Reed Family Box Set Page 4

  She really wanted to know where the rug came from that Laura was wrapped in, and why were the woods behind the Pine Woods Park Apartments selected as the dumping ground. Though Laura’s phone had probably been destroyed, Jo put in a request for the phone records so they could triangulate her whereabouts, and possibly the actual murder scene. They still had several interviews to conduct. Hopefully then they would have a better timeline.

  Jo shook her head. It was time to call it a day. Plus, she was ready to eat her dad’s grilled masterpieces. She grabbed her bag and headed towards her car. Jo sped down I-77 to her parents’ home. Her parents and siblings liked Bryan, at least when he hadn’t given them a reason not to.

  Early in their marriage, Bryan tried and failed at managing his own web design company. Clients would often fail to pay on time or not at all, resulting in a lot of debt and past due bills. Jo wanted Bryan to do what he loved and stood by him despite her family’s concern. No one was more grateful than she when he found a position as a web developer at Progressive Media.

  Bryan worked there for three years. He seemed to love it, especially since Progressive Media was a hip place that offered flexible hours. All was fine until Alexis was hired as a project manager almost a year ago.

  I’ll be glad to be with my family. I’m tired and worn out thinking about Bryan and his affair with Alexis.

  She pulled into her parents’ driveway, climbed out of her car and went around the back. Her nose was drawn towards the charcoal grill smoke. Her dad wore his red apron wrapped around his waist. He was chatting with some of his retired buddies. She waved to the group of men she’d known since childhood, and headed inside the house.

  B.J. was playing a video game with his Uncle Cori. Jo stopped and grinned as she watched her son and younger brother duke it out. Cori was twenty-six years old, unmarried and the smartest person she knew. No one in the family was surprised when he decided to go into forensics. He was always a science fiction geek.

  “Don’t hurt him too bad, B.J.”

  B.J. laughed, “I won two games.”

  “Ah, sis. What kind of kid do you have here? He’s too smart for six years old.”

  Jo patted her brother on the head. “Sounds like he gets some of that from his Uncle Cori. I remember you being just like this at six years old.” Jo was also sure her competitive younger brother was letting B.J. win.

  Cori turned and grinned, “Hey, I’m a good influence.”

  “I don’t know. B.J. is starting to follow your Star Wars obsession.”

  “That’s not bad, sis.” Cori’s face turned serious. “Hey!” He observed B.J. before turning around. “Are you okay? I can’t believe you-know-who.”

  Jo guessed her mother filled in Toni and Cori on the news of Bryan’s affair. Jo was almost eight years older than the twins, but it often felt like her mother had a closer relationship with her precocious younger siblings. Jo’s heart melted over her brother’s concern. “Me neither. I’m as good as I can be. Thanks for asking.”

  Jo headed into the kitchen. Toni jumped up from where she sat with a plate of food. Jo’s younger sister was by far the free spirit in the family. Her thick natural hair was placed high above her head in a large puff. Toni used her artistic skills successfully as a valuable forensic artist for CMPD. Their dad often proudly declared how all of his children were crime fighters with their various roles in law enforcement.

  Toni bent down to hug Jo. For some reason, all of her siblings had their dad’s height while Jo inherited their mother’s short stature. “Jo, you finally made it. Girl, Mama was going to have me go drag you out of that building.”

  Their mother grinned. “Your sister is exaggerating. I hope your day was productive.”

  Jo grabbed a ginger ale from the fridge and popped the lid. She answered her mother, “Sort of. There are still a lot of unanswered questions.” Jo drank from the can enjoying the sharp taste of the bubbles. She glanced at the row of grilled chicken, hamburgers, and hotdogs on the counter. She was really hungry.

  As Jo reached for a plate, she heard her older sister bellowing from the other room. “I’m here. I hope you people didn’t eat all the food.” Asia stepped into the doorway of the kitchen looking like a fashion model. Dressed in khaki pants and a red short-sleeved shirt, Asia had her matching khaki jacket folded over her arms. She placed the jacket and her large brown bag on a kitchen chair.

