Page 21 of Death on Riddle Road
“The death of a convicted murderer?”Dova questioned.“Robbie’s right.Even with the ones who jumped to the conclusion that Derrick killed Jaylynn now long gone, they’ll look out for their own, cover their tracks so the department doesn’t have to take responsibility.”
“Convicted murderer or not—”
Clara jumped in atop my words.“The thing is, the sheriff’s department has access to official reports and forensics and all that.We need every bit of insight from you and others — but especially you two because you’re the closest to the situation.And starting with Jaylynn’s death gives us the most inclusive view, Robbie.”
“I was a baby,” he grumbled.
Dova lifted one shoulder and gave a slight shake of her head.
I saw a possible route to try to dig for information, but Clara had none-too-subtly told me to shut up.I wasn’t miffed — she was right that arguing about the pure-heartedness of the sheriff’s department wasn’t productive in gaining information from Robbie or Dova.Recognizing that logic didn’t mean I was ready to relinquish defense of Teague’s professionalism.
“Still, you had some connection with your father—” Clara had spotted the same possible route I had.“—perhaps heard his insights...”
“As a little kid,” he said dismissively.“Later, he didn’t want me there.”
“He wanted to spare you,” Dova corrected gently.She added to Clara and me, “Derrick worried about Robbie visiting the prison when he reached the age of taking in the reality around him.That’s the sort of father he was, thinking of his son first.”
Not if the sheriff’s department, prosecutors, and jury were right.Based on their findings, he’d put his desires — presumably for Dova — far enough above his son’s interests that he not only killed the boy’s mother, but did it in his presence, and left him there.
“As for the sheriff’s department,” Dova said, almost as if she’d caught the drift of my thoughts — I better check my poker face, “They didn’t look past the ends of their noses.There was another obvious suspect.Derrick always thought...”
She paused long enough for me to wonder if she’d decided against telling us what he’d always thought, then added slowly, “You know Jaylynn was cheating on Derrick.”
CHAPTER NINE
Hell, no, Ididn’t know, I thought but didn’t say.
As I swung my gaze toward Clara, I saw Robbie flinch slightly without revealing any surprise, which neither Dova nor Mamie seemed to catch.Completing my swing informed me Clara hadn’t known, either.
“But did the sheriff’s department look into that?”Dova continued.“No.They landed on Derrick in the first minutes and never considered anyone else.And when they found out he and I had fallen in love, it was like those deputies considered that we’d committed all of the seven deadly sins rolled together, while no one else on earth had cracked a single one.”
I’d guess they were more concerned about Derrick breaking the law against homicide.
“She had a boyfriend?”Clara’sthis-woman-never-said-a-mean-or-judgmental-word-in-her-lifevoice was far more productive than I’d have been.
“If that’s what you want to call it,” Dova said with a flatness that signified she wanted to distance herself from the topic even though she’d raised it.She turned to her son.“Robbie, if you and Mamie want to—”
“I’m staying,” he said flatly.
Mamie echoed the sentiment without words by linking her arms around one of his, securing herself at his side.
Before Dova made another bid to send Robbie away, when I wanted to watch his reactions, I asked, “Who was Jaylynn involved with?”
“I don’t know,” Dova said.
A lie.
Not one I’d get her to admit, because she clearly meant to shield Robbie from that detail.
Interesting that he’d already known about his mother’s affair.
From his father?Though if Derrick stopped prison visits when Robbie was young would he have shared that tidbit about Jaylynn?
From Dova?That didn’t seem likely, either.That would delve deep into the pot calling the kettle black territory.
“Who knew about her affair?”
Dova lifted her shoulders, making the longer necklace swing slightly.“I have no idea.I didn’t at the time, even though—” She paused, looking at Robbie.He was back to contemplating the corner of the office.“You’ll hear this from others, so there’s no sense...It’s not a secret.Jaylynn and I were friends.That’s how Derrick and I met.I’m not proud of that, but sometimes friendship isn’t as strong as the heart.”
