by Linda Warren
“I got my rod and reel working really good. We caught two bass and Aunt Fran cleaned them. Wow, Dad, she cleans fish like a man. I helped, too. Now we’re gonna have them for supper. I was really good and did everything Aunt Fran told me. Grandpa’s sleeping, so I didn’t get to tell him yet. He’ll be so surprised. Claire cried like a little baby ’cause we killed the fish and she said she wasn’t eating it. She doesn’t understand fishing. She’s a girl. Aunt Fran’s making her a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.” Trey opened the refrigerator door. “See, there’s our fish. What do you think?”
“Son, I think you need to take a breath.”
“Ah, Dad. I’m excited.”
“I know.” He ruffled his son’s hair. “I’m glad you had a good time, and I’m happy you minded Aunt Fran.”
“They were no problem,” his aunt said, reaching for a frying pan.
“I’m going to my study....” His cell buzzed. There was a disturbance at the café. Headed toward the door, he said, “This won’t take me long.”
“We’re helping Aunt Fran cook supper,” Trey called after him.
The call took about ten minutes. A guy had ordered fried chicken, and he didn’t like the way it tasted and refused to pay. The problem was, he ate every bit of it, and Carson explained that once he ate it he had to pay for it. The man became belligerent, and Carson told him he could either get out his wallet or be booked into the county jail. He paid but said he was never coming back.
He told Bea she had to do something about the situation. She said she’d hired a new cook, which should solve the problem. Carson wasn’t so sure. Everyone’s loyalty was to Hilary. The Brooks girls were easy to...
Getting into his car, he paused. Did he love Jena? He wanted to. It was just so complicated, and he didn’t want to analyze it much further. They faced insurmountable odds, but if they were meant to be together, they would. He had to believe that.
After supper, he went to his study, and the kids watched a movie with Pa in his room. He was reading through the journal pages he’d scanned when Levi walked in.
“Aunt Fran let me in,” Levi said, sinking into a chair.
“Did you get the call?”
“Yeah. The D.A.’s office outlined what they need from me.”
“And that would be?”
“Solid evidence to reopen the murder case of Jared Corbett. Seems Jared had a journal. I didn’t get to see it because it was locked in the safe, but I got the gist of it.”
Carson laid a printed page in front of him. “That’s the last entry on the day he died. Why did I never connect the embezzlement with the murder?”
Levi picked up the paper. “Because you were dealing with Jared’s murder. You didn’t have time to catch your breath before you had to return to duty. At that time you didn’t know about the embezzlement. You had your hands full taking care of family. When you came home for good, there was no way to connect the two. Everything pointed to Lamar. There was no evidence otherwise.” Levi pointed to the page in his hand. “Now it seems there is.”
“Yeah.” Carson told him how he’d found the journal. “Pa had that room locked up like a tomb. If he’d just let someone in, this might have been found years ago.”
“Have you told Asa about the journal?”
“Not yet. I’m biding my time.”
“Might be wise to wait until we have more evidence.”
“I was thinking the same thing, but I have to tell Aunt Fran tonight after the kids are in bed.”
“Good luck, buddy.” Levi pulled out his smartphone. “I spoke with Willie Bass this afternoon and got a signed statement from him, as I did with Mrs. Voltree. I located Curly Sanders in a small town outside of Bastrop. Plan to pay him a visit in the morning.”
“You don’t let any grass grow under your feet.”
“Hell, no. I get paid for being prompt and getting facts that can win cases.”
Carson smiled slightly. Levi was a former cop turned private investigator and was well-known for getting the job done—his way. There was no one tougher than Levi, except maybe Ethan. Maybe because they’d all grown up tough.
“What time do you want to leave in the morning?” Carson asked.
“That’s what I came over to ask. What time can you get away?”
“Probably around eight. I have to talk to Aunt Fran again about watching the kids. And Jena’s coming with us.”
Levi frowned. “Is that wise?”
“After what Roland and Curly did to her, she has a right to confront them.”
“Carson...”
“Don’t start, Levi. And before you ask, yes, I have feelings for her, so that will save you from grilling me. I know it’s complicated and...”
Levi held up a hand. “I’m the last person to give advice on affairs of the heart. Go where your heart takes you, buddy, and when it’s all said and done we’ll still be friends.”
“Sorry. I’m a little touchy about the subject.”
“It’s a touchy situation, so let’s move on.” Levi looked at his phone. “The D.A. is hiring a handwriting expert to prove the handwriting in the journal is Jared’s. I need something with Jared’s signature. Maybe his driver’s license or something from school that clearly shows it’s his.”
“I’ll get it from his room.” It didn’t take Carson long to find items in Jared’s room: his driver’s license, a football sign-up form and one of the other journals that had his name and address written on the inside flap.
Levi left soon after, and they arranged to meet early in the morning. He called Jena to let her know, and then he put his kids to bed. Aunt Fran was getting Asa ready for bed. He waited until she was through.
“Aunt Fran, could we talk for a minute?”
“Sure.” She followed him into his study.
“I didn’t tell you this morning, but I found Jared’s missing journal.”
“Oh, my.” She sank into a chair.
