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Her hand shook as she thrust the page in Beau’s face. He reared back so it didn’t hit him. “What is this?” she asked. “What does this mean?”
Again, he said nothing.
Josie waited a few beats and then she said, “You weren’t telling the truth about the money, were you? It wasn’t Claudia who took it out, it was you. When Margot asked you about the argument, you lied to her. It wasn’t you who was angry with Claudia for taking the money, was it?”
He didn’t answer.
Josie said, “It was Claudia who was upset with you. She wanted to know what it was for. You made something up. Something she obviously didn’t find believable. Either she took it or you gave it to her. She had already figured out that Raffy was working for WYEP, insinuating himself into your inner circle. She had already gone to see him, to confront him.”
“We know that’s true,” Noah said. “Because he told us. We interviewed him in the hospital. He told us that Claudia figured out that he was your former patient whose wife had been in the accident with you. She went to his house to ask him why he was working at WYEP. Why he was dating your assistant. That was when he brought Brooke out, showed Claudia the damage that had been inflicted by leaving her in that car. Claudia was incredibly distraught. She left but later, at the station, she went to him and asked him what he wanted, what his plan was, and he refused to give her a straight answer.”
“But she was worried about it,” Josie said. “She told Liam she had done something unforgivable but wouldn’t tell him what. We know now it was leaving Brooke to die—and knowing Brooke suffered a fate worse than death.”
“So what?” Beau blurted out. “What does any of this have to do with anything? You caught Raffy. He’s going to prison. It’s over.”
Josie said, “What was the money for, Beau?”
“This is ridiculous,” he said, standing up.
Margot’s hand shot out and pushed hard against his shoulder. He fell back onto the couch. “What was the money for, Dad?” She said the word “dad” with sarcasm. Beau flinched.
When he still refused to answer, Noah said, “The night that Sam and Jasmine were taken—the same night that Raffy came to the hotel to get you—you left your phone behind. It was part of a crime scene as far as we were concerned. We got a warrant for its contents in case it contained anything that might help us find where Raffy had taken you.”
Josie picked up the thread. “After Raffy arrived, you made a phone call to Archie Gamble. It was shortly after that that Gamble was seen by one of our officers leaving his home with a weapon in hand. He went directly to Brooke and Raffy Sullivan’s house. Why?”
Beau spread his hands in a helpless gesture. “How should I know?”
Noah asked, “What did you talk about when you called him?”
“I don’t—I don’t know. I mean, Raffy made me call him. I didn’t know who he was. I was just doing what Raffy told me to do.”
“Fine,” Josie said even though she knew he was lying. “What did Raffy tell you to say to him?”
He hesitated. When he finally spoke, his voice was barely audible. “That I was going to be there. I would meet him there and I’d have the rest of the money he was owed.”
“Who owed him money?” Noah asked.
Beau didn’t answer.
“Why would Raffy tell you to say that to him?” Josie said.
“I don’t know.”
Josie said, “Raffy was stalking you—all of you—for years. Learning your routines, your secrets. He had always planned this game, it was just a matter of when to begin. After Claudia confronted him, he moved up his timetable. He admitted to being here the night she was murdered. He’d been spying on her closely for weeks. His intention was to abduct her, not to kill her. She was meant to be the prize in the game he wanted you to play. If you answered enough of his questions correctly, you might get Claudia back—but your life would be ruined.”
Beau’s fingers started to tremble. He laced them together in his lap.
Josie said, “He’d seen this older guy trailing Claudia a lot. He didn’t know what to make of it. Then the night of your anniversary dinner, Raffy was out there, in the woods of the city park, watching the house through these very windows.” Josie swept her hand back toward them. “Waiting for everyone to show up for the big dinner. Eve. Margot. Liam and the crew. You. He knew exactly what time everyone was due to appear because his girlfriend, Margot, had told him.”
At this, a visible shudder worked its way through Margot’s body.
“Imagine Raffy’s surprise,” Noah said. “When the only person who showed up was Archie Gamble.”
“And instead of spying on Claudia, as usual,” Josie said. “He walks right into the house.”
“And right back out only minutes later,” said Noah. “Covered in blood. He goes to his old truck, grabs a pair of overalls out of the bed, and throws them on. Then he leaves.”
“I don’t—I don’t know what this has to do—”
