by Ellery Adams
“Christine didn’t kill Sinclair.”
“If you only knew how many mothers, fathers, brothers, and friends I’ve interviewed who swore the guilty party wouldn’t have committed the crime, couldn’t have . . .”
“I realize your job may have robbed you of your faith in people, Inspector, but I know Christine. I know she didn’t do it. And quite frankly, I don’t care what happens, I’ll still know she didn’t do it.”
McNamara set his pen beside his notepad. “All right, Ms. Lee. All right. Why don’t you finish telling me about that day, huh? You saw Christine in the woods. Then what?”
In a daze, Cooper continued to relate Saturday’s events, up until she left the park. McNamara took down every detail, asking her to repeat herself once or twice. Finally, he stood, shook her hand, and walked her to the door.
As she reached her truck, the fog started to lift. Had that really happened? Did McNamara really think Christine was his prime suspect?
• • •
Cooper drove straight to Nathan’s and pounded on the door, hoping he was home. A moment later the door swung open.
Nathan beamed. “Coop! What a terrific surprise!”
Cooper gave him a hug. “Sorry it isn’t under better circumstances.”
“What’s wrong?”
“I . . .” Cooper looked past him into his house and saw Christine waving from the living room. She looked relaxed, like she was thinking about something other than Saturday’s grisly events. Cooper hated to be the bearer of bad news.
Christine was there with them before she could say anything else. “Cooper! I’m so glad you’re here! I didn’t realize you were coming.”
“I hadn’t planned on it,” Cooper said, forcing a smile. She’d hoped to tell Nathan what was happening so that he could tell his sister. “What are you guys up to? Am I interrupting brother-sister bonding time?”
“I was just beating him at Life,” Christine said with a smirk. “The game, not real life. After the weekend, I needed some time to de-stress, and when I think of de-stressing, I think of Nathan. So I came over for games, and I’ll be heading home shortly. I have some work to do. What brings you here?”
So Christine wasn’t leaving. Cooper replied, “I . . . uh . . . I just wanted to talk. Mind if I join you?”
They sat at the table, and Christine gathered up the pieces of the board game.
“So, Christine, how was work today?” Cooper asked. If she could ease into the news, it might make the blow a little less painful. Then again, was there any non-painful way to tell Christine she was possibly a murder suspect?
Christine tapped the playing pieces on the table absentmindedly. “It was really weird today. With Sinclair gone, the office just seemed so empty. I’m not sure what we’ll do. Everyone is taking his suicide pretty hard.”
“Christine, I . . . I think you should know something.”
Christine gave her a curious look and waited.
Cooper continued. “I was going to tell Nathan and let him figure out the best way to tell you, but since you’re here . . . I think it’d be best if you knew sooner rather than later. McNamara—the police inspector you spoke with—he isn’t convinced it was suicide.”
“What do you mean?”
“I had to go to the station to finish up some paperwork. McNamara took my statement while I was there, and he told me . . . Christine, I don’t know how to say this.”
“Surely he doesn’t think Sinclair was killed by someone else! Does he?”
Cooper said nothing.
Christine pulled away, her color faded, her eyes wide. “He thinks someone killed Sinclair? How could he think that? Why would anyone do that?”
Nathan put his arm around Christine’s shoulders. “Calm down, sis. We’ll figure this out.”
“It gets worse,” Cooper said. “Since you’re the one who found him, and you were alone in the woods . . .”
By now the color was completely drained from Christine’s face. She froze. She didn’t even breathe.
Nathan’s mouth hung open in shock. “He thinks my sister killed Sinclair?”
“I don’t know if he’s really convinced of that,” Cooper replied quickly. “He just thinks it’s suspicious that she was in the woods alone, especially since she found the body and she was late to meet Mandy for supper.”
“This isn’t happening,” Christine muttered, burying her face in her hands. “Not happening. It was suicide! It had to be! That’s the only explanation!” She turned to Nathan. “I didn’t kill Sinclair! I couldn’t!”
“It’ll be okay,” Nathan said. “I promise it’ll be okay. If it turns into a murder investigation . . .”
“Murder?” The word caught in Christine’s throat.
“It was probably someone you work with,” Cooper said. She thought the comment would comfort Christine, would assure her that Cooper knew she didn’t do it. However, it had the opposite effect.
Christine started to panic. “You mean I’m working alongside a murderer? I can’t imagine that anyone there would do something so heinous! This isn’t happening. I can’t be working with a killer. The inspector has to be wrong.”
Nathan held Christine tightly. “Sis, take a breath.” He looked pleadingly at Cooper. “What are you thinking?”
“I’m thinking we need to get everyone together,” Cooper answered. “And we need Christine to tell us all exactly what happened at the park. If this does turn into a murder investigation, we need to be there to help her through it.”
“Agreed,” Nathan said. “Tomorrow night?”
Cooper nodded, then stopped herself. “Tomorrow night? That’s Tuesday.”
“Yeah?”
“We’re all going to a cooking class. Quinton set it up.”
Nathan rubbed his temples with his fingertips. “I completely forgot about that. We can miss it. Quinton will understand.”
“I don’t want to make you miss your class,” Christine said.
