Page 119 (1/1)

Looking down, she said, "I started this when I was eight To remind you of the family order, by the time Michael turned six, David was ten years old, Ryan elve, and I was fourteen"

"I’ it out and I could hardly keep fro my eyes

"I can assure you, you’re unaware of this," she said "To celebrate his birthday that year, Mom and Dad took us all to Disneyland You can see for yourself"

She pointed to a photograph that showed a costuround All four kids were seated at a table in an outdoor café, leaning toward the center so the photographer could get thes wore paper hats, all of the for the camera The paper tablecloth, napkins, and cups were decorated with Happy Birthday greetings in several different fonts The birthday cake was at Michael’s place, with six candles burning away , Shit, a birthday doesn’t have to be celebrated on the actual day Parents can throw a party anytime they please

Diana sensedthe bottoht note these as well if you’re not convinced"

She turned the pages fora picture book upside down so I’d have it in perspective She’d pasted in dated programs, ticket stubs, receipts, and additional snapshots that showed the kids on a variety of rides Every item that bore a date supported her clai else"

"I can hardly wait"

"It’s about the Kirkendalls"

He was hoping I’d pro, forcing him to flounder on without an assist He cleared his throat and coughed once, saying, "Sorry Keith Kirkendall was a CPA who embezzled 15 million fro an independent audit and the authorities were closing in He took his faht"

"So I’ve heard"

"Good Then I’ll get to the point By July 17, when the news of Kirkendall’s crione On Friday, the twenty-first, the house was empty and not a stick of furniture remained Even if Michael hadn’t been at Disneyland, he couldn’t have been there"

I was silent for arapidly "Maybe it was the week before July fourteenth instead of the twenty-first" I was talking off the top of e the story Michael had told er "No, no, no," she said, as though correcting an errant child "Mary Claire was kidnapped on the nineteenth If Michael had seen the men the week before--even if he was correct about what they were up to--the bundle couldn’t have been her She was still alive and well"

I closed ht with triu in radeI couldn’t think when I’d felt so humiliated I’d believed Sutton I’d persuaded others he was telling the truth Now here I sat, feeling like an ass I didn’t care that o had taken a hit I cared because ere back to square one where Mary Claire was concerned The link, as tenuous as it ain, this ti out a file folder that she then pushed across the desk "I raphs fros about Keith Kirkendall so you can read them at your leisure I knew you wouldn’t be content to take our word for it"

I pushed the folder back across the desk "I appreciate the offer, but you’ll want those for your latest scrapbook"

She left the folder where it was "I made duplicates That’s yours to keep We’ve already dropped off a set for Lieutenant Phillips"

Ryan fixed his big brown eyes on ret Briefly I considered leaping across the desk and biting hih this," he said "It’s typical of Michael, but that doesn’t "

"Have you told him?"

Diana said, "No As you knoe’re not on the best of terht be softer if it came from you"