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“When they let him out, I called ADA Bandara, but they told me she’d passed away and they passed me to Sandra Ashville. I told her I wanted them to prosecute him for my rape, and that I was sure Tasha would, too. She told me there was nothing she could do, because the statute of limitations for the rape had run outthe month before his release.” Anger flashed in her eyes. “Because ofhermisconduct, I lost any chance of ever having a half-way normal life. That’s why I killed them the way that I did.”
Jo struggled to follow the logic. “I’m not sure I understand.”
Jennifer glared at her. “Theygot to go home every day, to someone or something they loved. Some happy place where they could find peace, even if just for a few minutes. But because of whattheydid, I’ll never get any of that. No matter how hard I try, even things I used to love, like fishing on a quiet lake. Now, the quieter it is, the louder the thoughts are in my head. The best I can do is distract myself for a while, but the demons are always there. The only way to get back my peace was to make sure none of them would ever harm anyone again.”
Jo started to speak, but Jennifer cut her off. “Do you have any appreciation of what it took for me to do that? Of how terrifying it was for me to face him? To put myself at risk that he’d hurt me again? But I had to do it. If I hadn’t, he’d torment me for the rest of my life, because I’d never know if he was around the next corner. It was the only way I could get my power back. And sure enough, the first time I’ve been able to fully relax and breathe in sixteen years is the moment I finished beating Ossokov’s skull to a pulp.”
“But the others—they weren’t the ones who hurt you,” Jo said gently.
“They most certainlydid. The justice system is supposed to beblind, unflinchingly exacting in meting out consequences that match guilt. It’s not supposed to prosecute some crimes and not others, or bow to pressure from the press, or manipulate evidence to get what it wants. But these members of law enforcement weren’t blind, and so I needed to send a message to the others.That’s why I put on the blindfolds and posed them like Lady Justice, so everyone would know, and remember.If Sandra Ashville hadn’t pushed to prosecute Zara Richards’ case over mine and Tasha’s, Cooper Ossokov would be in prison today. If Judge Sakurai hadn’t allowed her to do that and hadn’t reversed his conviction when she knew full well he was a serial rapist, he’d be in prison today. If Deena Scott hadn’t pushed to have a client exonerated when she knew full well he’d raped other women, he’d be in prison today. And if Detective Murphy and Detective Arnett hadn’t tampered with evidence—”
Jo threw up a hand to stop her, and kept her expression steady. “Why were you so sure they tampered with the evidence? During the appeal, the determination was that there was a mix-up at the lab.”
Jennifer’s eyes narrowed. “Because I can add two plus two. Sandra Ashville tells Murphy to do whatever it takes, and voila, there’s a ‘mix-up’ at the lab? Please. But you’re focusing on the wrong thing.”
“What should I be focused on?”
“The biggest violation of all—the statute of limitations.” Her voice rose. “That law has to be changed.People like Lacey Bernard who are such vocal proponents of Cooper Ossokov’s innocence, they need to understand, and turn their attention to where it should be. Bernard is supposedly an anti-sexual-assault advocate. So why isn’t she working toget the statute of limitations for rape removed?”
Goran spoke, scornfully, from behind the camera. “So why don’tyoujust work to get the law changed?”
Jennifer turned her gaze on Goran, eyes filled with raw hatred. “How do you hold rallies and get petitions signed and stage sit-ins when you have a panic attack every time you leave your house? And even if Ihaddone all of those things, we all know nobody takes notice until they’re forced to, when the pain becomes their own.”
Jo didn’t bother to hide her bewilderment. “How was Lacey Bernard going to do anything about that when she was dead?”
Woods’ face scrunched up. “She advocated for a monster. She was part of the reason he was released, and part of the reason he felt empowered to sue.”
“She believed he was innocent, and that her advocacy was ultimately helping sexual assault victims. But Arnett? What makes you think he was in on any of it?” Jo shook her head in frustration. “You said yourself Sandra Ashville saidMurphy’sname, not Arnett’s.”
Woods cocked her head to the side and gave Jo an appraising glance. “Is that what he’s telling you, that he didn’t know anything about it? Because if he didn’t realize what was happening under his nose, it wasbecause he didn’t want to know. And that’s just as bad—if not worse.”
DAY NINE
CHAPTERSIXTY-EIGHT
Jo pushed through the door to The Wooden Leg and fought back an unsettling wave of déjà vu. As her eyes acclimated to the low light and her nose to the stale hops, a figure materialized in front of her. Arnett, sitting at the table where Steve Murphy had waited for them—and in the same chair.
She slid into the seat across from him and jutted her chin at his untouched Guinness. “You didn’t have to wait for me.”
Arnett motioned to the bartender. “Thanks for giving up part of your Sunday. I know you have dinner plans tonight.”
“Not a problem. Matt’s cooking the entrée and my mother and sister will bring over the rest. I tried to make pancakes this morning, but my ribs had other ideas.”
He smiled grimly. “Bodies are inconvenient like that. Especially since none of us are getting any younger.”
“True story.”
The bartender materialized at her side. “What can I bring you?”
“I don’t suppose you have apple brandy?” Jo asked.
“I got Liberty Tree if you want local, and a Massenez Calvados if you got money burning a hole in your pocket.”
She tried to hide her surprise, but apparently wasn’t fast enough. The bartender grinned. “My mother’s people are Quebecois. I was weaned on the stuff.”
She smiled back. “I’ll have the Massenez, please.”
“How’s everything on your end? How are you feeling?” Arnett asked.
