33
Magnolia Road was a single lane of asphalt winding through the woods, and Julia, Paul, and Bennie got out of the car across from a half-circle of smoky red flares flickering in the darkness.
New Dover police cruisers and a black coroner’s van were parked on the other side, their red-and-white lightbars flashing silently.
Two uniformed cops with long flashlights stood by the perimeter, directing traffic away from the scene.
Julia spotted an eerie whiteness emanating from the woods, making the trees look etched in black. Shadows shifted behind their limbs, silhouettes against the ghostly light. That had to be where they’d found Samuel. Alex hadn’t known how he’d died, just where he’d been found.
“Let’s find out what happened.” Bennie hustled across the dark street, and Julia and Paul fell into step behind her as she approached the first cop and introduced herself. “Officer, I represent a Courtney Horan, and Samuel Palkovich was involved in her case. Do you know what happened here?”
“You have to call the Comms office.” The cop was somber under the patent brim of his cap.
“Was it an accident?”
“Like I said, call Comms. I need you all to go back to the other side of the street. You’re blocking traffic.”
“There’s no traffic.”
“Step back, please.”
“Is your captain here?”
“No. Now are you going to step back or not?”
“Fine, I’ll call Comms.” Bennie started scrolling through her phone, her strong features lit from below by the screen. Julia and Paul returned their attention to the woods while Bennie stepped away, spoke for a bit, then hung up and rejoined them, slipping her phone into her pocket.
Julia asked, “Well?”
“He died by suicide. That’s all they’ll tell me. They won’t say how and they won’t say whether there was a note.”
“Oh no.” Julia felt it like a weight, and there was a moment of silence.
Bennie shook her head. “Well, this is a shame, for a lot of reasons. It’s tragic that he felt that despair, but I was hoping to get him on the stand. It would have helped Courtney’s case.”
“Why?”
“Because I would’ve thrown those photos in his face and it wouldn’t have been pretty.
” Bennie shook her head. “It would’ve easily raised reasonable doubt about Courtney’s guilt.
He really was the most likely suspect, and the cops should’ve picked him up.
I really don’t know why they didn’t. If they had, he’d be alive now. ”
Julia mulled it over. “We still don’t know what the missing object was.”
“I have thoughts that I won’t air now.”
“Is it that Samuel was murdered? Because I was thinking that, too. If Kay told him what the missing object was, then the conspiracy would have killed him to silence him.”
Paul looked over but said nothing.
Bennie nodded. “Yes, but there are too many missing facts to form a coherent theory. In any event, my job isn’t to find out who killed Kay. It’s to get Courtney out of jail.”
“So what do we do now?”
“I’m going to make the same argument that I would have if Samuel were still alive, that Samuel’s the killer. If anything, my argument is stronger now. I’m going to use the fact that he died by suicide as evidence that he felt remorse over killing Kay.”
Julia noticed Alex’s red VW pulling up behind the line of police cars. “Excuse me, that’s Alex. I’ll be right back.” She hurried to Alex as he got out of his car, his face in grave lines, barely visible in the ambient light. “I’m so sorry.”
“Julia,” he said hoarsely, hugging her. “I can’t believe this, I really can’t.
” He released her, raking his hair back from his face, his gaze on the woods.
“I found out he died by suicide, a gunshot wound. I didn’t know he even had a gun.
” Alex shook his head, anguished. “I think he couldn’t take losing Kay. It was just too much for him.”
“Did you hear if he left a suicide note?”
“I heard he didn’t.”
Julia thought a minute. “He left the note in my car, I told you. Why would he leave a note for me, and not for himself?”
“I don’t know. Maybe that was his way of leaving a note about what he was going to do. He just wanted the world to know he didn’t kill Kay, and I believe him.”
“What if it was murder?”
“What makes you say that?”
“A lot is going on that’s hard to explain. Kay’s murder, the missing object, Courtney’s being framed, and now this. I don’t trust the Buckley police, I don’t know what they’re up to. What if they’re all hiding something, like one big cover-up?”
“God, I pray you’re wrong. I loved that guy, I really did.” Alex sighed heavily, his eyes returning to the woods. “I still haven’t told everybody. I had to come, first. I felt like I had to be here. Samuel didn’t have anybody except for me, and Kay. Somebody needs to be here for him.”
Julia felt touched. “I get that.”
“They’re bringing him out. Look.” They both turned to see cops making their way through the woods, their flashlights casting jittery beams on the ground.
Men in white paper jumpsuits carried a stainless-steel gurney that held a black body bag.
They watched the cops take the gurney to the back of the coroner’s van, where they opened the door, lowered the gurney’s wheels, and rolled it inside, closing the door with a harsh ca-chunk.
“Man, oh man.” Alex hung his head, and Julia patted his back.
“I’m sorry.”
“Thanks.” Alex straightened, looking over. “Who are those people by the car?”
“Courtney’s husband Paul and—”
“So that’s him? I have to meet this dude.”
“Wait, what? Alex, no—” Julia started to say, but Alex stalked off, beelining for Paul.
“Hey Paul!” Alex waved at him. “Where the fuck you been?”
“Whoa.” Paul recoiled, turning to Alex. “Who are you?”
“I’m the guy who actually gives a shit about Courtney.”
Paul recoiled, shocked. “How do you know my wife?”
“You don’t deserve her.”
“What?” Paul’s eyes flared in outrage.
“You heard me. She deserves better than you!”
“Fuck you!” Paul exploded, taking a swing at Alex, who side-stepped the blow.
“Paul, no!” Julia shouted, but Alex was already throwing a right hook that connected with Paul’s cheek.
Paul rocked backward. The skin over his cheekbone split, spraying blood. His hands flew up reflexively, covering the gash.
Bennie shoved Alex. “Yo, dude, get out, right now!”
“Not a problem.” Alex turned back to the car, chuckling. “God, that felt good. See you later, Julia.”
“My God!” Julia put a hand on Paul’s back, steadying him. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” Paul bent over, cupping his cheek.
Paul started after him, but Bennie grabbed him by the upper arm.
“Don’t even think about it. They’re watching us, see?” Bennie nodded toward the cops across the street, who were exchanging amused glances.
“I don’t care.” Paul yanked his arm free.
“You want to help your wife or you want to prove your manhood?”
Paul stopped, breathing hard. Blood dripped onto his shirt and tie. “The guy—”
“Let’s go. We have something important to do.”