Page 78 of Lie for a Million

“But you haven’t heard the rest. After he got out of jail on drug charges, Judd showed up at Crystal’s place, raped her, and started punching on her. She fell and hit her head. Neighbors found her unconscious and called for an ambulance.

“I spoke to her at the clinic, where she’d just opened her eyes. She told me what had happened and claimed that Judd had confessed to killing Frank. When I asked, she agreed to sign a sworn statement and record her testimony as a witness.”

“So you decided to wait?”

“She’d just regained consciousness. At the time, she could barely sit up. She was in no condition to sign anything. But the next day, when I went back with the document prepared, she’d checked herself out of the clinic, loaded up her car, and left town.”

“What about Judd?”

“Dead.” Sam gave Nick an account of Judd’s fiery crash, which he’d learned about from Lila’s phone call. “Driving drunk in a stolen vehicle. He zigzagged into the path of a tanker truck. The driver escaped the fire. Judd didn’t.”

Nick was silent for what seemed like a long time. “Let me get this straight,” he said at last. “In the absence of solid evidence and sworn testimony, are you suggesting that we pin Frank’s murder on a conveniently dead man and declare the case closed?”

Sam bit back a curse. “Nick, we need to wrap this up, for you and for the Bureau. I have every reason to believe the bastard is guilty. He had motive, means, and opportunity. And he’s dead. There’ll be no need for a trial. I’ll write my report, swearing to what Crystal told me, and you can start building strength for your cancer treatments. It’s a win-win situation.”

“What about that syringe?”

“Blast it, Nick, there could be a half-dozen explanations. Maybe it was planted. Maybe it was used to put an animal down. Maybe it washed downstream from somewhere else. Without prints and DNA, we can’t claim it as solid evidence.”

“And you still don’t believe Roper McKenna’s guilty?”

“I might have believed it once. But that was before I heard that Judd had confessed.”

“You said Judd had motive, means, and opportunity. So did Roper.”

“Roper swears he didn’t kill Frank. So far, he’s cooperated with the investigation in every way. This weekend he’ll be competing in the Run for a Million. I trust him enough to allow him that.”

“All right.” Nick sighed. “We’ll set a deadline. From now through the Run for a Million, you’re to give this investigation everything you’ve got. At the end of that time, you’ll make an honest assessment and name your killer—Judd, Roper, or whomever it may be. If you’re still uncertain, we’ll file the case as unsolved and bring you back to Abilene. Agreed?”

“Agreed. And I understand.” The pressure was on, as it should be. But Sam knew that it wasn’t just from Nick. If he failed to solve this high-profile case, his career with the Bureau would be tarnished for years to come. Worse, somebody out there would be getting away with murder.

“How’s your case against Louis Divino going?” he asked, changing the subject. “Any news?”

“He’s still in Austin and still being watched. It’s like he’s thumbing his nose, daring us to catch him breaking the law. Our accountants are still going over his books, hoping to find something we can use. I’d give anything to nail the bastard before I leave the Bureau. But time’s getting short. That challenge might fall to young pups such as you.”

“Divino can’t run forever,” Sam said. “Sooner or later, he’ll get too cocky for his own good and he’ll slip. I’d just like it to be on your watch.”

“So would I. But that’s the way it goes. Keep me posted on your end. I’ll do the same here. The lab’s still got that syringe. If they find anything new, you’ll be the first to know.” Nick paused. “Someone’s on the other line. Have to go. Keep in touch.”

The call ended. Still holding his phone, Sam walked out onto the porch. The sun was climbing to the peak of the sky, its heat searing the landscape like a blowtorch. Heat waves swam like water above the asphalt of the employee parking lot. Roper’s truck had been missing all morning. Strange that he wouldn’t be here, with the Run for a Million days away. Sam hadn’t seen Lila, either. Maybe Mariah would know what was going on. He would ask her at lunchtime.

Sam’s thoughts returned to the conversation with Nick. Something tugged at the edges of his memory, something about Louis Divino. His pulse jumped as the thought struck him. Divino was a friend of Jasmine’s mother. Earlier, Nick had mentioned that Divino had a girlfriend with a condo on Lake Travis. That was where Madeleine lived. Were the two of them together? Was Jasmine involved?

Maybe Jasmine knew enough about Divino’s activities to be a threat to him. Or maybe Divino was interested in Jasmine and not in her mother.

But if that was the case, Sam asked himself, why hadn’t she told him? Was she afraid? Was she protecting someone, like her mother? Like him?

Maybe she was unaware of the danger. Or maybe, he hoped, his hunch was wrong and Divino wasn’t even in the picture.

Calling her would be risky. But not calling her could be even riskier. If Jasmine was in danger, he needed to know.

Decision made, Sam punched in the number of her burner phone and made the call.

* * *

Jasmine was in her room, working on an updated version of her résumé when her burner phone jangled. Caution warned her to let it ring. Madeleine was in bed with one of her headaches. Louis had come by with long-stemmed red roses and a carton of her favorite lobster bisque. Since it was Carmela’s day off, he had taken it on himself to ladle the rich soup into bowls, ready to be heated and served with French bread when she felt like eating.

Jasmine had retreated to her room. The man repelled her. Worse, he frightened her.

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