“A prestigious judge’s daughter was also a far more suitable match for the son of Angus Minton.”
His blue eyes darkened. “You’re disappointing me, Alex. What you’re suggesting is downright tacky. Do you think I’d force my son into a loveless marriage?”
“I don’t know. Would you?”
“No!”
“Even if the stakes were awfully high?”
“Listen,” he said, lowering his voice for emphasis, “anything I’ve ever done for my boy has been for his own good.”
“Does that include killing Celina?”
Angus jerked upright. “You’ve got your nerve, young lady.”
“I’m sorry. I can’t afford to be subtle. Angus, Junior says he left the ranch that night, angry and hurt, because Celina turned down his proposal.”
“That’s right.”
“It was left to you to drive her home.”
“Yes. Instead, I offered her one of the cars and gave her the keys. She told me good-bye and left the house. I assumed she drove herself home.”
“Did anyone overhear this conversation?”
“Not that I know of.”
“Not even your wife?”
“She went up to bed right after supper.”
“Don’t you see, Angus? You’ve got no alibi. There’s no witness to what happened after Junior left.”
It pleased him enormously that she seemed worried about it. Her features were anxious and drawn. Lately, he’d found it hard to think of this girl as his enemy. Evidently, she was nursing that same ambiguity.
“I slept with Sarah Jo that night,” he said. “She’ll vouch for that. So will Reede. We were in bed the next morning when he came running in to tell us that he’d found Celina’s body in the stable.”
“Wasn’t my grandmother worried about her? When Celina didn’t come home, didn’t she telephone the ranch?”
“In fact, she did. Celina had already left the house. She had bragged that you were already sleeping through the night, so I guess Mrs. Graham went back to bed, assuming that she was on her way. She didn’t realize until the following morning that Celina hadn’t made it home.”
“What time did Grandma Graham call?”
“I don’t remember. It wasn’t very late because I was still up. I usually go to bed early. I was especially tired after the day we’d spent in the stable with that mare.”
Alex was frowning in concentration. He grinned. “Sound plausible?”
Grudgingly, she returned his smile. “Yes, but it’s riddled with holes.”
“It’s damn sure not enough to ask a grand
jury for a murder indictment. It’s nothing like a blood-soaked Gooney Bud holding a scalpel.”
Alex said nothing.
Angus reached out and covered her hand. “I hope I didn’t hurt your feelings, talking frankly about your mother like that.”
“No, you didn’t,” she replied with a weak smile. “In the last few days I’ve learned that she was far from an angel.”