Page 125 of Healed Heart

Then I clamp my hand over my mouth as I look at Tabitha.

Her mouth is dropped into an O.

Oh, shit.

ChapterForty-Six

Jason

After Henry calls Blake, I have to get on the phone to let him know it’s okay to discuss my case with Henry, but then I turn my attention to Angie and Tabitha.

“What exactly is going on?”Tabitha asks.

Henry excuses himself and goes to one of the bedrooms to chat with Blake.I want to go with him, be a part of the conversation, but I can’t leave Angie alone to deal with Tabitha.

She blinks.“Did I really just hear you say that Ralph killed your wife?”

“Jason, I’m so sorry,” Angie says.

“It’s not your fault,” I tell her.“You were just excited.Hell, I’m excited too.Especially since Dr.Engel gave me the go-ahead for my surgery.”

Angie grabs me again.“He did?Already?”

“Yeah, on the condition that I continue to see him for therapy up until the surgery.Obviously I can’t have it yet, with all this other shit going on.”

“Wait a minute, surgery?”Tabitha says.“And Ralph, a murderer?I think I need to sit down.”She plops onto the sofa.

“Jason,” Angie says, “I don’t know what I can tell her.”

“You may as well tell her everything,” I say.“But Tabitha, it doesn’t leave this room.Do I have your word?”

“Yeah, of course.Angie and I are friends.I would never break her trust or yours.”

“All right.Here goes.”

I give Tabitha an abbreviated version, and tears glisten in her eyes as I finish.

She clutches her hand to her chest.“My God.I’m so sorry for your loss, Dr.Lansing.”

“I appreciate that, Tabitha.”I cock my head.“But you called me Jason a moment ago.I’m still Jason.And I’m still in love with Angie.And no, I did not attack Ralph.”

“I can’t believe Ralph isn’t who he says he is,” Tabitha says.“I can’t believe I kind of liked him at one point.”

Angie frowns.“Well, he’s not exactly bad-looking.But like I told you that first night, he’s a dick.”

“That’s a little too tame a word,” I say.“He’s a murdering dick.”

“Sounds like it,” Tabitha agrees.“I thinkIneed a drink now.”

“I’ll get you a glass of wine,” Angie says.“I could use one myself.”

Angie goes to the kitchen and returns with two wine goblets full of red wine.I’m still working on my bourbon when Henry returns.

“Jason, where were you?”

“I’m sorry.I couldn’t leave Angie alone.The story she had to tell Tabitha is actually my story, so…”

“Sure, I get it.The good news is, Blake says he thinks he’ll be able to get the DA to drop the charges against you based on the evidence from your motion sensor.”