“Wait a minute.” She snapped to standing. “The day after Joey’s accident. The day of the photo.”
“Yes, cher, we’ve already covered the lowdown, dirty shenanigans that led to the photo.”
“That’s not it. Ryland came to my apartment before he went to the hospital. He didn’t know I was at church.”
“Please. How could he not know you were at church? You were practically born in one.”
“OK, Drama. Listen. Ryland came to the apartment, but Bobbi Ann told him I was at church.”
“Again. Not a shocker. You. Preacher’s Kid. Church. Sunday morning. Not a big leap, cher.”
“But he saw her here. Coming out of my apartment building.”
Lily shot up. “What? And we are just now getting to this vital detail? Cher, we really need to work on your detecting skills. You are entirely too trusting. And you really don’t pay attention to the little details. This is why you’ll need me to plan your wedding from the shower to the bower.”
“Lily, stop berating me for a second. I think this is like a real clue.”
“And what would you call all of my detective work?”
“You’re right.” She gave her a two armed bear hug. “Thank you. Even when I wanted to crawl into bed and hide under the covers for a month, you believed in me. You kept poking and looking. Digging and searching. How can I ever thank you?”
“Delta Alpha Psi until we die.”
41
Twenty minutes later, a torn vinyl seat cover scratched Tessa’s left leg as her right pumped on the second floor of the 2nd Police District.
“Will you settle down? We didn’t do anything wrong,” Lily said with a snap of her compact.
Tessa tucked her skirt around her thighs and focused on the stacks of paper and jumbled array of photos attached to Lily’s detective friend’s desk. With the force of hurricane winds, Lily pressed him to take their case against Bobbi Ann to his sergeant in under two minutes. The detective and sergeant were now locked behind frosted glass walls.
“We shouldn’t have come here, Lil.”
“Yes, we should. This is your life. You have to stand for yourself. No one else will.”
“Except you.”
“Well, that’s a given. I love you more than moon pies and a cold Coke on the Fourth of July.”
She squeezed Lily’s manicured fingers.
The door scraped open and Detective Marcel Dupris ambled across the police station.
“Well, ladies,” he said, lowering onto his chair with a creak. “Seems the sergeant was already looking into Mrs. Risdy-Jones.”
“What?” Lily and Tessa asked in unison.
“Some weeks ago, the sergeant’s chief friend—from Ohio—asked him to look into her in connection to his brother.”
“Sean? Chief Taylor, I mean?” Tessa asked.
“Seems he’s a friend of yours, too.”
“What does Bobbi Ann have to do with Sean and Joey Taylor?”
Detective Dupris shrugged. “Can’t say for sure, but the lady’s name keeps swirling around trouble. When your friend called Sergeant Nguyen to look into the accident around his brother, Mrs. Risdy-Jones had already put a request in for the report. When Nguyen went to meet Chief Taylor before he left N’awlins, he witnessed Mrs. Risdy-Jones skulking around asking nurses and orderlies for information.”
“And based on those two facts he started looking into her?” Lily asked.
“Seriously, Lil? You were ready to hang her on flimsier research.”
“Yes, but I’ve nearly a decade of her deceitful and duplicitous actions as background.”
“Well,” Detective Dupris interrupted, “he’s the head of our unit for a reason.”
“Sorry, detective, you were saying. Your sergeant’s been investigating Bobbi Ann, err Mrs. Risdy-Jones?”
Lifting the folder of notes and details from Lily, he nodded. “He did a little off the record digging, as a courtesy to Chief Taylor, and when Nguyen caught her digging for information she shouldn’t need, he poked around a little more. Your research on the history of the recorder, coupled with what the sergeant uncovered, makes it seem that Mrs. Risdy-Jones is the most likely culprit.”
“What do we do? Can we ride in the squad car when you go arrest her? Will there be sirens and a perp walk?” Lily’s voice trilled.
“Unfortunately, there’s little we can do. Every piece of information we have is circumstantial.”
“No perp walk?” Lily asked.
“No. But the sergeant’s work does support an injunction against the book Mrs. Risdy-Jones was in contract to write.”
