Page 40 of Bourbon Bliss
“It’s gonna take time to sink in,” Bowie said. “And we need to talk to Jayme, just to make sure there aren’t any more legal ramifications we need to know about.”
“I guess Callie’s parents were wrong about her,” Leah Mae said. “They must be feeling so many things tonight, having her back.”
Even I felt a pang of emotion at that. Her parents had not only believed her dead, they’d always maintained that their daughter had committed suicide. To have her suddenly alive must have been both shocking and joyous for her family.
“What do you say we have a toast?” Bowie asked before disappearing into the kitchen. Cassidy followed him, and they returned with a bottle of whiskey and glasses. Bowie poured a small measure of the amber liquid for each of us and Cassidy passed them out.
Bowie raised his glass. “To Callie Kendall. May her return to her family and society be as smooth and happy as possible.”
“To Callie,” we all said, then swallowed our whiskey.
I turned the glass in my hand, listening as the conversation continued. They speculated about what Callie’s life had been like, living with a cult. How the man she’d met had managed to lure her in. Where the cult had gone, and whether the police would ever track them down.
But there was something tickling the back of my mind. Something about Callie’s story that poked at me, like a puzzle piece that didn’t quite fit. I wasn’t sure why, but I had a nagging suspicion that there was more to her story that had yet to be told.
13
George
It was late when my phone rang, June’s call surprising me. We’d had brunch together and taken a chilly walk down by the lake earlier. She’d told me she was busy tonight, so I was on the couch in pajama pants watching a movie when she called.
The sight of her number on my screen made me smile. “Hey, June.”
“I apologize for the unexpectedness of my call,” she said.
“No need to apologize. I’m glad you called. What’s up?”
“I’ve been made aware of some surprising news this evening.”
“Is everything okay?”
She took a breath. “Yes, it’s okay.”
“That’s good. Do you wanna come over and tell me about it?”
“I think I do, yes.”
“Come on over. I’ll text you the address.”
“Thank you.”
About five minutes later, I heard her pull up outside. She knocked, and I let her in.
“Hi there.” I took her hand in mine as I shut the door behind her. Brought it to my lips for a kiss.
“Hello. I like it when you do that.”
“What, this?” I kissed the backs of her fingers again.
“Yes, that. It feels very nice.”
I leaned in to kiss her lips this time, but didn’t linger. She’d come over to talk, and I could see the tightness around her eyes. I gestured to the couch and we both sat.
“What’s going on? You said everything is okay, but you seem a little keyed up.”
“Are you aware of the Callie Kendall case?” she asked.
“Little bit,” I said. “She’s the girl who went missing?”
