Marta Perry - Murder in Plain Sight

Trey made a sound deep in his throat. Then he pulled her into his arms and held her close, his heart beating strong and sure against her cheek.

“DO YOU REALLY WANT to do this?” Leo peered at Jessica anxiously, his bushy white eyebrows drawing down in a frown. “Maybe you ought to wait a bit longer before speaking to the press.”

“I’ve waited as long as I dare to. The trial date is coming up too fast, and so far we don’t have enough to mount a convincing defense.”

It had been two days since they’d discovered the connection between the note she’d received and Cherry’s death, and despite what seemed a definite link, they had nothing to take to court. She had, finally, taken the photo and the note to the district attorney, where she’d been met with polite disbelief.

The D.A. had gone so far as to offer a plea bargain, but it had been so stiff as to amount to an insult. Apparently he felt confident in his ability to explain away the drug in Thomas’s system. As for the photo…he’d implied that a jury would laugh that out of court.

Leo hadn’t found out anything more about a resurgence of the brotherhood; Bobby had been unsuccessful in tracing the pendant.

As for Trey-after the promise that seemed implicit in the way he’d held her the night she’d been hurled off the road, he’d withdrawn. From her, from the case, everything. A wall had come up between them, a wall she had no idea how to breach.

“The only possibility I can come up with is to go public with the sign of the raven. Maybe it will mean something to someone.”

She glanced into the mirror of her compact, aware of the murmur of voices in Leo’s outer office. The press had arrived, and she was about to appear before television cameras looking as if she’d been in a prize fight. The black eye was spectacular, to say the least, and all the makeup in the world wouldn’t hide it.

“Well, if you’re sure.” Doubt laced Leo’s voice.

“I’m not, but I’m going to do it anyway.” She spared a brief thought for Henderson, Dawes and Henderson, who undoubtedly would not approve. Henderson Senior had been on the phone to her only yesterday, wondering why she hadn’t persuaded her client to accept the D.A.’s offer.

She couldn’t let that matter to her. Her obligation was to her client, no one else. She took a deep breath, seized the doorknob and stepped into the lion’s den.

It wasn’t quite as bad as she anticipated, maybe because of that black eye. The reporters stared at it with ill-concealed curiosity, obviously just waiting until her prepared statement was over to ask about it.

Until she showed the enlargements she’d made of the note she received and the necklace from the crime scene. Cameras flashed, questions erupted and the television reporter thrust a microphone in her face.

“Are you seriously suggesting that a secret society is responsible for Cherry Wilson’s death?” Disdain was clear in her tone.

“No, of course not.” Jessica had to raise her voice to be heard over the babble of questions. “I am suggesting that this symbol of the raven meant enough to the killer that he replicated it. And since it appeared on a note left for me after Thomas Esch was arrested, Thomas clearly didn’t write it. That has to mean something.”

“Ms. Langdon, you want to tell us where you got that shiner?” One of the print reporters this time.

“My car was run off the road two nights ago,” she said, keeping her voice noncommittal.

“You think that’s related to this threat you supposedly received?”

Her lips tightened. “The threat was real, as was the vandalism to my car.” No point belaboring the point. They’d believe what they wanted to. The important thing was to get her message out.

She looked straight at the television camera. “I’m making a plea for information. If anyone out there knows anything about this symbol, anything at all, we hope that you’ll call us.” She gave the number of Leo’s office.

She managed a smile for the rest of the reporters. “I think that’s all. Thank you for your attention.” She escaped into the inner office while they clamored for one more answer.

Shutting the door, she leaned against it, looking at Leo. “What do you think?”

He gave her a hug. “Good job, Jessica. Good job.”

“Let’s just hope it does some good. If not…” If not, what had she risked by making that plea? She wasn’t sure.

The noise from the outer office died away. It had barely faded when the door was yanked open behind her, nearly sending her toppling.

“Why on earth did you do that?” Trey’s anger spurted out, fury coloring his voice. “Are you crazy?”

TREY FOUGHT THE MIXED emotions that battered at him. This wasn’t him. He didn’t lose control. He always kept it together. But when he’d heard what Jessica intended to do-

He took a breath, halting the words that pressed on his lips. Leo was peering over his glasses, as if studying a curiosity. And Jessica…Jessica stared at him, looking at once startled and vulnerable.

He wanted to tell her. He wanted to make her understand why he’d been afraid…a bone-chilling, paralyzing fear…ever since she’d pointed out the sign of the raven next to Cherry’s body.

“Trey, I had to.” Jessica, overcoming her surprise at his impetuous entrance, came toward him. “Don’t you understand? If we can just find someone who knows what the sign means, maybe we can unravel this.”

That was exactly what he had to prevent. He had to protect his mother. His father’s suicide had devastated her. If she had to withstand another blow about the man she’d loved, Trey wasn’t sure how she’d survive.

“Trey?”

He’d been silent too long. “I’m sorry, Jessica.” Her expression shook him-caring. Loving. “I’m afraid for you. You’re setting yourself up as a target.” That was true enough, at least, even if it wasn’t the whole story.

“I’ve been a target, remember? At least now that the business about the symbol is out in the open, the killer has no reason to go after me.”

“She’s probably right, you know.” Leo stood. “But I think I’d better let the two of you argue it out.” He went quickly to the outer office, closing the door firmly behind him.

Trey ran a hand through his hair. “Maybe I’m overreacting, but when my mother told me what you planned to do, it scared me. I can’t help but think…” He stopped, because she was shaking her head.

“No, Trey. That’s not what’s going on. You’ve been pulling away since the moment we made the connection with the symbol.”

“No.”

“Yes.” She put her hand on his wrist, gripping him urgently. “Trey, what is it? What does that symbol mean to you?”

“Nothing.” He shook his head, knowing he was giving himself away with every breath.

“Don’t shut me out.” Her lips compressed. “Tell me, whatever it is. Help me understand how you could tell me we were in this together one minute and then pull away from me the next.”

That punched him right in the heart. “I didn’t intend to do that. I meant everything I said to you.”

“Did you?”

“Yes.” He caught both her hands in his. “I’m sorry. I just-”

He turned away, walked blindly until he reached a filing cabinet and braced his hands against it. This was no good. He had to tell her. He sucked in a breath.

“Okay. You’re right. When you showed us that picture of the chain in the shape of a bird…it was familiar to me. When I found my father’s body, his tie was lying on the table-twisted into the same shape.”

Silence, so dense he could hear the thudding of his own heart. And then she moved next to him. Put her hand over his.