The Gentlemen's Hour

99

“Will I be in trouble?” she asks.

She sits in the passenger seat next to Boone in the Starbucks parking lot and chews on a strand of hair in her mouth. She looks young to Boone. Awfully young.

“For what?” he asks.

“Lying to the police.”

“You didn’t exactly lie,” Boone says. “I think it can be worked out.”

She chews the hair more vigorously, then breaks it down for him. She didn’t see Corey throw that punch. She heard the punch, she thinks, looked around, and saw the man on the sidewalk. Some guys were getting in their car and driving away. She cradled the injured man in her arms and called 911.

“I had blood all over me,” she says.

Later, when the cop was talking to her, he asked her if she saw Corey hit Kelly—the cop told her that was the man’s name—and she said yes. She thought that’s what happened, she said, and she just wanted to help Kelly.

“But you’ll tell the truth now?” Boone asks. “It might not be necessary, but if it is, you’ll tell the police what you told me just now?”

She lowers her head, but she nods.

“Thanks, Jill.”

She opens the door. “Do you want something? A latte or something? I can get you a free latte if you want.”

“I’m good.”

“Okay.”

He waits for her to get inside, then calls Pete and arranges for her and Alan to meet him at the jail.