Dead Giveaway (30 page)

  ''Indeed I do,'' I replied with a smile as we pulled away. ''I know some folks who could sure use handicapped-equipped transportation.''

  Kate had spent several hours with Sara yesterday, preparing her for this reunion. When Will and I walked into Thaddeus's room, she was there with both him and Sara, who were side-by-side in wheelchairs. I had no idea psychotherapy extended to makeup and clothes, but Sara looked even more like the picture from so long ago. Her hair was curled and hung softly to her shoulders and she wore a peach cotton sweater, tank and pants. Even her athletic shoes were new.

  Kate and Thaddeus had been talking, but went silent the minute we appeared. Sara's blue eyes were all over Will. I didn't think she even knew I was there—as it should be. It was the most emotion-filled silence I'd ever experienced aside from when they'd lowered my daddy into the ground.

  Kate was holding Sara's hand but let go. Sara slowly raised her arm to Will and said, ''You. You.''

  He slid past me, knelt and took his mother's face in his huge hands. ''Yes. It's me.'' Then he planted a kiss on her forehead.

  Tears slid down her cheeks, Kate's makeup job disintegrating. But it didn't matter.

  Then Will turned to Thaddeus and extended his hand. ''Pleased to meet you, sir.''

  Thaddeus shared one of his wonderful smiles, and they shook hands. ''See you been raised proper. But 'sir' don't do for today. 'Sir' is for when you're in trouble. It's Thaddeus, and maybe soon you'll try out 'Granddad.' ''

  '' 'Granddad' works for me.''

  Kate came over to me as Will gripped Sara's shoulder and held onto Thaddeus's hand.

  ''I think they have a lot to catch up on. Want to get some coffee?'' I asked.

  ''Coffee never sounded so good. Let's go,'' she said.

  But when we turned, I cracked a smile so big I was thinking the San Andreas Fault might just have a rival.

  Jeff stood in the door. We were blocking Thaddeus and Sara's view, and besides, they were busy, so they were unaware that Lawrence was with Jeff. He was holding the blanket.

  Lawrence, who had waited far too long for anything good to happen, pushed past me, but stopped in the center of the room. ''Sara,'' he whispered. ''God, it's true.''

  She looked up, blinked and then both her arms came up, even though she had to lift her bad arm with her good hand. She gave the biggest lopsided smile she could manage, let go of her useless left arm and made her finger L. She thumped it against her heart.

  He strode to the wheelchair, put the blanket around her shoulders and kissed her lips. Then he rested his forehead against hers for a long moment.

  A smiling Will was holding Thaddeus's hand, towering above all of them.

  Lawrence pulled back and looked into Sara's clear, blue eyes. ''We'll get you better. I promise.'' He rose and stared at the young man whose features so resembled his.

  Will extended his hand. ''I don't think we've met. I'm Will.''

  I was grinning like a jackass eating cockleburs as Jeff, Kate and I retreated to the coffee shop. We were soon sitting at a small table sipping on brew so strong you could chew it.

  ''Now this is a cop's drink,'' Jeff said.

  My coffee turnoff might just resurface. The stuff tasted like motor oil. ''How'd you get Lawrence here?'' I asked.

  ''We took I-45 south to—''

  ''Shut up,'' I said while Kate laughed. ''How?''

  ''Mark's coup. He filed habeas corpus on Will's behalf yesterday and—''

  ''I'm not up on my legalese,'' I said. ''What's habeas corpus?''

  ''Basically habeas corpus is an appeal when all ap peals have been exhausted, as in Lawrence's case,'' Jeff said. ''It's a filing for a court order to bring him before the judge to determine whether his imprisonment is illegal, the only way to get our new evidence presented and free Lawrence for good.''

  ''Ah. Go on,'' I said.

  ''Anyway, Mark presented all we had and asked for an immediate hearing. Usually the D.A. asks for time—time that almost always turns into months—but Mark pulled the right assistant D.A., which might not have been a coincidence. She waived her right for time to prepare, basically threw in the towel. She told the judge it was in the interest of justice that Lawrence be released, and the judge agreed. End of story.''

  ''So he
is
free for good?'' Kate asked.

  Jeff nodded. ''Mark may also file for a full pardon based on innocence. Since the prosecutors traded two bad guys for Lawrence, I don't see anyone having a problem with that. A full pardon, however,
will
take a long time.''

  I rested my hands on my chin, stared into Jeff's eyes. ''This is great. Thanks for picking up Lawrence.''

  He tucked a stray hair behind my ear. ''For you? Anything.''

  Kate stood. ''I'm going back upstairs. You two? Get a room, okay?'' She left us alone.

  Jeff grinned, and I think I probably was blushing.

  I said, ''How'd you get the blanket?''

  ''Burl overnighted it. He knows this case is finally closed.''

  ''Do me one more favor,'' I said. ''Call upstairs and tell Lawrence and Will we won't leave them without a ride, but we'll be gone for about thirty minutes.''

  Jeff raised his eyebrows. ''Where are we going? Someplace kinky, like a janitor's closet or a deserted X-ray room?''

  I took his hand as we stood. ''No. We're going to get a decent cup of coffee.''

Table of Contents

Cover

Table of Contents