He told her about the meeting with the sheriff and the D.A. and pushed the last page of the journal toward her. She read it quickly.
“Jared went to meet Roland?”
“Yes.”
“What does all this mean?”
“It means that Roland framed Lamar for the murder because Jared found out he was taking money from the Bar C. Roland fooled everyone, including Pa. He spread rumors about Jena and Lamar, and he made it all believable—so believable that Pa wouldn’t believe the child Jena was carrying was Jared’s.” He pushed more of the pages toward his aunt. “Jared wrote about Jena. He slept with her one time. She was a virgin. Lamar had beaten her, and she was bruised and crying. Jared tried to comfort her and one thing led to another. They both regretted it, but then they were faced with a pregnancy—two young kids not knowing what to do and no one to help them.”
“I never dreamed it was anything like that. Those poor kids.”
Now he had to tell her the hard part, and it took all the courage he had. “I had to tell the D.A. the whole story, and that included Pa’s forcefully taking Jena’s baby.”
“Carson!” Her eyes flew wide with fear.
“I’ve asked him repeatedly for the truth about the baby, but he refused. That left me no choice. Everything will come out now, and since Roland was Pa’s right hand, I’m hoping he knows what happened to the child. Anyway, the next few days will be tense and I wanted you to know in case rumors start to circulate.”
“Are you going to tell your father?”
“Eventually, but I want solid evidence in my hand when I do.” He ran a hand through his hair. “And I want you to be prepared for the worst. Pa will probably be arrested.”
“Oh.” The fear was gone from her eyes; they held more of a complacency, an acceptance of the inevitable. “What are we going to do?”
“I’ll hire a good lawyer and protect him every way I can. Though I’m not sure he deserves that.”
“You’re a good son.”
As Carson went to bed, he didn’t feel like a good son. He felt conflicted and torn, but in his heart he knew he was doing the right thing.
* * *
JENA RUSHED TO get out of the house the next morning, which wasn’t easy since her sister had taken control of the kitchen. She’d already made the coffee run for the guys, and Jena understood why they liked Hil so much. She made lattes for them and added special ingredients that each liked, such as nutmeg, cinnamon, chocolate or caramel or a dollop of whipped cream.
Jena snatched a muffin and ate as she dressed. She wore capris, a cotton blouse and flats. As she went through the kitchen, Hil was making pie crust and Mama was trying to help.
“I might be late,” she called.
Hil followed her to the door. “Just get the evidence you need.” They’d talked last night, and she’d told her sister everything, except her feelings for Carson. Those were still very new and personal.
Carson and Levi were ready to go when she reached the office. She liked Levi and she didn’t feel awkward around him. Carson drove and Levi complained about that the whole way. They were fun to listen to, and her nerves relaxed as she prepared herself for the day.
They located Curly Sanders without a problem, but once he knew what they wanted, he clammed up and said he wasn’t talking to anyone but the D.A. The moment Curly saw her, his ruddy complexion turned a sickly gray, and he probably knew all the lies were about to be revealed.
They followed Curly into San Marcos, and Carson warned him if he tried to get away the highway patrol would pick him up in minutes. Carson and Levi marched him into the D.A.’s office. Levi had called ahead to tell Ms. Stanton they were on their way.
The D.A. was in court, so they had to wait. The room was very quiet as the four of them sat in the outer office.
Curly was restless and couldn’t seem to sit still. Finally he looked directly at her. His thinning curly blondish-gray hair hung around his shoulders. His skin was like wrinkled leather from too many cigarettes. A snake tattoo ran up his arm to his neck. He was scary, but Jena’s eyes never wavered from his.
“I never meant to hurt you,” he said, his voice barely audible.
“But you did,” she replied.
Before anything else was said, Riva and her entourage came in. They shook hands. “I think it best if you stay out here,” she said to Carson and Jena. “He’ll say more without you in the room.”
Carson nodded, and Levi, an assistant D.A. and Curly followed Riva into her office.
“You okay?” Carson asked.
“Yes, but I wanted to smash his face in, and I’m not a violent person. Looking at him made me feel like that weak teenage girl who had no way to help herself.”
Carson glanced at his watch. “This is going to take a while.” He took her hand. “There’s a sandwich shop not far from here. Let’s get a bite and you can relax.”
“I don’t need you to protect me. I can handle this.” For some reason she wanted him to know she wasn’t that weak teenager anymore.
“I know, but I’m hungry.”
They walked to the shop. The June day was beautiful with bright sunshine and a clear blue sky. A slight breeze stirred her hair, and birds chirped in the trees. Peaceful. The feeling stayed with her as they ate a sandwich with iced tea. They didn’t talk much. That was one of the things she loved about Carson. They didn’t need a lot of words. They seemed to understand each other.
They ordered a roast-beef sandwich and iced tea to go for Levi. It had been over an hour and the meeting was still going on. Just as they took their seats, the door opened and Levi came out. A deputy entered and escorted Curly out. Curly glanced at her before he went through the door.
“How did it go?” Carson asked.
“The lady herself will tell you,” Levi whispered.
