Page 143 of One of Us Is Guilty

Not one bit.

‘I refuse to answer on the grounds that it may incriminate my husband,’ said Vanessa.

Riley stepped up a gear, raised his voice and spat his next set of questions at Vanessa.

‘You lied to the police because you murdered Molly Green in a fit of jealously because you suspected she was sleeping with your husband, didn’t you?’

‘No.’

‘You picked up the nearest thing to hand, a jewelry box, and you swung it at her so hard that you bashed her head in – that’s what really happened?’

‘No.’

‘Then, realizing your horrible mistake, you took steps to hide your crime. You cut off her head and took it with you, disposing of the evidence linking you to the murder?’

‘No.’

He caught his breath, thought for a moment. What else could he ask that wouldn’t give her an opportunity to implicate her husband? He wasn’t happy. This had been much harder than he had been expecting.

Better to cut his losses. Use the testimony he had gathered already.

‘Nothing further, Your Honor.’

‘Court will reconvene at nine tomorrow morning,’ said Judge Tanner. ‘Mr. Flynn, have your next witness ready.’

The courtroom cleared, the jury silent and unreadable as they left.

We had a chance. It would all come down to Bloch’s work with Raymond tonight. She would be in his lab all night, knowing I would call her to testify tomorrow morning.

We met Lake outside the court building, sitting in the driver’s seat of his shitmobile. The Pontiac Aztek looked even worse than usual. It backfired and sent a plume of black smoke from its exhaust as Harry and Vanessa got in the back. I knocked on Harry’s window and he wound it down.

‘You’re not coming back to the hotel?’ he asked.

‘I need to be ready for tomorrow. I have to think. A walk will do me good. Best if you all stay in the hotel tonight, with Lake keeping watch. The cat is out of the bag now. The way Voss stormed out of court, I’d say whatever threats she’s been secretly making to you, Vanessa, they are going to try to fulfill.’

‘You knew?’ she asked.

‘I got the impression she had been talking to you on the sly. Making all kinds of threats against you if you decided to accuse Patrick on the witness stand. I’m not stupid. There was no other reason for her to be around.’

‘I took your advice. I did what you told me,’ said Vanessa.

‘I know. You did well, but now is a dangerous moment. Be safe, all of you. And listen to Lake. That goes double for you, Harry.’

The Aztek backfired, startling Vanessa, and me, and a few passers-by. Neither Harry nor Lake flinched. Harry was a war veteran, and Lake . . . well, he was Lake.

‘Apologies about the transport,’ I said. ‘If you do make it to the hotel, call me so I know you’re safe.’

‘I’ll look after them,’ said Lake.

‘I know you will,’ I said.

I watched them pull away, pulled up the collar on my coat and started walking.

Movement always helped me think. There’s something about walking, the rhythm of my feet on the sidewalk, the sound of tires rolling on blacktop, horns, engines, snatches of conversations from people passing by, street vendors hawking pretzels, music and laughter and arguments drifting out of bars, the smell of garbage andexhaust fumes and hotdogs and beer, the chiaroscuro of neon lights burning over dark doorways, the burnished glass skyscrapers catching the last of the day’s sun like a tilted lake of fire, the mottled stone towers of old wealth and power, the sad and happy and terrified and determined faces of people who survive in this city and love it for all its contrasts and contradictions, all of its joy and its heartbreak.

Damn, I love New York.

I don’t know how long I walked, but I found myself in West 46thStreet, and my gaze drifted to the window, where I had my old office and apartment.