Mississippi Blues (26 page)

He nodded, but didn't smile. “Slow down.”

Stung by his unfriendly tone, she hesitated. Had the Chief given Trey a warning, too? She fumbled around in her purse, found the photo and handed it to him. “This.”

He hesitated a moment before he took the picture from her. “What is it?”

“I was hoping you could tell me, or at least have an idea about it.” She watched his face as he studied the images in the photo. His eyes widened as they went over the familiar faces.

“My God,” he breathed. “I don't believe this.”

“What?” She knew the picture was weird. “Tell me.”

“Where'd you get this?” His face was ashen, his mouth pinched.

“Why? Trey, you're scaring me.” Her voice raised a notch. “What is it?” He was acting so strange. What was in that picture that had him so freaked out?

He pointed to the stranger in the picture. The one Mama had her arms around. “Don't you know who that is?”

“No. Should I? Tell me.” Her mouth felt like she'd stuffed a rag in it. Dry and foul tasting.

His eyes when his gaze raised to meet hers were bleak. “Deke Soloman.”

Summer shook her head so hard her ears rang. “No, that's not possible. He was a stranger. Mama said so — ”

“Apparently not.” He reached to steady her and fire shot through her when he grabbed her elbow. “Let's go sort this out.”

Summer forced herself to climb aboard the boat. She sat on the bench and again studied the dark background trying to make something out. “I wonder who was behind the camera? Do you have any idea where this might've been? They're all drinking beer.”

“That doesn't mean anything special,” he said. “They could've been at a bar, home, or even here.”

“Do you remember your mother ever saying anything about a birthday party or an anniversary or a wedding that she and Mama went to together?” Her fingers went numb and the picture floated to the ground. “Trey! That's it!”

He bent to retrieve it. “What?”

“Your graduation.” She took the picture from him. “Look at what they're wearing. That's the dress Mama wore to your party. I remember because we went down to Jackson to go shopping for it together. We went to all the department stores, but nothing worked until we went to this place on Martinique. That's a side street with all these little dress shops … ”

“Are you sure?” He peered at the picture as if he expected the people in it to speak to him.

She'd never been so sure of anything in her life. “Absolutely positive. And this is the outfit your mother wore, too. See?”

“I guess.”

“Trust me, I know it.” She jumped up. “Don't you see? Mama never wore this dress before your graduation and she never wore it after.”

“You think they went partying that evening?” He gave his head a slight shake and frowned. “We've always thought MiLann was alone when she was attacked. But this looks like they all went out to celebrate.”

She nodded vigorously. “I know it's hard to believe, but yes, I do. We don't know — ”

“Because we were together,” he finished.

Ignoring the fire in her belly the thought of that night ignited she nodded. “Yes.”

“Soloman wouldn't have had any reason to come to
LeFleur
. So our mothers had to go somewhere he would've been.” He glanced at her, his expression as puzzled as her own.

“Apparently they left
LeFleur
to party.” She bit her lip. “But where? And why?”

“Where was the Chief?” Trey got up and leaned against the deck, stuffing his hands in his front pockets. “He wouldn't have just hung around the house while my mother and his friends all went out without him.”

“Maybe there was an emergency that called him away?” Summer suggested.

“It's possible,” he conceded, “but who would know after all this time?” A frown flitted across his face. “Besides him? And MiLann. Quizzing her is impossible. But … ”

“What?” Had he remembered something?

He wouldn't meet her eyes. “It's nothing.”

“Come on, Trey. What is it?” She stood and went to stand in front of him, forcing him to look her in the face.

“They fought that day.” His words were forced.

“Who?” He wasn't making sense. “I'm not following you.”

“Mother and the Chief. I heard their argument.”

“About what?”

His frown deepened. “Not what. Who.”

He wasn't going to say unless she pressed him. “Tell me. Please?”

