Justice Delayed (Memphis Cold Case #1)(73)

She stood when Maggie did. “See you in the morning at my place around nine? We’ll go in my car.”

Maggie gave a low chuckle. “You mean you don’t want to go in my VW Bug?”

“That’s exactly what I mean,” she said with a grin. “See you in the morning.”

The hair on the back of her neck rose as she walked to Will’s car. She turned and scanned the small crowd. Had one of the men standing by the grave broken into her apartment? And maybe killed Lacey? And Stephanie? Which one? The ex-husband, Matthews? Or Spencer Delaney? Was Spencer the real reason Laura wouldn’t help free Jimmy? And Jared Donovan—why was he even here? Everyone present had been in the circle of friends eighteen years ago. They were all suspects, except Maggie.



Will couldn’t get Andi off his mind as he dressed for dinner with the Hollisters. By the time he dropped her off at her parents’, whatever she’d taken seemed to have worn off. But she had obviously been high when she’d driven there. What if . . . He took out his cell and quickly dialed Andi’s number.

“Are you still at your parents’?” he said when she answered.

“Yes. Why?”

“I just wanted to make sure you didn’t need a ride.”

“I can drive myself, Will.” She sounded annoyed. “Why are you asking me this?”

“Andi, there was something going on this afternoon. Was it the pain pills?”

“No! I just hadn’t eaten. I was fine as soon as I got food in me. Probably my blood sugar dropped.”

How he wanted to believe that.

“I haven’t had a pain tablet since early afternoon. There. Satisfied?”

“I just don’t want you to get hurt . . . or hurt someone else.”

“I won’t. I promise.”

He’d have to trust her. “Okay. See you soon.”

“Will . . .”

“Yes?”

“Nothing. Thanks for caring.”

If she only knew. But what if they started dating and messed up their friendship? None of his relationships worked—why would this one be different? And it wasn’t true, like he let everyone else believe, that the women always broke up with him.

Truth was, once the initial chase was over, he lost interest and the relationship died a natural death. Nobody’s fault, except his for thinking he could keep doing the same thing with different results. And he’d rather have Andi as a friend than not at all, because once he kissed her, he would cross a line that couldn’t be uncrossed.

Kiss her? Where did that come from? The doorbell rang, and he hurried to answer it, hopping on one foot until he slipped his loafer on. He didn’t remember Brad saying he’d stop by. It rang insistently once more before he got the door opened to his mother’s brittle smile. His stomach sank. “What do you want?”

“I know Mae told you I wanted to see you, so why didn’t you call?” she said as she walked past him into the apartment.

He pushed the door shut, rattling the windows. “Let me see,” he said, taking out his cell phone. “Hmm, looking under Mother, I don’t see a number . . . Let me look under Cass. Nope. It must have gotten deleted, maybe in one of those updates.”

She patted his cheek. “You always were a funny kid.”

“How would you know?” He ignored the voice whispering forgiveness in his ear. “You were never around unless one of your husbands kicked you out. But then, you never were good at relationships.”

Cass flinched. He’d scored one that time, but for a second, he wished he hadn’t. His mother brought out the very worst in him.

She lifted her chin. “I understand you don’t do much better on that front.”

Touché. Vindication spurred him on. “What do you want? Or, should it be, how much? Although I’m surprised that you’re already out of money. That last husband was loaded.”

“Yeah, well, I signed a prenup, and a quarter of a mill doesn’t go as far as it used to. But I don’t want any money from you this time.” She fumbled in her purse and drew out a pack of cigarettes, her fingers shaking as she extracted one. “Do you mind if I sit?”

“As long as you don’t smoke or plan to stay long. I have dinner plans.” His phone dinged an incoming text, and he glanced at it. His aunt. It was a little late to warn him that Cass was on her way over. “Excuse me a minute while I respond to this.”

Will was glad for an excuse to leave the room. If his mother wanted a new relationship with him like his aunt said, she sure went about it in a funny way. In his bedroom he read the message and closed his eyes, wishing Aunt Mae had never learned to text.

Please reconsider seeing your mother. She has cancer. Inoperable. She really does love you, Will. She just doesn’t know how to show it.

And she wouldn’t come begging, either. He dropped his head. He didn’t know what his aunt expected of him. Obviously more than he could give.

In the hallway, he stopped short of the living room and observed his mother. All bluster was gone. Cass’s shoulders drooped as she leaned against the sofa, one hand pressed to her mouth. The unlit cigarette dangled between the fingers of her other hand.

She was so frail. Inoperable cancer. A lump formed in his throat.

Cass hadn’t come for a handout, but he didn’t think he had it in him to give her what she wanted. Will swallowed the lump down. He could at least try to be civil.