A Justified Murder (Medlar Mystery 2)

“I like it,” Jack said. “Let’s go see Tayla and do our best to tell her we’re trying to get her out.”

“Without letting him know,” Kate said.

“Agreed.”

Kate was texting her office to let them know she wouldn’t be there. Melissa would have to show Chris an apartment. Jack saw what she was doing and he smiled all the way down the hall.

* * *

To get to the cell where Tayla was being held, Jack, Kate, and Chet had to pass a lot of people in uniform.

“Hey Jack!” an older man said. “Good to see you again.”

“Jack! We miss Roy a lot. Especially Moose. He likes to entertain us with what he’d like to, uh, say to your dad.” This was followed by laughter.

“Jack, have you had any trouble with Wayne since he got out? He was pretty mad at your dad.”

“Long time, no see. What’d they get you on this time?”

“I’m waiting for you to call me back, baby.” This was said by a pretty blonde woman.

Through it all, Jack gave vague smiles and mumbled nonanswers. And he absolutely would not meet Kate’s eyes.

Tayla was waiting for them in her cell. Without makeup and with eyes that said she’d given up hope, she looked her age. Her usually sleek hair hung in flat tendrils and looked rough and disheveled. Her prison uniform was too big for her and swallowed her slim figure.

A folding chair had been set in the cell. She took it and the three of them sat on the hard bed across from her.

Kate was sitting next to Chet and she could feel his heart beating rapidly. He’d been involved in the White Lily Kidnapping case for most of his life and right now he might be close to an end to it.

“We want to know the truth,” Chet said. “What happened in Atlanta on—”

“How are you?” Kate asked loudly. “I brought a bag of cosmetics and moisturizer but they wouldn’t let me bring it in. I’ll transfer money into your account.”

“Thank you,” Tayla said.

“We—” Kate began.

Chet cut her off. “We don’t have much time. Where did Janet Beeson get the baby bootie from the White Lily Kidnapping? Who wrote Stop the Cop on that napkin? Was it Janet’s ex?”

Tayla looked at Kate. “You need to stay out of this. Let me deal with it. Only I can stop it.”

“By taking the blame?” Jack asked.

Tayla’s eyes were intense. “I did it. I killed Janet Beeson.”

Kate didn’t so much as blink. “Did Lisa give you the gun?”

“No! She—” Tayla took a breath. “I poisoned Janet. I swear it.”

“Because of a lawsuit?” Jack’s tone was of disbelief.

Chet had been impatiently waiting. “Look!” he said angrily. “We need information from you. We believe Janet’s murder has nothing to do with some lawsuit and everything to do with the kidnapping. What do you know?” He shouted the last.

Tayla didn’t seem perturbed by his aggression. “You think this is one of your investigations, but you don’t know anything. You think you’ve found out all about witches and teen girls being nasty but they mean nothing. You haven’t come close to the hatred involved—or the evil that controls it.”

She looked directly at Chet. “You want to find a way to forgive yourself for your stupidity when the kidnapping happened. And you think it’s all ri

ght to do anything to achieve your goal. You believe you will be satisfied, so other people don’t matter.”