  Jo eyed her sister who worked as an assistant D.A. at the district attorney’s office. “You’re just getting here too? Don’t tell me you were working on a Saturday too?”

  Asia kicked off her three-inch high pumps before sitting. “Girl, you know the district attorney’s office is getting ready for Jeffrey Maddock’s trial in a few weeks. You of all people should be happy. By the way, you did a great job gathering the evidence for the case. My boss is ecstatic about getting this trial going.”

  Jo added some potato chips next to her hamburger. “Well thanks, sis. You actually sound proud of me.”

  Asia grabbed a plate. “I am proud of you. It was you who picked up on the romantic connections between Maddock and those women. I tell you every time I see that man, he makes my skin crawl. It’s sad because he is good looking, but he’s so evil.”

  Their mother spoke from the table. “That’s the way evil is packaged. Often looks good on the outside.”

  Jo sat and dived into her food. As she chewed, she thought about Bryan’s attraction to his colleague Alexis. She was a beautiful woman, but that was no excuse for Bryan straying away.

  Toni nudged her. “How are you, Jo? Mama told us about Bryan.”

  Asia swung around from the counter, “What about Bryan? I haven’t heard anything.” She stared at Jo.

  Jo attempted to swallow the food in her mouth, but a lump had suddenly formed in her throat making it difficult to swallow. The vibe of the kitchen was warm and cozy with the camaraderie of her sisters and her mother, now the atmosphere seemed to suffocate her.

  Toni answered for her. “Bryan cheated with that woman we saw at the 4th of July barbecue.”

  Asia put her hand on her hips. “That heifer! Jo, I told you something was up with her.”

  Jo cringed, not sure if she wanted to laugh or cry. Asia was right. Alexis had seemed glued to Bryan’s side that day. Bryan had told her they were talking about work.

  Their mother looked at her oldest daughter. “Asia, that was not necessary.”

  Asia took a seat with her plate. “Mama, come on. You know you probably called her the same thing. Mama tries to be sanctified about what she says. You know I could have called her something else.”

  Their mother shook her head. “Asia, just enjoy your meal. Jo’s had a hard time as it is.”

  Asia wasn’t one to ever be quiet, which was why she was the lawyer in the family. She chewed thoughtfully on her grilled chicken sandwich. “Jo, what are you going to do? I have plenty of divorce lawyers I can recommend.”

  Jo glared at her older sister. “I honestly haven’t had time to process what to do. I’m kind of still in shock.”

  Their mother stood and started clearing the table. “Jo, that’s why I asked you to pray and look into marriage counseling.”

  Asia smirked. “Counseling? Mama, you think they can work this out just like…”

  Their mother’s glare towards Asia left all three sisters quiet.

  Finally, she responded, “Like your father and me. Every marriage doesn’t have to crumble into a divorce. Sometimes these situations are a wakeup call to let God come in and be the center where He was not allowed to be present before.”

  Jo looked at her mother. Guilt shrouded her conscience. She hadn’t wanted to admit it, but Bryan and she had been slowly gliding apart for some time. She had not prayed for her marriage the way she had in the beginning. B.J. was born and then her cases kept coming. Bryan’s work could be time-consuming on occasion. Life snuck in and without her realizing it, an opening was left for the enemy to walk right through to steal, kill an
d destroy her marriage.

  Suddenly, Jo felt like curling up in her own bed. She picked up her plate and tossed it in the garbage. “It’s been a long day. I think B.J. and I need to head home.”

  Her mother walked over and hugged her. “Please get some rest. Maybe we will see you both in church tomorrow.”

  Jo hugged her back. “I’ll try.”

  She exchanged hugs with both of her sisters. The men were a little difficult about the hugs, but Jo’s mother and sisters insisted on hugs even if they had just argued with each other. Her mother helped her gather B.J.’s things and buckled him into the backseat of the car. B.J. slept soundly as Jo drove home. She was grateful since she didn’t know if she could handle any of her son’s questions about his daddy.

  She desperately needed eight hours of sleep. For a change, Jo didn’t want to think about the Finneys or the upcoming Maddock trial or Bryan. As she turned into her driveway, she pressed the garage opener, and was startled to see Bryan’s Mustang. She thought he would have stayed away longer.