“I came downstairs to talk to Mother about the party. I wanted something, I can't remember what exactly, but she and the Chief were shouting at each other … ”

“What was the fight about?” Summer whispered. After all this time was Jace going to be cleared? Did Trey hold the key?

“Another woman.” He took a deep breath. “Mother was accusing him of having an affair.” He gave his head a little shake as if he could erase the memory.

Summer's mouth gaped open. “The Chief? No way. With who?”

He shrugged. “I don't know. I didn't stick around to find out. No one ever mentioned it again.”

Grabbing his wrist, her arm brushing the denim of his pocket, Summer said, “Don't you see? That might've been the reason our mothers were drinking. Maybe the photo was taken at
LeFleur
. What if the Chief left, instead of the other way around? There was a bar at
LeFleur
that night, remember?”

“Yeah, but how did Soloman hook up with them?”

“We would've known if he was an invited guest, but maybe he was hired to set up or take down the bar.”

Trey shook his head. “That would've come out at Jace's trial.”

“Yeah, you're right.” She was clutching at straws. “Who else would know if that man showed up after we left?”

“I don't know.”

“What about Lindy? Maybe she was home that night.” She hated to upset him more by bringing up his missing sister, but she was the only one Summer could think of who might have been there.

“Probably. But it's kind of hard to ask her right now.” His tone resonated with worry.

“Still no word?” Realizing she had dug furrows into his inner arm, she dropped her hand.

“No.” He sat next to her and looked at the picture again. “I can't believe this. Somehow your mama knew Soloman. Why didn't this surface at the trial?”

“Mama didn't go to Jace's trial. She couldn't. She was barely functioning at that point.” Through blurry eyes, she stared at him. “I hope you're not saying Mama somehow led Soloman on, or that she deserved what happened to her.”

“What?” Genuine shock raced across his face. “Of course not. No woman deserves that kind of abuse. I just can't believe this never came out before. Where did you find this?”

“In the Chief's filing cabinet. He pulled me in today to show me some letters from Jace … I went to put them away … and I found … this. I … took it.”

“The Chief had to know.” He crumpled the photo in his fist. “He had to.”

“What are you saying?” Her breath came in short gasps and her heart felt like it was going to jump out of her chest. “Tell me what you mean.”

“Don't you see? The Chief surely knew MiLann was somehow acquainted with Soloman.” He flipped the photo against his palm. “Here's the evidence.”

“You're not saying that the Chief knew Mama was out partying with Soloman before he raped her, are you?” Summer knew that was what he was saying, but she couldn't believe it.

“There's only one way to find out. Ask him,” Trey said.

“You don't think he found out when Mama went to him for help after the rape?” The idea shook Summer to the core. If the Chief realized Mama was acquainted with Soloman before the rape, then had he known something that made him refuse to put Soloman in custody? But what?

“Why would it matter?” Trey asked. “Why wouldn't he still arrest that creep? Even if MiLann had been out with Soloman prior to what he did to her? Just because a woman parties with a man doesn't make it okay to violate her. The Chief doesn't believe otherwise.”

Summer shoved the picture under his nose and tapped his mother's face. “Look who else is there. Your mother.”

“What are you driving at?” He avoided her gaze.

“You know where I'm going, Trey. I don't want to have to spell it out.” Why was he being so stubborn? Refusing to see the obvious right in front of him? If she could see it, why wouldn't he? She scanned the picture again. “There are five people in this picture besides Mama. Every one of them knew Soloman before the rape. Why didn't that come out at Jace's trial?”

“It wouldn't have made any difference.” Trey got up and walked a few feet away and leaned on the railing. She refused to follow him. “Jace still killed Soloman for what he did to your mama. Just because those people knew him doesn't change anything.”

“Wouldn't it?” Her voice could've frozen the North Pole. “I think it might've. I have a sneaking suspicion the Chief knew his wife and friends had been drinking with the man who hurt my mama all along. I think he kept his mouth shut when Jace was tried and convicted for murdering this man because maybe, just maybe, one of these people had a reason to kill Soloman. If Jace went to prison, none of these people had to.”

