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“We’re reexamining the circumstances of Lemaire’s death, and Rigel’s. The circumstances suggest there’s a connection, and the connection goes through you.”
Please God. “Circumstances don’t mean anything,” I said, grasping at straws.
“We have more than circumstances, TJ.”
Gulp.“Like what?”
“We have a statement from your brother, John.”
Jesus.I couldn’t speak. I didn’t know what John had told them. I didn’t know what he was trying to do. I didn’t understand anything. I struggled to remain impassive. Detectives Willoughby and Balleu were watching me carefully, which was undoubtedly why they had sprung this on me out of the blue.
Detective Willoughby paused. “We have a corroborating statement from your father, as well.”
Dad?I jumped to my feet, a fight-or-flight reflex. “You need to go. I’m not answering any more questions without a lawyer.”
“Have it your way.” Detective Willoughby slid his pen into its holder and closed his folder.
I reeled, going to the door and holding it open. The two men got up and walked out, and Detective Willoughby turned to me.
“Don’t leave the jurisdiction, TJ.”
“Understood,” I said, closing the door.
I ran for my phone.
Chapter Forty-One
I sank onto the couch, my mind spinning. I couldn’t process what I’d been told quickly enough. My brother had given some kind of statement against me, and so had my father.
I couldn’t believe what was going on. Somehow they must have suggested I was involved with Lemaire’s death, and now the cops were investigating it as a murder. I didn’t know what to do next, but I knew whatnotto do, which was call my brother or father. If I called them, they could lie to the detectives about what I’d said. I couldn’t trust them, ever again.
Tears came to my eyes, and I didn’t know if it was rage, pain, or incredulity. I couldn’t begin to parse my emotions. They felt like a fog blinding me, confusing me. The phone rang in my hand, my mother calling again.
“Mom?” I answered, panicky.
“TJ, I’ve been calling. There’s two detectives who want to speak with you—”
“I know. Hold on.” I remembered the bug under the couch, got up, and hurried to the back door, going outside.
“TJ, are you there?”
“Yes,” I answered, closing the door behind me. “Mom, John and Dad gave statements to the police? What about? What the hell’s going on?”
“I know, I know, I just found out about John—”
“What did they say? Where are you? Where’s John and Dad? Are they together? The cops are investigating Lemaire’s death as a murder. Did John tell them I had something to do with it? And Dad? What did he say? What does he know? What happened? What the hell’s going on?”
“TJ, one question at a time—”
“Mom, I could go back to prison. They told me not to leave the jurisdiction. You know what that means. I think they’re looking to chargemewith Lemaire’s death.”
“Honey, I know,” my mother said, and then I heard a sniffle. I couldn’t live with myself if she got lockjaw again.
“Okay, I’ll calm down.” I sat down in the chair at the outside table. “Just tell me what happened.”
“Okay, well.” My mother cleared her throat. “Your father and I were at the office. We’re trying to put everything back together after the burglary. He came back from the wake and he was upset. Evidently you were there and you got into a fight with Stan and—”
“Hold on, I didn’t get into a fight with Stan. Stan attacked me.”
