Page 578 of Cold Case, Warm Hearts

His eyes narrowed. “What’s that supposed to mean? Cindy’s my daughter. Can’t you understand that I want her here with me? She’s all I’ve got left.”

“Must we go into this again?”

“I hate for you to leave like this. For Susan’s sake, please try to understand.”

Judith gritted her teeth. “I am thinking about Susan … and Cindy. Look at you. You can barely take care of yourself, much less a sixteen-year-old. I can give her the finest education money can buy and opportunities she’ll never have in this place.”

“What about love? Can you give her that?”

“You know how I feel about Cindy.”

The nerve. Why should she remain untouched when he hurt so much? “The high and mighty Ms. Lassiter. Always the smug ice queen. Well, I’m not gonna let you prance away this time without knocking a few chunks out of your castle.”

Her face paled.

“You know what I think? You’re just itching to get hold of something you don’t understand. You’ve always been jealous of me and Susan.”

“What?”

“Our relationship. You don’t even know what it’s like to really love someone. I won’t let you take away the only thing I have left.”

“How dare you! I loved my sister too, and I’m truly sorry for your loss.” She looked him straight in the eye, her voice quivering. “You don’t know me at all.”

“That’s just it. I know you too well.” He smirked. “You’re so caught up in yourself that you wouldn’t know what to do with Cindy if you had her.”

Judith’s hands went to her hips. “Why you sorry?—”

Cindy ran into the room. “Stop it! Stop it right now! You’re supposed to be adults, and look at you.” Her voice crunched against itself like coarse gravel.

Avery cradled his forehead with his hand. When he spoke his voice was strained, the calm in the midst of the storm. “Cindy, Judith and I are having a private conversation right now.”

Judith touched Cindy on the arm. “How long have you been standing outside the door?”

Cindy jerked away. “Long enough!” She glared back and forth between the two of them. “You act like I don’t exist! Why don’t you ask me what I want to do? I’m a part of this too. She was my mother!” She looked at Avery. “Why didn’t you come and get me when she was dying?”

His eyes widened. “What?”

“In the hospital. I was asleep in the lobby. You could’ve gotten me.” Her hand went to her mouth, and she choked down a sob. “I never even got to say goodbye.”

He moved to hug her. “Oh honey, I didn’t think. I’m so?—”

She flung him away. “I hate you!” Her eyes darted to Judith. “And I hate you too!” Avery winced at the avalanche of sobs that tumbled from Cindy as she fled the room.

Judith shook her head. “Look at the two of you. You’re falling apart.”

His voice rose like thunder. “That’s enough!”

“I pity you, Avery. You’re a blind fool.” She reached for her suitcase.

They were at an impasse. They had said too much—cut each other too deeply. Avery stepped back and let Judith pass. The clicking of her stiletto heels on the floor was the only sound he heard until she walked out the front door and slammed it behind her.

Cindy wentto Susan’s closet and pulled down one of her sweatshirts. She put it on, then went to her room and lay huddled on the floor beside her bed. She buried her nose in the sleeve and let her mother’s familiar scent envelop her. She’d shed so many tears over the past few weeks that she was surprised she had any left, but they still kept coming and coming until her eyes were big and sore. She let her mind drift into nothingness until she heard the knock at the door.

“Honey.”

No answer.

“Cindy, we need to talk.”

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