Page 14 of The Last Invitation

Jessa

Police cars lined the cul-de-sac in the usually quiet Bethesda, Maryland, neighborhood by the time Jessa arrived. Faith had insisted on tagging along but waited in the car. Jessa barely made it five steps up the long driveway toward the Bartholomews’ marital home before Darren stepped in front of her.

He pushed up his glasses. “I told you this would happen.”

He shouldn’t be here. He’d moved out, but only temporarily and under great protest. The current living arrangement was one of the many disputed items between the couple. His being here at all made the anxiety churning in Jessa’s stomach spin even faster. “What’s going on?”

“She tried to run. But you knew that.” His boyish features curled into a snarl even as his voice remained calm. “You did this.”

She was not in the mood to appease him like everyone else clearly did. “Where’s Curtis?”

“You meanmyson?”

“Ms. Hall?” The woman who stepped up next to Darren flashed a badge. She was fortyish and tall, almost as tall as Darren, and he was about six feet, with pronounced cheekbones and adon’t waste my timeattitude that hummed around her. “I’m Detective Melissa Schone.”

Police cars. Flashing lights. Neighbors on the sidewalk. Curtis wrapped in a blanket and sitting wide-eyed and visibly shaking in the back of an ambulance. The massive seven-bedroom, three-story French country–style family home was lit up, with the front door standing wide open.

This was quite a show. A big, scary show.

Darren turned on the detective. “Have you arrested my wife yet?”

The detective glared at him. “For backing out of her driveaway? No.”

“That’s not what happened, and you know it.” Darren looked past Jessa then started to walk away. “My attorney just got here. Now we’ll settle this.”

Jessa waited until he left to get the details. “What did happen?”

“His wife and son were in the car and he purposely ran into them from behind, blocking them in.” The detective pointed to the broken glass and banged-up SUV. “The crash isn’t in question because he admits he did it but claims he had no choice.”

The damage to the expensive vehicles suggested the hit wasn’t a little tap either. He’d aimed and crashed. Jessa couldn’t think of a single logical reason why he’d do that and further endanger his case. “Were his wife and son hurt?”

“Shaken up, but fine.”

“Why is he still walking around?” Jessa meantfree, because it sounded like he should be in jail for this dangerous, unhinged stunt.

“He says she was trying to kidnap the kid and leave the jurisdiction.”

Something about the dismissive way the detective saidkid, like the same way she might saypool tableorsneakers, annoyed Jessa. “Ellie Bartholomew has temporary custody of Curtis, not Darren.”

“We’re waiting for clarification of that. Unfortunately, Mrs. Bartholomew doesn’t have a copy of the order.”

“Consider me the verification. I represent Curtis—thekid—so I know what’s in the order. She has temporary custody.”

The detective nodded. “So, any truth to the idea that the mother could be taking off with the kid?”

“Good question.” Darren’s attorney walked up to them dressed in a suit and carrying a briefcase, as if he’d just stepped out of the office at eleven at night. “Maybe your friend can answer that.”

Jessa glanced at Faith. She’d gotten out of the car but still stood over there, behind the police tape, leaning against the door. She had nothing to do with this case, and Jessa didn’t want her dragged into the middle of Darren’s terrible decision-making.

“Who are you?” the detective asked.

“Mr. Bartholomew’s attorney.” He gestured over his shoulder in Faith’s general direction. “It’s interesting Ms. Hall here showed up to the scene with an individual who runs a so-calledcharity that’s been accused of helping women sneak out of the area with children in violation of court orders.”

Sneak?Jessa wondered how long he’d been waiting to fire that allegation, but she wasn’t about to let him derail or downplay his client’s behavior. “None of this is true or relevant. You know your client’s wife has custody.”

“She doesn’t have the right to abscond with the child.”

Jessa decided he was as annoying outside of the courtroom as he was in it. “What is wrong with you?”

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