Page 129 of False Evidence

He remembered that moment when she’d swooped in like Rudolph to save Santa. He’d been such a goner.

There were more photos from more holiday parties over the years. Photos of him and his father along with Alexandra and Lisa. So many political and charity events.

Then there was the engagement portrait that was taken years ago. There was a gap in time, and the next photo was taken the night his father had announced he was running for president. A newspaper with a front-page photo of Lee and Erica taken the same night.

Even a headline about Joe’s arrest side by side with the revelation that Ed Drake had murdered JT’s grandmother when his father was four years old.

Any time JT questioned whether or not Drake would have paid Spaulding to put a drugged woman in his bed, he reminded himself the man had committed murder at the age of sixteen.

“Edgy,” Calvin said.

“It’s kind of like a New Year’s Eve rewatch ofIt’s a Wonderful Life—but different in that no one gets wings,” Alexandra said.

“Oh, if we didn’t have plans tonight, I’d totally do a rewatch,” JT said.

She laughed and kissed him. “Then that’s how we’ll celebrate our first anniversary.”

They’d moved on to the last holiday party that both Alexandra and Calvin had attended. JT had been braced for it, knowing it was coming. He only felt a twinge of shame instead of the boatload that usually accompanied thoughts of that night.

If Alexandra could let it go, so could he.

There had been more photos of Kendall throughout, and now the screen showed one of her and Brent at that same holiday party, followed by photos from when Alexandra lived with Kendall full time again.

A handful of photos showed Alexandra in Switzerland. Pregnant in some, in the last, she held a newborn. Her return to the US was documented with a photo of her with Lee and Erica and their daughters.

Next up was a photo of Kendall taken by her photographer boyfriend and one with him by her side. It was followed by the photo of Calvin with Officer Corey Williams that Kendall had taken from the restaurant across the street. The image slowly zoomed in, using the Ken Burns effect.

“What?What…what… What’sthatdoing there?”

Alexandra hit Pause, freezing on Calvin in a relaxed posture, smiling at his second cousin. “Kendall’s boyfriend, Mark, had that in his photos. He said it was important to her. He’d forgotten about it until we started working on this. Imagine his surprise when he realized one of the men in the photo was murdered just a few weeks after this was taken.”

Calvin started to rise. “I think…I think that should do it. We really need to wrap up signing the docs.”

She pressed down on his shoulder, nudging him back into his seat. “But wait, there’s more!” Her voice had taken on the tone of an infomercial. She hit Play again, and there was the video of Kendall kissing Brent in the garage.

“I think that the best part of this video is the voiceover that plays next.” She hit the Volume button that had been playing generic wedding slideshow music until now. Kendall’s recorded conversation with Brent played. The conversation that mentioned Calvin Moss.

Calvin looked ready to crawl out of his skin. Had he recognized the same thing Eden had about the angle of the camera in the garage? He had to know that was where Kendall died. Corey Williams would have told him exactly how he’d killed her.

“What’s this about?” Calvin asked.

“It’s a wonderful life, isn’t it, Calvin?” Lex’s voice was silky smooth.

“Best of luck to you both.” He rose. “We can finish the signing later.”

“But we need to do it now,” JT said, “while the numbers are settled to the day. Before the end of the year. Close of business is in an hour.”

“I’ll get the attorneys, then.” Calvin took a step toward the door.

Alexandra was closer and blocked him. “Sit. Stay. I’ll get them for you.”

“I’m not a fucking dog.” His voice was low and menacing.

“Careful there, Calvin, or someone might think you have something to be afraid of.” She smiled innocently.

JT took a position behind Calvin. “Yeah. Very, very careful. Unlike the others, she hasn’t been drugged into submission. And I willneverlet you lay a fucking finger on her.” JT wasn’t armed, but he had thirty years of martial arts training on his side. “Now, do as she said. Sit. Stay. Alexandra will fetch your attorney.”

Calvin lunged for Alexandra. She pressed the bar on the door with her hip and stepped backward into the promenade, a wide, ornate hall just off the hotel lobby.

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