"She was on her side?"

"Yes. She tried to speak to me."

He straightened slightly. "What did she say?"

Avery's eyes welled with tears. "She never…I couldn't make anything out. I heard a noise…and got frightened. I thought maybe the killer was still in the house and now-" She struggled past the emotion welling up in her. "Her hand…she-"

Avery glanced down at her hands. Blood stained the tops of the fingers of her right hand. "Touched mine. Like she needed my at tention. Like she needed to tell me something important."

"It might have been nothing more than the need for human contact," he said gently. "She was dying, Avery."

"Now we'll never know."

"Other than Deputy Jones, did you hear anything?"

"The radio playing."

"And that's it?"

She couldn't tear her gaze from her bloodstained fingers. "Yes."

"If you think of anything else, call me. No matter how insignificant you might believe it is." He closed the notepad. "Promise?"

"I will."

"Avery?" She looked up. "Call me if you need anything else. Even just to talk. I'm here for you."

She swallowed hard. "Thank you, Matt."

"I'll have one of my deputies follow you home. Are you up to driving?"

She said she was and Matt called one of his deputies over, gave him directions, then accompanied her to her vehicle.

"I was by your house earlier. Dropped something off."

"For me?"

"In light of this, I wish to hell I…" He swore. "My timing stinks." He opened her car door. "I'll call you tomorrow."

She found what Matt had referred to on her front porch. Flowers. A beautiful spring bouquet. The card read:

Thinking of you and me. Dancing under the stars. Matt.

A hysterical-sounding laugh slipped past her lips. She laughed until she cried.

CHAPTER 34

Avery slept little that night. Every time she'd closed her eyes, she'd seen Trudy Pruitt lying in a pool of red, eyes wide and pleading, blood-soaked mouth working. Finally, Avery had given up and climbed out of bed. After brewing a pot of coffee, she'd dragged out the box of newspaper clippings and had begun poring over them, looking for anything that didn't fit, anything that might suggest a cover-up.

Nothing in the news stories jumped out at her.

What had Trudy Pruitt been trying to tell her? What proof of her father's involvement in the Sallie Waguespack murder did she have? Had she been the bitter, unstable drunk Matt purported her to be? One who had simply chosen Avery as a vehicle for venting her unhappiness?

Avery shifted her gaze to the box of clippings. Dammit. If not for these she might be able to believe that. Why, Dad? Why did you save these?

Only one person could answer that question.

Buddy.

Twenty-five minutes later Avery found herself at the ranch. She rang the bell, praying she had caught him before he left for church. If she remembered correctly, the Stevenses had most often chosen to attend the late service. They had today as well, she saw as Lilah opened the door.

"Avery," the woman exclaimed, "I heard about what happened. Are you all right?"

She nodded. "Just shaken. Is Buddy here?"

"And Matt. We're having breakfast."

"I'm sorry, I should have called-"

"Nonsense." She caught her hands and drew her inside. The house smelled of bacon and biscuits. "Come on in. I'll set you a place."

Before Avery could tell her not to bother, she was calling out for Cherry to do just that.

The men stood when she entered the kitchen. Matt took one look at her and came around the table. He caught her hands. "Are you okay?"

She forced a weak smile. "Hanging in there. Barely."

He led her to the chair next to his. Cherry set a plate, napkin and utensils on the blue-and-white-checked place mat in front of her. "Coffee?"

"Thanks."

The younger woman filled a mug and handed it to her. "Matt told us about last night. How horrible for you."

Lilah passed her the tray of biscuits. "I can't imagine. I'm quite sure I would have fainted."

Avery took a biscuit, though the thought of eating made her queasy. She swallowed hard, shifting her gaze to Matt. "How's the investigation coming?"

"We canvassed the trailer park for witnesses. The kid next door says she saw a car pull up with its lights off. Then her folks began fighting."

"So she never saw who got out," Avery said, disappointed.

"Or when it drove off. The crime scene techs have done their thing, but it's too soon for the evidence report. As soon as I'm done here, I've got to get back."

"If you need any assistance from our department, son, we're ready."

"Thanks, Dad. I appreciate that."

Cherry spread strawberry jam on her biscuit. "What were you doing at that awful woman's house, Avery? Why were you there?"

The table went silent. All eyes turned to her. Uncomfortable, Avery opened her mouth then shut it as Matt squeezed her knee under the table.

"I've asked Avery not to talk about that just now," he said quietly. "As difficult as that request is, she's agreed."

Avery silently thanked him.

Cherry pouted. She lifted her right shoulder in a disinterested shrug. "I didn't mean anything by it, I just couldn't imagine, that's all."

Aware of the minutes ticking past, Avery looked at Buddy. "I need your help with something, Buddy. Could we talk privately?"

His forehead creased with concern. "Sure, baby girl. I was done here. Let's go to my office."

She turned to Matt, finding the moment awkward. Feeling Cherry's and Lilah's curiosity. "If you'd like to join us-"

"You guys go on. I'll check in on my way out."

She sent him a grateful glance, for the second time that morning touched by his understanding. By the way he seemed to know what she needed without her having to ask. He made her feel safe. Cared for.

She stood and followed Buddy to his office. He closed the door behind them and motioned to the love seat. She sat and looked up at him. "Matt told you why I was at Trudy Pruitt's last night? He told you about the calls?"

"Yes." His frown deepened. "Why didn't you tell me this was going on?"

"What could you have done? Someone was making crank calls to me. I figured you would tell me to ignore them or change to an unlisted number."

"When you found out who the anonymous caller was, you should have contacted me immediately." He leaned toward her, ex-pression grave. "Avery, if you had shown up fifteen minutes earlier, you might be lying beside Trudy Pruitt in the morgue."

A chill washed over her. She shuddered. She had never considered that fact.

"Trudy Pruitt ran with a rough crowd. Always did. Don't know yet who killed her, but I'll bet money it was one of them."

Matt tapped on the office door, then poked his head in. "I'm leaving."

Buddy waved him inside. "Come in, son."

Matt did, shutting the door behind him and sat down.

"She said her boys didn't kill Sallie Waguespack," Avery continued. "Said my dad was involved in a cover-up. She said she had proof."

"And you believed her?" Buddy said.

"Frankly, I didn't want to, but I…don't you think it's weird that the same night she was going to show me proof her sons were innocent of Sallie Waguespack's murder, she was killed?"

Matt's mouth thinned. "Trudy Pruitt was involved with some dangerous characters. That involvement got her killed."

"But-"

Matt stood. "Look, Avery, there are things you don't know. Things we've uncovered that I can't share with you. I wish I could. I hate to see you tearing yourself up over this, but I can't. I'm sorry."

He bent and brushed his lips against hers. "I've got to go."

Avery stared after him, surprised. Disoriented by the intimacy of the move. Disoriented, she admitted, but not displeased.