Just Plain Murder by Laura Bradford

Author:Laura Bradford
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Published: 2018-11-26T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 16

They were out on the country road, heading away from Heavenly, when she finally broke the silence, the uncertainty she felt manifesting itself in a raspy whisper she tried to cough away. “I know how hard that must have been for you tonight.”

“It was beyond hard, Claire. Like I’m playing a role in some show instead of actually being at my friend’s visitation.” He pulled his hand down the center of his face, rasping a breath as he did. “I mean, we’re talking about Russ here. Russ Granger. He was practically bulletproof, you know?”

Nodding, she reached for his hand. “I’m so sorry, Jakob. I wish there was something I could do.”

“There is and you’re already doing it.” He threaded his fingers through hers just long enough to lift them to his lips. “Being able to look up from time to time during the visitation and see you there helped more than you can possibly know.”

He lowered her hand back to the top of his thigh and then returned his own to the steering wheel. “He would have loved you, Claire.”

“I wish I’d had the chance to meet him.”

“So do I.” He let up on the gas as they rounded the corner and came upon a familiar orange triangle blinking in the darkness. Claire waved to the Amish buggy driver as they passed and then turned back to Jakob as he accelerated once again. “I feel so bad for Callie. Aside from her kids, she really doesn’t have any family left. And as if the grief of losing her dad isn’t enough, she’s got some anger mixed up in there, too.”

“Maybe when you catch the person who did this, she’ll get to unleash some of that anger in a courtroom. They let loved ones address the killer sometimes now, don’t they?”

“That’s assuming I catch him.”

She squeezed his thigh. “You already have two people on your watch list.”

“Two?”

“Tom Shaunessy and Callie’s ex, Kyle.”

“I’m not so sure on the ex after seeing him tonight.”

“He was there? At the visitation?”

Jakob nodded. “He sat in a chair off to the side for most of the night. I was surprised to see him show up, but Callie said it was okay for him to stay, that he’s been checking in on her and the kids since it happened. And I have to admit, every time I looked at him tonight, I saw nothing but concern for Callie.”

“Okay, so maybe it’s just Tom for now. Maybe you’ll come across someone else, too. But either way, you’ll find the person who did this, Jakob, and Callie will get to speak her mind. Have faith.”

He opened his mouth as if to protest and then looked back at the road. “Even if I catch the person who did this and Callie gets her day in court, there’s still a different anger. At Russ . . . At herself . . . At all the moments she can’t go back and redo, and all the moments they won’t have to try and do better.

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