Lola had figured all this out. She was smart. She was kind. And justice was important to her. More important than the status quo. In that moment, Drew couldn’t have loved her more.
If only she would let him love her.
Lola didn’t argue with Barbara. She extended her hands toward Drew and waited for him to cuff her.
“We need to talk,” Drew said, taking her by the arm. He wasn’t in uniform and didn’t have any cuffs with him.
Lola allowed herself to be led out, and above the noise, he thought he heard her say, “I’m afraid I’m all talked out.”
Chapter Thirty-Two
Lola sat in a jail cell, huddled on the bench.
It would have been better if she’d had a cellmate—Avery, Marvin the rooster, or Rosie the pig. At least then she’d have someone in her corner.
On the other side of the bars, Drew was refereeing an argument between Augie and Barbara. Judge Harper leaned against the far wall, watching it all and making Lola very nervous.
“My mother will be buried today, and she will be buried with that pearl ring!” Barbara glared at Lola.
“Lola says the ring is hers.” Augie kept trying to argue. “I have no records at the mortuary of Marcia’s personal effects including a pearl ring.”
Lola felt guilty about that. She hadn’t logged in the ring with the rest of the items in that blue velvet bag Barbara had given her.
“Lola, do you have proof the ring is yours?” Drew’s gaze was sympathetic but he’d been the one to throw her in the pokey.
“I have the original ring box it came in.”
Barbara huffed. “That’s not proof.”
About the time Drew reached her at the service, the anger that had driven Lola to change Marcia’s appearance and confront Barbara had left her. She had no fight remaining. For all she knew, Barbara could have had an affair with Randy before Lola’s marriage.
“My grandmother’s wedding date is inscribed inside,” Lola said wearily.
“Anyone can memorize a date.” Barbara looked to Judge Harper for agreement but he wasn’t saying anything.
Was he deliberating her punishment? Lola tried to make herself smaller.
There was a scuffle down the hall.
“Wait!” Mims traipsed to the cell, trailed by Avery. She held Lola’s scrapbook. “Lola is innocent. It’s her ring, and I have proof.” She flipped through the book. “Here’s a picture of Lola and her grandmother. And look.” Mims tapped the page. “Her grandmother is wearing that pearl ring.”
Barbara growled in frustration, refusing to look. “A coincidence. Nothing more.”
“Looks like the ring to me.” Augie smiled kindly at Lola.
“Me too.” Drew handed the book to the judge, who nodded.
“Don’t you dare let her go.” Barbara struck a bar with the heel of her hand, making the bars shake. “There’s still the matter of Lola disturbing my peace.”
“That’s why I’m here.” Judge Harper pushed clear of the wall on legs that were visibly unsteady. “Ms. Williams, the charge against you is disturbing the peace. How do you plead?”
Lola stood, prepared to face the consequences. “I’m guilty, your honor.”
Judge Harper nodded, looking less severe than a moment earlier. “You disrupted a beautiful tribute to a woman beloved by this community.”
“I did.” She hoped he wasn’t going to ask whether she’d do it all again, because the answer would be yes.
“Don’t forget,” Barbara said snidely, “she defaced my mother’s body.”
“No, she didn’t.” Kevin joined the crowd on the other side of the bars. He held a stack of papers with blue paper backing. “This is Marcia’s will. It says, I wish to be buried the way I lived. I think most of us would agree she wanted to look more like herself.” He caught the judge’s eye. “I’m not pressing charges.”
He was handsome and had moral fiber? Lola was definitely voting for Kevin in the next election.
“But I’m pressing charges, and it’s my opinion that counts.” Barbara edged her way around Mims and Avery. “Kevin, we need to go somewhere and talk.”
“No, we don’t.” Kevin wasn’t smiling, and there was a quality to his voice Lola hadn’t heard before—the harsh barb of reality. “I hired Rupert. We’re getting a divorce.” He walked out.
“But…Kev! Wait.” Barbara scurried after him.
Drew’s lips were moving upward. He put the key in the cell door lock.
“Not so fast.” Judge Harper’s stern voice struck fear into Lola’s heart. “There is still the matter of disturbing the peace.”
“Yes.” Lola nodded.
“I can throw you in jail for thirty days—”
Mims gasped.
“—or you can serve a sentence of thirty hours of community service.”
“Service,” Lola blurted, incredibly grateful for leniency, since she’d