Murder Deja Vu

Daughtry and Rayanne Johnson knew one another in the biblical sense, and he didn’t care how Castell got the proof. Castell had a tape of that too. The man hedged his bets.”
    “Suggesting, prodding. Sounds like Robert,” Dana said. “Then he could say someone misconstrued what he said.”
    “That’s exactly what he did,” Payton said. “But he couldn’t talk himself out of tape recordings ordering Castell, a.k.a. Harry Klugh , to intimidate a witness or to conjure one up.”
    “What’s your involvement, Harris?” Dana asked. “What did Robert have on you?”
    “Something I thought I did a long time ago, but it turns out I didn’t.”
    “Hit someone while you were driving drunk?” Dana asked.
    Harris went rigid. “How did you know?”
    “It didn’t take a genius. Robert obviously had something on you. I wanted to ask you a hundred times, but I figured if you wanted to tell me, you would. You never did. Then, of course, you stopped driving. Like I said, it didn’t take a genius.”
    “I did hit someone,” Harris said. “But I didn’t kill him like I thought. Robert knew all along. He tracked down the guy and paid him not to pursue the accident. From then till now he had me in his pocket. ’Course, I had him too. I had a signed affidavit that Robert raped a woman. I think there were others. She didn’t want to put herself through what he’d do if she told.”
    The hypocrisy that Robert had screwed around while claiming to be the saintly, cuckolded husband would have hurt if she cared. “Why doesn’t that part surprise me?”
    “Well, that’s it,” Payton said.
    “Not entirely, Sheriff.” Reece ran his hand around his neck, a gesture Dana now knew and loved. “I know you bucked the system. Going after your boss couldn’t have been easy.”
    “No, it wasn’t. I jumped Robert’s head and went to the attorney general. I could hardly go to the district attorney to nail the district attorney now, could I? Besides, I didn’t think you were guilty. Neither did Harris. Sometimes your gut tells you more than what appears to be the facts. I’m only sorry you found out it was your brother who screwed you over. That had to be tough to swallow.”
    Reece nodded.
    “Gotta go,” Payton said. “I wish you two the best. I mean that sincerely.”
    “Thank you, Sheriff,” Dana said.
    “Mind if I talk to Dana alone?” Harris asked.
    Reece took Payton’s arm. “Come on, Sheriff. I’ll walk you out.”
    “Nice old pickup in the garage. You wouldn’t be interested in selling it, would you?”
    “Never, Sheriff,” Dana said before taking Harris’s arm.
    “Mind if I look it over?”
    “I’ll show it to you,” Reece said.
    Dana had an idea what Harris wanted to say. “Come on out back. We can sit on the deck.”
    When they settled, Harris said, “I’m leaving Regal Falls.”
    “I figured. There’s no reason for you to waste your talents here.”
    “The Atlanta Journal-Constitution offered me a job. They like my work, and I think it’s about time I find out how good I am.”
    “That’s fantastic, Harris. Just don’t—”
    “I won’t screw up. I don’t start for six weeks. I’ve arranged to enter a program in Asheville. I can kick it.”
    Dana leaned over and kissed her friend’s cheek. “I know you can. You can call me any time you need to talk. I’ll always be here for you, you know.”
    Harris nodded. “I do. I’m happy for you, Dana, and it’s about time you’re happy.”
    “I am. I never thought happiness looked like this.”
    “You’ve always been my best friend. Robert never understood that. I know now you have someone who any fool can see loves you more than his own life, but I hope I can be your second best friend.”
    “Always, Harris.”

Epilogue
    Blowing in the Wind

    R eece took the call on the Saturday morning before Labor Day. He made plane reservations for two, then he and Dana packed a bag and drove to the Asheville airport where they boarded a flight to Boston. At Logan, they rented a car and drove to Lynn.
    Lana answered the intercom and buzzed them in. “He asked for you. The home healthcare nurse said it’s not the end, but Frank didn’t want to wait until he couldn’t—” She swallowed her words, and her eyes filled with tears.
    Reece took her in his arms, and Dana hugged them both.
    “Goddamn it,” Frank called from the other room in a weak voice. “Stop that. Wait until I’m fucking gone before you sob over me, will