The Cost of Innocence — Jeffrey Ashford

Alan Ryan is a respectable country solicitor who has never had so much as a parking ticket. So when police investigating a recent hit-and-run accident resulting in the death of an old woman come and ask to look at his car, he thinks nothing of it, secure in the knowledge of his own innocence. But when they come back a second time and inform him that his car shows signs of recent repairs and respraying, he is at first outraged. Then he begins to feel uneasy and starts to wonder...

On the night in question, his wife's cousin Keith had borrowed the car and kept it for several days - enough time for a quick respray. Was he lying when he said he had nothing to do with the accident? Why does Laura beg Alan to conceal the fact that Keith had the car? What was the mysterious business dinner he went to that night? How far will Alan compromise his principles and risk everything he has - for the sake of family loyalty?