Page 41 of Before You Go

“Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.” She sits back and lets out a breath before looking over at Burros. He looks annoyed, but she doesn’t seem at all fazed. “Me and the guys might not agree on everything, but we do agree that we want the man responsible for killing Alice charged for her murder. She deserves that, and her family does, too.”

“I’m going to take my time going through all of this, and then I’ll want to sit down with you guys again before I bring her family in.” I look at Burros and Shaw. “I’m also going to need to speak with the detectives who handled this case. Can you get their information for me?”

“Yeah,” Shaw says.

“Thanks.” I stand, and they all get up from their chairs as I move around my desk and toward the door. “Thanks for coming in today.” I shake the two detectives’ hands, then do the same with Janelle.

“My cell phone number is on that card I gave you. If you have any questions for me, just reach out.”

“Will do,” I reply, then wait until they leave my office before I go back to my desk. After gathering all my stuff, I dial Franny’s number as I head out of my office.

“Hey,” she answers on the third ring.

“Hey, I’m leaving work now. What are you in the mood for?”

“Toast.”

I might laugh if I thought she was joking.

“You’re not eating toast for dinner,” I tell her.

“I don’t want you to waste money if I might just get sick.”

“I was at your appointment today, Dr. Bride made it clear that you need to eat smaller meals more often, so what do you want me to pick up?”

“You’re not going to give this up, are you?”

“Nope.”

“Fine.” She sighs making me smile. “I’ll take an order of the tomato soup from Joe’s and a grilled cheese.”

“All right, I should be to you in an hour, maybe a little less.”

“I’ll be here,” she says before saying goodbye and hanging up.

Hopping into my SUV, I get myself situated, then search for Janelle’s podcast on my phone. Once I have it plugged in, I press Play on the first episode.

“Hey, Forgotten Family, and welcome to another season of The Forgotten and an all-new unsolved murder. This case was recommended to me by a listener out of Tennessee, and I have to tell you, I was not expecting it to take me on the adventure I’ve been on since I started looking into this mystery. So sit back and relax while I tell you about Alice Groden.”

Music begins to play before it tapers off, and Janelle’s voice once again flows through the speakers.

“Alice Groden was only twenty years old when she was murdered in the apartment she shared with her husband, Greg, and their newborn son, Jayson. She had her whole future ahead of her, and by all accounts, that future looked bright. She was going to college and on the road to graduating with a degree in education despite recently getting married and giving birth to her son. She had a great family and lots of close friends, who all absolutely adored her. And according to her husband, who she dated all throughout high school, their son might not have been planned, but getting married and starting a family was inevitable.”

As I drive to pick up dinner for Franny and me and make my way across town to our building, I listen to Janelle talk about Alice. About her family, her friends, her job at a fast-food place before the birth of her son, and her life as a wife, mom, friend and sister. Most of the information is stuff I know from her file, but hearing Janelle talk about her brings her to life and makes me feel more connected to her. By the time I arrive at our building and find parking, the first episode comes to an end, and the intro to the second episode begins to play. I’ve never listened to a true crime podcast before; I never understood the appeal. But as I shut off the engine and the audio cuts off along with it, I get it.

Grabbing the bag of food off the passenger seat, I walk to Franny’s private door and knock… then knock again when she doesn’t answer.

“Sorry,” I hear behind me as I’m about to pull my phone out.

Turning, I see PJ on his leash, with Franny jogging down the block behind him. She’s wearing a tank and a pair of paint-covered baggy overalls that look ridiculous on her, and her long hair is braided to one side.

“I wanted to take him out before you got here so I wouldn’t have to while we were eating.” She stops in front of me with a smile that hits me right in the chest. “Were you waiting long?”

“No, I just got here.” I look down when I feel something hit my knee and find PJ standing on his back legs.

“Hey, bud.” I bend and rub the top of his head as she opens the door.

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