Justice Delayed (Memphis Cold Case #1)(55)

He turned around, his eyebrows raising in recognition. “So soon, Sergeant Kincade? What can I do for you?”

“We have a few questions,” Brad said.

“Can we walk as we talk? I have to check in to another flight in twenty minutes.”

They fell in beside him. “You never sent me that list of names,” Brad said.

“I didn’t have any time to kill. How about I send it later tonight?”

“I would appreciate it.” Brad nodded to Will.

“Originally you said you didn’t know Stephanie Hollister,” Will said.

“What can I say?” Matthews shrugged. “Tuesday night I was sweating bullets that you’d arrest me for Lacey’s murder. I forgot, plain and simple.” He stopped and turned to face them. “Gentlemen, I didn’t kill my ex-wife. I don’t have an alibi, but an innocent man shouldn’t have to have one.”

“Tell us about your relationship with Stephanie,” Brad said.

“There wasn’t one. She was just one of many flight attendants I knew.” He folded his arms across his chest. “If you have any more questions, I’d like to have my attorney present.”

Which effectively shut them down.



At six, David finished writing his notes on the Stephanie Hollister case and closed the folder. Outside the small window in his office, sparse white clouds contrasted with the blue sky. Mare’s tails. That’s what his grandmother called the wispy clouds.

He unhooked his phone from his belt and dialed her number.

“Hello,” she said, her voice strong for a ninety-plus-year-old woman.

“Hey, Grams, what are you doing for supper?”

“Hey, Davy-boy,” she said. “I’m going out to eat with one of my favorite men.”

Grams was the only person in the world who could get away with calling him Davy-boy, and since he hadn’t called and asked her to dinner, she must be referring to his brother, Eric.

“Rats. I wanted to take you out.”

“You can always join us. I’m sure Eric wouldn’t mind.”

“Maybe another time.” David did not want to spend the evening listening to his brother’s exploits in the FBI. Not that his brother meant to be obnoxious, but the conversation always turned to his job.

“How’s my girl?” Grams asked.

“Alexis is fine. It’s spring break, and she’s with Lia’s parents.” They were taking her to Disney World. The trip was bittersweet for David—Disney was something his wife had always wanted to do with their daughter. The house had been especially empty with Alexis gone.

After he spent a few minutes asking about the happenings at Rosewood Manor, he hung up and grabbed his jacket. The whole evening stretched before him like an endless corridor. March Madness was still going on even though it was April. The University of Memphis had made the play-offs, so maybe he could watch the basketball game.

His cell phone rang just as he closed his office door, and he checked the ID. Madeline Starr. With a lighter mood, he answered. “Raines.”

“I know you have caller ID. I thought we were going by first names.”

“Sorry. Would you like to hang up so we can try it again?”

A hollow laugh followed. “No, now that I have you on the line, guess I’ll keep you, especially since I need to talk to you about Jimmy Shelton.”

He winced at the tension in her voice. “Have you eaten?” He didn’t know where that came from other than he really didn’t want to go home and eat by himself.

“Lunch or dinner?”

“That kind of day, huh?”

“Yeah,” she said, “and you were part of the reason. I think you owe me dinner. Do you have any place in mind?”

He searched his memory for a place downtown. “How about the Spaghetti Warehouse?”

“It’s great and near my apartment. I can run home and feed Suzy.”

“Let me guess,” he said. He tried to picture Maggie Starr with a dog—poodle maybe? No. “What kind of cat do you have?”

“How do you know it’s a cat?”

“You look like a cat person.”

“Why thank you, and Suzy is a kitty I adopted from the shelter two years ago.”

He didn’t know why it pleased him that he’d guessed she had a cat. “See you there in twenty minutes.”

The Spaghetti Warehouse was only a few blocks away, and downtown traffic had long since cleared out, but David wanted to give her plenty of time.

“Sounds good.”

“Text me when you arrive, and I’ll tell you where I’m sitting.”

He loved eating at the restaurant that had been renovated from a warehouse, and he usually ordered whatever was the special of the day. When he arrived, he asked the hostess for a quiet spot, since the restaurant was a favorite hangout for locals and was already filling up. Maybe he should rethink eating here.

Get a grip. This wasn’t a date. It was work. Nevertheless, he was pleased when the hostess seated him at a quiet corner table.

When his phone dinged a text, he relayed the location of their table to Maggie and enjoyed the view when she came into sight. She’d changed the jeans and sweater from earlier for a blue dress that, for lack of a better word, flowed. And the ponytail was gone. Her blonde hair curved under, barely skimming her shoulders. He stood and pulled her chair out.