“What does that conversation have to do with Billy’s death? You said it took place two years before he died, right?”
Mason nodded. “After that Dad and I tried to check on Liana more often. I mean, at least I did.” His voice quieted. “But it was too late to suddenly act like we really cared. Liana didn’t trust either of us enough to seek help. She even became more withdrawn. She wouldn’t return phone calls, wouldn’t come over when we invited her for dinner.”
“What happened after you saw Billy with his friends, Mason?”
“I... I actually did end up talking to Billy. When he was alone. I told him to stop hurting Liana. And I might have hit him a couple of times.”
“Did you kill him after all?”
“No. I promise I didn’t. I left him on the ground and went home. But my father was at my house with Jeanie. She’d invited him over for supper.” He took a deep breath. “Of course, as soon as Jeanie saw my knuckles, she freaked out until I told her what happened.”
“And then?”
“And I realized then that my dad had taken off,” he said slowly. “And I had a pretty good idea where he went.”
Kent raised his eyebrows. “But you didn’t do a thing about it? You didn’t follow him?”
“No.” Mason’s expression hardened. “Maybe there was a part of me that thought Dad should’ve stepped in already, that it was his turn to try to help Liana.” He rolled his eyes. “Or maybe I just didn’t want to know what he did.”
“You didn’t feel like you should do or say anything when you realized that your brother-in-law was missing?”
“If you want me to suddenly act remorseful about that, you’re gonna have to wait a long time. Sorry, but I can’t do it.” He shrugged. “The fact of it was that I was glad nobody was hitting her anymore. Plus, we all thought that Billy had just run off. So I waited. And then... I don’t know. Those first few days turned into a week, then a month, then several months, and all of us breathed a sigh of relief. At last, Billy Mann was gone—and there wasn’t a single one of us who cared where he was.”
“Do you have proof that your father was involved?”
“When I cleaned out the attic of my parents’ house after Dad died, I found a gun that I hadn’t known he owned. Maybe there’s something there?”
Kent spoke with Mason for a few more minutes, but since he and his father had come to mostly the same conclusion, he didn’t keep him much longer.
Only when he was walking up the stairs did Mason look worried. “Have I just messed up everything with you and Liana?”
For some reason, having his suspect worry about his love life felt fitting. That was the kind of case this had been—a tangled mess of knots and lies and frayed emotions. “If Liana is upset with me...well, that’s on me, not you.”
“Hey, listen. Don’t give up on her. As hard as the truth is to hear sometimes, I think she’d agree that lies are harder to live with,” Mason said.
Kent was certain that was the best advice he’d heard all day. “I’ll be in touch,” he said. “Thank you for coming in and telling me the rest of the story.”
After Mason was long gone, Kent walked back toward the cold-case room. He needed to write down his notes, confer with Sergeant Crier and then get up the nerve to give Liana a call.
No, he needed to see her. And he needed to see her as soon as possible.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
The first thing Kent had done after he’d walked inside her house was give her a hug. Soon after, he’d taken her hand, sat next to her on the couch and described how he believed her father had killed her husband. Then, as if he’d had a need to heighten that awful moment, Kent explained how Mason had shown up at the station house just a few hours earlier and told him all of this.
Included in his speech was the fact that Liana’s father had hidden the murder weapon in his attic this whole time. Mason had discovered it after their father had died but kept it a secret. Because he hadn’t known for sure that that was why his father owned a gun no one knew he had and then stored it in a box in his attic.
Throughout the whole conversation, Liana had sat there stiff and mute. Like a wooden doll. She’d been so stunned, it had been almost impossible to do anything besides stare at Kent and wonder what he was going to say next. The whole situation didn’t even seem real.
Or maybe it was just that it was so different from what she’d imagined had happened. Somehow, learning her father had killed Billy and then hidden the murder weapon was very different from Mason accosting Billy in a fit of rage.
She supposed they really were two different scenarios. One was premeditated, while the other was not.
While Kent continued his report, giving her all kinds of details and facts she didn’t care too much about, Liana drew inward. Was she more relieved that Mason was innocent or upset that her father took another life? For that matter, how culpable was she? Though she hadn’t attacked Billy, killed him or been anywhere near him when the event had occurred, she’d been the reason for it.
Why had she stayed so quiet all this time? How had she been okay with keeping all her suspicions to herself?
Ten minutes later, when Kent finished his speech at long last, he drew a breath. “Are you okay?” he asked.
“I’m not really sure.”
He continued to eye her warily. “I think that’s understandable. Your world has been turned upside down.”
Was it, though? So many thoughts were running through her brain, it was hard to keep them organized. “I’m relieved to finally know the truth,” she said at last. “Maybe I’m feeling stunned, too. I never imagined my father would have done a thing like that...or even that Mason would tell it to you instead of me.”
“I think they were trying to protect you. Your father by going after Billy and your brother by never mentioning that day.”
