Another Chance with You

by Jacquelin Thomas

  Jadin eyed the couple just ahead of her, who were obviously smitten with each other. They walked hand in hand, laughing and talking. Every now and then, they would stop and pick up seashells. She loved everything about Jekyll Island. The beaches, saltwater marshes and oaks draped in Spanish moss. The awesome beauty of the island was the reason she brought Michael here, but he did not share her appreciation for the landscape and historical landmarks that were prevalent on the island.

  Unlike Michael, Jadin knew that Landon would enjoy visiting Jekyll. They had traveled most of the Underground Railroad route from Virginia to Canada. They vowed one day that they would go down to Georgia and explore the route from there to Virginia. After they broke up, Jadin did not want to complete the journey without him.

  * * *

  Landon’s thoughts turned to Jadin. He had not heard from her since the night they had dinner. He wondered if she remembered that Monday would be their fifth wedding anniversary. He vowed to himself that he would give her whatever space she needed, and Landon intended to keep that promise.

  The receptionist called to let him know he had a visitor.

  Landon checked his calendar. “I don’t have any appointments. Who is it?”

  “Austin DuGrandpre.”

  Landon vaguely recalled Jadin mentioning she had an older brother by that name. “Send him back.”

  He got up and walked out of his office to meet Austin.

  “C’mon in,” Landon said. He closed the door to give them some privacy.

  “I came here to decide if I should welcome you to the family.”

  “Straight to the point,” Landon responded. “I like that.”

  “I want to know what your end game is,” Austin stated. He leaned back in the chair and folded his arms across his chest.

  “I want my wife,” he responded. “That’s it.”

  “And if she doesn’t want to be with you? What then?”

  “Jadin just has to tell me, Austin. I’m not going to force her to stay in this marriage any longer. She has to want to be with me—if she doesn’t, I’ll give her what she wants.”

  “But you don’t believe she wants a divorce. Is that it?”

  “I’m sure she thinks she does, but we’ve been apart for all this time. Austin, I can’t explain it to you, but what Jadin and I have is special. She admitted to me that she doesn’t love Michael in the same way that she loved me. I saw them together the night he proposed.” Landon paused for a moment, then said, “She didn’t look all that happy with him. I’m pretty sure I don’t have to tell you that—you’ve seen it yourself.”

  “I want what’s best for my sister,” Austin said. “But right now, I can’t really say that you are what’s best for her.”

  “Yet, you know Michael is not the right man for her. I can see it in your face.”

  “This is Jadin’s decision,” Austin said. “Let her make it without any manipulation or games on your part.”

  “Your sister’s too smart for games. I would never insult her in that manner.”

  “Look me in my face and tell me that you love Jadin.”

  “I love your sister with every part of my being, Austin. I have never loved another woman—it has always been Jadin.”

  An expression of satisfaction showed in his eyes. Standing up, Austin said, “It’s nice meeting you. I have a feeling I’ll be seeing a lot of you and not just in court.”

  “I hope that you’re right.”

  Landon walked Austin out to the lobby.

  “Remember what I said. No games or manipulation. Let Jadin make up her own mind.”

  “I give you my word.”

  Landon headed back to his office.

  “I see you’re meeting the family,” his boss said from the doorway. “No black eye or broken bones. I guess things must be going okay.”

  “As well as can be expected for now.”

  Deep down, Landon prayed Jadin would agree to making their marriage a real one, but he knew that if Jadin really did not want to stay in the marriage, there was nothing he could do but accept her decision.

  Landon knew that he wasn’t made to live alone, without being surrounded by family, and being with Jadin was right. He was not afraid of taking risks, but this time felt different. The stakes were higher, and he admitted something to himself—something he would never have disclosed to another living soul, not even his uncle.

  He was scared.

  * * *

  Back at home, Jadin unpacked and did a couple of loads of laundry. When she’d left Jekyll Island that morning, she knew what she needed to do. However, Jadin was not ready to share her decision with anyone, not even Landon. Part of her wanted to punish him a little. She was not going to make it that easy for him.

  Jadin turned on the television.

  “Millicent Witherspoon-Herndon was discovered in her bedroom, covered in blood, by the maid...” the reporter was saying. “Mrs. Witherspoon-Herndon was a prominent figure in Charleston’s social landscape...”

  Jadin shook her head. “Another senseless murder.”

  She strolled into the kitchen and pulled a tomato and an onion from the fridge. The eggs she’d boiled an hour ago sat on the stove.

  “...her husband, Blaine Herndon, was at home at the time of the attack. Investigators refuse to confirm whether the wealthy real estate developer is a person of interest...”

  Jadin opened a can of tuna. She chopped up the eggs and onion, placing them inside a bowl. She added the tuna, mayonnaise and sweet relish. She then carved out the inside of her tomato, replacing the contents with the tuna salad.

  Fifteen minutes later, Jadin sat at the counter, eating while she watched the rest of the news.

  Her thoughts strayed to Landon. She had put off contacting him long enough. Jadin had made her decision before leaving the island, but she did not want to tell him over the phone.

