Mind Games

“Actually,” Howard said, “it answers the question.”

“First Grammie said we had to talk to her, and him, too, because they lost their son, and they’re our grandparents. But after that, she said we didn’t have to. We didn’t want to anyway, did we, Thea?”

Thea just shook her head, kept her head down.

“The relationship between your son-in-law, daughter, and his parents was adversarial?”

With weary in her eyes, Lucy looked at Musk. “I wouldn’t say adversarial. There wasn’t anything there. Cora and John loved each other, deeply. They loved their children, and they built a fine life together. That didn’t matter to John’s parents. He chose something and someone they didn’t want, and that mattered more.”

“As I understand it, Thea, you and your brother come to stay here for a couple weeks every summer?”

“Yes, sir.” She didn’t look at Musk.

“That’s something you want to do?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Even though you’ve got a swimming pool and friends back home? Video games, and a big-screen TV? What do you like doing here for two weeks?”

When Thea looked up, her eyes were deep and blue, and met Musk’s dead on. “We milk Molly and Aster, and feed the ladies. We go for walks in the hills, and make soaps and candles, and homemade ice cream. We sit out and look at the stars. I’m going to learn how to make an apple stack cake. Grammie always made one for my dad because it was his favorite. Grammie plays music, and she’s teaching Rem how to play the banjo because he wants to.”

“Sounds like a lot of fun,” Howard commented.

“It’s our favorite two weeks of the year,” Rem put in. “Well, maybe next to Christmas, but Grammie comes for Christmas.”

Musk went back to Thea. “Was there any trouble at home before you left to come down?”

“No.”

“You described Ray Riggs in detail to the police artist.” Musk added the easy smile. “It really helped us find him. Where had you seen him before?”

“When he cut the hole in the sliders and came into the house.”

“But you were here when that happened, weren’t you?”

“Yes. I was dreaming. I didn’t see his face when he cut the hole. I saw it after he shot them, I saw it in the mirror when he picked up Mom’s anniversary watch. When he looked in it,” she continued, her gaze steady on Musk’s. “When he got scared because he felt somebody was looking at him. Before he went down and took my picture off the wall because a part of him knew it was me, and he wanted to hurt me like he did Mom and Dad.”

“Now, that doesn’t make much sense, does it?”

Still easy, still smiling.

“How you saw him in the mirror when you weren’t there. How you knew just what he took from the scene, how you knew just what he did.”

Lucy put a hand on Thea’s shoulder. “Are you calling this child a liar?”

“Ms. Lannigan, there’s no doubt Ray Riggs murdered John and Cora Fox. We want to make sure he pays for that. We want to make sure he spends the rest of his life in prison.”

“And you’ve said he would,” Lucy countered.

“We know he murdered your daughter and son-in-law. It’s important we have all the facts, to be certain he acted alone.”

Alarm leeched color from Lucy’s face. “You think he might’ve had an accomplice?”

“I’m wondering if Thea might have seen Riggs before, may have spoken with him. If that’s not the case, well, I have to consider the fact you’re now the legal guardian of two minors with substantial trusts. Executor of a substantial estate who has considerable influence over those children.

“I have to wonder if you met with Ray Riggs, made an arrangement. You told Thea what to say, and she’s saying it.”

Alarm flipped to rage.