The Trophy Exchange (44 page)

Fifty-Seven

Lucinda knew that agonized look. She
’
d seen it in her own face when she looked in the mirror. It looked like the reflection of survivor guilt
–
the carrying of an unearned burden of responsibility for the murder of someone you love. It was a feeling that haunted her about her mother. Her heart seemed to stop. Breath caught in her throat.

Reed gave her a puzzled look. Lucinda swallowed deeply.
Evan Spencer is not me,
she told herself.
Kathleen is not my mother. Maybe he knows about my mother’s murder? Maybe he’s a psychopath with knowledge of my family history and is using it to play me.
When she spoke her voice was harsh.
“
Really, Doctor? When did you make the deal with your brother to kill Kathleen?
”

Evan drew back as if she
’
d slapped him. For a moment, no one said a word. Then Evan said
,
“
I suppose I deserved that, Lieutenant. When I learned Kate died
. . .”
His voice cracked on the last word. He put his hands to his face and rubbed them up and down on his cheeks. He brought them to rest one on top of the other on the table
’
s surface.
“
After Kate
’
s murder, I was convinced it was personal when I saw the turquoise cross and listened to what you said, Lieutenant, about how Kate died. It sounded so much like Bethany Hopkins. I thought that someone who hated me had hunted me down and was re-enacting Kirk
’
s crimes from the past.

“
In
September,
I lost my wallet. When I reported my stolen credit cards, I learned one of them had been used to purchase a one-way ticket to Las Vegas on the
night
of
September 27
. I did not make the connection to my brother.
”

“
How did you get involved with Rita?
”
Lucinda asked.
“
And what was the nature of your relationship?
”

“
Relationship? There was no relationship. She was just another of my unwelcome visitors. She called one evening to introduce herself and ask if I
’
d seen Kirk. I went out to meet her at an IHOP. She played the pity card
–
a victim of Kirk abandoned with no money and no place to stay. I brought her into my home at about the same time of evening that you arrived last night, Lieutenant. The big difference was that when you came into my house, you came with a gun and she came with a marriage certificate. You both arrived with an attitude.
”

Lucinda glanced at Reed, raised an eyebrow but did not interrupt.

“
She was looking for Kirk. She told me she
’d
met him when she visited her mother at the hospital and wrote to him often. She was surprised when he showed in Vegas but they got way too drunk that night and got married. That same day, Kirk tried to strangle her, she said, and she showed me the mark on her neck. I asked if she had him arrested. She said she had but when she talked to him from jail, he told her he was worth a cool million
;
all he needed to do was get back to Virginia to claim his inheritance. So she took him back. For that kind of money she said she could afford to give him a second chance. I knew then where her priorities
lay
.

“
But I let her spend the night anyway when she promised she
’
d stay out of sight of the girls. She wasn
’
t exactly the kind of role model I felt was appropriate. She agreed not to leave the room until the girls left the house in the morning.
”

“
Where did she sleep,
D
octor?
”
Lucinda asked.

“
In the guest bedroom.
”

“
And where did you sleep?
”

“
In my own bed. Where else?
”

“
Well, she did traipse downstairs in the morning wearing your wife
’
s robe and slippers,
”
Lucinda said.

“
What was I supposed to do, Lieutenant? Let her sleep bu
tt
naked and maybe even stroll around the house like that? She didn
’
t come with any luggage and I
’
m sure Charley told you, since for some reason she worships the ground you walk upon, that Rita didn
’
t keep her promise to stay out of sight.
”

“
Charley hardly worships the ground I walk on,
”
Lucinda objected.

“
Oh, really? Then why does she talk about you morning, noon and night?
”

“
Maybe, Doctor, because you won
’
t allow the poor child to talk about her own mother.
”

Evan lowered his head and sighed.

“
Why won
’
t you allow that,
D
octor? And why won
’
t you let her have photos of her mother? Does it make you feel guilty to be reminded of Kathleen?
”

“
Yes it does
. . .”

“
Evan, please do not say another word,
”
Theismann interjected.

Evan glared at him and continued.
“
I do feel guilty but not because of anything I did
–
but because I wasn
’
t there for Kate when she needed me.
”

Lucinda certainly understood that emotion but she suppressed any vestige of empathy.
“
I
’
m making an assumption here
–
tell me if I
’
m right. You
’
ve talked to your mother since we had our little meeting last night
,
haven
’
t you?
”

“
That
’
s correct.
”

“
Let
’
s try on another assumption. If your mother hadn
’
t told you about the visit she and I had, you wouldn
’
t be here this morning, would you?
”

“
That
’
s correct, too.
”

“
So, what were you going to do? Just idly stand by while your brother continued killing?
”

“
No
,
Lieutenant. I put Rita up in a hotel. I promised her a substantial amount of money if she would contact me when Kirk showed up. She agreed. As soon as I found him, I was going to have him committed
–
locked up so he could not hurt anyone else. And then I would try to persuade my mother to release me from my promise.
”

“
Your story is a little too convenient, Doctor. Here we are looking at your complicity in murder
. You
’
re fraternizing with your brother
’
s wife
–
paying her expenses and offering her money. It sounds like a murder on the installment plan to me
and―”

Theismann jumped to his feet and interrupted.
“
Reed, we
’
re going in circles here. Nothing my client is
saying satisfies this cop. Hasn
’
t she heard enough? Can we continue without her?
”

“
I want her here, Counselor,
”
Evan said.

“
Evan, you are overwrought. You don
’
t know what you
’
re saying. As your legal representative, I advise you to terminate this interview.
”

“
I do know what I am saying,
Mr.
Theismann. I advise you to sit down and be quiet if you
’
d like to retain your position as my attorney.
”

Theismann shot a venomous glance at Lucinda and sat back down beside his client.

Reed looked at the lawyer and smiled. Then he turned to Evan.
“
The lieutenant would like your response to her insinuation that your wife
’
s death was murder on an installment plan, Doctor.
”

“
Of course,
Mr.
Reed. Lieutenant, if your allegation is true, then why would I be here talking to you now?
”

“
Because you
’
re a smart man, Dr Spencer. Because you looked at everything that ties you as the perpetrator of these murders or as an accomplice to your brother
’
s crimes and you
’
ve created plausible stories to cover all of your tracks. I
’
m sure in your overwe
e
ning egocentricity, you actually think we
’
ll believe you and apologize for inconveniencing you.
”

“
I
’
ve been honest with you today. I told you everything I know. What more do you want from me?
”

“
For starters, I want your brother behind bars. You haven
’
t done all that much to make that happen, now, have you?
”