Reasonable Doubt

by Tracey V. Bateman

  The hollowness of Josh’s eyes haunted Keri’s memory until finally she couldn’t bear it anymore. She left the dishes and sank onto a kitchen chair. Dropping her head into her hands, she gave in to her tears. Despair clenched her stomach, gripping it like a vise as the tears trickled down her face. Then, knowing tears alone wouldn’t help the child, she began to pray. Deep, heart-wrenching entreaties rose from the center of her being on behalf of the boys Justin had brought into her life. Boys she wanted to wrap up in her arms and protect from the ugliness of what was surely to come to them in only a couple of days.

  Then she prayed for Justin. He was trying desperately to be cheerful for the boys’ sakes, but the sparkle she remembered so well in those blue eyes was glaringly absent. As though he’d lost his energy.

  She looked up as the door swung open and, as though summoned by her thoughts, Justin appeared, the damp sleeves of his blue-denim overshirt rolled up to his elbows. A dark blue T-shirt stretched across a well-muscled chest. He dominated the room just by making an appearance. When he caught her eye, his lips turned upward. He dazzled her with his smile. A smile meant only for her. The kind of smile that girls like her waited for forever, but were rarely lucky enough to receive. Always a bridesmaid, never a bride. Always dreaming of Prince Charming, always disappointed.

  “Are you okay? Why are you crying?”

  Reality bit hard as the prince stepped fully inside and closed the kitchen door.

  Keri sighed and stood, disgusted with herself for even thinking along those lines. By now, she should be smart enough to realize that if by some fluke the prince did show up, as he’d promised a million years ago, he’d be suspected of murdering his wife. So much for dreams. She scowled at him and headed back to the sink.

  The sound of Justin’s footsteps following her on the hardwood floor sent her heart racing. He stood beside her at the sink, but made no move to touch her. “I asked you a question. Are you okay?”

  “Yeah.” She sniffed. “Why?”

  “Because your face is red and splotchy and your nose is starting to run. Here take this.” He grabbed a tissue from the box on the counter.

  Miffed by his unchivalrous mention of her red face and runny nose, she snatched the tissue and did what she had to do. When she felt sufficiently presentable, she tossed it away and went to work on the greasy iron skillet. “So you got the boys all bathed?”

  “Yep. Bathed and settled into bed.”

  He snatched up a dishtowel and made himself useful drying the dishes already in the drainer. “Now, do you want to tell me why you’re crying?” He leaned in closer to her and cocked his head. “It’s not about me, is it?”

  She sliced a look his way, then laughed at his teasing grin. “You’re so conceited,” she said, pushing him sideways with her shoulder.

  “Seriously, though. Want to talk about it?”

  She shrugged. “Not really.”

  “All right.” He grabbed another plate.

  “Well, if you really want to know, I was praying for Josh and Billy. The whole situation just makes me cry for them.”

  He stopped drying a glass container and put it down, then pressed her shoulder to draw her around. “Thank you, Keri.” His eyes were misty, making them appear as clear as two lakes on a summer day. “You have no idea what it means to me to know someone besides me is praying for them.” His voice broke. “Only God will get them through it. How much are they going to have to stand at such an age?”

  Somehow, against all reasonable thought, she gathered him into her arms. He clung to her, his fingers pressing against her back as he drew her close and rested his head on her shoulder, taking her back to the day of his parents’ funeral.

  Keri hesitated only a moment, then slowly and methodically began to stroke his black hair, marveling at its softness. “It’ll work out. I know it will. If you’re innocent, like you say you are, then God will go to work on your behalf.”

  He pulled back. A frown pinched his brow. “If I’m innocent? What am I going to have to do to prove to you that I’m not capable of such an act?”

  “I don’t know, Justin. I want to trust you. You’ve no idea how badly. Do you think I want to believe that the boy I’ve loved all my life—” Her eyes widened at her admission and she hurried to amend her statement before he could pounce on it. “I mean, I don’t want to believe the boy that I loved as a child, could be capable of murder.” She moved away quickly, slapping away nonexistent dust from her thighs as she struggled to gain her composure. “I didn’t mean that I love you anymore.”

