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It was a fair request. She’d promised not to act as her own attorney. She knew from watching others do exactly that how it almost always ended in disaster. In crisis, people needed good advice unclouded by emotion. While she hardly viewedherself as the overwrought type, Tobias would see things she couldn’t.
“She wanted to talk. She’s confused, and the news of Karen’s murder threw her.” That wasn’t quite true, but suggesting anything else could backfire. Like it or not, she was stuck in this twisted mess with Samantha. “Seeing her seemed like the least I could do.”
“You’re being watched by the police.”
“By everyone in the state, apparently.” Stupid cell phones.
The doorbell rang. Her body had been trained to tense up at the sound. Ever since Aaron had gone missing, it went off and her insides curdled. A voice in her head shouted at her to run and keep running.
She groaned. “Now who?”
“Jared,” Tobias said as he slid off the stool.
No, no, no.
“What?” She needed more energy to walk into that battle again. His shots had been so unexpected that she was still reeling from them. The idea of another round... “I can’t.”
Tobias walked right past her and headed for the front door. “He wanted to talk.”
“No.”
“I’m not giving you a choice,” he said over his shoulder as he walked away from her. “You need him as an ally.”
She heard the front door open. Without looking, she knew the press was crowded in as close as possible. Neighbors had complained. She complained. All the law enforcement folkshad done was push the media back to the end of the driveway and into the public street.
Jared stepped just inside the family room, wearing a navy suit with his tie loosened. A casual look for him.
“Hey.” He smiled when he saw her, but it didn’t reach his eyes. He turned to Tobias. “Do you mind if we talk alone?”
Tobias laughed as he sat back down on the bar stool. “Actually, yes. Just pretend I’m not here.”
“He’s being protective.” And she appreciated the gesture. Arguing with Jared was the last thing she wanted today—or ever.
Jared stepped up to the back of the couch but didn’t make a move to sit down. His stop put them a good six feet apart, but she could see the way he avoided straight-on eye contact. How he stared at the area rug and hardwood floor as if they were the most interesting things in the world.
She took pity on him. “Jared—”
“I know I lost my temper and took all my frustration out on you,” he said at the same time. “I said things—”
“It’s fine.” They talked over each other, verbally bumped into each other. The awkward, disjointed sentences eased some of the tension pounding through her.
“It is?” Jared asked.
Tobias openly watched them. “Really?”
She gestured for Jared to sit on the other end of the couch. Not close, but there, in comfort, so she could let him know this was as hard for her as it was for him. “I haven’t figured out how to process all of this. The idea of Aaron in that cabin...”
“I still can’t believe it.” Jared shook his head as he let out a long exhale. “I mean, we were raised together. We did so much together. How could I miss the signs?”
Tobias left the bar stool and joined them. He sat in the chair across from them, ignoring the emotional uncertainty zipping around the room. “Did Ginny question you?”
“Oh yeah.” Jared leaned back into the cushions. “She clearly doesn’t believe I didn’t know.”
“She has to push, but I’m sure she knows. That’s how it works sometimes,” Tobias said. “I’ve read books about families who didn’t know they lived with a killer father. I’ve had clients not see the type of person who slept next to them each night.” He glanced at her. “And some friends and colleagues who suffered from the same blind spots.”
Jared winced. “I’m afraid I wasn’t at my best during the latest interrogation.”
“Meaning?”
