by Max Parrott
Jasmine thought back. She could remember a number of times when Oliver spoke out of turn in LnL, correcting the professor or offering expansions on whatever Keller was attempting to explain.
"Keller always seemed fine with it," she said.
"Because he's old and wise and knows when to hold and when to fold," said Lucille. "But I've heard him ranting in the lounge between classes. Complaining how that Bridges kid was undermining him in class and how he wished Oliver would just go away."
Jasmine nodded, leaning back in her chair. Collapsing. This was getting more confused by the moment.
"This is off the record, by the way," said Lucille. "If I see my words in print somewhere..."
For punctuation to her unfinished threat, the professor smiled and reached across the table to tap Jasmine on the hand.
Jasmine didn't consider herself an angry person, but it took all her willpower to say "thank you" and not to kick the woman in the shins as she shot to her feet and left the room. She hadn't even been able to get to half her questions, such as who was the man Jasmine had seen her with outside the ice cream parlor, the man who was often seen wandering around campus? Most likely he was her husband, but Jasmine had a strange feeling about the whole thing.
"I kind of hope she does turn out to be the killer," Luffy said when they were in the hall. "It couldn't happen to a nastier person."
Jasmine shrugged. "Don't mess with mama bear, I guess. I hope she isn't the killer, because if she is I'll have to talk to her again at some point."
"But if she isn't, you'll have to keep going to her class," Luffy reminded her.
"Dang it. You're right. Is it too late in the semester to drop her course?"
"How should I know?" Luffy asked. "I'm a dog. But you could just stop showing up. Like Alicia."
"That reminds me..."
Jasmine took out her phone and checked her notifications. Still nothing from Alicia. There was a text from Charles, however.
Heads up. I heard some things outside of class just after lunch today. I think someone has it out for you, but I don't know who.
Jasmine drew her head back, blinking her eyes a few times. She tried scrolling down, but the message ended there. There was nothing else.
She began to type out a reply, asking for an explanation. She kept walking, heading back toward Keller's room.
She was nearly there when the door of the classroom banged open and several people stepped out. Jasmine looked up, seeing blue uniforms and badges. At the front of the group was Luke Barrett, looking like a man at a funeral. Behind them was Alan Keller, staring around in confusion.
"There she is," one of the other officers said.
Jasmine stopped in her tracks as the police marched toward her.
"Jasmine Moore," Barrett said with a sigh. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to arrest you under suspicion of the murder of Oliver Bridges. You have the right to remain silent..."
Chapter 7
"Did not see that one coming," said Luffy.
Jasmine stared out through the bars, her eyes wide and unfocused. She sat perfectly still on a cot that looked like it was made of some kind of padded material but felt like it was made out of cement. And that same cement seemed to be encasing her soul, crushing it, smothering her under a suffocating weight. A few days ago, she had everything figured out. The future. The course her life was taking. Now nothing made sense. It was as if she had taken a wrong turn at some point and ended up in a parallel universe.
"What happened?" she asked.
Luffy had no answer for her. He padded back over from his spot by the wall and sat between her legs, resting his chin on her thigh and staring up at her with sad eyes.
"What are you thinking about?" he asked.
"I'm trying to figure out who I can trust," Jasmine said.
"With what?"
She tried to smile. "Just because I'm down and out, doesn't mean you have to be. I can survive in here for a little while, but you can't."
"Sure I can!" he said, yipping fearfully.
"Not unless you learn how to use a toilet."
"Jasmine, no! I won't leave! You can't make me."
"I could call mom and dad. Or I could call Brandon. Someone from home. They could come get you. It's a long drive, but they'll make it in a heartbeat."
Out in the corridor, there was a metal clanging sound, followed by footsteps. A tired looking female officer appeared, holding a cup of coffee and a set of keys.
"Jasmine Moore," she said. "You have a phone call waiting."
She jumped up and rushed for the bars. The officer pulled the cell open and let her through, cuffing her hands in front of her and giving Luffy a warning glance.
