Jane’s team turned expectant faces her way when she entered the war room. While she was letting Augusta run the investigation into Lauren’s death, this was still her team, her job.
She set down a tray of coffee and a box of beignets from Pelican Brews on the table. “Good morning. We have a lot to go over, so I brought sustenance.”
The murmurs of joy made her smile, and she stepped out of the way with Parker so they could snatch coffee cups and beignets. She knew what they all liked so the drink tops held names.
Nora lifted her caramel macchiato in salute. “Thanks, boss.” She went back to her chair at the front table where she’d left her laptop and reports.
Augusta and Jackson echoed their thanks and slid back into their chairs as well. Jane ordered Parker to the corner where he settled on the floor with his head on his paws.
She gathered her thoughts and went to the whiteboard. “Good work yesterday. Most of the debris from the tornado was gone from the streets when I came in.”
Jackson nodded. “Everyone in town turned out to help.”
“Anyone hospitalized?”
“No, just minor cuts and scrapes. I think about five businesses are totaled and a few more have things like roof damage and broken windows. Several houses were damaged, including Olivia’s.”
“I saw it and took pictures. Olivia took it in stride.” Jane turned to the whiteboard. “I have a lot to report on my investigation into Gail Briscoe’s death. It may or may not be related to Lauren’s death, but the information is interesting.”
With the marker she jotted down the things she’d uncovered, including Gail’s attempted blackmailing of Lauren. “You know most of this, but I also talked to the state health board. I received the details of their investigation this morning, and I’ve uploaded those documents into our system.”
Jackson leaned forward and studied the listed points. “We still haven’t discovered who Lauren’s lover was. He might be the key to all this.”
“That’s what I think too. Maybe there’s some connection we’re missing.” Jane glanced at Augusta. “Any thoughts?”
Augusta set down her coffee. “I’ve been thinking about this obsessively. Someone wants Will to seem guilty. What could be the reason for that? Why would Lauren’s secret lover want to make a kid look like a murderer? It’s nutty.”
Jackson snapped his fingers. “Distraction or disruption. It’s accomplished both. The chief had to step away from the investigation, plus it’s distracting her from any other case in the department.”
Jane stared at him. “You’re right, Jackson. What would the perp want to distract me from investigating into if I’m focused on clearing Will?”
“Gail’s death,” Augusta said. “It’s the only other major case on our docket right now. So we’re missing something. If we figure it out, we figure out who’s behind this.”
The detective rose and went to stand by the whiteboard. “Gail was under investigation. Her lab was in dire financial straits—serious enough for her to attempt blackmailing a friend. Do we know anything about her business?”
Jane hadn’t looked into how long she’d owned it or anything about the actual lab. “Not really. I stopped by and questioned an employee, but he didn’t shed any light. I didn’t ask him how the business was structured or how long it had been in operation.”
Nora looked up from her laptop. “I found it. Been in business fifteen years, but she got a new loan two months ago, and there was paperwork filed to change to a partnership entity. The partner is Falls Trust. It seems to be a shell corporation.”
Jane wanted to slap her forehead. Such an elementary piece to overlook. “I should have looked there first. Two months ago. Could Lauren have given her the money after all? Maybe she was the partner.”
“If so, she would have taken over the business on Gail’s death,” Augusta said.
“But now she’s dead too, so it doesn’t seem likely.” Jane studied the board. “I wonder if the partner knew the lab was about to receive an injunction? With Gail dead, the investigation stopped because she was the guilty party.”
“You think the partner might have killed her?”
“Or had her killed. What’s the address on that shell corporation?”
“The Bahamas,” Nora said.
Fishier and fishier. A flash of hope shot up her spine. Maybe this would lead somewhere.
“Augusta, see if you can find out who is behind Falls Trust.”
“I can try, but those are often hard to open up.”
“If the lab was going under, the partner wouldn’t have much left. Unless he or she thought they could revive it before it went under.”
“Or maybe they didn’t want to be dragged into the limelight when Gail was arrested,” Nora said.
Jane flashed back to the things she’d discussed with Reid. “I know this is a crazy idea, but I wonder if it could have been Lauren’s lover? He’s someone who has maintained major secrecy about his identity. Reid and I ran through the type of people who might be irreparably hurt by scandal.”
“Interesting idea,” Augusta said. “But no proof.”
“No.” Jane glanced at Nora. “Any update on Lauren’s murder? No footprints or any other evidence along the riverbank?”
“Too many searchers tramping along the water so that’s a dead end.”
Jane had expected as much. “Anything else at all?” She hated revealing the desperation in her voice, but she couldn’t quite contain it.
Jane glanced around at the rest of the team. “Will is up for bail on Wednesday. We have two days to come up with a good reason for him to be released. Or to completely exonerate him and get the charges dropped.”
“I vote for the second option.” Augusta got up and hugged Jane.
A lump formed in Jane’s throat as she accepted the embrace and clutched her tightly. “Thank you, Augusta. Thank you all for your help and belief. It’s been a rough few days.” She called Parker to her and turned to exit.
“How is Will?” Nora asked as they left the room together.
“We saw him yesterday. He’s hanging in there but depressed and hurting. I want him home.”
“So do we.” Jackson touched her arm on the way out. “We’re all praying for him and pulling for a quick release.”
Her team’s support was heartwarming and much needed after so many obstacles to overcome.
