Reasonable Doubt (8 page)

“A good father wouldn’t kill his children’s mother, Keri.”

“That’s not for me to decide. It’s not for anyone to decide except a jury of twelve.”

An exasperated sigh hissed through the line. “This is Justin Kramer we’re talking about. I don’t believe you can be as objective as you’re trying to sound. It has to be eating you alive. You need to take a position and stick to it.”

Keri’s ire rose at the firmness in Denni’s voice. When was her older sister going to stop bossing her around? “I don’t have a position one way or another. I only mentioned on an impersonal level that I’ve noticed Justin takes adequate care of his boys. That doesn’t
mean I plan on letting him slip through my fingers again.” Keri cringed. Had she really said
again?

Denni’s chuckled answered her question. “I knew you weren’t over him.”

“I didn’t mean ‘again.’ I mean I’m not letting him go until I know for sure if he’s going to be arrested. As in he’s not getting away from me. “Stop! Police!’ And all that. So don’t try to make me sound like a simpering, wishy-washy female cop.”

“Oh, hey, speaking of that. Dad said you’re up for chief. How great would that be if you got it? I can’t even imagine a woman as chief of police there. That’s like having a female president. Only bigger considering we’re talking about Briarwood. Monumental.”

Keri’s mind raced, trying to keep up with Denni’s line of reasoning. “Yeah, well, if I’m arrested for contributing after the fact, I’ll pretty much lose all hope of that.”

“So I guess you have to decide what’s most important to you. Your job or helping an innocent man?”

“If he’s innocent.”

“He is. You know it in your heart.”

Denni’s words played over and over in Keri’s mind long after they’d said goodbye. If she could only be sure Justin was innocent or guilty. At this point, she couldn’t risk everything on a whim and a few tingles whenever he came close. When the phone rang again, she jumped. “Hello?”

“Keri, honey? This is Ruth. I’m seeing a car off the road here.”

“Well, Ruth, you’ll have to call the station. Remember I’m on vacation at the cabin with Dad?”

“Well, of course I remember! I’m not in town. I left the café in Doris’s hands and hightailed it right out here.”

“Ruth! What do you mean? Chief Manning said the crews weren’t getting through.”

“Oh, well, it was slow-going. Took me the better part of four hours to get here.”

Four hours? The woman must have driven fifteen miles per hour the entire way.

“What are you doing here two days early?”

“When your Daddy told me about those sweet boys and your handsome Justin, I couldn’t stay away. I figured you’d need more groceries, for one thing, and I picked up a few coloring books and some toys to keep the kids occupied.”

The woman actually giggled. “Well, there’s my cuddly bear standing on the front porch waiting for me. Yoo-hoo! Hi, honey cakes!” She clicked off the phone without saying goodbye.

Keri rolled her eyes and pressed the button to shut off the phone. It was downright embarrassing how much in love those two were. But, she had to admit, she loved Ruth and was glad her dad had found a woman he could dote on. She grinned and went to greet the object of her dad’s affection.

Justin couldn’t hide his surprise at Keri’s suggestion they pull his car out of the ditch.

“What?” she asked, staring petulantly at him as though she were Oscar the Grouch caught in a random act of kindness.

He shrugged, unwilling to antagonize her and risk a change of heart. “Nothing. I’m ready whenever you are.”

Scowling, she grabbed her coat, hat and gloves. “Well, don’t read anything into it. Ruth suggested it. I just agree that we should get your car out of the ditch.”

“All right.” He slipped into his own coat and gloves and followed her outside.

She remained silent as she fired up the Jeep and waited for it to warm up. Only when she’d eased the vehicle onto the road, did she speak. “Got your keys?”

“Yep. Right here in my pocket.”

She gave a practically imperceptible nod.

Justin cleared his throat. “So, Ruth is quite a pistol, isn’t she?”

Keri’s lips turned slightly up at the corners. “I think that’s why Dad likes her. He likes unconventional women.”

“I remember your mom being sort of a free spirit, too, wasn’t she? I used to love coming over and tasting her new recipes or seeing new curtains.”

Keri laughed. “She moved the furniture around every other week. She always needed something new.” Her eyes clouded. “That’s why she was out that night.”

“The night she was killed?”

“Yes.” Her voice came out a hoarse whisper. “She was painting the living room and ran out of paint. She had to drive thirty miles to Springfield to find a place still open at ten o’clock. She never made it to the store. The man who killed her had been drinking since four that afternoon. He was so plastered he doesn’t remember the accident.” Her voice choked and she drew a short breath. “He spent five years in prison. I heard that he returned to his happy home, and his wife and children welcomed him with open arms.”

“Is this why you decided to become a cop?” Justin asked quietly. “Because of your mom?”