  After she finished eating, Jadin cleaned up her kitchen. She glanced over at the clock on the wall. “Time to get this over with,” she murmured.

  Landon answered on the second ring.

  “Hey, it’s me.”

  “I’m really glad to hear from you.”

  “Are you busy tomorrow evening?” Jadin asked, keeping all emotion out of her tone.

  “No. No, I’m free.”

  “Great, because I’m ready to discuss what happens next. I’ll text you my address. Is seven good for you?”

  “It’s fine.”

  “Thank you, Landon. I’ll see you then.”

  Jadin walked over to the fireplace and picked up the photo of her and Michael. She had not heard from him since he left Charleston. She stuck it into the cardboard box on the floor.

  Chapter 5

  Landon reread the text message that Jadin had sent after their conversation last night. She was true to her word, only sending him the address. Landon had thought it best not to mention that he already knew where she lived—it might make matters worse.

  “She’s really not going to give me a hint as to what she’s decided.” Curiosity was getting the better of him and Landon was sure this was her intention. Jadin wants to make me sweat a little. I guess I deserve it.

  Still, he could barely hold his joy. He had hoped but thought he would not hear from her for a week or two.

  His phone began vibrating.

  “Hey, Uncle,” Landon greeted. “What are you up to?”

  “I figured I’d check to see how you’re doing with your wife.”

  “I heard from her last night. She invited me over to her place this evening. I don’t know if it’s to demand a divorce or what, but I know Jadin. She is not going to rush into anything without giving it a lot of thought. I just hope that her decision weighs in my favor.”

  “She rushed into a marriage with you.”

  “Not reall
y, Uncle,” Landon said. “We had been talking about getting married several months prior to graduation. It just felt right when we were in Vegas. That’s why I proposed to her. Then that night, we decided to get married.”

  “Son, I’m proud of you for wanting to make your marriage work, but I have to tell you—this might not turn out the way you want. I really don’t want to see you get hurt.”

  “I know,” Landon responded. “Uncle, it’s a risk I had to take. I love Jadin that much. She is truly the other half of me. As corny as that sounds, it’s true.”

  “Well, I know you got to get to work, so I’ll let you go.”

  After his shower, Landon turned up the volume on his television when the reporter began talking about the Witherspoon-Herndon murder. He had been at the police station yesterday when investigators brought in Blaine Herndon for questioning.

  According to Blaine, he and Millicent were home alone. She complained of a headache and went upstairs to their bedroom. He decided to stay downstairs. He claimed that he had fallen asleep and did not awaken until he heard the housekeeper screaming. His eyes moved to the right, which could indicate that he was remembering the events of the night before. From his training, Landon knew that the eyes of suspects tended to move to the left if they were trying to think of an alibi. Not once had Herndon shown anything other than a calm demeanor.

  Landon agreed with the police detectives that Herndon’s emotions did not raise any suspicions. But he didn’t appear to be a person who showed a lot of outward emotion. His response to every question appeared to be the truth, and while he showed a willingness to cooperate with the investigation, Landon’s instincts told him that the man was hiding something.

  He personally found the small soundproof interrogation room with nothing on the walls, three chairs and a desk claustrophobic, so it was interesting that Herndon had not lawyered up or displayed that get-me-out-of-here reaction at all during the questioning.

  The police intended to hold Herndon for seventy-two hours until the prosecutor decided to charge him. Landon was given the case and intended to sign off on the arrest first thing in the morning, but he was more interested in the motive. They were a loving and happy couple, according to friends and family. Millicent’s family had money, but Herndon was a billionaire, so he did not kill her for wealth.

  Landon made a mental note to investigate Herndon’s finances—to make sure he did not have any financial woes no one knew about. He also wanted to review any insurance policies on Millicent.

  He turned the television off and sat there, looking out the window. Why did I wait so long to come after her? Because I wanted Jadin to figure out on her own that we belonged together.

  Landon knew that Jadin had every right to be angry with him. It wasn’t as if she had gone into hiding. He could have showed up at her parent’s home or the law firm at any given time. He could have sent her a letter, telling her of his decision not to end their marriage.

  The truth of the matter was that Landon was afraid to lose her. It wasn’t right, but still he had held on to his legal claim as her husband.

  We belong together. I know it and somewhere, buried deep in her heart, Jadin knows it, too.

  * * *

  Jadin rushed to her desk and turned on her computer. She wanted to check on some of her cases before the staff meeting.

  Mindy knocked on her open door before strolling inside. “Good morning. I bought you a cup of tea.”

  Jadin smiled and accepted the mug. “Thank you.”

  The paralegal sat down in one of the visitor chairs facing her desk. “I knew you’d come rushing into this office, but there are no fires to put out. Mr. Sanford called on Thursday to see if you were able to get his case postponed. I confirmed that you did and gave him the new date.”

  “Didn’t we mail him a letter with this information?”

  Mindy nodded. “He said he hadn’t gotten it yet.”

  “What about Teresa Holliday?” Jadin asked. “She usually calls every day.”

