Part 36 (1/2)
”Jonah did.”
Tia fingered the bills. ”This is a thousand dollars.”
”I know.”
”It's way too much. Jonah must have put the fear of a billion germs in him.”
”He wasn't in any condition to put fear in anyone.”
”What do you mean?”
”Well ... I sort of agreed I wouldn't tell you, but Jonah came looking for you last night.”
Tia searched her face. ”Why?”
”His mom had a heart attack. I think she's doing all right, but he looked awful. I even prayed, but you know I might have messed it up.”
She said, ”You can't mess up a prayer, goof,” but she was obviously distressed. ”He came here, then asked you not to tell me?”
”He thought you were kissing up to your family and didn't want to interfere.”
Tia closed her eyes. ”This is so messed up.” She got up and paced. ”I need to call him.”
Piper's heart rushed. ”I'll be downstairs.”
”You don't have to-”
But she was already halfway out the door.
Twenty-Four.
Rest springs from strife and dissonant chords beget divinest harmonies.-SIR LEWIS MORRIS, ”LOVE'S SUICIDE”
Jonah approached his house quietly so as not to disturb Jay, sitting cross-legged on the porch, and Enola, circling and sniffing. She looked up and caught sight of him, then half loped down the steps. Jonah held out an open hand, and she nuzzled it, quivering when he ran the hand over her head. Someday she might express pleasure, but for now the stakes were too high.
”I tried to call you.”
”I know,” Jay said, not leaving his position. ”We were practicing silence.”
Jonah nodded. Sometimes it was better not to ask. He let Enola back in to her pup, then settled on the top step. His day had been grueling and wasn't done yet. But for this moment, he might practice a little silence himself.
Or not.
The vibration preceded the ring. Noting the caller ID, he braced himself and answered. ”This is Jonah.”
”Where are you?”
No preamble. ”I'm home.”
”Can I come over?”
”Yeah, Tia, you can come.” He closed the phone and looked at Jay.
”Guess I'll be going.”
”It'll take her awhile.”
”Yeah. But you'll want to pace and work yourself up.” Jay rose and moseyed down the steps.
He would if there were even a chance this could be good.
”You know,” Jay said over his shoulder, ”some chances you just take.”
Some you didn't get to. But he paced anyway until tires turned into his drive and Tia's Xterra appeared between the trees.
She got out, as crazy beautiful as ever. He went to meet her. ”Piper told me about your mom.” No preamble again.
”I asked her not to.”
”Why aren't you with her?”
He hooked a hand on her car door and cast his gaze away. ”She doesn't want me there. The look she gave me as the EMTs loaded her up was exactly the same as that night.” He swallowed. ”In her mind, I killed him.”
Tia shook her head.
He looked back, finding in her eyes a sympathetic anger. ”After they took her, I went into the shed to see if she was right.”
”Jonah.”
”I had him cornered. I confronted him with what I knew.” His voice rasped. ”His DNA in the rape-kit sample.” She slumped. ”Oh no.”
”I'd disarmed him. But I didn't see the shotgun.” His throat constricted. ”He was ... all over me, and I kept thinking, I will never get his blood off.”
She gripped his arm. ”I'm so sorry.”
”In the days and weeks after, I could hardly look anyone in the eye. I couldn't stand the pity, the doubt, the condemnation, and worst of all, the admiration. It made me sick, and all I could think was to drown it. But that didn't help. What I needed-you know this already-what I needed was you.” His voice sc.r.a.ped his lower register. ”So if you came-”
”I came to apologize. To say I'm through trying to please people who don't care. To tell you I quit the store, and they're selling the house.”
He caught up to her. ”Selling your house?”
”It's not mine. I've only been paying the mortgage. Now I don't even know if I can stay in Redford.”
”You're not leaving.”
”I came here to say I don't blame you. For anything.”