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Then the lightness Jimmy had been feeling dwindled.

“It’s just… The day she died,” he said absently, his mind wandering. “The phone…” He thought of Cold’s voice rumbling in his ear to snap himself away from teetering into darker memories. “Anyway! Sorry. So, yeah. When I turned eighteen and got away from you know who, Maury was the first person I ran to.”

“You mean Detective Duplin,” Rowena said with a thoughtful bite of egg.

“Yeah.” Jimmy picked at his plate. “He… Well, I guess you know now. We haven’t talked in a very long time.”

“Come on, sweetie.” Rowena patted Jimmy’s arm. “You can give me all the dirty details on the way.” She guzzled her drink as she poured Jimmy’s neglected one into the pitcher. She grinned as she grabbed the pitcher and then her giant purse from the floor. “Jerry, we are ready!”

Jimmy hurried to grab a few more bites of his eggs as Rowena dragged him toward the front door. On the way to the pawn shop, he spilled his guts, telling Rowena about the fights, about Augustus trying to keep him from seeing his father and his staunch refusal to believe that David might be innocent.

“And you saw it?” Rowena said quietly when Jimmy had finished, still a few blocks from their destination.

“Yeah,” Jimmy said with a sad smile.

“And Augustus thinks, what? You imagined it?” Rowena looked angry for a second but visibly tried to calm herself down. She was clearly not a big fan of Augustus, and this only solidified her already unfavorable opinion.

“I guess.” Jimmy shrugged. “He would never say why he was so convinced, he just said he knew my dad did it. He kept saying that there was never anyone else there. But I know I saw the Man in White. I saw what he did.”

Emptying the last of the pitcher into her glass before sucking down a big gulp, Rowena tilted her head at the name. “The what now?”

“He was wearing a white coat,” Jimmy explained. “That’s all I can remember. I think maybe I used to be able to see his face? But not anymore. I guess it’s been too long.”

“I’m really sorry.” Rowena touched Jimmy’s knee. “Augustus Duplin is a fuckin’ dick.”

“Yeah. I think he thought he was helping? I just wish he believed me. Maury is the only one who does.” He couldn’t help but smile now, his cheeks warming. “Well, and your brother.”

Rowena grinned at that, teasing, “Oh, I bet he does! And hey, I believe you too.” She squeezed Jimmy’s knee. “I hope you know I still want to be friends.”

“You’re not mad about the whole my adopted dad is a cop trying to arrest your brother thing?”

“Why would I be? It’s not your fault he’s a prick.” Rowena snorted. “I mean, I wish you had said something, but—”

“I tried telling your brother!”

“Hey, hey,” Rowena soothed. She took another sip of her drink and shook her head. “It’s okay. We all have dirty little secrets, Jimmy. Me, you, Roddy, even that bastard Augustus Duplin.”

It was hard to imagine Augustus with any dirty secrets, but Jimmy nodded all the same. He smiled as the limo pulled up in front of the pawn shop. “Hey! We’re here!”

Rowena exited the limo gracefully with Jerry’s assistance. She still moved effortlessly despite having almost downed an entire pitcher of mimosas by herself, heels clicking against the sidewalk as she approached the door of the shop.

Jimmy followed, opening the door for her and then hurrying inside behind her. “Hey, Maury! It’s me! I got somebody—”

“You fuckin’ dumbass! I shoulda never told you none of that fuckin’ shit!” Maury raged from somewhere in the back. “I told you, I fuckin’ told yous not to get all mixed up, and what d’ya do? You go and try to fall in love with a fuckin’ gangster!”

“Maury!” Jimmy hissed.

Rowena grinned savagely as she leaned across the counter, not saying a word, clearly pleased that she was privy to this conversation.

“And not just any gangster, but fuckin’ Boss Cold! Fuckin’ Roderick Legrand! Come on, kid. This was about you gettin’ your shit handled and not endin’ up in a damn coffin!” Maury continued to shout as he shuffled toward the counter. “You fuckin’ stupid, scrawny…”

Maury appeared then, trailing off when he saw that Jimmy wasn’t alone.

“You must be Maury the Mouth,” Rowena greeted cheerfully. “A living legend, here in the flesh.”

“You’re Rowena fuckin’ Legrand,” Maury said, gawking stupidly. He took off his hat, smoothing his hair back and smiling like a shy little boy. “Ma’am, can I just say your mugshots don’t do ya no fuckin’ favors, ’cause you are a stone-cold fox.”

Rowena giggled, completely charmed. “Aren’t you just a doll,” she cooed, reaching out and stroking her hand across Maury’s cheek.