Megan lifted her face, exposing eyes glimmering with tears. “What if it’s over for Mom? What if she’s one of those 30 percent who don’t recover?”
Jane didn’t want to give her any easy answers. “You think it’s over when we die?”
Megan bit her lip. “No. Not really.”
“Me neither. No matter what happens, we’ll see your mom again. And she loves Jesus. Have you seen that picture on social media? The one where the woman is hugging Jesus with everything in her?” When Megan nodded and began to cry in earnest, Jane slipped her arm around her. “That will be the expression on your mom’s face when she sees him too.”
Megan buried her face in Jane’s shoulder. “I know you’re right, but it’s so hard. I know it’s hard on her too. She’s always been so active. It’s going to be excruciating the next few months. I want to be home.”
Jane answered for herself too. “One day at a time. And we’ll be here with you. We’re your family, Megan. I love you.”
Parker whined and put his head on her knee as if he felt their pain.
She held the sobbing girl and cried with her. For Olivia who was facing such a rough time, for Megan who would be lost without her mother, for Will waiting in a cell not knowing if he’d ever be free. And for herself when she didn’t know how to find her way out of this morass.
Twenty-Six
Tourists and residents thronged the brick sidewalks of Pelican Harbor for the jazz festival starting today. Music played on the street speakers, and vendors were setting up to sell Cajun dishes and seafood. The party vibe was already in full swing.
Reid tried to ignore the judgmental stares of a few people on the street as he and Jane headed from the SUV toward Scott’s office. Why did people always assume the worst? Did it make them feel superior that their child had never been accused of anything? Did that make them better parents?
He wanted to shout out Will’s innocence, but Jane took his hand and pulled him inside the office where the cool blast of the air-conditioning tamped down his anger. “Can you believe the gall of people like that?”
“I’ve gotten messages of support, you know. A few accusatory comments, too, but by and large most people have been great.”
With her job visibility she had to have heard from a lot of people. The stares outside were probably mild compared to what she’d been experiencing.
They’d planned to go to the island in spite of the huge swells out there today, but Scott had called with an urgent meeting request.
Reid stopped inside the lobby under the chandelier. “Did you see those pointed looks though? What makes them so superior?”
She tucked her light-brown hair behind her ears. “I used to think something like this couldn’t happen, not on my watch. I was so wrong.”
They went down the hall to Scott’s office. He met them in the doorway. “Have a seat.”
Reid didn’t care for his somber expression. “You said you had news?” He and Jane sank onto the chairs.
Scott went around the other side of his desk. It was Saturday, and he wore khaki slacks and a green golf shirt, so he clearly hadn’t expected to come into the office today. His dulling red hair looked freshly cut, and Reid spotted a set of golf clubs in the corner.
“Yes. I’ve been in contact with Ms. Chan. She’s willing to drop the charge to manslaughter if Will chooses to plead guilty.”
Jane leaned forward in her chair. “Absolutely not! He is totally innocent, Scott.”
“I know, but she agreed to ask only for a two-year sentence. And he could serve it in juvie.”
Reid clenched his hands into fists. “It’s still wrong. Will isn’t guilty. We’re finding information that will lead to the actual killer. I know we are.” He glanced at Jane, who nodded.
“Reid is right. Gail Briscoe knew Lauren and was blackmailing her. We’re pursuing that avenue with the thought that Lauren had an accomplice who might have murdered both Gail and Lauren.”
“And in the meantime, your son could face the death penalty.”
What if they didn’t solve this? Jane was like a terrier with a captured rat—she’d shake the truth out of someone, wouldn’t she? But people went to jail all the time for crimes they didn’t commit.
But Jane was shaking her head before Scott finished talking. “Have you requested a bail hearing?”
“I did. It’s set for Wednesday, but I’m not optimistic the judge will agree to release him even when we give our evidence. And if he gives him bail, it won’t be cheap. Count on five hundred thousand dollars for a first-degree murder charge.”
Jane gasped, and Reid’s gut clenched. He’d transferred every penny he had from savings to checking in preparation for paying Will’s bail, but that kind of money was out of his reach. Maybe he could get a loan on the house he owned in New Orleans, but that would take time too.
Scott sighed. “Do you want to talk to Will about the deal before I turn it down? He might want a say.”
“He’s a minor,” Reid said. “He doesn’t understand the ramifications of pleading guilty.”
Jane glanced over and held his gaze. “I think we should at least tell Will and explain the right decision. He’s old enough to have some input on this.”
Did they have the right to make that decision for Will? If he was being prosecuted as an adult, maybe he ought to have the opportunity to weigh in before they rejected it outright. But Reid couldn’t agree to any kind of guilty plea. He just couldn’t. “Can you get us in before visiting hours tomorrow?”
“I don’t think so. I’m sure Chan knows we can’t talk to him until tomorrow,” Scott said. “But I really think you ought to consider it without rejecting the idea out of hand. I know Will is innocent, but the evidence is bad. He’s admitted to fighting with her. He could be convicted.”
Reid glared at the attorney. “We’re fighting for his life, Scott! This isn’t some kind of game. Even if he was incarcerated for two years, Will’s life would never be the same. We can’t sit by and let him be railroaded by some unseen enemy.”
Scott sighed. “Very well. I’ll let Chan know you’ll have an answer on Monday morning.”
“The answer is no,” Reid said. “No matter what Will says, the answer is no.”
Jane put her hand on his arm. “Let’s talk to Will. I agree with you, but he has to have a say in this.” She leaned toward Scott. “What can we do to better our chances for release?”
“An idea of who might be behind this would be helpful. And have your dad attend as well.”
“I’m sure he will.”
Even waiting until Wednesday felt like an eternity. He wanted to hear his son’s booming laughter and heavy footsteps. The sight of his goofy grin always brought Reid joy. The two of them hadn’t been apart more than a day or two ever since the kid was born. It was agony, pure and simple. Not being able to fix things for Will and make sure he had enough to eat felt wrong.
Everything about this was wrong.
He thanked Scott for the information, then he and Jane exited into a drizzling rain that expressed the despondency they both felt. He took her hand, and they ran through the puddles to the SUV.