Count on Me (Petal, Georgia) (22 page)

“If it hadn’t been my family or a friend, I probably would have too. Sometimes it’s like this whole thing happened in someone else’s life, and then I remember. Anyway, she said nice things and that I wasn’t alone.”

“She’s pretty amazing. Once back in grade school there was this teacher who I swear no matter what I did she just hated me more. My grade kept getting worse until she showed up over there at the school and demanded to see any paperwork that supported such a low grade. Then the teacher tried to say she wouldn’t talk to Denver because she wasn’t my legal guardian.”

Caroline gasped, just imagining how Denver would have reacted to being told such a thing.

Royal cackled with glee. “Exactly. You understand. I mean, they didn’t have my official guardianship, but it was well known who really raised me. So yeah. I ended up with a very respectable B minus in that class after all. She’s little, but she packs a wallop.”

“Denver Watson, defender of the weak. I like it.”

They drove and laughed, but she got more and more quiet the closer they got.

“Last chance,” she said as they pulled off Walnut and onto 35th. The thirties were considered the “nice” part of town.

“I can slow down right here. Even if she’s peeking out the front windows—which she’d never do, you understand, how crass—and she won’t see.”

“I already told you, I’m not going anywhere. I’m here for the look on Garrett’s face when I show up. Asshole thinks he can treat my woman like crap?”

“Are you my defender now?”

“I know you’re totally capable of doing this yourself. But I want to be there.” He pulled up at the curb and keyed the truck off. “I’ll park here instead of the drive.”

“Quick escape. Smart.”

He walked with her up to the front door.

She knocked and opened up, calling out. She had a key. She needed to use it and one day it wouldn’t be awkward.

“Hey all! Royal and I are here.” She hung up their stuff and stashed her stuff in a hall closet.

Shep came out, tipping his chin in that dudespeak thing with Royal. “S’up?” Royal asked as he tipped his chin back.

She gave her brother a hug and kissed his cheek. “Hey you. We’re still on for Thursday right?”

Shep nodded. “Totally. I’ll meet you at your place at five thirty with a pizza and the next
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
DVD.”

She turned to Royal. “Shep and I are stone-cold addicted to binge-watching television series. We just finished up
Farscape
. Oh my God I’d forgotten how much I loved that show. Anyway. So we finished up
Farscape
and now we’re on to
Buffy
. We also eat pizza and ice cream and drink root beer.” And over those times he’d been in her apartment, they’d gotten a lot closer. He talked to her about his life in ways Mindy and her grandparents didn’t. She didn’t hide away her pictures when he visited, though she did generally keep her stuff regarding the case in her spare room that doubled as her home office.

He just used the key she gave him. He knocked, used the key and called out. The sheer normalcy, the intimacy of it was simple and absolutely positive.

“Awesome. Such great shows.”

Shep nodded. “They’re all in the kitchen and dining room. Just so you know, if Garrett acts like a jerk again today I’m saying something.”

Caroline smiled, touched. “Aw man, that’s pretty sweet of you. But I don’t want a scene. I just want to have a pleasant lunch.”

Shep and Royal looked at her and then at each other, and she knew they’d do whatever they wanted.

And maybe that sort of felt awesome.

They moved to the kitchen. Her grandmother was at the stove with Mindy, but when her sister saw her, she put down the spoon she’d been holding and came over to hug her.

Royal waved before turning to her grandmother. “I didn’t officially introduce you before. Royal, this is Abigail Lassiter, my grandmother. Grandma, Royal Watson.”

He took her hand, shaking it gently. “Nice to meet you.”

Garrett came over to where they all stood in the kitchen. “Let’s hope today goes better than the last time she was around her grandmother.”

“Stop it, Garrett,” Mindy warned.

Caroline ignored Garrett and indicated her grandfather. “My grandfather, James Lassiter. Grandpa, this is Royal Watson.”

“You her boyfriend?”

Caroline smiled tightly. This was starting way earlier than she figured it would.

Royal nodded with a grin as he shook her grandfather’s hand. “I am, yes, sir.”

“You’re a smart boy then.” Her grandfather rarely made such pronouncements, so it was really nice to hear. Even nicer when Royal blushed a little.

“My sister, Mindy.”

Royal nodded. “Hey, Mindy.”

Caroline found it odd how he’d gotten so very cool. He wasn’t unfriendly or hostile, but Royal was a big flirt. Didn’t matter if they were babies or old ladies in walkers, he was just one of those men who were charming. But he’d dialed himself back by half.

Royal didn’t make her introduce the last person. Instead he turned and took Garrett in. “And Garrett Moseby. We’ve met before a time or two.”

If Royal had been distantly polite to Mindy, he was glacially cold to Garrett. That comment he’d made hadn’t done him any favors in Royal’s book, that was clear. And super flattering. And so nice it made her chest tighten a little.

Still, he was in her grandparents’ house so he was polite, but at the angle she stood she saw the look that passed between the two men.

“Thank you for having me today,” Royal said to her grandparents, dismissing Garrett totally.

“Your name does tend to come up more and more frequently these days, so we thought it would be good to meet you.” Her grandfather patted his arm.

“Can I help?” Caroline asked her grandmother even though she knew the answer.

“You can take the glasses and the tea to the table.”

It was silly. Nothing exciting but damn it, it felt huge.

They all settled at the table and began to pass platters of food around. “I’m pretty excited, Grandma. Your pork chops are my absolute favorite in the world. Royal, you’re going to be so happy you came along.”

Her grandmother smiled. “Thank you. Royal, Caroline tells us you’re the face behind the Watson Organics.”

