First to Die

Chapter 102

I THINK WE ROCKED ALL NIGHT. We laughed some, cried some. I don't even remember how I woke up in bed. The following day, I barely left his touch. With all that was threatening, all that seemed uncertain, I felt so safe and sure in his arms. I never wanted to leave. But something else happened during that weekend -apart from Negli's, apart from Chris and me. Something gripping, invading my sense of comfort and security. It was something Jacobi had said that planted the thought. One of those thrown-out remarks you didn't pay much attention to but somehow got filed away in your mind. Then it comes back at the oddest time, with more force and logic than before. It was Sunday night. The weekend was over. Chris had driven me home. Hard as it was to leave him, I needed to be alone for a while, to take inventory of the weekend, to figure out what I would do next. I unpacked, made some tea, curled up on my couch with Her Sweetness. My mind wandered to the murder case. Nicholas Jenks was behind me now. Only the countless reports to fill out. Even though he was still ranting about being set up. it was just more insanity, more lies. It was then that Jacobi's words snaked into my brain. Good collaj; he'd said, early Tuesday morning. He had that annoying, persistent look in his eyes. Just remember, he'd called after me, it was the champagne match, that got you. on your way… Why do you think Jenks left that champagne? I was barely paying attention. Jenks was locked away. The case was a slam dunk. I was thinking about the night before, and Chris. I stopped on the stairs and turned to him. I don't fe now Warren. We've been over this. Heat of the moment, maybe. You're right. He nodded. That must be why he didn't ball up the jacket and take it with him, too. I looked at him, like, Why are we going through this now? Jenfes needed a clean tux jacket to get out of the hotel undetected. The DNA match on the hair made it all academic, anyway. Then he said it. You ever read the whole book? he asked. Which book? Jenfes's boo fe Always a Bridesmaid. The parts that matter, I replied. Why? He said, I don't fe now it just sort of stuck with me. Like I said, my wife happens to be a fan. There were some copies of the manuscript around, so I took one home. It was interesting how it all came out in the end. I looked at him, trying to figure out where all this was heading. It was a setup, Jacob! said. This Phillip Campbell guy, he gets off. He pins the whole thing on someone else. Days later, Warren's words came creeping back into my mind. A setup. He pins the whole thing on someone else. It was ridiculous, I told myself, that I was even dignifying this scenario, running through it in my mind. Everything was solid, airtight. Setup, I found myself thinking again. "I must be an idiot," I said aloud. "Jenks is clinging to any story he can to wiggle his way out of this." I got up, brought my tea into the bathroom, began to wash my face. In the morning I would tell Cheery about my disease. I had some time coming. I would face this thing head-on. Now that the case was complete, it was the right time. Now that the case was complete! I went into the bedroom, ripped the tags off a "Little Bit of Heaven," a T-shirt Chris had bought me. I got into bed, and Martha came around for her hug. Memories of the weekend began to drift in my head. I closed my eyes. I could hardly wait to share it with the girls. Then a thought from out of the blue hit me. I shot up as if I'd had a nightmare. I stiffened. "Oh, no. Oh, Jesus, no," I whispered. When Jenks had lunged at me at his house, he had swung with his left hand. When he'd offered me a drink, he'd picked up the pitcher with his left hand. Impossible, I thought. This can't be happening. Claire was certain David Brandt's killer had been right handed.