“Uncle Bob…”
Shock jolted through Justin like a bolt of lightning. “You saw Uncle Bob hurting Mom?”
“No.” Josh pulled away, tears running down his face. “I saw him kissing her.”
Disbelief sank razor-sharp claws in Justin’s gut and his limbs grew weak. Fighting to control his anger and disappointment, he swallowed hard. “Did Bob see you?”
As though overwhelmed with emotion, Josh flung himself back into Justin’s arms and buried his face in Justin’s shoulder. He shook his head. “I ran away,” came the muffled reply.
Justin’s heart pounded in his chest and grief nearly overcame him. Bob and Amelia having an affair? And his son had been witness to one of their moments of indiscretion. In their home. His home! He wouldn’t have put anything past Amelia…but Bob? Anger shot through him. He’d known for a year that Bob and his own wife were barely on speaking terms, but this had never occurred to him. Had Bob killed Amelia to keep her quiet about the baby?
Rubbing his hand over Josh’s head, Justin held the boy close. He wouldn’t press him about overhearing Amelia’s conversation with Bob, presumably, that she was pregnant. No wonder Bob had been so hesitant about the diary.
The diary! Nausea hit him full in the gut. He’d given it to Bob, of all people. Now there was no proof that Justin might be innocent. Nothing to cast suspicion on anyone else.
Chapter Sixteen
“Justin?”
At the sound of Keri’s voice, Justin eased his gaze away from the hypnotic pull of the fire. His heart caught in his throat at the sight of her resting on one elbow, eyes droopy from sleep. This was a picture he definitely wanted to wake up to each morning.
“Hi, sleepyhead.” He smiled.
A frown creased her brow. “What’s wrong?” She sat up fully, pushing at the afghan covering her.
“What do you mean?”
“You were staring into the fire just now.”
Leaning forward, he rested his elbows on his knees and interlocked his fingers. He related the information his son had revealed. Keri’s eyes grew wide, her face red with anger. “Do you think Bob ran in and told us to call 911 for Ike to cover up what he’d done?”
Justin shrugged. “I don’t know. It seems likely. If he killed Amelia, he wouldn’t want to become number two on the list of possible suspects. He’d have to keep the police on my trail.”
“That rotten jerk!” Keri shot to her feet and stomped to the fireplace. She grabbed the poker and jabbed at a log. The action caused a round of sparks to fly up from the flaming coals—matching the sparks shooting from Keri. She replaced the poker and turned. “And I’ve been suspecting Rick this whole time.”
“Why would you suspect him?” Justin reached for her hand and pulled her onto the footstool in front of his chair until they faced each other, their knees pressed together.
“I don’t know. He just rubs me the wrong way. I know that’s not a good reason to suspect someone of murder and a cover-up, but I was looking at possible suspects. He was the only one I could think of.”
Justin grinned and kissed her quickly. “Well, I think we can safely rule him out. As a matter of fact, I think I’d better call him and warn him about Bob. Plus, I want to make sure they found Ike’s wife.”
Keri drew back, worry clouding her eyes. “Are you sure you should trust Rick just yet?”
“I thought you agreed you didn’t have a good reason to suspect him.” A wry smile tipped the corners of his lips. “Besides, I’m not such a poor judge of character that I’d be oblivious to both of my best friends stabbing me in the back.”
“I’m sorry. Of course you’re not. I just…” She hedged, then gave him a sudden smile. “Never mind. I’m being overly cautious, I’m sure.”
“Don’t apologize. I think it’s sweet. I haven’t had anyone to worry over me since my parents died.”
Compassion moved across her face. He pressed his forehead against hers. “We’ll get through this and when we do, I hope you’ll let me make up for the last fifteen years. I don’t ever want to be without you again.”
She pulled away, tears shining in her eyes. “Same here.”
They moved apart as the kitchen door opened and Mac appeared, followed by Josh and Billy. “We’re done with breakfast. Can we watch cartoons?”
