Fractured Truth by Susan Furlong

Author:Susan Furlong
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kensington
Published: 2018-10-03T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 21

February 7

Things are getting really bad. Everything is out of control. It was a mistake to tell, and Nevan is paying for my mistake. I can’t even trust leaving my journal around here. I can’t wait to leave this place.

“What do you think of this?” I turned down the radio and read the entry to Grabowski. After nearly three hours of pumped-up banjos and mandolins, the silence was blissful.

He glanced sideways at my phone. “I thought there was a new department policy prohibiting the use of private phones for police business.”

“You’ve never broken a rule before?”

“Have you ever actually followed a rule before?”

“What are we missing here? This entry is dated the seventh. By then, she’d already told Nevan, her mother, her brother, and even Hatch knew. So did she mean one of those people, or did she confide in someone new? Why was Maura worried about Nevan here?”

“I wondered the same thing. It’s possible she went to someone outside her normal circle. According to you, Traveller girls don’t normally end up in that sort of trouble.”

I watched the road signs whisking past us. Willed myself to ignore the obvious signs of our Pavee transgressions. My own youthful sexual fling that strayed far from acceptable Pavee morals. Premarital sex, and with a settled boy, no less. Sin topped with sin. I knew neither of our actions reflected Pavee standards. But . . . there was more to Maura than just being another young Traveller girl in trouble.

I remembered what Winnie had said, that Maura got a rush out of leading Hatch on. Maybe she led on other guys, too. And the journal showed another side to Maura. A manipulative side: lying to her mother so she could go out partying, sleeping with one man while engaged to another. And Winnie also said she threw Hatch’s affection in her face.... Who else might she have infuriated with her manipulations?

“We need to dig more into Maura’s social circle. Maybe look more at the Fisher kid, see how well he knew Maura.”

“Waste of time. Frank seems to think Nevan’s the guy.”

“His logic is clouded by his prejudices.”

“If he’s so prejudiced against Travellers, then why’d he hire you?”

“I come in handy in cases like these. It looks good to have a Pavee on the force.” I thumbed toward the seat behind us. The department’s SUV had come automatically equipped with a K9 cage in the far back. “And I came with a dog. He loves Wilco.” All I was to Pusser was a dumb Pavee with a smart dog.

Grabowski glanced in the rearview mirror. “That’s true. Frank loves your dog. We all love your dog. He might be your only redeeming quality.”

“Thanks.” He had no idea how close to home that statement hit. And hurt.

He chuckled, then sobered. “The way I see it, you’re the one with the prejudice problem.”

“How’s that?”

“You’re ignoring the facts. Probably because Nevan is a Pavee. Think about it. He was the last person to see Maura alive. A witness saw him vandalize Maura’s car.

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