“You’re absolutely right.” She’d thought long and hard on how to go about this without damaging her future. “I called my attending this morning. I discussed my options with him and he agreed that my plan is a viable one. Since I’m a third-year resident, I have a number of elective hours remaining. I’m going to stay here and ensure Braddockdoes his job. While I’m here, whether for a few weeks or a few months, I can help out at the clinic to fulfill my elective hours. My attending was quite impressed with the idea. He believes the experience will serve me well in the future, both personally and professionally.”
CJ took a breath. She’d gotten it out without falling apart or stumbling. There was no reason for Edward not to see the brilliance in her plan.
He considered her announcement for a time. “Your proposal is sound. And your attending is quite right. Service in a disadvantaged area such as this will show compassion and selflessness.”
There was abutcoming. She steeled for it.
“I understand that you feel you must do this. My only reservation would be about allowing yourself to get caught up in the people and problems here. This is your hometown and it’s very easy to permit a sense of obligation to stand in the way of better things. The misery in this village will drain your determination and ambition if you are not very careful.”
He presented a rational, practical case. That was true. But Shelley hadn’t been his sister. As hard as he tried, he couldn’t possibly know how she felt. Not deep inside, where this horrific act had left a hole so deep CJ worried she might just fall in and disappear.
Before she could restate her case, he went on, “Let me hire a private investigator to find the truth. Waiting for the police to come through will be frustrating and perhaps pointless.”
There was an option she hadn’t considered. “I appreciate the offer, Edward.” She clasped her hands, struggled to find the right words to explain what she felt. “You’ve always been there when I needed you. But this is something I have to do personally.”
“Do the police have anything at all in the way of evidence or suspects? What about that Banks fellow? He was the one who hurt Shelley a few weeks ago, was he not?”
“He says not.” CJ understood perfectly that, like Braddock, he wasn’t telling her the whole story. “He also swears he’s not the fatherof Shelley’s child. But I’m not so sure. Shelley had been tangled up with him for most of her life. My work at the clinic will give me the opportunity to talk to the people who come in. Maybe find the answer to this awful puzzle.”
“Do you have a theory as to why Banks resorted to murder? There has to be a motive even for an unsavory character such as him.”
That was the part she didn’t quite understand yet. “Banks claims he’s innocent. He says Shelley was involved with Tyrone Nash. But so is he. I don’t know if he’s just trying to shift guilt. But ...” CJ shook her head. “I can’t get past the idea that he is most likely the father of the baby she was carrying. I have no choice but to wait for the answer to that question. A DNA test can determine paternity. But that takes time and cooperation from him.”
“We could offer a reward for credible information,” he suggested. “Money talks, as they say.”
He was so sweet. To be honest, the idea was tempting. “That’s a very kind gesture, Edward. But I’m afraid we’d be inundated with false leads and misinformation. I really believe the only way to do this is by using the back-door strategy. Anything we do that tips off the person responsible is going to blow up in our faces.”
Edward stood. “Let me take you out for an early dinner. I’m sure you’re exhausted. And tonight you’ll stay in my home. A good night’s sleep will do wonders.”
CJ willed her body to rise. He was right. She was exhausted. “I thought I’d continue to stay here.” Other than last night, she hadn’t stayed here in months ... not since learning about Shelley and Braddock. She’d stayed with Edward whenever she visited, which had only been twice since late February. “I need to be here.” She didn’t know any other way to explain the urge to be near Shelley’s things.
“I’d like to be able to convince you otherwise, but ...” He bowed his head in acquiescence. “If you feel staying here is necessary, so be it.”
Relief left her already weary body weak. That had gone far more easily than she’d expected. Edward was a good friend. He wanted thebest for her. But he didn’t understand that no matter how Shelley had hurt CJ and taken advantage of her, she was still CJ’s little sister.
She walked him to the door. “Thank you, Edward.” She drew in a satisfying breath, the first in several days. “I can always count on you.”
“Call me if you need me.”
He gave her a hug. She inhaled deeply. The subtle scent of his crisp sandalwood cologne reminded her that there were some things she could depend on.
Standing in the door, she watched him drive away. Then she closed the door and sagged against it.
Alone again.
She looked around the sparsely furnished room. Inhaled the familiar pungent scents.
Alone with the ghosts of her past.
She shuddered when she thought of the message she’d washed off the bedroom wall:Stay and there’ll be two dead bitches.
Neither Tyrone Nash nor Ricky Banks was going to scare her off. She would find some boards or something to nail over that broken window, then push a piece of furniture in front of it. And until this was over, she would keep every window and door locked no matter how damned hot it got in the house. Motivated by the thought, she checked the windows to ensure they were locked.
She was going to finish this.
As if her determination had somehow summoned him, she recognized the sedan across the street and halfway down the block. Jenkins was back on duty.
Braddock wasn’t backing off the surveillance.
