her declared dead?” Taryn asked, forcibly making herself take another sip of coffee. She knew the question might lead to an early exit, but he’d given her the perfect opportunity to inquire about Sabrina’s death . “I’m sure that wasn’t an easy thing to do, considering that you felt she had run away from home and there wasn’t a body.”
“Art, I can just imagine how hard these past twelve years have been and I must say we truly appreciate you showing us a picture of Sabrina,” Ethan interjected, smoothing over the damage she may have caused. Taryn wanted Art to answer her question and wasn’t happy that Ethan hadn’t given the man a chance to offer up the truth. “I mean, you’ve lost your niece, nephew, brother, and sister-in-law in that time. You have our condolences.”
“I appreciate that,” Art replied, never once taking his eyes off of Taryn. She didn’t like him in the least and he knew it, not that he cared of anyone’s opinion but his own. “I would like to address Ms. Sisal’s question, if I may?”
She leaned forward and placed her cup on the silver tray that Alice had left on the corner of Art’s elegant desk, which Taryn was confident had been Charles Bowers’, once upon a time. Upon leaving here she would have to scour the police reports to see how the detective in charge couldn’t find evidence that Arthur Bowers had a hand in at least some of these deaths. Her initial thought of Sabrina’s brother was changing. Had Arthur had him killed as well, wanting to be the sole hair of Charles’ fortune? That was unlikely, considering Travis Bowers was killed while on active duty in the Army.
“Mr. Bowers, I would like that very much,” Taryn replied, sitting back in her chair. “I don’t mean to infer that you didn’t care for your niece, but I do find it hard to believe that Madeline would have so easily gone along with that.”
“You must understand that Madeline had lost both of her children, and while I wouldn’t have said she could have won an award for mother of the year, she became lost after that.” Art leaned forward and set his own coffee down before resting back in his chair as if he were recalling yesterday’s weather. He didn’t bother to feign his grief. “When my brother was murdered in cold blood, Madeline couldn’t cope with the magnitude of what had to be done with Charles’ estate. The company was floundering and with the way his will read, Sabrina was to inherit everything. Unless I had her declared dead, Madeline wouldn’t have had a penny to her name. I did what had to be done.”
“Do you really feel that Sabrina is dead?” Taryn felt the nudge of Ethan’s foot indicating that she was pushing their subject too hard. He was right, but men like Arthur Bowers didn’t know how to be subtle. He was direct and to the point. She would use that to her advantage. “I’m sure that Charles and Madeline hired the best private investigators when Sabrina first went missing. I’m surprised that there were no leads.”
“There were no leads because Sabrina ran away.” It was evident that Arthur’s agitation was rising. Taryn was banking on it and hoping he would slip up and say something that would really benefit them. This man knew more than he was letting on. “Whether she was taken against her will or willingly left home, she was dead to this family anyway. As I said, I did what had to be done.”
“What you did for your sister-in-law is commendable.” Ethan held up the picture as he continued speaking. “I’m sure you can imagine how shocking this is to Taryn. She’s found out that she has a sister she will never meet. Is there any way we could get a copy of this picture, so that Taryn at least has something to reflect upon in later years?”
Arthur didn’t respond the way Taryn was hoping, but instead shifted in his leather bound chair and contemplated what Ethan had to say. She liked this good cop, bad cop thing they were playing. It once
“Art, I can just imagine how hard these past twelve years have been and I must say we truly appreciate you showing us a picture of Sabrina,” Ethan interjected, smoothing over the damage she may have caused. Taryn wanted Art to answer her question and wasn’t happy that Ethan hadn’t given the man a chance to offer up the truth. “I mean, you’ve lost your niece, nephew, brother, and sister-in-law in that time. You have our condolences.”
“I appreciate that,” Art replied, never once taking his eyes off of Taryn. She didn’t like him in the least and he knew it, not that he cared of anyone’s opinion but his own. “I would like to address Ms. Sisal’s question, if I may?”
She leaned forward and placed her cup on the silver tray that Alice had left on the corner of Art’s elegant desk, which Taryn was confident had been Charles Bowers’, once upon a time. Upon leaving here she would have to scour the police reports to see how the detective in charge couldn’t find evidence that Arthur Bowers had a hand in at least some of these deaths. Her initial thought of Sabrina’s brother was changing. Had Arthur had him killed as well, wanting to be the sole hair of Charles’ fortune? That was unlikely, considering Travis Bowers was killed while on active duty in the Army.
“Mr. Bowers, I would like that very much,” Taryn replied, sitting back in her chair. “I don’t mean to infer that you didn’t care for your niece, but I do find it hard to believe that Madeline would have so easily gone along with that.”
“You must understand that Madeline had lost both of her children, and while I wouldn’t have said she could have won an award for mother of the year, she became lost after that.” Art leaned forward and set his own coffee down before resting back in his chair as if he were recalling yesterday’s weather. He didn’t bother to feign his grief. “When my brother was murdered in cold blood, Madeline couldn’t cope with the magnitude of what had to be done with Charles’ estate. The company was floundering and with the way his will read, Sabrina was to inherit everything. Unless I had her declared dead, Madeline wouldn’t have had a penny to her name. I did what had to be done.”
“Do you really feel that Sabrina is dead?” Taryn felt the nudge of Ethan’s foot indicating that she was pushing their subject too hard. He was right, but men like Arthur Bowers didn’t know how to be subtle. He was direct and to the point. She would use that to her advantage. “I’m sure that Charles and Madeline hired the best private investigators when Sabrina first went missing. I’m surprised that there were no leads.”
“There were no leads because Sabrina ran away.” It was evident that Arthur’s agitation was rising. Taryn was banking on it and hoping he would slip up and say something that would really benefit them. This man knew more than he was letting on. “Whether she was taken against her will or willingly left home, she was dead to this family anyway. As I said, I did what had to be done.”
“What you did for your sister-in-law is commendable.” Ethan held up the picture as he continued speaking. “I’m sure you can imagine how shocking this is to Taryn. She’s found out that she has a sister she will never meet. Is there any way we could get a copy of this picture, so that Taryn at least has something to reflect upon in later years?”
Arthur didn’t respond the way Taryn was hoping, but instead shifted in his leather bound chair and contemplated what Ethan had to say. She liked this good cop, bad cop thing they were playing. It once
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