See No Evil

TWENTY-SIX

Julia still felt uncomfortable with the plan to use Emily, but she went along with it. Connor wouldn’t jeopardize her life. Will Hooper was escorting her to the airport along with a female police officer who would be on the plane with her.

But she only had five minutes alone with her niece as they waited outside the judge’s chambers.

“Are you okay?” Julia asked for what seemed like the hundredth time.

“I’m okay, Aunt Jules.”

“Carina is nice. She’s testified for me a couple times. You’ll like her.”

“Stop worrying about me.”

“I can’t help it. You’ve been through so much.”

“I screwed up.”

“No, you didn’t.”

“Yes, I did. I didn’t tell you or anyone about what Victor did to me. If I had just said something, none of this would have happened. I hated him. I wanted him dead. But, you know what, I’m sorry he’s dead. If that makes any sense at all.”

“It makes a lot of sense to me.” She hugged her niece. “When you come home, when all this is over, do you want to come live with me?”

Emily looked surprised. “You want me to live with you? I thought you were too busy.”

“What gave you that idea?”

“Mom said you gave up the custody battle because you were too busy to be bothered with a little kid.”

The pain in Emily’s eyes brought tears to Julia’s. “Damn her!” Julia swallowed. “No. After your dad died, I gave up the custody battle to protect your inheritance. That’s why Crystal and Victor were never able to get their hands on your money. But I realize that was a mistake.”

“Why?”

“Money doesn’t matter. It’s not worth the pain and betrayal that comes with it. But I thought you’d resent me if I fought for you and in the process lost everything your father wanted for your future. Matt wanted to protect you, to make sure you had everything you needed so you could create your own life.” She touched Emily’s cheek. She was struck by how much Emily looked like a Chandler. Emily was Matt’s daughter, through and through.

“I understand, Aunt Jules. Dad wanted me to have any future I wanted. Right now, I don’t know what I want. I mean, I’ll be seventeen next month, I should know. You did. Dad always told me you knew exactly who you were and where you were going.”

Julia’s heart swelled painfully. “Oh God, I miss your dad.”

“Me, too.”

Julia hugged her niece. She would never let her go again, even if it meant fighting Crystal in court.

The door opened and Connor walked in with Will Hooper, Dillon, and a female plainclothes cop Julia vaguely recognized. Will introduced her as Rachel Vasquez. She smiled at Emily, revealing deep dimples in both cheeks. “Ready to go hit on some cute pilots?”

Emily grinned. “Air force or marines?”

Rachel laughed. Connor squeezed Julia’s shoulder as Will said, “It’s a go. Chief Causey is giving his statement to the media. I’m taking Rachel and Emily to the airport.”

“Emily,” Julia said, “does the name Michelle O’Dell mean anything to you?”

Her niece shook her head.

“No. What about Jason Ridge or Shannon Chase?”

Emily thought, then shook her head again. “No, I don’t think so.”

“Jason was a football player who died from steroid use last year. He may have been on Wishlist.”

“Why do you say that?” Will asked.

“I spoke to his mother today. It didn’t go well, but she recognized the Wishlist name.”

Will’s phone rang. He excused himself and left the room.

Julia pulled Michelle’s photo out of her purse. “Emily, do you know this girl?”

She looked at the picture. “No.”

Connor grabbed it. “She was at Bowen’s party Saturday night. She came on to me.”

“She hit on you?” Julia asked, incredulous.

“Her name was, shit, let me think.” He closed his eyes. “Cami.”

“Cami?” Julia asked, frowning. “Was she wearing a red dress?”

“Yes.”

Julia tapped the picture. “This person you call Cami is Michelle O’Dell. I spoke to her not an hour ago and she said she was at Stanford all weekend.”

Will walked in and looked at Emily. “Do you know Dennis Richardson? Nickname Skip? He’s a senior at your school.”

Emily nodded. Julia took her hand. “Why?”

“He was stabbed to death in his bedroom sometime last night,” Will said. “Gage is already on-site.”

“It’s all unraveling and it’s your fault.”

The bitch paced. He wanted to kill her.

His voice was calm. “It’s under control.”

“Where’s that psychotic kid? What’s her name, Faye?”

“I don’t know,” he lied. “I haven’t seen her.”

Damn if he was going to sic this bitch on Faye. Not when she was so weak. If Faye was at full strength, there’d be no contest. Faye would win. It’s why he loved her. No matter what life threw at her, she survived. Damaged, maybe, but she’d go on. He’d kill himself before he’d let the bitch see Faye in her current weakened state, and there was no way in hell he’d kill himself.

“She butchered Skip. Butchered him. She’s not right in the head. You’d better not be protecting her. She’s our trump card. She’ll do anything to protect you, even confess to everything. And with Robbie and Skip gone, it’s all we need.”

She stared at him. “Tell her that. To save you, she needs to confess.”

“I told you, I haven’t seen her.”

She stepped toward him. “And I told you, I don’t believe you.”

Faye hadn’t stayed put like he commanded. She was listening from the upstairs hallway. He loves me. He was protecting her, even jeopardizing his own life, his own freedom, just for her.

He truly loves me.

She knew what to do.

Creeping down the upstairs hall, she took two more of the pills he’d been feeding her throughout the day. Though she didn’t know what they were, they made her feel better. She wished she had clothes. He’d burned the bloodied stuff she’d worn when she killed Skip. Now she searched his drawers and closet until she found an old faded T-shirt shrunk enough to fit her, and some running shorts where she could tie the drawstring tight around her waist. It would be enough to get her home. There, Faye could change before finishing the plan.

She went back downstairs and slipped out the back door.

But the bitch was right: Faye knew she had to confess. And she would, to protect him.

She only regretted that she wouldn’t be able to say good-bye.

Two hours later, Faye Kessler walked into the police station and said, “I killed Victor Montgomery.”