“What book?” Tessa asked.
“Not sure entirely, but Evanston and Evanston had a contract voided with Mrs. Risdy-Jones earlier this week. I can’t tell you what the book was about because the court records were sealed, but the injunction was amended last Friday to include Mrs. Risdy-Jones in the suit.”
“Are you sure you can’t take a lil’ peek and see who filed the injunction?” Lily’s southern belle oozed through her sorority smile.
Detective Dupris was ill-equipped to defend against it. Turning to his computer he punched through a series of screens and windows. “Obviously, I can’t tell you the details of an ongoing investigation, but the court docket is public record. Mrs. Risdy-Jones is scheduled to appear in fifteen minutes.
42
Tessa shoved the door to her apartment to the right with a clink. Following Lily, she kicked off her sandals with a sigh.
“I can’t believe we missed it.” Lily flopped onto the couch.
“The proceedings were closed. We don’t know what we missed.”
“We missed seeing Bobbi Ann grovel. Oh, I’d have paid all the money in my trust fund to see her eat the crow being served to her today.”
“Lil, I know you want justice…”
“Vengeance. I want vengeance.”
“That’s reserved for The Lord. But it sounds as if justice was served. Bobbi Ann’s contract is toast with E&E. Jim and Cheryl confirmed as much as they were leaving the courthouse.”
After a break neck car ride from the 2nd District to the courthouse, Lily flipped on her hazards and raced through the front door, nearly plowing into the Evanstons. For the first time in the four years Tessa had known the couple, they looked contrite. Husband and wife apologized to her for any hardship in which they’d been complicit. “You know we always thought of you like the daughter we never had.” Cheryl said with a weak armed hug.
Tessa barely stepped back from her before Jim jumped in with an offer for a new contract. “Bobbi Ann is not the writer you are. You have compassion and empathy for your clients. We need you.”
“Thank you, but you’re not who I need. I thought my career defined me, but over the last few months I realized only The Lord can define me. And I can’t allow what I do to reflect poorly on Him. I’m afraid working for you would.”
Cheryl broke away with a huff and followed Jim around the corner. Out of her life forever.
“I can’t believe you didn’t get more scoop from the E’s,” Lily said, drawing her back to the present. “Don’t you want to know who finally sued them? Do you think it was Joey? Don’t you want to know what’ll happen with Bobbi Ann?”
Handing Lily a bottle of water, Tessa slid onto the couch beside her. “Bobbi Ann will bounce back. She always does. But how much richer are our lives?”
“But I just want to see her squirm.”
“Lily Mae.”
The buzz of the street speaker drew their attention.
She pushed the front door release and returned to her seat.
“Did you really just buzz someone into the building without asking who they were?”
Tessa shrugged. “The buzzer’s been broken since I moved in. Generally it’s Remy from upstairs when his hands are too full. If I didn’t buzz him the first time, he’d keep buzzing until he succeeded.”
“I still say you could have let a serial killer into your apa
rtment building. Talk about the therapy sessions after that decision.”
Bang! Bang! Bang!
“Told you,” Lily said. “Sounds like a killer knock.”
Tessa yanked open the sliding door.
Leaning against a cherrywood cane stood Joe Taylor. Hair trimmed, and with a slight pallor, but the twinkle in his eyes was all Joey.
“Hey T.T. long time.”
“Not a serial killer, Lil. Serial charmer,” Tessa said over her shoulder. She stepped into his open arms. “How’re you? How’s the hospital? How’re you even here today?”
“Do you mind if I come in and take a load off? Leg’s not what it used to be.”
She ushered him to the couch. Straight into the unfortunate interrogation of Detective Lily Mae.
Within two minutes, Lily had Joey’s brow sprinkled with beads of sweat as he loosened his buttoned collar, and filled in the blanks from the night of his accident to his arrival at the apartment.
“I’m just here to be supportive. My lawyer thought it would help the case if I showed up. That Bobbi Ann is one determined…person. If she wasn’t being sued for libel already, I’d seriously consider it.”
