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that had once been Lee Barker’s office sat dark and empty. Clay had no plans to use that space; he never even went in there. It evoked too many memories of the man he hated more than he’d ever hated anyone.
    Clay clenched his jaw as he imagined his stepfather standing at the window of that office, watching careful y to be sure the farm chores were done to his specifications.
    Once Irene had married the reverend, Clay had become little more than a slave. But what Barker had done to Grace was far worse….
    “You’re never inside this time of day. What’s wrong?”
    Turning, Clay saw his wife come into the room. He’d been expecting her. She helped out at their daughter’s school every Tuesday but was usual y back by noon.
    “Grace cal ed,” he said, his gaze lingering on her as it always did. Just looking at Al ie’s wide brown eyes, smooth complexion and ready smile soothed him.
    Only she wasn’t smiling now. He could tel by the way she put her purse on the counter and tucked her dark hair behind her ears that she was bracing for the worst. Ever since they’d heard that the Cadil ac had been found, they’d been expecting bad news. “What’s happening?” she asked. “Did the police turn up some piece of evidence or
    —”
    “Not that I’ve heard.”
    Her eyebrows knitted, creasing her forehead. “Then what?”
    He wished he didn’t have to burden her with the worries he faced. He was used to shouldering them on his own. In some ways, he preferred it. She wasn’t part of the incident that had defined so much of his life. But when he’d married her, he’d promised he wouldn’t shut her out. From anything, even this. “Madeline’s hired a private investigator.”
    She urged him into a kitchen chair where she began to massage his shoulders. “That might not be such a big deal,” she said. “This case is getting so old it’d be tough for anyone to crack. And there aren’t a lot of competent P.I.s out there.”
    Clay frowned. “This guy has quite a reputation.”

    “How do you know?”
    “Grace did some checking. One of the attorneys she used to work with is from California and has used him in the past.”
    Her hands stil ed. “So he has a background in criminal investigation?”
    “According to what Grace learned, he was original y a cop. He moved into the private sector when he realized he could find just about anything, and that there were folks who’d pay for his skil s.”
    “Great,” she said sarcastical y. “So what’s his specialty?
    Next you’re going to say men who’ve been missing from smal towns in Mississippi for twenty years.”
    Clay rol ed his neck. “Actual y, I think he’s traced more assets than people.”
    “So why would he come here?”
    “He seems to take on anything that interests him.”
    She started to massage again. “We’l get through it,” she murmured.
    She said that about every chal enge; her attitude made life easier. “I’m glad I found you,” he said, kissing her hand.

    The past didn’t intrude quite so much when Al ie was around. But he knew it’d never go away entirely. That was one of the reasons he’d been so reluctant to get involved with her. It wasn’t fair to bring such a dark secret into a marriage, to burden a spouse with the fear of its discovery or the task of keeping it safe.
    “We were meant for each other,” she said.
    He closed his eyes, enjoying her ministrations despite the anxiety humming through him.
    “What wil you do?” she asked.
    He’d been considering that ever since he’d heard the news. “I’m not sure there’s anything I can do.”
    “You could cal Maddy, talk her out of it.”
    “That might hold her off for a while, but her desire to know is too strong, especial y since they found the Cadil ac.
    She’d break down and hire him next month or the month after, even if I talk her out of doing it right now.”
    “I don’t think so,” Al ie said. “She listens to you. You’re the big brother whose