“You’re more important.”
“Thanks, but one day’s delay won’t make a difference. It won’t change my story or the circumstances of Sinclair’s death.”
“Maybe we don’t have to delay,” Cooper said. “And maybe we don’t have to cancel the class either. I’ll talk to Quinton and see if he can add an extra person to our table.”
“Really? I’d owe you one.”
Cooper stepped into Nathan’s office and made the arrangements with Quinton, returning to the front room in time to catch Christine looking down at the time on her Fitbit.
“Wish I could stay,” Christine said, “but I’ve got to run. Work to do.” She gave Nathan a hug, and then stepped over to Cooper and did the same. “I’m excited to have you as a sister, Coop.”
“Likewise,” Cooper said, smiling. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Nathan closed the door behind his sister and put his arm around Cooper, leading her into the living room. “Alone at last,” he said. “It’s been way too long.”
“We were alone at the park.”
“That doesn’t count.”
Cooper stood on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his. “Then I agree. It’s been way, way too long.”
After a few minutes enjoying their time alone, Nathan sat back on the couch, his brow furrowed in a pensive expression.
“Are you thinking about Christine?” Cooper asked.
“I probably should be. But it just occurred to me that we never did get a chance to finish that walk we started at the park.”
Cooper looked around the living room. “Are you saying you want to walk around the house with me?”
“I wasn’t going in quite that direction,” he said with a laugh. “We can just sit on the couch if you’d like. I was thinking more about finishing our conversation than finishing the walk.”
The conversation? After her talk with McNamara, she’d forgotten all about Nathan’s news. Now, her anxiety came roaring back, drying her mouth and throat instantly. Unable to speak, she
nodded her reply. Yes, she did want to finish that conversation.
“It’s been a long week,” he began, smiling.
Cooper swallowed, moistening her mouth enough to talk. “That’s an understatement if I’ve ever heard one.”
Just then, Cooper realized that behind Nathan’s smile was unease. Little beads of sweat perched on his forehead. His breathing was a little unsteady. He was nervous.
That only compounded Cooper’s anxiety. She squeezed Nathan’s hand, in part to be supportive, and in part to prevent her own from shaking. As patiently as she could, she waited for him to choose his moment.
He cleared his throat. “I’m sorry I still haven’t told you my news. I guess I could’ve shared it over the phone, but I really wanted to wait until we were together, just the two of us. It isn’t something I wanted to say without seeing your face.”
“I understand.” Cooper hoped Nathan would see the response he so obviously wanted . . . whatever that was.
“I know you understand,” Nathan said, “and that’s what I love about you. One of many things, actually. But I’m still sorry. I was hoping to tell you as soon as I found out, but our schedules just didn’t match up. Then I was going to tell you before the festival, but I was late getting to the church. Then at the park . . .”
“I remember what happened there. It wasn’t your fault.”
“I know. I also know you’ve been really curious and maybe a little anxious waiting. I hope it hasn’t been nagging at you too badly, though.”
Cooper hesitated. How exactly should she respond to that? Had not knowing nagged at her? No. It had clawed and tormented . . . relentlessly. But Nathan didn’t need to know that right now. “It’s all right,” Cooper finally said. “I’m sure it was worth the wait.”
“I hope you still feel that way after I tell you.” He drew in a deep breath, and Cooper tightened her grip on his hand. “You remember that frozen yogurt place I took on as a client?”
“Sure,” Cooper said, wondering how his “big news” was related to the frozen yogurt place. “They liked your work so much they took your card to a small business owners’ group, right?”
Nathan nodded. “And that’s why I’ve been so busy lately. A lot of the business owners in that group want to hire me.”
“That’s great news!”
“There’s more to it, though. Somehow, my information found its way to a guy in Los Angeles, an entrepreneur.”
“The power of networking, I guess.”
“Yeah, well, this guy is a mogul. He’s founded a dozen companies, and he just launched a new start-up. He loves my websites. He wants me to work for him.”
Cooper threw her arms around Nathan’s neck. “Nathan, I’m so proud of you! That’s wonderful news!”
He welcomed her embrace and waited until she’d pulled away before responding. “I’m glad you think so.”
“How could I not? Part of the beauty of what you do is that you can be here and work for a guy in L.A., right? He’d have been crazy not to love your work.”
Nathan’s smile thinned to a worry line. “That’s the catch, Cooper.”
“What is?”
“He wants me to work for him there . . . in L.A.”
Cooper felt her stomach drop. Her heart pounded in her throat. “L.A. . . . Los Angeles? California?”
“It’s not certain yet,” he said quickly. “He wants me to work for him on a trial basis for a few months, starting at the end of the month. I’ll get to see if I like the job and the location, and he’ll have the chance to find out if we work well together. If we click, we’ll settle on a more permanent arrangement.”
Cooper’s mind was spinning. Los Angeles? A permanent arrangement?
Nathan took her hands in his. “Can you picture it? You and me in L.A. by the end of the month.”
Cooper could barely move. Her whole body was stiff, frozen. She felt as though she were dreaming. “In L.A. . . .”
