Free Dead Silence by Brenda Novak

in at that moment and got so angry he nearly fired him.”
    â€œI’ve never seen Jed angry,” Grace said. “I’ve never seen him express any emotion.”
    â€œExactly,” Kirk agreed smugly. “Obviously, there’s something in that drawer he doesn’t want anyone to see.”
    Jed had long been a dangerous variable. “What could it be?” Grace asked.
    â€œMaybe it’s evidence,” Madeline replied.
    â€œIf he’s guilty of murdering our…father, why would he hang on to something that could possibly incriminate him?” She’d used her prosecutor’s matter-of-fact tone, but she knew of at least one very plausible reason he might’ve done exactly that—if he were the culprit. And Madeline launched right into it.
    â€œWho can say for sure? But it happens. I’ve seen enough forensic shows to know that much.” She drained her glass. “Heck, you’ve probably dealt with a few criminals who’ve kept trophies, haven’t you?”
    â€œOne.” Not that she wanted to be reminded of it. She was silent for a few seconds. “I thought you’d decided it was Mike Metzger?” she said at last.
    A week before he went missing, the reverend had caught nineteen-year-old Mike smoking pot in the bathroom of the church and turned him in to the authorities. Mike hadn’t been too happy about it. He’d made a few threats before the reverend disappeared and afterward admitted he was glad Barker was gone. But his mother swore he was home in bed on the night in question, and the circumstantial evidence pointinghis way wasn’t strong enough for police to press charges. Mike was now in prison for manufacturing crystal meth in his basement, but Madeline had sworn for years that he was to blame for her father’s disappearance.
    A furrow developed between Madeline’s large hazel eyes. “I’ve never wanted to believe it could be Jed,” she muttered. “I’ve always liked him. But there’s no denying he’s a bit…different.”
    Grace couldn’t argue with that. “It’s easier to imagine Mike doing something horrid.”
    â€œRight. But I think I might’ve been too closed-minded. We already know that Jed was at the farm that night, working on the tractor.”
    â€œHe was in the barn. That doesn’t necessarily make him guilty of murder. Mike lived less than a mile away. That’s certainly a walkable distance.”
    Rising, Madeline poured herself and Kirk some more wine. At least five-eight, she was tall, slender and regal. Only the light dusting of freckles on her nose detracted from the sophistication of her appearance. “Jed had a better opportunity.”
    Kirk scooted forward a little. “Picture this. The reverend comes home from the church, sees the light on in the barn and walks down to see how the tractor’s coming along. He and Jed argue, get into a scuffle—”
    â€œArgue over what? ” Grace asked. “At least Mike had a motive. Why would Jed want to hurt our dad?” The word dad tasted so bitter on her tongue she almost couldn’t say it.
    â€œThey could’ve had a disagreement over anything,” Kirk said.
    â€œBut our father never even came home that night.” Grace consciously steadied her hand so she could takeanother sip of wine before repeating what she’d said hundreds of times before. “If his car had pulled up, I would’ve heard him.”
    â€œMaybe you were preoccupied,” Kirk said.
    â€œNo. He—he expected our chores to be done. We always watched for him, didn’t we, Madeline?”
    â€œUsually,” she said with a nod.
    Grace drew a deep breath. She’d watched for him more carefully than the others. “He never drove up on the night of August third,” she stated calmly.
    â€œWhat else can you remember?” Kirk asked.
    Far more than she wanted