Gone From Me: Hearts of the South, Book 10 Read Online Free Page A

Stringham. Don’t know many guys who wouldn’t have obliged him.”
    Troy Lee settled his campaign hat on his head. “What was that about anyway?”
    “It’s a long story.”
    “Great. We have four more hours on shift. You can tell me all about it.”
    * * * * *
    She did not need this kind of day. Amy shifted on the bench outside the grand-jury room. What she needed was a busy day, full of witness interviews and crime-scene-evidence reports. What she had was a terminally slow day, sitting and waiting to see if the grand jury would want to hear from her on two cases. What she had was too much time to think and worry and obsess.
    She cast another surreptitious glance at her silenced cell. Nothing. Not an email, not a call, not a text. It made her crazy. She missed the old days, when he’d been eager to talk to her, when they’d checked in all day long.
    They needed to talk. They needed to fix this.
    Amy crossed her arms over her chest. If she hadn’t heard from him by the end of the day, she would go look for him. Maybe she’d able to pull him back to her, get him to listen, get him to talk. Surely his silence didn’t indicate that he thought she’d wanted Jake’s attention.
    Surely he’d realize she could never want anyone but him.
    “I wasn’t crazy about the ending.” The conversation between Amy’s partner Madeline and a Chandler County sheriff’s investigator infiltrated Amy’s consciousness. The two seemed to be relatively friendly acquaintances and had spent the morning chatting about books and films. Amy had listened at times, in spits and spurts, hoping to be distracted from obsessing about whether or not her marriage was over.
    It hadn’t worked.
    “I think it’s like The Sixth Sense ending. Enough clues that I should have figured it out before the climax.” The investigator tucked a piece of gum in his mouth.
    Madeline caught Amy’s gaze. “Did you see it, Bennett?”
    Amy blinked. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t paying attention. What movie?”
    The door to the grand-jury room swung open before Madeline could reply. The bailiff nodded at the small group of potential witnesses. “Ladies and gentlemen, we’re going to break for lunch. Please be back by one fifteen.”
    “Great. I’m starved.” Madeline stood and brushed dust from her slacks. “Bennett, the Bistro or the diner across the street?”
    “I don’t care.” Like she’d be able to eat anyway. Amy had tried to choke down a bagel that morning, but her throat had been too tight with fear, too scratchy from last night’s tears. After he’d admitted their marriage really might be in trouble, they’d driven home in silence. Nothing had been said once they’d arrived home, either. Just like a hundred other nights, Rob had retreated to the couch in the living room while she went to bed alone. He’d been gone by the time she’d awakened.
    The investigator tapped out a text and glanced up from his phone. “I’m meeting Tick at the diner. You’re welcome to join us.”
    “Hey, yeah, Bennett.” Madeline nudged Amy’s shoulder as they started down the stairs. “He’s the lead investigator for Chandler County, and it’s your husband’s first day, right? Maybe you’ll catch the scuttle on how it’s going.”
    “That would be great.” Amy tried to smile, knowing the feeble attempt probably looked more like a pained grimace. She shouldn’t have to rely on office scuttle to inform her of Rob’s day. A hint of pique twisted through her. Why couldn’t he talk this out with her?
    “Have I introduced you two?” Madeline gestured between Amy and the investigator as they reached the ground floor. “Bennett, Mark Cook. Cookie, Agent Amy Bennett. We’ve been partnered, what? A month now.”
    “Something like that.”
    “Y’all just hired her husband on.”
    Cook fixed Madeline with an ironic look. “No, I never realized that.”
    Madeline laughed. “Kiss my ass, Cook.”
    Amy followed the other two into the bright sunlight