“What did he want?”
“Calm down, Rambo. He wanted to know how Jamie was doing without him around. He misses his daughter. I think he wants me to consider bringing her for a visit.”
“Uh-uh, no way! You can’t possibly be thinking it’s a good idea, right?”
“Of course not. I would never take Jamie anywhere near her father, especially with him being locked up. He deserves everything he’s going through. He brought it on himself by being such a no-good you-know-what.”
Serena watched the interplay between the sisters, saw the love and friendship, the special bond being part of a family shining through, and felt a twinge of guilt. She’d had that once. A family she loved with all her heart, until they’d done something so heinous she’d had to turn her back on them and walk away. But it didn’t mean she’d stopped thinking about them, or stopped loving them. She simply couldn’t be a part of the life they lived, not and be able to look at herself in the mirror.
“What else did the jerk’s letter say?” This from Jill, who’d sat quietly throughout Tessa’s diatribe about Evan, his letter, and the blunt instrument Tessa planned to use upside his head if he even hinted about bothering Beth or Jamie again.
“Mostly how sorry he is for everything.” She glanced at Tessa. “He wants to write and tell you personally he’s sorry, but he’s afraid to, you know, because of Rafe. I think he’s afraid of your fiancé.”
“He should be,” Tessa mumbled.
“It’s funny, he spent a lot of time talking about some guy in the SuperMax prison out in Colorado, and how he’s this big cheese. It’s like he’s got a man crush on this dude. Went on and on about how he’s got a whole bunch of followers who practically worship the ground he walks on, a lot of his fellow prisoners. Said this guy in Colorado has been meeting with his lawyers a lot recently, although it’s all been very hush-hush. From the way he talks, I think he might be one of this guy’s newest converts.”
Serena’s muscles tensed with each word Beth spoke. It couldn’t be possible. What were the odds of Beth’s ex knowing anything about her uncle? No, she had to be wrong. There were other charismatic prisoners all over the country. Didn’t mean the one Evan Stewart was enamored with was Big Jim. They weren’t even in the same prison. Evan was in Huntsville and Big Jim was in ADX Florence, one of the most secure prisons in the world.
“Evan said rumors started trickling down through the grapevine this guy, who was apparently nabbed by the feds, is angling for a new trial, and the scuttlebutt amongst the other prisoners is it looks like he’s gonna get one.”
“His prison grapevine sounds better informed than some of the paparazzi following the stars.” Jill tried to lighten the conversation, but Serena’s thoughts rolled through her mind at breakneck speed. Evan’s letter couldn’t possibly mean Big Jim. Her uncle had been convicted, with more than enough evidence to keep him behind bars for eternity.
“Did Evan mention this man’s name? The one who’s trying to get a new trial?” She tried to keep her tone light, though the clenched hands in her lap belied the calm façade she projected.
“Hang on,” Beth said, before digging in her purse. Within a few seconds, she pulled a crumpled envelope out, and waved it like a trophy. “Got it right here. It’s…Berkley. James Berkley. Evan called him Big Jim.” She scoffed. “Like he knows him personally or something. Not likely, since he’s hundreds and hundreds of miles away.”
The breakfast Serena had just finished threatened to do a repeat performance, and she closed her eyes, willing her stomach and her mind to calm. This couldn’t be happening. She knew she should have listened to her gut the second she saw the stupid picture in the magazine, instead of letting Ms. Patti talk her into staying. She needed to leave, hightail it out of Shiloh Springs before the feds or one of Big Jim’s goons tracked her to the real estate office.
“Well, ladies, it’s been fun, but I’ve gotta run.” She inwardly winced at her choice of words. “I’ve got a full day ahead of me.” Reaching into her purse, she pulled a twenty out of her wallet and tossed it onto the table, her hands shaking and her mind racing. “I’ll see you later.”
Tessa and Jill stood and gave her hugs, and she squeezed them both tight, her heart breaking because she’d probably never see them again. These lovely women had opened their hearts and their lives and become her best friends. Would they understand she was doing what she thought best? If she stuck around, they could all be in danger. While the feds would put her back in witness protection, if Big Jim’s men got to her first, they wouldn’t care who else might be around. They’d simply look at the women as collateral damage, lives easily discarded and tossed aside, as long as they accomplished their final goal—eliminating her. She stiffened her spine, and looped the handle of her bag over her shoulder.
Maybe someday she’d be able to come back, or let them know why she’d run. But life was filled with maybes and somedays. It was for the best to let them forget her, let her become a fond memory of somebody they once knew. Serena wasn’t willing to put their lives, their futures, in jeopardy.
Pausing at the door, she took one last look back at the four women, and silently wished them happy and healthy lives, filled with laughter and friendship and love. All things she knew weren’t part of her future. Didn’t matter though—it was time to run—again.
Run, as far and as fast as she could. Her only regret was she’d never see Antonio Boudreau again. Her one secret fantasy, the
