Read Online The Right Call by Kathy Herman - Free Book Online Page A

Drew,” he hollered, “come see what Vanessa brought us.”
    She set the containers on the countertop. “I can reheat this right now, if you guys are hungry.”
    “We’re starved.” Drew came in the kitchen and hugged her. “You didn’t have to do this.”
    “I deliberately made more than my family could eat so we could share.”
    Drew raised his eyebrows up and down. “I can use the protein. If I don’t ace my English lit final on Tuesday, my scholarship’s going to be in jeopardy.”
    “Can’t you postpone taking it?” Vanessa said. “I mean, surely your professor would understand that you’ve been through a terrible trauma.”
    “I’m sure he would.” Drew sighed. “But the truth is, I’m so numb at the moment that studying is a welcome escape. I might be messed up a few weeks from now. As long as my mind is still sharp, I think I’d better take the test.”
    “And I think I’d better set the table.” Ethan held Vanessa’s face in his hands and kissed her tenderly.
    “Careful, Vanessa. He’ll steam up his glasses.”
    She giggled and pushed away from Ethan. “It’ll just take a few minutes to get this food on the table.”
    She took the lids off the leftovers, aware of the heat scalding her cheeks. Was it insensitive of her to delight in Ethan’s kisses in front of Drew? Would it be more appropriate to keep the mood somber rather than lighthearted?
    “Ethan said you knew the gal who was shot. She went to Stanton, but neither of us had met her.”
    Vanessa glanced up and realized he was looking at her. “I knew her, but not well. Her roommate, Olivia, is in the young singles’ group at my church. She invited Skyler to play volleyball with us a few weeks ago. We all went out for coffee afterward. That’s not what I consider really knowing someone.”
    “I didn’t really know Tal either, but I knew a lot about him.” Drew stared out the window. “His parents divorced when he was a kid. His dad’s been married four times and has six daughters. Tal was the only son. His dad expected him to take over the family business someday and was going to give him a position there right out of college. Tal probably would’ve become a millionaire. But you know what he really wanted to do?” Drew looked at Vanessa. “Go to the police academy.”
    “He might have changed his mind if he’d ever lived with a cop. It’s not an easy life. They’re exposed to the worst of the worst, and it can make them cynical. But I think my mom’s a saint. She says law enforcement is her calling. It must be, because after all she’s been through, she still loves what she’s doing.”
    “I just hope she can get the shooter,” Ethan said.
    “Knowing Mom, she won’t stop until she does.”

    Stedman Reeves keyed in Grant Wolski’s number on his prepaid cell phone and held the phone to his ear.
    “Hello.”
    “It’s Stedman. We need to talk.”
    “I told you we’re never to talk about it,” Grant said. “What is it about never you don’t understand?”
    “I know what you said. I need you to listen to me. I lied. I didn’t kill Tal Davison.”
    “Sure you did. He’s in the morgue.”
    “I didn’t do it! I followed him to a house on Mobley and waited for hours for him to come out. When he did, he stumbled around like he was drunk and then started walking. I followed him home, trying to get up my nerve. That’s when a red truck zoomed past me and pulled up beside him. The passenger shot him and sped off. Man, I beat it out of there. I called and told you ‘the pizza had been delivered’ because I wanted my gambling debt out of the way. I figured you got what you wanted. Why not take advantage of it?”
    There was a moment of steely silence. “So why are you telling me this?” Grant said.
    “Because I just watched the news, and that coed was shot with the same gun that killed Davison. I don’t want you thinking I did it. I didn’t have the guts to kill him, and I sure didn’t kill that