here directly. She’s getting ready for the prayer vigil.”
Prayer vigil? Burnett had said a rally. Not the same thing at all. Jess took a seat on the sofa. Harper joined her. Chi-Chi stayed under the coffee table, eyeing them suspiciously. “Mr. Simmons, we wanted to ask you a few questions about your grandson’s disappearance.”
He collapsed in the recliner that held a key position in front of the television, then settled his attention on Jess. “Did you find his body?”
Surprised by his question, Jess answered it with one of her own. “Do you believe your grandson is dead, sir?”
Simmons pulled the lever that lifted the footrest and removed his glasses before meeting her expectant gaze. “That boy ain’t never been late getting home. Not once in his life. He made near straight A’s in school. Got a full scholarship to Jeff State, which he had to put off for a year to stay here and help his grandmamma with me.” He patted his chest. “I’ve had three heart surgeries this past year and my wife just couldn’t do all that needed to be done.” He waved his arm as if dismissing his health concerns. “DeShawn stayed right here. Took care of me until I was strong enough to take care of myself. Then he got a job over at the Captain D’s until school starts. He’s a shift supervisor. Now.” Mr. Simmons looked from Jess to Harper and back. “I’m telling you that if that boy was alive, he would’ve come home or called by now.”
“You keep telling that tale and they won’t never look for him!”
Harper stood as the woman from the photographs, Mrs. Simmons, Jess presumed, entered the room and took the chair next to her husband. She was dressed in her Sunday best. It was glaringly obvious why the otherwise healthy-looking woman was unable to attend to her ailing husband’s needs. Her right arm hung useless and withered at her side.
She looked straight at Jess and nodded once, a spark lighting in her eyes. “I know you. You’re the one was all over the TV when those girls were missing.”
Jess offered a smile. “Yes, ma’am. But don’t believe everything you hear.”
Mrs. Simmons shook her head. “Never do. But I know what you did. You found those girls. I’ve been praying the Lord would send you to find my boy. When I filed the report I asked for you by name. I told ’em to send Jessie Lee Harris to see me.” The lady clasped her hands together and smiled, her lips trembling with emotion. “Praise the Lord. I was beginning to think you weren’t coming.”
Well, that explained why she’d been taken off the Chandler case. The poop was about to hit the fan in the media and Jess was going to be the star yet again.
Thank you, Burnett
.
“Well.” Jess took a breath. “I’m here now. I want you to tell me everything there is to know about this fine grandson of yours and then I want you to tell me about Friday from the moment you got out of bed until you filed the report the next morning.”
Helen took the lead, regaling Jess with stories about how DeShawn had come to live with them when he was only three. His mother, their only child, had died of a drug overdose and they’d never known his father. DeShawn was studious and kind and completely committed to his grandparents. Within a month of taking a minimum-wage job with Captain D’s he had been asked to join their management team. He took the bus to work since gas had gotten so expensive. He dated occasionally but his main focus was on his future. He saved most of what he earned. He went to church every Sunday with his grandmother. According to his grandparents, DeShawn set the pattern that all other grandchildren should follow.
Jess waited for the other shoe to drop. There was almost always, no matter how wonderful the son or daughter, some little thing no one expected. A new friend, activity, or contact unknown to the parents. Some deviation from the norm. Though it was certainly possible, if he had not disappeared of his own accord,
Prayer vigil? Burnett had said a rally. Not the same thing at all. Jess took a seat on the sofa. Harper joined her. Chi-Chi stayed under the coffee table, eyeing them suspiciously. “Mr. Simmons, we wanted to ask you a few questions about your grandson’s disappearance.”
He collapsed in the recliner that held a key position in front of the television, then settled his attention on Jess. “Did you find his body?”
Surprised by his question, Jess answered it with one of her own. “Do you believe your grandson is dead, sir?”
Simmons pulled the lever that lifted the footrest and removed his glasses before meeting her expectant gaze. “That boy ain’t never been late getting home. Not once in his life. He made near straight A’s in school. Got a full scholarship to Jeff State, which he had to put off for a year to stay here and help his grandmamma with me.” He patted his chest. “I’ve had three heart surgeries this past year and my wife just couldn’t do all that needed to be done.” He waved his arm as if dismissing his health concerns. “DeShawn stayed right here. Took care of me until I was strong enough to take care of myself. Then he got a job over at the Captain D’s until school starts. He’s a shift supervisor. Now.” Mr. Simmons looked from Jess to Harper and back. “I’m telling you that if that boy was alive, he would’ve come home or called by now.”
“You keep telling that tale and they won’t never look for him!”
Harper stood as the woman from the photographs, Mrs. Simmons, Jess presumed, entered the room and took the chair next to her husband. She was dressed in her Sunday best. It was glaringly obvious why the otherwise healthy-looking woman was unable to attend to her ailing husband’s needs. Her right arm hung useless and withered at her side.
She looked straight at Jess and nodded once, a spark lighting in her eyes. “I know you. You’re the one was all over the TV when those girls were missing.”
Jess offered a smile. “Yes, ma’am. But don’t believe everything you hear.”
Mrs. Simmons shook her head. “Never do. But I know what you did. You found those girls. I’ve been praying the Lord would send you to find my boy. When I filed the report I asked for you by name. I told ’em to send Jessie Lee Harris to see me.” The lady clasped her hands together and smiled, her lips trembling with emotion. “Praise the Lord. I was beginning to think you weren’t coming.”
Well, that explained why she’d been taken off the Chandler case. The poop was about to hit the fan in the media and Jess was going to be the star yet again.
Thank you, Burnett
.
“Well.” Jess took a breath. “I’m here now. I want you to tell me everything there is to know about this fine grandson of yours and then I want you to tell me about Friday from the moment you got out of bed until you filed the report the next morning.”
Helen took the lead, regaling Jess with stories about how DeShawn had come to live with them when he was only three. His mother, their only child, had died of a drug overdose and they’d never known his father. DeShawn was studious and kind and completely committed to his grandparents. Within a month of taking a minimum-wage job with Captain D’s he had been asked to join their management team. He took the bus to work since gas had gotten so expensive. He dated occasionally but his main focus was on his future. He saved most of what he earned. He went to church every Sunday with his grandmother. According to his grandparents, DeShawn set the pattern that all other grandchildren should follow.
Jess waited for the other shoe to drop. There was almost always, no matter how wonderful the son or daughter, some little thing no one expected. A new friend, activity, or contact unknown to the parents. Some deviation from the norm. Though it was certainly possible, if he had not disappeared of his own accord,
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