  B.J. stirred in the backseat as Jo pulled into the garage. In a sleepy voice he said, “Mommy, look! Daddy’s home.”

  Jo shut off the engine and looked over at Bryan’s car. She wondered what this meant and if she had to deal with the inevitable tonight.

  Chapter 7

  Monday, August 24 at 6:45 a.m.

  Smells of bacon wafted into Jo’s nose as she struggled to wake up. She lazed in bed feeling more normal than she had in a week. When she turned to the side of the bed where Bryan slept, her false sense of normalcy faded. He’d slept in the guest bedroom since he came back Saturday night. After staring at his pillow for a few sad seconds, she sat up and rubbed her eyes. She reflected on their awkward weekend as a family.

  Even though he was back, there wasn’t much said between them on Saturday night and all of Sunday. They spent the weekend avoiding each other. Both evenings Bryan tucked B.J. into bed, while she turned in for the night. Both nights, she’d listened to B.J.’s laughter and Bryan’s deep voice telling him a story.

  Despite a lack of sleep Saturday night, Jo woke up determined to attend Sunday services at Victory Gospel, mainly because she wanted to get out of the house away from Bryan. So yesterday morning without bothering Bryan, Jo had quietly dressed B.J. and herself and left a note. Even though many people at church asked about him, Jo realized there was no way she could have sat next to Bryan. She kept looking back wondering if he was going to show up. She sat with her family and listened intently to Pastor Jonathan Freeman as he preached about David, a man after God’s own heart. David had made mistakes that cost him, but God remained faithful to His promises.

  Jo couldn’t help but wonder if she’d made some mistakes that had cost her. She knew in her heart her role as a detective was her calling. It’s what she loved. If she was really honest, Bryan had been slowly growing resentful of her career. And last year during the investigation that led to Maddock’s arrest, Jo sensed a shift in their relationship. She couldn’t shake the idea that she had a role in neglecting her own marriage.

  Jo groaned. I have to get up and go to work. I can’t keep doing this to myself. He cheated, not me.

  She pushed the covers away and slid to the floor on her knees. She prayed for strength and for the ability to face Bryan. After showering, Jo headed into the kitchen where Bryan was helping B.J. get his backpack on his back.

  “Mommy, Daddy said I don’t need to take the bus to Grandpa and Grandma. He’s going to pick me up.”

  Jo looked at Bryan, “Are you leaving the office early today?”

  He didn’t look directly at her. “I’m working from home this week.”

  Was this his way of avoiding Alexis? “You have not done that in a while. You sure that’s okay?”

  “I cleared it with Benny.”

  “Daddy, I hear the bus. I have to go now.”

  “Okay. Tell your mom goodbye.”

  B.J. ran over to Jo. “Bye, Mommy. See you later.”

  Jo hugged her son. “Have a good day, baby.”

  Bryan said, “Can you call your mom and let her know they don't need to watch B.J. this week?"

  “Okay.” There was a time when Bryan was comfortable talking to her parents himself, but he probably knew she’d shared his infidelity with her family.

  She watched as her son and husband went outside to the bus. She looked at the almost finished pancakes on B. J’s plate. Bryan was a good cook. He often cooked breakfast on the weekend, never a weekday. She knew Bryan intensely loved their son and like she did sometimes, probably cooked their son’s favorite breakfast to make-up for not being around.

  She prayed that B.J. was unaware of any tension between his parents.

  Jo grabbed a coffee cup from the cabinet and poured coffee. As she sipped the bitter warm liquid, she looked around the kitchen wondering how long Bryan had been up. Did he have trouble sleeping too?

  He should.

  Bryan entered the kitchen but paused in the doorway as if he was nervous to come near her. It was less than a week ago when she sent that ceramic bowl of pancake mix towards his head. Jo’s anger still lingered, but she was not planning to lose control again. “I’m not going to throw anything else at you, Bryan.”

  He stared at her and then tilted his head down. Bryan cleared his throat. “I don’t blame you if you do.”

  Jo sat her cup on the counter. “Where were you?”

