Page 47 (2/2)

But, somehow, the encounter only made Clay feel worse

"It's okay," Molly said when he looked down at her

"It's not okay," he said, and doubted it ever would be

After Jed left, Allie stripped the linen from the bed and hauled it out to her car so she could take it ho up If her parents split up, her father would have to sell the place and share the equity with her mother And she and Clay were the last people to use the cabin It was the least she could do

The probability that her parents would get a divorce depressed Allie, but the physical ood It ht--and in quick order She wasn't sure what to do about anything else, especially the information she'd learned from Jed She was relieved that Clay wasn't responsible for Barker's death, that she'd been right in that regard all along But now she knew Clay was partially responsible for the cover-up that had followed Which put hiardless of the fact that he was innocent of murder

How had he and Irene disposed of Barker's car? Would it ever turn up? And where had Clay or one of the other Montgomerys moved the body? Barker wasn't behind the barn where Jed had told her he'd been buried

His re them discovered

Allie shook her head Why did the skeletons in Clay's closet have to be so literal? He could never leave the faret involved with a man like that

But she was already involved, wasn't she? She loved him in spite of his problems He wasn't an ordinary h without cracking under the pressure?

As far as she was concerned, he and the rest of the Montgoh

She'd go back to Stillwater and talk to Hendricks this evening Once she proved that Joe or one of the other Vincellis had hired hie she could use to get the prosecution to back off The ood friends with the Vincellis, but they wouldn't want to be discredited Proof that soet Clay should ht Or e to throw the case out of court

"That's it," she mumbled as she wiped off the table "That's what I'll do" She'd stay the course, even though she knew she was heading past the point of no return From now on, she would be, without reservations, completely on Clay's side, whether their relationship worked out or not

A noise frohts hit theAt first she thought Jed had returned But the man who knocked on the door wasn't Jed

It was Joe

Jed had stood by hi that Clay had difficulty believing he would ever hurt Allie He'd relaxed the moment he learned it was Jed anted to talk to her, and not Hendricks or any of the Vincellis But she wasn't back yet, and he was beginning to worry He'd tried her cell phone, several tiotten her voice-mail

"What's wrong?" Molly asked

His sister had been quiet ever since their father had left Clay didn't knohat she was thinking, but he doubted she felt any better than he did

He hated the doubts that nagged at him, didn't want to take responsibility for her disappointated to re else

"I' out to look for Allie," he said

"Where is she?"

"I' late She should've been back by now"

"What do you want me to do with dinner?"