Chapter Forty-five
Jill stormed into the small, cramped interrogation room of the Halibut Cove Police Station, her expression dark as a brewing nor’easter. She planted her hands on the metal table, leaning in so close that Jimmy Beckett had nowhere to look but into her piercing blue eyes.
“Let’s not waste time,” she said coolly. “We both know you’re in deep. You poisoned Chips Hogan. You pushed Griffin Mead into the water. And you helped Bradley Comstock kidnap my daughter.”
Jimmy sat motionless, his fingers laced together in his lap. His eyes flicked to the mirrored window, probably wondering if someone—anyone—was coming to save him.
But no one was.
Jill had made damn sure of that.
Bradley had already lawyered up, his fancy Boston attorney arriving at the police station within hours of his arrest.
But Jimmy?
Jimmy had no lawyer.
No high-priced defense team working to spin the narrative.
No safety net.
Just him and the hard, cold truth.
“I’ve got nothing to say,” Jimmy muttered, staring at the tabletop.
Jill let out a sharp, humorless laugh. “That’s cute. You think staying silent is gonna save you? You think Bradley’s gonna swoop in and take the fall for you?” She shook her head, tapping the table for emphasis. “Let me tell you something, kid. Bradley doesn’t give a damn about you.”
Jimmy’s jaw twitched, but he said nothing.
Jill straightened. “All right. Have it your way.” She turned on her heel and stalked out of the room, slamming the door behind her.
Now it was Audrey’s turn.
Time for Good Cop, Bad Cop.
She knew this was unprofessional.
Using her daughter like this.
But with Mason in the hospital fighting for his life, she needed someone Jimmy knew well, someone he was comfortable around, near his own age, to get him to open up.
Jill watched from the video feed outside the interrogation room, arms crossed tightly over her chest.
She knew Audrey had a shot at getting through to Jimmy. They had history—both born and raised in Halibut Cove. Went to high school together. Audrey knew Jimmy before he got in over his head, back when he was just a kid bussing tables at The Chowder House, dreaming of something bigger.
Audrey pulled out the chair across from Jimmy, leaning back in a relaxed posture. “I get it, Jimmy,” she said, voice low and conversational. “I really do.”
Jimmy snorted, still staring at the table. “Yeah? What exactly do you get, Audrey?”
“That Bradley sold you a dream,” Audrey replied. “Made you feel like you were finally getting out of this town. That you were gonna be more than just a guy scraping plates and wiping down tables.”
Jimmy’s hands clenched into fists.
Audrey tilted her head, watching him. “He played you. Convinced you this was about justice, when really? It was just about his own twisted revenge.”
Jimmy’s throat bobbed as he swallowed.
“He’s got a top-notch lawyer,” Audrey continued, voice softer now. “You don’t. You really think he’s gonna go down for this? Or do you think he’s gonna pin everything on you?”
Jimmy’s breathing turned shallow.
Audrey leaned in, her voice dropping to barely a whisper. “Bradley is gonna walk, Jimmy. And you? You’re gonna take the fall for everything.”
Jimmy looked up sharply, his eyes wide. “No. He—he wouldn’t do that.”
“I think you know he would. I don’t want to see that happen. Neither does Ethel or Isabella. We’re like a family at The Chowder House. I’ve always liked you, Jimmy.”
“Not enough to go out with me!” Jimmy snapped.
“No, but that doesn’t mean I don’t care for you.”
Jimmy didn’t say anything.
Just let the silence stretch.
And then, finally, Jimmy exhaled shakily, his body sagging like a balloon losing air.
He opened his mouth.
He was finally ready to talk.
Jill burst back into the room, not bothering to sit. “Tell me everything,” she demanded.
Jimmy ran a hand down his face, his fingers trembling. “Bradley planned it all,” he said, voice hoarse.
“How’d you two meet?”
Jimmy explained that they had met nearly six months ago at a fundraising dinner catered by the inn where Jimmy worked an occasional second job as a busboy.
