checked the radar, but the storm had moved in so quickly.

“I’m glad you’re here. As for this building, often towns tear down their old structures, but the architecture and history onthis one are so interesting they decided to renovate it. Don’t you love the Wedgwood blue in this room? It’s very soothing.”

Madison had loved the blue walls the first time she was here. “Clayton said something about it being haunted. Something about moaning and groaning.”

“It’s an old building. Of course it’s going to make noises.” Vivian shook her head as she grabbed a handful of paper towels from her desk and stuck them in her pocket. “Some of these rooms are dirty. And I wish townspeople would stop propagating that ridiculous rumor. Half the officers refuse to do a security check after dark. Follow me and I’ll show you the rest of this floor.”

They trailed after her as she walked through the downstairs rooms. “Where you came in is where the jailer and his family lived, and through here are the cells that were on this floor.” She led the way to an iron doorway.

“You mean there were actual cells on this floor?” Dani hesitated at the doorway. “With the jailer and his family?”

“Oh yes. We use the space for storage now.”

A dank, oily odor came from the room as Madison peered through the metal doorway at the dungeon-like cells. She’d seen all she wanted to of the jail on this dark and gloomy day. “Why don’t we save this for another visit when the sun’s shining.”

“I agree.” Dani turned to Vivian. “Thanks so much for showing us around. Your offices were beautiful, but the cells—they creep me out.”

“But it’s raining so hard. You can’t leave.”

The strident tone in Vivian’s voice was almost lost in a pop of lightning and the instant boom that followed. Madison had heard enough to trigger a memory in the back of her brain. Beside her Dani gasped.

Madison jerked her head toward their tour guide. Her face reflected a murderous rage. But it was the gun in Vivian’s hand that had Madison’s attention.

“What’s going on?” Madison kept her voice calm.

“You are so stupid. What does it look like?”

It was coming back to her now. Something about Dallas. Vivian had lived there. Was engaged. Her heart dropped to her knees.

“You were engaged to Howard Douglas.”

“Yes. And you killed him.”

“I didn’t have anything to do with his death. It was a car accident.”

“It was no accident. He purposely drove into the bridge abutment because you hounded him until he couldn’t take it any longer. I heard how the FBI wanted to drop the investigation into him, but the big important ISB ranger wouldn’t let it go.” Her face hardened. “You killed an innocent man. And now you’ll pay.”

Was she responsible for Douglas’s death? It’d been her first white-collar crime. She’d been so certain he was selling oil rights he didn’t own until his boss confessed after Douglas’s death. “Let Dani go.”

“Sorry. She dies first so you can see how it feels to lose someone you love.”

“You shot Dani at Coles Creek.” The clues were there all along. The dead fiancé, Vivian was a crack shot ... “And you were the shooter at the hospital.”

“Enough talk.” Vivian motioned with the gun toward the iron door. “Get inside the cellblock.”

Madison planted her feet. “You won’t get away with this.”

Vivian’s lip curled. “Oh, but I will. An unfortunate accident. You two were trapped in the house when a fire broke out. This place will go up like a tinderbox.”

“No one will believe you.” Dani’s voice cracked.

“Yes, they will. Now get inside the cellblock.”

The woman was crazy. There was no reasoning with her. Madison’s cell phone rang, and she checked the ID on her watch. Brooke Danvers.

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