Page 33 of Romeo

She takes a sip of coffee.“I’d begged to go then got scared.It was my fault they were on the road.”

“It was not your fault,” I tell her.“Not at all.”

“Odie never saw it that way.”

“Then Odie is an even bigger idiot than I thought he was.”

She smiles softly, but it doesn’t reach her eyes.“Odie is brilliant.Always has been.Straight A’s, honor roll.He was voted most likely to succeed in school.Ran the school newspaper.The list goes on and on.”

“Being successful in school doesn’t make you a good person.”

“Nah, Odie’s a good one,” she says.The look on her face makes my heart ache for a woman who has clearly never felt like enough.And brings a fresh wave of crushing guilt down on me because I’m starting to think that I misjudged her too.

“Is that why you’re trying so hard to protect him?Why you ran and didn’t go back home?”

Jules takes a deep breath then sips her coffee.I worry I’ve pressed too hard, but then she shifts her emerald gaze back to me.“I’ve had a lifetime of bringing trouble to my family’s doorstep.”

“The missing years.”

Jules nods, and for the first time since we met, I see an emotion other than anger or fear on her face.Sadness.There’s a well of sadness inside of her.One that she’s likely drowned in a time or two.“What followed was trouble, too.My grandfather was never the same after that.I know he blamed himself, and I wish I could just tell him that it wasn’t his fault.That none of it was.”She’s silent a moment.“Anyway, what a shame life doesn’t work that way.So, when are you wanting to go back to Seattle?”

Subject change.

Even though I want to know more, not just for her background as it applies to this case but because this was a chip away at armor she’s likely worn for far too long, I let her move on.“A couple of days should be good.As long as we get Lani’s blessing, we’ll plan to head out Monday morning.That way, you’ll have a few days to relax and take it easy.”

“I don’t need to relax,” she says.“I need to figure out who wanted my grandfather dead.”

“We’ll still be working on that, too.Odie sent over some of your grandfather’s emails last night, and I spent most of the night poring over them.”

“Emails?”

“Did you know your grandfather was trying to pull out of his publishing contract?”

Her expression shifts, and I see that she clearly had no idea.“What?Why?Since when?”

“The month leading up to his death,” I tell her.“He was working to negotiate a buyout.”

“That doesn’t make any sense.He worked so hard to get that deal.It was all he wanted.”

“That’s the other thing; Odie claims the deal was terrible.That he’s surprised your grandfather’s lawyers allowed him to sign it.”

Her brow furrows.“I don’t understand.Grandpa was incredibly excited about that deal.Said it was the deal of a lifetime.Do you have the contract?”

I nod.

“Can I see it?”

“Sure.”I stand up then reach down to offer her my hand since I imagine her abdomen still hurts enough that getting up on her own will be difficult.She hesitates, just as she did when I offered to help her get out of the truck.But then she slips her delicate fingers into mine, and I pull her up gently.

As soon as she’s standing, I withdraw my hand and head toward my office.After pushing open the door, I lean over my computer and log in then open the contract Odie sent over.“Feel free to go through it.”

“Thanks.”After setting her mug of coffee down on a coaster near my keyboard, she sits down slowly in my chair, taking a deep breath as soon as she’s settled.

“Are you okay?Are you sure you don’t want any Motrin?Tylenol?”

“I’m fine.Thanks.”

“Call out if you need anything,” I tell her.