“Did you come here to talk about him?”
“If you want to talk.”
Chaybree dropped her head to her chest. Silently, she began to cry.
CHAPTER 48
MORGAN
The decor in the iconic diner hadn’t changed in about forty years. Jenny Delacourt sat across the table with a yellow paisley scarf pulled over her hair and tied at her chin. She kept her black puffy down coat zipped to her chin. One sleeve end was empty. With her scarred bent hand she caressed the warm cup of coffee in front of her.
Morgan felt bad about how she’d had gotten Jenny Delacourt’s case files. She’d reported a fellow officer and gotten Stan suspended. After Chaybree’s arrest for prostitution six months ago, Stan put her up in his apartment—appearing to do this from the generosity of his heart. He didn’t ask for rent. However, Chaybree told Morgan that he stopped by three or four times a week to collect. And rent involved sexual favors.
Jenny Delacourt looked down into the cup, but her waxy features were hard to read. The thin lips of her mouth had been pulled tight, stretched across her face in an expression of mirth, or disdain. Or pain. Though scar tissue was minimal, the skin along her cheekbone was uneven and translucent in places, bumpy and red in others, suggesting an unfinished series of surgeries. “It’s been almost six years. Six difficult years.”
“I can only imagine.” Sitting with one butt cheek on the bench, Morgan Jewell leaned across a Formica table. She and Donnie were sharing the small booth bench, so she couldn’t sit all the way on it. He had come along to appease Morgan, though he doubted that Jenny’s case had anything to do with Hallie Marks. She thought he was also here to temper her questions.
“I know it was a long time ago, but can you think of anything you didn’t tell the police? Anything at all?” Jammed against the wall, Donnie leaned back with his arms crossed over his ribcage because there was no place else to put them. The table pressed against his belly, and even though he had taken his jacket off, he had no room move.
“Look, I told them everything. Everything I wanted to,” Jenny said.
Morgan jumped right into her questions. “Nathaniel Johnson was the accountant for Beauty Blossoms. You worked there at the time. What do you remember about him?”
“The accountant?” Jenny shook her head. “He was a quiet guy.”
“Anything else?” Donnie asked.
Jenny’s mouth turned downward. “I didn’t have any involvement with him. My boss met with him a few times. Why?”
“What about Ekhard Klein? Have you ever met a man with that name?”
“No.” Jenny answered softly.
More forcefully, Morgan asked, “Then who attacked you?”
Jenny and Donnie simultaneously gave Morgan disapproving looks. Donnie shifted one inch. Maybe two. His untouched coffee splashed the table when he uncrossed his arms then crossed them again.
Donnie said in his mellow voice, “Your boyfriend Robert Montano may have been abusive, but he didn’t do that to you, did he? We need to know, Jenny, because there are others. Other women who weren’t as lucky as you. Others who died.”
Jenny’s mouth twitched. “Lucky? You call this lucky? Look at me. I’m a monster. I can’t get a job. I don’t have enough money to afford a prosthetic.” She waved the hollow sleeve in the air, then hid it under the table self-consciously. “I’m not lucky. Do you know how many times I’ve wished I died?”
“Who attacked you?” Impatient, Morgan asked again. Lack of sleep had made her edgy. Irritable. But lately she knew that what kept her awake at night wasn’t Hallie or Suzanne. It was her obsession with finding Fay’s killer.
Jenny shook her head no, causing the scarf to shift back and expose another scar along her hairline.
“Robert Montano wasn’t the one, was he?” Donnie asked, much more gently than Morgan could.
Jenny’s thin lips were slightly parted.
Morgan fidgeted and stomped her foot on the floor. “Either you’re withholding evidence because you’re frightened, or it’s something else. And that would be obstruction of justice, Ms. Delacourt. How about we get a warrant for your arrest. We can take you into the station. We can force you to talk.”
Donnie shifted again, nearly pushing his partner onto the floor. “Come on Morgan, let’s get out of here. She’s not going to tell us.”
Morgan hopped to her feet. Standing at the end of the table, she pleaded. “Come on, Jenny. My partner and I are trying to solve more than one murder. We don’t want to take you to the station, but if we have to, we will.” She knew Jenny was holding back. She could see her holding her breath.
