“Yes. That’s right. How was Dr. Bradley’s demeanor when he returned from fixing the window?” I start drawing the necklace in the margin next to my notes from my last conversation with Mrs. Bradley.

She sniffles. “Uh, I don’t know. He was fine.”

I shuffle back through my notebook. “Didn’t you tell me that he was preoccupied, troubled when he came back?”

“I don’t remember.”

I read back her statement to her. “You remember that?” Dr. Westmore had also noticed Dr. Bradley’s “preoccupation.”

“I guess. But I think it was just turning forty, you know? Big birthday.”

“Yeah. It hits some people hard. But maybe he was troubled by something else.”

“I don’t know what that could be. Maybe he heard from someone in town about the missing woman and felt bad.”

“Why wouldn’t he have turned the necklace in to the sheriff?”

Silence. Then, “Jay wouldn’t have had anything to do with a missing woman, Detective.” She’s breathing hard. “Jay wouldn’t ever . . . hurt anybody.”

“That’s not what we’re saying. So can we meet you up there?”

“Yes. Of course.”

We iron out the details and hang up. Her mood had swung from confused to desperate and fearful to resolved to vindicate her husband. That’s fine, as long as she cooperates, things will move along.

CHAPTER 30 - Molly

CHAPTER 30

Molly

ALL MORNING, I WANDERED THE HOUSE, SADIE FOLLOWING IN MY wake. What does Detective Myers think happened to Annalise Robb, and why would Jay have her necklace? It’s totally got to be a fluke. A strange coincidence. But what if someone in Mountclair thought Jay hurt that woman and they came here and killed Jay? Could that have happened? Is that what the cops think? I searched the internet for information about the incident. I hadn’t heard anything about it at the time. But we did leave early on that Friday, before anyone would have been searching for her probably and before her disappearance made the community gossip. I don’t know what to think. According to what I read, it appears that the local investigation has stalled. Annalise Robb is still missing. It sends a chill down my spine. I know what it’s like to be missing.

After lunch, Sadie and I drive over to Laken’s house. I need to get out and think about something besides Jay. I need to talk to Laken. I don’t know what I’ll say to her about Josh, but this is causing me more pain than I can handle right now. It needs to be settled.