“If it’s all right with Miss Keri,” Justin said, ruffling the tyke’s hair.
“I don’t see why not,” Keri replied with a fond smile at the twins.
Waves of longing swept over Justin at the sight. He prayed that one day soon, they would add Keri to the family. His boys needed her. He needed her.
He stood abruptly. “I’m going to go back to my room and make a call.” And then he had to have the dreaded conversation with his boys. The one where he told them he was about to be arrested.
“This is Rick.”
“Hi. It’s me.”
“How are you? The police have been crawling all over this place today. Ike died in the hospital.”
“I know. I was there.”
Rick gave a heavy sigh. “That’s all we need…another murder investigation making the people around here nervous.”
“Did they find his wife?”
“Yes. She’s pretty distraught, as is to be expected. She’ll be taking the body back to Chicago for burial as soon as the coroner’s office releases it.”
“Listen, Rick. I think I might know who killed Amelia.”
“Really? Who?”
Justin hesitated, not sure he wanted to reveal this over the phone, but his window of opportunity was quickly shutting. He had no choice. “My son, Josh told me today that he saw Amelia and Bob kissing.”
“Bob Landau?” The incredulity in Rick’s voice was unmistakable and Justin warmed to the support.
“I know. I found it hard to believe at first, too. But there’s more.”
“Really?”
“My housekeeper found Amelia’s diary in Josh’s toy box yesterday. Amelia was apparently pregnant.”
Rick hesitated, and Justin heard a quick intake of breath. “She wrote that in her diary?”
“Yeah. And we both know I wasn’t the baby’s father. But the diary doesn’t specifically name the man responsible.”
“So do you want me to take the diary to the police?”
“Bob has it.”
“Bob? Well, that’s not good.”
“I took it over to his house yesterday right before I talked to you on the phone.” Realization hit him hard. “I suppose he must have driven to the mission and somehow found Ike.”
“Yes,” Rick breathed as though he was just putting two and two together, as well. “And running into the office like a crazy man was his cover-up for killing the only person who could testify that you didn’t leave the mission the night Amelia was killed.”
“Exactly,” Justin said, defeat thick in his voice.
“I’m really sorry you had to find out one of your best friends betrayed you. Is there anything I can do?”
A heavy sigh leaked through the lines and Justin almost felt sorry for his friend. “Having someone I can trust means the world.”
“I love you like a brother. It rips me up thinking about you getting convicted and those kids ending up in foster care. You know, I’d take them in a second if that happens.”
Fondness welled up in Justin. “You’ve no idea how much that means to me, but I’ve taken care of that. Keri will be raising them with her dad.”
“Ahh, I see.”
Justin frowned. Did he detect a note of hurt in Rick’s tone?
“I’d better go. The boys are about to put in a video, and I want to explain things to them before I turn myself in.”
“Did you say they were watching a video?”
“Yes. You know how crazy they are about John Wayne movies. We managed to grab a few of them before we left home. They’ve been a godsend. Believe me. And more than likely they’re the only things from home they’ll have for a while.”
>
“Well, they need something to give them some normalcy right now.”
Justin disconnected the call and stepped back into the living room. He stopped short at the sight of Keri standing at the door, an older officer on the threshold. Her feet were planted and Justin could see from her belligerent expression that she was spoiling for a fight.
“It’s all right, Keri.”
The chief eyed him, firmly, leaving no room for rebellion. “I’m taking you in.”
A heavy sigh escaped Justin’s chest. “I know. I won’t fight you.”
“Daddy!”
The boys sat huddled together on the couch, wide-eyed. Justin stooped beside the couch. “I’m going to go with the police officer. Not because I did anything wrong, but because they want to ask me some questions.”
“When will you be back?” Billy’s lips quivered.
“I’m not sure. But I want you to stay here with Miss Keri and do what she and her dad tell you, okay?”
