Justice Delayed (Memphis Cold Case #1)(66)

He crossed his arms over his chest. “Only the men she dated and discarded. Men like Jimmy.”

His words triggered a memory she’d long forgotten. “Did you ever date my sister? Seems like I remember seeing you two together in a red Mustang convertible.”

“We went out maybe a time or two.” He crooked a smile. “You have a good memory. I wish I still had that car.” He smiled lovingly at his wife. “You made me get rid of it because Stephanie liked it so well, remember?”

“Spencer Delaney, I did no such thing. I was never jealous of Stephanie.”

In spite of Laura’s words, her voice went up an octave. A nerve had been struck.

“Losing Steph was so hard, but I remember you being very kind to me at the funeral,” Andi said, directing her words to Laura. “In fact, all of the roommates were. I always felt bad that you had to find other places to live right after that.”

“We all understood. I’m sure it was hard for you and your family to move back.”

It was beyond hard. “I haven’t told my mom about Lacey yet. She was very fond of her.”

“She hasn’t seen it in the paper?”

“They only get the weekend edition, and it never aired on TV—a carjacking and kidnapping had priority.”

“Poor Lacey.” Laura cast her gaze toward the floor and shook her head. “I feel so bad that I let her down. I keep asking myself what I could have done to prevent this.”

“Honey, you begged her to get help,” Spencer said. “What else could you do?”

“Why do you think Lacey’s death is a suicide?” Andi asked.

“What else could it be?” Spencer said. “She was in her car with the motor running.”

“Did you know she’d written Jimmy Shelton a letter?”

Laura glanced at her husband, then back to Andi. “Will Kincade mentioned it, but any letter from Lacey Wilson will not be helpful to Shelton. She was unstable.”

Andi had wandered into territory she hadn’t intended to. “Did you let Jillian know about Lacey?”

Laura’s eyes widened. “I forgot all about her.”

“Mom has her address, but if you have it or her phone number, I’d like to get it now. To let her know.”

“You’re still in touch with Jillian?” Laura asked.

“Mom occasionally receives Christmas cards from her.”

“Really? Why would she stay in touch with your mom?”

And not me, Laura’s tone implied. “Jillian went to high school with Steph. She was in our house all the time as a teenager.”

“Just ask your mom for Jillian’s address,” Spencer said.

She shrugged. “I hate to bother her.”

Her mother would want to know why Andi wanted the information, and then she’d have to tell her Brad and Will were investigating Stephanie’s death before Andi was prepared to tell her.

Laura walked to her desk and picked up the telephone. “Jace, would you check my contacts for a Jillian Bennett?”

“Knight,” Andi said. “That’s her married name.”

“She’s married?” Spencer asked.

“Apparently so. The University of Memphis gave me that information.”

While they waited, Andi said, “I don’t remember what happened to Jillian after everyone moved out. You and Maggie and Lacey moved into an apartment together, but Jillian seemed to just disappear.”

“She wanted to go to college, but I didn’t know she went to the U of M.” Laura exchanged glances with her husband. “Do you remember?”

“She dropped out of sight. I haven’t thought about her in years,” he replied.

A few minutes later, the secretary brought the information to Laura, and she glanced at it before handing it to Andi. “I don’t have a phone number for her.”

The address was one that she’d already found. Jillian hadn’t lived there in years.

Laura flashed her politician smile. “When do you want to get started on this documentary? I assume you’ll be hanging around the office and that you’ll be at any political rallies I’m scheduled for.”

“That’s my plan. If you’ll make a schedule, it will help.” Andi took a video camera from the bag she’d brought. She would bring a cameraman for the actual interviews. “I’d like to film you working in your office today.”

“If you two ladies will excuse me, I have work to do,” Spencer said.

“You don’t want to get in on the filming?” Andi said.

He waved. “Oh no. Laura is the photogenic one. The camera doesn’t like me.”

She wanted to laugh. With his chiseled jaw and muscled arms, Spencer Delaney would look good digging ditches. An image of him straining those biceps with a shovel popped into her mind.

Biceps strong enough to put an unconscious woman behind the wheel of a car.



When Will arrived early at the truck stop just outside Jackson, Tennessee, Madeline Starr was already there.

“The petition for a reprieve is filed,” she said as she fastened her seat belt.

“Do you think we have any chance of getting it?” He didn’t want to get his hopes up.

“There’s always a chance, though harder without Laura Delaney’s help. If it weren’t for her upcoming election, I believe she would have helped us,” Maggie said. “But she has a strong segment of voters in her district who are very high on law and order and low on coddling prisoners. A few of them are big contributors to her campaign.”