Perfect Night (Mason Creek #4) - Terri E. Laine Page 0,65
of my virtue and he hoped I’d wake up before I made the biggest mistake of my life.”
“What happened next?”
“I told them to stop. I told Dad no one was ever good enough for me in his eyes. I told Evan that he should leave in the morning if he couldn’t respect my father. Then, I left.”
“Did you see your father after that?” Sheriff asked.
She shook her head but finally answered no.
“What about Evan?”
“He came up to my room and I told him to leave.”
“He came upstairs even though your father was home.”
“Yes, and it pissed me off. I knew then things were finished with us.”
That I hadn’t known.
“Did you tell Evan things were over?”
“No. I just wanted him to leave. I thought about going to talk to Dad but decided to wait until morning and it was too late.” Her words ended in a muffled sob.
“Just a few more questions, Emma. Did you leave your room at any time that night and notice if your father or Evan were gone?”
“No. I woke up just before you came to the door and Evan came out of his room.”
“Was that the first time you saw Evan that morning?”
“Yes,” she answered.
“You said you couldn’t hear if someone left, right?”
“That was with my ear buds in. I took them off at some point in the night. Your banging was quite incessant.” She sniffled and I wanted to bring her tissues.
“Did your father have an insurance policy?”
She nodded. “He had a small twenty-five-thousand-dollar policy. I used it to pay for his funeral and pay off his truck.”
“So, you are unaware of any other policy he might have had?”
“He didn’t have any other one,” she said.
“Did he mention considering buying a policy?”
“No.”
“If I told you your father took out a two-million-dollar policy a month or two before he died, you would be surprised?”
She nodded. “I would.”
“Okay, that’s all Emma.” Sheriff got up and turned off the recording.
“That’s all. You brought me here to accuse me of murdering my father for insurance money?” she shouted. “He didn’t have any other policies. I checked through his things.”
“No. I did this to protect you because as I’m sure you will learn, he did take out a policy.”
“No,” she whispered.
“Yes.”
She looked in disbelief. “Please don’t tell anyone. I don’t want anyone looking at me differently.”
“This is a part of an investigation.” He looked at the mirror when he said it. “None of it can be spoken about until the trial. I promise, and if it doesn’t come up then, your secret is safe with me.”
The sheriff left the room with the door open. Emma didn’t leave. I had a feeling she knew I was on the other side of the glass.
Chapter 31
Emma
It didn’t take long for Aiden to walk into the room. As I suspected he’d been behind the glass.
“Did you know that was going to happen?” I asked. There was a knife’s edge to my tone I couldn’t take back.
He held up his hands in a pleading gesture as he said, “Yes.”
“You couldn’t warn me, could you?” I’d seen enough cop shows to figure it out.
“No.”
His eyes pleaded me to understand. “You couldn’t contact me because of our relationship, and it could be used against both of us.”
He nodded.
“Do you think I had anything to do with it or this money?” I spat.
“Hell no,” he said and closed the distance. “Of course, I don’t. But he had to do it for the record. We couldn’t leave holes a defense team could use in their favor.”
“Why would Dad take out a policy?”
“I have the same question. Do you have any ideas?”
“None.”
“Do you know if your father used an insurance agent or just bought insurance online?”
“I think he had an agent. He has policies to cover the bar for theft, fire and other business insurances.”
“Can you get me the name of your agent?”
“I thought you couldn’t talk to me about the case.”
“I’m not. I’m gathering information. I would ask that you don’t contact the agent. If they contact you, that’s fine. At least until after I speak to them and get the information I need.”
“Okay,” I said. “Can I ask if you’re any closer to solving this case?”
“I have a theory,” he said.
“But you can’t tell me.”
He silently agreed before kissing my forehead. “Will you be home tonight?”
Alarm filled me. “Are you kicking me out?”
“No. I just—”
“Aiden, today sucked. But I don’t blame you. I wish we weren’t in this situation.”
“Me too.”
“I might be late since Jack had to come