Page 78 of Unexpected Danger
“Oh, I didn’t invite her. Dustin said it would be a great idea and a way to repay her for her kindness for helping me with that bill, you know, by letting her live at my house since she’shomeless right now.” Corker chewed again on her fingernail. “Besides, I’m going to be moving in with Dustin after we get married, so I thought Londyn could stay there temporarily. I can’t stand the thought of someone not having a home.” She gestured with her hands. “She lost her home, you know.”
“Dustin told you it was a good idea to bring Londyn to your house and offer her the opportunity to stay there until you sold the place after getting married to Dustin?”
Corker clapped her hands. “Yes. And after we’re all done here, if you give me your addresses, I can mail you both a wedding invitation.”
“That won’t be necessary.” It was doubtful Haack truly wanted to marry Ms. Corker, especially with his obsession with Londyn. Brodie pressed on with his line of questioning. “Please tell me how you knew Ms. Siegler was going to be out for a walk.”
“That’s easy. Dustin told me. He’s always trying to do nice things for people. Have you met him? He’s one of the sweetest guys.” Renee Corker swooned. “So good-looking too.”
Neither sweet nor good-looking were words Brodie would use to describe Haack. “How did Dustin know about Ms. Siegler’s walk?”
Corker shrugged. “Said he’d been watching her.”
“And you don’t think that’s strange?”
“No. He’s always caring for the less fortunate and trying to help them. He also said that Londyn is prideful and would be embarrassed to have to stay with someone since she’s homeless. He said we would have to convince her. He was right. She didn’t come willingly. But I did appreciate that she thought I lost Sesame.” Corker jutted her lower lip. “Come to think of it, she was rather rude when Dustin was trying to get her into my car. I understand being prideful, but being outright snotty when someone is trying to help you?”
“How did you get her into the car?”
“First, I have to tell you it was just like some action movie. Dustin clocked her over the head to try to knock some sense into her.”
Brodie’s annoyance flared. “And you didn’t see anything wrong with that? With him hurting her?”
“I don’t think he meant to hurt her. She was extremely stubborn and was putting up a fierce fight. He warned me that she was one of those kinds of people who didn’t easily accept help and that she also…” Corker lowered her voice. “That she also had—you know—issues.” She glanced up at the ceiling. “But she’s just like all my cats and dogs. She needs a good home. So, I decided I was the one to help her, or rather, Dustin decided I was the one to help.” A large smile lit her face, revealing a few empty spaces in her mouth where teeth had once been. “He has the best ideas!”
Brodie hoped that one of these days, one of Dustin Haack’s brilliant ideas would lead law enforcement right to him. “What happened next?”
“We finally got her into the car and drove her to my house.”
“Where was Dustin at this point?”
“He had to get back to work.”
“Where is he employed?”
A dreamy expression covered Ms. Corker’s face. “He’s going to school to become a lawyer, just like those ones you see on TV. He’s so smart, and I know he’ll be an amazing attorney after he graduates. Sadly, he’s also super busy and has a ton of coursework.” She picked at a scab on her arm. “Doesn’t matter, though. He said once he lands his first job, he’s going to buy us a brand-new house in that fancy subdivision just past the tree farm.”
It always surprised Brodie how gullible some people were. And how convincing Haack was. He was about to ask the next question when Corker continued.
“I was rather disappointed that she wasn’t very grateful. And then Dustin told me he was going to be coming over for dinner. I could hardly wait. And then you showed up about that horse, but Dustin said not to open the door.”
He bet that Ms. Corker did everything Haack told her to. “Do you know where Dustin is now?”
“Probably at his house.”
“Do you know where that is?”
“No, I don’t.”
Frustration simmered through Brodie. “You were dating this guy, and you don’t know where he lives?”
“Yeah, that’s right. We never went to his house. We always came to mine.” Corker lowered her voice. “I honestly think he’s embarrassed because it’s not the kind of house he wishes he had, and he wants to impress me. But I’m okay with that. I know that once he gets his important lawyer job, he’ll be able to afford the house that we both deserve.”
It was obvious Renee Corker did not have all of her faculties. “What is the name of the college he’s attending?”
“Some online university. I don’t recall the name of it right off hand.”
Brodie’s gaze connected with Huang’s, and Huang raised his eyebrows.