She shrugged. “I guess so. I had high hopes of closing down the bar in Briarwood. But of course that didn’t happen. So I thought I’d intimidate the drunks to stay off the road. But just the other day, Junior Conner—” she glanced sideways “—remember him?”

“Vaguely.”

“Anyway, just the other day, he got behind the wheel of his truck and almost killed a group of teenagers. I tell you, if I had my way, he’d go to prison for the rest of his life.”

“Maybe he’ll get some help while he’s locked up,” Justin replied.

“I’m sure he will. And he’ll be sober for about thirty minutes after he gets out of jail.”

Justin decided not to press. Better to stay on neutral ground for now. Keri was in no mood to consider the possibility of genuine rehabilitation.

Slowing the Jeep, she carefully maneuvered around so that they were headed back toward the cabin. “We’ll hook up the chain. Even with four-wheel drive and chains on the tires, I don’t know if we can get enough traction to get your car out of the ditch.”

“It’s going to be tricky. Want me to drive the Jeep?”

Her withering look was loud and clear. He grinned and held up his hands in surrender. “Sorry.”

It took only a few minutes to connect the two vehicles with a heavy chain. While the engine warmed, he opened the glove box and pulled out his cell phone. He checked his messages. Four. All from Bob. All within
the past three hours. The last one occurring only ten minutes before they got to the car.

Something must be up for him to call so many times in such rapid succession. Justin’s stomach flopped. What if the killer had been found? Or what if the witnesses had admitted they were lying?

He punched in Bob’s number. After several rings he got the answering machine.

He left a short message, pocketed the phone, and concentrated on steering while Keri pulled his car from the ditch.

S
o much for a peaceful two-week vacation, Keri groused to herself as she filled the sink with soapy water. It was bad enough that Justin’s presence brought her nothing but anxiety, but now Ruth had breezed in with her exhausting, larger-than-life personality and upped the energy level in the small cabin about ten notches. She’d also brought a TV/VCR combo so the boys could watch cartoon videos. Not that Keri begrudged the boys a few minutes of fun, but what about
her
vacation? And being as how she and Ruth were the only single women occupying the cramped cabin, Keri had to share her room with the woman. And her bed.

With a half growl, she plunged her hands deep into the bubbles to locate the sponge. She attacked the dishes with vengeance, taking out her frustration on the remains of Ruth’s special Texas-style fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy and green beans swimming in bacon grease. Had the woman never heard of light meals or reduced fat? Keri shook her head. How Ruth
kept a pretty decent figure for a woman her age, she’d never guess.

As the pile of dishes began to shrink, Keri’s mind bobbed from one person to the next until settling on Josh and Billy. She had to come up with some way to help them deal with their mom’s death—especially Josh. He had barely said three words most of the day. Keri wasn’t sure if it was because of the trauma of his horrible dream, or if he felt silly after Justin told him there was no evidence anyone had been outside of his window in the recent past. Regardless, everyone’s attempts to draw the boy out of his shell today had failed. He’d barely eaten and had meekly surrendered to the bath Justin was currently overseeing.

The hollowness of Josh’s eyes haunted Keri’s memory until finally she couldn’t bear it anymore. She left the dishes and sank onto a kitchen chair. Dropping her head into her hands, she gave in to her tears. Despair clenched her stomach, gripping it like a vise as the tears trickled down her face. Then, knowing tears alone wouldn’t help the child, she began to pray. Deep, heart-wrenching entreaties rose from the center of her being on behalf of the boys Justin had brought into her life. Boys she wanted to wrap up in her arms and protect from the ugliness of what was surely to come to them in only a couple of days.

Then she prayed for Justin. He was trying desperately to be cheerful for the boys’ sakes, but the sparkle she remembered so well in those blue eyes was glaringly absent. As though he’d lost his energy.

She looked up as the door swung open and, as though summoned by her thoughts, Justin appeared, the
damp sleeves of his blue-denim overshirt rolled up to his elbows. A dark blue T-shirt stretched across a well-muscled chest. He dominated the room just by making an appearance. When he caught her eye, his lips turned upward. He dazzled her with his smile. A smile meant only for her. The kind of smile that girls like her waited for forever, but were rarely lucky enough to receive. Always a bridesmaid, never a bride. Always dreaming of Prince Charming, always disappointed.

“Are you okay? Why are you crying?”

Reality bit hard as the prince stepped fully inside and closed the kitchen door.

Keri sighed and stood, disgusted with herself for even thinking along those lines. By now, she should be smart enough to realize that if by some fluke the prince did show up, as he’d promised a million years ago, he’d be suspected of murdering his wife. So much for dreams. She scowled at him and headed back to the sink.

