Тесс Герритсен - Presumed Guilty стр 16.

A sharp intake of breath made Miranda turn.

The Tremains had halted by the gate. Slowly Evelyn raised her hand and pointed it at Miranda. You have no right, she whispered. No right to be here.

Mom, forget it, said Phillip, tugging her arm. Lets just go home.

She doesnt belong here.

Mom

Get her away from here! Evelyn lunged toward Miranda, her hands poised to claw.

At once Chase stepped between the two women. He pulled Evelyn against him, trapping her hands in his. Evelyn, dont! Ill take care of it, okay? Ill talk to her. Just go home. Please. He glanced at the twins. Phillip, Cassie! Come on, take your mother home. Ill be along later.

The twins each took an arm and Evelyn allowed herself to be led away. But when they reached their car she turned and yelled, Dont let the bitch fool you, Chase! Shell twist you around, the way she did Richard!

Miranda stumbled back a step, physically reeling from the impact of those accusing words. She felt the gate against her back swing away, found herself grabbing at it for support. The cold wrought iron felt like the only solid thing she could cling to and she held on for dear life. The squeal of the gate hinges suddenly pierced her cloud of confusion. She found she was standing in a clump of daisies, that the others had gone, and that she and Chase Tremain were the only people remaining in the cemetery.

He was watching her. He stood a few feet away, as though wary of approaching her. As though she was some sort of dangerous animal. She could see the suspicion in his dark eyes, the tension of his pose. How aristocratic he looked today, so remote, so untouchable in that charcoal suit. The jacket showed off to perfection his wide shoulders and narrow waist. Tailored, of course. A real Tremain wouldnt consider any off-the-rack rag.

Still, she had trouble believing this man, with his Gypsy eyes and his jet black hair, was a Tremain.

For a year she had gazed up at those portraits in the newspaper building. Theyd hung on the wall opposite her desk, five generations of Tremain men, all of them ruddy faced and blue eyed. Richards portrait, just as blue eyed, had fit right in. Hang a portrait of Chase Tremain on that same wall and it would look like a mistake.

Why did you come here, Ms. Wood? he asked.

She raised her chin. Why shouldnt I?

Its inappropriate, to say the least.

Its very appropriate. I cared about him. We were we were friends.

Friends? His voice rose in mocking disbelief. Is that what you call it?

You dont know anything about it.

I know that you were more than friends. What shall we call your relationship, Ms. Wood? An affair? A romance?

Stop it.

A hot little tumble on the bosss couch?

Stop it, damn you! It wasnt like that!

No, of course not. You were just friends.

All right! All right. She looked away, so he wouldnt see her tears. Softly she said, We were lovers.

At last. A word for it.

And friends. Most of all, friends. I wish to God it had stayed that way.

So do I. At least hed still be alive.

She stiffened. Turning back to him she said, I didnt kill him.

He sighed. Of course you didnt.

He was already dead. I found him

In your house. In your bed.

Yes. In my bed.

Look Ms. Wood. Im not the judge and jury. Dont waste your breath with me. Im just here to tell you to stay away from the family. Evelyns gone though enough hell. She doesnt need constant reminders. If we need to, well get a restraining order to keep you away. One false move and youll be back in jail. Right where you belong.

Youre all alike, she said. You Tremains and DeBolts. All cut from the same fancy silk. Not like the rest of us, who can be shoved out of sight. Right where we belong.

Its not a matter of which cloth were cut from. Its a matter of coldblooded murder. He took a step toward her. She didnt move. She couldnt; her back was against the gate. What happened, exactly? he said, moving closer.

Did Richard break some sacred promise? Refuse to leave his wife? Or did he just come to his senses and decide he was walking out on you?

Thats not what happened.

So what did happen?

I walked out on him!

Chase gazed down at her, skepticism shadowing every line of his face. Why?

Because it was over. Because it was all wrong, everything between us. I wanted to get away. Id already left the paper.

He fired you?

I quit. Look in the files, Mr. Tremain. Youll find my letter of resignation. Dated two weeks ago. I was going to leave the island. Head somewhere I wouldnt have to see him every day. Somewhere I wouldnt be constantly reminded of what a disaster Id made of things.

Where were you planning to go?

It didnt matter. Just away. She looked off, past the gravestones. Far beyond the cemetery lay the sea. She could catch glimpses of it through the trees. I grew up just fifty miles from here. Right across the water. This bay is my home. Ive always loved it. Yet all I could think about was getting away.

She turned to look at him. I was already free of him. Halfway back to happiness. Why should I kill Richard?

Why was he in your house?

He insisted on meeting me. I didnt want to see him. So I left and went for a walk. When I came back, I found him.