Page 43 of Final Inning

“No. You shouldn’t. You don’t need to see your dad like that. I’ll give it to the FBI. We’ll let them do it. They are good at what they do. And…they aren’t Helery County.” Hagan made a decision. She wasn’t going to let him go back out there, into the storm, as upset as he obviously was. “I’m going to let the pizza cool. You are going to take off your jacket and sit down. We’ll talk. I want you to just tell me the good things about your dad. I always remember how much he loved you and Ramey. I envied that, you know.”

“He…really did. I only really remember him yelling at me like three times. Remember when we were down by the river, and it stormed and we were still out in it?”

“Yes. We were almost toasted.” Lightning had struck the tree near them. Hagan had been too close and she had been knocked off her feet. They’d almost run back into her foster family’s kitchen after. His dad had been there to pick him and Ramey up. It had scared Kevin. She’d known that immediately.

“He yelled at us in the car to never be that stupid again. That was the last time my dad ever yelled at me. I’d give anything…to have him yell at me again. To tell me not to buy that stupid building in town, or…not to date Carnelia three years ago, or…”

Hagan just did what felt natural. She went to her friend and wrapped her arms around him. And hugged him. “I’m sorry. I am so sorry you lost him.”

“It still hurts. Every day. And this…this whole thing with the FBI…it’s just making things worse. Everyone is talking about it again. And I just keep remembering…”

And she had brought them there. She had been one of the ones to ask the questions around town about his father.

Because of Harper.

Who had been their friend, too. “They are going to find the answers. For your dad…and for Harper, too.”

“What if the same person killed them both? If they had stopped him before, with my dad—she’d still be alive. And…all I can do to help is…this.”

The envelope he’d dropped on her table.

Maybe it really would have all the answers.

So people could stop hurting.

All she wanted was for people she cared about to not be hurting.

“I’m going to find the answers, Julian, I promise.”

Chapter 32

Cathy was sick again. And since Valeria had the most seniority, they’d called her to cover the shift. Valeria knew saying something would be stupid—Cathy got a lot of attention since she was doing chemo and everything—but she didn’t want to work this morning. She didn’t.

She was driving by the townhouses on county road 89 when she saw the big white Adams Realty truck that Julian always drove. It was just right there. Parked by Hagan’s house. Right next to her SUV. Like…Julian had been there before.

It was four a.m. Why was Julian at Hagan’s? He had a huge house in town he was remodeling. Valeria had asked him about the house renovations all the time. She could just imagine how perfect it would be for them to live there in the center of town forever. The old mayor would eventually croak. Someone would have to replace him, and Uncle Ted had always said he wouldn’t want it—he liked being the sheriff too much.

Julian was the obvious choice. She had a lot of plans for them. For their life together.

Why was he with Hagan?

She had understood, a little, why Harper had been with him that last night. Before she’d died. He was best friends with Harper’s fiancé or something. He wouldn’t have ever done anything with Harper. It would have hurt his best friend.

But Valeria wasn’t so sure Harper hadn’t wanted to do something with Julian, though. Those two had always been laughing together. Harper had been in the store that day, the day she’d died. Valeria had heard her flirting with Julian. Telling him how beautiful he was, and that if her boyfriend wasn’t careful, she’d throw him over for Julian.

Julian had just laughed.

But Valeria had known she’d meant it.

Julian was so much better than Harper’s stupid fiancé. Of course Harper had wanted him.

Now Hagan did. And Hagan was getting him. It was four a.m., and he was inside Hagan’s house. Probably screwing her or something. All the guys Valeria hung around with, her brother and his friends like Damien, they all talked about wanting to screw Hagan.

Julian was a guy. Hagan was a slut.

Just like Valeria’s own mother. Her mother was always screwing around with Ted. Everyone was always screwing around. And now…Hagan was taking Julian away from her too.

Valeria pulled off alongside the road and just cried. And cried.