Page 21 of Cold Case, Warm Hearts

“Yeah, yeah. I’m fine. Just…” He blew out a long breath and sat back. “Look, I don’t want to get into everything that happened back then.”

“You don’t have to.”

Dean obviously needed to rest, and the last thing Garrett wanted was to add stress to his uncle’s life. He’d done enough of that as a kid.

Dean rested his head against the headrest. “Like I said, it was an ugly story, and it brings back a lot of painful memories.”

Garrett didn’t understand, but as he’d reminded himself earlier, Aspen’s family history was none of his business. “We don’t have to talk about it.”

“Your client’s mother disappeared under a cloud of suspicion.”

“What was she suspected of?”

He shook his head at the question. “The point is, people got hurt.”

“Aspen isn’t her mother.”

“True. But a lot of people want to know what happened to Jane Kincaid.”

“You think she’s dead, right?”

Dean’s eyebrows lifted. “Why do you say that?”

“You’ve only referred to her in the past tense.”

“Yeah. I think she’s dead.”

“Why?”

“I can’t imagine a woman like her staying hidden for long.”

“What do you mean, ‘like her’?”

“Beautiful, charismatic, radical, and insane. Those characteristics don’t exactly fly under the radar. If she were still alive, she’d have turned up by now.”

Garrett lowered his head. Poor Aspen. No wonder her father had taken her away from New Hampshire.

Except he’d bought a house here. Why? What good could possibly come of Aspen learning this ugly story about her mother? Though how could her dad have known he’d die so young? Maybe he’d never thought Aspen would find out about the house.

But why buy it in the first place?

“Unless someone’s been keeping her hidden.”

Dean’s words had Garrett’s gaze snapping up. “What do you mean? Who?—?”

“I need you to do something.”

Aside from household chores, Dean never asked Garrett for favors. The thought of being able to repay, even in some small measure, what Dean and Deborah had done for him… “Anything. You know that.”

“I need you to keep an eye on Jane’s daughter. I need to know if she says anything about her mother or what happened back then. Let me know where she goes and who she talks to. Maybe ask some questions, see if you can get her to talk about what she’s doing.”

Garrett sat back, stunned. “You want me tospyon Aspen? On my client?”

“Not spy, son. Just… just listen and watch and let me know what you learn, that’s all. If she has any idea where her mother is or what happened to her, there are people in this town who need to know.”

“Why? What is it to any of them?”

“It’s possible Jane Kincaid was responsible for a woman’s death. If she’s still alive?—”

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