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Authors: Liz Lipperman
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last time.” She turned to her brother. “I’ll only be a few minutes, and then we can head out.”
“Take your time. I’ll get another cup of coffee and finish your cake.” He grinned, sliding over the plate with her half-eaten dessert. “What’s up with you leaving chocolate?”
Jordan shrugged, then headed toward Maria Morales, thinking it might be advantageous to talk to Brenda Sue as well. The way the woman had caressed the inside of Rusty’s arm that night didn’t jive with a woman scorned. Still, she might reveal something that could be helpful in figuring out why Maria felt threatened.
Today Brenda Sue was dressed in an elegant black suit that showed off her tiny waist and slender legs. Jordan wondered if the woman’s husband had come with her. Glancing around the room, she quickly spied the man watching his wife’s every move with an annoyed look on his face.
Standing in front of Maria, Jordan cleared her throat, and Brenda Sue straightened up. Again, the woman in the wheelchair tried to say something but failed. Jordan reached for her left hand and squeezed.
“Pardon the interruption,” she said to Brenda Sue. “I just really wanted to tell Maria again how sorry I am about Rusty. A mother should never have to bury her child.”
Tears welled in the young woman’s eyes. “I remember you from the other night…” She looked away monetarilybefore meeting Jordan’s eyes again. “Rusty was in such a hurry to…” Her voice trailed off before she took a deep breath and continued. “We were never formally introduced.”
“Jordan McAllister.”
“Brenda Sue Taylor. I’ve been told you only met Rusty that night. Is it true?”
“Yes, I was on an assignment with my newspaper, and he was kind enough to be my escort.”
Brenda Sue sighed, and Jordan could have sworn it was out of relief.
“I can see how much his death has affected you,” Jordan began. “You must have known him well.”
This time Brenda Sue couldn’t stop the tears and dabbed at her eyes. “We lived next door to each other. Rusty and I have…” She swallowed. “Had been best friends since we were in preschool.”
And a whole lot more
.
“My mother died when I was in junior high. Maria and Diego were unbelievably kind to me during that terrible time in my life.” She patted Maria’s shoulder and smiled down at her, through her tears. “I love this woman and owe her and Diego so much.”
Suddenly an idea formed in Jordan’s mind. Who better to ask about Maria than someone who knew her intimately like Brenda Sue? As Maria gripped her hand even harder, Jordan made the decision to find out why this terrified woman in the wheelchair was asking her, a perfect stranger, for help.
“I’m fairly new to the area and haven’t made many friends yet. I was wondering if you’d have lunch with me one day next week to talk about Rusty. I have a lot of unanswered questions.”
“Okay,” Brenda Sue said hesitantly. “Nothing that will end up in the newspaper, right?”
“Absolutely nothing. It will simply be me, hoping to make a new friend. Maybe if I learn more about Rusty, I won’t feel so guilty that I wasn’t able to help him.”
“From what they’re saying, no one could have helped him.” Brenda Sue turned as her husband called her name and impatiently gestured for her to return to the table. “I have to go, Jordan. Tuesdays are always good for me as Marcus goes into Fort Worth on business, and it will be quieter at my house than in a restaurant. I make a mean chicken salad, so come hungry. Say around noon?”
Jordan attempted to pull her hand out of Maria’s grip to shake Brenda Sue’s, but the older woman wouldn’t let go. Jordan reached with her other hand for the business card the dark-haired woman held out to her.
Alone with Maria, she leaned closer and whispered, “Are you afraid of someone?”
Maria nodded.
“Is it your husband?”
This time Maria shook her head adamantly.
“Well, honey,
“Take your time. I’ll get another cup of coffee and finish your cake.” He grinned, sliding over the plate with her half-eaten dessert. “What’s up with you leaving chocolate?”
Jordan shrugged, then headed toward Maria Morales, thinking it might be advantageous to talk to Brenda Sue as well. The way the woman had caressed the inside of Rusty’s arm that night didn’t jive with a woman scorned. Still, she might reveal something that could be helpful in figuring out why Maria felt threatened.
Today Brenda Sue was dressed in an elegant black suit that showed off her tiny waist and slender legs. Jordan wondered if the woman’s husband had come with her. Glancing around the room, she quickly spied the man watching his wife’s every move with an annoyed look on his face.
Standing in front of Maria, Jordan cleared her throat, and Brenda Sue straightened up. Again, the woman in the wheelchair tried to say something but failed. Jordan reached for her left hand and squeezed.
“Pardon the interruption,” she said to Brenda Sue. “I just really wanted to tell Maria again how sorry I am about Rusty. A mother should never have to bury her child.”
Tears welled in the young woman’s eyes. “I remember you from the other night…” She looked away monetarilybefore meeting Jordan’s eyes again. “Rusty was in such a hurry to…” Her voice trailed off before she took a deep breath and continued. “We were never formally introduced.”
“Jordan McAllister.”
“Brenda Sue Taylor. I’ve been told you only met Rusty that night. Is it true?”
“Yes, I was on an assignment with my newspaper, and he was kind enough to be my escort.”
Brenda Sue sighed, and Jordan could have sworn it was out of relief.
“I can see how much his death has affected you,” Jordan began. “You must have known him well.”
This time Brenda Sue couldn’t stop the tears and dabbed at her eyes. “We lived next door to each other. Rusty and I have…” She swallowed. “Had been best friends since we were in preschool.”
And a whole lot more
.
“My mother died when I was in junior high. Maria and Diego were unbelievably kind to me during that terrible time in my life.” She patted Maria’s shoulder and smiled down at her, through her tears. “I love this woman and owe her and Diego so much.”
Suddenly an idea formed in Jordan’s mind. Who better to ask about Maria than someone who knew her intimately like Brenda Sue? As Maria gripped her hand even harder, Jordan made the decision to find out why this terrified woman in the wheelchair was asking her, a perfect stranger, for help.
“I’m fairly new to the area and haven’t made many friends yet. I was wondering if you’d have lunch with me one day next week to talk about Rusty. I have a lot of unanswered questions.”
“Okay,” Brenda Sue said hesitantly. “Nothing that will end up in the newspaper, right?”
“Absolutely nothing. It will simply be me, hoping to make a new friend. Maybe if I learn more about Rusty, I won’t feel so guilty that I wasn’t able to help him.”
“From what they’re saying, no one could have helped him.” Brenda Sue turned as her husband called her name and impatiently gestured for her to return to the table. “I have to go, Jordan. Tuesdays are always good for me as Marcus goes into Fort Worth on business, and it will be quieter at my house than in a restaurant. I make a mean chicken salad, so come hungry. Say around noon?”
Jordan attempted to pull her hand out of Maria’s grip to shake Brenda Sue’s, but the older woman wouldn’t let go. Jordan reached with her other hand for the business card the dark-haired woman held out to her.
Alone with Maria, she leaned closer and whispered, “Are you afraid of someone?”
Maria nodded.
“Is it your husband?”
This time Maria shook her head adamantly.
“Well, honey,
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