Page 46 of Call Back

A lump formed in my throat, but I pushed past it. “Don’t be silly. You raised me just fine.”

“Something happened that night,” she said, her words barely audible. “The night you disappeared.”

“It’s more of that water under the bridge.”

“I found the blood.”

We stared at each other for several long seconds without speaking. I finally scrunched my mouth to the side, a dismissive gesture, and said, “I’m not sure what you’re talking about.”

“Roy tried to hide it, but I found the towel. And your dress. It was dark by the time you came home that night, so I told myself it was mud on your skirt—and it was muddy, but once I picked it up the next day, I realized there was a lot of blood on it too.”

I wasn’t sure what to address first. The fact that Roy had hidden my bloody garbage or that Momma knew something bad had happened. “I thought we agreed to leave the past in the past.”

Her troubled eyes held mine. “Were you raped, Magnolia?”

Her hand was shaking on the table, so I reached over and covered it with my own, holding her gaze. “No,” I said in a firm tone. “I was not raped.”

She looked relieved, although not unburdened. “But something bad happened.”

“What does it matter if it did?” I removed my hand and shrugged. “It’s done.” How could I ask her about Roy’s odd behavior without giving anything else away?

“I can—” Momma started to say, but my ringing cell phone interrupted her.

I grabbed it out of my purse, realizing I hadn’t checked in with Brady after leaving Ava’s. Sure enough, his name was on the screen. “Sorry, Momma. I have to take this.” I answered the phone and said, “I know, I was supposed to let you know when I left, but I’m fine. I’m eating lunch at Puckett’s with my mother right now.”

“I know,” he said. “I can see you.”

“What?” I glanced around the room, and sure enough, he was standing in the doorway.

He flashed me a grin, then started toward our table.

I stood to greet him. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m picking up a takeout order for me and my partner.”

“Late lunch?” I asked. “You must be really busy today.”

“Yeah.” He didn’t elaborate.

“Momma,” I said, turning toward her. “You remember Brady.”

“I believe I met you as Detective Bennett,” Momma said with a disapproving frown.

Brady gave my mother his full attention. “Our introduction wasn’t under ideal circumstances, but I hope you don’t hold that against me. I really like your daughter and hope to spend a lot more time with her.”

“You were doing your job,” she said, holding his gaze. “And I was doing mine.”

Brady had questioned her about the night of my father’s disappearance—and she’d told him next to nothing. I had no doubt her job, as she saw it, was to keep quiet to protect me.

“Would you like to join us?” Momma asked. I shot her a look of surprise. “What?” she said defensively. “I want to meet at least one of your adult boyfriends.”

Brady looked to me for direction.

I shrugged. “If you have a few minutes, I’d love for you to sit with us.”

His face lit up. “I’d like that.” He sat in a chair and I flagged down our waitress. After he told her his name, she headed back to the kitchen to check on his order.

“So,” Momma said, her back stiff as a board. “Your name is Brady Bennett, and you’re a Franklin police detective.”

---