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I SPOTTED OLAF standing on the far edge of the yard near the street with its line of bright blue state trooper cars The crowd of police shifted, and I could see Edith him I could tell that Olaf was upset, but if I hadn’t known hiht he looked calston had It was Edho see to talk to Olaf in a serious way They were fra outside the perihbors, but there were far too many people for this one small street There were always more people at crime scenes than you could explain I never understood where they all ca before the Internet

Muriel was screaainst theHer husband sat quietly in the car behind her Neas talking to Duke to one side of the cars They seeuys were all tucked away, so I walked toward Edward and Olaf to see if I could help Edward talk the big guy down or out of whatever he was upset about

I was partway to them when there was a co to push past the police line She was dressed in white, which ht I mean, she wasn’t Olaf tall, but she was over six feet She had large round white-franize her It wasn’t until the crowd parted for her and she bent low over the police to her that I realized it was Jocelyn Marchand Honestly, if I hadn’t had her ht not have recognized her, but with the glasses covering the brown of her eyes, she looked like her host since she was dressed all in white

Sheriff Leducthat way Heher back, so he stepped aside She strode forward on strappy stiletto heels that put a sway into her narrow hips that made her short skirt flare out and swirl around her with every long-legged step Seeing her in a hospital bed hadn’t prepared s were I wasn’t norht up to that swirl of oh-so-short skirt like it was an excla else that lay just under the narrow, dancing hem of her skirt As she sashayed across the street, I realized it was more than just clothes, makeup, and hair She kne to move for maximum effect I wasn’t the only one atched her with my head on a swivel as she met the sheriff in the middle of the pavement

In her heels she was actually tall enough that she had to lean over for him to speak low to her I couldn’t see her eyes, but at a certain point, her shoulders stiffened, and I would have bet lasses She looked toward the police cars with her aunt and uncle in them, and then she opened that perfectly lipsticked mouth and yelled, “Aunt Muriel, how could you do that?” She took a suddenly shaking step toward the cars “Uncle Todd, how could you kill Dad? How could you frame Bobby? You made me think he killed our dad!”

She slapped theof the car that held Todd, and he winced visibly as if the blow had touched hiet hiuilty, and thatwithout your lawyer

Jocelyn moved to the car with Muriel in it Muriel didn’t flinch when hergot slapped Her head was turned away fro at her niece I wished I could have seen Muriel’s face, because whatever her expression was, ither face close as if she wanted to push through the glass and get to the other woman

“I knew you were coldhearted, Muriel, but how could you kill your own brother? How could you take our dad away fro Bobby for it, you evil bitch!”

We were all watching the show, but as if the insult was a signal, Leducto soothe her or at least get her away froot her onto the sidewalk so the cars could drive off The Babingtons were going to soer and far less hometown friendly than the local jail

The sheriff kept a hand on Jocelyn’s elbow as if he didn’t trust her not to run after the cars or throw so I couldn’t really blame her I walked over to them I wasn’t sure if I wanted to talk to her or what, but I didn’t understand why she’d lied to people about her sexual relationship with Bobby It had made me like her for the ht Bobby I really wanted to understand why she’d done it, but it really wasn’t any of uys on their way to jail The beautiful liar standing in front of ally

She was talking to Leduc “I can’t believe I let them convince me that Bobby had done that toDad”

“They fooled all of us, Joshie”

“Jocelyn,” she corrected hie in expression

“Jocelyn I keep forgetting that you’re not the little girl I o”