“You didn’t seek the injunction?” Tessa asked.
“If I sought an injunction with every story pitched about me and my umm…choices. I’d never be out of court.”
“Then who?” Tessa asked.
“Aubrey Tanner.”
“Who?”
“Everett Tanner’s wife,” Lily said.
“How do you know who she is?” Tessa asked.
“As I said, I’ve been doing some research. Bobbi Ann joined a few new philanthropic organizations over the past year. Two are headed by Aubrey Tanner. I thought it was weird. Bobbi Ann never liked to give to anyone but the charity of Bobbi Ann, but now it makes sense.”
Joey nodded in unison with Lily.
“What makes sense? Why should Bobbi Ann’s choice of charities make a difference?”
“Catch up, T. She joined them, and then magically there’s a scandal about Tanner’s extracurricular activities? His divorce proceedings become front page for every newspaper, magazine and gossip website across the country. E&E is in contract on a book detailing his affairs. You don’t see the connection?”
A wave of nausea crashed through Tessa. How could anyone be so cruel and solely ambitious? At the rehearsal dinner Bobbi Ann had slipped about knowing Tanner’s wife. All of the little things added together to complete the puzzle. Tessa’s life hadn’t fallen into a toilet. Bobbi Ann had ripped it apart and dropped it bit by bit creating a splash. And she’d tried to do the same thing to others—families she didn’t know. All for what? A book deal? Ghostwritten. A book no one would ever know she wrote.
“I just don’t see how anyone, even Bobbi Ann, could be this cruel.”
“Ambition is a drug,” Joe said.
“But how did you get pulled into the situation? If she’s not writing a book about you?”
“Pattern of behavior. The lawyers used her slander around the accident and the surrounding story. You, me, and Rys. As an example for how her behavior escalates.” Joey laid his hand over hers. “The book proposal was about Tanner and all of his extras. Including Macy. I owe Jessup my life—twenty times over—I had to try to save Emma from having the whole world know about her mother’s poor decision.”
“Ryland?”
He nodded.
Lily slipped from the room.
“Tessa, Rys has been trying to get in touch with you for weeks. He knows he messed up. He told me he doesn’t deserve you.”
Tears pooled in Tessa’s vision.
“He’s right. He doesn’t deserve you.” Joey cupped her chin. “But he needs you. Emma needs you. And you need them. Forgiveness is impossible to earn. It has to be given freely. A pretty lady told me that once.”
She swiped at her eyes. “I just don’t know. I can’t live tiptoeing on eggshells always wondering if this one choice will make him believe I’m a monster. I can’t keep trying to prove myself every day, questioning if today is the day it all falls apart.”
“He won’t ask you to.”
She spun in her seat at the sound of Ryland’s deep voice. A flood of tears swamped her cheeks, blurring the sight of him.
Feet braced apart, he stood just inside her apartment.
“That’s my cue.” Joe struggled to stand and hugged Tessa. “Just listen. Don’t judge first.” He smacked a kiss on her cheek, clapped Ryland on the shoulder, and closed the door behind him.
Silence draped the room.
Tessa turned to the windows staring toward the Mississippi. She wished she could float away on the slow, muddy current, preferring the certainty of the Gulf to the uncertainty of the next few minutes. Help me, Lord. Help me.
“Please listen.” Ryland’s voice was barely a whisper above her head. “Listen to what I have to say. If you want to close the door, I promise I’ll stay on the other side.”
She looked into his stormy eyes. Every cell in her body screamed to reach out, wrap her arms around him and never let go. But her mind fought her, replaying the images of Ryland’s rejections. Both of them. Hugging her arms across her middle, she leaned against the bank of windows and lifted a single eyebrow.
“I’m sorry isn’t enough.” He released a slow sigh and began to pace the small space in front of her. “I’ve thought of dozens, hundreds, of apologies, but none came close to expressing how truly sorry I am for not believing you. For not believing in us. You’re the best person I know. You help people share their stories. To heal by sharing their truths. You helped a little girl deal with her sadness by giving her support. You gave up your whole life to take care of your dad. You forgave me all of the childhood torture. You care in ways I don’t understand, but want to.”
