they'd suffered as children. And the pain and humiliation Layla had experienced as a teenager.
No, she wouldn't walk down that path again. Not today. Not now.
Layla started her truck and steered onto the street, heading toward the diner. She was accustomed to eating alone, having been considered an odd bird by so many and left to her own ways, so she didn't mind.
It took her two loops of the diner's lot to find an available parking space. Good thing she was alone—less waiting time. The aroma of onions, grease, and spices enveloped her in a welcoming embrace as soon as she entered. She moved past the sets of two- and threesomes waiting, found a free seat at the bar, plopped down, then shrugged out of her coat.
Seconds later the waitress came by with a pot of coffee. "Morning, Layla. Want a hit of java?"
"Thanks." She smiled at the pretty brunette who filled her cup, then laid a menu in front of her.
The waitress jerked her head to the vacant seat beside her. "Alana coming?"
"Not today." Layla forced a smile. She didn't like being at odds with her sister, but she doubted they'd ever see eye to eye on the issue of their mother.
"I'll be back in a minute to take your order."
Layla nodded and lifted her coffee. The robust odor wafted under her nose. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. Warmth seeped deep into her bones.
The vinyl seat of the stool beside her creaked.
"It tastes as good as it smells," a masculine voice boomed.
She opened her eyes to meet the stare of Eternal Springs police officer Lincoln Vailes. She smiled. "Hey, Lincoln." She peered over his shoulder. "Where's Jade?"
He nodded at the waitress before he turned back to Layla. "She had to head home right after church. A group of ladies are having some type of get-together at her place, and she wanted to finish tidying up. I'm just here to pick up the gumbo she called in."
Layla chuckled and took a sip of her coffee. "There is that. Tell her I said hello."
"Will do." The smile shifted off his kindly face. "Saw the report about that building and the body."
She set the cup back on its saucer. "Two detectives from the parish office came by to talk to Alana and me about that." She traced the lip of the cup with her finger. "Didn't like them much."
"Why not?"
"One of them was a real jerk. The other one, older, was nice enough. But that Maddox one was a jerk."
Lincoln's laugh startled her. "Maddox Bishop?"
"Yeah. Do you know him?"
"Worked with him on Jade's case, actually. He's a good guy, Layla."
She tried to stop the snort but couldn't.
"Seriously. He's rough around the edges and can be a bit stubborn, but he's a good detective. Interested in getting to the truth."
She hated that Lincoln gave him a glowing recommendation. Lincoln Vailes was as honest as the day was long, and if he said someone was a good man, then he must be. But she couldn't stop thinking about Maddox's penetrating stare.
Like he could see right into her very soul. Could he see her fears? Her insecurities? The reaction he caused?
The waitress slid a bag across the counter to Lincoln. "Jade already paid when she placed the order, so you're good to go."
"Thanks." Lincoln stood and smiled at Layla one last time. "Yeah, Maddox can be ornery and stubborn, but give him a chance."
"I will." She lifted her cup at him in salute. "Don't forget to give my best to Jade."
He nodded and wove through the diner and out the door.
Layla took another sip of her coffee. Maddox Bishop was a good cop, huh? Well, if Lincoln said so, she'd give him the benefit of the doubt.
For now.
SIX
"There is nothing more uncommon than common sense."
—FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT
CLOUDS HUNG LOW OVER Monday morning like a wool afghan on a summer night. Stifling. Suffocating.
Layla jerked the truck into her parking space at Taylor Construction. Of all days to oversleep . . . She killed the engine and grabbed her travel cup of coffee and attaché case. She stepped to the ground and sunk an inch in mud.
No, she wouldn't walk down that path again. Not today. Not now.
Layla started her truck and steered onto the street, heading toward the diner. She was accustomed to eating alone, having been considered an odd bird by so many and left to her own ways, so she didn't mind.
It took her two loops of the diner's lot to find an available parking space. Good thing she was alone—less waiting time. The aroma of onions, grease, and spices enveloped her in a welcoming embrace as soon as she entered. She moved past the sets of two- and threesomes waiting, found a free seat at the bar, plopped down, then shrugged out of her coat.
Seconds later the waitress came by with a pot of coffee. "Morning, Layla. Want a hit of java?"
"Thanks." She smiled at the pretty brunette who filled her cup, then laid a menu in front of her.
The waitress jerked her head to the vacant seat beside her. "Alana coming?"
"Not today." Layla forced a smile. She didn't like being at odds with her sister, but she doubted they'd ever see eye to eye on the issue of their mother.
"I'll be back in a minute to take your order."
Layla nodded and lifted her coffee. The robust odor wafted under her nose. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. Warmth seeped deep into her bones.
The vinyl seat of the stool beside her creaked.
"It tastes as good as it smells," a masculine voice boomed.
She opened her eyes to meet the stare of Eternal Springs police officer Lincoln Vailes. She smiled. "Hey, Lincoln." She peered over his shoulder. "Where's Jade?"
He nodded at the waitress before he turned back to Layla. "She had to head home right after church. A group of ladies are having some type of get-together at her place, and she wanted to finish tidying up. I'm just here to pick up the gumbo she called in."
Layla chuckled and took a sip of her coffee. "There is that. Tell her I said hello."
"Will do." The smile shifted off his kindly face. "Saw the report about that building and the body."
She set the cup back on its saucer. "Two detectives from the parish office came by to talk to Alana and me about that." She traced the lip of the cup with her finger. "Didn't like them much."
"Why not?"
"One of them was a real jerk. The other one, older, was nice enough. But that Maddox one was a jerk."
Lincoln's laugh startled her. "Maddox Bishop?"
"Yeah. Do you know him?"
"Worked with him on Jade's case, actually. He's a good guy, Layla."
She tried to stop the snort but couldn't.
"Seriously. He's rough around the edges and can be a bit stubborn, but he's a good detective. Interested in getting to the truth."
She hated that Lincoln gave him a glowing recommendation. Lincoln Vailes was as honest as the day was long, and if he said someone was a good man, then he must be. But she couldn't stop thinking about Maddox's penetrating stare.
Like he could see right into her very soul. Could he see her fears? Her insecurities? The reaction he caused?
The waitress slid a bag across the counter to Lincoln. "Jade already paid when she placed the order, so you're good to go."
"Thanks." Lincoln stood and smiled at Layla one last time. "Yeah, Maddox can be ornery and stubborn, but give him a chance."
"I will." She lifted her cup at him in salute. "Don't forget to give my best to Jade."
He nodded and wove through the diner and out the door.
Layla took another sip of her coffee. Maddox Bishop was a good cop, huh? Well, if Lincoln said so, she'd give him the benefit of the doubt.
For now.
SIX
"There is nothing more uncommon than common sense."
—FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT
CLOUDS HUNG LOW OVER Monday morning like a wool afghan on a summer night. Stifling. Suffocating.
Layla jerked the truck into her parking space at Taylor Construction. Of all days to oversleep . . . She killed the engine and grabbed her travel cup of coffee and attaché case. She stepped to the ground and sunk an inch in mud.
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