Chapter 12
Shocked, Gabe paused on the sidewalk outside the unkempt and rundown single-story home in the neighborhood full of high-end homes. Something had changed in the James family.
This place didn’t at all resemble the well-manicured and maintained property where Kenna had grown up.
Gabe aimed to find out what was going on. He rang the bell as El joined him, after saying goodbye to the deputy who’d met them to pick up the evidence from Kenna’s house.
Mrs. James pulled the door open. Or at least he thought it was her.
She had once been as beautiful as Kenna, but her skin sagged as wrinkles crawled like a road over her face.
She wore a gray jogging suit, the sweatshirt stained on the front with what resembled splotches of coffee.
Odd. Women in the neighborhood used to envy her fashionable wardrobe.
She eyed them both, no recognition of Gabe’s identity dawning on her face.
“If you’re here to sell or preach at me, don’t bother. I’m not interested.” She started to push the door closed.
El held out her credentials. “Are you Mary James, Kenna James’s mother?”
Mrs. James scowled. “Yeah, but not like I’ve seen or heard from the ungrateful girl in years.”
El cringed. “Could we come in for a minute, please?”
She planted a hand on her hip. “This about Kenna? She must’ve done something really bad to get you here.”
“Please, can we come in and talk about it?”
Mrs. James shifted on her feet. Ran her gaze from one to the other. “Fine. But I’m busy, so only a few minutes. And before you say anything about that girl, I won’t bail her out. Just so you know.”
She made room for them to enter and backed away. El pushed past her like Speedy Gonzalez, as if she was afraid Mrs. James would change her mind. Gabe followed, wondering if the woman would act any differently when she learned Kenna had died.
Gabe recognized the traditional beige sofa he’d watched movies from with Kenna, but it was now worn from years of use.
As he sat next to El, he looked around the room.
The same furniture he remembered from his childhood filled the space painted a calming blue.
Dust covered most of the wooden furniture and water rings underneath were too numerous to count.
Mrs. James plopped onto a faded blue easy chair with a matching ottoman. She propped her bare feet up. “Now what is it you want to tell me?”
El slid to the edge of the sofa and laid her hands on her lap. “I’m sorry to tell you this, Mrs. James, but Kenna was found dead on Friday night.”
Mrs. James shifted her feet to the floor and sat upright. “Dead. But how?”
“We’re investigating it as a homicide.”
“Homicide, huh? I knew that girl would come to no good.”
Gabe sucked in a sharp breath. What a horrible way for a mother to talk about her daughter. “Stop right there. Kenna led an exemplary life and was a terrific mother and role model. You’ve spoken badly about her far too often over the years, and you can’t possibly be blaming her for her own death.”
Mrs. James sniffed. “You seem to know a lot about her, but who in the world are you?”
Gabe squared his shoulders. “Gabe Irving. Kenna’s friend since first grade.”
“You?” She blinked several times. “You’re that scrawny kid who hung around her all those years? Don’t tell me you finally got her to fall for you and you got married. That you’re the father of the kid I heard she’d had.”
Just like this woman to misread everything. “I’ve never had a romantic relationship with Kenna and never wanted to. But I was honored to be her best friend and be there for her in lieu of you and her family. Especially to help with Lucy, even though she’s not my daughter.”
“Well, isn’t that sweet?” She gave him a snide smile. “What happens to the kid now?”
El cleared her throat. “She’s currently missing, and we’re looking for her. But I assure you, just like we’ll find Kenna’s killer, we will find Lucy.”
“And then what? You’re not expecting her to live with me, are you? Because I’m too old to be raising a little kid.”
Way to show concern for the missing grandchild. Still, Gabe had hoped she would say something like this, and he wouldn’t end up in a custody fight over Lucy. “What about Mr. James? Might he want custody?”
“He passed away three years ago. Lung cancer.” Her tone was level, no emotions.
Did this woman even have a heart? She couldn’t, with the way she spoke about the loss of her husband.
He cleared his throat. “Kenna’s will designates me to take custody of Lucy, and I’m glad to do it.”
“Well then, I guess we’re done here.” She started to get up.
El held up her hand. “I’d like to ask you a few questions about Kenna.”
Mrs. James narrowed her eyes. “You can ask all you want about her, but everything I know I’ve heard through the grapevine.”
El didn’t look daunted. “I first need to ask where you were on Friday evening.”
