Justice Delayed (Memphis Cold Case #1)(104)

Jimmy swayed, his eyes on JD. “You’re my friend, aren’t you?”

“Of course I am.”

Then, like an obedient child, Jimmy gulped the liquid down, and JD wiped the blood from his right hand with a handkerchief, then used the handkerchief to pick up the gun and place it in Jimmy’s hand. “Just hold on to it,” he said softly. “I’m going to get help.”

Jimmy stared at him. “Yeah,” he said, slurring the word. “Get help.”

Jillian grabbed JD’s arm. “You can’t do this.”

He looked up at her with eyes as cold as steel. “Leave now, or I’ll kill him and make it look like a murder-suicide.”

Jillian turned to Andi. “I knew JD would do it. I’m so sorry. I never meant to hurt Stephanie.”

“What happened to Stephanie’s journal?” Andi asked.

Jillian sighed. “Lacey found it first. Since she’s dead, I assume JD stole it and then killed her.”

“Who was this JD?” Andi asked.

“Spencer Delaney.”



“You fool. I told you to hold your fire until they were in the truck.” Spencer prodded Adam’s chest with the rifle. “If you killed Jillian or Andi, you’ll pay.”

“Are you crazy? Don’t point that thing at me. It could go off.” Adam shoved the rifle away. “I thought that was the whole purpose of being here—to silence these three.”

“You thought. That’s your problem. Andi knows where those three uncut diamonds are. They’re worth over a hundred grand. And Jillian has a handful of others. If they’re dead, how do you propose we find those diamonds?” Spencer turned toward the cabin. He wasn’t losing them, and once he no longer needed Matthews, he was history, as well. Just like with Jimmy, Adam Matthews would make a good scapegoat.

Spencer surveyed the cabin and surrounding yard. “Do you think you can give me cover while I work my way around to the back of the cabin? Then, when I get inside, I’ll call you to come.”

“You think you can get in from the back?”

The look he gave Matthews made him squirm. “No, I’m risking my life for the fun of it. If you’d been paying attention when we hiked our way here, you would’ve seen the north side doesn’t have windows.”

He pointed to a dead tree at the edge of the woods. “When I get there, I need you to divert their attention while I cross the clearing. Think you can do that without shooting me?”

“Don’t give me ideas,” Matthews muttered. “I’ll take care of it.”

Using the brush for cover, Spencer crept toward the dead tree. When he reached it, he looked back to see if his partner was watching. He nodded and Matthews ran forward, shooting at the cabin then ducking back into the brush as the cabin returned fire.

As soon as the shooting started, Spencer ran along the tree line and then made a break for an outcropping of woods twenty feet from the back of the cabin. He was no longer in their line of vision.

They were his now.



“This has to be the road,” Will said, looking at the map.

“It looks as though Jillian’s cabin is only a quarter of a mile off the main road,” David said. “Let’s leave the car here and spread out.”

“Good plan,” Brad said. “And Will, I’m sorry it took me so long to see the truth.”

“You just needed concrete proof,” Will said and slapped him on the back. “Now let’s go save your sister. Again.”

They blocked the road with the car and climbed out. Will followed along the drive while the other two slipped through the trees on either side of him. Movement straight ahead stopped him, and he crouched behind a bush.

Gunfire rang out, and his heart nearly jumped out of his chest. Will sprang forward just as a man in a ski mask ran back into the woods toward him.

“Drop your rifle, or you’re dead,” Will said, leveling his Glock at the man’s chest.

The man hesitated.

“Drop it,” David said. He stood no more than twenty feet to the left of the man with his service revolver pinned on him.

The man’s shoulders sagged, and he dropped the rifle.

“Now, put your hands in the air,” David said and picked up the gun.

Will yanked off his mask. “Adam Matthews? Where’s Spencer Delaney?”

Matthews glared at him. “I don’t have to answer your questions. I want my lawyer.”

Gunshots rang out from the cabin.





36


THE BACK DOOR BURST OPEN, and Andi swung around as Jillian fired the .38.

The doorway was empty.

Seconds ticked away.

“Where’d he go?” Jillian whispered.

“Right here, ladies. Drop your guns,” Spencer said from the side door. He had his rifle aimed at Andi.

Maggie brought her rifle up, and sweat ran down Andi’s back. Spencer would kill her without a moment’s hesitation.

“You don’t want to do that,” Spencer said. “You might shoot me, but not before I kill her.”

“Shoot him!” Jillian yelled.

Maggie’s gun wobbled.

“Put it on the floor,” he said.

She did as he told her, and he kicked it away from her. “Now kick the shotgun out of the way.”