Free Justice for Hire by Rayven T. Hill Page B

the shooter, I don’t have a lot of leads.”

     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter 15
     
     
     
    Tuesday, August 23rd, 12:42 PM
     
    ANNIE HAD JUST called Jake and informed him she was on her way home and would be there in a few minutes. Jake’s stomach was begging for food, so he decided to put together a couple of sandwiches and enjoy a lunchtime snack with Annie when she got home.
    He’d just finished piling on the cold roast beef, one sandwich much thicker than the other, digging out a pair of pickles to go with the meal, when the doorbell rang.
    He turned and stared briefly down the hallway, and then wiped his hands on a towel and headed for the front door. It popped open before he got to it, and he stopped short when a familiar and unwelcome face appeared.
    It was Annie’s mother.
    She bustled in, paying little attention to Jake as she strode past him and into the kitchen. Jake shook his head, rolled his eyes and followed her.
    She spun around. “I was on my way to work, and I wanted to stop by and see my daughter a moment,” she said, and then called, “Annie, it’s your mother. Where are you?”
    Jake crossed his arms and glared at her. “She’s not here right now.” He hoped she would leave quickly if he didn’t tell her Annie would be home soon.
    “I saw her car in the driveway.” Her tone seemed to indicate she thought he was lying about Annie’s whereabouts. “Where is she?”
    “She had to go out.” Jake wondered how Annie had turned out so well with such an overbearing mother. At nearly sixty years old, Alma Roderick still looked youthful, and if it wasn’t for her sour attitude, could still look attractive, maybe even beautiful, on those rare occasions when she actually smiled.
    Instead, she gave him a cold stare. “Shouldn’t you be out looking for a job?”
    “I have a job, Alma,” he said calmly, holding back a flood of anger.
    “From what I hear, Annie does all the work. It’s not right she should have to support you.”
    Jake’s muscles tensed and he raised his voice, “Annie and I are equal partners. We both do what we can and our business is doing fine.”
    Alma looked at him with contempt and brushed aside his comment with an arrogant wave. “Business? Is that what you call it? Running around, putting my daughter in danger?”
    “She’s an adult now, in case you didn’t notice, and she can make her own decisions.”
    “Then, you should both know enough to leave police matters up to the police, instead of meddling in dangerous affairs.” She pointed an accusing finger at him. “You need to be a better influence on my grandson.” She sniffed and looked around the kitchen, as if looking for something else to complain about.
    Jake dropped his arms and unconsciously clenched his fists. He took a step forward and towered over her. “Look here, Alma,” he said firmly. “You have no right to come into our house and tell us how to raise our son.”
    Alma sniffed again, raised her head and spun around. She moved to the other side of the table, as if attempting to put a barrier between her and Jake. She gave him a fierce stare, arrogance on her face. “I have to go to work. Tell Annie I dropped in.”
    “I’m sure she’ll be glad to hear it,” Jake shot back, as he stepped aside to allow her to leave. He watched her stride down the hallway to the front door. He shook his head in frustration, took a deep breath and dropped down at the table.
    He heard the door open, and then, “Hello, Mother.” It was Annie. He didn’t know whether to be relieved, or wish Annie had been a couple of minutes later.
    “I dropped by to see you on the way to work,” he heard Alma say. “But your husband seems to be in a bad mood today.”
    Jake glanced down the hallway. Annie was looking his way, and then back at her mother in confusion. Jake waved it off and shook his head. He could see Annie understood the situation was caused by a usual dose of her mother’s overbearing attitude.
    Annie