Under the Dog Star: A Rachel Goddard Mystery #4 (Rachel Goddard Mysteries) by Sandra Parshall Page A

suffered through full-blown withdrawal. But David was the one on Tom’s mind now. The boy exuded hostility, and Tom had heard talk about him getting into fights at school. A perfectionist like Gordon Hall wouldn’t accept such behavior. And every act of discipline, every critical word, would have increased the boy’s emotional turmoil and sense of isolation in a family where he didn’t belong. Could David have struck out at his adoptive father? Of course. But could he have engineered the kind of death Hall suffered? David claimed to have been inside the house when Hall was killed. Even if that alibi were disproved, as many alibis were in the end, where did the boy get a killer dog that would follow his commands, and where was that dog now?
    Tom tapped his pen on the notebook. “You know, some people would say your parents are saints, adopting three kids, giving them all the advantages. But it doesn’t sound like any of you have been happy in the Hall family.”
    “I didn’t say I’m unhappy. I have a very good life. The Halls are the only parents I’ve ever known, and I’ve always tried to please them. I wanted them to feel I was worth saving from the orphanage.”
    Tom figured he might as well coax as much inside information out of her as he could while she was in the mood to spill family secrets. “What about Dr. Hall and Mrs. Hall? Did they have a good marriage? Do you know if they’ve had any problems in their relationship?”
    She leveled a look at him, her mouth curling in a sour little smile. “The spouse is always the first suspect. Isn’t that the way the police think?”
    “The spouse is also the first person we try to eliminate as a suspect.”
    “Well, Captain, I can tell you that in all the years I’ve lived with them I have never heard them raise their voices to each other. They were devoted. She adored him, and he would have done anything for her. It’s going to be difficult for her now that he’s gone.”
    “Didn’t they ever disagree when one of the kids needed disciplining?”
    “Oh, no. She left that up to him. Whatever he thought best, she backed him up. He was furious with Beth for seeing Pete Rasey, so she was, too. When he was disappointed in Ethan, so was she. When he forgave Ethan, she did, too. She’s always supported his methods of dealing with David when he acted out. Grounding him, taking away his TV and Internet access and cell phone, that sort of thing.”
    “No physical discipline?” Tom asked.
    “Oh, no. They’ve never believed in striking children. They believed psychological pressures and denial of privileges were more effective.”
    “Why are you telling me all this?” Tom asked. “You say you owe everything to the Halls, but you’re not painting a flattering picture of them.”
    “Flattering or unflattering, it’s the truth, and you would have heard it all eventually anyway. I want you to get the investigation over with as quickly as you can. I’m saving you time by providing you with information so you can clear the family members and find the real killer.”
    “Ah. You’re trying to help me clear the family.”
    She met his gaze for a heartbeat, her dark eyes cold and blank. Then she gave him a rueful little smile. “I’m giving you the wrong impression, with all this emphasis on the negative. We didn’t grow up in a hostile environment. We’ve been given every advantage. Now I’ll let you get back to work.”
    Soo Jin rose, gave Tom a briskly businesslike handshake, and walked out.
    Watching her leave, Tom wondered what was really going on behind her mask of cool reserve and disdain. Every advantage , he thought. Yeah, every advantage except love . Children raised without love could look perfect on the outside while harboring demons on the inside. Maybe Soo Jin had come here to reinforce his suspicion of Pete Rasey and make sure he saw Beth as a possible accomplice, while deflecting his attention from herself.

Chapter Eleven
    Rachel turned into