Evidence of Marriage by Ann Voss Peterson Page A

you worshipped me. Someone told you to play up to me. Who was it?”
    Oh, God, she shouldn’t have pushed it. She should have stuck to the truth and kept her mouth shut otherwise. Hadn’t Trent warned her about how intelligent Kane was? How well he could read people? Hadn’t she already witnessed that herself?
    â€œWere you talking to the FBI, Diana?”
    Her blood froze in her veins.
    â€œWho did they send? A profiler? Did he tell you what I dream about at night? Did he tell you what makes me tick? ” He fired the words at her, staccato as bullets.
    Diana forced herself to remain in her chair. She forced herself to meet his eyes. “I remembered the story about the rabbit. I remembered the feelings.”
    â€œBut you don’t remember the profiler’s name?”
    She dropped her gaze to the floor.
    â€œWas it Trent Burnell?” Kane’s voice was quiet and thick with hate.
    She tried to focus. She tried not to react.
    â€œI see how it is. It isn’t just McCaskey’s words you’re reciting. Burnell has made you into his puppet. Just like the puppet you played with as a child. The puppet I bought for you.” He jerked up on his arms. The cuffs clanged against the chair.
    Diana flinched. She half expected him to break free, to reach out and grab her by the throat.
    â€œNo daughter of mine is going to be Burnell’s puppet. You wanted to know who the copycat is? You wanted to know where he took that woman? You’ll have to ask Burnell.”
    She shook her head, her hair whipping her cheeks. “It’s not like that. I only talked to him for a few minutes. He’s not even here anymore. He left this morning.”
    â€œThen you’re out of luck.”
    And so was Nadine Washburn. “No, please. Listen to me.”
    â€œI did. I didn’t like what I heard.” His lips pulled back in a cross between a smile and a snarl. “Therewas one part of being a father I didn’t like. Playing the disciplinarian. But sometimes it has to be done.”
    â€œWhat are you saying?”
    â€œThat sometimes children need to be taught a lesson.”
    â€œA lesson?” Her head whirled. She could only imagine what kind of cruel lesson he would teach. The tremble enveloped her, closing over her head like water. Drowning her.
    â€œLearn it well, Diana. And the next time you come to see me, you’d better be on your knees.”

Chapter Nine
    Head pounding with Kane’s quiet words, Reed followed Corrections Officer Nathan Seides’s broad shoulders out of the prison in silence, Diana by his side. It wasn’t until after he’d signed out, retrieved his pistol and settled into the driver’s seat of his sedan that he was able to convince his voice to function.
    â€œI’m so sorry, Diana. I never should have asked Burnell to come. I should have known Kane would sense you’d talked to someone.”
    Diana fastened her seat belt with shaking hands. Folding her arms across her chest, she stared through the bug-spattered windshield. “I was the one who blew it.”
    â€œYou? You were great in there.”
    â€œNo, I wasn’t. I tried too hard. I told him I remembered things I didn’t. I knew I had to be honest with him or he’d know I was lying. But Iwasn’t.” She shook her head. “I only knew a few warm, safe feelings in my childhood. One was that story. That feeling I had when it was read to me. I just couldn’t stand the thought that he was responsible for that. Do you think he was?”
    He knew what she wanted to hear. And he wanted with all his heart to pronounce Kane a liar. But he’d promised last night he would give things to her straight. “I don’t know.”
    â€œI guess it doesn’t matter. We can’t change what happened. But I’m afraid for Nadine, Reed. I’m afraid the copycat is going to kill her because of me.”
    Reed wanted to