Justice Delayed (Memphis Cold Case #1)(98)

“Hold it on him until I tape his wrists.” When Maggie finished, she pulled his ski mask off.

Andi had never seen the man before. “Who are you? And why were you shooting at us?”

He glared at them.

“Okay, ladies, you’ve had your fun. Drop the rifle.”

Andi whirled around. Mrs. Darby, minus the white hair and lumpy body, held a gun to Maggie’s head. “I said drop it.”

Andi hesitated. Surely Jillian wouldn’t shoot Maggie.

“Do what I said. It’s your fault they’re here,” Jillian said through gritted teeth. “I don’t have anything to lose. Drop. It.”



“I have Laura’s cell phone number,” David said when Brad ended the call to Will.

“Maybe she can tell us where her husband is.”

David dialed the number, but it went to her voicemail. “Let me try her home.” He quickly dialed it.

“Delaney residence.”

“This is Lieutenant David Raines. Is Mrs. Delaney in?”

“No, she isn’t.”

“Can you tell me where she is?”

“I . . . I’m sorry, but I can’t.”

He tamped down his impatience. She’d hesitated, so she knew where Laura was. “This is a police matter. Someone may die if I don’t talk with Mrs. Delaney. Now, where is she?”

“At her office.”

“Thank you.” David hung up and speed dialed the DA’s office. It went to voicemail. “She’s not answering,” he said. “We’ll have to drive downtown.”

Before they reached the studio door, it opened.

“I just remembered this,” Barbara said. She held a small mailing envelope.

“Mom, we don’t have time,” Brad said.

“But, it’s from Jillian. She left it with me right after Andi’s operation. Asked me to keep it for her. I forgot all about it until just now.”

David took the envelope and withdrew a small box. Inside were five rough stones.

Barbara gasped. “Why would she leave those with me?”

“I don’t know, but I’ll certainly ask if I find her,” Brad said.

David put the diamonds back in the envelope. Maggie and Andi had no idea Jillian was dangerous. Maybe if they found her, she wouldn’t harm them. “Thanks, Mrs. Hollister.”

They hurried out the door to David’s car. Twenty minutes later, they got off the elevator on the third floor. The DA’s office was open, and Laura’s secretary was at the desk, working at her computer. Jace looked up when they came through the door.

“I’m sorry, but we’re not officially here, Lieutenant Raines.”

“I have to see the district attorney.”

“She’s not seeing or talking to anyone. We’re getting ready for a big case Monday morning.”

David planted his hands on her desk. “I want to see Laura Delaney now. Press the buzzer so I can go through. I’ll take full responsibility.”

The secretary hesitated. “Let me notify her.”

“Tell her it’s about her husband’s involvement in smuggled diamonds.”

Jace’s eyes widened, and she picked up the phone on her desk and spoke into it. “You can go back.”

“Thank you,” David snapped.

Laura met them at the door. “What is this preposterous—”

David brushed past her, and Brad followed. “Where’s your husband?”

“What?”

“Your husband,” David repeated. “Where is he?”

“I . . . I’m not sure. What’s this all about?”

“Were you part of the smuggling ring?”

She took a step back. “What are you talking about?”

Either Laura could lie really well, or she didn’t have a clue what he was talking about. Either way, they were wasting time. “Let’s sit down, and I’ll explain.”

She walked behind the desk to her chair and sat while he and Brad took the two wing chairs. David laid the handwritten sheets on her desk. “These are notes that Stephanie Hollister wrote eighteen years ago. It’s a log of smuggling activities.”

She scanned the pages, stopping at the last one to read the note. “I don’t know what to say.”

“Are you L?”

“Of course not. I had no idea about any of this. The L has to stand for Lacey.” She leaned back in the chair. “I always wondered how she afforded her lifestyle without a job after she quit flying.”

“Do you know who JD could be?” Brad asked.

Hesitation showed in Laura’s eyes as she chewed her thumbnail. Then she dropped her hand and took a deep breath. “JD could be Jared Donovan.” She shifted her gaze to the window. “And JD is what Spencer’s family still calls him,” she said, turning back to them.

“Do you know where your husband is?” Brad asked.

“I told you, I don’t know exactly. He was meeting Adam.”

“Adam Matthews?”

“Yeah. They’ve been friends since Spencer was a flight attendant and Adam was a copilot. But you’re looking in the wrong place for your solution. JD could easily be Jared and not Spencer.”