Valerie Hansen - Small Town Justice

It occurred to him that perhaps he should ask his mother about his dad’s old service revolver. As long as there was a threat of violence, it would do his mom well to know where the weapon was and how to properly load it.

Kyle spotted his grandmother first. She was standing in front of the motel office as they came to a stop.

“Memaw!”

“That’s right, buddy. You’re going home with her and I’m coming later. Okay?”

“I wanna go see the doggie again.”

Shane heaved a sigh. “You will. He’s coming to Memaw and Otis’s for supper tonight.”

“Hooray!”

Yeah, big whoop, Shane thought as he unfastened his son’s safety belt and helped him out.

The child made a dash for Marsha. She bent to hug him, then straightened to speak to Shane. “Jamie’s in 6-B, down this first hallway.”

“Why tell me? I’m waiting right out here.”

“I know. That’s what I told her. I...” She scowled. “I’m just worried about her, that’s all.”

“You have too soft a heart, Mom.”

“Don’t give me that much credit, honey. When she first told me who she was, I didn’t have very Christian thoughts.”

“Yeah, well, I still don’t.” He spoke quietly, leaning closer. “Be very careful what you tell her. She can be trouble. She’s already caused plenty.”

“Is that her fault?” Marsha asked. “I mean, all she’s doing is asking questions about why her brother was sent to prison. If there’s nothing wrong with his conviction, why does it look like somebody’s really upset with her? Maybe she’s onto something.”

Shane’s eyebrows arched. “Are you serious? How can you even think of anybody reopening Dad’s case? Didn’t it hurt enough fourteen years ago?”

The look in his mother’s eyes and the slight droop of her shoulders told him he’d overstepped. “I’m sorry. I just don’t want you to have to go through all that misery again.”

“It won’t be the same,” Marsha explained. “I’m not the same. It’s hard to explain. All I can say is that your father’s death affected me in ways I hadn’t anticipated.”

“You did seem to take it better than I’d expected.”

She smiled slightly and nodded. “I had my moments. Still do. Once in a while, some thought or outside trigger will set me off and I can’t stop crying.”

“You never told me that.”

“Of course not. You had your own grief when you were younger, and then your marriage crashed. Why would I add worry about my crazy feelings if I didn’t have to?”

“Because I care?”

“Of course you do. I still miss your dad every day, yet I know it’s foolish to grieve the way I did when he first left this world.”

“Which is why you’re okay with that woman digging up the past?”

“That’s part of it.” Shane saw her countenance harden. “The other part is personal. I want to know who killed my Sam as much as she does.”

“We know who did it.”

“Do we?” Her head tilted and her eyes narrowed. “If Sam had been able to investigate that hit-and-run himself, I wonder who he’d have arrested.”

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