Tears trailed down both boys’ cheeks, but they nodded bravely like a couple of troopers. He gathered each in his arms for a long embrace, knowing it might be a while before he would have the opportunity to cuddle the warm bodies close again, smell freshly shampooed curls, kiss sleep-caressed cheeks. He swallowed hard as he tried to control the burning behind his eyes.
Josh’s small arms tightened around his neck and he clung until Justin gently held him away. Keri stepped forward and took Josh in her arms. The sight of his son’s face buried in Keri’s waist clogged Justin’s throat.
He stood and faced the officer. “I’m ready.”
“I guess Keri’s been hiding you at the cabin.” Disappointment edged the chief’s voice.
“We’ve been here a couple of days. But as far as we knew there was no arrest warrant until yesterday.”
“True enough. But she knew last night.”
“I was giving him a chance to say goodbye to his boys, Chief.”
“That wasn’t your call, Keri-girl.”
She grabbed her jacket. “I’m going with you.”
“No!” Justin walked across the room and took his own jacket from the coat rack. “I don’t want you to go. Stay with the boys. They need you more than I do.”
Stepping closer, she wrapped her arms around his neck, apparently heedless of their audience. It was the first time she’d initiated contact and a tide of joy washed over Justin as he held her tight. “Just be careful,” she said close to his ear, her breath tickling the nape of his neck. “I don’t want to raise them without their father.”
“I’ll do my best,” he whispered. “I love you.”
She pulled back and captured his gaze. “I love you, too, Justin Kramer. I always have.”
The sweetness of their kiss made Justin’s heart sing with hope. But urgency nipped on the heels of optimism—urgency to find Amelia’s killer soon. All he could do now was hope that Rick got through to the detectives and that things were falling into place for his release.
The boys sat together on the couch, sullen and still. Keri understood exactly how they felt. It had been a couple of hours since the chief took Justin in. It would have taken at least an hour to get to Briarwood and another hour to process Justin.
“I have an idea,” she said, forcing a cheerful tone she was far from feeling. “Let’s watch a cartoon.”
“I don’t feel like it,” Josh said.
“Oh, come on. How about this one?” Keri snatched a tape from the top of the TV and held it up.
“We watched it yesterday,” Billy said.
“Funniest one I ever saw,” Mac chimed in. “Let’s watch it again, we could all use a good laugh.”
Keri slid the tape into the VCR and sat between the boys. Each had snuggled close. Before long, Dad’s laughter turned to snoring. A fond smile touched Keri’s lips at the sight.
The boys, too, were about to give it up, as evidenced by their wide yawns and drooping eyes. “All right, kiddos,” she said, rousing them. “How about a nap?”
The boys offered only mild protest as they slogged down the hallway to their room and virtually fell into bed, asleep as their heads hit their respective pillows.
What beautiful children they were. A thrill raced through her as a thought she’d feared to allow admittance, finally won the battle and sprang front and center in her mind. Justin will be cleared. Then we’ll be married and Billy and Justin will soon be my sons. Tears burned the back of her throat. She placed her hand softly on first one precious head, then the other.
“Bless these children, Lord,” she whispered. “Please keep them safe. I know you have a plan that involves only their good.”
If Justin ended up in prison, what prices would these children have to pay en route to their expected end?
Voices intruded from the living room as she stepped out of the boys’ room and walked back down the hall.
Justin?
Her quickly beating heart propelled her forward. Once back in the living room, she stopped short and looked around. Dad’s snores were the only sounds in the room besides the voices from the video in the TV. She glanced at the box, ready to turn it off when she realized the scene playing itself out on the screen was far from a cartoon.
She moved close to the TV and sat on the floor. Taking the remote, she did a scan/rewind until she came to the end of the cartoons, where someone had begun recording.
Heart in her throat, Keri watched a woman who could only be Amelia. The woman opened the door and a man stepped through it. A gasp escaped Keri’s lips.
Rick. I KNEW it!
“It’s about time,” Amelia snapped. “Give it to me.”