* * *
Reid pressed on the intercom at the gate to Charles’s place. “Good morning, Charles. You wanted to see me?” Birds chirped in the woods around the compound, and the air smelled fresh after the storm.
“Come on in.” While the tinny voice was still speaking, the gate began to open.
Reid drove through and opened the other manual gates along the way to the house. He’d been shocked at the text asking him to come. At best he and Charles were guarded with one another. And he’d asked him to come without Jane, which felt sneaky.
There hadn’t been time to talk to her anyway. She’d been out of the house this morning by daybreak for an early consultation with her team. Reid had been praying constantly that something new would be discovered today.
Charles met him at the door, his shaggy white hair combed straight back and dressed in his shorts and tee. “That was fast. Coffee?”
“I wouldn’t say no.”
Reid followed him into the aroma of bacon and coffee in the kitchen. He accepted the mug the older man offered and took a fortifying sip. He’d tried to figure out what Charles could possibly want but had come up empty.
Charles indicated the stools at the island. “Have a seat. Breakfast?”
“No thanks. Coffee is fine. We saw Will yesterday. He seems to be dealing with it all okay.”
Charles poured coffee into a to-go cup and slid it to him. “We need to head out. I made a call to juvie and arranged to see Will. I have to bring you along though. I hope you’re okay with it.”
Reid blinked. “That’s fine. I wouldn’t turn down any opportunity to see Will.”
“Let’s go then.”
Reid took the cup of coffee and followed Charles outside. What had just happened? Charles seldom asked for anything, and he hadn’t this morning either. He’d just made arrangements and expected Reid to fall in line. It was going to take a while to figure the man out.
For the first part of the drive to Bay Minette, Reid tried to make small talk, but Charles replied with one-word answers and stared out the window at the passing scenery until Reid gave up. When they were ten minutes from the juvenile center, Charles finally turned to Reid.
“You’re good for Jane, Reid. I want you to know that.”
“Thank you. She’s good for me and Will.”
“Jane and I have always had a . . . difficult relationship. My fault, not hers. She wanted what I couldn’t give her. I’m not the warm sort of dad most girls need. Just who I am. Sometimes I look at her and can see she wants me to tell her I love her. I open my mouth and nothing comes out. Of course I love her. That’s why I dragged her out of that hellhole. That’s why I lied in the first place.”
The tension left Reid’s shoulders. “I think you should tell Jane all this, Charles. She’d listen, and it would warm her heart.”
“I don’t think I can. I’ve tried so many times. It’s not in me. I know what she sees in you. You’re everything I’m not—caring, warm, fiercely loving. I put food on the table and took care of things. It’s not enough for her though. I can see that, but I can’t fix it. I’m glad she has you.”
He reached over and gripped Charles’s shoulder in a quick squeeze, then released it. “I know Jane loves you, Charles. It would go a long way with her if you’d talk to her. She has so many questions about her mother. Why you really left her. Why she didn’t want to see Jane. I think you have more answers than you’re willing to admit.”
Charles looked at the road ahead. “I’d like to keep those memories sealed away. They’re more painful than you can imagine.”
“Not any more painful than mine. I had to face looking at pictures of my father murdering my mom in cold blood. I did it for Jane. For Will. If you reach down inside yourself to where you say you love Jane, you can summon the strength to talk to her too. You can work past all that.”
Charles nodded and put his hands in the pockets of his shorts. “I’ll think about it.”
“You could write her a letter if you can’t say the words. It might open up the dam.”
“I’m not the eloquent sort on paper or with words.”
“Plain truth doesn’t have to be eloquent.”
“I suppose not.”
Reid parked in the lot at juvie hall. “Does Will know you’re coming?”
“I didn’t talk to him, but I’m sure he knows by now. He should be waiting for us in a room.”
Reid wanted to know why Charles had arranged this meeting without Jane, but he kept his questions locked behind his teeth. After a few minutes of good-old-boy talk with Charles’s acquaintances, they were at the door to the same room as yesterday.
Will jumped up when he saw them. “Grandpa!” His voice wobbled, and he practically fell into Charles’s arms.
Reid’s heart squeezed to see the special bond between the two. Charles might have trouble sharing his feelings with Jane, but Will had no problem seeing right into his grandfather’s heart.
Reid took his turn hugging his son before they settled around the table.
“I didn’t expect to get to see you, Grandpa.”
“I pulled a few strings.” Charles stared at Will with a pensive expression. “False accusations like this are particularly hard to deal with. Being arrested is bad enough when you know you were in the wrong, but this isn’t your fault, Will. Not in any way.”
Will’s head lowered. “I shouldn’t have left her. It wasn’t gentlemanly. I should have stayed there until I was sure she was out of the water.” His chin trembled, and he swiped at tears tracking down his face.
Reid stared at Charles. How had he known Will was wrestling with this?
“It wasn’t that long ago Elizabeth tried to frame me. I thought she loved me. I trusted her. I still wake up in the night mad about it. Betrayal is hard to get over.”
Will clenched his fists. “It’s so unfair, Grandpa! Why would anyone try to frame me? I don’t understand.”
“I don’t know, son. But I want you to hold your head high. Don’t take on the guilt people will want you to feel. This is not your fault. Hold the course. Your mom will figure this out.”
Will’s nod was shaky, but at least it was agreement. The guard came to the door and their conversation was over, but Reid could tell by the light in Will’s eyes that the visit had done him a lot of good.
Now they had to solve this like they’d promised.