First to Die

Chapter 117

UPSTAIRS AT MY DESK, I radioed Jacobi. Poor guy, he was still sitting outside Joanna Wade's home at the corner of Filbert and Hyde. "You all right, Warren?" "Nothing that a shower and a couple of hours of sleep wouldn't improve." "Tell me what's going on." "What's going on?" Jacobi recited, as if he were resentfully going over his log. "Four-fifteen yesterday afternoon, target comes out, struts down the block to Gold's Gym. Six-ten, target reemerges, proceeds down block to Pasqua Coffee, comes out with plastic bag. I suspect it's Almond Roast. Goes into the Contempo Casuals boutique, comes out empty. I gotta figure the new fall stuff hasn't arrived yet, Boxer. She makes her way home. Lights go on on the third floor. Is it chicken I smell? I don't know- I'm so fucking hungry I might be dreaming. Lights go out about ten-twenty-five. Since then, she's been doing what I'd like to be doing. Why you got me out here like a rookie, Lindsay?" "Because Nicholas Jenks is going to try to find his ex-wife. He believes she's setting him up. I think he knows that Joanna is the murderer." "You trying to cheer me up, Boxer? Bring meaning into my life?" "Maybe. And how's this… I think she is, too. I want to know immediately if you spot Jenks." Chris Raleigh came in about eight, tossing a surprised look at my bleary eyes and disheveled appearance. "You should try a brush in the morning." "Claire called me at five-ten. I was in the morgue at five thirty." He looked at me funny. "What the hell for?" "It's a little hard to explain. I want you to meet some friends of mine." "Friends? At eight in the morning?" "Uh-huh. My girlfriends." He looked completely confused. "What am I not following here?" "Chris." I seized his arm. "I think we broke the case."