Shane shifted his attention to him once more. “Sure. We were cousins. I knew him my whole life. Family reunions. Holidays. He was a year older than me and big into sports, so we didn’t really hang out a lot, you know. But we were there for each other.”
“Did you ever have any disagreements with him or his parents?”
Shane looked taken aback by the question. “What is that supposed to mean?”
Rory wasn’t sure if she should say something to reassure Shane. Chance was the expert here. She certainly didn’t want to get in the way of his investigation, no matter that she felt certain he was asking the wrong person such a pointed question.
“It doesn’t mean anything,” Chance said. “I’ll ask everyone we talk to that same question. Sometimes even the little things from the past can make a difference. Any sort of disagreement can shed light on Pete’s thinking in a given situation. Perhaps provide some insight not yet considered.”
“No,” Shane said, his tone cross, impatient. “Pete and I never had any issues. Ever. He was a good guy. So are his parents. They do a lot for the community. Pete did as well. He had no enemies that I know of. Everybody liked him.”
“And yet,” Chance countered, “he was murdered.”
This time Rory felt taken aback by his comment. Before she could say anything, Shane stepped forward, going toe to toe with Chance.
“It had to be a random act of violence,” Shane argued. “No one who knew Pete would have wanted him dead.”
Chance held his ground. “Why not break into the home Pete and Rory shared? There were far more options for taking sellable goods. There was pretty much nothing at that cottage. In fact, the only things the intruders took were cell phones. Petty stuff. You’re a cop. Why do you suppose that is?”
“You’d have to ask Detective Fowler. I had no part in the investigation.” Shane backed off a step, shifted his attention to Rory. “If I had been involved, I would have made sure things turned out differently.”
“How?” Chance asked, drawing his gaze back to him.
“What?” Shane snapped.
Rory looked from one to the other. The conversation had quickly escalated to an uncomfortable level. She fully expected one or both to start throwing punches. “Shane, I don’t think—”
“How,” Chance repeated, “would you have conducted the investigation any differently? I’d really like to hear what you mean. If you believe Fowler failed to do his duty, any information you can offer to help Rory would be genuinely appreciated.”
Shane’s jaw worked as if he struggled to find the right words. Finally, he snapped, “I think Fowler ignored evidence.”
Rory bit back a gasp. She had fully believed this from the beginning, but this was the first time she had heard anyone say the words. That it was someone—even a friend and relative of Pete’s—involved in law enforcement shocked her.
“What evidence, specifically?” Chance shot back. “Beyond the part he failed to share, which cost him the first conviction.”
When Shane hesitated, Rory urged, “Please. If you have information that will help me, please tell us.”
“I can’t prove anything,” he said with a covert glance around. “But there were rumors that Fowler was getting pressure to close the case. To make sure you didn’t get away with what you’d done.”
“Who would do such a thing?” Rory felt sick at the idea that someone with enough power to pressure the detective in charge of her case had done this. She just didn’t understand why. She had never harmed anyone in this town. The answer had to beone or both of his parents. Not that she had ever done a single thing to them—other than to marry their son.
“His mother,” Shane confessed, falling back another step as if he’d been pushed. “But you can’t tell anyone I told you this.” He looked from Rory to Chance and back. “I’m serious. She wants you to spend the rest of your life in prison. She will take down anyone in her way.”
Rory shouldn’t really be surprised but hearing it confirmed was difficult. Eudora had never liked her. Not that Rory had ever harmed or wronged her in any way. But she hadn’t been good enough for her son. Just a poor girl from the wrong side of the tracks, literally.
“But what evidence did Fowler ignore?” Chance pressed. “It’s a broad statement that by itself won’t help Rory. We need something to go on—a place to start.”
Shane held up his hands in a gesture of surrender. “Okay, I’ll admit I don’t have anything specific that will help except the rumors and the knowledge that you couldn’t have done this. I know you couldn’t have.”
Rory’s hopes wilted. “Why didn’t you come forward during the investigation? You could have told me or my attorney what you were hearing. You could have vouched for me.” Austin and Lulu were the only people who spoke for her.
“I was between a rock and a hard place, Rory.” He shook his head, his shoulders slumped in defeat. “I had just been notified I got on with the sheriff’s department. I couldn’t screw that up. Especially since all I had were rumors, and most of those I didn’t hear until it was too late.”
“Thank you for telling me, but I need to get inside.” She felt sick. Every time she dared to get her hopes up, she had the rug pulled out from under her all over again.
“Wait.” Shane touched her arm. “Give me a chance, Rory. I promise I won’t let you down this time. I won’t sit on the sidelines and ignore what’s happening. I swear.”
Chance stepped between them. “Thanks for taking care of the house, but you should go now.”