She supposed they were. But had she actually been protected all this time? All she remembered at the moment was being afraid of Billy’s return and being suspected of his murder.
Kent stood up. “Liana, I’ve hoped and prayed for closure on this case for so many reasons. Some have been selfish, some have been professional, some have been for Billy.” He paused, then added, “But most of all, as we’ve gotten to know each other, I’ve prayed that solving the case would give you some much-needed closure. I can’t help but think that one day you’ll feel more at peace.”
“What is going to happen to my father? I mean, to his memory?”
“Well, we’ll run some tests to see if we can determine that the weapon was used in the murder. But even if it has been, I don’t know if we’ll ever be able to say with a hundred percent certainty that your father was the one who fired the shot. He died years ago.”
“And Mason? Will he be charged for anything?”
He shook his head. “No, Liana. A lot of people talk to friends and loved ones about things that upset them. That doesn’t mean they’re responsible for other people’s actions. Besides, years ago, when Officer Grune did the initial investigation, Mason had alibis for the evening Billy went missing as well as the following two days. Both my sergeant and I will count this case as closed.”
She figured everything he was saying made sense, but it also seemed almost too convenient.
“Thank you for coming over to tell me,” she said formally. “I appreciate it.”
His eyebrows rose. “Of course I wanted to be the one to tell you the news. But Li, we both know that isn’t the only reason I’m here. Would you like me to make you some tea or something? Can we talk some more?”
She didn’t want to talk to him about the case or about the report. She really didn’t want to hear him say how relieved he was because he was on his way out of the cold-case division.
No, all she wanted at the moment was some space from him. “Kent, please don’t take this the wrong way, but I’
d like to be alone.”
Hurt flared in his expression before he quickly composed himself. “Are you sure?” He reached for her phone. “Want me to call your brother or sister-in-law?”
She pulled her cell from his reach. “I can’t imagine anything worse than you giving Mason a call right now.”
“You’re upset.”
“I am,” she admitted. “Though I know none of this is your fault. I know you were just doing your job.”
“I had to solve it, Liana. I had to do my job. Not only was it necessary for you and for the department, it was also important for me and my reputation.”
“I realize that.” Looking down at her feet, she murmured, “I’m upset about a lot of things. Not just you. Actually, I think I’m most upset with myself.”
“Why is that? Liana, you didn’t do anything wrong. You were as much of a victim as Billy was.”
“That’s where you’re mistaken,” she said, her voice shaking. “There were a lot of opportunities for me to stop what was happening. I could have left him or called the police or gone to a shelter or let Mason help me. Instead, I did what I always did and kept everything hidden away.”
“It’s easy to go back and look at mistakes and blame yourself. I’ve done that plenty of times myself. But it doesn’t help, especially if you aren’t to blame.” He took a deep breath. “Liana, you didn’t cause his death. Just like you didn’t deserve Billy’s treatment of you.”
Liana was sure Kent believed every word he said. However, she wasn’t sure if she believed them. Getting to her feet, she said, “Thank you for letting me know in person.”
“I love you, Liana. I’m not just falling in love with you. Not just infatuated. I’m in love. I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”
She blinked, almost hating him for telling her something so perfect practically two minutes after giving her some of the worst news of her life.
Standing up, she pointed to the door. “Could you see yourself out?”
He blinked as hurt seemed to infuse every one of his features. “That’s it? That’s all you’re going to say?”
“I’m sorry, but that’s all I have to give right now.”
It was obvious that he didn’t want to leave. For a moment she didn’t think he was going to, but then he walked to the door. “Lock it behind me, okay? And when I call you later, please pick up. If you don’t, I’m going to come back over here. I have to know you’re safe.”
She nodded. And only breathed deeply after he’d left.
And then she cried for her father and Mason and Billy and for herself. And maybe she cried for Kent, too.
Because some situations were so bad, there was plenty of pain to go around.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Two weeks later
Two days after Kent had come over and she had practically pushed him out of her house, Liana decided to make some changes in her life. It was time to quit being afraid and doubting herself. Most of all, she realized that she needed to stop looking backward. She had a lot of skills, a God-given talent and a great support system now. No matter how her life used to be, she wasn’t the same woman she’d once been.
The very next morning she went to the diner early and gave Gabe and Viv her two weeks’ notice.
But instead of granting her that time, Viv had hugged her and sent her on her way. It seemed that there were a couple of girls who had been begging for more hours and Viv had been delaying giving it to them until Liana had finally come to the realization that she had other things to do besides wait tables.
Suddenly, after years of juggling so much with so little, Liana had free time. She started going for more walks and stopping by Martha and Sol’s house for cups of coffee. She also tried to get excited about her future. Now she had time to paint as much as she wanted. She also had enough money in the bank to do a lot of things she’d only dreamed about.
But ironically, instead of being thrilled about that, all she felt was adrift. Her painting, which had always been her source of happiness and her outlet for all of her pain, had suddenly become her vocation. Her job.
