The Next Accident - Lisa Gardner [8]
They talked a little. They talked a lot. God it was good to see him again.
“So how is the investigative business?” Quincy asked halfway through dessert, when they had exhausted small talk and settled in.
“Good. Just got my license. Number five hundred and twenty-one, that’s me.”
“Doing private work?”
“Some. I got in with a few defense attorneys; they’re the ones who convinced me to get licensed. Now I can do more work for them—background checks on witnesses, crime-scene reconstruction, police report analysis. Still a lot of sitting at the desk, but it beats chasing down the cheating husband or wife.”
“Sounds interesting.”
Rainie laughed. “Sounds dull! I spend my time logged on to the Oregon Judicial Information Network. On a really exciting day, I might access my Oregon State Police account to peruse criminal history. It takes intelligence, but we’re not talking adrenaline rush.”
“I read lots of reports, too,” Quincy said, sounding mildly defensive.
“You fly places. You talk to people. You get there while the blood’s still fresh.”
“You miss it that much, Rainie?”
She avoided his gaze to keep from answering, wished she did have a bottle of Bud Light, and switched topics. “How’s Kimberly?”
“I don’t know.”
Rainie arched a brow. “I thought she was the daughter who liked you.”
Quincy grimaced. “Tact, Rainie. Tact.”
“I strive to be consistent.”
“Kimberly needs some space. I think her sister’s accident hit her harder than the rest of us. She’s angry, and I don’t think she’s comfortable with that yet.”
“Angry with Amanda, or angry with you and Bethie?”
“To be honest, I’m not sure.”
Rainie nodded. “I always wanted a sister. I figured that must be something special, to have a genetic ally in the world. Someone to play with. Someone to fight with. Someone who had your parents, too, so she could tell you if your mom really was nuts, or if it was all in your head. But it doesn’t sound like Mandy has been much of an ally for Kimberly. Instead, she’s been the major source of family stress.”
“The rebellious older sister, getting all the attention,” Quincy agreed.
“While Kimberly behaves as the model child, the born diplomat.”
“Bethie hates for me to say it, but Kim will make a terrific agent someday.”
“She’s still pursuing criminology?”
“Psychology for her B.A. Now she’s looking at submatriculating into a master’s program for criminology.” The lines in Quincy’s forehead momentarily smoothed away. He was very proud of his younger daughter, and it showed on his face. “How’s Bakersville?” he asked presently.
“Okay. Moving on the best you can after these things.”
“Shep and Sandy?”
“Still together.” Rainie shook her head as if to say, who understood. “Shep’s working for a security company in Salem. Sandy’s gotten active in revamping juvenile law.”
“Good for her. And Luke Hayes?”
“Making a fine new sheriff, or so he tells me. I visited five, six months ago. The town’s in good hands.”
“I’m surprised you went back.”
“Luke had some business for me.”
Quincy gazed at her curiously; she finally gave up the information with a shrug. “He was getting inquiries about my mom.”
“Your mom?” Quincy was surprised. Rainie’s mother had been dead for fifteen years, murdered by a shotgun blast to the head. Most of the people in Bakersville figured Rainie had pulled the trigger. That’s what happens when you leave a house with brains dripping down your hair.
“Some guy was calling around town, trying to find her. Luke thought I should know about it.”
“Why after all this time?”
Rainie grinned; she couldn’t help herself. “The guy had just gotten out of prison. Released after serving thirty years for aggravated murder. Yeah, my mom knew how to pick ’em.”
“And apparently she knew how to make an impression,” Quincy added drolly, “if the man was still thinking about her thirty years later.”
“Luke gave him the score. Ran a background check to be sure nothing was funny. Passed it along to me, and that’s that.”
Quincy had that strange look on