Down Home and Deadly

glass doors and rushed up to the desk. “And I think he just arrived.” Seth said the last words in a whisper.
    After the desk sergeant showed the attorney to the room where Lisa waited, I dropped off the water to Bob and Wilma then hurried back into the hallway so I could catch John as he came out of the interrogation room.
    I touched his arm when he stepped out the door. “John, could I have a minute?”
    “You, again? You’re just like a bad penny.” It didn’t sound like a joke when he said it. “You have exactly” —h e looked at his watch —“ five minutes. That’s it.” He motioned me into his office. “And I’m only giving you that because you came through with the motive.”
    “This is all wrong. Lisa didn’t kill J.D.” I pushed the door shut. “She had no idea he was cheating on her. So she had no motive.”
    “Jenna, just go on home and let me do my job.” Déjà vu all over again. Hadn’t he said those exact words when he brought my nephew, Zac , in for questioning in an earlier murder case? And look how wrong he’d been then.
    “I’m not trying to keep you from doing your job . I’m just trying to keep you from looking like a fool.” I resisted the urge to stomp my foot for emphasis. “I’m telling you, she had no reason to kill him. I’ve talked to her about it.”
    “Riiight.” He drew out the word and shook his head. “And you think she’d just confess to you if she did it?” He looked at his watch. “I guess Bob has convinced you that she’s being framed?”
    “I believe she is being framed. If she’d used her gun, she’d have taken it back home with her and gotten rid of it. And why would she put a bloody towel under her seat?”
    He flinched.
    “Everybody knows about that. I heard it at the diner.”
    He nodded. “Small towns.”
    “And like I said, she didn’t know about Debbie and J.D. , so you don’t have motive.”
    He tapped his watch as if maybe it had stopped. “Look , I feel sorry for her parents just like you do, but I can’t let a murderer go free because I feel sorry for her family.”
    “You’re making a mistake if you charge her with murder.”
    “And you’re making a mistake if you continue to try to tell me how to do my job.” His voice rose. “But, for your information, I haven’t officially charged her. Yet.” Another glance at his watch. “Your time is up.”
    Bob and Wilma were still sitting exactly as they had been when I first walked in. The only difference was the unopened bottle of water each held.
    I sank into the empty chair beside Wilma and put my arm around her but could find no comforting words. The two of them were silent as the grave. I cleared my throat. “Did Lisa give them her alibi?” I hated to pry , but both John and Seth had mentioned that it wouldn’t hold up.
    “Yes.” Bob closed his mouth on that one word. Okay, this was weird. He had been so forthcoming before . N ow suddenly he clammed up?
    “And the police didn’t believe her?” I was fishing for information.
    “They believed her. They just said she had time to drive by and shoot J.D. first.” He looked down at the floor. “Thanks so much for coming by , Jenna. Lisa’s lawyer is here now , and I guess there’s nothing you can do.” He looked at Wilma. “Except take Wilma home for me.”
    She shook her head. “I’m staying with you.”
    “No, honey, go on home. You’ll need to get some rest so you can help us tomorrow.” He gently took her hand and helped her to her feet. “Please go home. I don’t want to have to worry about both my girls.”
    Still clutching her water, Wilma kissed him on the cheek. “Okay. But call me if you know anything. No matter what time it is.”

    *****
    After I walked Wilma in and was pulling out of her driveway, my phone rang. I flipped it open. “Hello?”
    “Jen?” Carly’s voice trembled.
    “What’s wrong?”
    She laughed. “Nothing.”
    “Nothing? You sound like you’ve been crying.”
    “Happy tears this time.”
    “Oh?” I slapped the steering wheel with one hand. “Spill it, S ister .”
    “Elliott asked me to marry him. And I said yes!”
    “Carly, that’s fantastic.” I forced myself not to ask any questions about the Travis situation. If they’d worked it out, that’s what mattered.
    “Jenna, he took me out to eat , and after dessert he got down on one knee.” She laughed again. “You should see the ring. It’s perfect!”
    Tears pricked at my eyes. “I can’t wait