Chapter ONE - Weebly

“Sir?”
“Looking for betrayal and falsehood. Thinking the
worst of people. I would think that spending your life
among the criminal element would color your
perceptions of everyone, even someone like Jennifer.”
“I think no ill of her, sir.”
“Perhaps,” Derne said coldly. “But your questions
can hardly be deemed flattering.” He looked at Ethan
briefly. “You’re right, of course. It is conceivable that
she had other suitors of whom I knew nothing, and that
one of them did her harm. It’s not a possibility I’ve
considered. I would like to tell you out of hand that
there was no one, but I don’t know for certain.
Satisfied?”
“I take no satisfaction in offending you, sir. You
have my word on that.”
Derne appeared unconvinced. “Did you ask her
father about any of this?”
“I did. He said he knew of no one. But I thought
perhaps he sought to protect her, or that maybe she had
hidden such things from him.” Ethan shrugged. “There
probably was no one. I apologize for upsetting you.”