Following the officer through the station house, passing some familiar areas on the way, she came to a bank of phones. One of them had a blinking light on, it signifying a call waiting.
"You can take it here," the officer said. "You can make another call afterwards, if you want."
Jasmine nodded, waiting for the cop to back away a bit before lifting the receiver to her ear.
"Hello?" she said.
There was a heavy sigh, followed by a familiar voice.
"Jasmine," Sheriff Kenneth Lustbader said. "I heard through the grapevine that you got in a spot of trouble out there. What in the world is going on?"
"Sheriff, it's awesome to hear your voice," she said. "You have to help me. You can, right? I didn't do anything."
"Calm down, Jasmine. Just take a deep breath. Obviously I know you didn't do anything. What's been going on?"
She explained everything to him as best she could with her shaking voice and the looming presence of the officer nearby.
"I guess I'm probably about to tell you something you already know," Lustbader said at the end, "but you're not in Blackwood Cove. You're in a big place with different rules. You've got to take care of yourself. I think you need to abandon this case as soon as you get out of jail."
"I was afraid you were going to say that," Jasmine replied.
"And I was afraid of hearing that usual stubbornness in your voice. I guess I can't convince you to do anything, can I? I learned that lesson already. Have they told you what they have you for?"
"Just that I'm under suspicion. They haven't given me any details."
"Then they'll have to be doing that pretty soon, here. Maybe it's not as bad as you're probably afraid it is. Just a precautionary thing, like how we nabbed Randy Ballard before. Look, I'm going to try and do my best to help out. I don't have much pull, but we both know someone who does."
"Marlon," Jasmine said.
"Yeah. If I can get hold of him, which is doubtful. But I wouldn't be surprised if he's been keeping tabs on you. Don't worry, Jasmine. Everything'll be fine."
"I'm sure it will be," she said glumly.
"How's old Luffy doing?"
Jasmine looked down at him. "Right now, he's pretty much surgically attached to my leg."
"Yeah, I'll bet. Tell him I said you'll both be out of there real soon. It won't mean much to him, but I'll feel better if you tell him. I dunno... sometimes I get the feeling there's more to Luffy than we know."
Jasmine suppressed her laughter. "Yeah. I get that feeling sometimes, too."
"Well, take care Jasmine. Do you want to let your folks know, or should I?"
"I'm about to do it as soon as I get off the phone with you," Jasmine replied.
"Okay. Bye, then. And remember your rights. Don't let them bully you around."
She tried to imagine Luke Barrett bullying anyone and failed.
The phone clicked, telling her Lustbader had hung up. Jasmine took a few deep breaths, reached out to start dialing her house back in Blackwood Cove, and chickened out at the last second. Several further attempts ended with the same result. Finally, on the fifth try, she managed to make her fingers do the right thing.
"Mom," she said when the phone was answered. "Something happened, and it isn't my fault..."
As she exp
lained things, and listened to her mother's response, relief flooded through her. When she hung up, she didn't feel much different about her chances of getting out of jail. But she was glad to know that she and Luffy wouldn't be alone for long. Her parents were going to start driving as soon as they could, but they had to wait for their car to be finished at the mechanic. They would be in New Market sometime in the next twenty-four hours.
As soon as the phone was back on its cradle, the same officer approached from behind. The coffee cup was gone, and the woman looked more awake now. And also more prone to getting angry, so Jasmine went along without a word.
But she wasn't led back to her cell. Instead, she was brought to the same interrogation room she had been in once before. The door was shut and locked behind her, and Luke Barrett glanced at her over his shoulder.
"You're alone," Jasmine said.
"Why shouldn't I be?" Barrett asked.
She shrugged. "I thought you were supposed to have another person in here, at least until I was safely handcuffed to the table."
He shook his head. "There's no need for that though. Right? You can sit down. I'd like to go through some things with you."
He reached into his lap, and Jasmine heard a sound of crinkling plastic. Barrett pulled a few dog treats out of a bag and set them on the table.
"For Luffy," he said. "I don't know if you like to make him do a trick first, or what?"
