Meant to Be (Whisper Creek #5)(93)

"Well, she's not the only one on the visitors' log."

"How do you know who's been vis-never mind." Cooper put up a hand. "I don't want to know."

"You do."

Cooper rolled his eyes. "No, I really don't."

"Your mother."

"My-what?" Cooper felt his jaw fall open. "Mom? Visiting Raymond?"

"Twice a week, all summer long."

"No."

Cooper couldn't fathom it. Couldn't picture his mother walking into that grimy place, sitting down across from Raymond. Couldn't picture it any more than he'd been able to put Phoebe there.

"Did you know she was visiting him?"

Dad shook his head. "Hell, no. I thought she was making quilts at the church."

"Why? Why would she do this?"

Why would she visit him, while barely speaking to me all summer long?

"That's what I asked myself, a hundred times after I found out, and a hundred more times before I asked her. You know your mother. She'd never make waves. She'd never go against my wishes."

"That's not exactly something you should be proud of creating, Dad."

"I'm not." Dad stared at him, and Cooper felt a bit of the steel come back into his voice. "And apparently, I didn't. She went there because she decided it was the best way she could think of to finally get you free of this."

"I don't understand."

"He filed his appeal whiplash-fast after his conviction. And we knew his buddies were up to no good, before new charges even appeared with your name on them. Your mother got it in her head that maybe she could change the direction of things, if she got to him before everybody else did."

"Well, obviously that backfired, given where we're at here." Cooper swung his arm around the room. "But I'm grateful she tried."

Dad nodded slowly. "Not so sure it backfired."

"What do you mean?"

"She came home with a letter yesterday. From Raymond."

"Okay? What did it say?" Cooper tried to tamp down the spark of hope he felt ignite inside.

Dad reached into the inside pocket of his coat. "It wasn't addressed to us."

Cooper watched Dad draw out the envelope, and it was as if time had slowed. He saw the glaring white of it in Dad's hands, saw the scrawled handwriting he still recognized, though he hadn't seen Raymond's writing since they were kids. And he saw his name.

His name, with his rank in front of it.

Was this some sick sport Raymond was playing at now? It wasn't bad enough that he'd threatened Cooper's life and freedom once again? Now he had to use Cooper's own mother to continue this twisted psychological game?

It was a good thing the man was behind bars, or Cooper'd go after him with his own two hands.

"I don't think I want to read whatever's in there." Cooper shook his head when Dad tried to hand him the envelope.

"I think you do."

"How can you possibly know?"

"Because your mother was with him when he wrote it. She brought him the paper, and the pen, and the envelope."

Cooper backed up in his chair, his mouth suddenly dry.

What. The. F-

"Open it, Cooper. I wouldn't have brought it here if it wasn't good news. I would have come here, I would have said my piece, and I would have laid my apologies at your feet, but I wouldn't have brought this envelope to you if it didn't contain your freedom."



       
         
       
        

The spark ignited, and Cooper grabbed the envelope, but closed his eyes before opening it. Could the nightmare really be over? Could whatever was in here actually make the case go away? Give him back his life?

Or what was left of it?

He tore it open and pulled out a single sheet of paper crowded with Raymond's slanted print. He read the words through once, quickly, then went back and read each word again. He took a deep breath as he handed the paper to his father, and for the first time in months, he felt like that breath didn't actually hurt.

Dad read it quickly, then put the sheet down carefully, without looking at Cooper.

"You think maybe you should call Lionel?"

"Yeah. I should. I-will. But I just need to process this for a minute."

"It's a pretty clear confession. And your mother said his attorney was coming in when she was leaving. If he followed through-"

"If is the part that scares me, Dad. It's a really big if."

Just then, Cooper's phone vibrated on the table, making both of them jump. Cooper stood up, jostling papers around until he finally found it, but he paused when he saw the name on the screen.

"It's Lionel."

Dad grinned. "Then answer it."