“What would any one of them have to gain by murdering Soloman?” Trey asked. “Jace is the only one with a motive.”

“That's the part I can't figure out,” Summer said. “But I intend to get to the bottom of this. I'm going to prove my brother is innocent if it's the last thing I do.”

“How?” Trey frowned. “If we go marching into the Chief's office looking for a fight, he'll clam up tighter than an old maid's knees. There's got to be another way to find out what we want to know. Asking either your mama or mine is out of the question. Leroy Eaton might tell me. If I handle it right. I was going to see him anyway.”

He didn't know
. “Oh, God, Trey. Leroy Eaton hung himself tonight.”

“What?” The shock on his face registered just as her own must have when she'd heard the news. “Why?”

“I have no idea. Jody burst into the Chief's office and gave him the word when Glory and I were there.”

“Man, that sucks. I still want to help. If what you're saying is true, then I want to know, too. If there's one secret there might be more.” He came and sat next to her. “Look, I have reason to believe Jace doesn't have Lindy after all.”

Hope thawed her a bit. Was she hearing him right? “What changed your mind?”

His words came slowly. “The evidence was pretty convincing that Jace had Lindy, but I don't think he does any more. It looks like Jimmy Ray may have done something to her.”

For a minute, nothing in the world seemed to move. Even the waves of the lake seemed to still. Her heart soared. “Do you mean it? You don't think Jace took your sister?”

“No.”

The single word she'd waited for. She wanted to wrap her arms around him. Instead she touched his arm. “Do you honestly believe Jimmy Ray hurt Lindy? Not Jace?”

“I'm afraid Jimmy Ray killed her.”

The pain in his eyes gnashed at her heart. Without thinking, without reason, Summer wrapped her arms around him.

Slipping into his embrace felt as natural to her as breathing.

Wrapping her arms around his waist, she leaned her cheek against his solid chest. His heart beat against her face and she stood absorbing the sensation. She felt his lips brush over her hair and she moved closer until her breasts were crushed against him, her legs pressed into his. He circled her with his arms, his hands cupping her behind.

“Summer.” The word was low, guttural. “Don't offer something you can't give.”

She tipped her head back and met his eyes. The heat there seared her soul, but she met it evenly. No other man had ever made her feel the way he did. For five long years, she'd tried to put him out of her head and her heart, but he wouldn't leave. Being in his arms had always been right. She had loved him all her life.

“Do you know what you're doing to me?” His arms tightened around her.

“Yes,” she whispered. Nothing else mattered. Not his father, not her mother. Not Jace, not Lindy. The only people who counted at that moment were the two of them.

He closed his eyes and groaned before his lips sought hers. He kissed her until any lingering doubts vanished.

He led her inside and they fell on the couch, her across his lap, his mouth on hers. Her denim shorts rode high, exposing her thighs, rubbing against her sensitive center. She wasn't the only one reaching overdrive with little prompting. Trey's erection pressed against her leg, reminding her of a time she had tried so hard to forget. She refused to think about what tomorrow would bring them. The only thing that mattered now was them.

His lips left hers, tasting her collarbone, dipping lower to the swell of her breast. Her nipples pebbled, rubbing against her satin bra, dying for his mouth. Pushing away all the ghosts whispering doubts in her ear, she angled her torso so his lips could more easily access her breast. Answering her prompt, he slid his hand under the hem of her shirt, edging it along her ribs, resting it at the bottom of her bra. A small whimper of encouragement escaped her when he stilled his lips.

Edging his thumb under the satin barrier, he ran it repeatedly over the underside of her breast. Summer had never felt anything so erotic in her entire life. Her back arched, pushing her against his devilish thumb. If he didn't move it another half inch up, she was going to scream. She turned her head and her nose bumped the side of his head. He smelled like sandalwood or cedar. Something masculine, something wonderful. Moving her head a fraction, she touched his ear with the tip of her tongue. He shuddered.