Victoria hadn’t mentioned anything about JJ. Had Joe told her the complete truth? He’d told her about the relationship, but did he tell her about the product of it? Reid didn’t want to be the one to volunteer that information. It wasn’t his place. But they needed to know why Joe had sent something to Quinn.
“Do you know why he would have shipped a letter to Quinn after all of these years?” Reid asked.
Victoria folded her hands on the table. “It was probably a forgiveness letter.”
“A forgiveness letter?” he and Quinn asked at the same time.
“Yes. About two years ago, Joe started gambling. We were going to lose everything to his addiction if he didn’t stop. We fought a lot, and that led him to drink the problems away. I told him to get help or I was leaving. I can forgive a lot of things, but I wasn’t going to sit by and watch him drink himself to death.”
Reid hadn’t kept in touch with Joe all that much after splitting ways and starting his own business. Cases brought them together a few times over the years, but he’d had no idea Joe had spiraled out of control like that.
“He checked into a rehab center and sobered up. While there, he connected with a self-help individual. He continued seeing the man after his release.” Victoria picked up the silverware again and started peeling the sticky tape. “One of the things he had Joe do was go through things in his past and write letters to those he’d wronged. The man said the first step in self-forgiveness was to ask others for forgiveness for his past mistakes.”
Quinn went rigid beside him. Was it because Victoria was referring to Quinn as a mistake? Wasn’t she the one that had called Joe a mistake?
“Given your past relationship,” Victoria continued, “I assume he was asking you for forgiveness.”
“That makes sense, but why would someone kidnap me to steal the letter?”
“Oh, you poor thing.” Victoria grabbed Quinn’s hand. “I don’t know. Are you sure it was about the envelope?”
“Yes. They kidnapped her when we went to pick up the delivery.” Reid’s gaze bounced between Victoria and Quinn.
“I don’t know, dear.” She pulled her hand back. “Unless… Joe was down here on a case when he met you. Maybe, whatever or whoever it was about was mentioned in that letter, and whoever they were didn’t want any details leaked.”
That was a strong possibility. It wouldn’t be the first time a PI was attacked by an angry client. “Do you remember anything about the case he was working on?”
“He never talked work with me. When he confessed about your relationship, he did say it was a case that would have a huge fallout when it came out. You were seeing him at the time. Did he say anything to you?” Disdain laced her words.
Quinn shifted beside him, bumping him with her shoulder. This was obviously an uncomfortable conversation.
A phone beeped. Victoria pulled one from her purse and checked it. “That’s from Andrew. He’s done.” She slid out of the booth.
He stood. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” She turned to Quinn. “I hope they find whoever is after you.”
“Thank you.”
“Reid’s a good guy. He’ll keep you safe.” She patted his shoulder.
“Let me know when the services are,” Reid said.
“I will.” She dipped her head, turned, and exited the diner.
“Well, that wasn’t as helpful as I’d hoped,” he said, “but it did give us a place to start.”
“It did?” Quinn’s voice was low and soft. She had sat back down in the booth, dazed. Tears pooled in her eyes.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. It’s just a lot to take in.” She stood again. “Let’s get JJ and get out of here.”
He let her go get JJ alone. Something Victoria said had gotten to her, and she probably needed a moment to gather herself.
Just as he expected, when she and JJ came back out, Quinn had reverted to the carefree mother she was around JJ. It must be hard playing two roles. The mother who comforts her child and tells him everything is going to be okay—and the woman who isn’t so sure.
Together, they walked to the car. He would add the lead Victoria had just given him to the list he’d gotten from Emily yesterday. He’d gone through it when he’d woken up in the middle of the night. It contained mostly cheating spouses who blamed Joe for ending their marriages. There were a drug dealer and a murder suspect on the list, too. Definitely people to check out if Victoria’s lead didn’t pan out.