The dog licked his chops, staring toward the table. For the first time in the past hour, he was not overwhelmed with fear and anxiety.
Jasmine shuffled around to her side of the table and pulled out the chair with her handcuffed hands. Sitting down, she grabbed a treat and tossed it toward the floor. It never made it there, and a second later Luffy was staring at her waiting for more.
"I never thought I'd be wearing a set of cuffs," Jasmine said. "Not for real, anyway. In fourth grade a cop came into our class and we all got to try some on. It was a lot different than this."
Barrett chuckled. "Because your wrists were so much smaller, huh?"
She shook her head. "Because I didn't feel like a criminal. I didn't feel dirty for no reason. What's this all about, Luke?"
He couldn't meet her eyes. He moved around in his chair like the seat was getting either very hot or very cold.
"Look, I'm sorry," he said. "I like you Jasmine. Heck, I respect you. But I can't ignore evidence, not even when it points to someone I care for."
Jasmine pointed to a yellow envelope on the table. "I guess this is where that comes in."
He nodded, pulling on a pair of disposable gloves. He opened the envelope and tipped it out into his hand. A small plastic bag fell out, containing an object Jasmine recognized immediately.
It was square, leathery, with a couple of small holes in the middle. It had a conspicuous marking on it, a heart drawn in with permanent marker; a parting gift from her mother, a reminder of the love they shared.
It was the small diamond-shaped patch from her backpack. Just one of those doohickeys which she didn't know the purpose of. She hadn't even realized it was missing from her bag.
"This was found at the top of the clock tower," Barrett said. "We've had it in evidence ever since the day Oliver died, but it wasn't until earlier today that we were able to figure out where it was from. You know what this thing is, don't you?"
She nodded. No point lying. That would only make her look guiltier.
Barrett nodded back. "We have your bag in lockup now. We were able to match this piece up with it. Jasmine, do you have any idea how or why this ended up on the clock tower?"
She shook her head. Meanwhile, her mind and body felt like they were being pulled down a sink hole. Surely, this could not be her reality. It was all some big prank.
"I haven't been on the clock tower since initiation," she said. "I always wanted to go back up, but I guess I never found the time."
"I believe you," said Barrett. "But there's no proof that you're telling the truth."
"And there's no proof that I'm not," she said. "If you have a witness, then they're obviously lying."
She felt something wet against her arm. Looking down, she saw Luffy staring up at her with begging eyes. She threw him another treat; he turned around and chased it across the small room.
"We don't have a witness," Barrett admitted.
"Good. How about this patch from my bag? How did you know it was mine?"
"An anonymous source. We can't give out the identity of the person, Jasmine. You understand, right?"
"I understand that we're wasting our time," said Jasmine. "We both know I didn't kill Oliver."
"But knowing is half the battle. We have to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that you couldn't have done it."
Jasmine threw herself back in her chair, howling with anger.
"Sorry," Barrett said.
"So, I'm just a suspect now?" she asked. "Is that it? You asked me to help you, and that was what I was trying to do. Now look what has happened! You want the information I've been able to gather or what?"
Barrett nodded. "It would be helpful."
Jasmine smiled nastily. "Yeah, and it would be helpful to not be in jail. But that's just too bad, huh?"
"So, you're not going to tell me?"
"Not until I'm free?"
Barrett winced. "Jasmine, there's no need to be petty."
"But pettiness is all I have left. You brought this on yourself, Barrett. I suggest you get to work on trying to exonerate me, or else your case on Oliver Bridges isn't going anywhere."
Barrett shook his head. "Jasmine, think of the boy's parents. Think of their pain. Do you really want to hold back information?"
She nodded, steeling herself. She set her jaw and made her eyes go cold. It was a flimsy bluff. Anyone who had known her longer than a week or two would know she had no intention of messing up the investigation. But Barrett didn't know that, and maybe it would light a fire under his butt. Maybe it would get her out of here in time. And if not... then she would just have to spill the beans.
