Leann Sweeney - Shoot from the Lip

“She’s helping you with your diet? Last I heard Kate was a shrink, not a dietician.”

He laughed. “True, but I came in here yesterday by mistake-I was supposed to deliver pill samples to a doctor named Ruston. But on the board in the lobby, I saw the name Rose first, and my brain decided that’s who I was supposed to see.”

“Kate doesn’t prescribe drugs. She’s a clinical psychologist.”

“I learned my mistake soon enough. Kate was out here with April and we got to talking. When I heard April was heading to some vegan place to pick up their lunch, I told Kate how interested I was in getting healthier. She offered to help me.”

I nodded. “Ah, so my sister’s a regular Pied Piper when it comes to luring wannabe vegetarians over to the dark side. Learn something every day.” But I wasn’t exactly sure who the Pied Piper was in all this-Kate or Clinton Roark.

He said, “She told me you’d be skeptical about us making this connection right after her breakup with Terry. But we’re just friends, Abby.”

Yeah. Friends. That was why Kate wouldn’t even face me this morning. “Hey, you don’t have to explain anything to me.” This conversation was making me uncomfortable. I walked over to April, who was busy behind the glassed-in counter. “Tell Kate I’ll talk to her later.”

I started for the door, but Roark blocked my path. “Are you leaving because of me? Please don’t. I can catch up with Kate another day.”

“Thanks, but I have something important to do, and she seems to be running over with her client.” I maneuvered around him, the scent of his cologne still with me as went to the elevator and punched the down button.

He did smell damn good, seemed nice enough. Now that I thought about it, if I got all negative about Roark to Kate, that put me squarely in Aunt Caroline’s court. I shivered at the thought. If Kate liked this guy, more power to her.

The elevator dinged and the doors opened. The compartment was almost full, and I hesitated.

“You coming or what?” a woman asked.

“Go on without me.” Dammit, I didn’t want tension between Kate and me. Besides, I needed my sister today, needed her beside me to offer comfort to Emma and her family.

I turned around, went back to her office and found her talking with Clinton in the waiting area.

“You’re back,” Kate said. “Clint and April said-”

“Listen, I don’t want to interfere in your social life, but I need your help tonight. I’ve discovered Christine O’Meara was murdered in 1997. I don’t want to take this news to her family alone.”

“That’s awful.” Kate looked up at Roark. “Do you mind if I take a rain check?”

“Of course not.” Roark looked at me. “Glad you changed your mind and came back.”

“Yeah, well, sometimes I’m as dumb as an unplugged computer. A cold case warmed up, and I need my sister’s help before this makes the late news.”

“I’ll get my purse, Abby.” She looked at Roark. “Call me?”

“I will.” He strode across the waiting room and out the door. Kate didn’t take her eyes off him until he was gone, reminding me that I never take my eyes off Jeff’s backside, either. Maybe there is such a thing as love in two days-even for shrinks who should know better.

“Mom’s dead?” Emma sat in the center of the couch at the hotel, flanked by Shannon and Luke. Luke was looking at the article copy I’d handed to Emma with the photo of their mother’s reconstructed face. Kate and I sat across from them.

“Yes. She was shot,” I said.

“Did she do it to herself?” Shannon said. “Because if she was drunk she could have-”

“No,” Kate interrupted gently. “Abby tells me the ME’s office determined from the wound location that she couldn’t have killed herself.”

“That’s a detail they left out of the paper,” I said. “Probably on purpose. They’ll compare Emma’s DNA to the DNA they took from your mother when her body was brought to the morgue in 1997. But as you can see, the woman in the newspaper looks exactly like her.”

“I’m glad she’s dead.” Luke’s gaze remained on the photocopy.

“Why’s that?” Kate had moved the coffee table aside to be closer to them, and her knees nearly touched Emma’s.

“I’m glad because she can’t come back,” he said. “Emma doesn’t have to be afraid of that happening anymore.”

“I was never afraid for myself, Luke,” Emma said. “I was afraid for you, Shannon and Scott.”

“Yeah, whatever,” he said with a shrug. He switched his stare to the Dr Pepper can held between his knees.

Kate leaned forward. “You’re looking out for your sister and I think that’s really cool, but how do you feel about your mother dying in such a violent way?”

His head snapped up. “You want me to cry? ’Cause that’s not gonna happen.”

“I only want you to know that I care, that I’m here for you. Anytime. No one should have to deal with what’s been dumped on you your entire life.”

Shannon said, “Emma always says that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. We’re pretty tough, Dr. Rose.”

Kate smiled. “Oh, yes. Tough and great and three of my new favorite people.”

“I have homework,” Shannon said. “Is it okay if I go?”

“Sure,” Emma said. “How about you, Luke? You want to stay?”

“No.” He jumped up and hurried to his room.

When they were gone, Emma said, “What happens next?”

“Your mother’s death will become an active homicide investigation again once a positive DNA ID is made. When the ME’s office is finished with her remains, you’ll have to decide what to do with her.”

Emma seemed to draw herself in. “I can’t afford a casket or-”

“What about cremation?” I asked.

Emma didn’t speak for a few moments. “The church allows it, as long as I don’t deny that she’ll be resurrected. That’s hard to think about-her being resurrected.”

Kate said, “You don’t have to decide tonight.”

“Mr. Kravitz and Mr. Mayo will find out about this tomorrow, won’t they?” Emma said.

I nodded. “I don’t know how they learn about things like this. But they’ll know.”

“I’m not sure I want to find out who killed her.” She looked at Kate. “Does that sound crazy?”

“Not at all,” Kate said. “Learning details about her murder will bring back more unpleasant memories-and you’ve had enough of those for a lifetime.”

“I’m not afraid of the memories.” Emma fell silent for a moment, her forehead creased in thought. “She must have made someone very angry.”

I nodded. “Or scared them.”

Emma took a moment to think before she said, “You know something? Every time I think of her I’ll always have questions. I want to put an end to that for good. Abby, will you help me find out what happened?”

My reply was interrupted by my cell phone. I looked at the caller ID and saw it was DeShay. “You mind if I take this?”

“Go ahead,” Emma said.

I answered the phone with, “Hey,” and walked into the kitchenette. “I planned to call you after I left Emma’s hotel. I met with Julie and-”

“Abby, bad news. Ed Benson had a stroke earlier today. He and White pulled a jewelry store case, and the homicide victim turned out to be a young security guard, a guy Ed knew who couldn’t make it in the academy. Guess Ed’s blood pressure went sky-high at the scene, and next thing you know they’re calling the paramedics. He’s in intensive care.”

“That’s awful, DeShay. Will he be okay?” I leaned against the counter.

“We don’t have many details. Guess Benson was conscious but couldn’t talk after he went down. Scared the shit out of Don White.”