Jenny sat back and looked down at her lap. The scarf hid her face entirely from view. “It wasn’t what you think.”
Donnie scooted to the edge of the bench.
“Place her under arrest, Donnie. Get this over with,” Morgan said, infuriated.
“No, wait.” Jenny looked up.
Donnie posed the question, “What are you so afraid of, Jenny?”
“I was cheating on Robert. He’ll leave me if he finds out. I still see him, you know. He still loves me, even with …” Her hand flew up to cover her face. She wiped tears from the corners of her green eyes with a crooked finger.
Anticipation choked the breath from Morgan. She waited for the confession with her gaze locked on Jenny’s destroyed face.
“Robert has been very kind. What I did to him was … it was unforgivable. I never wanted to break his heart,” Jenny continued.
“He almost went to jail because of you.” Donnie slid to the edge of the seat.
Morgan found the notebook in her pocket and encouraged Jenny to go on. “You were seeing someone else, weren’t you? Montano is a jealous man, and you’re afraid he’ll leave you.”
“He paid for some of my surgeries.”
“Who was it?” Morgan asked. “Who were you seeing?”
“Please. Robert’s love is the only thing that keeps me going. If he finds out …” Jenny looked from Donnie to Morgan and back again. “His name is Greg Trevesani. He’s a close friend of Robert’s.”
Morgan’s jaw went slack. Cold fingers of realization crept down her spine. I was wrong.
“You were having an affair with this … Trevesani?” Donnie rocked the table as he pushed himself out of the booth. His untouched coffee slopped out of the cup, making a brown puddle and soaking into a napkin.
Morgan lowered her spiral notebook. What had she been thinking?
Jenny pleaded, “Yes, but Robert can never find out, do you hear. He will kill us.”
“Seriously? Trevesani did this to you? Why have you protected him all this time?” Donnie snatched his jacket off the nearby hook and put it back on.
“He’s Robert’s best friend. I couldn’t destroy Robert like that. He still loves me.” Tears trickled down to her chin.
Disappointed, Morgan slid the notebook back into her pocket. “You should turn him in. He damn near killed you.”
“I think about him every time I look in the mirror. God had a reason for letting me live.”
Morgan said, “I hope I you’re happy with that decision.”
Donnie turned to go. “Thanks for your time, Jenny.”
* * *
Back at Donnie’s car, Morgan checked her ponytail in the reflection of the window. The woman gazing back at her had dark circles under her eyes. She smoothed her hair and reached for the door handle, waiting for Donnie to chew her out. Lieutenant Holbrook had questioned Morgan with the impossibility of a connection between Jenny Delacourt and Hallie Marks, like Donnie and Stan had. Why didn’t I listen?
“Ekhard Klein had nothing to do with Jenny’s attack.” he said opening the driver-side door.
Morgan climbed in beside him, embarrassed and worn out. “Sorry about that. I really thought …” She looked out the window.
“Mo, it’s not your fault. We’ll find Ekhard.” He put the keys in the ignition. “Focus on him.”
“I
can’t believe she didn’t report Trevesani.” Morgan shook her head in disgust.
“I’ll dig around for dirt on him. There must be something else we can arrest that fucker for.”
“It would be the right thing to do.” Morgan said.
CHAPTER 49
CARYN
On Friday night, Caryn arrived at Quincey’s Pub. Ekhard sat at the bar, working on a near-empty glass of bourbon.
She slid up onto the stool next to him and told the bartender with a braided goatee and tattoos covering his arms that she’d have the same.
Ekhard had grown his beard and hair. He wore a navy-blue baseball cap pulled low on his forehead, shading his features. When he saw Caryn, he wound up tight like a spring. “What are you doing here?”
“Sorry I’m late,” she said, removing her coat and scarf.
Football news was on the overhead TV. Sportscasters were comparing teams in the NFL West. With a hand on his glass and his eyes on the screen, he said under his breath, “You shouldn’t be here.”
