Page 116 of Hard Evidence
“Can’t they reassign you?”
“It doesn’t work that way.And even if it did, this place is bursting at the seams.”
Shiro pressed his face against my leg, and I scratched his head.He understood something was wrong, and he wanted to offer comfort in the only way he knew how.
“Ari said you’d be getting out.That there’s a new witness who saw the flowers on Ruby’s grave, and they can’t continue holding you.”
“Special Agent Rimer kept asking about a card.Why wasn’t there a card on the flowers?How do they know it was the same plant?”
“How do they know it wasn’t?”
“That’s exactly what my lawyer said.There’s no way it would hold up in court, but we think they’re stalling for time until they get the autopsy results.”
“Why are they doing this?Why?”
“Special Agent Rimer more or less said that she has suspicions Levi didn’t act alone.”
“What?They think he teamed up with a friend to…commit murder?”
“I guess.”
“That’s insane.Did she question you back when Ruby died?”
“They questioned all of us, but it was her partner who did the talking.He never once suggested it might have been a team effort.”
“Then why is she saying that now?”
“I don’t know.Just hang in there, okay?They can’t hold me here forever, and my lawyer also suggested it might be a publicity stunt.”
“Like, they have to be seen arresting someone, even if it’s the wrong person?”
“Action is better than inaction.Is the crowd still outside the house?”
“Yes, but it’s gotten smaller.They lost interest in me after you were arrested, plus it’s raining, which helped a bit.”
“Do you have anyone with you?”
“Violet’s here, and Ari.Dawson went with Marion to get groceries.”She’d been so lovely bringing food, but she never paid full price for anything, and we were running out of the staples because they weren’t discounted this week.“He’s going to park next door and bring the bags in through the back gate.”
Ari was in the den, watching an old surveillance video from Blackstone House, just hours and hours of nothing happening.When I asked what she was looking for, she’d said she wasn’t sure.
“Tell them thanks,” Justin said.“Are you okay for money?”
Yes and no.Obviously, I had no money of my own.But Ari had handed me a debit card, and then I’d received an email with details of my new checking account, which I’d figured was a scam, but apparently it wasn’t, and the balance was ten thousand dollars.Nobody would tell me where it came from.Of course I couldn’t spend it, but I didn’t want to burden Justin with my financial worries.
“The others are taking care of me.”
“I know they might be slightly unorthodox, but they’re good people.”
In that moment, I agreed with him.An hour later, the story would be very different.
“They are.”
“I have to go, but I’ll call again when I can.”His voice dropped to a whisper.“Thank you for standing by me.”
“You were there for me when I had nowhere else to go.”
“Jessie, I love?—”
