Justice Delayed (Memphis Cold Case #1)(84)

“Glass? Let me see.” Will took the sculpture from her and examined it. “I think I’ve found what your intruder was looking for. If I’m not mistaken, this is a rough diamond, and there may be more.”

“Diamond?” Andi and Treece said in unison, then Andi asked, “How did a diamond get in Stephanie’s sculpture?”

Will’s whole body stiffened, and he wouldn’t meet her eyes.

The hair lifted on the back of her neck. “What are you not telling me?”

“Andi . . .” He stopped to take a deep breath.

The way he said her name . . . suddenly she didn’t want to know. A Volkswagen Beetle pulled into the drive, and she’d never been so glad for a diversion, even if she’d totally forgotten that she and Maggie were driving to middle Tennessee to look for Jillian. “It’s Maggie.”

The attorney climbed out of her car and shaded her eyes with her hand. “Good morning. Andi, did you get the address for Jillian?”

“Ms. Starr?” Will said.

“Why does everyone look so surprised? Didn’t you tell them what we were doing today? And Will, if you call me ma’am or Ms. Starr again, I’ll throttle you.”

“Yes, ma’am—Maggie,” he said.

Maggie held an eight-by-ten photo in her hand as she climbed the steps. “I had a friend age a photo I found of Jillian. It shows how she should look now.” She stopped at the top of the steps. “Made you one too, Will.”

“Mom texted me the last address she had for Jillian,” Andi said, pulling herself together. “It’s a PO number in Doskie, Tennessee. It won’t take me long to get dressed.” She turned to Will. “I can go into my bedroom, right?”

“No, not until the crime scene techs get through. But they should be here any minute.”

Andi groaned. “I can’t wait, and I can’t go looking for Jillian in what I wore last night.” Her voice broke. What was wrong with her? Her nerves were as raw as hamburger meat.

Maggie shot Andi and then Will a concerned look. “What’s going on here?”

Will started to say something, but Andi cut him off. “I’ll tell you in the car.”

“Why did you sleep in your clothes?” Treece asked.

Andi couldn’t meet her eyes. “I was tired.”

“I see.”

Her friend’s tone of voice said she didn’t, but Andi didn’t offer any other information.

“They might be a little big, but I have some jeans you can wear,” Treece said. “And a sweater, and my boots should fit.”

“Thanks.” She squeezed her friend’s hand.

“But I can’t help you in the makeup department,” Treece said, smiling.

No, Treece’s makeup wouldn’t work on her light skin.

The CSU team was in her apartment by the time Andi had showered and dressed. She took the egg sandwich Treece handed her and forced herself to eat it. “You’ll go to your parents’ until this is over?” Andi asked.

“Definitely. But I think we need to talk.”

Andi didn’t. Not today. “I’ll call you tonight with whatever information we discover.”

“That’s not what I’m talking about,” Treece said gently. “I want to know what’s going on with you.”

“Nothing.” She forced herself to not look away from Treece’s probing gaze this time. A muscle spasm in her back made her wince. “Do you have any ibuprofen?”

“Ibuprofen?”

Andi took a shaky breath. “Yeah. I don’t think I should keep taking the Lortabs.”

Relief showed in Treece’s eyes. “I have an extra bottle. Let me get it.”

She returned with the bottle and hugged her. “I read somewhere you can’t just stop taking the Lortabs cold turkey. You need to get help.”

“I will Monday.” Andi almost cracked. Kindness undid her every time. “Thanks,” she whispered and hurried out the door to where Will and Maggie talked on the deck.

“I’m ready.” She wished she felt half as good as she sounded. If only her insides would quit shaking. “Can I go inside and get my purse?” she asked Will.

“I’ll get it for you. Is it in the bedroom?”

“No, the sofa.”

“Are you certain you feel up to going with me?” Maggie said. “You look a little pale.”

“I’m fine. What were you and Will discussing?”

Maggie hesitated. When Will came out of the house carrying Andi’s purse, she said, “Andi wants to know what we were talking about.”

That look again as resignation settled in his shoulders. He handed Andi the purse.

“I showed Maggie the diamond you found in the horse. It and some of the words that Lacey Wilson used when she wrote to you indicate your sister may have been smuggling diamonds into the country. I’m taking the sculpture downtown to x-ray it.”

Stephanie smuggling diamonds? Icy tendrils curled around her body, and she groped for a deck chair to steady herself.

“No!” Andi palmed her hands out. “Steph would never do anything illegal.”

He sighed. “I know you don’t want to think that, but I’m afraid everything indicates she was—look at the diamond we just found.”