Framed!

by Robin Caroll

  “What? I haven’t turned on Max. I never did. You’re the liar.”

  Lenore drew closer, waving her hand in front of her. The security lights reflected off something in her hand.

  Ava leaned against her car. The cold from the metal seeped through her light sweater. Had the woman gone totally nuts and brought a gun?

  Dear Lord, what’s going on?

  “You told the police that medallion was Max’s. They would’ve never known had you not turned on him.”

  “Lenore, I was shocked to see it in Dylan’s belongings. The deputy was standing there when I found it.” She caught sight of Sam in her peripheral vision. He stepped slowly from the doorstep, creeping across the parking lot.

  “You were just supposed to stay away from him, not turn him in to the police. And you claimed to have loved him? I love him. I’d do anything to protect him. Especially from the likes of you.” Max’s mother stood not ten feet in front of Ava, her face contorted into rage and her arms shaking.

  “I did love him. I still do.”

  Lenore’s eyes widened and she huffed. “You can’t have him. You couldn’t years ago, and I won’t let you now.” She flailed her hands.

  Ava squinted and made out what Lenore held in her hand. She recognized the shimmering gold.

  Anger overtook her fear. “Is that a gold chain in your hand? The chain that the medallion was on?”

  Sam froze from his position behind Lenore. He looked to Ava. No way would she let this woman get away with what she suspected Lenore had done. She gave Sam the slightest shake of her head.

  “I’ll not let you break his heart again. You’re no better than your mother. You’d ruin my son.”

  Fighting to regulate her breathing, Ava took a step forward. “You set up your own son? Why?”

  “I never meant for the police to figure it out. Bradford and his flunkies never would have. You weren’t supposed to go running to them and tattling that the necklace was Max’s. It was supposed to be just enough to keep you out of his life.”

  Never in her life had Ava wanted to hit someone so badly. But Sam motioned to her from behind Lenore, wanting her to keep the woman talking. Confessing.

  “How’d you do it? I know you had access to the necklace and his car, but why’d you kill my brother?” She forced herself to remain calm.

  “I didn’t kill your brother, you stupid girl. I just seized the opportunity when it presented itself.”

  “How’s that?”

  “I was getting into the car when I noticed that drunk using the pay phone. What drunk makes calls?”

  “Chuck? Chuck Peters?”

  “Is there any other drunk?” Lenore shook her head and shifted her weight. “I heard him reporting Dylan had been shot and was lying in the grass by that stupid water fountain behind Renault Hall. He hung up, but I could tell from his reaction that the police hadn’t taken him seriously.”

  “So what did you do?”

  “Why, I rushed right over there, of course. I had to see if it was true. My goodness, do you know how long I’ve waited for that brother of yours to hang himself with the things he did? Flaunting around town, breaking girls’ hearts. True Renault form. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, does it?”

  Ava bit her tongue so hard that she tasted the metallic tang of blood.

  “Sure enough, the drunk was right. And I knew I’d been given a perfect opportunity to keep you out of Max’s life forever.”

  “So you ignored my dying brother and planted the medallion?”

  Lenore smiled the smile of a person gone off the deep end. “That was brilliant. I raced back to the car to find something of Max’s I could leave there. Something that you would know belonged to Max but the police wouldn’t. Driving his car that day, finding that stupid medallion he’s worn every single day for years…well, I just know it was divine intervention.”

  “My brother was alive when you were there. Why didn’t you call for help?”

  Lenore snorted. “As if. He was mumbling nonsense—sorry to Leah, and little Sarah, and everything was all his fault. Of course, we already know that.”

  “If you didn’t kill him, you had to have seen who did.”

  Sam shook his head vehemently.

  “I saw no one but that playboy who’d finally gotten what he deserved.”

  “You could’ve saved him.” Anger mixed with remorse, and Ava advanced toward the older woman. “You could’ve saved my brother and you let him die. You set up your own son for selfish reasons. What kind of person are you?”