  Justin leaned back against the sink while Keri attacked the chicken fryer with renewed energy.

  “Sure, I know,” he replied. But he didn’t sound very convinced.

  She squared her shoulders. “Anyway, I have to do my duty. If I just take your word, without proof, I could never bring myself to arrest you. Don’t you see?”

  Drawing a shaky breath, Justin nodded. “I know.” He grabbed up his towel once more and they worked in silence for several minutes.

  Too many emotions thickened the air, stifling Keri until she wanted to scream and rush outside into the cold air just for a five-minute reprieve. Instead, she drew upon the lightness of a few minutes before.

  “You’re pretty good at KP duty.” Keri’s words sounded flat despite her pitiful attempt to lighten the mood between them.

  “I have lots of experience. KP is one of my main jobs at the mission.”

  The comment took her by surprise, and she glanced at Justin, genuinely interested. “What do you mean? I thought you did counseling.”

  “That’s part of it. But there are also necessary chores to be done and not nearly enough volunteer workers. We feed about five hundred people every day along with the men who bunk there for however long they stay. That’s only supper. If I had my way, we’d provide at least two meals daily, but the funds aren’t there for now. Maybe eventually…”

  Taken aback, Keri shook her head. “That’s amazing. I’d love to be involved in something like that.” The church benevolence program provided groceries for needy families in Briarwood, and though she’d donated funds for the program, Keri had to admit to little to no hands-on work.

  “Really?” Justin’s brow rose ever so slightly.

  Keri’s heart picked up at the intensity of his gaze, but her face grew hot at the surprised tone of his voice.

  She rinsed the pan and set it in the drainer. “Well, yeah. Is that so hard to believe? That I’d want to help someone?”

  Justin picked up the pan and rubbed the towel over it, keeping his gaze on hers. “No. I remember when we were kids we discussed being missionaries—”

  “I don’t want to discuss our childhood. Remember?”

  He shrugged. “Where does this go?” he asked, holding up the dried-off skillet.

  Keri took it from him and walked to the stove. “We’ll be using it a lot so Dad just said leave it on top.” When she turned back around, Justin still stood by the sink, but now he faced her, his arms folded across his chest.

  “Regardless of whether you want to discuss our former relationship, what I meant was that I assumed since you didn’t go into some sort of job where you were helping people, that you had given up on your desire for missions.”

  His comment raised Keri’s hackles more than a little bit. “You don’t think I’m helping people?”

  “I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with what you do. So don’t waste your breath defending the worthiness of being a police officer. I know it’s an important job. But cops wage a different kind of war on evil than the one I wage every day in the inner city. And personally, I believe you’d be happier if you’d stuck to the original plan.”

  With a shrug, she dismissed him and stomped to a kitchen chair. “Whatever.” She sat, grabbing a magazine from a stack in the middle of the table, deciding to ignore him.

  Justin grabbed a mug from the cabinet and poured a cup of freshly brewed coffee. “Want a cup?”

>   Shaking her head, Keri flipped a page.

  Something akin to a growl escaped his throat as he took the chair across from her. “Oh, I see.”

  “See what?” Keri kept her eyes focused on the fascinating advertisement for the latest, most absorbent paper towels on the pages in front of her.

  “You don’t like what I have to say, so I get the silent treatment. Typical.”

  Keri slapped down the magazine and glared at him. “Typical? That’s a bit chauvinistic, don’t you think?”

  The corner of his lip turned up in a sardonic half grin. The gloves were off. He was obviously making no attempt to win any points with her now. “I didn’t mean typical of women.” He raised his coffee cup to his lips. “I meant typical of you.”

  Leaning forward, Keri shot him what she hoped was her meanest look. “What do you mean, typical of me? You don’t even know me, Justin Kramer. I am a grown woman, fifteen years more mature than the idiot who hung on your every word.”

