It was Gary’s day off, and he was running errands, so they’d agreed to meet at a shop specializing in hoagies. She knew he was already inside when she saw his classic car parked outside, the sapphire-blue paint glimmered in the sunlight.
She remembered when Gary, who liked to restore classic cars, purchased it shortly after turning eighteen.
She and Gary ended up being the only customers in the sandwich shop, located in a strip mall adjacent to one of those giant stores that sold everything from groceries to garage door openers.
The attendant sat behind the counter, scrolling through his phone and paying no attention to them once he’d handed them their order.
Gary had ordered a Philly cheesesteak and a Dr Pepper. She’d ordered only a Coke.
June hadn’t had an appetite since her talk with Cameron last night. Cleaning her mother’s house, then taking her to a doctor’s appointment, had kept her mind busy this morning. Now that it was midafternoon, Gary was on her schedule.
At the moment, the off-duty cop was eating his hoagie with his right hand and using his left to turn the pages of information she’d brought him from Leon the PI.
“Not much here.” He glanced up after reaching the last page.
“I know.” June took a long drink of her Coke. “I expected a lot more for two hundred an hour.”
Gary whistled through his teeth. “Is that how much they charge?”
June nodded.
“I’m in the wrong business.” Gary’s halfhearted attempt to inject a little levity into their meeting fell flat. He shot her a curious gaze. “How are you affording this guy?”
“A friend gave me some money.”
“Nice friend.” Pushing aside the papers, Gary studied her for a long moment. “From what I see here, you and Mr. PI Money Bags have whittled down the list of people who attended the party to a handful you haven’t been able to talk to. Of course, there is no way of knowing if those who spoke to the PI were honest or not.”
“You told me concentrating on those who attended the party was a long shot.”
“We have no witnesses, no forensics and no idea if the person who hit Aubrey was even at the party.” Gary’s tone softened. “This case is so cold it might as well be in the deep freeze.”
“You’re saying there’s no hope.” June practically sighed the words.
“I’m telling you what I told you last year.” His dark eyes met hers. “I know how much you and your mom want to find the person who killed Aubrey. Heck, I want to find the SOB myself. I’ve searched for like crimes in the state in case this person makes a habit of running over people and taking off. Nothing.”
“What about people on the list that might have been driving on a suspended license?” June tried but couldn’t quite manage to keep the hope from her voice. “That might have given them extra incentive to drive off.”
“Already cross-checked. Nada,” Gary said, dashing her hope.
“You think I should give up.”
He hesitated for a long time. “Only you can decide when you’ve reached that point. I do know I wouldn’t sink any more money into the PI. He got the list pared down, so that’s something, but I can’t see there’s any more he can do for you.”
June kept her gaze averted as she gathered up the papers in front of Gary, then clipped them and put them in the briefcase at her feet.
“I’m going to do my best to cross off everyone that’s left on this list.” She squared her shoulders. “Then I’ll decide.”
“You’ve got some pretty heavy hitters on that list. Deron Flock. Anson Hawkins. Two of the biggest.” Gary slurped down some more soda. “How are you going to get to them?”
“I don’t know.” June heard the bleakness in her voice, but was powerless to stop it. Right now, she felt beaten down, at her lowest point since she’d begun this investigation.
June knew the heavy feeling in the area of her heart wasn’t just about losing hope that she’d find Aubrey’s killer. It was because she’d lost Cameron, too.
He thought she had only been using him. If she was being brutally honest with herself, she could admit that, in a way, she had been in the very beginning. She’d wanted to meet him to find out what he knew. But June genuinely liked Cameron. Once she’d started getting to know him, their time together had become less about Aubrey and more about simply wanting to be with him.
Maybe if she hadn’t let her focus shift from Aubrey to Cameron, she’d have justice for her sister by now.
Maybe if she had simply asked Cameron for his help, instead of trying to play Nancy Drew, she wouldn’t have hurt him.
Now, he seemed as lost to her as her sister.
Tears stung the backs of her eyes. She swiped quickly at them, not wanting Gary to see.
“Aww, Junie.” Her childhood nickname slipped past his lips. Looking embarrassed, Gary cleared his throat. “Is there anything else I can do?”
“I appreciate the offer, but I’m starting to believe there isn’t anything any of us can do.”