“That’s rich.” She shook her head. “You think I killed her. What reason would I have to do that?”
“I don’t know, Mrs. James, but could you please tell me where you were?”
“Stop calling me Mrs. James. It’s Mary.” She crossed her arms and glared at El. “Friday night my group gets together to play cards. I was the host that night so plenty of people saw me.”
“What time did you meet?”
“We started with a light dinner at six and played until ten o’clock. Then because it was at my house, a couple of my friends stayed to help clean up. Was probably close to midnight by the time they went home. Is that good enough for you?”
El held out a small notebook and pen. “Please write down their names and contact information so I can confirm.”
After a dramatic eye roll and sigh, Mary took the pen and pad and started writing. She got out her cell phone and scribbled down phone numbers before shoving the book back at El. “Is that all?”
El poised her pen above the notepad. “I don’t mean to pry at such a sensitive time, but do you have any idea who might’ve wanted to harm Kenna?”
“Like I said, I didn’t know much about her other than what was on the grapevine. I’m sure you heard the rumor that she was involved in drug trafficking.”
“What?” Gabe couldn’t control his shock, and his outburst made Mary jump. “Kenna was no more involved with drugs than I am.”
Mary pressed her hand over her hair much like a cat would try to flatten their fur when frightened. “Maybe so, but it’s the word on the street.”
Gabe stood and stared at her. “I can assure you that I’ll find out who started such a terrible rumor and make sure it’s corrected.” He looked at El. “I think we’re done here. At least I am. She hasn’t changed a bit in all of these years, and I doubt she can be very helpful.”
Still holding her pen over the paper, El got up slowly. “It would help if you could give us a name or two for who shared this rumor.”
“Sure.” She raised her chin and stared back at Gabe. “You don’t have to look any further than your family. They know the drug trade and who’s involved in it. And they’re more than happy to share information.”
Gabe stormed to the door, but El didn’t follow him.
“Is there someone I can call for you?” she asked Mary, “A friend or family member who can come be with you?”
Gabe didn’t wait for the answer, but pushed out the door and onto the sidewalk, where he pulled out his phone and dialed his brother. “Are you spreading a rumor that Kenna was involved in drug trafficking with you?”
“First of all,” his brother replied in a deadly calm tone. “I have nothing to do with drug trafficking. If Kenna did, I know nothing about it. And even if I did know something like this about her, I wouldn’t tell anyone else.”
Gabe wished he was looking his brother in the eye to see if he was telling the truth. He’d always been able to catch Brad in a lie. “You’re trying to convince me you’re a choir boy now?”
“Didn’t say that. Just said I’m not involved in drug trafficking, and I respect Kenna’s privacy.”
“Your concern for my friend is new. Since when do you care about not spreading any gossip about her?”
“Since I spent a lifetime dodging gossip. Not an easy thing to live with.”
A noise behind Gabe, had him turning.
El left the house and walked toward him. He held up a finger and took a few steps away for privacy. “You know the way to stop it.”
“You mean the way you did? Run and hide?”
“I’m not hiding. You all know where I am. But yeah, man, I ran away from it as fast as I could, and I’ve never regretted my decision.” Didn’t mean he hadn’t suffered because of it. As the memories came back, Gabe cleared his throat. “If you want, you can leave too.”
“Where would I go, and what would I do at my age?”
Shocker of all shockers, he sounded as if he was actually considering it. “You could start by coming to live with me, and we’ll figure out what you’ll do from there.”
“After all we’ve been through, you’d let me stay with you? That’s hard to believe.”
“If you leave that life behind and go legit, I’ll do everything I can to help you.”
Silence filled the phone for a long moment. “I’ll think about it. And I’ll ask around to see who’s spreading the rumors you heard.”
“Thanks. Mary James mentioned it to me, and she said not to look further than my family.”
“I don’t know who she still talks to around here, but I’ll find out and let you know.”
Feeling better about his brother than he had in a long time, he ended the call and pocketed his phone. He joined El, but with Mary watching and listening to them from her open front door, he didn’t speak until they got into the car.
The moment the doors closed, he shared his conversation with his brother. “I might be a fool to believe him, especially that he might want to change. Guess that says I’ve never given up on them.”
El sat silently for a moment. “It’s like our relationship with God. He’s our father, and He never gives up on us no matter what we do. Once we turn away from our sins, He’s right there where we left Him with open arms and ready to forgive us.”