Page 42 of Every Deadly Suspicion

Terry nodded. “It was just a normal morning. The only other person in the house was the housekeeper. You already read her statement. I have not been able to confirm that he made the coffee at home.”

“Yeah, she was busy making a grocery list and preparing to go shopping. If he didn’t make the coffee at home, he made it at the airfield.”

Terry nodded again. “At this point, I’m leaning toward the poison being put in the coffee by someone at the airfield. I’ll look through more security video. We missed something.”

“I know. I’ll push Chase. It’s a loose thread that needs to be tied up. Everything is crazy right now, but I don’t want that to be an excuse.”

“I understand. Everyone who grew up in Dry Oaks knew Aunt Edda. Hearing about her was quite a shock.”

“Yes, but I’m used to having a lot on my plate. I shouldn’t be so easily distracted. I’m also still troubled about this Marcus-Scott dustup.”

“I reinterviewed the guys at the airfield. No one else saw it. Only Jeff Smith.”

Hanna thought about that. “I can’t see Smith making that up. His alibi is solid.”

“Valerie Fox confirms tension between Marcus and Scott, about a supposed book.”

“That’s weird too. Everett had no idea about a book, and Marcus won’t admit to it. Chase may be the only one to settle this mystery.”

Terry nodded and went back to his office. She called Marcus and left another voicemail.

Hanna was left alone with her conflicted thoughts about Joe. He’d been a boogeyman in her life since birth. A true monster who murdered her best friend’s parents. Things had been tough when she was a kid, but Mandy and Jared were the two people who helped her the most during those years, the ones who made sure she survived, even thrived. They knew what she’d gone through. She’d already talked to Mandy.

Would talking to Jared help in some way? What would his perspective be?

Hanna got up and paced her small office. Jared had given her his number. She hadn’t put it in her phone yet. It was so odd to her. She knew he was here. He was a firefighter, and once or twice she’d run into him at traffic-accident scenes, yet she didn’t know how to approach him and just talk.

Putting him on the back burner for a moment, she redirected her thoughts to Joe. She didn’t want him in her house. But neither did she want to say no to Mandy. Mandy had lost the most because of Joe, yet she befriended Hanna when no one else would. And she had been a steadfast friend for years.

I owe it to her. She deserves to know where her parents are buried.Still, Hanna’s hand hesitated on the phone. Joe was in prison for murder. What kind of danger might there be in bringing him to her house?

She’d have to ask Giles. Maybe this was an out. Hanna certainly didn’t want to put her life or anyone else’s in danger. Mandy would understand if that were the case.

Taking a deep breath, she punched in the number for the Department of Corrections. She’d get her questions answered before she committed to anything. Gordon Giles took her call.

“Thank you for getting back to us, Chief. I’m hoping you considered the request.”

“I’m considering. However, though on paper Joe is my father, I don’t know him. I’ve never lived with him. And he’s a convicted murderer. I once arrested a man in a wheelchair for stabbing someone. Is it safe for him to be in my home?”

Giles gave a little chuckle. “I understand your concern. I can’t predict the future, but I can say that Joe Keyes has been an exemplary inmate for almost his entire time served. Ten years ago, he saved the life of a corrections officer and stopped a riot, and he’s never been out of line here. And physically, well, he’s semimobile, with the help of a walker or a cane, and he’s on oxygen twenty-four seven. Prison doc thinks he has less than a month left. Does that help you at all?”

Less than a month left.

Hanna bit her bottom lip. Despite Giles’s obvious respect for Joe, she was unable to quell the uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach. That Giles spoke glowingly of Joe did surprise her. And the time Joe had left—would he even last long enough to be brought to her house?

“It helps some...” She couldn’t bring herself to say that she’d take him in.

“We have not come to this decision lightly. The vote of the parole board was unanimous,” Giles said. “If there were any hint that your father would be a danger to you, or anyone, he’d never be considered for release.”

Hanna sighed. If it weren’t for Mandy, this decision would not have been so difficult.

“I do have questions,” she said. “Okay, he walks with a walker, and he needs oxygen. What other kind of care and how do I manage it?”

“No fear; we have that taken care of. He’s being released on hospice. There will be a team attending him. Before he’s released, a member of the hospice team and I will visit your home andlet you know what’s needed. Right now, I’ll start the paperwork. When would be a good time for our visit?”

Hanna ran her hands through her hair, stunned by how quickly things were moving along. Mouth dry, she swallowed before squeaking out, “Ah, what day did you have in mind?”

“The sooner the better. I can be there Wednesday morning. Around noon?”

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