We'll Meet Again

56

“This time I came alone,” Jenna announced, as she phoned Molly from her car. “Just let me in for a few minutes.”

“Jen, you’re sweet, but I begged off from Dr. Daniels, and that took doing. I know it’s only nine o’clock, but my eyes are closing. I really just want to go to bed.”

“Fifteen minutes-that’s all I ask for.”

“Oh, Jen,” Molly said with a sigh. “You win. Come on in. Just be careful. There were some reporters hanging around this afternoon, and I bet Cal wouldn’t be happy to see his wife and the notorious Molly Lasch in the same picture on the front page of the tabloids.”

She opened the door cautiously, and Jenna slipped in. “Oh, Molly,” Jenna said as she hugged her. “I’m so sorry you’re going through this.”

“You’re my only friend,” Molly said, then quickly added, “No, that’s not true. Fran Simmons is in my corner.”

“Fran’s called about setting up an appointment, but we haven’t connected yet. Cal promised me he’d give her an appointment, and I understand she’s already scheduled to come up here to talk to Peter tomorrow.”

“I know she said she wanted to talk to all of you. I want you to feel free to say anything you want to her. I trust her not to hurt me.”

They went into the family room, where Molly had a fire going. “I have something figured out,” she said. “In this very large house, I live in three rooms-the kitchen, my bedroom, and here. When-and if-this is all over, I’m going to get a smaller place.”

“I think that’s a good idea,” Jenna said, nodding in agreement.

“Of course, as you know, the State of Connecticut has other plans for me, and if they have their way, I’ll be in a very small cell.”

“Molly!” Jenna protested.

“I’m sorry.” Molly sat back and studied her friend. “You look great. Basic black suit-an Escada, isn’t it? Heels. Understated but gorgeous jewelry. Where have you been, or is it where are you going?”

“A business lunch. Corporate stuff. I took a late train home. I left my car at the station this morning, and tonight I came directly here. I’ve been feeling rotten all day. Molly, I’m terribly worried about you.”

Molly attempted a smile. “I’m terribly worried about me too.”

They were sitting side by side on the couch, a cushion-width apart. Molly leaned forward, her hands clasped. “Jen, your husband is convinced that I murdered Gary, isn’t he?”

“Yes,” Jenna said quietly.

“And he’s also convinced I stabbed Annamarie Scalli to death.”

Jenna did not answer.

“I know he is,” Molly continued. “You know what you mean to me, but, Jen, do me a favor-don’t bring Cal around anymore. The only place I can call a sanctuary is this house. I don’t need enemies in it.”

Molly glanced sideways at her friend. “Oh Jen, don’t start crying on me. It has nothing to do with us. We’re still the girls from Cranden Academy, aren’t we?”

“You bet we are,” Jenna said as she impatiently brushed her eyes with the back of her hand. “But Molly, Cal isn’t the enemy. He wants to call in other lawyers, top-drawer criminal experts, to work with Philip in preparing an insanity defense for you.”

“An insanity defense?”

“Molly,” Jenna burst out, “don’t you realize that a murder conviction could mean life imprisonment for you? Especially on top of the earlier conviction? We can’t let that happen.”

“No, we can’t,” Molly said, standing. “Jen, come into Gary ’s study with me.”

The light was off in the study. Molly switched it on, then deliberately switched it off again. “Last night after all of you left, I went up to bed, but I couldn’t sleep. About midnight, I came down here-and you know something? When I turned on the light, just as I did now, I could remember doing the same thing when I came home from the Cape that Sunday night. I’m sure now that the light in the study was out when I got here, Jenna. I would swear to that!”

“What does that mean, Molly?”

“Think about it. Gary was at his desk. There were papers on it, so he must have been working. It was nighttime. He must have had the light on. If I’m right about remembering that I came home, opened this door, and then turned the light on, it means that whoever killed Gary had turned it off. Don’t you see?”

“Molly,” Jenna murmured, her voice calm but protesting.

“Yesterday I told Dr. Daniels that I remembered something from that night about a door and a lock.”

Molly turned to face her friend and saw the disbelief in her eyes. Her shoulders sagged. “Today, Mrs. Barry said that the spare key we hid in the garden had been in the house for weeks. She said it was there because one day I forgot my key. But I don’t remember that either.”

“Molly, let Cal bring in lawyers to assist Philip in preparing your defense,” Jenna begged. “He spoke to a couple of the best of them today. They’re both very experienced in presenting psychiatric defenses, and we really think they could help you.” She saw the look of distress in her friend’s face. “At least think about it.”

“Maybe that’s why I was dreaming about a door and a lock,” Molly said grimly, ignoring Jenna’s suggestion. “Maybe I have a choice: a locked prison cell or a locked room in an institution.”

“Molly, come on,” Jenna said, standing, “I’m going to have a cup of tea with you, then I am going to let you get to bed. You say you’re not getting much sleep. Didn’t Dr. Daniels give you anything to help you sleep?”

“He gave me something the other day, and Mrs. Barry came back this afternoon with a prescription that the doctor gave Wally.”

“You shouldn’t take anyone else’s prescription!”

“The label was on it. I know it’s okay. Don’t forget, I was a doctor’s wife, and I did pick up a little knowledge along the way.”

When Jenna left a few minutes later, Molly double locked the front door behind her and stepped on the foot bolt. The sound that the bolt made-something between a click and a snap-made her pause.

Deliberately she repeated raising and lowering the bolt, listening carefully each time, willing her subconscious to supply the reason that familiar household sound was suddenly so chilling.