Escape Theory

CHAPTER 18




Sunday, October 14



Cleo had Dave deliver a bottle of champagne to their room before the kitchen closed for the night. “Because it’s a happy buzz,” she said. By 2 A.M. Cleo was lounging in the empty bathtub, ensconced in red couch cushions from the couch, drinking champagne out of the bottle. Devon sat on the bathroom counter dangling her feet off the side. She decided to pass on the buzz, happy or not. One of them had to keep her head straight.

“So, Bodhi, Raven, Eric and Reed Hutchins all had access to the car that drove up the backside of the Keaton hill to meet Hutch that night?” Cleo set her bottle of champagne on the floor next to the tub.

“Yeah, but Bodhi doesn’t drink beer.”

“But, he could have access to the Oxy,” Cleo pointed out.

“True.”

“Isn’t it not really about access, though? I mean, we’re talking murder here, right?” Cleo tapped a finger against the neck of the champagne bottle.

Murder was a word Devon kept trying to avoid. It sounded so deliberate. But Cleo was right. That’s what they were talking. In one version, Hutch took the Oxy just to get high and accidentally overdosed, or he took it deliberately to end his life. In another version, someone purposely slipped him a lethal amount.

“If it’s murder then we’ve got to figure out who had enough of a reason to want Hutch gone. Raven and Bodhi and Reed might have had access, but Eric and maybe Maya are the only ones with a real motive. Murder is usually an emotional thing. And Eric seemed to have the most to lose if Hutch squealed about Maya’s pregnancy.”

“So we gotta talk to Eric then,” Cleo said.

Devon’s lips flattened. “That’s the champagne talking. Like he would even give us the time of day. Besides, say it’s true. Hutch was going to rat out Eric and Maya’s relationship. We’re still talking about Eric killing his own little brother. That’s hard to imagine.

“Hasn’t counseling taught you anything?” Cleo snorted. “People are crazy. Especially rich people, I’m telling you.”

“I don’t know. Still doesn’t add up. I think I need Bodhi and Raven’s help.”

“I thought you weren’t sure you could trust them,” Cleo said between sips of champagne.

“Hutch trusted them. They’re living with Reed. I’m not sure that doubting them is accomplishing anything. Besides, they’re the only ones who actually believed in me when all this happened, from the beginning.”

Cleo closed her eyes and leaned back in the pillows. “All right, but isn’t this how you set yourself up to ultimately be betrayed by them? How many murder mysteries have you seen?”

“That’s why you’re coming with me. If you can’t spot a liar, then we’re really screwed.”

Cleo’s eyes popped open. She giggled and offered the bottle to Devon, who shrugged and took a sip. Bubbles oozed out the top. It burned in her throat and the back of her nose. She winced and handed the bottle back.

“Did you look on the desk out there? I got you something.” Cleo said, that smug smile returning.

“What?” Devon padded her bare feet out of the cool tile bathroom floor to the living room. Her Mont Blanc pen was lying in the middle of the polished wood desk. “How did you get this?” she yelled toward the bathroom.

“When you were with Maya I thought I’d say hi to Grant. See if he wanted to combine parties or anything.”

“What’d he say?” Devon hurried back to the tub.

“I left you out of it. He has no idea you’re here. You’re welcome, by the way. Seems like Eric is paying for Grant and Raj to hang out for the weekend, drink all they want and watch football.”

“Why would Eric do that? Oh.…” She looked at the pen in her hand. “Grant stole my notes for Eric.”

“Eric’s super paranoid about your counseling sessions. And apparently Grant can’t hold his liquor either. Once that kid started talking there was no stopping him.”

“You got him to give you the pen back?” Devon asked. Cleo tilted her head at Devon. “Right, you took it. Sorry, forgot who I was speaking to.”

“Don’t do it again,” Cleo playfully slapped Devon’s arm. “But, it was the least I could do. You put yourself out there for me, for Matt and Isla and Hutch. Seemed like someone needed to return the favor.”

“Thanks,” Devon said. She twirled the silver pen between her fingers. “I didn’t exactly solve your kleptomania though, did I?”

“Oh no, you were totally right. Of course it’s for attention, but not like I was going to admit that to you. Come on, let’s get some sleep. We’ll get Nikolai to take us back to the hill tomorrow morning.”

THE NEXT MORNING, DEVON found the black Rover parked in the driveway in front of Reed’s guest house, but no one answered the door when she knocked.

