Her Last Day (Jessie Cole #1)(37)

“Because I offered her a bribe. After talking to her landlord, I discovered he was ready to kick her to the street. I told her I would pay for her next two months of rent.”

“Jesus,” Jessie said. “So this is how you get people to talk.”

“Not always,” he said, sounding unrepentant. “But when I’m desperate? Sure.”

“If you already met with her, why didn’t she tell you what she knew?”

“We haven’t met face-to-face, and she didn’t want to tell me anything over the phone.”

She sighed as she looked at the stack of unopened mail. “Okay. I’ll be there.”

“I’ll pick you up at three forty-five.”

“No need. I can drive myself.”

“If we’re going to work together to find your sister, I think it’s best if we get to know each other. And it makes sense, especially with your busy schedule, that we use the driving time to do that.”

“You want to pick my brain—is that what you’re saying?”

“Yes. One more thing,” he said before she could hang up.

“What is it?”

“Do you have any of Sophie’s old high school yearbooks lying around?”

“I think so. Why?”

“I’d like to take a look at the people she went to school with. That sort of thing.”

“No problem. Anything else?”

“That’s it for now. See you soon.”



Jessie was in the kitchen when Olivia returned from taking Higgins for a walk. She was sweaty and red in the face. “Looks like Higgins gave you a workout,” Jessie said.

“Yeah. He’s getting faster.” Olivia hung the leash on the wall hook. “It’s hard to believe he has a broken leg.”

Higgins’s cast clicked against the wood floor as he made his way to his water bowl. The dog was starting to feel comfortable in his new home. Even Cecil was getting used to him.

“Oh,” Olivia said, gesturing toward the stairs, “that crime reporter guy is outside. He said he was early and didn’t mind waiting.” Olivia looked at Jessie with curious eyes. “Where are you guys going? Did he discover something new about Sophie?”

“I’m not sure yet.” Jessie went to the window overlooking the street, where she could see Ben Morrison leaning against the hood of a black Toyota Highlander, both hands stuffed in his pants pockets as he gazed straight ahead.

As she watched him, she tried to put herself in his shoes and imagine having no memories whatsoever of her childhood. Despite her dysfunctional upbringing, she would never want to part with all the good memories she still held so dear to her heart.

There was something mysterious about Ben Morrison. It was in his eyes, she decided. The first time they’d met, she’d felt as if he could see right through her. And although she tried to give him the benefit of the doubt, she found herself wondering if his amnesia was merely an excuse, and that maybe he knew more about what happened to Sophie than he was letting on.

“Are you okay?”

Olivia’s voice pulled Jessie from her thoughts. She looked at her niece, feeling a little guilty about being less than enthusiastic about looking for Sophie. Ten years had passed since her sister’s disappearance, the event that had shaped her and Olivia’s lives. Not a day went by that Jessie didn’t think about her sister and wonder where she was. And yet once Ben had called her, she’d realized somewhere along the way she’d begun to move on with her life.

“What’s wrong?” Olivia asked again.

“Nothing. I’m fine.”

“So where are you going?”

“To the Wild West in Auburn.”

“Isn’t that where Sophie was seen last?”

“It is. Basically we’re starting over.”

“Can I go with you?”

“No. I need you to watch Higgins. You wanted a dog, and now you have one. I’ll help out while you’re in school, but he’s your responsibility. I expect you to do your homework, too. No television until it’s done.”

“Fine. I have a paper to write anyhow. I had to pick a fictional character to write about, so I picked Sherlock Holmes.”

Jessie grabbed the backpack she used for a purse and slid the straps over her shoulders. “Interesting choice. What made you pick Sherlock?”

“I thought it would be a good place to start since I’ve decided after I graduate I want to be a private eye like you.”

“No, you don’t.”

“What do you mean?”

Jessie raised her arms. “Look around you. You want to live my glamorous life?”

“I thought you were happy.”

“I can barely pay the bills, let alone buy dog food for Higgins. You can be anything you desire. You have the freedom to choose any occupation at all.”

“Are you telling me that you didn’t have a choice?”

Jessie’s arms fell to her sides. “Never mind. This is way too soon to be talking about this. First you need to go to college.”

Olivia crossed her arms. “I’m planning on it. I’ve already decided that I want to get a degree in criminal justice.”

Jessie groaned. “I’ve got to go. We’ll talk about this later.”