Chapter 28
It had taken Libby thirty minutes to get to the Longely Country Club from the town jail. It took her fifteen minutes to get back.
Cyde jerked his head towards the back when Libby came in.
“She’s in there. Go on through. You’ve got ten minutes. Tops.”
Libby opened the door leading to the jail cells and stepped inside. The space had been added on when the town council had decided to use the feed store for the police station. The three cells looked the way they had when her father had brought her here when he used to baby-sit her before her mother found out and put a stop to it.
Actually, she’d rather enjoyed playing in the cells with her dolls, although she’d never told her horrified mother that. She’d pretend she was locked away in a tower waiting for her prince to come rescue her. Anyway, it wasn’t as if she was playing next to murderers and robbers. The cells were usually empty except for the occasional drunk or speeder and even that was pretty rare. As she walked towards Tiffany, she couldn’t help thinking about what her father used to say to her mother from time to time over dinner.
“I’ll tell you one thing, Rose,” he’d say as he cut himself a piece of pot roast. “Justice may be blind, but it can tell who has money and who doesn’t. At least it can in this town.”
Libby wondered if that was what had happened here as she took Tiffany’s hands through the bars of the cell. They felt cold, even though it was as warm in the building as it was outside. Libby noticed that Tiffany had washed and combed her hair and was wearing a fresh pair of jeans and a clean T-shirt, but she had deep circles under her eyes and blotches of red around her nose and on her cheeks. It looked as if her roseacea was acting up.
“I’m sorry,” Tiffany told her. “You shouldn’t have come.”
“Of course I should come,” Libby protested. “I’m your friend.”
“Maybe it would be better if you weren’t. All I’ve done is cause you trouble.”
“That’s not true.”
Tiffany freed her hands from Libby’s grasp and hugged herself. Her eyes misted over.
“Yes, it is,” she said as tears trickled down her cheeks.
Libby could feel tears welling up in her eyes as well.
“Don’t be silly,” she said, brushing them away with the back of her hand. “Tell me why you’re doing this.”
“Doing what?”
“Confessing.”
Tiffany sniffed.
“Because I did it.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“I’m telling you the truth.”
“No, you’re not,” Libby said. “You know you’re a lousy liar. I can always tell when you’re lying. You waffle, and you’re waffling now.”
“Why would I confess to something like this if I didn’t do it?”
“I don’t know. That’s what I’m asking you.”
“Libby, leave it alone,” Tiffany cried. “Everyone has spent too much time on me already.”
“That’s really a stupid thing to say.”
Tiffany shook her head.
“No, it’s not. You know everything I’ve done in my life has ended badly. I’m barely making a living out of the shop. I owe money. I can’t deal with the calls anymore. I’ve let Laird make a fool out of me. Who would want to marry me now? No one. I’ll never have any children. Geez, I can’t even keep a plant alive. I buy them and then forget to water them.” The tears fell faster. Tiffany dabbed at them with a Kleenex. “I’m tired of struggling. I’m tired of everything.”
“Okay,” Libby said. “Let me get this straight. You’re confessing because you want a rest? How about going to a spa?”
Tiffany smiled through her tears.
“Now you’re sounding like Bernie.”
“Yeah, I guess I am,” Libby agreed. “But I’m right.”
Tiffany patted Libby’s hand.
“Will you come visit me in prison?”
“No. Because you’re not going to be there.”
“Libby, drop it,” Tiffany warned.
“ No.”
“This is my decision.”
“Well it’s a rotten one.”
“I don’t care if you agree with it or not. It’s done.”
“Not if I have anything to say about it,” Libby replied grimly.
“It’s too late.”
“We’ll see about that.”
“I want you to stay out of my life,” Tiffany cried.
“I don’t think so. You can’t invite me in and then kick me out.”
“Let me alone.”
“ No.”
“I’m going to tell Mr. Pine I don’t want to see you anymore.”
“You do that.” And Libby turned and headed for the door.
Clyde looked up as she walked by him.
“Didn’t go well, did it?” he asked.
Libby shook her head.
“Didn’t think it would.”
Clyde reached out and offered her a stick of gum. “Here. Take it. It’ll make you feel better.”
Libby doubted it, but she accepted anyway, grateful for the kind gesture.
“How’s your dad doing?” Clyde asked.
Libby shrugged. “I think he’d do better if he went out once in a while.”
Clyde nodded. “Expect he would. Well, tell him I said hello. You know the best thing about your daddy?” Clyde asked.
Libby shook her head.
“He always fought for what he believed in.”
Libby smiled at Clyde. “Thanks,” she said. “I really appreciate that.”