Page 85 of Only One More Lie

“I can see that,” Duke said. “I promise we won’t take up too much of your time.”

Jared opened the door wider, and they stepped inside. His house was unkempt and the stench of dirty socks and old food permeated the air. And it was cold. It wassocold in here.

Was Jared struggling to pay for heat? Why else would he keep it so frigid inside?

Jared paused and glanced at his living room as if considering offering them a place to sit down. But every visible surface was covered with piles of clothes, old pizza boxes, and stacks of junk mail.

“How about the kitchen instead?” Jared offered.

They went into the tiny kitchen and moved several things from the seats before sitting at an old table that rocked back and forth if you leaned on it.

“So what do you want to know?” Jared planted his elbows on the table as he sat across from them. “I don’t really know how Ican help you. And is this official—as in, is our conversation being recorded? I need to know if I need to watch what I say.”

“It’s not official,” Andi said. “Although, if you say something that’s a turning point in our investigation, we’d love to come back later and officially get you on a recording.”

He nodded slowly as if considering it. “I’ll think about it. For now, what do you want to know?”

Duke shifted before diving in. “When you heard about what happened to your aunt and uncle, did your mind jump to any conclusions? Did you immediately think about a possibility of who could’ve done this to them?”

Jared blew out another breath. “I don’t know, man. At first, I didn’t know what to think. It’s still hard to say. But . . .” He looked in the distance as if his mind were traveling back in time. “They were always kind of secretive.”

“In what way?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know. They didn’t talk much about what they did before they moved here, but I think he had some high paying job. It was their idea to move to Alaska almost twenty years ago. He said my dad should join them.”

“Where did they move from?” Andi asked.

“New York, I think. We hadn’t heard from them in years. Then one day, they reconnect with us. Tell us they’ve had a baby and want a change in scenery, that they were moving to Alaska.”

“I didn’t think your dad and uncle were close,” Duke said.

“I didn’t either. But my dad had fallen on some hard times. Uncle Calvin heard people could get jobs in Alaska in the oil field. Said my dad should apply. I was young at the time, but I remember bits and pieces.”

“And it worked out for everyone to move?” Andi asked.

“It did. Course, only about five years later my parents divorced. Then my dad and uncle didn’t talk for a while again.”

Alaska didn’t seem like a conventional choice as to places to move. But Duke had moved here also, so he had no room to talk.

However, he had to wonder if there was more to their story.

“I take it you and your dad aren’t close,” Andi said.

“He swindled my mom out of my money a few years ago,” Jared said. “I haven’t talked to him since. I don’t trust him—and neither should you.”

“Noted,” Duke muttered.

“Anything else you need?” Jared glanced at his watch.

“Only if you can think of something you want to share.” Andi waited.

“I’ve had nothing to do with that side of the family for years,” Jared said. “The only time I’ve really thought about them was when that family friend came over a couple of months ago.”

“Family friend?” Duke wondered who he was talking about.

“The Klinkhart guy.” Jared shrugged as if annoyed. “He came asking about his daughter—as if I’d know where she was. Said he’d been searching for her.”

That seemed to fit what Duke knew about the man. He wasn’t the type who liked it when things don’t go according to his plan.

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