Page 26 of Cold Hard Cash

“The best.”

“So, how are your classes going?”

“Fine,” Jimmy fibbed innocently, forcing a strained smile.

As far as David knew, Jimmy was still in college, but he’d dropped out a few years ago to work on getting the case reopened. David also thought that Jimmy was working at a local law firm as an intern, when actually he’d been fired from that job last year for snooping around for information on said case.

“Just fine?”

“Yeah! I’m, um, just taking the one class right now.” Jimmy was a terrible liar, but he didn’t want his father worrying about him. “Probably gonna take another semester off soon.”

Brows furrowing, David sighed. “Son, if you keep taking time off, you’re never going to be a lawyer.”

Jimmy’s smile turned a little sad. “Yeah, I know, Dad. It’s okay. I’m going to get it figured out. I just have to keep saving up so I can pay for my classes myself. I’m already kinda drowning in student loans.”

“Yeah.” David nodded in return. “I know, slugger. I just want you to have a good life. Graduate, pass the bar, get a good job.” He grinned, teasing, “Get your old man out of prison.”

“Hey, I’m working on it!” Jimmy laughed.

That had been the original plan before he couldn’t afford to pay his tuition anymore. He wanted to be a lawyer so he could free his father and eventually help others who were wrongfully imprisoned.

But using tuition money for legal fees did not a lawyer make, and Jimmy had chosen to keep pursuing his father’s case instead of continuing school.

“Seriously,” David said. “I want you to be happy. Gotta keep an eye on your debts, you know. You don’t want those to get out of hand.”

“Right,” Jimmy replied, grinning stupidly.

He had a hell of a debt that he was working on right now, but he wasn’t exactly complaining about how he was working it off.

“What is it?” David quirked a brow. He looked over Jimmy and then laughed, again teasing, “Hmm, somethin’ got you thinking about that new fellow?”

“Wha—? No! Why, why would you say that?” Jimmy stuttered as he scrubbed his hand over his face.

“Because I can read you like a book. You’ve got the same googly-eyed look that you used to get with Anna.”

Jimmy’s smile faded.

David cringed. “Shit. Sorry, kiddo.”

Anna was Augustus Duplin’s daughter and Jimmy’s childhood crush. Their friendship was a casualty of the break between Jimmy and Augustus. Anna took her father’s side over Jimmy’s, and it had broken his heart to lose her. They hadn’t spoken more than a few words to each other since Jimmy left the Duplin home.

Jimmy still thought of her often, but that part of his life was over. His crush had turned into full-blown puppy love when they were teenagers, though Jimmy had never confessed his feelings. They’d been best friends, and he hadn’t wanted to do anything to lose that.

But Jimmy couldn’t give up on his father, and when he’d turned his back on Augustus, he’d ended up losing her anyway. She moved out of Strassen Springs several years back to finish school. He didn’t know what had become of her, but he hoped she was happy.

“It’s okay.” Jimmy shrugged. “It was a long time ago.”

“Everything feels like a long time ago now.” David leaned forward on his elbows, cradling his chin in his hand. “You know, I’m really glad you came today. There’s something I wanna talk to you about. Seriously.”

Jimmy frowned. “What is it, Dad? Is somebody messing with you again?”

“No, no. Nothing like that.” David sighed, his face wrinkling in distress.

Something was wrong.

“What?” Jimmy’s stomach is twisting up in dread.

“I want you to give up appealing the case,” David said slowly, his words precise, as if he had been practicing them. “If you still want to be a lawyer, that’s fine. I hope you have a great career. But you’ve got to let me go, son.”