He stopped pacing, closing the few steps between them. “I love you, Tessa Tarrington.” Resting his hands on her shoulders, he forced her gaze to meet his. “Yes, I’ve loved the idea of you since I was six, but in the last few months I have fallen deeply and irrevocably in love with you. And you love me, too. I know you do.
“Please don’t let my blind stupidity rob us of the future God has planned. For us. For Emma. I know I have more work to do on myself than the average guy, but you didn’t fall in love with him. You fell in love with me. Please forgive me. Forgive me and help me to learn to forgive Macy.”
Tessa’s chin dropped to her chest. A single tear splattered on the floor next to her foot. She loved him. The aching deep down in your bones forever kind of love. The kind of love that transformed tart, bitter lemons into sweet, fragrant lemonade and rescued lives from the toilet.
She reached her arms to wrap around Ryland’s waist, resting her cheek on his heart. “I love you. And love means I’ll always forgive you.”
A shudder rippled through him. And slowly her feet left the floor as he lifted her to eye level. “I’ll never let you go again.”
“Promise?”
His lips brushed against hers. Gentle yearning flowing through her body. She clung to him, deepening the kiss which overflowed with the promise of endless tomorrows.
Epilogue
Tessa and Ryland strolled along Main Street, hands interlocked, leaving the back yard rehearsal dinner before more toasts to Sean and Maggie could be raised. Half the town was at the celebration in Sean’s cramped backyard leaving Gibson’s Run peaceful and still for a Friday.
The weeks since they’d reunited in New Orleans had been filled with a multitude of changes.
Tessa agreed to finish out the semester for Mrs. Monahan, but remained firm on her decision not to assume a fulltime position.
Jamison was crushed. Convinced Ryland was minutes from accepting an offer from a local university or high school in Columbus, he floated him a five year contract with the district as the Athletic Director and Head Football coach.
As far as Tessa knew, Ryland hadn’t yet signed the contract, but he wouldn’t tell her why. She hated
any secrets between them, but he was adamant he needed to be certain before he committed to the school.
The artist tapped to complete the Guard-Ann illustrations had finalized her pieces two weeks ago and after meeting Emma, the character of Shelby bore a striking resemblance to the little girl. The book was set to release just before Thanksgiving—ready for the perfect holiday treat under the tree.
A few rounds of interviews, book signings, and potential talk shows were in Tessa’s future, and she couldn’t wait. She was so excited to have her work—Emma’s and her work—in print she wanted to shout with joy from every rooftop.
The news around Bobbi Ann’s duplicity topped the headlines for a few weeks, with both Everett Tanner and Joey releasing statements seeking privacy for themselves and respect for Bobbi Ann. Greater generosity than she had shown either of them, but as Joey said, “She’s a child of God, too. None of us are perfect and everyone deserves a second chance.”
Tessa wasn’t convinced, but her heart warmed at the spirit beginning to bloom in Joey and the renewed communication the scandal created between Tanner and his wife, Audrey. They put their divorce hearing on hold to try and work on their family.
Ryland slowed their pace, stopping in front of the town fountain. He lowered to the wrought iron bench on the sidewalk and tugged Tessa’s arm to sit beside him.
“I don’t want to stop. Mabel made those shortbread cookies with the toffee bits and dropped some at my dad’s house. I was hoping to snag a couple before he got home.”
“Sit with me.” His voice low.
She cuddled into his side.
“Tessa, I’ve loved you since the first day I saw you on the playground in kindergarten. I was so in love with you I agonized for weeks over what gift to give you. Consulted my friends, and my sisters over what to buy.”
The memory of those “Days of the Week” underpants and her subsequent response rolled through her mind. But no longer was the memory spiked with fear and anger. Now an involuntary smile tugged at her lips. “I remember them well.”
“Out of that day you received a nickname I wish a million times over I could take back, but I can’t. What I can do is offer you a new nickname.”
Life on the Porcelain Edge Page 28
