“That’s what I’m asking you.”
Wade’s gaze narrowed on Lucas’s face. “There’s something you aren’t telling me. How did you find out about the break-in, if Emily didn’t tell you? You told your aunt and uncle last night that you haven’t seen anyone else in town while you’ve been here.”
Lucas shrugged.
“You knew your father had died. You didn’t seem particularly surprised that Emily still lived in the same house. Have you been keeping tabs on her since you left?”
“I’ve reassured myself that she was all right. If she’d ever really needed me, I’d have been here.”
“But you never came back, even for a visit. Not even for your father’s funeral. What was it about the break-in that brought you back?”
Lucas stalled by turning the questioning back to Wade. “When did you decide I wasn’t here to claim my share of my father’s estate?”
“When I found out that you could buy up half of Honoria, if you wanted,” Wade answered evenly.
Lucas scowled. “You’ve investigated me?”
“Yes. You’ve done all right for yourself, haven’t you?”
His opinion of Wade Davenport slipped a notch. “Typical cop meddling.”
“Typical fiancé meddling,” Wade corrected him. “You aren’t the only one needing reassurance that Emily’s all right.”
Lucas wasn’t sure Emily would appreciate either of them being so overprotective of her, but he supposed he could forgive Wade, this time, for meddling, since he’d had Emily’s welfare at heart. But how much could he trust the guy?
There was only one way to find out.
“I need a favor from you, Wade.”
The immediate wariness that crossed Wade’s face was not particularly flattering. “What kind of favor?”
“I want to see all the old files on Roger Jennings’s death fifteen years ago. Everything Chief Packer found out.”
For several long moments, there was no sound in the office except the ticking of the old wooden clock on the wall behind Wade’s head. Wade sat without moving, studying Lucas intently over his steepled fingers.
When he spoke, his voice was quiet, almost as if he was musing aloud. “What possible connection could Roger Jennings’s death have to the break-in at Emily’s house?”
At least his sister wasn’t marrying a stupid man, Lucas thought. “Probably none. But I would still like to see the files.”
“According to what I’ve read, Chief Packer was never fully convinced that you had nothing to do with Jennings’s death. Had it not been for your alibi, you might well have found yourself facing charges.”
Lucas nodded, knowing his scowl had deepened at the mention of his “alibi.”
“The girl who claimed you spent the entire night with her had some inconsistencies in her story that bothered Packer. But he could never shake her. Even after you left town, apparently dumping her along with your family, she never recanted.”
“I never asked her to defend me,” Lucas muttered. In fact, Lizzie’s well-intentioned “help” had caused almost as many problems as it had solved, but he wasn’t about to go into that now.
“You’re aware, of course, that there is no statute of limitations for murder.”
“I did not kill Roger Jennings.”
Lucas didn’t know why he thought Wade would believe him when people who had known him a lot longer than the police chief had thought him guilty. Even Rachel apparently had her doubts, judging from her behavior.
Wade said only, “That’s what your sister keeps telling me. She never doubted your innocence. I’ve pointed out, of course, that she was just a little girl when you left, and she might not have known you as well as she thought, but she almost took my head off. You were her hero fifteen years ago—and, like it or not, I’m not so sure that’s changed much.”
Lucas felt a quick rush of satisfaction, even though he knew he was no hero. But it was kind of nice to think there was one person in the world who could see him that way.
“Well, McBride? Are you going to tell me what you’re hoping to find in those files?”