Riva came out as if on cue. “Sorry that took so long, but I wanted to get every detail I could.” She took a breath. “He was with Roland Stubbs the day he shot your brother, Mr. Corbett. You were right.”
Carson paused before he answered, and she knew the news was hard for him to hear, even though he’d been expecting it. “What else did he say?”
“He said Roland told him they had to get rid of Jared. He was going to ruin everything. They found Lamar Brooks’s truck in a ditch on a county road. He was passed out drunk. Roland stole his shotgun and used it to kill Jared. I asked if Roland also shot Lamar, and he said he wasn’t with him if he did and Roland never told him anything about it. We were lucky. We got a man with a conscience and a soul he’s trying to save. He found God in prison.”
The D.A. turned to Jena. “He seems genuinely contrite for what happened to you, and he gave us an account of everything that happened in the basement of the Corbett home. I emphasized how important it was for him to tell us what happened to the baby, but he said he didn’t know, and I’m inclined to believe him.”
“Thank you,” Jena said.
“He did say, though, that after leaving you with your mother he went to the bunkhouse, threw up and went to bed. Roland apparently went to the house to see Mr. Corbett.”
“So Roland might know?”
“Yes. I’m in contact with the warden in Livingston, where Stubbs is housed. As soon as I get an appointment, I’ll let you know. I plan to speak to Mr. Stubbs myself.”
“Thank you so much.” There was hope and that was all Jena could see.
“Mr. Corbett, I’m sorry, but I will be issuing a warrant for your father’s arrest. What he did was wrong and criminal, and I can’t ignore that. I will honor your request, though, and notify you before that happens.”
Carson cleared his throat. “Thank you.”
Jena had spent many nights dreaming of revenge. She’d wanted Asa to pay in the worst way. But one look at the expression on Carson’s face told her revenge wasn’t so sweet. An unexpected pain shot through her. Why did love have to hurt like this?
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
THE RIDE HOME was made in almost complete silence. Even Levi was quiet. There was nothing left to say. Carson’s theory about Roland killing Jared was confirmed, but the situation with his father was eating at him. The last thing he said to her was, “I’ll call when I hear from the D.A.”
They’d just hit a big roadblock and neither knew how to approach it—go around or over it. She’d returned to Willow Creek with one goal: to find her baby. Now it was about so much more. She’d let her heart get involved.
Jena shook the thoughts from her mind and drove home. Hilary was in the kitchen washing the ice-cream maker. A wad of money was on the table.
“Hey, you’re back. I’m just finishing up for the day.” Hilary set the ice-cream maker on a dish towel to dry. “How did it go?”
Jena told her what had happened.
“So it’s true. Roland killed Jared and framed Dad. I’m not sure anyone’s going to believe that.”
“They will. The story will probably be all over Willow Creek in a week, especially if Roland confesses from jail.”
“But you still don’t have a clue what happened to the baby?”
“No. But I’m hoping the district attorney can get that information out of Roland.”
Hil hugged her. “Keeping my fingers crossed, sis.”
“Thanks.” Out of the corner of her eye Jena saw paint cans stacked in the utility room. “What’s with the cans?”
“Oh. Billy Jack called and said that Lowe’s was getting rid of some colors they don’t carry anymore. Five dollars a gallon, so I bought enough to paint the inside of the house. I got cranberry-red to paint one wall here in the kitchen. Going to repaint the cabinets white and add red knobs. It’ll be so
cool.”
“I thought we were budgeting our money.”
“Come on, sis. We need to freshen up our home. It will help me fight depression when I have to go door to door selling cookies.”
It was hard to be upset with Hilary when she was so cheerful about their situation. “How are we going to paint without disturbing Mama?”
“At night, dear sis. In the morning Mama won’t know the difference. But I don’t plan to do anything to her room. It might be too much.”
That night she called Blake and told him the news.
“I guess you didn’t need me after all.” His voice sounded hurt.
“It’s not over yet.”
“But you’re doing fine on your own. I hope you find your child, Jena. You deserve that.”
“Thank you.” Blake was complacent, agreeable, and that wasn’t like him. “I’m not sure how much longer I’ll be here.”
“Tianna has taken over your job until you return” was his startling answer.
“Do I still have a job?”
“Of course, but after our last talk I’ve decided to give you your space and stop pressuring you.”
She was speechless. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Just do what you have to do and we’ll talk when you return.”
“Thank you, Blake.” Clicking off, she was glad he was finally getting the message. There was no future for them. And it was a relief to know in spite of that, her job was secure.
Over the next two days she helped Hilary with the house and her cooking adventures. After the paint job and new knobs, the kitchen looked so different, they both agreed they needed new linoleum. So it was another trip to the store. They bought the same linoleum Hil had in the utility room, a white block pattern, and Bruce installed it for a chocolate pie. The price was unbeatable.
The work in the house didn’t seem to faze their mother. At times she would say how nice everything looked. Other times she was unaware of what was going on around her. Every day she seemed to sink further and further into herself.
One of Hil’s friends came and towed the junk car in the yard away. He gave them a hundred dollars for it, and she and Hil were both pleased. It helped to pay for supplies.
