Chapter 17
SEVENTEEN
Amanda’s phone rang as she turned down the street for Spencer’s house. She answered after seeing Trent’s name on the display.
“There you are. Did you get my note?”
“And your gift, thank you. I should be at Spencer’s within the minute.”
“Okay. See you soon.”
He didn’t sound surprised she was coming over.
Though she had debated whether it was a smart idea after Emma’s attack on her at Central.
Amanda was still shaking. And how dare she talk to her father?
As if he could wrangle her under control.
She’d also be lying to say she wasn’t insulted that Emma questioned her trustworthiness.
As if she were one to preach from that pulpit.
Emma had slept with a married man. Yet despite all that, Amanda hoped the hurt caused by the interaction would wash away and not fester for long.
Amanda parked in front of Spencer’s house, just as Trent was walking out the front door. He met her halfway down the walkway.
“We’re just wrapping up, but there’s nothing in his house or vehicle that’s incriminating.”
“That’s good news, at least.”
“And there’s still the hope his gun won’t be a match. Hopefully, we’ll know more later today.”
“Hopefully,” she parroted. “Malone brought me up to speed. You’ve been quite busy this morning, convincing Spencer to part with his prints and DNA, and getting them all sent to the lab.”
“Just doing what I can.” His voice turned soft, and she couldn’t handle that. Like he was showing her pity. It was the coffee all over again.
“Speaking of, thank you for handling the interview with Spencer so well. I could have done it if Malone hadn’t vetoed me.”
He waved a hand. “I have no doubt, and there’s no need to thank me.”
His humble response made her all the more appreciative he was her partner.
“I would have been here sooner, but Emma came into Central and basically cornered me.” If Trent hadn’t been so kind, she might have been able to keep this to herself, but he made her want to open up to him.
It was crazy to think she had initially resisted being paired with anyone.
“My God, Amanda. I’m sorry I wasn’t there.”
“Don’t be silly. It was bound to happen at some point, and I don’t need anyone to fight my battles for me.” She saw the irony considering he had fought one last night for her. Though not on her say-so.
“Oh, I’m well aware of that. Just if I were there, maybe she wouldn’t have gone at you so hard.”
“You know Blair. She’s not exactly soft and timid. Your being there wouldn’t have made an ounce of difference. I can only imagine what it would be like in her place. I brought her son in under suspicion of murder and had him spend the night.”
“Technically, I did that part.”
“If we’re talking technically, then circumstantial evidence against him did it.”
“Speaking of, she must know we’re only following the evidence.”
“I tried explaining that, but she didn’t want to hear it or believe it.”
“Well, I’m not sold on Spencer doing this. He explained deleting the text message, and I get that. I can even understand his pride holding him back from sharing how they were having a rough time recently.”
“You should have heard him when he first called about Christine. He was genuinely upset that he couldn’t reach her. I just can’t see him shooting her three times, wrapping her in a tarp, and pushing her under a bed.”
“Yeah, that’s another level. And Spencer’s not the only one who had a complicated relationship with Christine. We both felt we could eliminate the ex-boyfriend, but there are the ex-husband and the rival agent, Marcy Maxwell, we haven’t fully considered yet.”
“Not that the ex-husband sounded suspect to me. He’s moved on from what Riley said, even married again.”
“How a kid sees their father can be different from how things are.”
“True enough.” Amanda could agree from experience.
She’d always idolized her father, wanted to follow his career path.
Then she found out about the buried affair and the existence of a half-brother.
Some underlying resentment remained at how he could do that to her mother, her siblings…
her. “We’re still waiting on ballistics, and we can’t just afford to stall the investigation if it turns out Spencer is innocent.
Let’s talk with the ex-husband and Marcy Maxwell. ”
“I’ll just let the CSIs know that I’m leaving.”
“And I say we cut back to one car. Meet me at the station, and we’ll head out together from there.”
“You got it.” Trent walked back into the house while Amanda headed out.
On her drive to the station, she thought more about her father’s transgression.
She’d say she’d forgiven him, but forgetting was the harder bit.
It wasn’t his fault that she’d put him on a pedestal, elevated him above being human.
When it came down to it, he was a mere mortal of flesh and blood, capable of hurting even those he loved.
The strength of his character was revealed in the aftermath.
He’d ended things with Emma Blair and stood by his wife and five children.
As she thought when speaking to Blair, Spencer had gotten the shaft.
He was raised by Emma’s husband, loved as his own from what she knew, but he’d never had a chance of developing a relationship with his biological father.
This had to contribute to the underlying tension between her and Spencer.
The one wedge that kept them apart. And that was before this case.
Was it too much to hope their relationship could ever be mended and allowed to grow?