He couldnt fail this kid.
She didnt deserve that after all shed been through. But Mason was probably the last person in the world who should be trusted with responsibility for her.
A cold hand seemed to squeeze his heart. What did he know about being a father? His own father hadnt set much of an example.
He glanced at his watch. He was about to meet the daughter hed never known existedfor the first time. And his life would change irrevocably. But it already had, hadnt it? It had started to change months ago, at the class reunion. He just hadnt recognized it at the time.
REUNION REVELATIONS: Secrets surface when old friendsand foesget together.
Hidden in the WallValerie Hansen (LIS#84) January 2008
Missing PersonsShirlee McCoy (LIS#88) February 2008
Dont Look BackMargaret Daley (LIS#92) March 2008
In His SightsCarol Steward (LIS#96) April 2008
A Face in the ShadowsLenora Worth (LIS#100) May 2008
Final JusticeMarta Perry (LIS#104) June 2008
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MARTA PERRY
has written everything from Sunday school curriculum to travel articles to magazine stories in twenty years of writing, but she feels shes found her home in the stories she writes for the Love Inspired line. Marta lives in rural Pennsylvania, but she and her husband spend part of each year at their second home in South Carolina. When shes not writing, shes probably visiting her children and her five beautiful grandchildren, traveling or relaxing with a good book. Marta loves hearing from readers, and shell write back with a signed bookplate or bookmark. Write to her c/o Steeple Hill Books, 233 Broadway, Suite 1001, New York, NY 10279, e-mail her at marta@martaperry.com or visit her on the Web at www.martaperry.com.
Final Justice
Marta Perry
Published by Steeple Hill Books
If you search for good, you will find favor, but if you search for evil, it will find you.
Proverbs 11:27
This story is dedicated to my own dear college
friends, including Cynthia, Liz, Ginny, Phyllis,
Babs, Barbara and any others whose names Ive
missed. And, as always, to Brian, with much love.
Special thanks and acknowledgment to Marta Perry for her contribution to the REUNION REVELATIONS miniseries.
CONTENTS
PROLOGUE
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
EPILOGUE
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
PROLOGUE
He was about to meet the daughter hed never known existed. He sat alone on a park bench, watching the spring sunshine filter through veils of Spanish moss and trying to make sense of the changes that had turned his life upside down.
Across the park, a father pushed his child on the rustic swing set. The little girlfour or five, maybelaughed, her light voice floating toward him on the sultry air.
Higher, Daddy. Higher.
A cold hand seemed to squeeze his heart. What did he know about being a father? His own father certainly hadnt set much of an example. In fact, if his father were alive today, hed be quick to point out that this was just another opportunity for him to fail someone.
He couldnt fail this child. She didnt deserve that after all shed been through. But he was probably the last person in the world who should be trusted with the responsibility for her.
He glanced at his watch. Theyd come soon, and his life would change irrevocably.
But it already had, hadnt it? It had started to change months ago. He just hadnt recognized it at the time.
ONE
Magnolia Colleges ten-year reunion was in full swing on a warm southern evening. Jennifer Pappas stood alone near the French doors that opened to the terrace, wondering what on earth had made her agree to come.
The Mossy Oak Inn on the edge of the college campus prided itself on elegant service, and the staff had outdone itself tonight. Discreet waiters circulated with trays of hors doeuvres, while a string combo played a delicate counterpoint to the reliving of college memories. The scent of roses mingled with that of expensive perfume, almost dizzying in its impact.
She took an automatic step back from the exuberant greetings going on between two women whod just, apparently, found each other after ten years and were determined to catch up on everything that had happened since.
That was what she feared the most tonightthat seemingly innocuous question: What have you been doing since graduation?
How do I answer that, Father? She sought refuge in prayer, as she always did, focusing inward and shutting out the clamor of insistent voices rising above the chamber music. How could I talk about the day-care center I ran in Syracuse without mentioning how it ended?
A shudder touched her heart, and she steeled herself against the memories, locking them away. She wouldnt dwell on the past. Shed started a new life. That was what this was all about, wasnt it?
But shed been back in Magnolia Falls for over a month now, and she still hadnt found her balance. She was beginning to wonder if she ever would.
Her gaze fell upon Steff Kessler, a fellow class member who was now the alumni director for Magnolia College. Steff had seemed eager to renew their college friendship, but even with Steff, shed held back. How did you explain to anyone, let alone a friend, what it was like being arrested, charged, fingerprinted?
No one here knew the truth except for Pastor Rogers and her father. Dad kept insisting her life would be easier once shed confided in a few friends, but she couldnt do that. She couldnt bear the possibility that theyd look at her with contempt.
The French door moved behind her, and someone stepped through. She turned, startled, and found herself face-to-face with Mason Grant.
Mason. Her heart twisted. Once shed considered Mason one of her closest friends. Then, quite suddenly in the middle of their senior year, hed shut her out, along with everyone else hed been close to.
According to Steff, that was still the case. Steff hadnt expected him to show up tonight, even though he still lived in Magnolia Falls.
Jennifer Pappas. He looked as startled as she felt. I havent seen you sincewell, since graduation.
Ten years. She managed a smile. How many times do you suppose those words have been said tonight?
That brought an answering smile to his face. Too many, I suppose. And theyre still at it. He glanced at the noisy crowd, seeming to search for familiar faces, giving her a moment to take a quick look at him.
Her first thought was that he hadnt changed. Tall, lean, he still had the sinewy build of a basketball player, evident even in the perfectly tailored tux he wore. He had regular features, dark blond hair that was always a little tousled despite his best efforts, hazel eyes
And there she saw the difference.
