“I’ve got to go. Give me the note.” His father hesitated and Reed crossed to the desk and snatched it up. “Are you lying about this, too?”

“No. I promise I’m not.”

Without another word, he started for the door.

“Son”-his father stood-“I’m begging you. She knows. I think she means to kill me.”

Reed stopped, hand on the doorknob. “I really doubt that. But you know what, right now I could almost kill you myself.”

“Wait!” Wayne held out a hand, his expression pleading. “What are you going to do?”

“I don’t know yet.”

“Please. Think of your mother. Your brothers. I never meant for this to happen.”

Reed took in a deep breath, then released it slowly, counting to ten. “When you told that story about Patsy and all of the sons, your little speech about being sickened every time you thought of it was very convincing. You’re quite an actor.”

“I am sickened, when I think of what I exposed my family to. How I brought such evil into our lives. If I could go back, I would. We all would.”

“We had our differences, Dad. But even so, I always respected you. Until today.”

A sob escaped his father as he fell back onto the chair and dropped his head into his hands.

Reed gazed at him, unmoved. “You were so worried about your precious reputations. About the truth ruining you. You didn’t see that you’d already been ruined and that the truth was the only thing that could have redeemed you.”

Reed let himself out. He glanced down the hall and saw his brother Joe, standing in his office doorway, expression stricken. They stood that way a moment, gazes locked. He should question him, Reed knew. And he would. Just not right now. He didn’t have the stomach for it.

Moments later he stepped outside and into the brilliant day. He breathed deeply, using the moment to steady himself. He tipped his head to the sky, squinting against the light. Would he ever be able to look at his mother and father the same way? What of their friends? How did he put this behind him?

He opened his cell, dialed Alex. It went straight to voice mail and he left a message asking her to call him. Next he dialed Rachel.

“Hi, Rachel,” he said when she answered. “It’s Dan Reed.”

“Hi, Danny. What can I do for you?”

“Is Alex with you?”

“Not at this moment, I’m at work.”

“When did you see her last?”

“This morning. She stayed with me last night. She called a bit ago and said she was going to pick up some things at her place. You might try there.”

“Thanks, I will.”

“Wait, Danny! What’s up?”

“Nothing, just looking for her.” He ended the call, acknowledging that he hoped it was nothing.

CHAPTER SIXTY-SEVEN

Wednesday, March 17

4:55 P.M.

Reed found Tanner and Saacks in the break room. He dreaded what he had to tell them. He felt responsible.

Alex had bolted. He had done an hourly drive-by of her rental: no Alex and no Prius. He had left several voice mails for her without a callback and had checked in with Rachel twice, exacting a promise that she would call if she heard from Alex.

Tanner saw him first. Her greeting died on her lips. “What’s wrong?”

“I think Clarkson’s gone.”

Saacks swore and jumped to his feet. “I thought you said she wouldn’t run.”

“Apparently, I was wrong.”

“Are you certain?” Tanner asked.

He crossed to them and handed Tanner the note his father had received. She read it and passed it to Saacks. “What’s that all about?”

Reed told them. When he’d finished, he pulled out a chair and straddled it. He looked from Tanner to Saacks and back. It seemed he had temporarily shocked them silent.

“Wow,” Tanner finally said. “A wine orgy. Kinky.”

Saacks cleared his throat. “When did you learn this?”

“Couple hours ago. Been trying to find Clarkson ever since.”

“Without luck, apparently.”

“She stayed with Rachel Sommer last night. When I couldn’t reach Alex on her cell, I tried Rachel. She said Alex had called her and said she was going by her rental. She suggested I try there. Which I have, repeatedly. No sign of her or her vehicle.”

Saacks looked at him. “Do you think she’s dangerous?”

Reed laughed without humor. “You’re asking me? I said she wouldn’t bolt.”

They all stood. “Let’s get out an All Vehicle Alert for her plate,” Saacks said. “If she’s anywhere in the valley, we’ll find her. And Reed, I suggest you tell your old man to watch his back.”

CHAPTER SIXTY-EIGHT

Wednesday, March 17

7:00 P.M.

“Alex? It’s time. You need to wake up.”

Groggy, Alex dragged herself from sleep. She blinked against the light streaming in from the hallway. “Rachel? What time is-”

“Seven. Have you been sleeping all day?”

She had, Alex realized, and sat up. She climbed out of bed, feeling wobbly-legged. She still wore the jeans and sweatshirt she had thrown on in the middle of the night.

“I took one of your pills,” she said, pushing the hair out of her eyes. “I figured I’d need some rest before tonight.”

“Good girl. Why don’t you get cleaned up and I’ll make us something to eat?” Rachel started off, then stopped and looked back. “Wear something warm. It’ll be cool in the cave.”

Twenty minutes later, Alex joined her in the kitchen. The other woman stood at the stove, making omelets. A bowl of strawberries and plate of croissants sat on the counter. Tonight, Rachel’s ever present bottle of wine was missing.

“It smells divine,” she said, slipping onto one of the counter stools.

“Thanks. I didn’t want to make anything too heavy, but figured you had to eat something.”

“If I wasn’t starving, I don’t think I could eat a thing. I’m too anxious.” Alex reached for a strawberry. “Any questions about me today?”

“At least a hundred.” Rachel met her gaze. “Sorry.”

What had she expected? She dropped the unfinished strawberry on the plate. “How bad did I look?”

“Let’s put it this way, you make for a good headline.”

Rachel eased one of the omelets onto a plate and slid it across the counter. “Please, don’t wait for me.”

Shaking off her unease, Alex dug in.

“Everything’s ready,” Rachel said, expertly flipping her eggs. “I’m due to do some barrel tastings, so if someone should happen to see us go into the cave tonight, they won’t think a thing about it.”

She checked her omelet, then slid it onto a plate. “Are you ready for this?”

Alex had to honestly admit that she was not. “But I’m doing it anyway. I’m not going to run away from the truth. I won’t be like my mother.”

They finished their meal in silence. Together, they straightened the kitchen, then donned jackets. Rachel handed her a flashlight and they stepped outside. The stars and moon, obscured by clouds, turned the night a deep black. Rachel led the way, moving slowly, deliberately toward the cave entrance.

Alex’s heartbeat quickened; fear turned the inside of her mouth to ash. As if she knew, Rachel caught her hand and laced their fingers together. The way they had when they were kids. And the way she had at five years old, Alex clung to it.

The cave was secured by both iron gates and a chain and padlock. Rachel unlocked both; they slipped through the gate and into the cave. Once inside, Rachel snapped on her flashlight; Alex followed suit. Training the beam dead ahead, they moved forward.

Alex caught Rachel’s hand, clinging to it. With each step deeper into the cave, Alex’s fear grew. The walls and ceiling closed in on her, the dark became heavier, more impenetrable. Her heart beat wildly, her every instinct screamed she should run. Her steps faltered. She couldn’t do this, she thought. She couldn’t.