relieve the guilt over Eli’s death. But that wasn’t the only source of guilt in the room. This unwanted attraction made her feel as if she were cheating on Eli even though he’d been dead well over a year and a half. Being around Austin wasn’t likely to ease the heat or the guilt, either.
And that’s why it was best if they parted ways.
She heard the footsteps. Again, not Seth. These came from the other side of the building, and a moment later, Rosalie spotted the guard ushering her mother into the visiting area.
“Rosalie, I’m sorry I kept you waiting,” Jewell said, her voice as thin and weak as she appeared. The orange prison jumpsuit swallowed her and washed out her color even more than it already was. “My lawyer had some good news. A witness has come forward who might be able to clear my name. I don’t know all the details yet, but we should know more soon.”
It was news Rosalie hadn’t expected, but it was indeed welcome. She was about to press for the identity of the witness, but Jewell spoke before she could.
“Something’s wrong,” she said, looking first at Rosalie and then at Austin.
“Maybe,” Rosalie settled for saying. She tipped her head to Austin. “Do you remember Agent Duran?”
“Of course. Eli’s former partner. How are you, Austin?” If there was any hint that her mother blamed Austin for Eli’s death, it certainly wasn’t in her voice. She was warm and welcoming, as if greeting him at her home rather than the county jail.
“I’m fine. Thank you.”
“Good.” Jewell gave them both another looking over. “I suspect I owe you a thanks for taking care of my daughter. I don’t know the details, but judging from your expressions and the fact that the guard said Seth is here, too, you’ve had a
difficult
morning.” She paused. “And you think I can help in some way?”
“I was, uh, doing some investigating,” Rosalie started. “I ran into Austin, and we met a woman. Vickie Cravens.”
The name hung in the air for several moments, and Jewell shook her head. “You think I know her?”
“She said you did.” Rosalie had to clear her throat to continue. “She’s a nanny and claimed Roy and you were going to adopt a baby that she was keeping.”
“Oh.” Jewell pulled in a quick breath.
Sweet heaven. Her mother certainly wasn’t denying it.
“The baby was my nephew,” Austin added. “Were you aware of that?”
“No, absolutely not.” Jewell pressed her hand to her throat as if to steady herself. “But Roy and I have been working together to find Sadie since she was first kidnapped.”
“What do you mean?” This was the first Rosalie was hearing about that. “Working together?”
Jewell nodded. “You were heartbroken, crushed, and I knew I had to do something to get Sadie back. Roy has contacts in law enforcement, so I called him. After that, we met a few times to discuss what to do.”
“You okay?” Austin whispered to her, and it took Rosalie a moment to realize she had gone board-stiff. Austin slipped his hand over hers, and this time Rosalie didn’t move away from him.
“There’s a lot of bad blood between my parents,” she mumbled. So much, in fact, that she figured Roy was the last man on earth who’d help her mother.
“Roy and I split up twenty-three years ago,” Jewell explained. “It’s a long story.”
Not really. Rosalie could summarize it in just one sentence. “Roy believed my mother had an affair, and amid rumors that she’d murdered her lover, Roy kicked her, me and my sister off the family ranch.”
Even now, that was still an open wound for her, and it was the reason she still hadn’t been able to call Roy her father. Painful baggage indeed, though she was trying to get past it. Only because she had more immediate matters to handle—finding her baby and stopping her mother from being wrongfully convicted of murder.
“After the rumors of the murder, Roy and I decided to divorce,” Jewell corrected. “And I
And that’s why it was best if they parted ways.
She heard the footsteps. Again, not Seth. These came from the other side of the building, and a moment later, Rosalie spotted the guard ushering her mother into the visiting area.
“Rosalie, I’m sorry I kept you waiting,” Jewell said, her voice as thin and weak as she appeared. The orange prison jumpsuit swallowed her and washed out her color even more than it already was. “My lawyer had some good news. A witness has come forward who might be able to clear my name. I don’t know all the details yet, but we should know more soon.”
It was news Rosalie hadn’t expected, but it was indeed welcome. She was about to press for the identity of the witness, but Jewell spoke before she could.
“Something’s wrong,” she said, looking first at Rosalie and then at Austin.
“Maybe,” Rosalie settled for saying. She tipped her head to Austin. “Do you remember Agent Duran?”
“Of course. Eli’s former partner. How are you, Austin?” If there was any hint that her mother blamed Austin for Eli’s death, it certainly wasn’t in her voice. She was warm and welcoming, as if greeting him at her home rather than the county jail.
“I’m fine. Thank you.”
“Good.” Jewell gave them both another looking over. “I suspect I owe you a thanks for taking care of my daughter. I don’t know the details, but judging from your expressions and the fact that the guard said Seth is here, too, you’ve had a
difficult
morning.” She paused. “And you think I can help in some way?”
“I was, uh, doing some investigating,” Rosalie started. “I ran into Austin, and we met a woman. Vickie Cravens.”
The name hung in the air for several moments, and Jewell shook her head. “You think I know her?”
“She said you did.” Rosalie had to clear her throat to continue. “She’s a nanny and claimed Roy and you were going to adopt a baby that she was keeping.”
“Oh.” Jewell pulled in a quick breath.
Sweet heaven. Her mother certainly wasn’t denying it.
“The baby was my nephew,” Austin added. “Were you aware of that?”
“No, absolutely not.” Jewell pressed her hand to her throat as if to steady herself. “But Roy and I have been working together to find Sadie since she was first kidnapped.”
“What do you mean?” This was the first Rosalie was hearing about that. “Working together?”
Jewell nodded. “You were heartbroken, crushed, and I knew I had to do something to get Sadie back. Roy has contacts in law enforcement, so I called him. After that, we met a few times to discuss what to do.”
“You okay?” Austin whispered to her, and it took Rosalie a moment to realize she had gone board-stiff. Austin slipped his hand over hers, and this time Rosalie didn’t move away from him.
“There’s a lot of bad blood between my parents,” she mumbled. So much, in fact, that she figured Roy was the last man on earth who’d help her mother.
“Roy and I split up twenty-three years ago,” Jewell explained. “It’s a long story.”
Not really. Rosalie could summarize it in just one sentence. “Roy believed my mother had an affair, and amid rumors that she’d murdered her lover, Roy kicked her, me and my sister off the family ranch.”
Even now, that was still an open wound for her, and it was the reason she still hadn’t been able to call Roy her father. Painful baggage indeed, though she was trying to get past it. Only because she had more immediate matters to handle—finding her baby and stopping her mother from being wrongfully convicted of murder.
“After the rumors of the murder, Roy and I decided to divorce,” Jewell corrected. “And I
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