Epilogue 1
Julia Tutwiler Prison For Women
Wetumpka, Alabama
Three weeks later…
“I hear that you might have murdered another man, Mother.” Lily sat at the little table in the visiting room with Magnolia, aware of the guard’s eyes on them. His eyes. His ears. His whole focus.
Magnolia cast a teasing grin toward the guard. “Oh, Jesse, can you imagine? Little old me…killing someone…while I’m locked away in here?”
Jesse shook his blond head. “I just can’t imagine that,” he rumbled as he pushed back his slightly rounded shoulders.
She winked at Jesse, then looked back at Lily. “Who have I killed? And who told you such a terrible story?”
“FBI Special Agent Gage Emerick told me the story.”
“Well, we’ve both agreed before that the man is a fool. Just who is it that he believes I’ve killed now?”
“Dr. Francis Locke.”
Magnolia cut her gaze toward the guard once more. Lily realized that her mother looked far too pleased. The guard looked smug, too.
Oh, no. “Mother, what have you done?”
Magnolia blinked, all innocence. “A mother always looks after the child she loves. Protecting is a mother’s job.”
“I wasn’t in any danger from Dr. Locke. I didn’t even know the man. I didn’t need protecting from him.”
Magnolia widened her eyes. “Yet I’m believed to have killed him? While locked up in here? What a silly story. Isn’t that silly, Jesse?”
“Yes, ma’am,” he agreed. His arms remained crossed over his chest.
There seemed to be silent communication going on between Magnolia and the guard. Another friend to her mother?
“But…if little old me could exert my influence and get Dr. Locke killed…perhaps I’m also the one who killed say…David Warren?”
“David Warren’s death was attributed to natural causes.”
“Yes, but some people—some federal agents—just stubbornly thought otherwise, yes?” A smile played at Magnolia’s lips. “But, given the events with Francis, I would think a new theory may be circulating.”
A new theory was, indeed, circulating.
“I suppose Agent Emerick thinks that I am so wickedly guilty? Responsible somehow for the deaths of David and Francis?” A soft exhale.
“He’s wrong, as usual. But at least the man will stop baselessly suspecting you.
I mean, honestly, we both know that David died of a heart attack.
Sometimes, people just die. I bet that’s what happened to Dr. Locke, too.
He just died. Such a shame. So terrible… ”
“He was poisoned, Mother. I’ve read his tox screen.”
Sympathy instantly flashed on Magnolia’s face. “He was always far too interested in poison. Oh, my. Oh, dear. When I rejected his last proposal of marriage, do you think he killed himself? Do you think my rejection was just too much for him to handle?”
Highly doubtful.
“Goodness. I just had the most dreadful thought.” Magnolia’s eyes were so wide. “What if Francis has been obsessed with me for years? What if…what if he killed David so long ago? How about that theory?”
Yes, how about it.
“Perhaps the guilt just ate and ate at him…and Francis had to take his own life.” A despondent sigh from Magnolia. “Such a tragedy. Oh, well, I will grieve. Then, somehow, I will find the strength to go on.”
“I am sure that you will.” Lily pushed back a lock of hair that had slid against her cheek. “You always find that strength.”
“That’s a lovely ring,” her mother murmured as her gaze sharpened on the hand Lily had raised. “Sapphires and diamonds. Sapphires…they’re a symbol of loyalty, aren’t they?”
Lily stilled. She hadn’t taken off the ring when she came into the prison, mostly because Atlas had made her promise to never, ever take off the new engagement ring that he’d given to her.
She hadn’t wanted to break a promise to him.
“Where is your fiancé?” Magnolia asked. “I would very much like to meet him.”
Yes, she knew that. Knew that her mother had used the warden to call Atlas in for a meeting. Though they still weren’t quite sure how the warden had obtained Atlas’s private number. When Atlas had pressed him, the warden had told him that Magnolia supplied the number.
How on earth did you get that number, mother? She would save that question, for later. For now, Lily asked, “What do you want him to do? Donate to the warden? Pay him off so you get cushy treatment before your execution?”
“Oh, darling, my lawyer says I shall be getting a new trial any day. And things are quite cushy enough for me.” Her smile came and went. “No, I just want to…meet the man who is taking my daughter away from me.”
Not good. “Magnolia…”
“He’s here with you, isn’t he? I bet he is. I bet he watches over you very closely and…”
The door opened behind Lily. She felt Atlas. Didn’t even glance back.
Magnolia’s gaze rose. Assessed. And what could have been a flash of fear came and went in her eyes. Ridiculous, of course. Magnolia didn’t fear anyone.
Or anything.
No, that’s not true. She was afraid once. When she thought I was dying.
Magnolia rose, resplendent in her prison orange. And she offered one cuffed hand to Atlas. “Magnolia Calhoun, so pleased to meet you.”
Slow steps. Atlas extended his hand. Took hers. “Atlas Bennett.”
Magnolia’s head tilted to the left. “You think you’re going to marry my daughter?”
“I think—correction, I know that I’m going to love your daughter for the rest of my days.”
“Love?” Magnolia pounced. Her grip on his hand seemed to tighten.
“Yes.” No hesitation. Then, “Lily has a beautiful laugh.”
Magnolia sucked in a breath. She snatched her hand from Atlas. Then that hand pressed to her chest as her stunned gaze flew to Lily. “She…does?”
A nod from Atlas. “I intend to hear that laugh a great deal.”
“Lily doesn’t laugh easily.” She seemed uncertain. The first time Lily could remember her mother being that way.
“I know.” Softer, from Atlas. “But I’m a patient man.”
“Patient,” Magnolia repeated, as if tasting the word. “And what else? What kind of man are you?”
“The kind who will always put Lily first. The kind who doesn’t hesitate to protect what he values most in this world.”
Lily could not take her gaze off them. They seemed like two predators, sizing each other up. Perhaps…even reaching some sort of truce?
“What do you value most?” Magnolia wanted to know.
“Lily.”
A broad smile curved Magnolia’s face. “Tell me, do you believe in soulmates?”
Atlas turned his head toward Lily. His eyes were on her. His entire focus, seemingly only on her. “I believe in Lily.”
Those words sank into her. Filled her. The ice inside wasn’t there. No more hollow aches. She felt warmth and joy and hope.
Hope that her life could be so much more than it had been before. That she could be accepted. Fully. Always. That she would love—and be loved in return.
“You don’t think…” Magnolia’s considering voice. “You don’t think that’s she’s broken? That she needs to be fixed?”
“There’s nothing broken about her. Never has been. Never will be.”
A pleased laugh spilled from Magnolia. “Well, aren’t you just delightful? Just…delightful.”
He glanced back at her mother.
Just in time to catch the deliberate flutter of Magnolia’s lashes. “And here I thought you were some big, bad monster…”
“I am.”
If possible, her smile stretched even more. “I am going to like you.”
“That thrills me to no end,” Atlas told her. “Because I hear that when you don’t like men, bad things happen to them.”
Magnolia laughed again.
And Lily realized…
She and her mother had the same laugh.