Celina's mother, moved away with her." Smiling, he slapped
his thighs. "Damned if it's not great to have you back in
Purcell."
"Thank you, but--" Alex opened her briefcase and took
out a manila envelope. "I'm not back to stay, Mr. Minton.
Actually, I'm acting in an official capacity." She passed the envelope across the desk to the district attorney, who looked
at it with puzzlement.
"Official capacity? When Greg called me and asked if I'd
help out his top prosecutor, he said something about reopening
a case."
"It's all in there," Alex said, nodding down at the envelope.
"I suggest that you peruse the contents and thoroughly
acquaint yourself with the details. Greg Harper
requests the full cooperation and assistance of your office and
local law enforcement agencies, Mr. Chastain. He assured
me that you would comply with this request for the duration
of my investigation." She closed her attache with a decisive
snap, stood, and headed for the door.
"Investigation?" District Attorney Chastain came to his
feet. The Mintons did likewise.
"Are you working with the Racing Commission?" Angus
asked. "We were told we'd be carefully scrutinized before
they granted us a gambling license, but I thought we had
already passed muster."
"I thought it was all over except for the formalities,"
Junior said.
"As far as I know, it is," Alex told them. "My investigation
has nothing to do with the Racing Commission, or the
granting of your horse-racing license."
After a moment, when she didn't elaborate, Chastain
asked, "Well, then, what does it have to do with, Miss
Gaither?"
Drawing herself up to her full height, she said, "I am
reopening a twenty-five-year-old murder case. Greg Harper
asked for your help, Mr. Chastain, since the crime was committed
in Purcell County."
She looked into Angus's eyes, then into Junior's. Finally,
she stared down hard at the crown of Reede Lambert's hat.
"Before I'm finished, I'm going to know which one of you
killed my mother."