Finding Justice (20 page)

“Whoa, now what’s going on here, then?” George’s voice boomed
to the side of him.

Jay flinched and Cat leaped away from him as though he’d bitten
her.

“George.” She laughed, her voice forced and tight. “You’re
here.”

“Yes, I am. And look at you all snuggled up to Jay like you’ve
never been away.”

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

C
AT
’
S
HEART
THUNDERED
. What had she been thinking? Now Jay would
be like a horse with the bit between his teeth. He wouldn’t let this go easily.
Goddamn it. How could she weaken like that? She blinked, George’s smile
faltered.

“Are you okay, lovely?”

She plastered on a smile. “Of course...all the better for
seeing you.”

George looked from her to Jay and back again, his eyes
narrowed. “Are you sure? Because just a second ago you two looked very
cozy—”

Cat patted her hand on the table, steadfastly avoiding turning
around to look at Jay. She could practically feel his gaze boring a hole in the
side of her head. “Come and sit down. We’ve got something important to talk
about.”

George slid into the seat opposite her. “Yes, indeed. Marian
tells me you need our help.”

Guilt pressed down on her chest and Cat’s smile wavered. “I do.
I have a huge favor to ask. But if you’re not comfortable with it, you say no
and we’ll not talk about it again. Okay?”

He frowned. “Is it serious? Is this to do with Sarah?”

Cat swallowed. “Let’s wait for Marian, okay? Then I’ll explain
everything.”

She hated doing this to him but she had to focus on the
outcome. She was willing to risk disciplinary action being taken against her if
her boss ever found out she used civilians to help in a murder investigation.
But that was the very worst that would happen. She’d make sure of it. Marian and
George would be fine.

Nerves stole the saliva from her mouth. Everything would be
fine.

Jay cleared his throat beside her. “So, George? Dad’s back from
vacation and keeping you busy?”

George turned. “As always, Jay. As always.”

The two of them struck up a conversation and Cat exhaled. She
was too personally involved with everyone this investigation touched—but that
didn’t mean she would, or could, turn away. She’d had enough of running and
hiding. She trusted Jay and needed his help. He’d been honest with her about his
addiction, and the more Cat was with him, the more she felt she owed him her
honesty, too.

His past and her future were too closely entwined for them to
be together but it didn’t mean she had to reject him entirely. He didn’t deserve
that when he’d come so far despite everything he’d done to himself and
others.

She didn’t want to run from life anymore. If Jay could do it,
so could she. But for now, they were on a mission to find the money Sarah had
hidden. Whether or not Jay could help with her mum she’d soon find out. Maybe
she shouldn’t have opened the subject it had taken a week to even contemplate
sharing with him, but she had.

Even when Jay’s alibi was not as rock solid as he presumed, and
that he hadn’t been there for Sarah. Cat swallowed. She must be mad. Or in love.
She’d fallen in love with him all over again. Stupid, stupid woman.

Blinking against the burning in her eyes, she looked across the
bakery. Marian was at the coffee machine. She looked up and gestured to Cat by
raising her finger that she would be just a minute. Cat forced a smile and
mouthed “okay.”

She looked down at her clasped hands and worried how best to
explain to Marian and George what she and Jay had learned about the danger Sarah
had been in. Everything suddenly felt like such a mess. Was she feeling so out
of control because she and Jay had slept together? That she had forgotten her
fears and worries and released her frustration with the man she loved for one
blissful night?

Cat risked a glance at him and pain struck her heart afresh.
Bennett had made her doubt everything Jay had told her. She couldn’t ignore the
fact that he’d lied to her about meeting Sarah that day. Yet deep inside, she
knew Jay would never be capable of locking his hands around Sarah’s throat.

She shoved her doubts into submission. This trip, even with its
sickening cause, was allowing her the perspective and space she needed to figure
out how to help her mum and herself from falling into the abyss of hopelessness
that grew wider every day. These thoughts about Jay were born from her perpetual
doubt about everything. Nothing more.

She blinked when she saw Marian approaching the table and
forced a wide smile. “Ah, here she comes.”

Marian stopped at the table and placed two steaming cups in
front of George and a tray of rock buns in the center. “Help yourselves. Freshly
made this morning.”

