Page 41 of Coty

“Yes, and I want to see my clients. Their bail was set at ten thousand each. The bail bondsman is on the way.” She doesn’t wait for Nathan to respond. She walks up to Mack and extends her hand. “Hello, Mr. McLeod. I apologize for meeting like this. I was closer to Willow Creek than Ben Fowler was. My grandfather called and said this was urgent. I got here as quickly as I could.”

“We’re glad you’re here.” Mack shakes her hand. “Don’t let them put my wife in a cell. Her mind can’t handle those bars closing on her. Enough closes on her already.”

Miss Hollis tilts her head slightly and dips her chin in a classy little move. Didn’t know that was possible. “Don’t worry, I’ll have your wife and her friend out of here within an hour.” She shrugs one shoulder and grins. “Half of that with my witty charm.” She smiles at the rest of us before walking behind the counter. “My clients, Sheriff.”

“Your client assaulted the preacher’s wife,” Morine Johnson, the female officer at the desk, mumbles.

Miss Hollis stops even with the desk and glares down at Morine. “Your preacher’s wife harassed and provoked a grieving mother on the day of her daughter’s death. Not cool. Not kind. I won’t tolerate it.” Miss Hollis lifts her chin and walks past the Sheriff. “If I don’t see my clients in the next three minutes, Sheriff, I’m calling the Judge.”

“Where has Robert been hiding her?” Worley asks.

“No clue.” Mack smiles. “But I’m calling him when we’re out of here and thanking him.”

Chapter 20

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Kayla

Kira was thrilled when I showed up a day early. The four-hour drive took closer to five hours. I was in such a hurry to get out of Willow Creek that I didn’t eat breakfast. I stopped an hour into the drive for gas and food, and once more for a light lunch.

The first night, we chilled out at her apartment and ordered pizza. Kira slipped into her room to take a call from her fiancé. She wasn’t the same when she returned to finish watching a movie with me. She hardly spoke the rest of the night.

For two days, we’ve been all over Knoxville and a few of the surrounding towns in search of wedding supplies. As I suspected, this wedding is being thrown together on short notice. It’s like she woke up a week ago and saidHey, I’m getting married in two weeks.

We’ve been to discount stores, thrift stores, and a local used clothing boutique that one of her neighbors owns. It’s where we got our dresses. They’re pretty, but none of the discount stores had a dress in her price range that could substitute as a wedding gown. Naturally, my dress is purple, her favorite color. She promises to have them dry cleaned before next weekend. I’m all for being thrifty or frugal, but this is ridiculous. I mean, her two-tier wedding cake is coming fromWalmart.

I see so many red flags about this. Maybe I’m more aware of a few things because I help with Ariel’s Angels. One thing really bugs me.

“Hey, Kira.”

We’re staying in again tonight. I was supposed to have left yesterday. Since I don’t have to work until Friday night, I figured one more night wouldn’t hurt. And I’m avoiding Coty. It’s not like he’s called or texted me in the last three days. It kinda hurts that he listened when I told him to stay away.

“Yeah.” She sets our Chinese containers on the table.

I grab my orange chicken and rice and follow her to the couch. She’s avoided talking seriously with me. I’m leaving in the morning, so I need some answers.

“Why haven’t I met your fiancé? And what’s his name?” She calls him C. C. when he calls. You’d think the man would be eager to meet his fiancée’s friend.

“Oh, he works in North Carolina through the week and only comes home on the weekends.”

Okay. I get that, but something’s wrong. She’s not comfortable talking about her boyfriend.

“And his name?” This should be an easy one for her.

“Um.” She huffs out a breath that pushes the loose strands of hair from her face. “Cory Coleman.”

Now, I’m a different person. Cory Coleman was friends with Trent Colby. I’m not sure if they’re still friends. They must be, or she wouldn’t act so weird when talking about her boyfriend with me. My guess is that Trent will be at the wedding. She didn’t date Cory in college. She hasn’t told me how they met. Cory and Trent weren’t best friends in school. Still, they were close enough that if I had known there was a possibility of Trent being at this wedding, I would have told Kira no.

“You should have told me.” I set my food on the coffee table.

“I know. I’m sorry.” She won’t look at me.

“Trent will be there.” It’s not a question.

“Yeah,” she whispers.

I should bail. It wasn’t like she asked me to be her Maid of Honor. I was just appointed the position. She is my friend. Somehow, I’ll figure out how to get through the wedding. Maybe I can get someone to come with me. Coty instantly pops to mind. If I talk to him and work things out, he’d come with me next weekend. Trent wouldn’t come near me if Coty were there. But that means I’d have to tell Coty about my history with Trent. That’s not something I want to talk about with anyone. Will Coty even speak to me after I disappeared for four days? And there’s the fact that I pulled a gun on him. He would. I’m sure of it. Do I want to talk to him? Yeah, I do. I didn’t handle things well on Monday morning. I was a total B to him.

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