Lies That Bind

“The talk was excellent. You brought the entire situation in Iraq alive for all of us.” There was no denying he was an inspiring speaker. It was his personality that could use some improvement, April thought.

“I admit I was surprised to see the mix in the audience,” Jack said. He looked at Cade. “The crowd ranged from old-timers to teenagers. They probably cut classes to attend.”

“Probably worth it,” Cade said. “What did I miss?”

“Tell us the highlights,” Betsy urged. “We couldn’t be there, either.”

Jack hesitated a minute, then nodded and began to repeat some of the things April had heard earlier.

A wave of fatigue hit and she whispered to Eliza, “I’m going inside. Stay and listen—he tells a powerful story.”

Eliza nodded, her attention on Jack.

April picked up her dish and utensils and headed for the house. She wanted to get to bed before she collapsed. Ten minutes later she was under the covers, lights out. She could hear the soft murmur of voices from the backyard. It had been an interesting dinner, unlike the ones she’d shared with friends in Paris in recent years. No loud music, no fancy clothes, just friends sitting down to eat together. It had been nice.

“YOU OKAY?” Sam asked Jack as they drove away from the house on Poppin Hill.

“Tired, that’s all.”

“Leg okay?”

“Yeah.” It wasn’t, but that wasn’t Sam’s fault. He’d done too much. Dammit, how much longer before he was back in shape?

“Thanks for giving your talk again. I know Dex and Cade appreciated it. Betsy asked some intelligent questions, I thought.”

“Yeah.” April had left as soon as he started. Was that because she had already heard it?

“What’s the story with April?” he asked.

“She and Eliza grew up together. The detective Maddie hired to find the girls located her some months ago. When Eliza contacted her, she came home. She’s a model in Paris. Ever hear of her? Avril is her French name.”

Figured. With her looks, modeling was right up her alley.

“I don’t associate with models,” Jack said.

“Far as I can tell, old son, you don’t associate much with anyone,” Sam said easily.

“Never in one place long enough.”

Sam turned into his driveway, his headlights briefly illuminating the house. Jack could count the minutes now until he’d be prone, and could take the medication that would ease the pain in his foot. Today had proved how far he was from being ready to return to work.

When they got into the house, Jack looked at Sam. “Thanks for including me. You have good friends.”

“Settle down someplace and you’ll make your own. What are you going to do tomorrow?”

Nothing, was the first thing to come to mind. But he wasn’t going to get better by letting his muscles atrophy. “Take a walk, check in with the news bureau. You don’t have to entertain me, remember?”

“I remember. Stop by the office and I’ll show you what I’ve done so far searching for Jo. You might be interested and catch something I’ve missed.”

“What is this? Do I look like a damn missing persons bureau?”

Sam’s eyebrows shot up. “Whoa, where did that come from?”

“April asked me earlier if I’d help her find her parents.”

“Maybe with your background, we’re hoping you’ll have suggestions for digging out the facts we want. You have more time to devote to the search. As far as I know, Jo hasn’t done anything wrong. Hard to justify spending taxpayers’ money on an extensive search.” Sam looked at Jack with curiosity. “What did you tell April?”

“No, of course.”

“And my request gets a negative, too?”

“I’ll stop by. But if modern police science can’t find a person, I doubt I can.”

Jack headed on to bed, glad to get off his foot. He lay in the darkness, though, unable to sleep. The ache was only part of the problem. His wakefulness had to do with his future. Or perhaps lack of future. If his foot didn’t heal properly, he’d never go on assignment again.

What would he do then?

Maybe he should give some thought to working on locating this Jo Hunter. It would give him something to fill the time until he was in fighting shape again. And keep him from dwelling on what the future might hold.

THE NEXT MORNING April walked into town to go to the sheriff’s office. She wanted to ask Sam if he could help in her search for her parents.

To her surprise, Jack Palmer was ahead of her, ready to enter the building as she approached. She hesitated, but he turned and saw her and held the door for her to enter.

She walked past him into the dimness of the old building. The tall ceilings held lazily rotating fans. The walls needed to be repainted and the wooden desks were gouged and scarred. Artificial lights cast a yellowish gloom over everything, and the few windows were covered with closed venetian blinds.

“Here to see Sam?” Jack asked April, following her to the counter where an officer sat.

“Yes.” Not that it was any of his business.

“He’s in the back. I’m heading that way myself.” Jack gestured toward the rear of the building. He nodded to the man at the desk and held the swinging gate for April to enter.

She matched her stride to his halting one as they silently walked down the long hallway. Rounding a corner, they came into an open area with several more desks. April was surprised to find Maraville had such a large force. There had to be at least a half-dozen desks all told. The sheriff’s department acted as law enforcement for the town and surrounding county. Still, she was surprised there’d be that much crime to deal with.

Jack approached the desk near a partially opened door.

“We’re here to see Sam,” he told the woman seated at the desk.

She smiled at him, then looked at April, her eyes widening. “April Jeffries, as I live and breathe!” She jumped up and came around the desk to hug her.

“It’s me, Marjorie Tamlin. How are you. Wow, aren’t you gorgeous.”

April felt Jack’s gaze, but she avoided looking at him as she hugged Marjorie.

“It’s been too long,” she said, smiling at her former classmate.

“I’ll say. Hold on, I’ll tell Sam you two are here. I have a break at eleven-thirty. Have lunch with me and we can catch up. Remember Lulu? She told me she heard you were back. Staying long?”

“Just a few weeks. I came because of Maddie.”