  “She called on both Thursday and Friday,” Mindy confirmed. “I talked to her, and so did Austin. I think he was able to get through to her. He explained to her that we are doing everything we can to get her son’s charges kicked down to juvenile court.”

  “I know she’s really worried. She took out a second mortgage to pay for my services. Her son is not a bad kid. He made a huge mistake, but he shouldn’t be tried as an adult. I have a meeting with the prosecutor tomorrow morning.”

  Jadin thought about Landon. She was grateful that he wasn’t the prosecutor on this case. At this point, she was not ready to work with him—she needed to adjust to the idea that they were still husband and wife.

  The last thing they needed was to have to face each other in court.

  She returned a couple of phone calls, responded to emails and electronically filed a couple of documents before joining the other attorneys and paralegals in the large conference room.

  Jadin took a seat across from Mindy.

  “We just landed the Herndon case,” Jacques announced when he blew through the door. “I just got off the phone with him.”

  “Blaine Herndon?” Jadin asked. “The man whose wife was brutally murdered in her bedroom. It’s been all over the news.”

  Her uncle nodded. “Blaine’s asked specifically that you represent him, Jadin. He said that you represented a friend of his in the past, and he was pleased with the way you handled yourself in the courtroom. He has every confidence that you are the right lawyer for him.”

  “Has he been arrested?” she asked.

  “No, but he expects to be at any time. He’s been in a holding cell since they took him in for questioning,” Jacques responded. “He’s pretty sure that the police aren’t buying that he slept through the attack on his wife—he says it’s the truth.”

  Jadin picked up her pen. “I’ll meet with him as soon as possible.”

  “Landon Trent is the prosecutor reviewing the case,” her father interjected.

  She stopped writing. “Are you sure?”

  He nodded.

  “Then maybe Austin or Tracy should represent Blaine,” Rochelle suggested. “There are some ethical considerations when a defense attorney and a prosecutor for the same county are married to one another.”

  Jadin could not believe that her aunt just put her on blast like that. Not everyone in the conference room had any knowledge of her marriage to Landon.

  Mindy glanced at her in confusion.

  She cleared her throat loudly, then said, “Some of you don’t know this, but the new deputy prosecutor is my husband. We eloped after law school but separated not too long after. Recently, we’ve decided to reconcile...” Jadin could feel everyone’s gaze on her. She forced herself to project an outward calm she did not have. She had not even told Landon yet that she was willing to give their marriage a chance. She had never felt so out of control where her own life was concerned.

  “According to ethical guidelines, Jadin can represent a client being prosecuted by her prosecutor husband as long as there is disclosure of the marital relationship to the client and written consent is given. The prosecutor has to also give consent.” Her father looked at her. “Just make sure you are vigilant in maintaining your client’s confidences.”

  “That won’t be a problem,” Jadin stated.

  After the meeting ended, she packed her tote and grabbed her keys. She needed to get to the jail to meet with Blaine Herndon.

  Austin walked her outside to her car. “I take it that you’ve made your decision based on what you said during the meeting.”

  She looked up at him. “I have. I’m going to give Landon what he wants. I’m going to give our marriage a real try.”

  “For what it’s worth, I think you’re doing the right thing.”

  “Really? Why is that? You haven’t even met Landon yet
.”

  “Actually, I have,” Austin responded. “I went to see him.”

  Jadin put a hand to her face. “Oh, no...”

  He chuckled. “Sis, nothing bad happened. I just wanted to make sure he wasn’t gonna try to manipulate you into staying with him. My first impression of Landon is that he’s honest and straightforward. One thing I’m absolutely sure of, and that is he really loves you, Jadin.” Austin eyed her. “I have a feeling you still have some unresolved feelings for him, or you wouldn’t have considered staying in this marriage.”

  “I don’t know what it is about him, but I need to at least try to make this work. I feel like I owe it to Landon.”

  “You owe it to yourself, sis.”

  * * *

  Landon pushed back his chair as police detectives Mike Solomon and Tracy Fielding walked out of his office. He had just signed off on charging Blaine Herndon with first-degree murder.

  Millicent Witherspoon-Herndon had been stabbed ten times in what had to be a fit of rage. The knife used had been taken from the kitchen. Crime scene investigators had not found any bloody clothes belonging to her husband. They did find a damp bath towel with traces of blood on it in the laundry bin. Landon could not understand why Herndon got rid of his clothes, but not the towel.

  Going over the evidence and Herndon’s interrogation notes consumed the rest of Landon’s day.

  Shortly after 5:00 p.m., Landon walked across the parking lot to his car.

  He had an hour in which to get home and freshen up before meeting up with Jadin.

  “Lord, I really need this second chance with my wife,” he whispered.

  Landon also told himself that he would accept her decision no matter what it was. There was a chance that his heart would be ripped into shreds, but at least he could walk away knowing he had given it his best shot.

  He recalled the moment he walked into her parents’ house and coming face-to-face with Jadin. Their chemistry was electrifying. All he could think about at that time was that they were so perfect together.

  Landon knew that it was going to be hard to accept if she wanted out of his life.