Worse, she feared she wasn’t even doing a very good job with them. Now, when she looked at her paintings, all she noticed was their flaws. Maybe they were blotches all along and she just hadn’t realized it?
She was staring at her latest work, titled simply Roses Bloom, when she received a text and the doorbell rang at the same time.
Glad to put down her paintbrush, she hurried to the door and glanced out the window. And laughed for the first time in days.
Angel and Viv were standing on her stoop, still dressed in their waitress uniforms. Angel was also holding a whole pie.
Liana hurried to let them in. “This is a nice surprise!” she exclaimed as she hugged each of them. “I’m so glad to see you both.”
After Viv seemed to study her from top to bottom, she led the way inside. “I’m so glad to see you, too, sweetheart. Though I told Angel that we needed to call first. I’m sorry we didn’t.”
“I figured she was right,” Angel said with a laugh. “That’s why I texted you when we got to the door.”
Liana held up the phone. “I got it. Thanks.”
“Are we interrupting?” Viv motioned to her outfit, which was comprised of old, black-turned-to-gray threadbare leggings, her white Keds she’d waitressed in and her favorite painting T-shirt, which was stained with about a dozen different colors. She didn’t have a bit of makeup on and hadn’t washed her hair in two days.
“I was painting, but obviously, I think I needed a break.”
Angel didn’t even attempt to hide her dismay at Liana’s appearance. “What you need is a shower, girl.”
“I know.” She sighed. “I’m a mess, in more ways than one.”
Angel held up the pie. “It sounds like this pie didn’t come a moment too soon. Where’s the kitchen?”
“Straight ahead.” When Angel strode forward, Liana trotted to keep up. “What kind of pie is that?”
“What kind do you think? Gabe’s famous coconut cream pie,” Viv said. “He made it especially for you.”
The thought of Gabe taking the time to make her a pie brought tears to her eyes. “That’s the sweetest thing.”
“We miss you,” Viv said softly. “Now, we’re going to eat, but first I want to see these paintings of yours.”
“I’ll be happy to show them to you. But first, I’ll put on a pot of coffee,” Liana said.
Just as she put in the grounds, Angel groaned. “Liana, what in the world is going on with this sink of yours?”
She turned to get a good look at it. “What’s wrong?”
“What’s wrong is that it’s filled to the brim with dirty dishes.”
Viv picked up a dishrag and wrinkled her nose. “This is gross. Where are your clean dishcloths?”
“In the cabinet under the sink.” When she saw Viv was about to grab one, Liana called out, “Don’t you dare start cleaning!”
“Someone has to,” Angel said. “I’m surprised you have any clean plates at all.”
“I have a couple left.” At least, she hoped she did. While she filled up the coffee carafe with water, her girlfriends made rude comments about the state of her range. “I know, I know. But pretend you don’t see my mess. Y’all are my guests.”
“I’m starting to feel less like an uninvited guest and more like a woman on a mission of mercy,” Angel said. “Girl, you’re in a sorry state.”
After closing the coffeemaker’s lid, she pressed Brew. “The coffee’s brewing now. Are you ready to see my studio?”
“Of course,” Viv said. “Lead the way, Li.”
With a bit of trepidation, she walked them down the hall, wondering what they’d think of her work...especially her newest piece, which was so different from a lot of other things she’d ma
de in the past.
Thankfully, the door was closed. “Just warning you, it’s a mess in here, too.”
“I wouldn’t have expected anything less,” Viv said. “Stop stalling and let us in.”
“Okay.” She took a breath and motioned them in.
“Oh!” Angel exclaimed. “Oh, wow. Viv, come look at this thing.”
Liana watched them both stare up at Roses Bloom. She couldn’t read their expressions. “Um, I’m still working on it. Careful, now. It’s still wet and those oils don’t come off clothes easily.”
Angel was intently studying her painting. “Are these...flowers?”
Liana nodded. “I’m surprised you can tell.”
“It looks the way flowers look when you get a bouquet and you’re so excited that you start crying,” Viv said.
Angel nodded. “That’s it to a T. It’s the way roses look through tears.” She grinned. “Listen to me, sounding just like a fancy art critic. How did I do?”
Liana felt like crying. “Usually, I tell people that my paintings depict whatever they want them to be, but you’re exactly right. It’s roses through a sheet of tears.”
“I love it,” Angel said sincerely. “This is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”
Viv pulled her into a hug. “You, Liana Mann, have a gift. And you should not be doing anything but standing in here in this dirty room in those dirty clothes and painting things like this.”
And that was when she lost it. She started crying. “I don’t know what to do.”
“How come? Don’t you have everything you ever wanted?”
That caught Liana off guard, but she realized that Angel was right. Everything she had secretly ever wanted had come to life. Billy was no longer hurting her. He was no longer missing. His murder was solved.
She’d found an incredible man who’d told her he loved her. And he wanted her just how she was.
She’d quit her job at the diner because she could now afford to paint full-time.
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