  There that should do it. Effectively remind him that she didn’t need him, didn’t care what he thought of her and wouldn’t have liked him when they were kids if she’d had any sense.

  So why didn’t he look like a guy who’d just been reduced to his proper place in this scenario? She frowned as he leaned in closer, his lips curved in a knowing smile.

  “I don’t know, Keri. I’m remembering exactly the way you were back then. A cute little redhead with enormous green eyes that dazzled me from the first time I can remember you—which is probably around five years old. From where I’m sitting, you haven’t changed much…and neither have those eyes.”

  Keri sucked in a breath. If he was going to go there, she’d be putty in his hands. Two minutes. Tops.

  “Justin…” she groused, warning thick in her voice.

  “Want to know what else I’m remembering?” he asked.

  “No.”

  “Too bad.” He grinned. “I remember a girl who had to have everything just so. And if she didn’t get her way, she pouted. And guess who always got the silent treatment? A lot like right now.”

  Okay, so maybe he did remember. But it wasn’t like he ever put up with it, so what was he griping about?

  “Oh, don’t act like you were the martyr of our relationship!” Keri gave up all pretense of not caring. “I might have given you the silent treatment, but you were always the holdout and I always gave in. And you know it!” She cringed at the childish expression.

  “Well,” he said, leaning back in his chair until the front legs came off the floor. Once more, he folded his arms across his chest and gave her a lopsided smirk. “I was always right. Some things don’t change, do they?”

  Before she could consider her actions, Keri kicked out her foot and snagged his suspended chair leg. The motion took him by surprise and he tipped back, eyes wide, mouth open. He landed with a crash on the floor.

  “Hey!”

  Keri gasped in unison with his shocked response. They stared at each other, neither believing she’d actually done it.

  “Justin!” she said, shooting to her feet. “I’m so sorry.” Then the sight of his precarious position on the floor, still seated in the upended chair, struck her as funny and she started to giggle.

  Justin’s eyes narrowed. “You don’t seem sorry.”

  “I know. I’m sorry,” she said again, but the glare in his eyes only made her laugh harder. She extended her hand. “Here, I’ll help you up.”

  “Thanks.” He grabbed her hand, and she caught the glint in his eye, just as he pulled her to the floor beside him.

  The door opened at that moment and Mac and Ruth stared at them, the same look of bewilderment in both faces. “What in the world are you two up to?” Mac asked.

  Keri and Justin exchanged a glance and lost control. Laughter rumbled from Justin and rippled from Keri.

  Dad shook his head and glared at Ruth. “Just like when they were kids,” he mused. “In their own little world.”

  The words sobered Keri immediately, but Justin let out one more short laugh. “Told ya,” he said with a triumphant grin. “You haven’t changed as much as you might think. And neither have I.”

  He hopped to his feet, grabbed hold of her hands without asking, and pulled her to her feet. “Sorry, Mac. I fell over in the chair and Keri tried to help me up.”

  “Never mind,” Dad said. “I don’t even want to know how she ended up on the floor.”

  A cell phone chirped as Keri bent to pick up the chair.

  “Dad! I thought you were going to turn that thing off. Are you afraid of a little peace and quiet?”

  “For your information, that wasn’t my phone, little girl.” He scowled. “And maybe you want to keep a civil tongue in your mouth, huh?”

  “Sorry,” Keri muttered.

  “Uh, that’s mine, actually,” Justin said, pulling a phone from his belt under his blue overshirt. He glanced at it, then at Keri, a question written in his eyes. “It’s Bob, my lawyer.”

  “Forget it. We made our deal. One phone call per fugitive.”

  “Stop it, Keri,” Dad said. “Why do you have to be so sharp?”

  “It’s all right,” Justin spoke up before Keri could defend herself. “She’s right. The deal was one phone call.”

  “Well, she doesn’t have to be so sharp about it.” Dad sent her a pointed glance and turned and stomped from the kitchen. Ruth, who had remained uncharacteristically silent throughout the ordeal, shrugged at her, brow raised to show she agreed with her hero, and followed him into the living room.

