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although Derek and Evelyn admitted that he had met them at the factory, they claimed he did so to tell them that he was running away with his mistress. He had supposedly been secretive, but told them that much of his plans because he didn’t want them to worry about him.”
    She shook her head. “Fools. I showed them that even with Derek unavailable, I could do things with the company. I fired both of them. I had the place searched, looking for some clue to Derek’s whereabouts. That came to nothing. I rehired the accountant. He still runs the company and does a fine job of it.”
    â€œI’m kind of surprised you were able to patch things up with your son after all of that.”
    â€œWe never did so completely, but things did improve. Harold and Evelyn ran out of money, and wanted to make peace. I agreed to talk to Harold, and to help him out, on the condition that he would not mention Derek to me. I wouldn’t let him come here—I met him in town and had this place watched while we went out to a restaurant for lunch. Sure enough, while we were having lunch, Evelyn tried to break in. I nearly had her arrested for it, but in the end I was so tired of legal hassles I just let her know that she wouldn’t get away with it a second time.”
    â€œDid Harold seem to know about her plan to break in?”
    â€œNo, he seemed angry and embarrassed. I didn’t know if he was acting or if that was what he genuinely felt, though. This goes back to why we never completely worked things out. I didn’t trust my own son. It’s one thing to think your child has some wrongheaded ideas. Or to have a clash of personalities. These things happen in families. But every time I met him, I kept thinking that he had probably killed his father, and that the proof was somewhere in these boxes, or out in the garage. I gave him more than enough money to live on, but at the same time I had all those locks put on the front door and an alarm system installed on the house. Still, I knew if they ever really wanted in here, they would probably find a way.”
    â€œI’m sorry you had to fear him.”
    â€œMostly I feared Evelyn, but yes, him as well. Suspecting a family member in this way is poisonous. It long ago deadened a part of me toward my son, and no mother should experience that, but plenty do. We tried to find a way, especially not long before he died. We were never again as close as we once were, though. Then late last year he suddenly became ill and died. Kidney failure. Evelyn is supposed to benefit from a large insurance policy, but my understanding is that the insurance company has some questions about his death.”
    He glanced up to see Bear getting out of the car.
    Frank held the journals toward her. “Would you be willing to make copies of these for me?”
    She hesitated, then said, “You may take them with you.”
    â€œI don’t—”
    â€œI have a confession,” she said. “I was hoping you would be the one who responded today.”
    He didn’t hide his confusion. “What?”
    â€œI follow any news about the Bakersfield Police Department very closely. I read about the murder at the trailer park. That you were the one who didn’t take things at face value. I read about the indictment of Chief Cross—”
    â€œMrs. Sarton, please don’t think all that happened because of me. A seasoned homicide detective was kind enough to listen to a rookie. It was his case, not mine. As for the former chief, I shouldn’t even be talking about that, and he’s innocent until proven guilty. A case has been brought against him, and if that makes you happy, there are detectives and investigators from the state attorney general’s office who get that credit. A newspaper reporter found the tapes. It’s nothing to do with me, really. People have been working on this for longer than I’ve even been an officer. In fact, I