Page 70 of The Secrets We Hide
Some things never changed. “What else?”
“Gregg and Julian got to rattle doors up and down Clayville to see if anybody would give Woody an alibi. Like people are gonna turn on him. I mean, that’s crazy. He’s terrifying. And shewouldn’t even tell them why she was asking. I mean, what’s a North Falls kid got to do with a stone-cold drug dealer? It’s not like Mandy was shooting eight-balls, and Allison was a cop. That’s, like, the one thing bad guys never do. You murder a cop and your entire world gets pulled down.”
Cole looked up at the ceiling. The banging pipes had stilled. Emmy was out of the shower. He leaned closer to Jude so he wouldn’t be overheard.
“Then she had us search for reports about strangers spotted around the high school and within a mile of Clifton Gardens and along the back roads in between. Wouldn’t say why. Couldn’t give a description beyond an older man who looked like he didn’t belong.” He shrugged. “And she had me send her links to all Mandy’s socials. Wanted to see if she could notice anything off. Wouldn’t tell me what she was looking for.”
Jude nodded, because these were all good ideas, but not for Emmy. She should’ve delegated so she could focus on the bigger picture. “Did you get some sleep?”
“I went by Dad’s and grabbed a few hours. I mean—” He lowered his voice again. “If you want to know the truth, I didn’t think Mom would be here when I got home. I’m getting tired of her biting my head off.”
Jude knew the feeling. “She’s carrying a lot of responsibility on her shoulders right now. Allison was her friend. She lost someone she cared about. Let’s give her some grace.”
“She hasn’t said anything about losing Grandma. We were getting ready to bury her this time yesterday. It’s like it doesn’t even matter.”
Jude didn’t need Emmy to say the words. She could see it in the way Emmy’s hands would start to shake when a memory was triggered, the sudden appearance of tears in her eyes, how she gritted her teeth and the way the muscles in her neck would clench. Grief bubbled inside of her like water ready to boil.
She reached her hand across the table to Cole. “What about you, sweetheart? Do you want to talk about Grandma? I’m happy to listen.”
“Nah, I’m okay.”
Jude retracted her hand. She had forgotten he was still a Clifton. She might as well try to teach a fish to drive a car. “What now? You’ll take a nap and then what?”
His shoulder went up in another half-shrug, as if to askWhat’s the point?
Jude wasn’t going to let him wallow too much. “Sweetheart, you’re still the most junior deputy at the station. Shitwork is your work until the next junior deputy comes along.”
“Maybe.” The microwave dinged. Cole got up before she could. “At least I’m not Brett. She put him on doubles guarding Mandy at night. Wouldn’t even let him have a chair to sit down.”
“Good.” Jude watched his fork blur as he wolfed down the casserole. “I asked you a question. What’s your plan?”
“I know you’re gonna tell me to find a way to make myself useful to the case, but I don’t see how that’s gonna happen when I’m behind a desk all day.”
Jude had led too many investigations not to have a quick suggestion. “You saw the photos from Allison’s dining room. She used a telephoto lens to capture them.”
Cole perked up. “But the camera wasn’t in the house, right?”
Jude was proud of him for reading Sherry’s inventory. “Right.”
“Maybe the killer ditched it on the side of the road.” Cole assumed the Posture, head down, phone in his hands as his thumbs moved across the screen. “I’ll put out a BOLO to see if we can find it. Maybe I should go to the pawnshops over in Ocmulgee.”
“They probably won’t open until nine. Your mother’s right that you need to rest. You’ll work more efficiently if you’re not exhausted. And she doesn’t need her own son openly disobeying orders.”
“Yeah, she gets enough of that from Brett.” Cole rinsed his plate and fork in the sink, then stuck them both in the dishwasher. “Thanks for breakfast.”
Jude felt his lips brush the top of her head before he bounded up the stairs. That was a first. Her hand went to her face. She felt like she was glowing.
“Got it. Yep.” Emmy finished her phone call and started typing into her phone as she came downstairs. She told Jude,“Uncle Penley thinks I’m his personal 911. Some jackass left a can of tomato soup in his mailbox as a stupid prank. Why did you let Celia leave all that food?”
Her tone implied some sort of human rights violation. Jude returned the prickliness. “Does Celia own three different types of label makers?”
“Taybee.” Emmy mumbled the name like a curse as she opened the fridge. “There’s just us. Half of this is gonna go to waste.” Jude watched her close the fridge and pour a fresh mug of coffee. Her movements were slow. She was clearly sore from Reggie knocking her to the ground. The circles under her eyes were several shades darker than before.
Jude couldn’t help herself. “You should get some rest before you go back out.”
“Great idea.” Her sarcasm had lost some of its steam. “I laid down on one of the cots at the jail. I can’t sleep when I don’t have a case going. Not sure how I’d manage to fall asleep in the middle of this.”
“You could take something.”
