Page 165 of Nash Falls

“It’s not in the study anymore. I looked but it’s gone.”

“Do you mind if I look?” asked Rhett.

“No, I suppose not.”

“You stay right here and rest.”

Rhett walked over, opened the door, and called out to Nash, “Dillon, come up and stay with her. I need to look for something in the study.”

Nash, who had heard none of the latter part of Rhett and Judith’s conversation, hustled up the steps from the kitchen. “Yes sir.”

The last thing Nash wanted to do was let Rhett search his study, but there was really nothing he could do to stop him without giving everything away.

He entered the room and sat down across from Judith. She closed her eyes and appeared to be dozing. He was so focused on what Rhett might find that he didn’t notice her staring at him until a couple minutes later when Nash looked up to find her gaze full upon him.

She said, “What do you do for Rhett?”

“Personal security.”

She nodded, running her gaze over him. “You look like you can do that well. You look very strong and… capable. My husband was very capable, just not in the same way.” She focused on his scalp. “What are those things on your head?”

“Tattoos.”

As Judith looked at them, something tangible seemed to pierce the druggy façade around her brain, but then it faded away and her expression became distant.

Nash shouldn’t have, but he had to. “I… understand that you lost a child?”

She refocused on him. “Yes. People think my husband killed her.”

“What do you think?” asked Nash.

“I…”

Before she could finish Rhett burst back into the room holding a piece of paper. “Bingo.”

“What is it?” asked Judith, as Nash looked on uneasily.

“A letter Walter’s father wrote to him, I guess right before he died. I found it in a desk drawer. His father said if Walter ever needed help that thisShockguy would be there for him. So all I need to do is find out his real name. Hey, this woman friend of his?”

“Rosie Parker?” said Judith.

“Yeah. Do you have the address?”

“Yes. We dropped Walter’s mother off there numerous times over the years.”

She gave Rhett the address, and he input it into his phone.

He sat and gave Judith a quick hug. “Okay, let me get a cleaning and landscape crew over to get this place back right. Please, Judith. I offered before but you kept saying no.”

“Let me think about it, Rhett. I’m just so tired.”

“Okay, but no more pills?” She nodded, and he looked at Nash. “Let’s roll. Maybe we can find this Parker person at home.”

Rhett hurried out the door. As Nash was leaving Judith gripped his hand. He looked down at her.

“I should have believed my husband. I… when I saw my daughter, what she was saying.”

“I can understand, ma’am. It must have been overwhelming.”