Part 40 (1/2)

”Jesus Christ!” Charlie was out of his seat, punching the b.u.t.ton on the tape recorder to shut it off. Why couldn't you rewind your own life? He paced to the far end of the room, Matt coming up beside him. ”My little girl,” Charlie choked. ”He did this to my little girl.”

”We'll get him,” Matt promised. ”We'll press charges for this, too.”

Nodding, Charlie started back to the table, only to be restrained by Matt. ”No,” the county attorney said. ”Let me.”

Molly lay curled like a fiddlehead against her flannel crib sheets, her thumb tucked in her mouth as she slept. Matt stared down at her and could easily imagine the kind of pain that Charlie was in right now. G.o.d, if someone ever did anything to his child, he couldn't be held accountable for his actions.

This latest drama was not what Matt needed the night before the trial began. But Meg's accusations would be a different case, brought before a different judge on a different day ... if there was enough evidence to try it. He would never have told Charlie, but part of Matt had to wonder how reliable Meg's tearful confession was. She had already been taking hallucinogenic drugs that night. ... It was possible that this alleged a.s.sault was imagined.

And that was how it affected his current case-he could no longer risk Meg as a witness. If she testified to bringing the drugs and then con- fessed to being attacked, too, would the jury believe her? And if they didn't, would they still believe Gillian?

Matt couldn't say for sure whether Meg was going to help or hurt the case. He didn't need her to convict Jack St. Bride; therefore, he would simply omit her. He'd call Chelsea Abrams up for her eyewitness account, instead ... and if her story didn't match quite as neatly with Whitney O'Neill's as Meg's had, it was still less of a gamble with the jury.

Matt touched his hand lightly to the sweet globe of his daughter's head. ”Good night,” he whispered, but for long minutes afterward, he made no move to leave her.

The moon slipped over the windowsill and beneath the covers, but Jordan and Selena didn't notice. Selena stared down at her arms, tangled with Jordan's just below her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. ”What are you thinking?”

”That I plead temporary insanity.”

”Ah.” Selena turned in his embrace. ”Feeling guilty?”

”No. I feel ... I feel ... ”

She swatted at his hand. ”Yeah, I see what you feel.” Laughing, she darted out of the way. ”Get out of there.”

”That's not what you said ten minutes ago.”

”Maybe I'm pleading temporary insanity, too.”

They had fallen asleep sitting on the couch, watching reruns of Perry Mason Perry Mason on TVLand. Somehow, when they'd awakened, they'd been lying down in each other's arms, pressed together from chest to thigh. It was all the impetus they needed; a subliminal reminder that no matter how hard they tried, they weren't meant to be apart. From there, they'd been lucky to make it to the privacy of a bedroom. on TVLand. Somehow, when they'd awakened, they'd been lying down in each other's arms, pressed together from chest to thigh. It was all the impetus they needed; a subliminal reminder that no matter how hard they tried, they weren't meant to be apart. From there, they'd been lucky to make it to the privacy of a bedroom.

”Hey, Selena?”

”Mmm?”

”Why didn't we do this a month ago?”

”Oh, take your pick: We were smarter then. We had better self-control.”

Jordan looked at her soberly. ”You really think that?”

For once, she had no smart answer. ”Actually,” Selena admitted, ”I don't.” She stared at him. ”How do you think this will all turn out?”

Jordan shook his head. ”I have no idea.”

Selena smiled against his chest. ”Are you talking about us, or the case?”

”Either one.” He sighed, choosing the easier route of conversation. ”All we've really been able to prove is that she's a witch.”

”A witch on drugs. I've thought about it,” Selena confessed. ”And I can explain away just about all the evidence, and clear Jack in my head. Except for that s.e.m.e.n. That's not something you leave behind while you're just chatting it up with someone.”

”The s.e.m.e.n's the most inconclusive evidence Houlihan's got. A jury will see that.”

”You hope.”

”I hope.”

”Jack could still be lying to you,” Selena pointed out.

”So could Gillian Duncan.”

They were quiet for a while, soaking up the heat and the memory of each other's bodies. ”Speaking of lies,” Selena whispered. ”I have to tell you something.”

Jordan came up on one elbow. ”What?”

”My car was ready two weeks ago.”

”I have to tell you something, too.” His teeth flashed in the darkness. ”Your car would have been ready five five weeks ago, but I paid the mechanic to say the part was delayed.” weeks ago, but I paid the mechanic to say the part was delayed.”

Selena came up on an elbow. ”You'd go to all that trouble to keep from losing your best investigator?”

Jordan leaned forward and kissed her lightly. ”No,” he said. ”I'd go to all that trouble to keep from losing you.”

They held hands across a cafeteria table, surrounded by men who had murdered others in fights and beaten their wives and burned houses to the ground with people still inside. A correctional officer stood guard. When Addie had first embraced Jack, the CO had tapped her on the shoulder and politely explained that sort of touching was not allowed.

Addie looked at the couple beside them. The man had a snake tattooed around his neck. His visitor was a woman with spiked green hair, an eyebrow ring, and a dog collar.

In fifteen hours, the trial would begin.

”Are you nervous?” she asked.

”No. I figure the sooner we get this over with, the sooner I'll be with you.”

Addie bent her head. ”That,” she said, ”will be wonderful.”

”I've been thinking about it, you know. We'll go to the Carribbean. June is the rainy season, but I figure we could both use a vacation. I want to be outside all day long. I want to sleep sleep outside. h.e.l.l, maybe we won't even have to pay for a room.” outside. h.e.l.l, maybe we won't even have to pay for a room.”

Addie choked on a laugh, one that rounded neatly into a little sob. She looked up at Jack and tried to smile.

”If you're that upset, sweetheart, I'll get us a hotel.” He spoke softly, stroking her palm with his thumb.

A deep, shuddering breath wracked Addie. ”What if-”

”Ah, Addie, don't.” Jack put his finger to her lips a moment before the guard frowned at the contact. ”Sometimes, when I think I'm going to lose it in here, I just imagine that I'm already out. I think about what we're going to do for the weekend, and whether the diner's going to be busy that day, and how all I want is for it to be nighttime so that I can sleep holding onto you. I think about us, six months from now. Six years from now. Until I can remember what it's like to have a normal life back.”

”A normal life,” Addie repeated, with longing.

”We can even practice,” Jack said earnestly. He cleared his throat. ”Hi, honey. What did you do today?”