Caryn smiled and took a long sip of her bourbon. “Nice to see you too.”
Ekhard pulled his cap down, then leaned toward Caryn. In a low whisper, he said, “Someone is bound to connect us.”
Caryn leaned back and squawked, “So this is all on me?”
The bartender stared at them with his arms crossed.
Ekhard’s gaze stayed riveted on the television. He kept his voice low. “Who else would it be on, Ceecee? You shouldn’t be here,” he repeated.
She patted Ekhard’s back.
He spun in an instant and slapped her hand away, seething.
“Hey!” She cried out.
“I don’t want you near me.” His arm remained in the air with his hand fisted, poised, and ready for offensive maneuvers. She had only seen rage in her brother once before. The smell of bourbon took her back to the place where it began. Her brows drew together, framing her burning green eyes.
Tight as a piano string, Ekhard’s fist remained cocked in the air. “Too much time has passed. Too much stands between us now. There’s way too much at stake.”
“Is everything okay here?” The hulky bartender picked up Ekhard’s empty glass.
Ekhard lowered his fist. “Everything’s fine.”
The bartender looked from Caryn back to Ekhard.
“I should get going. Could you bring me the tab?” Ekhard pushed his empty glass toward the bartender.
When the bartender stepped to his register, Caryn asked, “How’s Hallie?”
Ekhard turned, eyes flashing a warning. “Don’t.”
Caryn played a note. “Ekhard?”
Ekhard nodded. “You’re a cold-hearted bitch. Just like Mom.”
Caryn glared at her brother. He is wrong! With eye contact, she soaked up his fury and let it feed her own. “And don’t put this all on me,” she said. “I stopped playing your game a long time ago.”
Ekhard said, “I can never forgive you for what you’ve done.”
When the bartender came back with Ekhard’s bill, she gestured to her glass and asked him, “Did you add this one to it?”
He looked at Ekhard for confirmation.
“Sure.” Eks nodded at him. When he’d gone again, Ekhard dropped his gaze to the floor. “Don’t contact me again. I can’t be connected with you.”
“Geez, Eks. You’re such a drama queen. Nothing’s changed, has it? You’re still the same skittish kid.” Drawing her hands up and shaking them, Caryn mocked him.
It pissed him off. “And you’re still a control freak.”
“Admittedly.”
Ekhard slapped cash on the bar and shook his finger in Caryn’s face. “Stop coming around. Stay away from me, do you hear?”
Caryn didn’t confirm or deny. She just smiled and shook her head.
Ekhard slapped cash on the bar and stormed out of the building. It wouldn’t be the last time she saw him.
CHAPTER 50
CARYN: 22 Years Ago
Caryn reached for her alarm clock. The blaring awakened painful, pounding throbs in her head. She sniffed. Once the alarm was dead, she rolled onto her back again and swallowed. I am not going to school. She had woken up with a cold.
A knock on her door woke her after she had dozed off again. “Hey! You up?” Ekhard entered her room. “What are you doing? Get out of bed. You’re making me late.”
“I’m sick.” Caryn rolled onto her side.
“Yeah, right. Get up. I’m giving you twenty minutes.” He slammed the door.
As she pushed her body upright, she realized that she wouldn’t make it for five minutes at school. Her skin ached, her head throbbed, and her throat was raw. But she had a test today in fourth period pre-calc.
After climbing into jeans and a yellow hoodie, she made her way downstairs where Ekhard was waiting for her in the kitchen. He had his backpack thrown over his shoulder and keys in his hand. He handed her a cup of coffee. “Where’re your shoes?”
“Oh crap.” She’d left them upstairs.
“I’ll get them.” Ekhard slammed his keys down on the counter, then hopped toward the stairway. “I need to be at school early. I told you that.”
She shouted back, “No you didn’t.”
It was just like Eks to yell at her for something he’d forgot to tell her. He blamed her for his inadequacies. And in Caryn’s opinion he had more shortcomings than virtues.
She piled books into her purple backpack and thought of her dad. He had bought it for her at the beginning of sixth grade. Now it was torn around the corners and had a quarter-sized hole in the bottom. She wondered if it would last through the school year.
