Over Before She Loved Me novel · Chapter 20 of 24

Chapter 20: Tonight I Lead

Kendra Moss had kept the voicemail.

She played it for the board on her phone, with her reading glasses pushed up into her gray hair.

Barrett's voice said, warm and reasonable, that a statement about Dustin Rayburn's private life would be paid for in full.

"I called a solicitor friend," Kendra said. "He tells me that's an attempt to suborn a witness. In your country I believe you call it a crime."

The gray-haired partner wrote down the number.

"I'll send it to the state bar today," Dustin said.

"Do," Kendra said. "He won't practice again."

He didn't.

The bar suspended Barrett Coyle's license at the end of that week.

By the end of the month the word was out in three law firms.

Nobody at Rayburn Builders said his name aloud again.

Kendra stayed to dinner at Maureen's and told the vicar story twice.

By dessert Maureen had her phone number and a recipe for ham loaf.

Joelle walked her out at nine.

"Make him wait," Kendra said at the curb, squeezing her hand.

"Not too long. Men who have been sorry for years get insufferable if you forgive them fast."

"I'll keep that in mind."

"Do."

The cab pulled away.

Joelle stood on the sidewalk in the cold and looked at her phone.

She dialed him.

"Dustin."

"Joelle."

"I'm at the curb."

"I'm at the townhouse. Where's your mother?"

"At home, ironing a church dress for your mother's apology." She took a breath. "I don't want to wait. I want to go home with you."

There was a short silence.

"Home," he said.

"Yours. Mine. The one with the kitchen."

"Stay at the curb. I'll come and get you in ten minutes."

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