  Sam moved between the women and grabbed the chain from Lenore’s hand. He handed it to Ava as he reached for the handcuffs on his belt. “Lenore Pershing, you’re under arrest for interfering in an FBI investigation and planting false evidence at the scene of a murder. You have the right to remain silent. Everything you say can and will be held against you in a court of law.”

  Lenore glared at Ava. “This doesn’t matter. Max has seen you for what you are—nothing but trouble.”

  Sam ignored her words and continued to read her the Miranda rights until done. “Do you understand your rights that I’ve read to you?”

  “I’ll be out in no time. Bradford won’t let me see a day inside a jail cell. You can’t do anything to me.”

  Smiling, Sam grabbed her by the arm and led her toward the station. “You think so, huh? Well, I’ve got news for you, lady. The FBI outranks a parish sheriff any day of the week.” He halted and held out a hand toward Ava. “I’ll need that chain as evidence.”

  Ava laid it in his palm. “What about Max?”

  Sam cocked his head. “Well, since we have a confession of all the evidence that links him to your brother’s murder, we’ll have to dismiss all charges and let him go.”

  Tears burned the back of Ava’s eyes. “Thank you,” she whispered to Sam, then lifted her eyes to heaven and repeated the words, “Thank You.”

  “You’re not giving me much to go on, Max.” Lyle Tanner slipped his notepad into his briefcase. “If you’re holding out on me, now’s the time to come clean. I’m on your side, trying to help you.”

  Before Max could respond, a ruckus sounded from the hall.

  “I want to see Bradford right now.” There was no mistaking his mother’s scream.

  She’d heard about his arrest on the news and had come to get him out. She might have many faults, but not standing by her son wasn’t one of them.

  Lyle looked at Max. “Is that your mother?”

  “Yeah. Probably here to raise all kinds of get-out for me having been arrested. She and the sheriff have an, uh, friendship of sorts.”

  Lyle pushed to his feet. “Stay here. Let me go see what’s going on. She shouldn’t have been allowed back here.”

  Max closed his eyes as the lawyer left. If his mother had heard about his arrest, then it stood to reason Ava had as well.

  Ava.

  Their past was so checkered, so woven with pain and lies. Could they ever move past that? He prayed so. He’d never stopped loving her, never stopped wanting a future with her. And once he figured out how to clear himself of this horrible mess, he’d tell her just that. No more wasting time.

  “You’re free to go.” Lyle stood in the doorway with Agent Pierce just behind him.

  “What?” Confusion filled Max.

  “I’m sorry, Max. It seems your mother set you up.” Lyle pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “She told the whole story to Ava, and Agent Pierce here overheard the whole thing. She had the chain for the medallion in her hand.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  Sam moved around the lawyer. “We’re sorry for the inconvenience, Mr. Pershing. Why don’t you allow Mr. Tanner to take you out the back door to miss the media circus out front? I think you’ll find someone waiting out there who can fill you in on all the details.”

  He stood on wobbly legs and numbly followed his lawyer down the hall. He could still make out his mother’s rants from behind a clo
sed door somewhere. “Lyle, I’m confused.”

  “I can understand that. Let’s just get out of here and I’ll explain everything to you.”

  Max halted. “My mother. I can’t leave her here.”

  Lyle took his arm and guided him to the back door. “Not now, Max. You need to hear some things first. You’re in shock. Just come with me.”

  He stumbled out the door. Security lights flooded the steps, nearly blinding him. He could make out a figure in the parking lot. Descending the steps, the figure came into focus.

  Ava. With her arms open wide to him.

  He rushed forward and fell into her embrace. She held him tight, murmuring against his neck. Chills washed over him. He knew this was where he belonged. But why was she here? How did she know what was going on?

  Stepping back, he looked into her eyes. “Mind telling me what the score is, Renault?” He used the old line they’d ask one another during football games.

  She smiled. “Let’s go somewhere we can talk. There’s a lot you need to know. A lot you’ll need time to process.”

  He glanced at his lawyer.