Royal did what Royal did so well. He was funny and charming. He listened. He had great manners. He got along with people. He even made it look effortless. She wondered if this was real, if he just dug chillin’ here at her grandparents’ house with Garrett, who kept making what he thought were super cutting remarks but he was such an amateur she sort of pitied him.

Until he decided to toss a live one her way.

“Can we just address the issue of Caroline giving talks about her mother’s murderer and dragging up painful memories for everyone?” Garrett asked.

“I told you we’d do this on my schedule, Garrett.” Her grandmother sighed. “You only make things worse so hush up.”

Caroline, her voice very cool and careful asked, “And what is it you want to address?”

Royal shifted his body, draping his arm over the back of Caroline’s chair. He wanted her to know he was there for her, and he wanted them to see it and know he would protect her.

“You need to call this thing with Millersburg police off, Caroline. I forbid it.” Her grandmother drank some tea before continuing. “This will only cause more pain.”

“I am not doing this
for
you. Or
against
you. Or
around
you. Or
because
of you. Or
in spite
of you. In fact, you have nothing at all to do with this. I respect your opinions and your pain. But you do not tell me what I can and cannot do. You do not tell me how it is appropriate to express my beliefs.”

And her grief. For God’s sake this was messed up. Royal wanted to toss her over a shoulder and run from the room.

But she kept calm. So much that he saw it at the edges, how that control was keeping her together. And that made him even angrier.

“That man killed your mother. Every time you go out there and say otherwise is a slap in the face to her memory. I am simply putting my foot down on this. You’re being selfish and rude.”

“You don’t own the market on grief!” Caroline’s voice rose for a moment before she found her calm again. “She was my mother, and it’s the worst thing I can imagine to
know
the person who killed her also killed my family when they let my father go down for murder. He did not kill her. I lived with them. You didn’t. I saw them in just about every type of circumstance.
He didn’t do it
. There is no motive. He was murdered by the same person and I will not remain silent. Not until the person who murdered my mother and tore my family up is in prison.”

“Leave her be!” Shep slammed his fist on the table. Quiet descended as everyone stared at the family member least likely to pound his fist on a table. “She’s trying to build a life here. Every time you do this, you push her away. I’ve had it. I want her around. Stop chasing her off.”

“What about what she’s doing?” Garrett spoke.

“Why are
you
speaking at all?” Caroline turned to Garrett. “This is not your business.”

“I’m one of the men of this family. You need to defer to better judgment. No offense, Royal. Of course you’ll want to handle this.”

“What are you talking about?” Royal was so over this whole thing. He’d tried for her sake, but most of these people didn’t care about her enough to even attempt to be careful and he was done watching them tear her up.

“You’re the man, I know you’ll handle this appropriately now that you know what’s happening.”

“Okay, this is getting out of hand,” James cut in, trying to take control. “Caroline, you’re aware of how upset your grandmother gets over this issue.”

“Grandpa, I’m not doing this to make anyone feel bad. I’m doing this because it’s the right thing to do.”

Garrett invaded their conversation again. “The right person died in prison. He should have been put down like a rabid animal. You made the wrong choice and you have to live with that.”

“I am not understanding why you’re speaking to Caroline, Garrett. Perhaps you can explain that.” Royal gave the other man a level look.

“While she ran off with the family of a murderer, her grandparents picked up the pieces and gave Shep and Mindy a home. She turned her back on people, and now she realizes she’s never going to get herself on television talking about freeing her daddy the killer. She’s back here trying to cause trouble because her grandparents will always protect their daughter’s memory. That she’s back now actin’ this way—”

“That I’m here and acting any way is none of your business, Garrett. Back off and butt out. I don’t want your advice. I sure don’t need it. This is not your business.”

“You’re not being fair. He’s marrying me. He wants to protect our family.” Mindy wrung her hands.
Ugh, fragile
. So totally unlike their mother it made Caroline want to shake her sister and tell her to wise up.

“I’m being
more
than fair. Whatever you let him get away with is your business and your choice. But he’s not qualified to give me counsel.”

Garrett smiled, smug as he indicated Caroline with a hand. “See? She’s just mad.”

“She was
my mother
. Is anyone hearing that? I was the first-born child to Bianca and Enrique Mendoza. My mom taught me how to ride a bike and bake cookies. My dad taught me how to roast a chicken and how to change the oil. Am I mad?
Hell yes I’m mad.
I’m mad that my mother was murdered when I was fifteen. I’m mad that my father was put on trial and found guilty of a crime he did not commit. I’m mad that at sixteen I was not even allowed to whisper about my feelings. Regarding my family! So yes, I packed my bags and boxed up my life and I moved across the country. So I could believe what I wanted.

“I didn’t run off.
I was run off
.” Caroline looked directly at her grandparents. “And there’s no mistaking who did it. So don’t ever come at me like I don’t care or that my
belief
—backed up by facts—is a betrayal of my mother. You don’t know a thing about my relationship with my mother.” She stood up and Royal joined her, his arm around her shoulder.

“My investigator will address the police in Millersburg. And anyone else we think might help us. I will continue to do everything I can to find the real murderer and to clear my father’s name. I came to have lunch with my family. I didn’t start this. Y’all did. But I’m finishing it because I’m going now.”

“Wait!” Shep stood. “Haven’t we done this enough? Things were just fine before Garrett opened his mouth. Again. Let’s everyone calm down and sit and finish up lunch. Everyone has spoken their piece so let’s leave it be.”

Abigail gave Shep a flinty glare. “Sit. You’re going to embarrass us in front of Royal.”

Caroline looked at her grandmother, and Shep cleared his throat so she sighed. “I need some air. I’ll be back.”

Royal followed her out onto the back porch. Once they got away from the house a bit, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. It was damned cold, but he wanted to be there for her right then too, holding her so she knew he’d protect her.