Page 8 of Heart of Justice

Remy was with my mother. My shift had ended two hours ago. But here I was, sitting in my truck across from Josephine Bennelli’s apartment building at seven-thirty at night, making sure she got home safely.

I watched as her sedan pulled into the parking lot. She parked, then sat there for a minute before getting out. Hopefully, she was checking her surroundings. Her shoulders were tense as she grabbed the grocery bags and hurried inside.

Blake had rattled her.

I’d followed her from the Safeway—close enough to make sure that creep wasn’t doing the same. He wasn’t. I’d watched him leave in a beat-up F150 with Wyoming plates. I’d written the tag down, both out of habit and just in case.

I waited until I saw lights come on in her second-floor apartment. Then I waited some more. The thought of Jo being in even the slightest danger had my hackles up. I wanted to run up there and check her apartment for her, but that was probably going overboard.

I hadn’t felt this protective in years. Not since Holly.

The familiar guilt twisted, but it felt different this time. Softer. Like maybe I was allowed to feel something for someone else.

Holly had been gone three years. Three years of just existing.

Jo made me feel like a person again.

My phone buzzed. Mom.

Remy wants to say goodnight. Are you heading home?

I looked at the clock. Eight o’clock. I’d been sitting here almost half an hour.

On my way.

Mom was in the living room, knitting.

“She’s still awake.”

“Okay. I’ll peek in.”

My mother eyed me. “You were gone a while for Pop-Tarts.”