  Lyle nodded. “Go with the lady, Max. I’ll call you tomorrow and answer any questions you have.”

  “Hop in.” Ava motioned to her car. “We’ll drive out to the pier and talk.”

  How perfect. The first place he’d told her he loved her. And now the place he’d tell her he’d always love her.

  Dear God, thank You. Thank You, thank You, thank You.

  Somehow, he knew God had to be smiling down on them.

  TWENTY-ONE

  The pain in Max’s beautiful eyes made her heart ache.

  “I just can’t believe my mother would go to such lengths.”

  The pier was deserted, except for the frogs croaking under the weathered boards. The temperature had dropped with the setting sun. An intermittent breeze flew off the bayou. Ava smiled despite the chill.

  She held his hand, squeezing for reassurance. “I know. But, Max, you wouldn’t have even recognized the look in her eyes. It was scary. Like she’d gone over the edge.” She shivered, recalling the coldness in Lenore’s orbs that matched her tone. “She scared me.”

  He rubbed his thumb over her knuckles. “I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t be. She hurt you most of all. And that made me so mad.”

  “It makes me mad, too.”

  “You’re going to be okay, Max. Everything will be all right. I know it’s hard right now, I can’t even imagine, but I have to believe everything’s fine now.”

  “Ava, there’s so much I need to say to you, but right now, my mind’s just racing. I can’t even think clearly.”

  She hurt for him. She couldn’t imagine how he felt. Sure, Charla was a control freak and overbearing, but she’d never stoop so low as to frame her only son for a murder he didn’t commit. Ava couldn’t imagine what had to have gone through Lenore’s mind.

  “I understand. I’m just so sorry you’re having to go through this.”

  “It’ll all come out in the wash. God will give me strength to get through it.”

  Ava’s heart stalled. Did he just say he’d lean on God? “Uh, Max, I thought you’d washed your hands of God.”

  He smiled, and tears glimmered in his eyes. “I thought I had, too, but you know what? When I was arrested and sat alone in that holding room, feeling like there was nothing I could do, nowhere I could go, lonelier than I’ve ever felt in my entire life, a certain Scripture ran through my head. The same Scripture someone quoted to me recently, and you prayed for us before we ate. That Scripture brought me to my knees, so to speak.”

  Ava couldn’t find the words to express the celebration of her heart.

  “So right then, in the middle of the sheriff’s station, I asked God to forgive me and rededicated my life back to Him.”

  “Oh, Max.” She ran a hand down the side of his face, letting it linger along his strong jaw. Thank You, Jesus!

  His eyes clouded, a sign she recognized. Her heart pounded in response.

  Ever so slowly, he leaned forward. He pressed his lips to hers. Gently, softly, like little feathery touches. A kiss that shook her to her toes.

  Blood rushed to her head. She wound her arms around his neck, her fingers splaying through the back of his hair.

  His arms enveloped her, pulling her close to his chest. So close she could feel the pounding of his heart. Her heartbeat raced to match his.

  He deepened the kiss and she could feel the love simmering between them. A love that had been denied for entirely too long. Too many lies, too many years, too many wasted moments. The kiss held the promise of the future.

  Pulling back, Max kept his gaze locked on hers. He ran a light finger down the side of her face. Goose bumps pimpled her arms. The hairs on the back of her neck stood at attention. She found it hard to breathe.

  “Ava.” Just her name. It sent spirals of butterflies loose in her stomach.

  He bent his head and grazed his lips over hers. Before she registered they were on hers, they were gone. Nothing but a whisper of a kiss.

  But enough that she knew she couldn’t stand right now if her life depended upon it.

  He wanted to tell her that he loved her. Needed to tell her. But now was not the time, or the place. He wanted it to be special. Something they’d remember forever, and he hoped they’d share the story with their children and grandchildren someday.

  Standing, he helped Ava to her feet. “Come on, drive me home. I need to process everything that’s happened.”

