The Police Chief's Lady. Jacqueline Diamond

      “What did they quarrel about?” Ethan didn’t recall the subject appearing in the trial documents. Probably it hadn’t been relevant to the DA’s case, and Barry’s lawyer hadn’t introduced it, either.

      “The old coot accused him of flirting with his wife. Which is ridiculous, considering she was twenty years older than we were, but he embarrassed Chris in front of other people.” Barry moved restlessly around the room.

      “That explains the prank, but it’s hardly a motive for him to go back and kill the guy, then pin it on you,” Ethan observed.

      “I don’t think he intended to frame me,” Barry conceded. “We focused on the fact that Anglin tried to stab us. But he also threatened to bring charges.”

      “I’m sure he did.”

      “It bothered me, but it must have upset Chris a lot more. I mean, he was planning to be a doctor. They’re held to high standards.” Barry pushed a wing of overgrown hair off his forehead. “An arrest record would have hurt his chances of getting into medical school. So I guess he wanted to shut Anglin up permanently.”

      “Didn’t you have the same concern?” Ethan asked. “Or aren’t journalists held to high standards?”

      The editor paused in front of his computer screen, glanced at a couple of flashing instant messages and then clicked them shut. “Being an ex-con has shut off certain avenues, but it doesn’t stop me from running the Gazette, because I inherited it. Chris wasn’t going to inherit a medical practice.”

      “So he might have had a motive and opportunity,” Ethan said. “That isn’t evidence, Barry.”

      “You could reopen the case and dig some up.” The editor’s movements grew more agitated. “How do you think it makes me feel that he’s gone on with his life, while mine has been torn apart? My dad never got over it. He died of a heart attack while I was in prison.”

      “While Chris went on to become a pediatrician.” Ethan knew all about that, because McRay had applied for a position at the clinic. “But he left town. He must have felt bad.”

      “Of course! He was ashamed to face me and my family,” Barry said. “Chief, he got away with murder. The evidence has to be there. The witnesses are still alive. Why not give it a chance?”

      “Barry, this case is fifteen years old,” Ethan told him regretfully. “What you’ve found isn’t even close to enough evidence to persuade the DA to file charges. I’d be wasting the town’s resources to reopen the case. I respect the work you’ve done, but the truth is likely to stay buried. You’re only hurting yourself with this obsession.”

      “I’m going to clear my name. Whether you help me or not. It’ll make a terrific story when I run it. Maybe I’ll even get a chance at the big time, after all. Chris threw my whole life off track. I only went along that night to do him a favor. He has to pay for what he did.”

      “Make sure you stay on the right side of the law.”

      “I’m not stupid. The last thing I’d risk is being charged with another crime.”

      “Please keep me informed of what you find.” Ethan wished he didn’t have to leave it at that. However, he couldn’t get involved in a personal vendetta.

      Unfortunately, he could tell from Barry’s narrowed eyes that the man wasn’t likely to give up. And that he now considered Ethan an obstacle, if not an outright antagonist.

      FOR A WHILE after Ethan went upstairs, the conversation centered on police matters. Jenni was puzzled to learn that someone had been stealing family portraits.

      “Just the pictures?” she asked. “Nothing else?”

      “Not that anyone has mentioned,” Gwen told her. “Except the frames, of course.”

      “It might be just the first step,” Rosie warned. “This man could be studying his victims and planning to murder them in their sleep.”