Read River's End for Free Online Page A

witness.”
    “The hell with that. They have him cold. He was there, he had the weapon. He was fucking stoned as he’s been half the time the last year.”
    At Jamie’s quick warning look toward the stairs, he sucked in a breath, let it out slowly. Calm, he reminded himself. They all had to stay calm to get through this. “They have all the evidence they need to put him away for the rest of his miserable life,” he finished.
    “Now they have Livvy’s statement that she saw him, she heard him.” She lifted a hand to her head. “I don’t know how it works, I don’t know what happens next. I can’t think about it.”
    “I’m sorry.” He gathered her close again. “I just don’t want you or Livvy, or any of us, to suffer more than we have to. I want you to call me before you let them talk to her again. I think we need to consult a child psychologist to make sure it isn’t damaging to her.”
    “Maybe you’re right. She likes Detective Brady, though. You can tell she feels safe with him. I upset my mother.” For a moment, she burrowed against David’s throat. “I need to go up to her.”
    “All right. Jamie.” He slid his hands down her arms, linked fingers with her. “They’re going to release Julie’s body day after tomorrow. We can hold the memorial service the following day, if you’re ready for it. I’ve started making the arrangements.”
    “Oh, David.” Pathetically grateful, she shuddered back a sob. “You didn’t have to do that. I was going to make calls later today.”
    “I know what you want for her. Let me take care of this for all of us, Jamie. I loved her, too.” He brought her hands to his lips, pressed a kiss to her fingers.
    “I know.”
    “I have to do something. Details are what I do best. I, ah, I’ve been working on a press release. There has to be one.” He ran his hands up her arms again, back down in a gesture of comfort. “It’s more your area than mine, but I figured simple was best. I’ll run it by you before it’s confirmed. But as for the rest . . . just let me take care of it.”
    “I don’t know what I’d do without you, David. I don’t know what I’d do.”
    “You’ll never have to find out.” He kissed her, softly. “Go up to your mother, and promise me you’ll try to get some rest.”
    “Yes, I will.”
    He waited until she walked upstairs, then went to the door, stared out the glass panels at the figures sweltering outside in the high summer heat.
    And thought of vultures over fresh kill.

three
    She didn’t want to take a nap. She wasn’t sleepy. But Olivia tried, because Aunt Jamie had asked her to, and lay in the bed that wasn’t hers.
    It was a pretty room with little violets climbing up the walls and white curtains with tiny white dots on them that made everything soft and filmy when you looked through them. She always slept in this room when she came to visit.
    But it wasn’t home.
    She’d told Grandma she wanted to go home, that she could come, too. They could have a tea party in the garden until Mama got home.
    But Grandma’s eyes had gotten bright and wet, and she’d hugged Olivia so hard it almost hurt.
    So she hadn’t said anything more about going home.
    When she heard the murmur of voices down the hall, behind the door of the room where her grandparents were staying, Olivia climbed out of bed and tiptoed from the room. Aunt Jamie had said, when Olivia asked, that Grandma and Grandpop were taking naps, too. But if they were awake, maybe they could go out and play. Grandma and Grandpop liked to be outside best of all. They could play ball or go swimming or climb a tree.
    Grandpop said there were trees that reached right up and brushed the sky in Washington. Olivia had been there to visit when she was a tiny baby and again when she’d been two, so she couldn’t remember very well. She thought Grandpop could find a sky-brushing tree for her so she could climb all the way up and call her mother. Mama would hear if she