Page 116 of Faded Gray Lines
“Jackie Abrams speaking.”
“I need your help.”
Her voice hardened. “Call a hotline.”
“Wait,” I begged, bracing a hand against the kitchen counter. “I know what you’ve been trying to tell me, and I have proof. Are you interested in ending this once and for all?”
“Meet me at Tranquility Park on the corner of Bagby and Walker,” she said finally.
“No, meet me at Christ Church Cathedral on Texas Avenue.” I waited for her inevitable question.
“A church?”
“Trust me,” I assured her. “It’s the last place they’ll check.”
After a few more instructions, I hung up and grabbed my car keys from the bag Eden sent over. Adjusting the brim of the hat I bought from the boutique in the lobby, I slammed the door to the Presidential Suite and left the old Leighton behind.
Thirty-Nine
Leighton
Eight words determined my fate.
“We really have to stop meeting like this.”
I tilted my head as she slid in beside me. I didn’t dare risk looking directly at her, so I settled on her shoes—hell-fire red with a skinny heel at least six inches high. Stilettos in church seemed a little over the top, but judging from her posture, she wasn’t seeking anyone’s approval.
“Shhh,” I whispered, placing a finger over my lips.
“Of course.” She gave a casual laugh as if our conversation wasn’t about to get us both struck down.
In front of me, scattered heads bowed like dominos in prayer. Dipping my chin, I watched them under the protective brim of my blue hat. Such a bold fashion statement wasn’t my usual style, but I couldn’t risk being recognized. The gossip train traveled faster than the speed of light amongst Houston’s tightly woven circles. Phones would buzz before I turned the ignition on my car.
The guilty were always the first to announce someone else's sins. Every one of them spent the last four years turning a blind eye. Now, it was too late for forgiveness.
Instinct made me pull away, forcing a much-needed distance between us. The space lifted the pressure on my chest, and I took a breath for the first time since she sat down. Unfortunately, one was all I got as she pulled out a black clutch and placed it next to me.
“Are you sure about this?” I whispered.
“Why would I lie?”
“The same reason everyone does. Greed. Money. Power.”
She gave a slight nod. “All good reasons, but this is a hard limit for the most corrupt of hearts.”
“Well, I suppose morality does grow in the most barren of fields.”
“Watch it.” Her casual tone thickened. “Stone throwing isn’t the smartest move for a woman who’s already broken two of the ten commandments.”
Five, but who’s counting.
“Nice hat.”
I sucked in a deep breath. “Thanks.”
“Who are you trying to hide from—them or yourself?”
The hairs prickled on the back of my neck. She intended to prove a point, and it worked.
