Weeping Walls
Page 24
For all her earlier merriment, Paige was actually terrified of having this conversation with her mother. Yes, she should have told her years ago that she was gay. But it was a little late now for that revelation.
She was surprised, however, to find her mother lounging on her sofa with a bit of an amused expression on her face. Paige tugged the robe tighter around her waist.
“Hello, Mother.”
Her mother’s gaze slid from her to CJ, who was trying to inconspicuously slip on her jeans. Paige covered her mouth to hide her smile as CJ triumphantly pulled up her zipper.
“Funny, but earlier I could have sworn that she had on that robe,” her mother said.
Paige gave a quick smile to her mother. “You remember CJ,” she said.
“Of course. The last time I was here, if I recall, she was naked, wearing only a sheet.” Her mother stared at CJ. “I do believe, after a rather awkward introduction, you nearly fled from the apartment.”
CJ’s laugh was quick and short. “Yeah. And I’ve got a mind to do the same right now.”
At that, Paige did laugh, having to contain the giggles that wanted to return. “Okay, Mother, enough of this,” she said with a smile. “I guess it’s obvious what’s happening here.”
“What’s obvious is that this is something you’ve intentionally kept from me.”
Paige eyed her mother, wondering why there was no outburst, no protest. “You’re taking it well.”
“What? The fact that you have a girlfriend instead of a boyfriend?” Her mother glanced at CJ. “That is the proper term, isn’t it? Girlfriend?”
“We have been…seeing each other for a while, yes,” Paige said. “But I’m assuming you already knew that.”
“It took a very expensive dinner and a two hundred dollar bottle of wine to get Seth to talk.”
At that, Paige laughed. “Did he make you promise not to tell his mother?”
“He did. And I called her immediately. Seth goes through their money like it’s candy.”
“Mother, surely you could tell that Seth and I…well, that there was nothing between us.”
“Yes. But you kept dating, so we assumed there was something. Why did you feel the need to pretend?”
“You both nearly had a stroke when I joined the FBI. I could only imagine your outburst had I told you I was a lesbian.”
Her mother cringed. “I’m not quite used to that word yet. Not when it applies to my daughter.”
Paige nodded. “Of course. I’m sorry. Now, why are you here?”
“You wouldn’t take my calls.”
“I was working. We had a case,” she said.
“Well, I thought you were avoiding me.” She turned her attention to CJ, who had been standing by quietly. “Are you living here?”
CJ shook her head. “I have a place. It’s—”
“Mother, don’t try to intimidate her.” Paige linked an arm through CJ’s. “She stays here most nights.”
Her mother appeared to only then notice the splint on her arm. “What happened?”
“It’s a slight hairline fracture is all,” she said.
“Someone hit you?” She looked at CJ suspiciously.
“Yes, a crazy woman with a baseball bat,” Paige said dismissively. “Now, we’re having pizza for dinner. Would you like to join us?”
Her mother paused. “Well, it’s been a while since we’ve visited. You will put some clothes on, won’t you?”
“Yes.”
Her mother stood. “I’ll choose the wine. I assume you have some decent bottles?”
Paige sighed and gave an apologetic smile to CJ. “Yes, I have decent bottles of wine. That is one thing you taught me.”
Her mother seemed pleased by that statement, and she gave Paige a genuine smile. “Go change, dear. CJ can keep me company.” She turned to CJ. “Tell me about your family. What business are they in? Law enforcement like you?”
CJ looked at her helplessly. “Well, kinda. More like…in the prison system, though.”
Paige hurried back to her bedroom, feeling a swell of affection for CJ, loving her sense of humor. She knew that was one thing that CJ was most worried about—her upbringing. If CJ was in her life, then her parents would want to know more about her. And as well as her mother was taking the news that she was a lesbian, she doubted she’d be as understanding if she knew that CJ’s father was in prison.
But they would deal with that later. Right now, she was just trying to wrap her mind around the fact that her mother was here, chatting with CJ, about to dine on pizza and very likely her most expensive bottle of wine.
After pulling on jeans and one of CJ’s FBI T-shirts, she left her feet bare as she hurried back to the kitchen. She paused when she heard her mother’s question.
“So what exactly are your intentions with my daughter?”
