Justice Delayed (Memphis Cold Case #1)(45)

“Yes.” Maggie hugged Andi. “I’ve missed our lunches.”

“Me too, but I’ve been so busy with these documentaries, I haven’t had time for lunch.”

David believed that. Andi was thinner than she appeared on TV.

“So that means you want something other than asking my help for Jimmy Shelton,” Maggie said.

“You know me so well,” Andi said with a laugh. “I want to find Jillian and thought you might know where to find her.”

“I’m afraid not. Like I just told David—I don’t know where she is.”

The TV reporter’s shoulders drooped. “It looks like I’ll have to ask my mom. She mentioned at Christmas that Jillian had sent a card, and then she got all sad about Stephanie.” Andi made a face. “That’s why I was trying to find the address without asking her. But if I get it, do you want to ride along with me Saturday when I check it out?”

Maggie tilted her head. “Count me in. I’d like to see Jillian again.”





15


AT THE TV STATION, Andi laid out her proposal for the story to her producer, and once he was on board, she went to her office and called Laura Delaney. The DA’s secretary gave her an appointment for eleven the next day. Then she called Will. He was on I-40 not far from the site of the accident.

“I thought you were going to let me go with you.”

“I believe the conversation went more like you told me I better take you if I went to Nashville. That’s hardly the way to get an invite. Besides, that’s not where I’m going.”

Andi cringed. If only she could curb her sharp tongue. “You aren’t going on to Nashville to talk to the corrections officer in the hospital?”

“No, he’s in an induced coma. Walter Simmons sent me contact information for the estranged wife, but she’s out of town until Saturday. She agreed to talk with me then, so I’ll go whether I can see Johnson or not.”

“I’d like to go with you this time. Please.”

“Figured that.”

“Oh, wait, Saturday? Can’t go. Maggie and I are going to find Jillian.” Pain shot down her leg. How long had it been since her last pill? After another jolt, she didn’t care how long it’d been and fished the bottle from her purse.

Once she swallowed two pills, she said, “If you’re still going to Lacey Wilson’s house today, I’d like to tag along.”

“We’ll see,” he said.

She was pretty certain she could get approval to work on the case from the police director. “What time will you be back?”

“Shooting for three thirty. Like I said, we’ll see.”

Yes, they would. She ended the call, then dialed the police director, securing an appointment with him at one. Good. Time enough to go by and check on Chloe. As she drove away from the TV station, she checked her rearview mirror for any suspicious cars. Ever since the man attacked her, she had the odd sensation someone was watching her.



On the third floor of the hospital, Andi signed in to ICU and stuck the temporary pass on her jacket. For a second, her head swam. Maybe she should have left off the pills. No, the pain had eased. In fact, she felt as though she could leap over tall buildings. Tamping down a giggle, she hurried into the ICU.

A US marshal had replaced the policeman outside Chloe’s room who had been there the last time. The curtain was pulled back from the window, and while the marshal examined her ID, she observed the sleeping teenager. It was hard to believe this sweet-faced girl had been put on the streets for prostitution.

Chloe’s eyes remained shut when Andi stepped inside the room. A heart monitor beeped a soft, steady rhythm, and she stood for a minute watching Chloe’s chest rise and fall evenly.

Someone had shampooed Chloe’s platinum hair. From the roots, it looked as though her original color may have been chestnut. Two bags dripped solution into her IV. Probably antibiotics.

A cuff on her arm inflated, and the teen’s eyes flew open. “What—”

“It’s just your blood pressure cuff,” Andi said. When Chloe continued to frown at her, she said, “Do you remember me? I’m—”

“I remember. What do you want?”

“Just to visit.”

Wariness replaced fear. “I never should have called you, but after I watched your story on the news, I thought maybe you could help me get off the streets. And I really did want to warn other girls about running away.”

“You would have died if you’d stayed in that situation.” Either from a drug overdose or a beating. “How are you feeling?”

“Like a two-ton truck fell on me. How do you think I feel?”

At least she was still fighting. “Like a two-ton truck fell on you.”

Chloe pressed her lips together, but not before Andi saw a hint of a grin.

“I knew there was something I liked about you,” Chloe said. “I guess you know a US Marshal has been to see me.”

“Yeah. There’s one outside your door too. What’s going on?” If the US Marshals were involved, Chloe’s pimp was big.

“They want me to testify about what I know. If I do, I’ll have to go into something he called WitSec.”

“Witness Security Program,” Andi said. “How do you feel about that?”