Rick pulled a bag from his jacket pocket. Keri peered closer and scowled. The clear bag contained white powder. She was pretty sure it was cocaine.
Amelia reached, but Rick jerked it back. “All in good time,” he taunted.
Revulsion twisted Keri’s gut as the woman shifted tactics, she slithered close and wrapped her arms about his waist. Clearly moved, Rick kissed her soundly and passionately.
“Now, how about that bag?” Amelia said, her voice husky as she made a grab for the loot still hidden in his hand.
Oh, Justin. How could you have ever married a woman like that?
“First we need to discuss these terms of yours,” he said. His other hand wrapped around her wrist, and he pushed her from him.
“There’s nothing to discuss. I like the way things have been going.” She turned around, and a sly smile slid over her lips, though her back was to Rick.
Keri frowned. The woman was stupid enough to play a dangerous game with a man like Rick, but obviously smart enough to know she could be in danger and should therefore videotape the encounter. Even if it made her look bad—which it did.
“I’ve decided you’re going to have to get off the drugs.”
Amelia gave a nervous laugh. “You’ve decided that? Who are you to tell me what to do, Rick? I think we both know who holds the cards here.”
“Don’t push me, darling.” The chill in his voice sent an icy shiver down Keri’s spine.
“Don’t threaten me, darling.”
Rick moved closer. His face was twisted and red. Anger radiated from him like fog over a field on a humid, summer morning. Keri tensed. She didn’t want to watch a murder, but she desperately needed to see how this played out, if it indeed held the key to Justin’s freedom. Her instincts screamed for her to stay with it. Not that anything could have induced her to turn off this tape in a million years.
“Now you listen here, you little tramp. That’s my baby you’re carrying and I’m not going to give my Joy a deformed kid. You’re going to get clean and stay that way until the baby is born. Is that clear?”
“So you can take all the drugs you want, and I just get to watch? Forget it. Give me that bag.” Keri recognized the panic of a junkie in bad need of a fix.
“It’s not going to happen.”
“I think you’re forgetting one very important detail.
”
“I’m not forgetting anything, sweetheart.” Coming from his curled lips, the word sounded like anything but an endearment.
Keri shuddered at the warning in his tone. She longed to caution Amelia to shut up. Not to push him anymore. But of course, she knew better.
“Remember, I saw what I saw. Wouldn’t the mission board be interested to discover how you supplement the pitiful wage you earn as their administrator?”
“Are they going to believe you, doll? Do you really think they’d believe a junkie tramp over a respected member of a thriving church and the minister of mercy to those poor drunks who come in off the street?”
“Do you want to take that chance? Especially now, when your beloved Joy will finally get the baby she’s not woman enough to make for herself?”
His hand shot out and grabbed her throat. He pressed her against the wall and moved in so they were nose to nose. “Don’t push me, Amelia. Or so help me…”
A strangled eek escaped the woman’s clenched throat and he let her go. She slithered down the wall and sat hard on the floor.
Rick stared down at her, a sneer marring his face. “Like I said. You’re staying clean until the baby is born. And then you’re going away with enough money to keep you gone forever. That’s the deal, and you’re sticking to it.”
A guttural shriek rose from Amelia. At the animalistic cry, Keri nearly jumped from her skin.
“What’s that?” Dad’s startled shout added to Keri’s tension.
“Shh. Dad, it’s okay.” She paused the tape. “Come look at what’s on the end of the boys’ cartoon tape. It looks like I was right about Rick after all. Somehow, Justin’s wife had the gumption and brains to hide a camera and tape this conversation. So far I’ve discovered that the baby she’s carrying belonged to Rick and that they’re both heavily into drugs.”
“Rick? Justin’s friend?”
“So-called,” Keri answered, tasting the bitterness on her tongue. She pressed the button and the figures on screen resumed their movement. Amelia slammed into Rick from behind and he lost hold of the bag. Its contents flew across the room and powdered the floor.
Reasonable Doubt Page 17