  Sufficiently reprimanded, Keri expelled a breath, her cheeks puffing with the action. “Your lawyer, huh?”

  Hope sprang into Justin’s eyes. He nodded.

  “Oh, all right. But only with the same rules as before. I’m not leaving the room.”

  His lips tensed into a grim line. He gave her a jerky nod, then softened his irritation with a wink.

  Keri tried to harden her heart against him, but found herself drawn in. How was she supposed to guard herself when the Justin she remembered so well had shown up and once again captured her heart?

  Justin dialed Bob’s number, catching Keri’s gaze.

  Lifting her brow, she returned her attention to the magazine she’d been reading. Justin grinned inwardly. His teenage-boy feelings for her had returned with vengeance. If only they could return to those easy days before his parents had died.

  Bob’s machine picked up. Justin left a quick message then snapped the phone shut.

  “He’s not there?”

  “He must be on the other line. He’ll call back in a sec.”

  Keri nodded and glanced back at the magazine. Justin wondered if she was really concentrating on it, or simply avoiding a real conversation with him.

  He studied her now as she sat with her knees propped against the edge of the table, magazine resting on her thighs. Subconsciously, she snagged a red curl and twisted it around her finger, and her lips twitched at something she’d read. Justin swallowed hard. What sort of future could they possibly have together? Even if he didn’t go to jail? How could he put his complete trust in a woman who thought him capable of premeditated murder? Still, watching her now sent his pulse racing double-time.

  “Justin, you’re going to have to stop staring at me.” She didn’t look up.

  “Who’s staring?”

  “You are, and you’re making me nervous.” She looked him in the eye. “So cut it out, okay?”

  “I’m sorry,” he mumbled.

  “Oh, never mind.” She shut the magazine and tossed it across the table. It landed atop the magazine pile, askew. “Do you want some more coffee?”

  “Nah, it’s too late.”

  Keri shrugged. “It’s decaf. Dad has high blood pressure.”

  “Really? Didn’t taste like it. Anyway, no thanks. Bob should be calling back in a sec.”

  The phone chirped just as Keri sat back down. She sent him a grin. Justin’s heart turned over at the gesture, an
d he had a hard time trying to remember how to answer the phone.

  He cleared his throat and pushed the on button. “Bob?”

  “Yeah. I’m glad you’re okay.”

  “Why wouldn’t I be? Didn’t Rick get in touch with you?”

  “Yeah. I wish you had called me instead. I could have given Rick the message. We don’t know who from the mission signed that affidavit. You have to be careful who you trust. My advice to you is to steer clear of anyone with ties to the mission for now. Even Rick, until we have more information.”

  His aggravated tone set Justin’s own defenses on alert. “I needed to talk to him about the mission. You don’t need to worry about Rick. Believe me. We’ve been friends for a long time. I trust him as much as I trust you.”

  “All right,” Bob said abruptly. “Have it your way. I have to tell you something.”

  A chill trailed Justin’s spine at the heavy sigh on the other end of the line. “What happened?”

  “First of all, they won’t tell me who the witnesses are since you’re not officially arrested and arraigned. But that’s not all I had to tell you.” Bob hesitated a moment and cleared his throat.

  Nothing like starting off with the good news. Justin cringed and braced himself.

  “Your home was broken into.”

  “What? Was anything stolen?”

  “Nothing that we can tell. Your electronics and computer are all still there. Clearly, whoever broke in was looking for something in particular.”

  “Did they find it?”

  “We don’t think so. It seems your housekeeper has been keeping a pretty close eye on the place since you’ve been gone. She told the police she saw the glow from the flashlight and pulled into your driveway. We think that scared him off.”

  Mrs. Angus was a pistol. He should have known she’d try to do some sleuthing on her own. Justin shook his head. “I should have let her know I was leaving. I hope someone told her to stay put and not try to play Miss Marple.”