“You’ll have to ask Paulie if you want any more on that girl of ours. She’ll be the only one who knows.”
“Let’s get back to what happened to Helen,” Miranda said. “Kayla, do you remember what time it was?”
“It was after Mom got home and before Lesley did. That’s really all I remember. And she was in her uniform for the diner. It must have been after three thirty.”
“Monica—Diane was already home?” Miranda asked.
Kayla nodded. “She was inside, with us. Searching for Luke. She was mad at him for something.”
“I don’t remember what it was. I think I may have puked on her jacket that day,” Luke said.
“You were extremely sick; I remember that,” Luther said. “I was worried, and your mother had called me about you kids. It was why I was home a little before six that night. Afraid we were going to have to take you to the hospital. And your mama was afraid what we’d tell Doc Masterson about your eye.”
“That’s what you two argued about,” Olivia said. “Monica wanted you to tell the doctor that Lesley did it, instead of Grandma.”
“Why me?” Lesley asked.
“Your mother was afraid. Always was afraid of Helen. All of you were,” Luther said, bluntly. “I hated it. But she had us by the shorthairs with the money. We had no choice but to do what she said. Never happier than to not have her involved in my marriage after that.”
“Then why did you divorce eleven years ago?” Knight asked before he could stop himself.
“Because without her mama to tell her what to do, Paulie changed. In a real bad way. Controlled everything. Bossed like nobody’s business. Nothing I wanted, or the kids for that matter, made a difference. But she told me that last baby wasn’t mine, and she didn’t want me no more. Tried to kick me out of the house, but the kids…they weren’t having none of it. They ganged up and kicked her out, instead. Pauline never let them forget that.”
“Let’s not lie about things—she went nuts, started yelling at us all the time. Especially Luke,” Olivia said. “He couldn’t do anything right. Neither could I. Just Monica and Les, mostly.”
“I took these four and left. Les had a girlfriend. He stayed behind with his mother. Four months later or so—I think…” Luther looked at his daughters for confirmation. “Four months later, she brought the baby back and left her with me. I hadn’t wanted Paulie to take her, but she did.”
“I stayed with her for another year, until she kicked me out. I ticked her off over something. I don’t want to keep trash talking my mom,” Lesley said.
“Nobody does,” Miranda said. “But we need to know what happened. We need the answers.”
“Here’s what I think happened.” Lesley leaned forward, tone turning aggressive. Toward Miranda. Knight dropped a hand to her shoulder. And left it there. He barely resisted the urge to bare his teeth until the other man got the hint.
Lesley Beise wasn’t putting his hands on her ever again.
59
Miranda felt the warm hand on her shoulder, and she drew in a breath. Borrowed a little bit of strength from the man beside her, strange as that sounded. “Go on, Les. What happened?”
“Mom got mad, didn’t she? Probably mad at Grandma. They were always arguing. Grandma tried to hit her. Mom hit back. It just kept going from that. And that asshole Jimmy had to butt in. You already said he admitted he buried Grandma. He killed her. Mom was just there by accident. Probably trying to protect one of us. Then, she packed us up and we left. That’s it. An accident.”
“Is that what happened?” Miranda asked softly. “Or is that what she told you? You and Monica?”
It was a gamble. But…he’d spoken too knowledgeably. Too…scripted.
“What do you mean? That’s what probably happened,” Lesley bit out.
He was one of the worst liars she’d ever met. “Have you spoken with your mother since your arrest?”
He shook his head. “No. But I spoke to Diane. Finally. I asked her what happened. I wasn’t home when it all happened, remember?”
“What did she say?” Miranda wanted his attention focused on her. She knew something about her triggered him. Apparently it always had. “Les?”
“She said she called Mom, but got Mom’s boss. Said Mom was in jail. Because of Grandma. And that it was probably just an accident or something. Mom didn’t mean to hit Grandma with that rake handle or whatever it was.”
“Was Monica there that day?” Miranda