Cat glanced at Jay and their eyes locked. His gaze was soft
with concern.

Please, Jay. Leave it. Not now.
Later.

Panic simmered through her blood as Cat silently pleaded with
him. After a long moment he nodded and she exhaled a shaky breath before turning
to face Marian and George.

“Right, then. Shall we get started?”

Emotions tumbled around in her heart. Fear she was doing the
right thing by Sarah, Jay, Marian and George tormented her mind and messed with
her usually solid and professional judgment. Cat tilted her chin. For better or
worse, there were choices to be made and for now, the late afternoon and ensuing
hours belonged to Sarah.

She met Marian and George’s wary gazes. “You’re probably
wondering what I meant by needing your help. Well, that help is tied up in the
investigation into Sarah’s death and it involves a visit to the beach.”

Marian’s eyebrows lifted. “The beach? What’s the beach got to
do with anything? The poor girl was found murdered on Jay’s land, not the
beach.”

Jay stiffened. Marian might as well have poked him in the eye
with a needle of accusation.

“First of all, the forest isn’t Jay’s land.” Cat’s tone was
firm. “Secondly, the beach plays a massive part in finding Sarah’s killer
because I’m confident he won’t leave the Cove without something that’s hidden
there.” She looked from Marian to George and back again. “How well did you know
Sarah?”

Marian blew out a breath and her eyes turned glassy. “Not well
enough, it turns out.” She swiped her hand under her eyes. “I didn’t know she
was in trouble. I thought she was her usual happy self and that hurts me down to
my very soul. I thought I knew her. I really did.”

George took her hand in his. “No one could’ve known what was
going on, love. No one. Sarah was a good girl who the devil went after. It’s no
one’s fault we didn’t see him. In disguise, he was. Isn’t that right,
Catherine?”

Cat smiled. “Absolutely. No one could’ve known, but what we
know now starts us moving toward a conclusion that I hope will give Sarah’s
parents a modicum of peace. We now know Sarah hid some money on the beach. Her
killer’s money.” She drew in a breath and exhaled. “I want you to find it.”

George and Marian stared at her with identical expressions of
stunned bewilderment. Silence. Cat waited. She had seen this a million times
before and knew their brains would kick in sooner or later, but then Jay waved
his hand in front of their faces.

“Hey, are you okay? Did you hear what Cat said?”

Biting back an entirely inappropriate smile, Cat pulled his
hand to the table and shot him a glare.

She reached into her handbag and pulled out a piece of paper.
“Here’s a list of places Jay and I think Sarah could have hidden the money.
Places the police are unlikely to consider but Sarah knew well.”

George’s paralysis was the first to break. “She hid money on
the beach? Her killer’s money? My God.”

“Exactly. Until I’m convinced it’s no longer there, I’m sure
he’s still in town. Here.” She offered him the list.

His eyes darted over her compiled locations. “How are we
supposed to know—”

“Just follow the directions.” Cat looked at Marian. “It’s
imperative neither of you draw attention to yourselves or act in any way other
than normal.”

Marian turned to George. Their faces were etched with worry and
confusion. She reached across the table and gestured for each of their hands.
Silently and slowly, Marian put her hand in one of Cat’s and then George
followed. Cat clasped their fingers and prayed that she could gain their
confidence to do this.

“What I’m asking you to do is huge...and I’m sorry that I even
have to consider it. I...we, Jay and I, are possibly being followed. Whether by
the killer or someone else, I don’t know. He has rung me twice and given
intimate details he could have only known if he was watching me on both
occasions.”

George’s jaw tightened and his eyes narrowed. “Did he threaten
you? Have you told this Bennett character about this?”

Cat nodded. “Yes to both questions. So, you see, if he’s
following me, there’s every possibility he will follow me to the beach.”

Marian looked toward the bakery window. “How do you know he’s
not watching us right now?”

Unease rippled across the back of Cat’s neck. She had
considered it, but it was a risk she’d had to take. He wanted her or Jay, or
maybe both. They were the link to Sarah. They were the ones she’d contacted
before her killer struck. Intellectually, Cat knew he would have no interest in
what Marian and George were doing. Emotionally, the knowledge of sending them to
the beach still sent a horrible chill down her spine. She had no option but to
trust in her own intuition that this was the best way forward.

