A Mother's Sins by Jo Crow

Author:Jo Crow [Crow, Jo]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-10-30T22:00:00+00:00

22

Now

I had my reservations about meeting Enid, but I’m not sure I’ve ever needed a friend so badly. Most of all, I wish there were some way for me to know that she still is my friend, that she would never shove me right out of a job, or shove me right into the heart of a potential homicide investigation by playing up what she saw of my fight with Charles. Please say it’s not true, Enid. Brad had dismissed Enid’s involvement in the police investigation as quickly as he had said she wouldn’t have given the news the photo of me and Bill. He said he knows her and knows she’d never do anything like that, that she’d never hurt me, or him. I hope he’s right. I hope to god he’s right about her.

I’ve been short with Enid, avoiding her texts to meet up, but she’s persisted. I finally gave in. Maybe if I see her, talk to her face-to-face, I’ll know for sure.

Through the gilded doors I go.

The location is Enid’s suggestion. My favorite Thai restaurant, Lemongrass.

We used to come here all the time. The hostess tells me my party’s already here, right as I spot her over in a nook by a window, waving at me with one hand, clutching a stack of papers in the other. Working dinner. She’s really embracing her new role.

“Hey, you.” She hugs me tight. “I’m so glad you said yes. I know it’s been busy, but …”

“Just a lot going on.” I fill in for her.

“I’ll say.”

My feet are aching when I climb into my side of the booth. I’ve been working the neighborhoods in the south side of the city for six hours straight. What I could really use is a stiff drink.

“How were the troops today?” Enid’s in a sharply pressed blouse, her hair pulled up in a stylish messy bun. I glance at the stack she’s just set on the table, printouts of the latest stories about the governor’s race. Thankfully, this time, none of the headlines I spot includes the phrase “scandal-ridden.” Small victory, but I’ll take it.

“Oh, it’s not too bad. Nobody seems to be losing steam. I think your strategy for swapping out crews every few days is smart. It’d be hard for them to be out there day after day after day.”

“Except that’s what you are expected to do.”

“Seriously,” I answer. “You and I both know it’s a tough job.”

She nods emphatically.

“But rewarding,” I add, quickly.

An awkward silence passes between us. I look away and peer over the menu, not reading, wondering how to broach the subject of how I ended up in this job and whether she might have had something to do with it. I think back to how she’d told me days ago that she feels like she’s found her calling. I can’t bear to listen to her gush about her new job, my old job. I steer the conversation to something slightly safer.

“Brad’s having a hard time with my hours, says I come home exhausted every day,” I mention, glancing at the menu for the fifth time.

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