The Pursuit of Lies (Book #4, Paradise Valley) by Debra Burroughs Page A

someone is framing me, trying to make it look like I did these things, which I did not.” Colin’s strained voice bore the signs of a man struggling for control over his exhaustion and fear.
    Emily noticed his fingers curl into a fist on the table. “We all know that, hon.” She looked into his tired eyes, covered his clenched hand with hers, and offered him a closed-mouth smile. She couldn’t begin to imagine what he was going through, but if they were going to help him, he had to keep his emotions in check and let them do their jobs.
    Colin settled back against his chair, a sign he was ready to proceed.
    “The next sheets are copies of texts,” Alex paused and looked over at Colin, “I mean supposed texts between Colin and Allison, as well as alleged notations in her appointment book of times they purportedly met.”
    For Colin’s sake, Emily appreciated Alex’s catch in his phrasing. It had to be difficult for Colin to hear Alex read invented texts and emails about a made-up affair, especially in front of his fiancée.
    “Can I see that?” she asked.
    Alex scooted the document across the table to her and continued. “Next we have an interview with Ms. Laraway’s assistant, who found her body.” Alex picked up the papers and scanned through them.
    Emily looked over at Peter and caught his gaze, wondering if she should mention their meeting with the assistant. She shook her head ever so slightly, signaling him this wasn’t the time to bring it up, and returned her attention to Alex.
    Isabel leaned forward and folded her hands on the table. “What does it say?”
    “The assistant says Allison didn’t show up for work on Friday, which was not at all like her. So, about mid-day, the DA asked her to go by Allison’s condo to check on her. She had a key to Allison’s place because sometimes she had to run over there for something Allison needed for court. Friday, just after noon, she knocked and rang the doorbell, but there was no answer. She let herself in and called out to Allison, but still no answer. She wandered from room to room calling out and looking for her. That’s when she discovered Allison’s bloody body laying on her bed. She immediately called nine-one-one and waited for the police to arrive.”
    “How could someone hate me so much that they would do something so horrible to a woman who had nothing to do with their anger against me?” Colin shifted in his seat and looked out the window. “She died because of me.”
    “Another way to look at it, son, is that she died because a criminal was so disturbed, so twisted he wanted his revenge at any price.” Ernie, who sat beside Colin at the table, rested a hand on his shoulder. “This is not on you.”
    “I doubt anyone wants to look at them right now, but there are copies of the crime scene photos. They’re pretty grisly.” Alex glanced at the faces around the table. “The medical examiner’s report here says cause of death was the stab wounds to her chest, which we had already heard.”
    With two fingers, Emily spun the copies from the Day-Timer in Alex’s direction. “These notes from Allison’s appointment book show the dates with Colin were all on Thursday nights. Doesn’t that strike you as an odd night to schedule a date?”
    “Girls’ night,” Colin muttered.
    “What?” Emily turned to hear him better.
    “Every week you have your girls-only potluck dinners. Whoever is setting me up knows about your girls’ night every Thursday. He knows I’m usually home alone that night, which means he’s been watching us and knows our routines, Emily.”
    A chill slithered up her back at the thought. “That’s how he knew you wouldn’t have an alibi for the night of the murder.”
    “And, Colin, let me get this straight,” Peter began to say, lifting his pen off his notepad, pointing it toward Colin, “you insist you never sent those texts or emails—”
    “That’s right. I never sent them and I never received any from