“The truth is, I don’t, Marian. But he wants Jay or me. Not
you.” She tightened her fingers around Marian’s and George’s and looked at them
in turn. “You don’t have to do this. I’m asking you, but by no means forcing
you. It is risky, but I think the risk is low enough that you will be safe for
the short time I need you to go there. The killer will be watching me and Jay if
he’s watching at all.” She glanced at Jay. “We have a house visit to make and
then we’ll come to the beach. It will be dusk soon and the light will be no good
for a proper search. I just hoped we could get a head start before Bennett’s
team arrives.”

Marian frowned. “Don’t trust him, either, eh?”

Cat stared. “I trust him.”

“No, you don’t. It’s written all over your face. Why don’t you
trust the inspector?”

Heat seared Cat’s face.
Because he thinks
Jay did this.
“It’s not that I don’t trust Bennett to do his job. But
I want to be the one to nail Sarah’s killer. It sounds stupid and misplaced. But
Jay and I...” She turned to Jay. “We’ve got some making up to do as far as
Sarah’s concerned.”

A sad silence enveloped the table and Cat shut her eyes.
Sarah’s smiling face appeared behind her closed lids and Cat squeezed back the
tears.

“Okay. We’ll do it.”

Cat snapped her eyes open. “You will?”

“Yep.” Marian grinned from ear to ear.

George grinned. “Abso-bloody-lutely.”

Fully alert once more, Marian gestured toward the paper.
“George, give me that.”

Cat let out her breath on a rush of relief and when Jay stole
his arm around her shoulder, she turned and smiled. He winked, sending her
stomach into a mess of knots and tangles. She turned to Marian and George.
Marian’s keen gaze ran over the list.

“I know a lot of these places, which means other people will,
too.” She shook her head. “The chances of the money being there are slim, but if
it is, we’ll find it, won’t we, George?”

He pulled back his shoulders and jutted his chin. “Yes, ma’am,
we will.”

“Good, then we’ll leave you to it.” With a final encouraging
smile, Cat slid from the booth and stood to the side, hitching her bag onto her
shoulder. “Fifty thousand pounds is a lot of money, and with your help, we’ll
soon know the name of Sarah’s killer and be able to arrest him before Bennett
tries to send me back to Reading.”

Jay stood beside her. “Ring either of us as soon as you
know...or find anything. Wherever Cat is, I’ll be, okay?”

George gave a curt nod. “Will do.”

Cat walked to the door and then stopped. She turned back.
Marian and George were sidled close together, their heads bowed over the list
with Marian’s face sternly issuing instructions. George lifted his hand into a
salute every time she took a breath.

Tipping her head back, she met Jay’s eyes. “They’re on it.”

He smiled. “Good. Now I hope we can finish the conversation we
started.”

Cat swallowed but didn’t look away. No more looking away.
“Okay.”

He arched an eyebrow, surprise showing in his steady brown
gaze. “Okay?”

Hope and optimism surged into Cat’s heart as she realized she
wanted to share the burden with him. Wanted him to know her true life and not
the one she constantly portrayed to the entire world. She nodded. “Okay.”

His wide, satisfied smile set her heart thumping as Jay took
her hand and led her to the car. Their eyes met over the roof before they opened
the doors and got in. Cat pulled on her seat belt, her hand trembling as he
started the engine and pulled away.

“Do you want to go back to the cabin?”

She shook her head. “No, we’ll talk on the way to the drug
haunt. If I don’t do this en route, I’ll feel like we’re wasting precious time
for Sarah. And what I have to tell you is hard enough to share as it is.”

He gave a slight nod and turned back to the windshield. When
his hand slid over hers and held tight, she didn’t pull away but squeezed her
eyes shut instead.

“Mum’s...” The words caught and lodged in Cat’s throat like
tiny bullets of guilt. The perpetual feeling of responsibility rained down on
her. Betrayal of her mum was the last thing she wanted, but over the years, Cat
had weakened and Jay was her strength. Always had been.
Tell him. Say the damn words.
“She’s an alcoholic and I don’t think
I can help her anymore.”

Silence passed with each beat of her racing heart. She turned.
His gaze was focused straight ahead, his jaw tight. “How long?”

“How long has she been drinking? Seven years.”