AllFreeNovel
Share Us
As he was leaving, Houser paused. “The world needs more people like you, Finley O’Sullivan. Don’t let what happened define you. You were damned good as an ADA. Do something big. Change the world.”
With that he was gone.
Finley stood on the porch staring after him until his taillights faded in the darkness. He was right. She had allowedthatnight to define her.
Maybe the lie she had told Matt was actually the truth. It was time to putthatnight behind her. Time to do something big. Change the world.
When she turned to go inside, her neighbor stood on the sidewalk staring at her. Finley paused. Helen Roberts’s dog sat at her feet, waiting for its master to continue with their walk. Dusk had settled, prompting the streetlights to come to life. The one nearest to them held the two in a gold circle, as if they were the only two characters left onstage as the play ended and the lights lowered. Finley couldn’t even count the times the woman had done this. Stood in her yard or on the sidewalk and just stared. She was always watching.
What the hell? Finley stepped off the porch. “Mrs.Roberts, how are you tonight?”
“Good. And you?” Roberts said in response.
Roberts was also the one who’d called 911thatnight. As usual, she’d been watching. She hadn’t been able to identify anyone, but she’d seen more than one figure leaving Finley’s house.
Finley walked across her small yard to stand at the fence. “Is there something I can help you with?” Roberts continued to stand on the sidewalk staring at Finley.
“There was someone prowling around in your backyard today.”
Finley smiled. “That was Jack. My boss. He wants to paint the house.” She imagined most of her neighbors would be glad to see that happen.
Roberts nodded, the move jerky. “I’ve seen him on television.”
Finley smiled. “You probably have.”
The older woman’s frown deepened as if she had something more to say but couldn’t recall what it was or decide whether to say it. “Him poking around back there reminded me of that time when you were in the hospital.”
Her dog growled at a figure walking in their direction from the south end of the street.
Finley hesitated until she identified the man. Another of her neighbors out for an evening stroll. He said hello as he passed. Finley did the same. Roberts said nothing. She wasn’t the sociable sort.
Finley turned back to her. “When I was in the hospital?”
Roberts gave a solitary nod. “After your husband was murdered. For days there were people swarming around your house.”
“The police,” Finley suggested. “My house was a crime scene.”
“I remember those people,” she said, “in their protective gear like on the television.” Her forehead furrowed deeper. “But this was after that. These were men who came after the police left. After the yellow tape was gone. Men dressed like your boss was today in regular clothes.”
Adrenaline roared through Finley’s veins. “You’re certain? This was while I was in the hospital and after the police were finished?”
Roberts nodded. “They came mostly at night.”
Finley’s heart pounded harder. “Do you remember what these men looked like? What color or make of car they drove?”
“No. No. It was dark. I never saw their faces.” She shrugged. “Black cars.”
Flock drove a black car. Hughes had as well.
“Thank you, Mrs.Roberts. If you remember anything else, please let me know.”
Without another word, Roberts picked up her dog and walked away.
It wasn’t until Finley was in the house that she allowed her anger to flare.
Had to be Dempsey’s men. But why? What were they looking for?
She’d dug around in the backyard after Roberts told her about Derrick digging back there. She’d found nothing, save the poor dog’s remains. Maybe Roberts had gotten it wrong about Derrick and his digging. Maybe she was wrong about this too.
