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Back Murder Past Due Save as PDF
Chapters (36)
  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright Page
  3. Acknowledgements
  4. ONE
  5. TWO
  6. THREE
  7. FOUR
  8. FIVE
  9. SIX
  10. SEVEN
  11. EIGHT
  12. NINE
  13. TEN
  14. ELEVEN
  15. TWELVE
  16. THIRTEEN
  17. FOURTEEN
  18. FIFTEEN
  19. SIXTEEN
  20. SEVENTEEN
  21. EIGHTEEN
  22. NINETEEN
  23. TWENTY
  24. TWENTY-ONE
  25. TWENTY-TWO
  26. TWENTY-THREE
  27. TWENTY-FOUR
  28. TWENTY-FIVE
  29. TWENTY-SIX
  30. TWENTY-SEVEN
  31. TWENTY-EIGHT
  32. TWENTY-NINE
  33. THIRTY
  34. THIRTY-ONE
  35. THIRTY-TWO
  36. THIRTY-THREE

I had to speak up, though it hurt me to do so. “He found out about it on Tuesday,” I said. “I told him. It just came up in the conversation. My family and I were here for Christmas that year, and we saw Julia and Rick together. I told Godfrey that, and he seemed surprised by it.”

“She told Godfrey the boy was a preemie.” Andrea Ferris got off the sofa and came to stand near me. “When Godfrey first told me about it, he said he was thankful the boy hadn’t had any significant health problems despite being two months premature.”

“Mr. Priest confronted you that afternoon, Mrs. Wardlaw. He had figured out that he might not be Justin’s father. I imagine he was very angry with you.” Kanesha glared at Julia.

Julia was sobbing now. All she could do was nod.

Rick got up from his chair and extended a hand across the coffee table to Justin. “Son, I think you should come with me.” He glanced at Kanesha, and she nodded.

Justin, obviously torn, still clutching Diesel, looked first at Rick and then at his mother. Julia said, “Go. Please.” She wouldn’t look at her son.

Justin hesitated, then kissed her cheek. He gently pushed Diesel aside and got up from the couch. He moved from behind the coffee table, and Rick put an arm around the boy’s shoulders. We all watched as he led Justin from the room. Diesel came to sit by my chair.

“Mr. Harris, would you go to the door and wave at the cars parked outside? They’ll know what it means.” Kanesha moved closer to Julia, and I got up from my chair to do what the deputy asked.

As I headed for the front door, Andrea, Willie, and Miles Burton all moved to the other side of the room.

I opened the door and waved. A moment later three deputies stepped out of the cars and headed up the walk. I moved aside to let them in. I kept an eye out for Diesel in case he decided to wander outside.

I saw him scampering up the stairs when I closed the door behind the deputies. I was tempted to follow him, because I didn’t think I could bear to see Julia being arrested. I was appalled by what she had done, but I also hated the thought of her being so alone now.

I went back into the living room and sat down on the couch with her. Kanesha had begun the process of arresting her for murder.

On Monday morning when I was about to leave for the college library, Justin walked into the kitchen. With Julia in custody, he had gone home to Ezra Saturday afternoon. I went with him, to try to explain to a very bewildered man what had happened.