The sound of Justin’s footsteps following her on the hardwood floor sent her heart racing. He stood beside her at the sink, but made no move to touch her. “I asked you a question. Are you okay?”

“Yeah.” She sniffed. “Why?”

“Because your face is red and splotchy and your nose is starting to run. Here take this.” He grabbed a tissue from the box on the counter.

Miffed by his unchivalrous mention of her red face and runny nose, she snatched the tissue and did what she had to do. When she felt sufficiently presentable, she tossed it away and went to work on the greasy iron skillet. “So you got the boys all bathed?”

“Yep. Bathed and settled into bed.”

He snatched up a dishtowel and made himself useful drying the dishes already in the drainer. “Now, do you want to tell me why you’re crying?” He leaned in closer to her and cocked his head. “It’s not about me, is it?”

She sliced a look his way, then laughed at his teasing grin. “You’re so conceited,” she said, pushing him sideways with her shoulder.

“Seriously, though. Want to talk about it?”

She shrugged. “Not really.”

“All right.” He grabbed another plate.

“Well, if you really want to know, I was praying for Josh and Billy. The whole situation just makes me cry for them.”

He stopped drying a glass container and put it down, then pressed her shoulder to draw her around. “Thank you, Keri.” His eyes were misty, making them appear as clear as two lakes on a summer day. “You have no idea what it means to me to know someone besides me is praying for them.” His voice broke. “Only God will get them through it. How much are they going to have to stand at such an age?”

Somehow, against all reasonable thought, she gathered him into her arms. He clung to her, his fingers pressing against her back as he drew her close and rested his head on her shoulder, taking her back to the day of his parents’ funeral.

Keri hesitated only a moment, then slowly and methodically began to stroke his black hair, marveling at its softness. “It’ll work out. I know it will. If you’re innocent, like you say you are, then God will go to work on your behalf.”

He pulled back. A frown pinched his brow. “
If
I’m innocent? What am I going to have to do to prove to you that I’m not capable of such an act?”

“I don’t know, Justin. I want to trust you. You’ve no idea how badly. Do you think I want to believe that the boy I’ve loved all my life—” Her eyes widened at her admission and she hurried to amend her statement before he could pounce on it. “I mean, I don’t want to believe the boy that I loved as a child, could be capable of murder.” She moved away quickly, slapping away nonexistent dust from her thighs as she struggled to gain her composure. “I didn’t mean that I love you anymore.”

Justin leaned back against the sink while Keri attacked the chicken fryer with renewed energy.

“Sure, I know,” he replied. But he didn’t sound very convinced.

She squared her shoulders. “Anyway, I have to do my duty. If I just take your word, without proof, I could never bring myself to arrest you. Don’t you see?”

Drawing a shaky breath, Justin nodded. “I know.” He grabbed up his towel once more and they worked in silence for several minutes.

Too many emotions thickened the air, stifling Keri until she wanted to scream and rush outside into the cold air just for a five-minute reprieve. Instead, she drew upon the lightness of a few minutes before.

“You’re pretty good at KP duty.” Keri’s words sounded flat despite her pitiful attempt to lighten the mood between them.

“I have lots of experience. KP is one of my main jobs at the mission.”

The comment took her by surprise, and she glanced at Justin, genuinely interested. “What do you mean? I thought you did counseling.”

“That’s part of it. But there are also necessary chores to be done and not nearly enough volunteer workers. We feed about five hundred people every day along with the men who bunk there for however long they stay. That’s only supper. If I had my way, we’d provide at least two meals daily, but the funds aren’t there for now. Maybe eventually…”

Taken aback, Keri shook her head. “That’s amazing. I’d love to be involved in something like that.” The church benevolence program provided groceries for needy families in Briarwood, and though she’d donated funds for the program, Keri had to admit to little to no hands-on work.

“Really?” Justin’s brow rose ever so slightly.

Keri’s heart picked up at the intensity of his gaze, but her face grew hot at the surprised tone of his voice.

She rinsed the pan and set it in the drainer. “Well, yeah. Is that so hard to believe? That I’d want to help someone?”

Justin picked up the pan and rubbed the towel over it, keeping his gaze on hers. “No. I remember when we were kids we discussed being missionaries—”

“I don’t want to discuss our childhood. Remember?”

He shrugged. “Where does this go?” he asked, holding up the dried-off skillet.

Keri took it from him and walked to the stove. “We’ll be using it a lot so Dad just said leave it on top.” When she turned back around, Justin still stood by the sink, but now he faced her, his arms folded across his chest.

“Regardless of whether you want to discuss our former relationship, what I meant was that I assumed since you didn’t go into some sort of job where you were helping people, that you had given up on your desire for missions.”