  Disappointment flashed across her face, and he was sorely tempted to draw her into his arms and never let her go. But he didn’t want to rush into anything. And he didn’t want to do anything without praying about it first.

  He interlaced his fingers with hers and together, they walked down the isolated pier. No words were necessary.

  She drove him to the condo in silence. Not strained, but very comfortable. The entire ride, he prayed. For guidance. For wisdom.

  He opened the car door when she parked. “I’ll call you tomorrow.”

  “You’d better.” She smiled.

  How simply they’d fallen into their old nighttime routine.

  He leaned over and planted a kiss on her temple. The spicy perfume she wore entangled in his senses. He’d better get out of here and fast. With a quick wink, he slipped out and headed into his home.

  Dark and quiet, the condo seemed to be holding its breath. For what, he hadn’t a clue. He needed a shower to wash off the stench of the sheriff’s station. And food. A lot of food. But he needed to do something else first. Something much more important.

  God, help me forgive my mother. I know I should, but it’s hard right now. But if You can forgive me for being such a stupid idiot all these past years, I know You can help me forgive her. And, God, I’d like to know Your will in regards to Ava. I love her so much, and I think she loves me too. But I don’t want to be out of Your will. If You could just give me a sign…

  An hour and shower later found him making stir-fry. The last time he’d made the dish, his mother had been there, giving him grief over Ava.

  Had his mother suffered a nervous breakdown? There was no other explanation. He should call someone to go see her.

  Goodness! He hadn’t even asked Lyle to represent her.

  Despite everything she’d done, she was still his mother. Grabbing the phone, he dialed Lyle’s number while glancing at the clock. It wasn’t ten yet, so maybe he wouldn’t be disturbing him.

  “Hello, Max.”

  Caller ID was a wonderful thing sometimes. “Hey, Lyle. I have a favor to ask.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Can you go to the sheriff’s station and find out what’s going on with my mother?”

  “Are you sure?”

  He hadn’t missed the hesitation in Lyle’s voice. “She’s going to need a lawyer. You’re the only one I know who handles criminal issues. And I trust you.”

  “I don’t k
now, Max. I’m in the gray area of conflict of interest.”

  He hadn’t even considered that. “I can’t just not get her legal counsel, Lyle. She’s my mother.”

  “In spite of everything?”

  “She’s still my mother.”

  Lyle sighed heavily over the connection. “Let me do some calling around. I have a colleague who lives in Covington who might be willing to take her case.”

  “Do you trust him?”

  “He was my roommate in law school. Yes, I trust him.”

  “I’d really appreciate that. And having someone not from Loomis might not be a bad idea.”

  “I’ll see what I can do. If he agrees, I doubt he’d come until morning.”

  Max thought of how horrible he’d felt inside the sheriff’s station. He didn’t want his mother going through that. Then again, the sheriff was sweet on her, so she’d probably be given the best accommodations possible. “I understand. Thanks, Lyle.”

  He ate his food in deep thought. How could his mother have done this to him? He’d have to keep praying for God’s grace in helping him forgive her. Right now, he didn’t want to. He wanted answers. Little by little, God would touch his heart, if he’d pray about it and but ask. He made the decision to keep praying. His heart might not be open to forgiveness just yet, but Max was determined to be obedient to God’s directives.

  The morning dawned bright and beautiful, the sun sneaking past the curtains to fill Ava’s bedroom with sunlight and warmth. She stretched under the covers like a cat. Remembering Max’s kisses from last night, she smiled.

  Today was going to be a good day.

  She showered and dressed, then entered the dining room with a bounce in her step.

  And came to an immediate halt. Charla sat in her wheelchair at the end of the table, obviously waiting for her.

  Ava misstepped, corrected, and took the seat closest to Charla. “Good morning, Mother. Isn’t it a beautiful day?”

  “I heard they arrested Max Pershing last evening for your brother’s murder. I told you so.”

  “Actually, Max has been released. He was being framed, just like I told you.” She reached for the cup of coffee Bea had just poured.