He was young, broke, and desperate for a way out of his dead-end life.
Bradley, new to town, saw the hunger in his eyes and took him under his wing—offering advice, encouragement, the occasional expensive gift.
To Jimmy, he was a mentor. A savior. By the time Bradley finally laid out the plan, Jimmy wasn’t just willing—he was convinced he was helping the only person who had ever believed in him.
Jill nodded silently as Jimmy finished. Then took a breath. “And the nightshade?”
Jimmy looked down at the table. “That was all Bradley. He stole it from Melanie.”
Jill nodded, already aware of this information.
Jimmy nodded. “She had one in her greenhouse—just for decoration or whatever. She liked the weird-looking plants. One day, Bradley just took it. He told me to crush up the berries and put them in Chips Hogan’s chowder at The Chowder House.”
Jill felt a cold rush of anger. “So you poisoned Chips.”
Jimmy nodded miserably. “Yeah.”
“Why?” Audrey pressed.
Jimmy’s gaze dropped. “Bradley told me that Chips—along with Griffin and Wes Holbrook—destroyed his father. Took everything from him. Made him lose his business. Drove him to suicide.”
Audrey nudged Jimmy. “And Griffin Mead? How’d you drug him?”
Jimmy exhaled shakily. “It wasn’t at the dentist’s office like you thought,” he admitted.
“Bradley gave me Clonidine and told me to slip it into Griffin’s drink at the Thirsty Gull that night.
Griffin had no idea what was happening—one minute he was fine, the next he was woozy, stumbling.
I followed him when he left the bar, waited till he got down to the docks, then …
Once he was drugged up and weak, it was easy to … ”
He trailed off, but Jill already knew the answer.
Griffin had been too disoriented to fight back when Jimmy shoved him into the water. He’d drowned, just as Bradley intended.
“You murdered him,” Jill growled.
Jimmy’s voice broke. “I didn’t want to. But Bradley—he kept saying this was justice. That these people had to pay. That I’d be nothing forever if I didn’t see this through.”
“And Audrey?” Jill’s voice shook with fury.
Jimmy squeezed his eyes shut. “Bradley thought she was on to him. She was asking too many questions, getting too close. He told me to get rid of her.”
Jill’s hands clenched into fists. “So you tried to kill my daughter.”
Audrey touched Jill’s arm. “Mom …”
Jimmy’s head snapped up, his face pale. “I wasn’t gonna do it! I mean—I tried, but—I don’t know, I freaked out. That damn dog got in the way, and then Isabella came, and—”
“You nearly threw her off a cliff.”
Jimmy flinched. “I know.” His voice cracked. “I know.”
Audrey swallowed hard. “Then who was it trailing me down on the pier? The tall, broad-shouldered man—that wasn’t you.”
Jimmy shook his head quickly. “No. That was Bradley. I bumped into you first, but when you took off, he followed. He wanted to make sure you didn’t get away.”
Audrey’s breath caught. She remembered the sound of footsteps behind her, the looming shadow, the bulk of a man closing in. Jimmy hadn’t fit that silhouette. But Bradley had. The pieces clicked together, cold and certain.
The room went silent.
Finally, Jill let out a slow breath. “Here’s what’s gonna happen.”
Jimmy looked up warily.
“You’re facing two counts of murder, one count of attempted murder, kidnapping, and God knows how many other additional charges,” Jill said, voice steely. “But … maybe, just maybe, the DA will cut you a deal—if you testify against Bradley.”
Jimmy blinked.
Jill leaned forward, her tone calm but firm. “This is your one shot, Jimmy. You help us bring him down, and maybe you don’t spend the rest of your life in a prison cell.”
Although given the severity of his crimes, she knew that was probably a long shot.
She just needed him to cooperate.
“Please, Jimmy,” Audrey pleaded.
Jimmy hesitated.
Then, finally, he nodded.
“I’ll testify.”
Jill exchanged a glance with Audrey before reaching for her phone.
She had a district attorney to call.
And Bradley Comstock’s days were officially numbered.