Page 90 of Justice Delayed

Melender tossed back the covers. She pulled on a pair of denim shorts and a t-shirt, then loosely braided her hair. After slipping on a pair of tennis shoes, she sat on the edge of the bed and brought up Jillian’s number on the phone. Maybe Jillian would know what happened to the rest of Melender’s things, including the keys to Sudie’s cabin. Before she could talk herself out of it, she hit the call button.

“Hello?” Jillian answered after the first ring.

“Jilly, it’s Melender.” She would be careful not to say anything about knowing what happened the night Jesse disappeared or Jillian’s role in his death. She would tell Jillian she wanted to go home but wouldn’t offer an explanation.

“Why are you calling?” Jillian’s voice held a cautious tone.

“I just have a quick question. Do you know what happened to the rest of my things from the house? I’m specifically looking for the keys to Sudie’s cabin.”

“Is that all?” Jillian blew out a breath. “This isn’t a good time.”

“Can I call you later?”

“That might be best.” In the background, Melender heard a muffled voice, to which Jillian responded, “Mom, I got this.”

Ruby. No wonder Jillian didn’t want to talk.

“Mom wants to talk to you.” Jillian gave Melender only seconds before Ruby came on the line.

“You have some nerve calling my daughter,” Ruby hissed.

Melender gathered her wits. “Actually, you probably know the answer to my question.”

A short pause, then her aunt said, “What could you possible want to ask me?”

“What happened to the keys to Sudie’s cabin?” Melender wasn’t holding her breath her aunt would even answer her.

“The prodigal daughter wants to go home?” The sarcasm in her aunt’s voice sliced into Melender like a scythe, but she ignored the pain.

“Yes, I do.”

“Well, you can’t.”

Melender sucked in a breath. “You don’t have the keys?” She reeled in her impatience. If needed, it would be a small bother to have a locksmith rekey the doors and the benefits far outweighed any inconvenience.

“That’s right,” Ruby said. “Forget about that place.”

Melender’s stomach clenched.No. Please, God, no.“What did you do?” The words came out in a whisper.

“I sold the cabin.” Ruby’s malicious satisfaction barely registered as the content hit Melender hard.

“You had no right to sell my inheritance.”

“So the kitten does have claws.” Ruby clicked her tongue. “I had every right. Sudie didn’t leave a will, and as her closest living relative, I was named her heir.”

“What?” Melender put a hand to her head. “She told me she was leaving the cabin to me.”

“She might have told you that, but she never made the time to write a will.” The smugness came through loud and clear. “That means the state had to determine her heirs, and a granddaughter trumps an underage great-granddaughter. I suppose the state thought I would share the proceeds with you, but you killed Jesse, so that was out of the question.”

Melender tried not to cry out in pain and frustration.

“One more thing.” Ruby spat out the last few words. “Stop calling my daughter. There’s nothing here for you anymore.” She disconnected the call.

Melender let the phone slide from her hand onto the bed. The thought of returning to that cabin had been a comfort during the long nights in prison. Now she truly had no place to call home. She kicked off her shoes, then fell back onto the mattress. Curled in a fetal position, she stayed dry-eyed as inside, her heart was breaking.

* * *

Instead of headingto the office this morning, Brogan stopped by his aunt and uncle’s to read more of the Thompson case file in the hopes of finding more inconsistencies that could help to build a stronger case for Melender’s innocence. His phone rang beside him on the dining room table. A glance at the screen revealed the call to be from an unknown party.

---