As far as Barrett went, she felt terrible about manipulating him. He was a good man, and a good cop. He could have easily threatened her with a charge of interfering with an investigation, but he didn't even bring it up.
"I guess this is one of those stalemates, huh?" he said.
"I guess so."
"There's nothing I can do to convince you?"
She fed Luffy the last treat and didn't answer.
***
"You have a visitor."
Jasmine looked up from her depressed stupor and saw Joe Sanderson standing there outside her cell, his slender fingers wrapped around the bars. She stood up and moved toward him.
"Joe!" she said. "I was hoping you would show up."
He smiled. "I tried finding you at Wildwood. Some old bald guy told me you were in here."
"Keller," said Jasmine. "Did he say anything else? Was he acting weird?"
Joe shrugged. "Sorry. I don't have the same eye for people that you do."
He was right, in a literal way. Even now, he could barely meet her eyes. She thought that was some part of him was still locked away in a private little cave of his own making. Perhaps even the majority of him.
"Why are you here?" Jasmine asked.
"I thought you might want some help," he replied. "I don't know what, but I'd feel pretty bad if I didn't come."
Jasmine sighed. "Thanks, Joe. No one else has come."
He smiled a little at that. "Now that I'm here, I guess I don't really know what I'm supposed to say. Or do. Tell me, Jasmine. Please. You helped me out a lot. Now you need my help, and there's nothing..."
Jasmine touched his hand where it was wrapped around the bars.
"There are two things you can do," she said. "And I promise they'll be enough. You don't have to keep feeling like you owe me anything, Joe. I brought you with me to New Market so you could have a second chance, not so I could have someone who's constantly beholden to me."
&
nbsp; He nodded slowly. "Okay. I understand. What are the two things?"
Jasmine eyed the officer, who was standing about eight feet away. Still well within range of hearing, but the woman was back to looking bored and tired. A cup of coffee or a nap were probably the chief thoughts in her mind. It was doubtful she had any interest in what the detainee and her visitor were talking about, so long as no physical altercation took place.
"You can tell me what happened between you and Lyle Bridges," Jasmine said.
It was a crapshoot. All she knew was that Joe had made some kind of scene at Pineapple; whether or not it involved Lyle directly was up in the air. But she desperately wanted to start putting some pieces of the puzzle together, for her sanity if for no other reason.
Joe looked at the floor. "How did you hear about that?"
"Officer Barrett," said Jasmine. "He heard a tip from the restaurant."
"I don't want to get in trouble," Joe replied. "I doubt they would take it very easy on me in here. I don't think most people see me as human, Jasmine."
"But I do, and you're telling me. So, what happened?"
He sighed. "I went in to ask for a job. The hostess sort of chuckled at me. She looked at me like I was a sideshow act, or something. She did hand me an application, but her attitude told me not to bother."
"Let me guess," Luffy said. "You bothered."
Joe continued a moment later of his own accord. "I came back with the application half an hour later. I had fixed my hair, changed my clothes out for a set that wasn't so dirty. I thought maybe they would take pity on me. The hostess wasn't there, but a man in a suit was standing at the counter helping a server with drinks. I waited until he wasn't so busy, then I handed my application over and thanked him."
"Was this man Lyle Bridges?" Jasmine asked.
Joe nodded. "I saw his nametag, but it didn't mean anything to me. As you can probably imagine, I'm a bit behind on current events. I could obviously see that Pineapple was a nice place, but I had no idea it was some kind of world class establishment."
"I assume he rejected you," said Jasmine.
"He did more than that," Joe replied, his grip tightening on the bars of the cell. "He told me the hostess had made a mistake in handing me an application. He balled it up and threw it in the trash and told me to leave. Guess what I did next? You probably want to say I ran away. But I didn't do that. I got angry. Angrier than I've been in years. It wasn't the first time I'd been turned down, but Lyle was the only one to do it so bluntly. Maybe I should have respected that. Maybe I should have been glad he didn't get my hopes up. Obviously no place wants to hire someone like me."