Page 70 of To Die For

CHAPTER

32

DEVINE WENT TO HIS HOTEL,showered, peeled off his soiled clothes, and put on fresh ones. His jacket with the bloodstain removed was back from the hotel laundry so he put that on. Then he took an Uber to Odom’s hotel. He had phoned Saxby before heading over.

“Betsy’s been asking about you all day,” the FBI agent had told him on the phone. “What the hell is going on?”

“I’ll tell you when I get there.”

Saxby opened the door at his knock. Odom was waiting on the couch. She jumped up when Devine walked in.

Odom said, “I’m so glad you’re here, Travis. The hearing is tomorrow, and like I said, my uncle wants to meet with me before.”

He looked at Saxby. “The Bureau okay with that?”

“Yes. But I’m coming along, too. To see Glassandattend the court hearing.”

Devine held up Odom’s binder. “Stopped at your home last night and found this.”

“My journal!” said Odom.

“Yeah.” When she reached for it, he held it back. “One thing.”

“What?” she said fearfully, as though she knew what was coming.

He opened it to the last page. “You apparently had doubts about your unclebeforeyour parents died. How come?”

Saxby read off the line and then looked in confusion at Odom. “Betsy?” she said.

Odom snatched the binder and plunked herself down on the couch, crossing one leg defiantly over the other. “What!?”

“What do you have to say about that?” asked Saxby.

“About what?” she shot back.

Devine sat at the other end of the couch. “By those words, you were trying to make up your mind about your uncle. So someone must have told you something about him.”

Odom fingered the binder and wouldn’t look at him.

Devine finally glanced at Saxby. “When and where tomorrow?”

“We meet Glass at nine at his hotel. The court hearing is at eleven at the King County Superior Court. It’s right here in downtown Seattle.”

“But the Odoms resided in Kittitas County,” noted Devine.

Saxby said, “Yes, but there was an agreement among the parties that the case would be transferred here. Kittitas didn’t want a media circus, what with Glass being involved. And DOJ didn’t want Glass traveling out there. Just all around easier to do it here.”

“Okay.” He looked over to catch Odom staring at him but then she quickly looked away.

“So how will the hearing run?” he asked.

Saxby said, “The judge will probably take testimony from at least Betsy and maybe Glass. The lawyers may have motions or statements to make. We’ll just have to play it by ear.”

“You said DOJ will contest Glass’s petition for the emergency guardianship?” asked Devine.

“They absolutely will,” replied Saxby.

“And I have no say?” exclaimed Odom.