Guarded. Once theyd been dancing eyes, but now they hid secrets. Maybe others would be fooled by the cheerful facade, but she recognized the expression. It was one she saw daily in her mirror.
What is it, Mason? Whats changed you? Whats put those lines around your eyes and given that wary set to your mouth?
That was not a question she could ask, since it was one she wouldnt answer herself.
He brought his attention back to her, his lips easing in a smile. Actually, I heard that you were back in town.
Probably at church. Masons family had been long-time members of Magnolia Christian Church, although she hadnt seen him at services there since shed been back. Pastor Rogers has hired me to run the church nursery school. Ill also be doing the after-school program starting in September.
His gaze evaded hers. I must have heard somewhere else. I havent been at church lately. The stores keep me too busy for much of anything but work.
That would be the chain of sporting-goods stores Mason had inherited when his father died during their senior year. Anyone might use that as an excuse. But Mason looked lost and alone somehow, just for an instant, before he veiled the emotion with a bland, cool mask.
Jennifers heart twisted. She wanted to reach out to him, to soothe the hurt she sensed in him just as shed automatically run to comfort a crying child.
Too busy for your faith? For your friends? What happened, Mason? The words were out before she could censor them.
He looked startled, as well he might. What do you mean? Nothings happened.
She touched his sleeve, feeling hard muscle tense at her touch beneath the fine fabric of his tux, knowing it was a mistake to push but unable to resist her engrained need to help.
We were good friends, before you walked away from all of us. Why did you do that? She still remembered the pain, even though it had been ten yearsthe grief she felt at losing her friend and not knowing why.
Masons smile seemed frozen on his face. Things happened, senior year, things none of us could control. Maybe youve forgotten I was the college pariah after losing the championship game for the team.
She made a small sound of distress. None of your friends blamed you for that, and anyone who did was an idiot. We wanted to help you then, but you shut us out. Cant you let us make up for it now?
Theres no changing whats done. He jerked a nod toward the chattering crowd. You think any of them would really go back, even if they could? No matter how many fond memories they dredge up tonight, at some level they all know the reality. Its far better for all of us to leave the past alone.
She was too shocked by the bitterness in his voice to respond. Maybe he read that in her face, because for a moment she saw the old Mason.
He clasped her hand in his, squeezing it gently. Your heart always was too tender for your own good, Jennifer. But Im glad youre back, all the same. He let her hand go slowly, almost reluctantly. We both ought to circulate. Im sure plenty of old friends are eager to greet you.
And then he turned and slipped away into the crowd.
TWO
Im telling you the truth. We found Penny Brighton Kessler. She admitted she killed Josie, and the picture she had of the child she claims is her daughter looked exactly like Josie Skerritt.
Mason stared at Kate Brooks across the red-and-white checked tablecloth at Burts Pizzeria, the food turning to ashes in his mouth. This couldnt be happening. It couldnt.
In the months since the reunion, hed broken his habit of isolation to meet with a few old classmates occasionallyKate, Parker Buchanan, Steff Kessler and Trevor Whittaker. And Jennifer Pappas, of course, always Jennifer.
Despite their rocky beginning at the reunion, despite the fact that Jennifers desire to reach out to him threatened the secrets that burdened him, he couldnt seem to stay away from her. It was friendship, he told himself. That was all he felt.
And hed needed friendship, as long-hidden secrets began to emerge over the past few months. First came the discovery of the body, hidden near the library, when Trevors construction company broke ground for the new library wing. Initially, he hadnt imagined that had anything to do with his class, his friends.
But gradually the circle tightened. The body had been there since the December after their graduation, making a tenuous link to his class. People had been drawn into the mystery, trying to locate any missing class members.
Then the body had been identified as that of Josie Skerritt, one of their close circle of friends from Campus Christian Fellowship. No one could remember having seen her since graduation. His nightmares had started then. It had grown worse with the revelation that Josie had had a baby.
Everyone from their small group of college friends had been questioned. Everyone had, he supposed, been suspected in some way. Each time they were together, no matter how they tried to ignore it, the conversation would go back to Josie. How did she die? Why? What happened to the child shed apparently had not long before her death?
Jennifer moved slightly, her hands seeming to push something away. Her velvety brown eyes were troubled. I dont understand. Are you saying that Penny stole Josies child?
The words echoed in his mind, mocking him, reminding him. Josies child. Josie had a child. If Kates suspicions were right, a daughter.
Whose child? His stomach churned. Not mine. It couldnt be mine.
Parker Buchanan, sitting next to Kate at the round table, put his hand over hers in a possessive movement. You do remember that the police told us to keep quiet about this, dont you?
Kate wrinkled her nose at him. Listen, Jennifers the one who figured out where Penny was. The police know she has to be warned about Penny. Anyway, shes one of my best friends.
A faint flush touched Jennifers smooth olive skin, as if it pleased her to be called that. She looked cool and put together, even in jeans and a simple knit shirt, but he knew that outward appearance masked a sensitive spirit.
We shouldnt ask, she said to Kate. But if you want to tell us
Kate leaned forward, pushing aside the remains of her mushroom pizza. The eager sparkle in her eyes said she was about to be indiscreet.
Penny admitted she was trying to frame Parker for Josies murder. Indignation filled Kates voice. Shes off her rocker if you ask me. She showed me the photograph, and when I said the little girl looked like Josie, she flew into a rage. She was going to kill me and frame Parker. She touched the sling in which her arm rested. If Parker hadnt gotten there in time, shed have succeeded.