“Intentions? I don’t know what you mean. I’m madly in love with her. I know that.”
Paige smiled as she entered, her eyes meeting CJ’s.
“The feeling is very mutual,” she said, ignoring her mother as she placed a light kiss on CJ’s lips.
CJ blushed profusely and was saved by the ringing of the doorbell. “Pizza. Finally. I’ll get it.”
Chapter Forty-Four
“Stop apologizing. It wasn’t that bad,” she said.
“She interrogated you for most of the night,” Paige said as she handed CJ her plate.
“It was fine. I actually like your mother.” She looked at the plate. “Do I want to know what’s in it?”
“It’s quiche.”
“Right. And do I want to know what’s in it?” she asked again with a smile.
“Well, it’s very healthy. No eggs.”
CJ made a face. “Is it possible to make a quiche without eggs?” She took a bite. It was very good. She nodded. “I see broccoli and mushrooms. So what’s not normal about it.”
“It has blended tofu instead of eggs.”
“You didn’t have to tell me that.”
“You asked.”
CJ grinned. “I’m teasing. It’s really good. Thank you.”
“More coffee?”
CJ nodded and pushed her cup closer. They were having brunch on Paige’s terrace. It was large enough for a table and four chairs and ever since the weather had cooled, they used it more.
“Tell me again why you invited my mother to go out to dinner with us tonight?”
“I told you, I like her.”
“I’m going to say you tolerate her.”
“Well, she’s a little uppity. Now I know where you get it from,” she teased.
“Funny.”
“No, I just thought, since she’s in town, you might like to spend some time with her. And it wouldn’t hurt for her to get to know me better.”
Paige touched her arm and squeezed gently. “That’s very sweet of you. If you’re not careful, she’ll invite us to Dallas for the holidays.”
“Oh, hell, I didn’t say I wanted to meet your father,” she said with mock horror.
Her phone rang and she wanted to ignore it. It was her day off. But it was Ice’s ringtone so she answered it.
“What’s up, baldy?”
“Hey. Is this a good time? I don’t want to, you know, interrupt anything.”
She laughed. “Well, if you were interrupting something, I wouldn’t have answered. We’re having brunch. What’s up?”
“Got a call from Cleveland. You remember that young deputy? Carter?”
“Yeah. He worked the case with Brady, didn’t he?”
“Yeah. He called. Had a couple of pieces of news.” Ice paused. “Lizzie Willis is out of ICU. I thought you and Paige would want to know.”
“That’s great news.” She turned to Paige. “Lizzie is out of ICU,” she repeated.
“And there was one other thing,” Ice said. “They found Brady. Dead.”
CJ sat up straighter. “What the hell?”
“Self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.
”
“Jesus,” she murmured. She glanced at Paige. “Brady shot himself,” she explained to her. “Did he leave a note or anything? I mean, he screwed up, sure. Probably wasn’t going to do any jail time though.”
“No note,” Ice said. “But that’s not all. Guess where they found his body?”
CJ swallowed. “The Wicker house?”
“Yeah. Up on the stairs. Third floor.”
“You have got to be kidding me.”
“No. And I don’t care what happens, but I ain’t going back there.”
CJ shook her head. “But we were there. We saw the damn air sucked out of the house. The windows blew out. The house was clean,” she insisted. Hell, she’d gone up to the third floor. The sun was shining, the birds were singing. It was just a house again. Or so she thought.
“Maybe it wasn’t clean. He shot himself right where you shot Edith.”
“Coincidence?”
“It’s a damn scary one if it is.”
“Yeah. But I got no answers,” she said. “Maybe he was trying to get the last laugh.”
“If he’s in a state of mind where he’s about to off himself, I doubt his last thoughts were about messing with two FBI agents.”
“I like that thought better than to think he was somehow drawn to the house. But I don’t want to think about it now. We’ll talk about it later. Okay?”
“Sure. Listen, you guys want to go grab a beer tonight?”
“How about tomorrow? Got dinner plans tonight. Paige’s mother is in town.”
Ice laughed. “It must be serious if you’re having dinner with Paige’s mother.”
CJ smiled as she met Paige’s gaze, locking eyes with her. “Yeah. It’s very serious.”
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