Page 62 of Fatal Betrayal

"Well, that makes me feel better. I know how determined you are, Andi." Kim paused. "You were so caught up in Hannah's case, did you ever look it up when you started working for the FBI?"

"I did," she admitted, feeling the heat of everyone's gaze on her now. "I went through all the reports. I even talked to the agent who ran the investigation to see if he had any new thoughts about it, but he told me he'd hit dead ends everywhere he turned."

"I doubt he made many turns," Cooper said, bitter anger in his voice.

She wasn't going to defend Agent Burnett. "I may take another look at that case, see if there are any parallels to the current one."

"Do you think there's a connection?" Monica asked in surprise. "So many years apart?"

"I don't know. But both kids were taken out of their homes with no sign of a forced entry." She got to her feet. "I should get back to work."

"Your father is very proud of you. I hope you know that," Kim said, as she rose. "He's not a man who's good at expressing his feelings, but when he talked to me about your job, he was beaming with pride."

She found that ridiculously hard to believe, but she wasn't going to argue with Kim.

"I should go, too," Kim added. "And Cooper, TJ said he'd love to get drinks with you sometime and reconnect. I know you split apart in high school when everything was going on, but you were so tight when you were little kids. I hope you can find that friendship again."

"It would be great to spend more time with TJ. His girlfriend seemed very nice," Cooper said.

"Yes. Naomi is lovely, although I think she may be a bit more ambitious than my son, who I love dearly. But the only thing TJ has ever cared about is music, and it's hard to make money at that."

"Well, money isn't everything," Joanne said. "As long as your kids are happy, that's all that matters."

Kim's expression softened in sympathy. "You're so right, and I'm very lucky to have my boys. They kept me going after Steve died."

"I was sorry to hear about your husband's death," Andi said. "I still remember when Steve used to be the grill master for our Fourth of July parties."

"He always loved to grill," Kim said. "Although Steve was never willing to accept that some people just don't like their meat bloody rare. I'd make him throw my steak back on the grill every single time. But men can be stubborn, especially with barbecue." She ended her words with a shrill little laugh that rang a bell in Andi's brain. But she didn't know why.

As Monica, Kim, and Cooper walked out of the dining room, she lingered behind to give Joanne a hug. "Thanks for lunch and for not hating me."

"Oh, Andi, I couldn't hate you." Compassion filled Joanne's eyes. "And as much as Cooper wants to hate you, I don't believe he does."

"He seems to go back and forth. He forgets he hates me and then he suddenly remembers. I'm so sorry about Kyle and whatever part I played in what happened to him."

Joanne took her hands and gave them a squeeze. "You were a young teenager who was just trying to help. The police and the FBI went in on Kyle because he was an easy target. They gave him up to the press, and public sentiment was damning. It hurt Kyle a lot. It hurt all of us. But we got through it, and I know you were going through your own hard times then, too. You were looking for a distraction."

"Yes. I wanted to fix something, but I couldn't fix anything that was broken."

"Cooper wanted to fix it all, too, but some things are beyond our control." She paused. "I'm glad you finally came home, Andi."

"I'm not sure I would call LA home, but I'm back."

Joanne nodded in understanding. "Your father can be a tough person to like. I knew some of what your mother went through, and since then I've seen a few other crying women going in and out of your father's house."

"Do you ever talk to him?"

"I don't go out of my way not to, but even though he's lived across the street from me for thirty-five years, I can't say I know him at all. I was your mother's friend, and I think he realized quickly that I knew too much about him."

"I know too much about him, too. That's why I really don't want to spend any more time with him. Anyway, if I missed anything about the place where I grew up, it's this house, not the one I lived in. You always made me feel happy and safe here."

"I'm so glad. Now, don't be a stranger. You can always come by to visit, with or without Cooper."

"I appreciate that." She gave Joanne another hug and then walked out to the car.

Cooper and Monica were on the sidewalk talking to Kim, but their conversation ended as soon as she drew near.

"Ready to go?" Cooper asked.

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