Page 160 of Trouble Comes in Threes

Randy showed up soon after the EMTs, and Joe had him take my statement. I told him that I knew Clive had killed his daughter looking for the floppy disks that had been hidden inside the box. But I didn’t tell him how I knew Clive’s history, and from the look Joe gave me, I knew he’d be asking questions later.

Apparently, the sheriff’s department had been suspicious of Clive’s buddy Emmett regarding a string of robberies, and they knew where he lived. Joe sent deputies out to pick him up while I was still giving my interview. They had him in custody within twenty minutes.

After I finished giving my statement, Joe wanted me to go to the ER to get checked out, but I insisted I was fine.

I just wanted to go home.

Joe announced he was taking the rest of the day off to spend with his wife, and he drove me home in the Suburban, leaving his car parked on the square.

We were both quiet on the drive home. When we got in, I let Muffy out to pee and sat on the front steps to watch her.

Muffy looked confused that it was just the two of us. She spun around and ran to the Suburban, probably searching for Hope. “Sorry, Muff,” I told her. “It’s just you, me, and Joe until the kids come home. Like old times.”

“Speaking of old times,” Joe said, sitting on the step beside me. He wrapped an arm around my back, and I leaned into him, resting my head on his shoulder.

“I didn’t do anything to instigate that, Joe,” I said defensively. “We were lookin’ for the owner of the box. I told you I’d stop if it started to look dangerous, and I did. But Clive figured out we had the box and was determined to get it.”

“For the floppy disks?” he asked.

“Yeah. Just like I told Randy.”

He reached over and lifted my chin, staring into my eyes. “I’m sorry you feel like you have to explain yourself. I know you wouldn’t unnecessarily put yourself or the kids in harm’s way. I was out of line when I accused you of it a few days ago, and I’m really, really sorry.”

“I know,” I said, lifting a hand to his cheek. “And I’m sorry too.”

“But if something like this happens in the future, we need to work out some kind of game plan so you’re not keeping secrets that could help me with my investigations. We’re on the same side here, right?”

“Next time?” I asked. “What makes you think there’s gonna be a next time?” But then I remembered that Clive had figured out who I was. “We might have a problem, Joe.”

“Whatever it is, we can work it out,” he said, bending over to give me a soft kiss.

“It might be a big one,” I said.

He sat back up and waited.

“Clive Maxwell figured out I’m the Lady in Black. Somehow, he knew Austin went to Lady for help.”

He frowned. “It’s not like it’s a tightly held secret.”

“True.” Then I remembered something else. “Austin said something else when he came to me. He told me one of the guys shot Jeremiah, and the other said the big guy wouldn’t be happy. I thought the big guy was Clive, but Clive was there when Jerimiah was shot.”

Joe was quiet.

I pressed on. “Then I figured maybe Sloan was the big guy, but that doesn’t feel right. Why would Sloan care about floppy disks from thirty years ago?”

“Good question,” Joe said quietly.

“So if Sloan wasn’t the big guy, who is?” I asked. I truly hoped it wasn’t Dermot. He wasn’t old enough to be around back then, but that didn’t mean he hadn’t heard about the disks or had some idea what was on them.

Joe pulled out his phone. “I don’t know, but I plan on questioning Clive Maxwell and finding out.” Then he put his phone back in his pocket. “But I’ll question him later. It can keep. Right now, I’m right where I belong.”

I snuggled into him, grateful to have him here, but somehow, I knew Clive wouldn’t give him the answers we were looking for. Clive Maxwell was a stubborn jackass who would take the secret to his grave just to spite Joe and everyone else.

“Now that it’s just you and me,” he said, “tell me how you knew about Clive’s history. It doesn’t seem like something Clive would voluntarily spill.”

“Dermot called me,” I said. “Right as I got to the office. He told me he thought I was still in danger because he thought Clive killed Jeremiah looking for the box.”

“Did Dermot know about the disks?” he asked, his voice tight.

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