“It’ll be perfect, Coop! We can go house hunting together. We can discover Los Angeles together. We’ll come back to Richmond for the wedding, of course, since our families and all our friends are here.”
Families. Friends. Everything was here. Their entire lives were here in Richmond.
Nathan continued. “You’d have to quit your job pretty soon, but the guy’s paying me more than enough to support us both during the transition time. I realize it’s a long way to L.A., and it’s a big change, but it’s also a terrific opportunity. What do you say? Do I take the job?”
What could she say? She’d have to leave everything behind at the end of the month. She couldn’t move to California. They couldn’t. Richmond was home.
Nathan watched her for a moment. About now, he probably regretted wanting to see the look on her face when he told her. “We’d get separate apartments for the time being, if that’s what’s worrying you.”
Cooper shook her head, still floundering. Still desperate for words.
“There’s one more catch.”
Cooper held her breath. What more could there be?
“I realize this will be difficult, but I need you to keep this a secret for now . . . until we cross all the t’s and dot all the i’s.”
Still nothing.
“So? What do you say?”
She finally nodded slowly, forcing a smile. “I guess we’re going to L.A.”
Cooper wasn’t sure how she was able to do it, but she kept it together for another hour, while Nathan told her all the details of the job opportunity. She smiled and laughed, and she didn’t let herself frown for even a moment.
When she finally left, she was able to maintain her composure until she drove away from his house. She made it around the corner, to the curb alongside the little community playground. Then her eyes fell on the picture of Hannah on the dashboard, and her composure dissolved. Sobbing, she reached out and touched the image. On the opposite coast, she’d miss Hannah’s first words, her first steps. She’d miss the birthdays and the family dinners. She wouldn’t be around for the last-minute babysitting and pajama parties.
As she put the truck into park, thankful no one was behind her, Cooper’s thoughts turned to the rest of her family. She wouldn’t be a part of Grammy’s next pet rescue, nor would she help Mama test new cookie recipes. She wouldn’t help Daddy with his next carpentry project or assist Lincoln in setting up special date nights for Ashley. No more sister manicures. No more sister lunches.
Every thought made her cry harder.
Sure, she’d see everyone a few times a year, but that was all. Two weeks or so out of an entire year. In time, they’d practically be strangers. Hannah wouldn’t remember her face or her voice. She’d just be that aunt who showed up in the family portraits and brought gifts at Christmastime.
By now, the world around her was a blur. She cried so hard she couldn’t see. Still, her thoughts spiraled. The more Cooper thought about leaving, the more faces came to mind, faces she’d miss. Trish, Savannah, Jake, Bryant and Quinton. Pastor Matthews and even Edward Crosby. She’d leave behind a job she enjoyed and coworkers she’d grown to love.
And she’d trade them for a city she didn’t know full of strangers.
She clung to the picture of Hannah and sobbed. Quietly, she said, “I don’t want to go.”
• • •
Cooper collapsed into bed when she got home, having rushed through the living room and past her family so they wouldn’t see her red face. The next day at work, she found a bit of solace in keeping busy, and by the time she got home, the night before felt almost like a dream.
She had a little time before she had to leave for the cooking class, so after changing out of her work clothes, she decided to spend some time with her folks. Since last night wasn’t a dream and Nathan’s big news wasn’t actually imagined, it would be best to spend as much time with them as possible.
Before the tears had a chance to make a repeat appearance, Cooper found her mama and daddy cleaning up the kitchen. Maggie cle
ared cooking instruments off the counters while Earl rinsed dishes and loaded them into the dishwasher. On the couch, Grammy lounged between her cat, Little Boy, and her one-eyed pug, Popeye. As his stump of a tail glided contentedly side to side, Little Boy rubbed his furry orange head against Grammy’s hand. Cooper could remember when Grammy first took in the fat tomcat; it was supposed to be a foster situation. But Little Boy pawed his way into Grammy’s heart and found himself a permanent home at the Lee house. The same happened with Popeye, eager and energetic as he was. After being found abandoned in an apartment, he decided he wanted to stay with Grammy.
Grammy didn’t argue.
A hawk’s loud screech cut through the air. From his aviary out back, Columbus must have sensed the trio on the couch and was voicing his jealousy at not being a part of it.
“Missed you for supper last night,” Maggie said, peering out of the kitchen. “Working late?”
“I had to take care of something at the station. Sorry I didn’t call.”
“No need to apologize.”
Grammy turned from the TV and grinned at Cooper. “I thought you might’ve been gallivanting around with that man of yours.”
Cooper returned the smile. She would miss Grammy’s little attempts at mischief. “I did pay Nathan a visit, but it was strictly business. No gallivanting involved.”
“Bible study business?” Earl asked, joining the conversation from his place at the sink. “Or wedding business?”
Very upsetting business, Cooper wanted to say. Heartbreaking business. Instead, she answered, “Official police business. Inspector McNamara seems to think that guy at the park may have been murdered, and he’s got a target painted on Nathan’s sister. I wanted to give her and Nathan a heads-up.”
Grammy shook her head. “When I was your age, I liked to quilt and keep a home. I didn’t get mixed up in any of this murder . . . vandalism . . . theft . . .”