  Bryan’s lifted his head. “What?”

  “You were gone for three nights. Where were you?” Jo gripped the mug feeling the warmth stinging her fingers and palms. “Were you with Alexis? Still trying to decide who you want?”

  Bryan’s eyes grew wide. “I stayed at a hotel. Alone. I told you it’s over. She was never anything to me.”

  “She doesn’t mean anything to you, but she has no regrets sleeping with a married man.”

  “Well, I do have regrets. I made a mistake one time and for the past few months I have tried to separate myself from Alexis, which is hard to do when you work with someone,” Bryan sighed. “I went to try to reason with her last Tuesday. I had already asked Benny to take me off a project with her, but she still...kept indicating she was interested.”

  Jo frowned. “So, you’re telling me you slept with her one time and that was that? Is that supposed to make me feel any better? It sounds like she has developed feelings for you. I hope she isn’t crazy too.”

  Bryan shook his head. “No, of course not. It’s been awkward at work. I told her we needed to go back to being professionals. I was married and I shouldn’t have fallen into temptation. Time just slipped by. I would have never forgotten B.J. doing something like that.”

  “But you did have sex with her? How long ago was this one time?”

  Bryan crossed his arm as if to protect himself. “It was during the conference in Atlanta.”

  Jo stepped away from the counter towards Bryan. She thought back to earlier in the summer. “That was the last week in June. You came home in time enough to get ready for the 4th of July party.”

  “It’s no excuse, but we had been drinking.”

  Jo yelled and flailed her arms up in the air. “You don’t drink!”

  “Not in a while, no, I haven’t. I don’t know why I decided to drink.”

  “So I should just forgive you and forget about this because you were drinking? You know it occurred to me that you have been distant since then. I didn’t know why.”

  Jo walked towards her husband. “I know the Maddock case was a lot and that I was not here. Do you remember what I mentioned to you once he was arrested? In fact, the conversation came up again a month ago right after B.J.’s birthday.”

  Bryan looked away. “You said you wanted us to get our family time back. That you thought it was time B.J. had a sister or brother.”

  Jo choked. “Isn’t that what you want?”

  Bryan’s face crumbled. “Yes. I want you and B.J. in my life. I made a mistake and I tried to fix it.”


  Jo pointed her finger. “You tried to hide it too. I don’t care if it was one time and you were drinking. Bryan, my trust has been broken. I even told you when I met Alexis that something about her made me uncomfortable. I wasn’t jealous. I was telling you from my gut instinct.”

  Bryan took a moment before responding. His voice was low, barely above a whisper. “So, what do you want me to do, Jo? I can’t change what I did.”

  Jo stared at him.

  He couldn’t expect her to just accept his explanation that he’d been drinking. That was just plain pathetic. He wasn’t accepting full responsibility for his actions and the fact that she’d warned him how she felt about Alexis.

  “I don’t know. I just know we will never be the same again.” Jo walked out the kitchen. As she walked down the hallway, she wiped the tears blurring her vision. Once inside their bedroom she headed towards the bathroom. She closed the door and slid down to the floor, sitting on the fluffy blue rug beneath her. She needed to get ready for work, but she wanted to curl into a ball. She lifted her face towards the ceiling.

  God, how can I ever trust him again?

  Chapter 8

  Monday, August 24 at 1:18 pm

  The Finneys had the memorial service for Laura at their home. Jo sat next to Pete in the back of the room observing the immediate family and their guests. Jo’s heart felt so heavy, she could have been mourning herself. There was a war going on inside her with one side trying to convince her that her marriage was dead. Jo pushed away the thoughts clawing at her to focus on the people who had attended Laura’s memorial service.

  After the service, the guests had gathered in a great room in the middle of the Finneys’ home. A portrait of Laura sat on an easel by the entrance. Laura’s makeup and skin were flawless as her long blond hair hung across her shoulders. For some reason, Laura’s eyes appeared more seductive than the youthful look in the beauty pageant photo they had on the evidence board. Once again, Jo had the impression there were two sides to Laura. Most people have two sides. Jo hoped Laura’s secret side would reveal more about what happened to her.