AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Jessa gave in to an eye roll. “Yeah, you. Isn’t the former spouse always the presumed guilty party?”
Gabby shook her head, clearly annoyed that Jessa wasn’t spilling whatever she knew. “Did anything come up during the divorce? Something he said, maybe a piece of information you found, to suggest Baines was in danger?”
Jessa’s fingers tightened around her coffee cup. “Gabby, really. Hear me when I tell you I didn’t work on the case.”
A sharp snap of silence traveled between them.
Gabby slumped back in her chair. The frenetic energy bouncing off her slowed. She seemed to regain control of whatever had her in a mental spin. “We both know that’s not true.”
“I signed a—”
“Stop,” Gabby said loud enough for a few of the other people in the coffee shop to turn around. Then Gabby lowered her voice. “Before I figured out who you really were, before your law school antics, we were friends. Back then we studied together. Ate together. Then one night I drank too much and told you about Liam.”
“About how you were engaged to the wrong brother? I remember.” The tidbit Jessa knew that no one else did. It was the moment in law school when she realized Gabby thought they were much closer friends than they were. That unequal affection had given Jessa the upper hand.
“And years later, you told Baines, or at least told his attorney,” Gabby said.
If it was a guess on Gabby’s part, it was an educated one. And correct. Telling Covington had earned Jessa points, but not enough. She’d still ended up on his bad side and too many steps away from a partnership offer despite the risk she’d taken to divulge the news. “Why would I do that?”
“Because you’re awful?”
Jessa didn’t want to hear this. Not now, when her life was finally taking the right turn. She stood up. “We’re done here.”
“If I’m right, someone killed Baines. Maybe one person. Maybe a group. Then they attacked me. In my own home. Either way, Loretta Swain’s name keeps popping up.”
Jessa forced out a laugh. She’d heard about the home invasion but tried to pretend it was one of those horrible living-in-the-metro-area things and not a warning from the group. “I really hope you publicly accuse an appeals court judge of murder. That will work out great for you.”
“Your name keeps showing up, too.”
Jessa rested her hands on the table and leaned down, face-to-face with Gabby. “I know we’re not friends, but I’m going to give you some advice.”
Gabby sighed. “I can hardly wait.”
“Stop this. Stop digging or looking for a better answer to what happened.” Jessa refused to let Gabby derail her progress. “Your ex is dead, and I’m sure you have some feelings of guilt, but he’s gone. Hanging out with a disgraced reporter and making outrageous claims that anyone can see are a bizarre overreach will lead you to a dark place. Get help for the attack and move on.”
“Now who’s threatening?”
Jessa stood up straight again. “You should thank me.”
“And you should be careful. You like to be part of the ‘in’ crowd. That’s who you are. You try to steal the shine of the people around you, but if I’m right, this ‘in’ crowd, these women, will turn around and destroy you.”
Shot landed.Jessa felt the killing blow vibrate through her.
Gabby’s words made her look backward and questioneverything, and Jessa was done with that. She didn’t want to face the worst parts of herself delivered by a person determined never to give her the benefit of the doubt.
Jessa grabbed her bag and her cup because it was time to make an exit. Forever. “Don’t contact me again.”
Chapter Forty-One
Jessa
Jessa got to Retta’s house three minutes early. She blamed Gabby for making her rush. For ticking her off. For saying things she didn’t need to say.
Jessa knew who and what she was. She’d taken shortcuts. She’d made choices others might find wrong or even despicable, but that had grown out of necessity. The law didn’t just come to her, like it did to Gabby. Picking out issues, putting the pieces together, seeing the bigger picture and forecasting possible problems—Jessa strained to make it all make sense. And when it didn’t, she found workarounds, used tactics to ensure she survived.
She needed this life. Watching it crumble around her over the last few weeks had convinced her of how precious her achievements were. The years of being loved only as a stand-in for her dead mother and failing to live up to unreasonable expectations were behind her. But the idea of scrimping and clawing, of silently begging for more attention, haunted her.
The pendulum had shifted. People now viewed her as a hero. She was all over the news.She’dprotected Ellie and Curtis.She’dfaced down Darren Bartholomew and his powerful family.Shehad credibility and would cling to it, not letting anyone rip it away.
