Gone Too Far (Devlin & Falco #2) - Debra Webb Page 0,117

driven by Naomi’s, but his car isn’t there. He isn’t answering his cell. God only knows where he is. Maybe he went back to Boston, but no one at his office or the house has seen him.”

Her voice sounded so weary, so sad.

Maybe she was telling the truth. Maybe her husband was involved with someone else. But it couldn’t be Naomi.

“There were things Asher didn’t tell me. I guess this was one of them.” Sadie had been aware he’d kept certain things from her. She just hadn’t expected it to be so personal. This lady wasn’t sharing everything either. Sadie recognized the tactic. She didn’t meet Sadie’s eyes for more than a moment. She kept her points vague rather than going into detail. But then, who did share everything? It was a self-defense mechanism. Survival instinct.

“I think,” Lana ventured, “Asher believed his father was involved in something more than simply an affair with my estranged sister.” She dared to meet Sadie’s gaze. “I could be wrong, and God, I hope I am, but this was the impression Asher gave me. He would never say as much, but I knew my son, Sadie. I believe he had found more. Far more. If this is true, I don’t want the bastard to get away with whatever it is. I’m certain Asher is dead because he felt that way too.” Her lips trembled as she fell silent.

Her words took Sadie aback. “Are you suggesting your husband was—is involved in something illegal, and this involvement is somehow relevant to Asher’s murder?” Sadie was relatively certain she hadn’t misunderstood.

“Whatever my husband is doing, I know in my heart he is the reason Asher is dead.”

Sadie thought about the way the woman had looked when her husband had stood next to the mayor, offering that big reward. Did she have an actual reason for hating her husband so much? Would Asher’s father really kill his own son? Or was the mother trying to play Sadie?

Sadie had a few questions. Now was as good a time as any to ask them, particularly if the woman wanted something from her. “Why have you been coming to Birmingham for a day or two once a month for more than a year?”

Lana was the one who looked taken aback now.

“If you expect me to be up front with you, you need to be up front with me,” Sadie warned.

Lana nodded. “Fair enough. In January of last year I discovered my husband had been coming to Birmingham in his private jet each month for ages.” She smiled at the subtle lift in Sadie’s eyebrows. “Yes, he has one of those. He thinks I don’t know, but I do. I couldn’t imagine why he would come to Alabama. He never had anything good to say about it when the subject came up, especially after Asher accepted the position here.”

“You suspected he was coming to see Naomi.” The idea was totally ridiculous. Naomi hated the guy.

“I believe so. I tried to catch them, but I wasn’t successful, so I hired a private investigator. You must have known him, Pauley Winters. He died about this time last year. His office was here.” She gestured to the loft above them. “He was a truly nice man.”

Sadie couldn’t respond immediately. Pauley had worked for this lady? For Asher’s mother? Why were there no notes in his files? Why hadn’t Sadie known?

“The last time I heard from Mr. Winters,” Lana went on, “he left a message on my cell phone, saying we needed to talk. This was the same day he died. I believe my husband had something to do with his death.”

Sadie snapped out of the shock. She shook her head. “Pauley died of a heart attack.”

“You did know him.”

“Yeah . . . he was . . . yes.”

“Then you know he was the best.”

Sadie did know. She also knew that he’d died of a heart attack . . . and that he hadn’t told her about or left any files related to a Lana Walsh case.

Focus, Sadie. She cleared her throat. “You have to understand, Mrs. Walsh, whatever your husband has been doing, I consider Naomi a friend. I can’t see her doing this.”

Okay, so maybe that wasn’t entirely true. Naomi might engage in an affair with her sister’s husband just to get even. But Sadie wasn’t ready to go there.

Lana pursed her lips and gave a single nod. “I understand.” She seemed to consider for a moment what she would say next. “I would