“Out of rehab, yes, doing great. Volunteerteaching kids about drug and alcohol abuse.”
“We Skype. I helped him white-knuckle it.” Peterglanced down to the table before him and clasped his hands; then he looked backto the screen. “So, that accident was something. Head trauma, a broken rib andthe leg a really messy compound, comminuted fracture - under the lights youcould see it from fifteen feet away, the bone all splintered and sticking rightthrough her jeans. Awful.”
Kerri had researched Liddy Barron’saccident; now picked up one of two printouts before her. “The police report justlists the accident’s bare details, the felony hit and run, and catching thedrunk driver minutes later. There’s nothing here suggesting what you and Doug feltabout something weird - only that the injured woman ran right into the path ofthe oncoming car. The officer writing up the report said it looked like she wastrying to kill herself.”
“Definitely,” Peter nodded. “Like I said,it was awful.”
“Was the husband there?”
“No, and that was the first, lessstrange thing. He came running out just after we arrived, hysterical, tellingthe cops he’d been looking all over for her. I heard and thought that was ridiculous- hell, if you live in a New York apartment, how much looking do you have todo? I don’t think the cop questioning him thought it odd, but I did.”
“Anything else you noticed about thehusband?”
Peter frowned slightly at something offcamera, remembering. “They’d both been drinking – you have that?”
“Only Ms Barron’s blood alcohol, zero pointone three.”
Peter looked back, raised his eyebrows. “Hereeked too. It seemed pretty clear they’d been drinking and fighting. Heinsisted on coming in the ambulance – understandable – but that’s when Inoticed the second strange thing – what really made me remember.”
“What?” Kerri sat forward, suddenly breathingand scribbling faster.
“The unconscious woman’s hair was wet. Rather,still damp as if it had been wet. I was curious, so I felt her collar. Alsodamp, and her jeans. The cops wouldn’t have noticed ‘cause it was us cuttingher clothes off. It just seemed strange - who has damp hair and clothesat three in the morning?”
“And goes tearing out into traffic,” Kerrimuttered, scribbling madly, thinking - a water connection!
“Weird like that you remember,” Peter said,shaking his head as if still seeing the accident.
Behind Kerri the door opened and Alex camein, hearing that last comment, sitting next to her out of picture range where thetech guy had been. He leaned and started reading her notes. She wasconcentrating intensely, but she felt his surprised glance.
“What about the husband’s hair andclothes?” she asked Peter Dunn. “Also wet?”
“Hard to say – his hair looked either damp orsweaty, it was a hot night and he was sitting on the opposite bench. I couldn’tvery well reach across the ambulance to feel his shirt.”
“But you wanted to?” Kerri was clutchingher pen so hard that her fingers cramped.
“I’ll say. It bugged me later that I didn’tmention what I saw to the cops.”
“Ha, you know what you would have gotten atthat hour?” Kerri put down her pen and grimaced in pain, trying to straightenher bent fingers. She heard Alex snicker. Seven thousand miles away, Peter alsosaw and cracked a smile.
“You just made me feel better,” he said. “Yeah,cops are in wonderful moods at three in the morning. They would have told me tojust do my damned job and don’t bleeping complicate things. The scene waspretty chaotic…then days later things got crazy ‘cause I had to get ready for this.”Peter gestured around him. The clock behind him read four fifty-six.
Kerri said, “I can’t thank you enough. You’vegiven me a new slant on this case.”
Peter Dunn smiled. “Hey, I’m relieved. Threemonths later and it still nagged.” Somewhere in the background a buzzersounded. “Oops, gotta go. Good luck with it.”
“And you, Peter. Thanks again and staysafe!”
“I’ll try. It was nice talking to you. Makesme less homesick.”
The screen went blank. Kerri fell back inher chair, letting out a huge, pent-up breath. Alex reached for her notebookand flipped pages, stopping where her handwriting got crazy excited.
He pointed. “Wet? Liddy Barron’s hair wasdamp from being wet? That’s something.”
“Another water connection and a big one.” Kerrifelt suddenly drained. “It means something…but what? I’ll go back over herfiles, the hospital report, witness statements, swill caffeine extra strong tore-stoke the blown gray cells... Am I stuttering? Making sense?” She saw Alexwas looking at her funny, smiling. “What?”
“Your hair. It’s cute like that, half inand half out of its ponytail.”
“Fix it. Put an ice pack on my head whileyou’re at it.”
He leaned back, used both hands to pull herhair back into its band. They were alone in the control room with its monitorsand floor cables. He pulled close again, and kissed her cheek. His warmth, thesoft scrape of his stubble…the comfort felt so good. Tension started to drainaway, Kerri turned her face to him, and they kissed, long and tenderly.
“I’ll help you,” he whispered. “Together wecan-”
“Stop. Kiss me again.”
He did.
Then he said, “Do this at your place? Homeis better. Can I sleep over?”
“Yes, my bed has so missed you.” Shedropped her brow wearily to his. He cupped her cheek with a warm, strong hand.
“I’ve stuff to finish here, can be at yourplace in an hour. Don’t make the coffee too strong.”
“Okay.”
47
Key in the lock, done.
Open door, done.
Punch keyboard buttons, lock up again,done. Her hand shook just a little.
Liddy turned to face the apartment. Everythingwas gray. Gloomy gray light came in from the early dusk, no shadows, even thewhite columns looked gray.
She didn’t feel afraid; didn’t feel much,actually. In this long, long day something in her had turned to lead. He toldBeth he’d be here, would go to work then be back early - but the place was nearlydark. There was a musty feeling to it too, no coffee or cooking smells. Paulcould make eggs at least – and here it was after seven and the place was like amausoleum. How fitting, she thought. She had lain awake until almost seven thismorning, then had slept at last and slept late,
