Bone Deep by Debra Webb

it. The woman hadn’t wanted to face Jill.
    “You don’t suppose the chief warned her off, too.”
    No need to answer that one. She knew already.
    “Jesus, why is he doing this? Just because I’m taking a different view of the case?”
    “There’s always the possibility he sees your actions as a personal affront.” Paul didn’t believe that to be the case but if it made her feel better no harm done. “Your questions might lead the people in his town to think he hasn’t done his job.”
    “Maybe.”
    She didn’t sound any more convinced than he was. There was a lot more going on here than met the eye, that was for damned sure.
    “I think I’ll just ask him.” She folded her arms over her chest in a defiant gesture. “I have the right to know why I’m being black-balled.”
    That fighting instinct again. “You should get a good night’s sleep before you confront the chief.”
    Silence hung between them for a few blocks.
    “Thank you for coming back.”
    For such a fighter her voice sounded small and scared.
    He stopped at the intersection of Washington Street, dared to meet her gaze. “Don’t thank me yet.”
    ~*~
    Once Phillips was settled in a guestroom, Jill went in search of her mother. She didn’t look forward to this confrontation any more than she did the one with the chief, but the air had to be cleared. Paul Phillips would be staying in this house, though he had resisted the invitation, until this was over.
    Jill found Claire in the family room watching television. Many happy memories had been made in this room. Christmases, birthdays. When had all the happiness drained out of this family?
    Deep breath . She battled back the tears. “Did I have any calls?” Jill checked the answering machine when she arrived and there were no messages.
    “No,” her mother said succinctly, her attention fixed on the television screen.
    Jill sat down on the sofa next to her and reached for the remote to turn down the volume.
    Claire looked annoyed but said nothing.
    “Mother, I need you to understand what I’m doing.”
    “I want no part of it.” She sliced her hands through the air, then refolded them in her lap. “Basic human compassion won’t permit me to throw out your friend, but I am not in agreement with your actions.”
    Jill grabbed her mother’s hand, held it tight when she resisted. “It doesn’t work that way. I’m your daughter, Kate is your daughter. Cody is your grandson. You’re in this whether you want to be or not.”
    Claire stared at her, agony and disbelief in her eyes. “You think I don’t know that? My God, I’ve got a husband in the ground, a grandson missing, and one daughter in a psychiatric ward while another is running around making wild accusations.” She snapped her mouth shut as if there was more, but good sense had prevailed.
    Jill held her tongue to the count of ten. “Let me explain as best I can the reasons I’m doing the things I’m doing.”
    Her mother pulled loose from Jill’s hold and crossed her arms over her chest. Thankfully she made no move to leave the room. At least that was something.
    “There are a number of inconsistencies in this case.” Jill took another deep breath and focused on remaining calm. “First, Kate was beaten badly, yet Karl had no marks on his hands, indicating that he wasn’t the one who hurt her. Judging by the crime scene photos, the struggle didn’t even take place in the room where Karl’s body was found. The chief seems to think this is all irrelevant.”
    “I don’t want to hear any of this.” Claire’s chin trembled. Tears brimmed on her lashes.
    Jill couldn’t stop there. Her mother had to hear the rest. “There is no motive. Everyone insists that Kate and her family were happy, no money problems, nothing. Yet the chief would have us believe that perhaps there’s some unsavory something we don’t need to know about the beating. Something best kept quiet. How is that possible if Kate and Karl were so