“Camille’s in the kitchen. You want somethin’ to eat? She’s made a big pitcher of sweet tea and some kind o’ sandwiches. I think she’s workin’ on a pie of some sort.”
“No, I just had a cappuccino, but thanks.”
“I’ll have some,” Isabel piped up as she headed to the kitchen. “I’m starved.”
Colin and Ernie came down the hall, toward Emily and Maggie, with a couple of other officers behind them, speaking in low voices.
Emily wasn’t able to make out what they were saying, but the tenor of their voices seemed to be friendly.
“Maggie,” Ernie called out as he approached, “we’re finished. Sorry for the inconvenience, ma’am.”
“Did you find what you were lookin’ for?” She crossed her arms tightly over her chest and glared at him.
“No, but I had to do my job and take a look. Tell Josh he can come back inside.” Ernie marched out the front door with his entourage.
“I’ll go tell him,” Colin offered, traipsing off to join the men.
“Look at this mess,” Maggie moaned.
Emily skimmed the living and dining rooms. There were things out of place, but it certainly wasn’t the disaster she was expecting. “Don’t worry, we’ll help you put everything back the way it was.”
“I’m gonna go see how badly they tore up my bedrooms,” Maggie declared, stomping off.
Sully poked his head out of the kitchen and whispered to Emily. “Is my sister with you?”
“Hello, Sully. No, she went to check on her bedroom. If you like, I can—”
“No, it was you I wanted to talk to,” he said in a low voice, glancing around. “Can we step out front?”
“Okay.”
What was this about? She walked outside first and he pulled the door shut behind them.
“Em, you haven’t mentioned our little discussion the other night to anyone, have you?” Sully gestured to Emily to move down the walkway a bit.
“No, no one.”
“I’m going crazy, Em. I have no idea what to do.”
“I don’t know what you want me to say, Sully.”
Emily believed Sully was basically a good man who had been sucked into this scheme because he was desperate for money. She always thought Lucas was a smooth operator and he obviously took advantage of the man’s weak point, but what did Sully want from her? How was she supposed to help him?
“Is there any way you can find out where Lucas hid the money he stole from the investors?” His eyes were glassy and the dark circles below them told her he still wasn’t sleeping much.
“The police have impounded the computers and their techs are going through them, trying to put the pieces together.”
“I’m ruined, Emily. I’m just plain ruined.” He hung his head and rubbed a hand across his forehead. His normally straight and confident shoulders now slumped in worry.
“Sully,” she said, putting her hand on his arm, hoping to calm him down, but he drew it back sharply.
“I’m not worried for myself, you understand.” He seemed to struggle to look her in the eyes. “I’ll take what’s coming to me. I screwed up and I’m willing to take my lumps, but this will—” His voice broke and he coughed to clear his throat, staring down at the ground. “This will destroy my wife, not to mention Maggie.”
“I’ll do what I can to find out where the money is, Sully, but I can’t guarantee you that finding it will get you the hundred thousand back.” She didn’t want to believe he was capable of murder, but she couldn’t deny the possibility his desperation may have driven him over the edge the night Lucas was killed.
His phone shrilled in the holster on his belt and he pulled it out and looked at it. “It’s Carolyn. I have to take it.” He stepped away and cleared his throat again before answering.
Emily looked toward the house and noticed Colin standing in the living room window watching them. She wondered what he had seen and if he could have overheard any part of their conversation. Certainly if he had seen her reach out for Sully’s arm and him whipping it back, he would have questions.
The front door opened and Isabel came bounding down the few steps. “Hey, Em, do you have a minute?”
Emily glanced over to Sully who was walking toward her, sticking his phone back in its holster.
“I have to go. That was my wife and she’s extremely upset. Apparently our house was next on Ernie’s list of searches and she doesn’t understand why. I guess I have some explaining to do.” Sully backed away.