Page 95 of Necessary Evil

“I got a call from the guys at the precinct,” he said.

“How’s Sentinel taking it?” she said.

“He’s getting drunk.”

Sentinel was by himself in a corner. Warden and a purple-haired woman were sitting at the table that Evan had just gotten up from. Ryder wasn’t there.

“I don’t think Jenny committed suicide,” Lucy said.

“You get the results of the autopsy?”

“Not yet, but the suicide note is all wrong.”

“Sentinel said so too. He said she never called him Sentinel. She only called him Josh.”

“That’s right.” Lucy’s heart hurt. If it had been suicide, at least it would have been Jenny’s choice. But this was just more proof that it was murder. “Who would want to kill Jenny?”

Sentinel got up from his table and staggered toward them. Evan eyeballed Warden, who extricated himself from the woman he was with, but not in time to intercept Sentinel.

“I’m sure the detectives will look at your clients and see who has been in and out of your office,” Evil said, positioning himself between her and Sentinel. Warden stood off slightly to the side.

“And see who has the most to gain by her death,” Sentinel said. He wasn’t slurring his words, but he also wasn’t standing too solidly.

“But that’s just it. No one did.” Lucy threw up her hands in agitation.

“No one?” Sentinel arched an eyebrow at her. “She was no one’s alibi for a double homicide?”

“Why would anyone kill the person who was confirming his innocence?” Lucy put her hands on her hips. Sentinel really pissed her off.

“Because it was bullshit and she was about to recant and ruin your brother’s alibi.”

“The murders happened in California,” Lucy said. “Even if she hadn’t been with him, there’s no way he could have murdered those poor people on Saturday night and then been back on Long Island for the police to arrest him at his job on Tuesday morning.” She was going to hit Sentinel with another chair if he didn’t watch out.

“Unless he flew,” Sentinel countered.

“Unless he grew wings, that’s not possible.”

“Do you know a Richard Barker?” Sentinel snapped at her.

“Richard?” Lucy was thrown by the sudden change in topic. “What does he have to do with this?”

Evil and Sentinel exchanged glances. “Who is he?”

“He was an old friend of Bobby’s.” Lucy’s stomach rolled again. She was glad she hadn’t had anything to eat today, even if the empty stomach was making her feel a little light-headed.

“Is he dead too?”

Lucy recoiled from the venom in Sentinel’s voice. “Yeah, as a matter of fact, he is. He died in my brother’s arms in prison.”

“There’s a witness who says she saw Richard’s passport in Bobby’s apartment in Bay Shore.”

“That’s ridiculous. He doesn’t have an apartment in Bay Shore.”

“Yeah, he does. But it’s leased to Richard Barker, who also flew out to California and back last weekend, giving him enough time to murder the two victims.”

“Bobby was with Jenny,” Lucy said faintly. Her voice sounded funny to her own ears.

“And now no one can prove differently,” Sentinel snarled.

---