Sisters - By Patricia MacDonald Page 0,64

my neighbors. And my family.’

‘What about boyfriends? Lovers? Any nasty break-ups where somebody might be holding a grudge?’

Immediately Alex thought of Seth. He wasn’t actually her lover. Not yet. And they were not breaking up, they were just beginning. No, she thought. There was no point in even mentioning Seth. ‘Nobody,’ she said.

‘All right,’ said Spagnola, standing up. ‘They’ve got a team going over the house now, collecting fingerprints and footprints, etc. If there’s anything to be found, they’ll find it. If you think of anything relevant, don’t hesitate to call me.’ He handed Alex his card. Alex thanked him and set it down on the elevated tray beside her bed.

The two policemen left, encountering Alex’s uncle, Brian, coming through the door. He looked tired and unshaven. He rushed over to her bed, ready to hug her, but Alex raised her hands in warning. ‘I can’t do a hug. Not right at the moment.’

Uncle Brian heeded the warning and pulled a chair up beside her bed. He rubbed the back of her hand with his index finger and smiled at her sadly. ‘Alex, I feel like this is all my fault. I should have insisted you stay with us.’

‘Don’t say that,’ she said. ‘I was fine until this happened.’

‘I should have stopped you,’ he said. ‘When you went looking for Dory I should have stopped you. She’s as crazy as that boy who fathered her. I’ll never forgive myself.’

‘Uncle Brian, it wasn’t Dory who did this.’

‘Of course it was. It’s the same thing she did to her other sister. Only that one she killed,’ he exclaimed.

‘No, it wasn’t.’

‘I don’t know how you can say that. It’s exactly the same. I told the police all about it. You helped that lunatic to get out of jail, and you took her in. This is the thanks you get.’

‘Uncle Brian, will you listen to me?’

Brian shook his head. ‘Sorry. I’m exhausted. I’ve been here most of the night. Since Laney called me.’

‘I know,’ said Alex. ‘I’m very grateful that you came.’

‘I just kept going over it in my mind,’ he said. ‘Wondering why I didn’t insist . . .’

‘You didn’t insist because you know I’m a grown-up and you can’t tell me what to do,’ said Alex.

‘It was just lucky that you had that dog,’ said Brian, shaking his head.

‘Dory brought the dog in,’ said Alex.

‘Yeah, and according to the cops, she tried to poison it so she could get at you without the dog to stop her.’

‘That’s exactly how I know that it wasn’t her,’ said Alex. ‘She would never poison a dog. She loves animals more than people. She would rather poison herself.’

‘You don’t know that,’ Brian objected. ‘What if she’s a psychopath, and she doesn’t care who she hurts?’

‘I just don’t think so,’ Alex insisted.

‘Well, whatever,’ he said. ‘These cops are going to question her. They’ll get to the bottom of it. Meanwhile, we need to get you out of here. They said you can be released tomorrow. So I’m going to head home and help your Aunt Jean get everything ready and I’ll be back for you in the morning.’

‘What do you mean, get everything ready?’ Alex asked.

‘At our house,’ he said. ‘You’re coming home with me.’

Alex shook her head. ‘Uncle Brian, that is sweet, but no. I’m not.’

‘You can’t be alone in that house.’

‘I won’t be alone. Laney is right across the street.’

‘Fat lot of good Laney did you when that lunatic was hiding in your pantry!’ he cried.

‘Obviously we’re all going to be a lot more on our guard after this. But I have a job I have to get to. And there’s someone I care about – a guy I’m seeing now – who will be back any day . . . If I call him and tell him, I’m sure he will hurry and get back here.’

Brian held up a hand. ‘Hold it,’ he said. ‘Hold it. Alex, we almost lost you last night. You almost got killed in that house. Now you want to stay there by yourself.’

‘I don’t want to stay by myself . . .’ Alex admitted.

‘Then there’s nothing to discuss. You’ll come home with me.’

Alex shook her head. ‘I can’t do that,’ she insisted, feigning a confidence which she did not really feel. ‘I don’t want to run away.’

Brian raised his voice and wagged a finger at her. ‘Alex, you listen to me. You are not going to spend a night alone in that house. I won’t allow it.’

‘She doesn’t have