Smoke in Mirrors Read Online Free

head.
    “I don’t know,” he said eventually.
    “You don’t know ? What is that supposed to mean? We’re talking about murder, here.”
    “Look, all I can tell you is that a year ago when Bethany died, I didn’t think there was any question aboutwhat had happened. The official verdict was suicide. Unfortunately, it seemed to fit the circumstances and there was no evidence of violence.”
    “Was there a note?”
    “No. But that’s not as unusual as people think.”
    “Suicide is always so difficult for those who knew the victim. No wonder your brother is looking for other answers. But what is it about Meredith’s death that makes him think there’s a connection?”
    “Not much,” Thomas admitted. “Meredith didn’t arrive in Wing Cove until six months after Bethany died. The two never even met. But Deke is trying to see patterns where none exist. The only thing Meredith and Bethany had in common as far as I know was that each of them spent a lot of time at Mirror House.”
    “What is Mirror House?”
    “The headquarters of the Eubanks College Alumni Association.”
    “That’s it? They worked in the same place? That’s the only connection you’ve got?”
    He hesitated briefly. “The only solid one.”
    “No offense to your brother, but that’s extremely weak.”
    “I’m aware of that, Miss Hutton.” Thomas’s voice was grim. “Like I said, Deke has had a difficult time coming to terms with Bethany’s death. I’ve done my best to discourage his conspiracy theories. I thought I was making progress in the past few months. He seemed to be coming out of his depression, at least. But Meredith’s death has set him off again.”
    She replayed his earlier comment in her head. “Wait a second. You said the fact that Bethany and Meredith worked in the same place was the only solid link between the two deaths. Are there other, less substantial connections?”
    “Maybe,” he said slowly. “One possibility, at any rate.”
    His obvious reluctance told her that he was not buying into his brother’s conspiracy theory completely, but that he felt obligated to give it some credence. A family loyalty thing, probably. She knew only too well how that worked.
    “What?” she asked when he offered no further details.
    “After the funeral, there were rumors.”
    “Rumors?”
    “Some local gossip that Bethany may have been experimenting with drugs at the time of the suicide,” he said reluctantly. “Deke and I agree that would have been completely out of character. She never did drugs so far as we know.”
    “Were any drug tests run at the time of her death?”
    “There were some routine things done, but there was no reason to go looking for anything exotic that would have required a lot of unique and expensive testing. Small-town law enforcement and medical examiner budgets don’t allow for extensive tests unless there’s a serious question about the cause of death. She had no history of drug use. Deke had questions about the suicide, but they didn’t revolve around drugs. And there’s no going back now. Bethany was cremated according to the stipulations in her will.”
    “Meredith’s death was ruled an accident. There was no indication of drugs or alcohol involvement. How do the rumors about Bethany Walker link to her death?”
    “After the news of the crash reached us in Wing Cove, there was some gossip that Meredith had been doing drugs while she lived there.”
    “No,” Leonora said flatly.
    He narrowed his eyes. “No? You’re sure of that?”
    “Oh, yes. Very sure. Lord knows, Meredith had her faults, but doing drugs was not one of them. Her mother killed herself with them, you see.”
    “Huh.”
    Thomas said nothing more. Just looked thoughtful. Wrench looked bored.
    “Traffic accidents happen all the time.” She wondered if she was trying to convince him or herself. “And there’s no motive for murder.”
    “I wouldn’t say that. One-point-five mil is a lot of money. Let’s