“Oh, really? I never said that? That’s odd. Well, he killed her because she threatened to reveal him, at least that’s what he told me. And also to get back at me, you know. Because I wouldn’t back off.”
“Uh-huh, and what about the truck and the case?”
“He placed them there so the police might come looking for Chip. He bought the truck from Chip two weeks earlier and stole the case from the glove compartment. He used it to get back at him since he played a part in the rape as well. He was the one holding her down.”
Jonathan nods, biting his cheek.
“Listen, I don’t pretend like I know all of Frank’s motives. I just know what I told you.”
Jonathan nods again, then smiles. “Of course.”
He pauses and is almost about to leave when he turns to look at her again. “And what was her last name again? Vera’s? I don’t think you mentioned that.”
Laurie’s eyes narrow.
“I didn’t say that? Huh.”
Jonathan shakes his head. “I would have remembered that. I have a thing with names.”
Laurie pauses. For a second, the two of them stare at one another, sizing each other up. Then her shoulders come down, and she smiles.
“It was Donovan. Her full name was Vera Donovan.”
Jonathan smiles again. “Of course, it was. Thank you so much.”
“Thank you, Detectives.”
Jonathan walks out to Grande, who is waiting in the hallway, shaking her head. “I know I shouldn’t let her go till we have it all verified and have made the calls back home, but that can take days, and I just thought she needed to get back to her children. I, for one, have lost all my suspicion toward her. A story like this, I mean come on, you can’t make that stuff up.”
Jonathan nods and looks down at the small detective. He holds the door for her as they walk out to the elevators. “You’re probably right. You’re probably right.”
He presses the button to the elevator, and as soon as it has arrived and they walk inside, he turns toward her and says, “But I want you to do one thing for me.”
“Yes?”
“The book. The one she said they were reading from while staying at the cabin.”
Grande wrinkles her forehead.
“What about it?”
“I need you to get it for me.”
Grande lifts both eyebrows, and a frown grows between them. “You want the book? Why?”
The elevator dings, and they walk through the lobby and out to their cars. He pulls out the keys to his car.
“Just indulge me with this one, will you?”
She shrugs, then walks to her own police cruiser. “As you wish. I don’t see what you want with an old book, but if that’s what you want, you got it.”
Chapter 57
“Anything else I can get for you, hon?”
Jonathan looks up at Joanne. Her nametag is crooked today, and he wonders if she was in a rush this morning. Maybe she overslept. Her hair looks perfect as always, though, and so does her make up. He tries to imagine her with morning hair and no makeup—just the way God created her. He would like to see her in the morning, would enjoy waking up with her. Jonathan shakes the thought. He had the Mountain for lunch, which is a special Everett Street burger with BBQ pulled pork, onion rings, and creamy coleslaw, and he is kind of full. But the glint in Joanne’s eyes makes him want to buy more. How can he say no to her? He wants to make up excuses to stay longer than just for lunch.
“Any pie today?” he asks.
“I got a key lime and coconut cream pie.”
“Key lime, please.”
“You want some whipped cream on that? I know you have a sweet tooth.”
He smiles gently, feeling his cheeks blush. “Yes, along with coffee, please. And keep it coming. I’m waiting for something, so I have some time to kill.”
Joanne winks. “You got it, sugar.”
He watches her intently as she gets the pie and coffee for him. He puts in some sugar and a little milk, then sips it and eats the pie. A couple enters the diner, and Joanne is busy taking care of them next. He watches her every move while finishing his pie, and then his phone rings.
“Yes?”
“It’s Grande. I have the book you wanted.”
Jonathan smiles. “That was fast. I barely got to finish my pie.”
“Do you want me to bring it to you?” she asks. “I can come down to the diner if you like.”
He takes a deep breath, then finishes his coffee. He leaves a bill, including a huge tip for Joanne as usual. He waves at her and rushes out the door with the phone still clutched to his ear.
“No. I have a better idea. Meet me at the hospital.”
Grande’s cheeks are flushed as she enters the hallway. Jonathan is already standing outside the door to the hospital room when she walks in, holding the book in her hands. She lifts it up.
“It was the only book up there,” she says. “So, I figured this had to be it.”
“Let me guess. Dolores Claiborne?” Jonathan asks.
Grande stops, holding the book mid-air. She wrinkles her forehead. “How did you know?”
She hands it to Jonathan, and he flips through a couple of pages. “An old Stephen King classic. Have you ever read it?”
She shakes her head. “Can’t say I have.”
“I figured as much,” Jonathan says.
“I’m not sure I understand. Are you going to tell me what this is all about? The book? Us being here? I have a lot of work to do.”
“I think you’ll be glad you came here instead,” he says. “Gonna save you a lot of time and effort.”
“Are you all right?” she asks. “You’re kind of talking in riddles here. I’m not sure I completely follow where you’re going.”
“You will,” he says, holding up the book. “In a few minutes, it’ll all be very clear to you. Just follow my lead.”
Laurie is dressed when they enter. She’s standing next to the bed. The technicians have brought her the suitcase with the clothes from the cabin, and she has gotten her phone back. The jeans she is wearing are too big, and it looks like she’s lost a lot of weight. They’re also slightly too long, so she has folded them at the bottom. Her face lights up, even though her voice breaks a little as she sees them.
“Detectives? I thought we were done? I’m just about to leave.”
“Oh, but we are. Almost,” Jonathan says. “There was just a small matter that I was hoping you could clear up for us.”
“Well, of course, Detective. Anything.” Laurie sits down on the bed and crosses her legs. Her smile is insecure, and she clears her throat nervously. “What’s going on?”
Jonathan holds the book in the air. “We found the book. The one you told us you were reading with Frank while staying at the cabin.”
He places the book on the bed in front of her. Laurie picks it up and looks at both of them, puzzled.
“And?”
Jonathan exhales. He grabs a chair and pulls it close, then sits down, making sure she understands he is in no hurry.
“Well…now, Grande here has never read it, but I have, several times. I even saw the movie, the one with Kathy Bates. I watch almost any movie with her, but that’s not the point. Now, Grande here doesn’t know what it is about, so I thought I’d clarify it briefly. To make it brief, it’s basically a book about a woman telling the story of how she got away with murdering her husband.”