The Lure of the Lie: A Modern Detective Anthology (*On Hold*)

7 Accusation

Half an hour later found us knocking on the screen door of Chelsea Lucas's house. There was movement inside. I'd heard it as soon as we'd walked up. But Mrs. Lucas was taking her time in answering the door. When she finally did, it was with a scowl and only enough to peer out at us beyond the chain keeping her door from opening fully.

"Mrs. Lucas," Parker started in greeting, "we have a few more questions about your daughter's whereabouts on the day of her disappearance if you don't mind."

"I have to go to work," she grunted. That was interesting. Parker seemed to think so too if his sidelong glance my way was any indication.

"It will only take a moment, Mrs. Lucas," I assured her. "I'm sure you want answers just as much as we do."

She stared at me for a moment before unlatching the door and opening it the rest of the way. Parker and I exchanged another glance as we entered the house for the second time. We did not venture into the living room this time. We were not invited. Instead, we remained standing in the entryway as she stood across from us, arms folded across her chest in annoyance.

"Look, I don't have nothing left without Chelsea, you understand?" she snapped. "All I've got now is my work. It's the only thing that gets me out of this house where I can't do nothing but cry. So, if you don't mind, I'd rather not be late and lose it."

"We won't be long, Mrs. Lucas," Parker assured her again, though I noticed his eyes were not on the woman but were instead casting about for any evidence in plain sight. "When was the last time you saw your daughter?"

"I told you. Over a week ago."

"Right. See that doesn't exactly add up."

"What?" she snapped, clearly getting more annoyed. "What do you mean?"

"Her boyfriend said he saw her a few days ago and when she left, she said she was coming home."

"She had a boyfriend?" Mrs. Lucas asked and, in her surprise, her cold demeanor cracked. She loosened the arms she had previously held crossed against her chest, lowering them to her sides as she considered this newest revelation into her daughter's unknown personal life. "I- I didn't know that. He said she came here?"

"He did."

"Well, she didn't," she answered. "I told you, the last I saw of her was a week ago."

Parker wasn't paying any attention to her at all now. It was clear that Special Agent Parker didn't have a plan as far as talking to the mother was concerned. He had only wanted to gain entry to her home long enough to examine it. But her patience was running short and we were already on borrowed time. If we didn't think of a legitimate question to ask her, and soon, we would find ourselves back on the street, no wiser than when we knocked on the door only moments ago.

"Did you ever tie your daughter up to keep her from leaving the house?" I asked. Parker's head snapped up in my direction and his lips parted in surprise at my bluntness. Mrs. Lucas seemed shocked herself, her mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water.

"I- I don't- excuse me?" she queried.

"We've heard from several sources that you've locked your daughter up on occasion to keep her from leaving the house. Did you ever need to take it a step farther to ensure her compliance?"

"How dare you," she growled then, advancing on me in anger, face reddening as she approached. Parker jumped in front of me to stand between us.

"Calm down there, Mrs. Lucas, it was just a question," he told her. "Perhaps it could have been phrased better, but it was only a question all the same. We have to ask these things, you know."