The Marsh Madness

“But he knew. That’s what the cops will use to get to you, and then they’ll use you to get at him. Then when one of you rolls on the other, bingo.”


“We didn’t do anything. You are my lawyer. You have to believe me.”

“I have to defend you.”

I felt tears sting my eyes. I am not a crier. You don’t last long in the Kelly family if you’re inclined to be weepy. “I’m glad you are going to defend me. Lance is also innocent, and I don’t believe he’ll ever turn on me, and he needs a lawyer too.”

“I’ll try. Can he pay?”

“He was always pretty good at saving and he has a professional job and this isn’t an expensive area to live in. At least he can pay for the initial representation. After that, I’m sure they’ll let him go. Stop sighing, Sammy. It’s very unnerving. He won’t be going to jail.”

“The jails are full of innocent people, Jordan.”

“And guilty people too.”

“You’re right. A guy like Lance isn’t going to do well in the prison system.”

“I can’t let that happen to him. He needs a decent lawyer. I can tell them he had nothing to do with it. Do you think I should turn myself in?”

“Can’t hear you. You’re breaking up! What? What?”

Fine. I needed to think anyway. But my head felt all fuzzy. This thing with Lance was a big shock. And I’d been behind on my sleep since we found out about Chadwick Kauffman’s death. I was starting to shake. I needed to crash for a few hours before I could make a good decision about what to do next.

At the intersection ahead a police cruiser ran the red—roof lights flashing—heading for the on-ramp to the interstate, taking the shortcut to the far side of town. As far as I could tell every cop in town was on the move.


*

MY BURNER PHONE buzzed. I pulled over. Anyone who had this number was someone I wanted to talk to.

“Cherie? What is it?”

“Bad news.”

“If Shelby didn’t show up, it’s not the end of the world. What’s happening there now?”

“Couldn’t tell you. I had to move on. There are cops everywhere.”

“Cops? At Shelby’s?”

“Go figure. I learned some stuff about her, but first the cops. They are talking to everyone on the street. I moved to the next street and, from the pole, I could see quite a bit of action before I figured I’d better disappear.”

“Maybe they’ve figured out that she was involved with the killing.”

“Maybe. Whatever. I think it’s serious. Uh-oh. Too much heat in the area. Talk later.”

There was one place that no one would think to look for me. I stuck my hand in my deep-orange bag and felt around the smallest interior zipped pocket for the key. It fit the front and back doors to the residence of one person who wasn’t likely to be home anytime soon. Tyler Dekker.


*

MY HANDS SHOOK as I eased the Navigator out onto the street and headed for Tyler’s small, neat brick bungalow.

“So Walter,” I said, “at least we’ll look legit, you and me, going back to Tyler’s place.”

Walter cocked his head.

I assumed Tyler would not have told his neighbors he’d dumped his devoted girlfriend and her dog by text. “That’s us, Walter. We’ve been mistreated.”

I pulled the Navigator around the corner, and Walter and I sauntered, bush by bush, to the immaculate front entrance. Tyler was the neatest person I’d ever met.