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“You’re sure?”
He gave the photograph another glance before shaking his head.
She tapped on the corner of the photo. “Take a longer look.”
“I don’t need to.” But he did pick it up and study it, then threw it down again. “You clearly think I should see something.”
“You mother’s name was Anna.” She tapped the edge of the photo. “‘A’ as in Anna.”
His eyes narrowed. “That’s a leap. How many words start with that letter?”
He wasn’t wrong, but the possibility was too important to drop without at least poking around a bit. “Is it her bracelet?”
The theory carried horrific connotations, but she had to ask. Even the FBI agents had looked stumped when she’d told them the old story and shown them the photo of the bracelet. The idea that Aaron could have been killing that long, leaving bodies in his wake, shook them all.
“She’s been dead for decades.”
“But do you remember if she wore jewelry?” To be fair, she didn’t know if her son could identify her jewelry, but then he wasn’t a killer who collected trophies.
“What does all of this have to do with Aaron?”
“The bracelet was in with what we think are the souvenirs from Aaron’s other kills.”
“My mom was shot by a hunter, not hunted down by a killer in training who happened to be her son.” Jared glanced at the mirror before looking back at her again. “You can look it up. It was all over the news back then. She was hanging the wash out on the line. It was set off from the house in a spot that got more direct sun, and this group mistook her for a buck they were tracking.”
“And you and Aaron have the trust fund as a result of the accidental shooting.”
Some of the shock faded from Jared’s expression. “I’m going to ignore how you phrased that.” His voice took on an angry edge. “Look, I was out of town when Aaron went missing.”
“I’m aware of your alibi. That conference was an hour and a half away. Plenty of time to go back and forth and not miss a session.” They’d checked traffic cameras for his car, but he could have used a rental they hadn’t found, or borrowed a car.
“You’re reaching, don’t you think?” He shook his head. “Ask me about the date this woman went missing.”
“You gave us your calendar going back two years.” A fact that always intrigued her. Most people didn’t givemoreinformation than was requested. “You were at a conference then, too.”
He threw his hands up in the air. “Okay, well. That’s your answer.”
“Is it?”
“I don’t get what you want from me here. A confession?” His emotions seemed to bounce as he moved around in his chair. He shifted from shocked to pissed off. “Are you asking Lila these questions?”
Now, that was interesting. He’d always come off as her strongest ally... until right then. “You think she killed your brother and then came up with an elaborate plan to frame him for the murder of a woman he didn’t know?”
“I know she was having an affair with a serial killer expert. That is a fact and the rest of what you’re asking is based on wild assumptions.”
He sounded fully in control now, acting like she’d expect from a suspect. Shifting blame off of him to others he viewed as less likely to have alibis. “And?”
“She’s the only person I know who hated Aaron.”
There was nothing supportive or brotherly in his tone now. “Hated?”
“Did that strike you as a happy marriage?” He’d calmed down, and his voice stayed steady.
“Most people don’t kill to get out of a marriage.”
He nodded. “But some do.”
THE INTERROGATION WENTon for another half hour before Ginny gave up for the day. She walked out of the room and into the adjoining one, where Charles stood. Pete had left to escort Jared out of the building.
