“It’s one of those days,” I said.
“You eat anything?”he asked.
“Genevieve made me a sandwich.”
“Good.”He pulled out onto the street and I watched the shop disappear in the side mirror.The island was gray and dripping, the live oaks heavy with it, and the streets were mostly quiet.
“Why do you think he told us to talk to Jackie?”I asked.“Do you think she killed Henry?”
“I don’t know,” he said.“But I’m willing to bet she left out more than just the affair the first time she talked to you.”
Dash turned onto Cypress Point and pulled into the driveway of Jackie’s white coastal contemporary.
“Let me do most of the talking at first,” he said.“I want to make an impression.”
“And then I can be good cop?”
“Just go with the flow.”
Jackie had the door open before we reached the top of the stairs.
“Miserable out here,” she said.“Y’all come in out of the wet.”
She was in high-waisted leggings and a sleeveless muscle shirt, and I could only assume she was just getting back from Pilates again.
She did have a great body for a woman her age.I was going to have to check it out.I wouldn’t be able to live off good genetics for too many more years.
And then I remembered what James said about Jackie’s other talents, and I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to look her in the eyes again.
“I can only assume, Mabel, that this handsome fella is the new sheriff,” she said.Her voice had changed into a low purr, and my eyes widened at the sudden transformation.She was standing different, a hand on her hip, and suddenly I could see every curve she had.And she had plenty.
“Sheriff Beckett,” Dash said, not giving her his first name.“We need to ask you some follow-up questions regarding the Henry Wainwright murder.”
She looked at him, taking his measure, and what she saw must have changed her mind on how she should approach him, because all of a sudden she was all business.
“Come on in and have a seat in the kitchen,” she said.“I’ve got groceries to put away.You can ask your questions while I do it.”
I raised my brows at Dash once she turned away, and we followed behind her.
“James killed himself today,” Dash said, taking a seat at the kitchen island on a stool.I took the one next to him.
I was as shocked as she was as to how he delivered the news.
“What?”she asked, leaning against the counter.“That’s terrible.I don’t understand.”
“Guilt weighs heavier on some people than others,” Dash said.
“Are you saying James is the one who killed Henry?”
“James told us an interesting story during his last minutes on earth,” he said, not answering her question.“Why don’t you tell us your version?”
“I’m guessing James told you he and I were involved,” she said, deciding to take one of the barstools instead of putting away her groceries.
“He did,” Dash said.
Her spine straightened and he chin tilted defiantly.“So sue me.I had sex with a married man.It’s not like he left his wife for me.”
The way she said it made me think she expected him to do exactly that.
