You used to talk about them when I knew him in DC.”
“Yeah. One was killed and the other one has her own life. I didn’t spend much time with my girls when they were growing up. Their mother was my first wife. She’s the one that died years ago.”
“You can be proud of the work you did at the FBI. You’re a good man, Jerry.”
“Not always so good, Isabel.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m really tired. I don’t want to talk anymore. Hope you don’t mind but I’d just like to sleep for a while.”
“I understand.” She patted his hands, as they lay folded across his stomach. “I’ll come back and see you again later, all right?”
“Okay.” He closed his eyes.
Isabel stepped out of the room and glanced up and down the hallway, hoping to catch another glimpse of Delia McCall, but she was nowhere in sight.
As she drove home, with the window rolled down, the crisp fall air blew through her long dark waves. Isabel turned on some soothing music and wondered what her friend meant when he said he was not always so good. She suspected he might be referring to his actions concerning Evan, but without proof, and his death not far off, she may never know.
Maybe Delia could shed some light.
CHAPTER 14
Early Sunday morning, Emily woke from a deep sleep to the sound of her phone ringing on the nightstand. The sun was peeking over the horizon and shards of early light began to stream through her curtains.
Too sleepy to open her eyes, she fumbled around the top of the night table with one hand, feeling for her cell phone until she recognized the shape of it. “Hello,” she mumbled.
“Good morning, sunshine,” Colin said brightly. “Time to rise and shine. We’re burning daylight.”
“What?” She opened one eye and blearily peered over at her digital clock, trying to focus. “What time is it?”
“It’s after seven.”
“Seven in the morning? On Sunday? Are you kidding me?”
“Don’t be like that, Emily. It’s a beautiful day—let’s not waste it. There’s lots to do.”
“Why are you so chipper?” She propped herself up on one arm, trying to open her eyes.
“I’m finally back in the saddle and it feels good. We have this new lead in Evan’s murder and I got a call a few minutes ago from Dr. Walters. He’s finished with the autopsy and the test results are back.”
Emily plopped back against her pillows, raking her fingers through her curls. “You dragged me up and down that riverbank ’til the middle of the night. Can’t I have a couple more hours before we jump into the day?”
“It wasn’t the middle of the night, only twelve thirty.”
“Well, it felt like the middle of the night.”
“Sorry, I’m just excited to be back to work, not to mention the three cups of black coffee I’ve had so far.”
“Coffee? That sounds really good.” She laid the back of her hand against her forehead, closed her eyes, and smiled. “Mmm, coffee,” she purred.
“Tell you what, I’ll stop by Starbucks and pick you up a tall mocha cappuccino. I’ll be over in about twenty minutes.”
“Twenty minutes,” she repeated drowsily, her eyes still closed. “Uh-huh.”
“See you then.”
“Okay,” she mumbled. “See you in twenty minutes.”
She reached over, with her eyes shut, and set her phone down on the nightstand, then rolled back over and laid her head against her pillow. “Twenty minutes,” she muttered again.
“Twenty minutes!” She sat up with a start. The words had finally sunk in. She dragged herself out of bed, stumbled into the bathroom, and turned on the shower.
By the time Colin arrived, she was ready to go. The shower had helped to revive her, as did the thoughts of what the newly found gun would mean.
“Good morning.” Colin waltzed through the door, planting a soft kiss on her lips. “A tall mocha cappuccino, as promised.” He held out the box that carried her hot drink. “And a couple of slices of your favorite pumpkin bread.”
“You sure know how to sweet talk a girl.” She took her coffee from the box, then lifted a slice of bread and a napkin from it. She wandered into the living room and curled her bare feet under her as she sank down onto the sofa.
Colin followed her to the couch and set the box on the coffee table. Pulling the other slice of pumpkin bread out, he tore off a piece. “As soon as we’re done eating, I’d like to get down to the county M.E.’s office. Doc Walters said