Page 57 of All Bets are Off

“Uh, I need to talk to you. And West. Is he around?”

“I think he’s gone to the shooting range.”

“Oh.”

“Sit down and tell me what’s on your mind.”

After he’s seated, he takes a deep breath and says, “There’s something I haven’t told you guys. Something I feel bad about, like I’m keeping a secret, and I don’t want it to be like that.”

I frown, wondering what he could be talking about. “What is it?”

“My sister moved here recently. She says she did it to be near me, but I know that’s not true.” He meets my gaze. “She really moved here to be near West.”

Now, I’m really confused.

“My sister’s name is Anna Fletcher. She and I are half-siblings. She dated West a couple of years ago when she was going to Georgetown University.”

The pieces fall together. “Anna’syour sister?”

Dex nods. “When she found out I was working with you guys, she asked me for verification that you and West are together. At the time, I didn’t see the harm in it, and I guess I was feeling a little guilty for the fact that she and I aren’t close. But now that I’ve gotten to know you guys, I feel kind of creepy for having snooped around.”

“I caught you coming out of my room,” I remember, straightening in my chair. “You said you were looking for me.”

“I didn’t look through your stuff, I swear. I just gave the room a cursory look so I could tell her I did.”

“Did she ask you to leave a note in our mailbox?”

“What? No.” He looked like he was telling the truth, and that was a relief. He didn’t know the extent of his sister’s delusion.

“Did you tell her West and I are together?” I ask.

“Yeah. Well, eventually. I also told her I wasn’t going to invite her over or do anything else to help her try to get back with West. And I haven’t. I just feel really shitty for doing what I did. I’m really sorry and hope you and West can forgive me.”

I sigh, the mystery of why Anna showed up solved. “Well, while I don’t appreciate what you did, I do appreciate that you’re telling me about it. Your sister seems to think her relationship with West is more than it is.”

Dex nods. “I know. It kind of worries me.”

“Me, too. To be honest, I don’t like her working where my mother lives,” I say. “I had a conversation with her earlier today that made me so uncomfortable, I’ve decided to do everything I can to get her fired.” The idea began forming on the drive home from Newburg, and now, after hearing what Dex had to say, my mind is made up.

“I don’t blame you,” Dex says. He takes a deep breath. “In fact, I think you should. There’s another reason I’m here confessing this to you.” He takes his phone out of his pocket. “I went to see Anna at her place last night. When I got there, I was really shocked that she still hasn’t done anything to make it into a home. Most of her stuff is still packed in boxes.” He touches the screen of his phone before turning it to me. “This is what I want to show you. When I went to the bathroom, I saw her bedroom wall.”

Taking the phone from him, I look at the screen. Dozens of photographs of West are taped to the white wall with pink, red, and purple heart stickers interspersed among them.

“Most of these pictures look like candid shots she took when West wasn’t aware,” I say, zooming in on them and recognizing a street in downtown Redding and the parking lot of Garden Oasis.

“I think she needs help. I’m going to give her father a call. He’s a lot more level-headed than our mother, although at times I’ve thought he’s too hard on Anna. I’m flying to New Mexico this evening to help on a case, but I’ll do it as soon as I get settled there. If I don’t get a chance to talk to West before I leave, will you tell him about this?”

“Sure. And thanks for letting me know.” I hand him his phone. As he heads for the door, I stop him. “Dex? You don’t think your sister’s dangerous, do you?”

“No. I just think she has an unhealthy obsession with West. She’s always been a little dramatic. Frankly, her issues with her father play a part. I think West’s rejection struck deep. But Anna’s a good person. I’m sure of that.”

I nod, relieved. Despite this new information on Anna, I still don’t believe she was the one who took a shot of me. It had to be someone out for Slade. This deal with Anna wanting West back is just a coincidence.

After Dex leaves, I sit for a long time thinking about Anna and those pictures. I know when I tell West, he’ll take care of it. I wonder if I should I tell him about the note. It will infuriate him. I decide there are enough negative things to tell him about Anna without mentioning that. From what Dex said, it sounds as though his sister’s got problems. I don’t want West bringing the police in on this if we don’t have to.

As for what Dex did, while it was shitty of him to go in my room without permission, I believe him when he says he was just trying to appease his sister. No harm, no foul.

Scrubbing my hands over my face, I lean back in the chair and gaze out the window at the front lawn where a couple of seagulls wrestle for a scrap on the ground. Life since leaving active duty has been nothing but one catastrophe after another, and I could really use some peace. At least the mystery of the shooting is solved. Hopefully something can be done about Anna now that the truth is out, but over all of this hangs the dark cloud of my mother’s diagnosis.

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