Page 104 of Death on Gallows Path

Clara pointed out, “He had no outside office. He had to do business at home.”

“Yes, but he kept them separate — our home and his business.”

“He must have talked to you about business things that affected you at home, like the theft at your house.”

“Theft? We didn’t have a theft.”

“No? Papers taken from Damon’s office?”

“Of course not. What makes you think we had a theft?”

Without answering her question — and not wanting to leave it all on Clara — I asked, “Did you suspect Willow of stealing from you?”

“Who?”

Was she truly as unaware of the dog walker as she seemed? But why would she pretend?

“Willow Yost,” I repeated.

“The dog girl?”

I refused to confirm her phrase dog girl. “Your dog walker, Willow Yost.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised — if she was given a chance. But she dealt with the dog in the garage. She was not inside, certainly never upstairs, where Damon’s office is.”

Where, presumably, Damon kept his treasures. Or should I say his swindles.

I controlled my snark instincts.

“Damon didn’t say anything to you about a possible theft?”

Pammy shook her head.

“Or about someone being in his papers?”

Both of them shook their heads. Did Zoley realize her head shake indicated she had an expectation that Damon would tell her such things?

Clara shot me a we’re not-getting-anywhere look.

Might as well swing for the fences.

“Zoley,” I said, “you mentioned Bryon was possessive—”

“And volatile.”

“Could that have been sparked by Damon hitting you?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You had a bruise on your cheek—”

“He didn’t hit me. Ever.”

It sounded like the answer of a spouse, possibly one who’d been abused.

My peripheral vision caught Pammy’s change of expression.

Her straight-line lips puffed her cheeks and jutted her chin, mimicking a kind of smile.