Dad had told her, “Do well in school, Ceecee. Don’t be like your mother and waste your life. Make something of yourself. Make me proud.” That was when she was in third grade, right after she’d clawed Ellen’s face. It was the last time he discussed school.
Ekhard bounded down the stairs with Caryn’s shoes in his hand. “Put them on. I’m picking up Suzanne on the way.”
“Doesn’t she have a ride?” Caryn croaked through the phlegm in her throat.
“You sound like shit.”
“I told you I have a cold.”
“If you’re sick, you won’t be able to go with me this afternoon.” Ekhard was referring to his interview with an admissions counselor at Butler University.
“Yes I will.” Caryn was his coach. She wanted to be there.
“Well … I might not go today.” Ekhard opened the door for his sister.
“You have to go. They’ll accept you to the university if you can raise your GPA by just half a point.”
“Suzanne wants me to go to a movie with her tonight.”
Caryn climbed into the passenger side of Ekhard’s 1979 Datsun. She pushed aside numerous crumpled-up bags from Hardee’s piled on the floor to make room for her feet. Dad had bought the car for Eks the instant he got his driver’s license so he didn’t have to chauffeur them around anymore. It was gray, inside and out, and smelled like old French fries.
“What time is the movie?” she asked.
“Later.” Ekhard started the car. He pulled out of the garage and drove down the street without answering any further.
“So?” Caryn cleared her throat. It felt like she’d swallowed broken glass. “The admissions meeting is at four o’clock.”
Ekhard gripped the wheel with a hard look on his face. Caryn recognized his way of dealing with anger.
“Ekhard?”
When he didn’t respond, she continued. “Your future is more important than that stupid girl. Secure your spot at that college. In four years, you won’t be with her, but you will have an education.”
“I don’t care.”
“She’s no excuse not to go. Meet with that counselor. If you blow it off …” This conversation pissed her off. “Goddammit, Eks! That bitch has you tied up so tight you’re like her little marionette.”
“I am not,” he whined.
“Wh
en she says jump, you jump.” Caryn said with a cough.
Ekhard bit his lip. He stopped at a red light and hung his head.
“Are you sick too?”
As an answer, he wiped his nose on his sleeve and looked out the window to his left.
“Ekhard?”
“What?” The light turned green, and he accelerated. Ekhard white-knuckled the steering wheel as they approached Suzanne’s neighborhood. “She said she’d break up with me if I don’t go with her.”
This was cheerful news to Caryn. “Great. Then break up with her.”
“I can’t.”
“Ekhard, why do you have to stay with her? She isn’t worth it. Think about your future.”
“I can’t help it. I have to do what she says.” Tears streamed down his face. He sniffled and wiped his chin with his sleeve.
“Does she really have that much control over you? What is she lording over you?”
Ekhard pulled off the road and parked. He wiped the tears from his cheeks with his bare hands. “Remember those track-team kids two years ago?”
“The guy in the car fire?” Caryn remembered.
“Yeah. Well, he keyed my car. In fact, he humiliated me every day in the locker room. I had to get back at him somehow.”
She hadn’t known. “You did that?” She waited for the punch line.
Ekhard nodded.
Caryn connected the dots like easy addition.
“Suzanne knows I stuffed socks into his exhaust pipe. She knows it’s my fault that his car blew up,” he whimpered.
“She’s blackmailing you.” Caryn couldn’t keep the stream of indignation from spilling off her tongue. “You idiot. Why would you tell her that? I didn’t even know. Me. Your sister. How could you tell her and not me?”
Ekhard didn’t move.
“I knew she was using you, but I couldn’t figure out what hold she had on you.”
“It’s that, okay?” Ekhard wiped his nose on his sleeve.
Caryn bored a hole in the side of Ekhard’s head with her gaze. “Telling her was the stupidest thing you’ve ever done.”
Ekhard nodded. Beside the car, green grass sprouted from the dormant ground. Tree branch tips swelled with new buds. The sun rose in a blue sky. Along the brick wall surrounding Suzanne’s neighborhood, yellow and white daffodils sparkled with dew.
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