Wakefield is in the hospital? She had a heart attack last night, right after she found her son dead. They had to rush her to the emergency room.” He pulled out a small notepad and began to write. “I’ll have to check on her status.”
“I hadn’t heard that. Poor woman, losing her son and having to be the one to find him.”
“Just a crying shame all around,” Ernie said. “You know Josh is military, like you were.”
“That’s what Emily said. I hope you’re wrong about him, Ernie.”
“Me, too.”
~*~
Alex phoned Maggie from the jail. Emily sat next to her on the couch, watching Maggie’s expression for any sign whether the news from Alex was good or bad.
Maggie nodded her head at what Alex was saying. Her eyes were red and swollen and the remnant of her mascara bled below her eyes. Her mess of blonde hair was pulled haphazardly into a ponytail. She clicked her phone off and tossed it on the wooden coffee table, leaning back on the sofa, closing her eyes.
“What did he say?” Emily asked.
“He said Josh won’t be arraigned ’til Monday,” she replied, her eyes still closed, “but he’ll try to get me in to see him today. He didn’t know when, though.” She stifled a cry that almost broke through.
Camille ambled into the living room, wearing her face of motherly concern. “The kitchen’s all clean, everything from breakfast is put away. What else can I do, Maggie?”
Maggie sat up and looked at her through watery eyes. “Can you explain to me how this happened?”
“I don’t understand, Maggie.” Camille rushed to the sofa and sank down on it. “What do you mean?” Camille had a look of confusion in her eyes and she glanced at Emily for some help.
“Yesterday, I was engaged to a wonderful man and we had our whole lives ahead of us. I was so thrilled to have my boy home, and happy he could be here for the weddin’.”
Maggie thrust her elbows on her knees and buried her face in her hands. Her shoulders began to shake as she wept. “Now everythin’ has gone to hell! My Lucas is dead and my son is in jail, accused of killin’ him!” she bawled.
Emily patted Maggie’s back softly as she wailed, and Camille put her arm around Maggie’s waist.
After a few torturous minutes of sobbing, Maggie sat up and Emily handed her a box of tissues.
“What a big blubber baby I am,” she said, wiping her nose with a tissue.
“Don’t say that, Maggs.” Emily remembered having been a crying mess, too, after Evan’s death.
“We would expect no less, hon,” Camille said, lightly running her hand up and down Maggie’s back. “Whatever you need, we’re here.”
“Em, do you think my son could have killed Lucas?” Maggie dabbed at her eyes, the sobs subsiding.
“I would hate to think so, but I guess it’s possible,” Emily replied. She didn’t want to tell her friend that, but she had to be honest. The evidence so far certainly did point to him. She could feel Camille’s stare heating her skin. “I’m sorry, Camille, but I have to be honest with her.”
“We’re here to support Maggie, and by extension, Josh,” Camille snapped at Emily.
“I am being supportive, but Maggie asked me a question and I’m not going to lie to her,” Emily defended. “It doesn’t look good, but that doesn’t mean he did it. Colin went to find out what the cops have. Let’s wait until we hear back from him before we start jumping to any conclusions.”
“Until I have absolute proof, I’m choosing to believe Josh is innocent,” Camille declared.
“I agree, Cam,” Emily said, “but I’m not going to stick my head in the sand and hope it all goes away.”
“Enough!” Maggie shouted and shot up off the sofa.
Both Camille and Emily sat back, stunned.
Maggie walked to the windows and looked out, before turning back to face them.
“Emily, can I hire you to investigate this murder, clear my son. I have some money saved.”
“No, Maggs—”
“Why not?” Maggie interrupted.
“Let me finish. No, I won’t take your money, but I promise you that Colin and I will do all we can to find out who murdered Lucas, and why.”
“If my son killed Lucas,” Maggie dropped her gaze to the floor and crossed her arms, “then I’ll have to deal with it, although I’m not sure how. But if he didn’t do it,” she raised her head and looked Emily in the eye, “then the real killer needs to be rooted out and