Side(H)arm by James E. Abel

Author:James E. Abel [Abel, James E.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Momosa Publishing LLC
Published: 2019-03-30T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 24

Jordan walked into the kitchen at Jenna’s house, grabbed a bottle of beer, and sat down at the table. Jenna walked in, sat down directly across from him, and said, “Hi, stranger, nice of you to stop by.”

“Yeah, yeah. I know. So, where’s Molly hiding?”

“She’s not hiding. She’s napping. She hasn’t been sleeping that well. You know…nightmares and all.”

“Hoped she was past that.”

“Yeah, me, too. Oh, and before I forget, she keeps asking about getting some of Casey’s old oil paints and brushes from the house.”

“Okay. Stop by with her and get whatever she needs.”

“Why don’t you do that with her, tomorrow night, after you pick her up? It would mean a lot to her.”

“Actually, that’s what I came over to talk to you about. I was sort of hoping that Molly could stay here for a while.”

“You mean full time, seven days a week?”

“Yeah. You’d have to get her back and forth to school, but it’s not that far, and it’s not like you have a job.”

“Jordan, that’s not the point, and you know it. She needs you, and she needs to know that you care about her.”

“I know. I know. I get it!”

Jordan slammed his beer on the table, stood up, and started pacing. Then he sat back down, looked Jenna in the eye, and pleaded his case.

“It’s just that I’m getting really close now, close to finding the bastard who did this. I can feel it! But it’s taking every last minute of my time.”

“Jordan! Isn’t there an entire police force being paid to do that?”

“Whatever. Look, it will only be for a week, two max. I promise. I need to run up to Atlanta to follow up on a really good lead this week, and I sure don’t want to leave Molly at home alone. Please, sis?”

Jenna stood up and said, “Ughhh. You are gonna drive me crazy! Give me a minute to think this through.”

It was her turn to pace back and forth as Jordan stood up, tossed out his empty bottle, and grabbed another one from the fridge. He walked to the screen door and stared outside, toward the dunes. A minute later, Jenna walked over, tugged on his shoulder, and gently asked, “Jordan, what’s going on with you?”

“What do you mean?”

“I get it that you want to find the scumbag who killed Casey, but it’s consuming you. If you think you’re doing this for Molly, you’re wrong. What you’re doing is at her expense.”

For once, Jordan didn’t get mad. Tears filled his eyes as he slowly nodded his head and said, “You’re right, about everything. But do you know why I’m like this?”

“No, just tell me.”

“The only reason that Molly doesn’t have a mother is because I left a gun sitting out while I was out drinking at a God-damned sports bar.”

Jordan pulled away from Jenna and walked to the garbage can to toss out his second beer bottle, wiping away some tears on the way.

Jenna followed, talking to his back, “Jordon, nobody blames you.

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