A/N: I can't believe it's been almost two years since I first wrote this story! I have watched more Matlock and Murder, She Wrote since I wrote chapter one. Hope you like it=)
P.O.V. Jessica
Julie and I were sitting in the living room of Ben's house in silence. Finally, after a few minutes she looked over at me.
"I have heard so much about you, Jessica." She said softly and I smiled. I turned to face her with my hands in my lap. "Ben has always been proud of his sister up north writing novels." I nodded.
"Ben has told me so much about you over the few years that you've worked together. From Ben's letters and telephone calls, I can tell that you really get along." Julie smiled.
"We work together; there are times that we are up against each other in a case, but we can't let that affect our relationship." My ears perked up.
"Relationship?" Julie blushed.
"Oh, our work relationship; I don't think Ben looks at me in any other way than a partner in the office. We compete in the courtroom." I sat back and looked at her.
"He talks about you a lot Julie; I don't believe it's just a working relationship." Julie smiled and couldn't help but blush.
"If there has ever been a relationship between us, I can say we haven't acted upon anything. I enjoy being in your brother's company and I may venture as far as to say I love him."
"Have you told him that?" I asked sipping my tea and Julie shook her head.
"It would be inappropriate. I couldn't do that." Julie replied.
P.O.V. Matlock
I was in the office with Conrad, Michelle and this young woman. I looked her dead on.
"We need to get a few things straight. I only take on a case if I truly believe you're innocent. And you have to agree to let me do whatever necessary to get you proven innocent."
"Whatever you have to do Mr. Matlock; I'm desperate." She slid into the chair. I sat at my desk and picked up the phone.
"Who are you calling?" Conrad asked. Michelle sat on the edge of my desk and Conrad stood next to me.
"I'm calling the house to see if Jess and Julie are there."
"Why?" Michelle stood up.
"He's going to ask Jessica to become part of the investigation to find the real killer. Just like she does in her books!" She exclaimed. Conrad looked at her.
"You don't have to get so excited Michelle." Conrad said. I had to turn away from Conrad and Micelle to hear Jessica. The phone rang three times before she answered the phone.
"Hello?" Jessica asked.
"Jess?"
"Yes." She paused. "Ben?"
"Yeah, can you and Julie come up here?" I asked. She hesitated.
"Hello?" Julie's voice rang out on the phone.
"Julie, I was wondering if you and Jess could come up to my office. I think we could use Jessica in the investigation."
"She just got here Ben. Don't you think it would be better if she came to see you after she got some rest?" I put my hand on my head.
"I just need you for a little while." Julie sighed.
"We're on our way up."
When Julie and Jessica got to the office, we had heard her entire side of the story.
"I shouldn't be here Ben." Julie said. I looked at her.
"It's not a conflict of interest Julie. You have another case; this isn't it." Julie shook her head.
"I'm sorry, but I'll be around later. I'll come by for dinner. If you still want to have dinner with you, me and Jessica." Ben shook his head.
"Absolutely." Julie smiled at Jessica.
"Ben says I make the best fried chicken." She nodded.
"If he says you do, then I'm sure you do." Jessica responded with a smile.
"Bye everybody." Julie walked out of the office. Jessica stood by the desk with her arms crossed.
"What's going on?" She questioned inquisitively.
"We have to figure out who killed this girl's father because it wasn't her." Jessica nodded.
"How can I help?" She sat on the edge of the desk. Conrad and Michelle were also standing around my desk. Michelle sat on the edge of the desk with one hand in her lap and one hand on the desk. Conrad was standing behind my chair.
"We're going to look into her family. I want somebody to go to her house and check things out." I looked in her file. "Her parents are divorced; I want to look into her mother's alibi."
"I'll go talk to the ex-wife." Michelle said.
"And I'm going to go into the house." Conrad replied. They both walked towards the door. Jessica stopped Conrad before he left.
"Can I go to her home with you?" Conrad nodded.
"Come on Mrs. Fletcher."
"Jessica." She corrected.
"I have to go to the courthouse and look into a few things." I responded. I stood up and followed them out of the office.
P.O.V. Jessica
"So you're really Ben's sister, huh?" Conrad asked me as we drove through Atlanta. I shook my head as I laughed.
"I am." He looked at me.
"What was Ben like growing up?" I chuckled.
"He was a lot like he is now. Ben's always been stubborn and has to have his way about a lot of things. He won't give up when he believes he's right about something." Conrad laughed.
"That definitely sounds like Ben." I nodded. "I'm curious how you ended up in Maine if you and Ben were raised here in Atlanta." I was quite for a minute. Frank was the reason I moved to Cabot Cove, and thinking of him made me smile, but also put a tear in my eye. Finally, I opened my mouth to speak.
"I met my late husband while I was in college. He was from Maine and wanted to go to school in a warmer location so he came to Georgia. I fell in love with him and when we married, we decided to go back to Maine because I loved the town he lived in. Cabot Cove was different from what I was used to, and I liked the idea of a quiet town and everybody knowing everyone else." Conrad looked at me.
"I don't mean to pry," he started, "you said your late husband. Why didn't you come back to Atlanta after he died?" I shook my head.
"I had lived there for so many years that it was my home. I can't imagine leaving the house we spent so many years together in. Everyone I know is there. I love Ben, and I talk to him on the phone, but I couldn't leave my family there in Maine." Conrad nodded. He looked up at the house in front of us, and then looked at the paper in his hand.
"I think this is the place." Conrad stated. When we walked up to the front door, the glass on the door had been kicked in. "Looks like somebody has been here already."
"I don't think it was our victim." I responded. He held the door open and we walked inside.