“They should have a sign that says ‘Gone Surfing,’ or ‘Surfs Up,’ ” a hungover Cleo croaked behind her Jackie O sunglasses from the backseat of the town car. These were the first words she’d spoken since they’d gotten in the car an hour ago. “Or maybe, ‘Life’s a Beach and then you Die.’ ”

The security camera above the front door gave Devon an idea. “Let’s try the main house.” The car wound higher up the driveway. The guest house was bigger and more beautiful than her own house, it was hard to imagine something more. But when it swept into view with its three stories and multiple chimneys, the pointed roof and double wraparound balconies … all she could think was that it was a palace. A true palace. She could see a few of the windows had blue and amber stained glass designs. A massive redwood tree grew through the middle of the front porch; Devon couldn’t be sure if the tree or the house was in that spot first.

“Merde,” Cleo whispered as the car stopped at the front door. Devon hopped out. Cleo jabbed a finger at a security camera above the door. It swiveled toward them. Someone was home, and someone was watching.

Devon’s knees felt shaky. Well. No point in trying to hide anymore. She forced herself to march up the front walk.

Bodhi opened the door before Devon had a chance to knock. “We were wondering if we’d been ditched or what.”

“I need to talk to you.” Devon said.

“We need to talk to you,” Cleo chimed in, appearing behind them. Devon’s shoulders sagged. Wouldn’t Cleo be happier back at the Four Seasons? “What? You really think I’m going to walk away from this? All the action’s about to go down.”

“What’s going on?” Bodhi asked.

“Is Raven around?” Devon peered into the room behind Bodhi. She could see that the hallway led to a massive living room with one wall of windows facing the vineyard.

“Come on in. She’s surfing. Be back soon.” He eyed Cleo up and down. “Bodhi,” he said, extending a hand.

“Cleo,” she replied, shaking it. “Nice dreads, Bodhi.”

“You should probably get Reed, too,” Devon mumbled.

“Yeah, yeah. Nice to see you, too, Devon.” Bodhi shook his head. He kicked off his checkered Vans at the bottom of the carpeted stairs and disappeared upstairs.

Cleo made herself right at home, lounging on an enormous couch with faded green and blue plaid cushions. “Ow, jeez. This thing is probably older than I am.” Devon wasn’t paying attention though. She spied an end table with framed photos. A young Hutch, smiling on the beach next to a large surfboard. Reed and Athena in an old black and white photo no bigger than a playing card. Reed, standing on a redwood tree stump wider than his outstretched arm. But where was the rest of the family? Eric? Hutch and Eric’s dad, Bill?

“Devon? I thought that was you down at the guest house,” Reed called from upstairs. With Bodhi at one arm and his wrinkled hand on the banister, Reed made his way down slowly. “And who is this young woman?”

“Cleo Lambert, Mr. Hutchins,” Cleo said. She stood up and shook Reed’s hand.

“Well, Cleo. Welcome. If you’re with Devon we’re happy to have you.” Reed took a seat in a thick leather chair and draped a blanket over his lap. “So. Shall we proceed with or without Raven?”

Bodhi looked to the door one more time and at Devon, his eyebrows narrowing slightly. “She’ll get here when she gets here,” Bodhi said. He avoided eye contact with Devon and took a seat in a chair farthest from her. He seemed to be mad. Maybe her exit on Friday hadn’t gone over as smoothly as she had hoped. If Eric was guilty, she would need Bodhi and Raven on her side to help convince Reed of his grandson’s wrongdoings. If it wasn’t Eric, but in fact Raven and Bodhi who were keeping darker secrets than she knew, well … then Devon would really be lost.

“I had to tell you this in person because it’s about Eric.” Devon began slowly. “He and Maya Dover are seeing each other. She’s pregnant with his child. I think Eric saw Hutch that night. I think Eric went to the Palace to talk to Hutch about the pregnancy. And I think Eric may have given Hutch the Oxy that killed him.”

She’d expected to feel much worse. She’d been dreading saying her theory out loud. But all she felt was an enormous wave of relief. Even if she was wrong, even if people ended up hating her for it, she was finally free. No more secrets or lies. She waited for someone to say something. Bodhi looked to Reed, whose eyes darted around the room as if he were following a bird trapped inside. Reed coughed and used a white handkerchief from his pocket to dab at his mouth.

“Where would he have gotten the Oxy?” Bodhi asked. “It didn’t come from the pharmacy.”

“Where does anyone get anything,” Cleo said. “If someone wants something, from my experience they’ll find a way.”

Bodhi raised an eyebrow at Cleo. “Wait, weren’t you in the pharmacy that day?”

