"Kenny could have taken away Shelly's scholarship and could have seen to it that Lauren didn't get one. He made himself very clear when he told me that he didn't want anyone to know about the argument he'd had with his father.''
"Claire, I understand the predicament you were in, and I can't really blame you, but... I need your help.'' Reece stood in the living room, only a couple of feet away from the front door. He didn't want to push his way into Claire's home. He didn't want to frighten her.
"I know you didn't kill Mr. Stanton," Claire said. "In the years I worked with you at Stanton Industries, I had a chance to see what sort of man you are. You aren't a murderer. But then, neither is Kenny."
"I'm not asking you to accuse Kenny of murder," Reece said. "All I'm asking is that you tell the truth."
"Kenny warned me only this morning about keeping quiet." Claire clasped her hands together. "He's out of his mind with worry since you escaped."
"Kenny won't be calling the shots at Stanton Industries if I'm proven innocent of B.K.'s murder. Christina and I will have the majority shares. We'll make sure your job is protected and your daughter's scholarship."
"Hearing you put things like that makes me so ashamed." Claire wiped the tears from her face with her hand. "I knew I should have told the truth. I wanted to go to your lawyer and tell him what I'd done after the trial, but I was so afraid."
Reece took Claire by the shoulders. She stared at him, wringing her hands, her chin quivering. "Will you go to the sheriff tomorrow and tell him the truth?"
"I...I..."
They both heard the car pull into the driveway. Reece released his hold on Claire's shoulders. "Are you expecting someone?"
"No, I..." Claire eased back the sheer curtains over the picture window and peered outside. "Oh, my goodness, it's Kenny. He just got out of his car, and he's talking to some woman."
Every nerve in Reece's body tensed. Some woman. Hell, the woman had to be Elizabeth.
"What's he doing here?" Claire trembled, her hand clutching the sheer curtains.
"He's checking up on you. Making sure you keep your mouth shut."
"Who's the woman with Kenny?"
"She's not with Kenny. She's with me. She drove me over here to see you tonight."
"Oh, dear. How will she ever explain being at my house?"
Standing directly behind Claire, Reece glanced out the window. Elizabeth stood beside Sam's T-Bird. He heard her voice, loud and strong and clear.
"Well, hello, Mr. Stanton. What are you doing here?"
"Ms. Mallory, our visiting psychic." Kenny surveyed Elizabeth from head to toe. "I'm here on business, to pick up some papers from my secretary. What are you doing here? I wasn't aware that you were acquainted with Claire Roberts."
"I'm not acquainted with Mrs. Roberts." Elizabeth glanced toward the house, hoping Reece was aware of Kenny's arrival. "I had another vision. One that involved the woman who lives here."
"What sort of vision?" Kenny asked.
"A vision of a terrible argument between you and your father. Mrs. Roberts witnessed the argument. I came here to question her about my vision, and find out what she knows."
Even in the darkness, Elizabeth saw Kenny's face collapse, but she couldn't help admiring his control. He didn't move a muscle.
In her peripheral vision Elizabeth noticed the front door of Mrs. Roberts's house open. Surely Reece wouldn't be foolish enough to walk outside at this precise moment.
"Mr. Stanton, is that you?" Claire Roberts stood on her porch, staring out at the two people in her driveway.
"Yes, Claire, it's me." Turning around, Kenny faced Claire. "I've stopped by to pick up those papers I need for tomorrow morning's meeting, but it seems I'm not your only visitor."
"Who's that with you?"
"Elizabeth Mallory, some young woman who claims to be a psychic and says she's had visions about B.K.'s death. Christina brought her to the house for dinner tonight."
"Why did you bring her here with you?"
"I didn't," Kenny said. "She was here when I arrived."
"I see. Well, I'm afraid those papers you want aren't ready yet. Perhaps if you can come back in an hour."
Kenny walked up the sidewalk, stopping at the bottom of the front steps. "I'll just come inside and wait for you to finish up with that report if you don't mind, Claire. There's no need for me to drive all the way back home, is there?"
"I'd like to speak to you tonight, Mrs. Roberts." Elizabeth rushed over, stepping in front of Kenny. Reece had to be inside the house, and undoubtedly Claire Roberts had no intention of telling Kenny. Did that mean Reece had persuaded B.K.'s secretary to tell the police the truth, to admit that she had lied under oath?
"Couldn't this wait until tomorrow, Ms. Mallory?" Kenny glared at Elizabeth, his round, full face slightly flushed.
"It's all right," Claire said. "Why don't you both come on in."
Once inside the house, Elizabeth glanced around the living room, wondering if Reece had exited through a back door or if he was hiding in another room. She could tell that Claire Roberts was nervous simply by the hesitant way she walked, the way she kept wringing her hands, the way she repeatedly glanced toward the darkened hallway.
Reece was at the end of that hallway, impatiently waiting. Elizabeth sensed his unease. She tried to reassure him by sending him a telepathic message, hoping he would open his mind to hers. She could almost hear him saying, "Be careful, Lizzie. Be careful."
"I really won't take up too much of your time," Elizabeth said. "like Mr. Stanton told you, I'm a psychic, and I've had several visions concerning B. K. Stanton's death. I am convinced that Reece Landry is an innocent man."
"I agree," Claire said. "I've never, not for one moment, thought Reece capable of murder."
"Who are we to say?" Kenny balled his meaty hands into tight fists. "After all, Reece was convicted of Daddy's murder. He was the only real suspect. The only one with a motive. Everyone knew he hated Daddy, that he hated our family."
Ignoring Kenny, Elizabeth turned all her attention on Claire. "You were present when B. K. Stanton and Kenny had a terrible argument the day Mr. Stanton was killed, weren't you?"
"How did you-" Claire gasped.
"This is utter nonsense!" Kenny's baritone voice sounded overly shrill in the stillness of Claire Roberts's living room. "Don't say another word, Claire."
Elizabeth glanced at Kenny. "By threatening Mrs. Roberts, you make it appear that you have something to hide."
"Why the hell did you have to show up?" Kenny's hound dog cheeks, so similar to his mother's, sagged. His thin lips drooped at the corners. "Everything is as it should be. Reece Landry is a worthless bastard. He hated Daddy."
"But he didn't kill him." Elizabeth's voice was a mere whisper, but the conviction of her words filled the room.
"Yes, he did!" Glaring at Elizabeth, Kenny walked toward her slowly. "Landry killed Daddy. He killed him!"
"You may hate your brother, Mr. Stanton, but you know he wouldn't have been the only suspect if your family hadn't bribed and threatened witnesses to keep quiet. Somehow you persuaded Mrs. Roberts to lie about an argument you had with your father." Elizabeth sensed the fear and anger building to a boiling point within Kenny Stanton. "You... you threatened to kill your father that day, didn't you?" Elizabeth was as shocked by the realization as Kenny was by her pronouncement. The memory had been crystal clear in Kenny's mind.
"He might have threatened to kill his father," Claire said, "but he didn't any more kill Mr. Stanton than Reece did."
"No, you mustn't!" Kenny's eyes glazed over, his vision unfocused as he stared off into space. "We've always been good to you, Claire. Why would you betray us?"
"I'm not betraying anyone anymore." Claire slumped down on the sofa. "I lied in that courtroom because I was afraid, but I can't keep quiet any longer if I can help Reece by telling the truth."