Page 84 of Last Seen Alive
“Claire was discovered in Logan’s house,” Amanda said.
Brianna’s eyes watered. “Because of me.”
Amanda stiffened. “Why because of you?”
“I found out where Logan lived years ago and passed that along to Claire. She asked if I could find out.”
That answered one question they’d had since near the beginning—how Claire even knew where Logan lived. “When Claire left for Nebraska, did she stop being involved in the robberies?”
“She stopped when things between her and Logan became serious.”
“I’m guessing her quitting wasn’t received well by the others,” Trent said.
“She ran off to Nebraska. What do you think?”
A small pulse ticked in Trent’s cheek at Brianna’s sharp remark, but Amanda was more interested in how the pieces were starting to fit together. As long as Claire was part of the heists, she wasn’t a threat. When she wanted no part of them anymore, she became a liability. Even more when the killer must have found out Claire was holding on to the Glock. There were still many questions, though. “Do you know why she returned to Prince William County last week?”
Brianna met Amanda’s gaze, blinked slowly. “She was dying from cancer. She wanted to set everything right before…” She paused, sniffled, her eyes glazing over. “She hated what she did to Logan, to her sister, even to me. We might have been in some contact, but she was my rock before she left town. She knew that. Most of all, her conscience was eating her alive.”
“About?”
“She saw something bad happen and had the evidence to back it up. She never gave me the details. I always got the feeling she’d witnessed a murder.” Brianna presented it as if she expected that news to be a shock to Amanda and Trent. “That doesn’t surprise you?”
Trent said, “We’ve put some things together. Like the fact she came here last Thursday to see you. How did she even know how to reach you?”
“As I said, I’d get the odd letter. She kept tabs on me. She called the house two weeks ago and found out that I’d left my husband. She did her thing and tracked me down, called all the hotels in the area, figuring I wouldn’t have gone far. She didn’t believe Dick when he told her I’d cheated and shacked up with some guy.”
Amanda wondered if that was always how she abbreviated her husband’s name, or if it started with their marriage problems.
“He passed the same story on to us,” Trent said.
“What a shit.” Brianna clenched her jaw.
“What did she tell you when she came to see you here?” Amanda prompted, wanting an answer to Trent’s other question.
“That was when she told me she was dying and tired of running. Also how she wanted to atone for her life choices, somehow make up for the heartbreak she caused. I tried to talk her out of it.”
“Out of what exactly?” Goosebumps raised on Amanda’s arms.
“She was going to confront her past. Head on. But she was all about second chances and wanted this person to know she was turning them in.”
And herself, Amanda thought. “Do you have any names?”
“No.”
“What do you know about Rita Cartwright?” Amanda figured Brianna would know Claire’s boss from the gallery.
Brianna bunched up her face like she was going to spit. “Isn’t it Flynn now? She was a manipulative bitch. She thought that by including Claire in her wedding, it would make Claire feel indebted to her more. It was all a mind game.”
“We know Claire reported to Rita at the gallery. They weren’t friends though?” Amanda desired to reinforce what they’d already found.
“Heavens no.”
“Claire paid Rita a visit on Wednesday,” Trent put out there, matter-of-fact. “Would you know why?”
“All I can think is she was doing what she told me. Giving this person she spoke of the chance to turn themselves in. Could have been Rita, I suppose. Did Rita kill Claire?”
Amanda shook her head. “Rita died on Thursday, the day before Claire.”