“Getting busted for shoplifting? Yes, that’s my claim to fame.”

Bodhi grinned. Devon wondered if there was some weird sense of respect between the two of them. Both were criminals, but honest in their own ways.

“I think I know,” Reed said between labored, raspy breaths. He pushed himself out of his chair. Bodhi reached out a hand to help him, but Reed waved him off and shuffled to a room in the back of the house. “Raven’s back!” he yelled from down the hallway.

Bodhi sent a text on his phone. “How did he know that?” Cleo asked.

“Camera at the foot of the driveway, the guest house, here, among a few others. We know everything and everyone that comes and goes from this property,” Bodhi finished up his text. He put his phone down on the coffee table. Devon thought he seemed very nonchalant about Eric and Maya. Shouldn’t that have been a bigger surprise?

“So, you know about Eric and Maya already? Why were you suspicious of Matt and Isla then?” Devon asked.

Bodhi shrugged. “We don’t have cameras everywhere up there. Yet. But we know Matt was out of his room the night Hutch was killed.”

“I’m here. What’s up?” Raven barged through the front door in her usual red bikini, cut-offs, and flip-flops. She spotted Devon and stopped. “You’re back? What the hell happened? One minute we’re cool the next you’re looking at me all weird and faking being sick and begging to go back to Keaton on an off-weekend.”

“Yeah, I’m sorry about that.” Devon couldn’t hold eye contact. Raven was right; Devon had acted like a jerk.

“Rav, it’s cool. Devon has something to tell us.” Bodhi waved her over. She sat on the arm of Reed’s leather chair. “It’s Eric. He and Maya really are together.”

“Jesus,” Raven mumbled.

When Reed reappeared, he dropped a crinkled paper bag on the coffee table. “I didn’t want to tell you kids this way, but … I should have said something sooner.” He dumped the bag out and pill bottles rolled onto the wooden table. Bodhi sat on the floor next to the table and read the bottles.

“Vicodin. OxyContin. Demerol.” Bodhi shook the bottles as he spoke. “This one’s empty. The OxyContin.”

Reed sat back in his leather chair and closed his eyes. “That’s what I was afraid of,” he gasped. Forming the words seemed to sap all his energy.

“Reed, why do you have these? These are some serious drugs,” Bodhi said as he analyzed each bottle.

“I haven’t been taking them. The doctor said I’d need them as the cancer gets worse. I’ve got bone cancer, kids.” Bodhi and Raven locked eyes. Devon knew their fragile world was about to change all over again. “I probably won’t see the end of this year. You’re the first ones to know.”

“So Eric.…” Cleo began. Devon and Raven and Bodhi were all still processing Reed’s news.

“He was here that week. We were fighting. We all were,” Reed said. “I was worn out by all the fighting and must have left this out in my bathroom.”

“What were you fighting about?” Devon asked. “Maya’s pregnancy?”

“No, I didn’t know about that then. I changed my will over the summer. I had to make arrangements after I got the diagnosis. Instead of passing everything down to Bill and his sons, everything was going to go to Hutch. The land, the vineyard, the house and my work in the lab. Eric and Bill, they just didn’t get it. They wanted to butcher the land and sell my property so Eddie Dover would finally own the whole mountain and he could rip it apart for his experiments. I won’t let them destroy our land and the school. I promised Francis Keaton I wouldn’t let them, and I intend to keep that promise from the grave if I have to. Hutch understood. He’s the only one who really understood. Eric came down thinking he was going to talk sense into me. I can’t believe that sonofabitch. His own brother.” Reed shook his head and twisted his mouth into a grimace.

“These are forty milligram pills,” Bodhi said. “It wouldn’t have taken much. If Eric crushed them up—”

“In a beer?” Devon added. She didn’t want to be right. Somehow if her hunches were wrong she didn’t need to look at the brutality of the truth.

“In a beer,” he agreed. His voice shook. “A strong beer like Gernsbach would have hidden the taste. If the pills are broken up they release the full dosage at once instead of over time as they’re supposed to. He would have stopped breathing within an hour.”

The room was silent as everyone absorbed what Bodhi said. For once, Devon thought, it feels like the puzzle pieces are all starting to fit together.

“What do we do now?” Raven asked. “Reed is the one with the pills in his name. If we accuse Eric and we’re wrong, the cops will turn on Reed, won’t they?”

“We need a confession,” Cleo said. “And if there’s one person who can get someone to talk.…” Devon blinked. All eyes in the room were on her. “You’re up, Counselor.”