Read Dead Giveaway for Free Online Page A

out."

    "You don't know that. How long do you think you can sneak around before someone begins to suspect? To watch you more closely? Grace and I guessed the truth, didn't we?"

    "Did you tell Molly?"

    "No." Fortunately, his youngest sister had moved away when she went to college and never returned to Stillwater. They heard from her often--she also came to visit two or three times a year--but more than any of them, she'd managed to put the past behind her.

    "Well, even if you didn't tell her, I bet Grace did," she said.

    Clay knew that was true. Somehow, though, they'd been able to keep it from Madeline.
    "You have to give him up. We have enough to hide already."

    "I'm not seeing him anymore," she said in a sulky voice.

    He wanted to let it go at that and hope for the best. But with Allie nosing around, he needed more of a commitment. "If you haven't left him yet, make sure you do."

    "Easy for you to say," she grumbled.

    "Not as easy as you think. Anyway, consider the people who'll be hurt if you don't. I know you care about that."

    Irene slammed the cupboard shut. "It's okay if I'm the one who's hurt?"
    21

    Brenda Novak

    "He's married! You don't have any real claim on him!"

    "It's not as if I planned for this. It just...happened. Sometimes marriages fall apart."

    "As far as we know, his marriage is fine. It's his libido that's leading him into trouble."

    "Stop it!" she cried. "Stop treating me like I'm a tramp!"

    He wanted to tell her to quit acting like one. But he couldn't be that disrespectful. Besides, he could almost understand why she'd fallen for Chief McCormick. Both the men she'd married had mistreated her. But Dale was a kind man who lavished her with gifts and attention.

    "Mom, if Allie finds out, she'll be determined to prove that we're responsible for Reverend Barker's murder. What better revenge would there be?"

    The scent of coffee filled the room. "Dale and I haven't been together since Allie came back," she grumbled.

    Clay studied her, wondering if that was true. Judging from her expression, he decided it probably was. "That's good. But you're planning to be with him as soon as you get the chance, right?"

    "No."

    He didn't believe her. Without a definite breakup, he knew a relationship like theirs could go on for years. "You've got to tell him you can't see him anymore."

    Tears welled up in Irene's eyes as she came toward him. Seeing her cry made Clay wish he could tell her everything would be okay. But he couldn't. If Chief McCormick left his wife for Irene, the whole town would be out to get her. They'd never liked her much to begin with--thanks to Reverend Barker. He'd isolated her right from the start by refusing to let her go anywhere except church events. He'd also taken every opportunity to imply that he'd made a mistake when he married her, that he was now saddled with a wife who was too flighty, lazy, vain--a cross for him to bear. Occasionally, he'd even criticized her in subtle, demeaning ways from the pulpit. And his parishioners had bought every word. After all, he'd had a history in this place--land, family, friends and the illusion of purity. Irene had had nothing, except the hope of a better life.

    A hope the man behind the pious mask had quickly dashed.

    But no one else knew that man. Not like the Montgomerys did.

    "I'm sorry," Clay said softly. "You don't have a choice. Not really. You know that, don't you?"

    She swiped at the tears spilling down her cheeks. "Yes."

    22

    Brenda Novak

    3

    "M ommy...Mommy..."

    Her daughter's voice and small hand, jiggling her shoulder, came to Allie as if through a fog, waking her that afternoon. She was still tired--she'd gone to bed only five hours earlier, after getting Whitney off to school--but she struggled to open her eyes. She wanted to be available to her child as much as possible. That was why she'd moved back to Stillwater, taken a cut in pay and accepted the night shift.

    "Who's this?" Whitney asked.

    Squinting to see