In the Bleak Midwinter

“Are you kidding? Of course she did. If Mitch and I didn’t have our own line, we’d never be able to use the phone.”

Russ removed a small notepad from his chest pocket. “Can you give me her number, please?”

“Why?”

“It’ll make things go faster Monday morning when we contact the phone company for a record of all her outgoing calls.”

Clare watched Alyson. She had never seen anyone actually go white before. Barbara Shattham started to protest. Clare laid a hand over her arm, stilling her. “Last night,” she said, “a young woman claiming to be Kristen McWhorter called the church and left an urgent message for me to join her.” She looked steadily at Alyson. “This young woman left directions for me to drive. I’m not very familiar with this area yet, as you know, so it helps a lot if I have directions. These ones weren’t so good, however. They led to a washed-out road crossing a gorge. My car went in. I was fortunate—very fortunate—to walk away. My car was totaled.”

“Dear God,” Barbara Shattham said. “Are you suggesting my daughter had a hand in this? That’s outrageous.”

Alyson’s gaze darted between Clare and Russ.

“I was stranded on Tenant Mountain with no vehicle and no cold-weather gear,” Clare went on. “But that wasn’t the worst. The worst was when a man in a snowmobile suit began shooting at me.”

Everyone was silent for a moment. Russ clicked his pen and poised it over the notepad. “We can get a list of Alyson’s calls first thing tomorrow morning,” he said. “We’ll be able to see right away if she called the church office yesterday.”

Barbara Shattham stood abruptly. “She’s not saying anything else until we see our attorney.”

Russ leaned back, crossing his arms. “Well, that’s certainly your right, ma’am. I was hoping we could sort things out right now, though.” He shifted, splaying his hands on the table. “Let me make my position clear. Katie McWhorter and her father are both dead. Your daughter was seen arguing with Katie, who was poaching on her territory with Wes Fowler. She has access to a four-wheel-drive vehicle, she was in town during both murders, and when Reverend Clare found out about Katie and Wes, I believe your daughter sent her off on a wild goose chase designed to get her killed.” He pinned Alyson with a level stare. “Either you give up a better suspect, Alyson, or I’ll arrest you on two counts of murder and one of attempted murder.”

The girl let out a nasal whine. “It wasn’t me!”

“Alyson, don’t—”

She swung her head violently, her perfect hair cascading everywhere. “I’m not going to jail for Wesley Fucking Fowler, Mother! Not after the way he’s blown me off!” She reached across the table toward Russ. “He sent me an e-mail yesterday afternoon. Asked me to call and say I was Kristen. He was all sweet, just like he used to be, you know? It was just, like, a joke, because the Reverend had been poking around. I didn’t know anyone was going to be hurt. I swear! I should have known he was yanking my chain. He’s been, like, thanks but no thanks ever since he started sneaking around with that bitch.”

Barbara Shattham sat down heavily. “Alyson,” Clare said, “What about Katie?”

“I didn’t have anything to do with that. And you can bet Wes didn’t say anything to me. Except for a family get-together around Thanksgiving, he hasn’t said shit to me since he left for the Academy.”

“Alyson, your language . . .” Mrs. Shattham’s voice trailed off.

“When was the last time you saw Katie?” Russ asked. “For real, this time.”

“When I went to her house in Albany that time. I didn’t know she was pregnant, I swear. I kept thinking, like, how could he prefer her to me? She was like, a size fourteen, for God’s sake.”

“Did Wesley ever indicate that he was having problems, or that he was troubled about his relationship with Katie?”

“He was weirding out before he went away to the Academy, but when I tried to talk with him, he blew me off. I had already figured it out, him and her, for God’s sake. But he goes, ‘just don’t tell anyone.’ Like I would. That’s why I went to see her. And that’s the last time I saw her. Alive or dead.”

Russ and Clare looked at each other. He nodded slowly. “Thank you, Alyson. Mrs. Shattham, I suggest Alyson stay close to home.”

“What do you think she’s going to do, run to Canada?”

“I’m not worried she’s going to flee jurisdiction. I’m worried because she knows something about Katie and Wesley. Just like Clare and Darrell McWhorter did. And look what happened to them.”

Barbara Shattham clutched her daughter’s sleeve. “Dear God.” She glared at Russ. “She’s in trouble because she’s spoken to you. I expect you to provide us with police protection.”