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Lori’s face looked thoughtful, and she held up her hand. “No, I’d say for her to begin with last night’s school. We know Jessica went to the same school she shot up.”
“Right. And we know that Jeb went to Grimshaw High.”
“So it stands to reason if Billy didn’t go to Carlton, maybe JR did. It’s a thought anyway. Carlton’s one of Houston’s exclusive institutions for the wealthy. Mellie’s friend Leanne said this kid with Jessica was too good for her… too rich, good looking, tall and kind of arrogant.” Lori’s instincts began to unfurl.
Larry, who’d been listening to their conversation, broke in. “I’m on it. Get me her address. I’ll forward her the links if you send a letter explaining what it is we need from her.”
Beau had his phone in his hand, texting Mellie. In seconds, he had what he needed and sent the email address on to Larry. Then he used the phone number that Mellie had added and spoke to Leanne personally. Within a few moments he had her agreement to work with Larry.
Lori, who’d been going over the paperwork on her desk during this time, shoved it aside, took the last sip from her cup, and rose. “I’m on my way to see Jessica at the hospital. I’ll poke the little darling and see what she has to say.”
Beau followed her to the car. “I want in on this discussion. Maybe I can get her to talk if she won’t open up to you. In case you didn’t notice, I have a way with the ladies,” he joked.
“What, you going to woo her? They say you’re a whiz at that kind of behavior.” Once the words were out, Lori suddenly turned her face away so he couldn’t read her expression.
Continuing the teasing rather than letting seriousness enter their joking, he made his voice rise solemnly. “Liars. All liars. I’m a good Christian boy and would never stray from my religious upbringing.”
Lori giggled. “You do know who you’re talking to, right?”
Beau flushed. “Bite my tongue. I’ve gotta learn to bite my tongue.” He put his hand on her back to lead her to their vehicle and neither saw the dude who watched from the corner. The dude wearing the evil grin, stalking his opponents, preparing for his next move in the game.
***
By the time they arrived at the hospital, Beau began to feel normal again. Lori had stopped searching her phone, putting up that perfect barrier between them. He sensed she didn’t want anything personal mentioned, and he honored her decision.
But the quiet got to him and he had to fill the void. “Mellie shocked the hell outta me last night, finding her sleeping in my bed.”
“Why was she there… in your bed I mean?”
Stunned by her choice of words, he flushed, and his head whipped toward her. “Not like that. For God sakes, she’s a kid. My goddaughter.”
Speaking over him, she corrected her earlier suggestion. “No, no. I didn’t mean it like it sounded. I only meant… sorry.”
They stared at each other for the few seconds it took for his eyes to be off the road, and then he twisted his vision back on his driving. His voice now hardened, gritting his question, “So, whatdidyou mean?”
“I meant that she didn’t go to the guest room is all. I guess your place is small.”
Settling down, his anger waning from the look of desperation she wore, he answered her question calmly. “The house has three bedrooms actually, but the only one with a bed in it is my room. One I use for my office and the other for storage. I’m a bachelor. Besides, Mellie wanted to catch me before I turned in and figured I’d see her there. My living room is separate, not visible from the front door. If she slept there, I might have gone straight to bed and not seen her at all.”
“And, being a smart young lady, she knew your bed would be the comfiest place in the house, right?”
“That too,” Beau grinned. “She’s a monkey.”
“And you adore her.”
“That obvious?”
“She’s very lucky to have you and her parents to be there for her. It takes a village to raise a well-grounded kid nowadays… even a small village.”
Just then they stopped at the hospital parking lot and Beau turned to Lori. “Not like poor Jessica. That kid’s only had village idiots.”
“I know. It’s probably why she’s protecting the one person who seems to have cared for her at all – JR.”
Beau stiffened as though a thought burst forward. “What if we’re just surmising that this guy influenced her… influenced any of them?”
Lori made a grimace, her face totally thoughtful of his question. “Okay, let’s go over Jessica’s situation. She shows up in the school with an AK-15 and no idea how to use it… oh, and no funds to buy it. She believes her mentor, boyfriend, co-killer – whatever you want to call him – is actually with her for the incident. Together, they’re getting justice for this horrible injustice done to her. I figure that’s the only reason she carried through with the plan.”
“Then he didn’t show up but sent another patsy in his place, Tyler Jonas.”
