Page 39 of Justice

“I want to know the connection between Beth and Deidre. What caused the bad blood between them?”

“There was none. Deidre had hired her for protection from Jus…”

“From who?”

“From no one.”

“No, you were about to say someone’s name. Was this a friend of yours?”

When Molly remained silent, Drake rose from his seat, crossing the room back to his desk. Opening the file he had collected on the women involved, he picked up the business card Adam Kenner had left, pressing those digits on his phone keypad.

“Like I said, Molly. I admire your loyalty.”

Drake waited as the phone rang three times before Adam picked up.

“Good evening, Mr. Kenner. This is Drake Hannigan, I apologize for the lateness of my call, however, I am in need of your services.”

“Of course, Mr. Hannigan. What can I do for you?”

“Well, I am putting together a memorial for my late wife, and am inviting several of the women she befriended while in prison. I found their names in a diary she kept, but unfortunately, I managed to spill red wine on the page where she discussed a woman who stood out to her, made her feel less frightened. I want to thank this woman, but the majority of her name is smudged by my clumsiness. I have the first three letters and am hoping she was one of the women assigned to you for help. The first three letters are J-U-S. Does this ring a bell for you?”

Drake waited with pen in hand, ready to take down the name Molly protected.

“Justice Hart, Mr. Hannigan. I did work with her, although she seems to have disappeared since she was released.”

“Oh, that’s unfortunate. Is her parole in jeopardy?” Drake would have his PI on her trail within the hour if it would help him.

“Not in Justice’s case. Her sentence was reversed, and the state would like to forget it ever happened.”

“Very good, Mr. Kenner. I appreciate your time and, hopefully, I can get in touch with Ms. Hart and invite her to the memorial.”

Drake ended the call as Stetson came back through the door, a six-pack of beer in one hand and two boxes of pizza from the pizzeria down the street in the other.

Stetson sat them both on the table in front of Molly. “Laura surmised that if you haven’t had a beer in a while, chances are you’ve missed pizza as well.”

Drake picked up the slip of paper with the name scrolled in his handwriting, “Stetson, do you recall the name, Justice Hart, in the prison records?”

Stetson looks over his shoulder as he took two slices of the pizza. “No, I would have made a terrible joke about that name being inside a prison.”

Drake walked back slowly, his eyes focused on the paper between his fingers. “Neither did I, yet I just got off the phone with Kenner and he gave me the name. Said something about the state wanting to forget her.”

Molly huffed and mumbled something under her breath, taking a large bite of the pizza in her hand.

“Well, considering the bullshit that went down, I wouldn’t put it past anyone to press the delete button.”

“Yeah, but she isn’t in the logs, or…”

“Check the fucking medical sign-in sheet for the day Deidre was killed. Justice Hart is real, she is my motherfucking best friend and I miss her.” Molly’s voice cracks as she speaks the latter, the emotion pouring out of her as she drops the pizza and begins to cry.

“Whoa,” Stetson cautions. “Okay, let’s take a break while Molly collects herself. We’ll figure this out and everything will be fine.” Stetson had an aversion to crying women, having been raised with the belief it’s always the fault of the man in the room when it happens.

“Drake, you care if I turn on the television? I’m missing the Celtics play tonight and I’d like to see how they’re doing?”

Drake offers a handkerchief to Molly who is gaining her composure. “Of course, here…” Reaching for the remote, he presses the power button and begins scanning the channels for the game.

“Wait!” Molly stands from her seat. “Go back,” she waves her hand, as Drake follows her instructions.

“Here?” Drake question as the screen shows a man pushing a lawnmower.

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