Chapter 16 Jake #2
Jake bristled. “I’ve already told you, a number of times, I had never met the guy.
I hardly even know Bill, and I would definitely have no reason to meet any of his running buddies.
But it’s a small city, we’re all one or two degrees of separation from each other.
Why Kirk and I should be any different . . .”
Detective Banks nodded. “That’s true enough. But you keep calling him Kirk, not Mr. Evans, which seems very informal for someone you claim not to know, especially as he’s your parents’ age.”
Jake shrugged, feeling like a petulant teenager. “I’m an informal guy. And he introduced himself as Kirk at the quarry, so that’s what I call him.”
“Sure, I get it,” Detective Banks replied with a reassuring smile. “We just have to pursue every possible theory and eliminate those, one by one. And one is that you and Kirk already knew each other and were working together to make your story more convincing.”
Jake gave a harsh laugh. “Did you read that on social media?”
“No. But I’m guessing you did.”
Jake picked at a hangnail on his thumb. “I’ve been seeing all kinds of theories about what I, or Kirk, or both of us, might have done to Liv.
I know none of them are true about me but, like I said, I never met Kirk before in my life.
He might be the good guy he seems to be, or he could be a psychopathic murderer, for all I know.
” He stopped, looking Detective Banks directly in the eye.
“Can I ask whether the searches of his home and car turned up anything suspicious? You’ve only told me about my searches, and I already knew those wouldn’t show anything. ”
“We can’t discuss details of an ongoing investigation,” Detective Banks responded.
“Especially not with me, huh?” Jake replied, in a colder tone than he’d intended.
Detective Banks didn’t answer, bestowing another expertly curated smile. He raised his eyebrows at his wide-eyed young trainee, whose pen was suspended in anticipation, and gave an almost imperceptible nod. Both men rose from their seats.
“Well, thank you, Mr. Johnson. That’s all for today.
” He walked towards the main door, his officer following closely behind.
“I’d recommend not reaching out to Mr. Evans again, as we don’t yet know how all this will shake down, but if it turns into a criminal investigation .
. . Well, as a lawyer, I don’t need to tell you.
And maybe resist reading the online comments, for your own sanity.
” Detective Banks held out his hand for Jake to shake.
“We’ll be in contact again with any further questions or information. ”
Jake shook the man’s hand and opened the front door. “I know I had nothing to do with Liv’s disappearance, and you guys have found no reason to suspect otherwise. But I feel like I’m on trial by social media, and the jury is against me. Am I going to need to retain my own counsel?”
Detective Banks patted Jake on his arm, then stepped outside. The younger officer nodded at Jake, walking past them toward where their vehicle was parked.
“You’re the lawyer here, Mr. Johnson,” Detective Banks replied, his voice low.
“You need to do what you think is in your best interest. But you know what can happen when any suspect lawyers up. It can have a very detrimental effect, in terms of public perception. If you have nothing to hide, you might be better off trusting in the system. But it’s up to you. ”
Well, that was a non-answer. Jake blew out his cheeks.
“Maybe you guys could make some announcement that nothing was found during my searches that was suspicious? The last thing everybody read in the news was that my home and devices were being searched, which cast me in a suspicious light, and nothing’s been reported since.
I’m trying to do damage control here. My boss has placed me on indefinite leave because of what this might look like. ”
“We can’t do that, Jake. I’m sorry. Even though the searches turned up nothing, it doesn’t entirely clear you, and it won’t look good if we make an announcement suggesting your innocence if that later turns out to be off the mark. We still have a ways to go here.”
Jake scrunched up his face. “Won’t look good for the Wilmington PD, you mean,” he added, his tone bitter.
Detective Banks didn’t respond. “Hang tight, Jake. We’ll be in touch.” He stepped off the tiny porch toward the car and his waiting trainee.
Jake closed the door and leaned back against it.
Christ. This was getting worse. He really might need his own lawyer.
Who would he call on for that? His close friends from law school weren’t a good idea — too much of a conflict of interest. If he asked his dad for a recommendation, Ted would most likely suggest .
. . well, Bill Waterton, but Bill was Kirk’s friend, so he was out.
Maybe David would have a suggestion. Not that Jake wanted to ask his boss, who was already showing signs of suspicion, for advice on hiring a criminal lawyer.
He couldn’t think about that now. He was exhausted, both from what had felt like an interrogation and from very little sleep last night. More terrible dreams of drowning in the quarry lake, Liv’s hair always slipping from his grasp.
Jake stepped into their bedroom and collapsed on the downy king-size bed.
His duvet was bunched up like a body, the way it always was these days.
It was too hot to pull it over him at night, and he needed something to hug.
He clutched it now, as if it were Liv in his arms. He pressed his mouth against the soft bamboo cover, and pushed his pelvis against the bulk.
Her scent filled his senses. She was right there.
Of course it was only the fabric conditioner, mixed with traces of the coconut sunscreen they both used.
But it smelled so good. Like home. Like love.
He squeezed tighter, his face buried in what he imagined to be her neck, his tears drawn into the fabric, into her skin.
He would sleep here a while, just like this, holding her.