His comment raised Keri’s hackles more than a little bit. “You don’t think I’m helping people?”

“I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with what you do. So don’t waste your breath defending the worthiness of being a police officer. I know it’s an important job. But cops wage a different kind of war on evil than the one I wage every day in the inner city. And personally, I believe you’d be happier if you’d stuck to the original plan.”

With a shrug, she dismissed him and stomped to a kitchen chair. “Whatever.” She sat, grabbing a magazine from a stack in the middle of the table, deciding to ignore him.

Justin grabbed a mug from the cabinet and poured a cup of freshly brewed coffee. “Want a cup?”

Shaking her head, Keri flipped a page.

Something akin to a growl escaped his throat as he took the chair across from her. “Oh, I see.”

“See what?” Keri kept her eyes focused on the fascinating advertisement for the latest, most absorbent paper towels on the pages in front of her.

“You don’t like what I have to say, so I get the silent treatment. Typical.”

Keri slapped down the magazine and glared at him. “Typical? That’s a bit chauvinistic, don’t you think?”

The corner of his lip turned up in a sardonic half grin. The gloves were off. He was obviously making no attempt to win any points with her now. “I didn’t
mean typical of women.” He raised his coffee cup to his lips. “I meant typical of you.”

Leaning forward, Keri shot him what she hoped was her meanest look. “What do you mean, typical of me? You don’t even know me, Justin Kramer. I am a grown woman, fifteen years more mature than the idiot who hung on your every word.”

There that should do it. Effectively remind him that she didn’t need him, didn’t care what he thought of her and wouldn’t have liked him when they were kids if she’d had any sense.

So why didn’t he look like a guy who’d just been reduced to his proper place in this scenario? She frowned as he leaned in closer, his lips curved in a knowing smile.

“I don’t know, Keri. I’m remembering exactly the way you were back then. A cute little redhead with enormous green eyes that dazzled me from the first time I can remember you—which is probably around five years old. From where I’m sitting, you haven’t changed much…and neither have those eyes.”

Keri sucked in a breath. If he was going to go there, she’d be putty in his hands. Two minutes. Tops.

“Justin…” she groused, warning thick in her voice.

“Want to know what else I’m remembering?” he asked.

“No.”

“Too bad.” He grinned. “I remember a girl who had to have everything just so. And if she didn’t get her way, she pouted. And guess who always got the silent treatment? A lot like right now.”

Okay, so maybe he did remember. But it wasn’t like he ever put up with it, so what was he griping about?

“Oh, don’t act like you were the martyr of our relationship!” Keri gave up all pretense of not caring. “I might have given you the silent treatment, but you were always the holdout and I always gave in. And you know it!” She cringed at the childish expression.

“Well,” he said, leaning back in his chair until the front legs came off the floor. Once more, he folded his arms across his chest and gave her a lopsided smirk. “I was always right. Some things don’t change, do they?”

Before she could consider her actions, Keri kicked out her foot and snagged his suspended chair leg. The motion took him by surprise and he tipped back, eyes wide, mouth open. He landed with a crash on the floor.

“Hey!”

Keri gasped in unison with his shocked response. They stared at each other, neither believing she’d actually done it.

“Justin!” she said, shooting to her feet. “I’m so sorry.” Then the sight of his precarious position on the floor, still seated in the upended chair, struck her as funny and she started to giggle.

Justin’s eyes narrowed. “You don’t seem sorry.”

“I know. I’m sorry,” she said again, but the glare in his eyes only made her laugh harder. She extended her hand. “Here, I’ll help you up.”

“Thanks.” He grabbed her hand, and she caught the glint in his eye, just as he pulled her to the floor beside him.

The door opened at that moment and Mac and Ruth stared at them, the same look of bewilderment in both faces. “What in the world are you two up to?” Mac asked.

Keri and Justin exchanged a glance and lost control. Laughter rumbled from Justin and rippled from Keri.

Dad shook his head and glared at Ruth. “Just like when they were kids,” he mused. “In their own little world.”

The words sobered Keri immediately, but Justin let out one more short laugh. “Told ya,” he said with a triumphant grin. “You haven’t changed as much as you might think. And neither have I.”

He hopped to his feet, grabbed hold of her hands without asking, and pulled her to her feet. “Sorry, Mac. I fell over in the chair and Keri tried to help me up.”

“Never mind,” Dad said. “I don’t even want to know how she ended up on the floor.”

A cell phone chirped as Keri bent to pick up the chair.

“Dad! I thought you were going to turn that thing off. Are you afraid of a little peace and quiet?”

“For your information, that wasn’t my phone, little girl.” He scowled. “And maybe you want to keep a civil tongue in your mouth, huh?”