“Not a surprise, considering what you’ve found.”
“That’s just it. He’s my dad. Whoever my mom is, he is my dad. But I’m pissed about it. How could he do this? How could he hide a secret this big all my life?”
Embarrassed by her outburst, she reluctantly met his gaze, relieved to see compassion rather than judgment in his golden-brown eyes. “When I was little all I wanted was a sibling,” she continued. “I asked for a big brother when I didn’t understand how that worked. I asked for a sister. I asked why I didn’t have either one. They told me all the platitudes parents use, claiming I was the best miracle and all they ever needed.”
“Sounds like a loving response,” Carter interjected when she paused.
“Of course it does. Jack and Cora Coker are inherently nice people. Good people. And they raised me to be a good person too. Yet here I sit, grumpy and moody because I always wanted a sister and now that it looks like I have one, I find out she’s a killer.”
“Hang on. We don’t actually know that she killed Melissa.”
His tone caught her full attention, snapping her out of the pity party she’d been wallowing in for hours.
“That video shows a woman who looks like you holding a gun and checking on the victim,” he reminded her. “There is no angle that shows her pulling the trigger.”
Paige sipped her coffee, letting that soak in. “That gap on the video, along with my last name, is why the police released me.”
“True. Those factors, plus your influential and extremely competent legal team.”
Right. “So what do I do now?”
“What do you need?
“Answers,” she replied without thinking. “It wouldn’t hurt if you could offer some advice on how to celebrate a man who has lied to me my whole life.”
Carter set his coffee down on the countertop, his features somber. “You were adopted through a private contract. My assistant found the records.
“Additionally, as of this morning, my assistant Jenna tells me no one close to Melissa seems to have a viable motive for the murder. The police are still investigating, focusing on your relationship with her, and searching for any indication that you were not where you said you were that night. If they stay on the current track, they are going to find those indications,” he warned, his brow furrowed. “My assistant found images of the woman in the kitchen on traffic cams nearby.”
Paige’s hands trembled and she set her coffee on the counter. The heavy ceramic mug clattered against the granite. “H-how does this change things?” she stammered. “What do we do?”
Her worries about the party evaporated. Would it come down to her parents keeping a brave face with their guests while Paige sat in a jail cell, accused of murder?
“Can I look at your closet?” he asked. “The woman at the scene dresses differently than you do. I’m wondering if it’s a matter of style or something else.”
“Seriously? You think if I had a disguise I’d leave it here and incriminate myself?”
“You might be surprised how many mistakes people make when trying to carry out a crime or cover it up,” he said. “I just want a look.”
“That sounds really off-base,” she challenged.
He lifted an eyebrow. “Do you have something to hide?”
“Only my fury with my dad,” she replied. “Unless you count the secrets about my birth.”
Faking a breezy confidence, she headed back to her bedroom, wondering what he might notice besides the decor. She hadn’t looked at her room like a stranger might in ages. Hadn’t even brought a date home in over a year. That kind of behavior brought questions from her mother she didn’t enjoy answering.
The intention had been for this house to give her privacy and independence. In reality, her parents still had a pretty good idea of her comings and goings. Although that helped—a bit—when it came to an alibi, it was more of an impediment when it came to having a personal life as an adult.
“Could you explain what you have to gain?” She opened her closet, letting him walk in first.
“Just confirming my suspicions that you and the woman in the video dress differently. The cops will want to do that too.”
She felt self-conscious, bordering on embarrassed. Most of her girlfriends didn’t have closets so ruthlessly organized, but she enjoyed separating business attire from casual wear and her dating outfits from dresses better suited to charity events. There was even a turnstile with cubbies for hats and another for shoes.
“I’m sure this is all very ridiculous to you,” she blurted out. “I’ll wait over here.” She couldn’t bear to watch him go through the drawers of her more personal items.
“I know a lot of women who would love this closet and never manage to keep it this neat and orderly.”
“That’s me, Paige Coker the oddball.” She stood in her closet doorway where she could see the morning sunlight play across the trees. Though she listened, she didn’t hear the sound of drawers opening and closing. She turned around to see him staring at the hanging racks, hands on his hips.
Carter studied her wardrobe. “I don’t see anything that resembles the clothing the other woman wore.”
“She was wearing jeans and a T-shirt. I have plenty of both in here.”
“No,” Carter said. “She wore snug jeans torn at one knee and a low scoop-neck, dark t-shirt. From the additional images my assistant found, she wears boots rather than flip-flops or tennis shoes.”
“It’s winter. Most people have stored the flip-flops. Maybe boots are her style.”
He did that eyebrow thing again.
“I have boots too,” Paige pointed to her shoe rack.
“Not anything like the boots she’s wearing,” he countered after a moment. “My point is, you two look alike but you’re not. What would you wear if you wanted to sneak around?”
“Black I guess,” Paige replied. “But I don’t sneak around.”
“Exactly.”
That was supposed to be helpful? She clearly didn’t have sharp investigation skills. Did shoe choices mean that much? It felt like her world had been sent spinning and she couldn’t get off the terrifying ride.
“If you’re done investigating my closet, what’s next? Fair warning, it will drive me crazy if I have to sit here and wait for things to happen.”
“You like to get things done. That’s good.” He folded his arms over his chest. “You also like to keep the peace, or so it seems.”
“Where are you coming up with these grand assumptions?” she wondered.
“Your reputation, to start. And that day on the beach you were all about a peaceful resolution with your friend and her dog. You showed a great deal of compassion for the family and you held your friend accountable.”
“For all of half a minute.” Paige shook her head. “That woman is still self-absorbed.” He smiled, and a sweet warmth rushed over her. It was like being out on the beach under a warm morning sun. Peaceful, content, fun.
“You looked a lot younger on the beach that day.” The minute the words left her mouth, she wanted to snatch back the observation, especially when his smile faded away.