Page 134 of State of Grace (First Family 2)

“You told us before that no one knew.”

“I didn’t want to bring them into this.”

As a mother, Sam understood that. As a cop, it pissed her off that he’d wasted her time. “How did they find out?”

“Grace followed me one of the times I met Pam and confronted us.”

Yep, this was a major thread. “Confronted you how?”

“She came up to us in the parking lot of a restaurant and started screaming at us that we were liars and cheaters and that she hoped we got what was coming to us.”

“Is that all she said?”

He hesitated.

“Mr. Ouellette, I’d advise you to tell us the full story right now. If we later find out you once again withheld information, you could be charged.”

Mark broke down into sobs. “She’s my daughter. My little girl. She couldn’t have done this.”

“What else did she say?”

It took five whole minutes for him to pull himself together, which only added to Sam’s growing irritation. “She said she’d end us both if we didn’t stop our revolting relationship.”

Sam had to hide her reaction to that bombshell. “How long ago did that happen?”

He thought for a second. “Six weeks or so.”

“Is that how Aidan found out about the affair? Grace told him?”

“Yes. I begged her not to tell anyone. I told her we were going to end it.”

“And did you?”

Mark’s face flushed with color. “Not entirely, but we saw less of each other after that.”

“What were your interactions with Grace like after that night?” Freddie asked.

“She hasn’t spoken to me since.”

Sam nodded to Freddie to continue that line of questioning.

“Has the rest of your family noticed she’s not speaking to you?”

“It’s not unlike Grace to go silent, so no, they don’t think anything of it. But I’ve noticed.”

“Mr. Ouellette, is it possible that your daughter wanted your mistress out of your life badly enough to kill her?”

His mouth flopped open as his eyes bugged. “Absolutely not. Grace would never do something like that. You’d have to be a monster to do what was done to Pam. My Grace couldn’t do that. There’s no way.”

The waver in his voice on those final three words told Sam he wasn’t entirely sure his Grace would be incapable of such a thing. To Freddie, she said, “Have Malone pull a warrant and get Crime Scene to the house. I want her computer, her phone and a full search of her room.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Freddie said, stepping out of the office to see to her orders while Mark looked on in horror.

“Where can we find her?” Sam asked.

“You’re not seriously looking at her.”

“I’m asking where we can find her.”

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