Free A_Wanted Man - Alana Matthews by Intrigue Romance Page A

in the room, too. Billy Boy egging her on, telling her to pull the trigger. I think they may have been high.”
    “And you have no idea what the problem was? Did Meg say anything? Want anything?”
    Gloria stiffened. “What difference does it make? She shot him, then turned the gun on me. That’s all that matters.”
    “I’m just trying to make sense of it,” Harlan said. “If Jonah admired these people and was willing to help them out of a jam, why would they suddenly turn on the two of you? Why would your own daughter want you dead?”
    Gloria averted her gaze now. “I wouldn’t know.”
    “Come on, Ms. Pritchard, your mouth is saying one thing, but your eyes are telling me something else altogether. What happened in that room?”
    Gloria was silent. Struggling. Then she said, “I think I’d like to sleep now. Could you two please leave?”
    “Not until you’ve answered the—”
    Callie touched his shoulder, stopping him. “It’s okay, Harlan. I think I may already know.”
    He looked at her and saw that her anger had abruptly disappeared, her expression now softened by a mix of surprise and empathy, as if something she had long wondered about suddenly made sense.
    He waited for her to continue, but she said nothing, turning instead to Gloria. “The rumors are true, aren’t they? About Jonah’s…preferences.”
    Gloria frowned. “What would you know about it?”
    “This town doesn’t have many secrets, Gloria. We’ve all heard the whispers at one time or another.”
    “That doesn’t mean a damn thing,” she snapped. “And it certainly doesn’t make it any of your business.”
    Harlan’s voice was gentle but firm. “Look, Ms. Pritchard, I know you’re hurting, but a murder victim loses all right to privacy the moment we walk in the door. That’s the only way we can build a case against a potential—”
    “Go away,” she said. “Please.”
    Harlan took a deep breath, then exhaled. “All right, let’s put the motive aside for now. What we really need to know is where Meg and her friends were headed when they left. Did they say anything? Give any indication about where they might be going?”
    “Maybe you didn’t hear me. I’d like to you leave.”
    “Not until you tell us—”
    “Get out,” she shouted. “Get out of my room!”
    “Ms. Pritchard—”
    “Get out!” She pulled herself upright, her IV rattling, her face turning crimson. Tears filled her eyes, spilling down her cheeks as she continued to shout at them. “ Leave me alone!”
    Whatever she was hiding, it was ugly and painful, so painful that she seemed unaware of the wound in her thigh which was starting to bleed, staining her blankets.
    Harlan and Callie backed away from her now as the room began to fill with hospital personnel, people in scrubs telling them to go, now , as they moved to the bed to try to calm Gloria down.
    And as he and Callie retreated into the hallway, Harlan could only thank God that the troubles he’d seen in his own life seemed tame in comparison to what this woman must be going through. The memories they had triggered were ripping her up inside, and even though it couldn’t be helped, he felt a twinge of guilt for pushing her.
    He looked at Callie, saw the dismay on her face, and thought she must be thinking the very same thing. And despite all they’d been through in their time, Harlan suddenly realized that they were the lucky ones.
    Very lucky indeed.

Chapter Eleven
    “That went well,” Harlan said. “You want to clarify for me what just happened back there?”
    Callie felt sick to her stomach. There had long been rumors about Jonah Pritchard, but she’d never really believed them. She had always thought it was nothing more than vicious small town gossip, whipped up out of boredom and envy.
    Yet Gloria’s reaction to their questioning seemed to be confirmation of those rumors. Which would explain Megan Pritchard’s rebelliousness over the span of her life. If Meg had finally had