Page 22 of Where Secrets Lie

Savannah’s eyes burned from so much computer work. The sun touched the glossy leaves on the roses outside the arched window of her home office, and if she didn’t have so much work to do, she’d get some sweet tea, then wander outside to wait for Simon to get off the bus from school. He was staying with her for a few days while Jess was in New York City to meet with TGU’s lenders. If Jess could whip up a little magic there and consolidate the university’s debt at a decent rate, it might be a glimpse of sunny skies for TGU.

The yellow bus came around the corner of the street and put out its stop sign. Her nephew bounded down the steps. Moments later the front door slammed. “I had a po’boy delivered for you from Little New Orleans,” she called. Sincearriving in Nova Cambridge, Simon had become obsessed with the area’s po’boys—due to Will Dixon’s influence—and she’d had a Cajun shrimp one delivered. “It should still be warm.”

He appeared in her office a minute later with his sandwich on a plate and a sweating glass of sweet tea. “You’re the best, Aunt Savannah.” He plopped onto the love seat along the wall.

He was ten going on thirty, thanks to his self-sufficient nature. He had his mother’s blond hair and his father’s blue eyes, though Savannah didn’t like to think about his lecherous dad. Simon had already taken possession of her heart as she’d watched him navigate the change from English boarding school to all-American kid.

The enticing aroma of Cajun spices and shrimp made her mouth water, and she realized she’d skipped lunch. She peered through bleary eyes at the numbers on the screen. “How’d school go?”

Talking with him was always the highlight of her day whenever he slept over. Ella would have been in grade school by now, and they would have talked over her day like this too. Would she have been as open as Simon was? Savannah liked to imagine lazy afternoons with her Ella. She glanced at Simon’s happy expression as he ate his po’boy. If she wasn’t working on an important report, she would have shut off her computer and joined him for sweet tea.

“I was gobsmacked. I aced my history test thanks to Will.”

She looked up from the screen. “Well done! I’m proud of you.”

“Thanks.” He chomped on his sandwich, and his cheek bulged before he chewed it into submission and swallowed.

She spotted movement through the window. “Hez is here.” A wash of pleasure at the sight of his dark hair and trim build lifted her out of her mild discontent at the computer work she’d been immersed in all day. She rose and stretched, then finger combed her hair before she went to open the door. His focused gaze went soft at the sight of her, and the warmth in her chest spread to the rest of her.

She kissed him, then stepped aside for him to enter. “How’d it go?”

“Great!” He smiled over his shoulder at Simon, who had followed her. “I think you’ve grown two inches, kiddo.”

Savannah followed him and Simon into the living room. “Want some sweet tea or coffee?”

“I’ve been downing gallons of coffee all day so I’m all caffeinated. Dominga, Ed, and Toni came in, and the Justice Chamber is official.” His smile beamed out. “It feels great, and I wanted to come by and show you where I put the plaque you gave me.” He swiped on his phone and turned the photo around to show her its prominent position above his battered desk. “I can see it when I start work every morning.”

“An attorney of your caliber deserves a better desk. If you save TGU, I’ll find it in the budget.”

His grin vanished, then came back full wattage. “Um, about that budget. Can we pay the students anything?”

“I thought experience would be their only required compensation.”

“Ed Hernandez is losing his scholarship.”

She listened to the rest of the story with a rock in her throat. “I don’t see where I can come up with funds for that, Hez. We’re already in the red now. Tell you what. If the Justice Chamberplugs some of the scammy leaks in our budget, I’ll see what I can do.”

“What’s the Justice Chamber?” Simon asked. “Is it an office or something?”

“It helps people who need justice,” Hez said. “Right now it’s helping us save TGU.”

“You’re an awesome lawyer, Uncle Hez. You can do anything.”

Hez bent down to rub Marley’s ears. “Good dog,” he crooned. “The problems are huge, and the Justice Chamber only has four people including me. It’s going to take a while to unravel it all.”

Savannah watched him with a bemused smile. They’d changed their romantic dinner plans for tonight when Jess jetted out of town, and though Savannah was thrilled to have Simon, she wished she and Hez had more alone time. They’d both been so consumed with saving TGU that they hadn’t had a chance to talk about wedding plans, and she’d hoped to bring up the topic tonight.

“Do you need more help?” Simon asked.

Hez’s message alert went off on his phone and he pulled it out. “I need all the help I can get. Three student volunteers is all I’ve got, though. But we’ll get it done.” He frowned at the phone. “I’ll have to run back to the office. Ed locked himself out. Want me to stop and pick up dinner somewhere? Maybe pizza?”

“Sure. There’s a movie I thought the three of us might watch. It’s an action movie, so you and Simon will like it.”

“I want to help save TGU,” her nephew said.

She yanked her attention away from Hez. “It could be dangerous, Simon. You were nearly killed a few months ago. Noneof us want you that close to danger again. Your job is to get good grades in school and make new friends.”

His blue eyes widened, and he turned an accusing glare Hez’s way. “Mom is in danger and you let her go off to New York without help?” He dragged his phone out of his pocket and tapped on it. “I’m making sure she’s okay.”

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