“Do you know where your sister is?”
“I have a gut feeling. I think she’s in rehab, but I don’t know where. Brenda’s husband, Don—the kids’ father—was a drug dealer. He was arrested and is serving a long prison term. I know Brenda has a heavy-duty addiction. When I saw her, I hardly recognized her. She looked like someone else. Brenda was a beautiful girl before she hooked up with Don Brown.” His face told her exactly how much he’d been affected by her appearance. “Maybe him getting locked up was like a light bulb going off in her head. Like, if she didn’t straighten herself out, she’d be in prison eventually, or she’d be dead. Either way, she’d lose her kids, and they’d end up in foster care. I don’t know for sure, but I like to think she’s somewhere getting herself clean so she can come back and be part of her kids’ lives. Part of our family again.” Linc held Grace close and rested his chin on the top of her head.
“You think she’s in rehab now?”
“I want to believe that. The whole thing happened so fast, there wasn’t much time for Q and A. First there’s the phone call telling me to come quick, to meet her in a park. She sounded so desperate, I couldn’t imagine what was happening. So I drove like a bat out of hell, and when I got there, she just told the kids to get out of her car and into my truck. No real explanation, just, ‘You have to take my kids. Don’t try to find me and don’t contact Don. I don’t want him to know where they are. I don’t want him in their lives. He’ll ruin them the same way he ruined me.’ Then she drove away.”
“Do you think they know their father’s in prison?”
“I don’t know what they were told. They’ve never mentioned him around me or my dad, so I have to wonder if maybe they’re glad he’s out of the picture.”
“Would they be upset if they knew Brenda was in rehab?”
“I honestly don’t know. But what if she’s not? What if she’s still addicted and out on the streets? What if she never gets clean and the worst happens, and she never comes back?” His anguish and fear for his sister’s life came through loud and clear.
As much as Grace’s heart grieved for Jessie, she couldn’t help but feel pain for the Shelby family. For the kids who’d been sent to live with an uncle and a grandfather they barely knew. For Linc, who instead of chasing his dream had stayed home after high school to try to keep his sister out of trouble and help his father keep his feet on the ground. For Tuck, who hadn’t been able to protect his adored little girl from her dangerous instincts. And for Brenda, whose bad decisions had ended with her passing off the responsibility for her children.
Grace stayed anchored in Linc’s arms until she felt strong enough to do what she knew had to be done. She took a few steps back, and he let her go. “Thank you, Linc.”
“For what?”
“For helping me understand what I have to do.” She held his face in her hands for a moment, then kissed him before heading for home.
I should have asked him if he called Chris, she thought as she turned off Jasper onto Church Street. I should have asked him if he’d found his guitar. But all she could think about was the parallels between Jessie and Brenda, and how their choices had created such chaos in their own lives as well as their families’.
When she got home, Grace found her mother in the backyard. She went out onto the deck and announced, “I think we need to tell Liddy, Mom. It’s eaten her alive to not know.”
“I came to the same realization,” Maggie said. “When will you tell her?”
“It might as well be tonight.” Grace suddenly felt weary, overcome with dread, but determined to see this through.
“Want me to come with you?” Maggie didn’t wait for Grace’s reply to start toward the house.
“Yes, please, Mom. She’s going to need you. And so will I.”
Chapter Seventeen
When Liddy’s doorbell rang at nine thirty at night, she assumed she’d find Jim or Tuck on the porch when she opened the door. She wasn’t prepared to see Grace and Maggie, but she welcomed their company. Her first thought was to make a batch of margaritas to enjoy on the deck before the nights became too cold. But when they stepped inside, Liddy was taken aback at their appearance.
“You two look like you’ve lost your best . . .” She took in a sharp breath. “Oh God, what happened?” Both hands flew to her heart. “Did something happen to Natalie? Daisy?”
“No, no. They’re fine,” Maggie said.
“Emma, then? Chris?” Liddy couldn’t imagine anything less that could put such sorrow on Maggie’s face.
“No. Liddy, listen—”
“I’m listening, but hurry up. I’ve exhausted the list of family.”
“Not exactly,” Grace said. “Liddy, can we go into the kitchen and sit down?”
“Well, sure, but someone better tell me what the hell’s going on.” Liddy led the way into the kitchen, where Maggie and Grace each took a seat. Before joining them, Liddy asked, “Water? Coffee? Wine?”
“Nothing, thanks.” Maggie reached over and took Liddy by the hand, and pulled her over to the vacant chair next to hers. “Liddy, just come sit here by me. Grace has something to tell you.”
The first thing Liddy noticed was that Grace’s eyes were red rimmed. The second was that her bottom lip was trembling. Obviously whatever Grace had to say wasn’t good news.
“What, Gracie?”
Grace said in the softest voice possible, “Liddy, I think—I mean, I’m pretty sure I’ve figured out why Jessie felt she had to take her life.”
“What?” Liddy snatched her hand from Maggie’s. “What are you talking about? How could you possibly know?”
“Just listen. I saw a newspaper article today. It was about this coach who’s been arrested for assaulting some of his students.”
“Kenneth Bowers. What’s he got to do with Jessie?”
“Jessie was on the basketball team. He was her coach the second year after he started at Mid-Coast Regional.”
“So, what, you think he assaulted Jess just because she played basketball? That’s a stretch.” Liddy turned to Maggie. “I can’t believe you brought her down here to toss out this supposition.”
“It’s not supposition, Liddy.”
Anger built in Liddy. “You always did have an overactive imagination, Grace, but this time, you’ve taken it too far. It’s hurtful.” Liddy stared at Grace, who normally had such a kind nature. It was unlike her to do something like this. “How did you come up with something so outlandish? Why in God’s name would you think Jess was one of his victims?”
“Because she told me she was.” Grace’s voice was barely above a whisper.
“Jess told you . . . what, in a dream?” Liddy scoffed and got out of her chair. She’d loved Grace like a second daughter, but she’d heard enough. She was just about to ask them both to leave when she saw the tears streaming down Grace’s face. The room was so quiet she could hear cicadas hitting the overhead light on the front porch.