Page 54 of Husband Missing

“They’re awesome,” Trinity and Josie said at the same time.

Eva laughed, brown eyes twinkling. She was slight, probably over eighty, with thick, short white hair. One of her hands rested on the handle of a cane while the other extended toward them. Josie shook first.

“Twins,” Eva said. “You must be the detective.”

Josie nodded. They were identical twins and both wearing jeans and sweatshirts, yet, anyone who looked at them could immediately tell that Trinity was the television personality. Evenwithout the added stress of her husband being missing, Josie had perfected the insomniac, workaholic police officer vibe.

Eva shook Trinity’s hand. “The reporter. Come on in.”

Sunlight bathed the small living room. Plants sat on every table and windowsill. Piles of paperback books stood in columns beside the couch and recliner as well as along the walls. No television. A wrought-iron plant stand was tucked into one corner. On its surface was a small tabletop fountain that trickled water over faux rocks. The steady sound filled the otherwise silent space.

Josie and Trinity sat side by side on the couch while Eva settled into her recliner. “I’m so sorry for all that your family has been through,” she said. “It broke my heart to learn that Roe’s little girl turned out…the way she did. For so long, I wondered what became of her. My hope was that she had had a good life. That might have made up for all the tragedy, but life doesn’t work like that, does it? It was naive of me to think that way. Anyway, I’m glad you’re here. I’ve tried to draw attention to Roe’s case for years. We’re both getting up there in age. Time is running out.”

Josie’s phone chirped. She’d spent the ninety-minute drive to Eva’s house answering texts. Tilly Phelan had called her again. She’d let the call go to voicemail and then proceeded to pester Turner, instructing him to call the poor woman back. Then she demanded information about the Gina Phelan case. She knew she had no right to request it, but her control was already in tatters.

“Do you have to get that, dear?” asked Eva.

Josie smiled apologetically. Her heart raced as she punched in her passcode, wondering if it was news about Noah. Then she realized if Heather had anything to report, she’d call instead of text. Josie’s pulse slowed as she saw a message from Turner.

Five texts in an hour constitutes harassment.

With a sigh, she tapped out a quick response.It was 90 minutes. Call Tilly Phelan. Then tell me what I want to know and I’ll stop.

“Sorry,” she mumbled to Eva.

Eva waved a hand toward her. “Don’t worry. I imagine both of you have urgent things to tend to most of the time.”

Trinity rested her hands on her thighs and leaned forward. “Why did you want to bring attention to Roe’s case?”

Probably for the same reasons Trinity was so interested in it, even without the Lila connection. Roe’s origins were completely unknown, not to mention the identity of the man—or men—who’d fathered her children.

Eva pursed her lips momentarily, considering her words. “I’m getting ahead of myself. Let me start by saying that I don’t, in any way, condone what Roe did. I have always believed she should be held accountable for her crimes, and she is serving her time.”

Another text from Turner arrived. Josie read it as surreptitiously as she could.

I already called her. Oh, and FYI,you’re off the Phelan case. Or did you forget?

“We understand,” Trinity told Eva.

Josie pressed her lips tightly together so she didn’t curse out loud.

What happened to the guy who doesn’t care about getting in trouble?

Got Gina P’s phone records. No red flags.

What about calls the day she died?

Really, Quinn?

Josie was aware by the silence in the room that both Trinity and Eva were waiting for her. Luckily, Turner answered without any further coaxing.

About an hour before she was killed, she made 2 calls to an old law school friend who’s a DA in Montgomery County. They didn’t talk. She left two messages asking the friend to call back. The Phelans think she was preparing for criminal charges in the quarterback case.

With a tight smile, Josie said, “I’m sorry, just a second.”

That’s all you’ve got?

Call me later, sweetheart.

---