Chapters (95)
- Title Page
- Copyright
- Dedication
- Epigraph
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Thirty-Nine
- Forty
- Forty-One
- Forty-Two
- Forty-Three
- Forty-Four
- Forty-Five
- Forty-Six
- Forty-Seven
- Forty-Eight
- Forty-Nine
- Fifty
- Fifty-One
- Fifty-Two
- Fifty-Three
- Fifty-Four
- Fifty-Five
- Fifty-Six
- Fifty-Seven
- Fifty-Eight
- Fifty-Nine
- Sixty
- Sixty-One
- Sixty-Two
- Sixty-Three
- Sixty-Four
- Sixty-Five
- Sixty-Six
- Sixty-Seven
- Sixty-Eight
- Sixty-Nine
- Seventy
- Seventy-One
- Seventy-Two
- Seventy-Three
- Seventy-Four
- Seventy-Five
- Seventy-Six
- Seventy-Seven
- Seventy-Eight
- Seventy-Nine
- Eighty
- Eighty-One
- Eighty-Two
- Eighty-Three
- Eighty-Four
- Eighty-Five
- Eighty-Six
- Eighty-Seven
- Acknowledgements
- About the Author
- Also by David Swinson
- Thank you for buying this ebook, published by Hachette Digital.
“You didn’t mention the message I left you saying that he called me.”
“Yes. Sorry I didn’t get back. Went to a Nats game with my kids, and you know…”
“He was calling for help, and I was fucking clueless.”
“It’s not your fault.”
“Fuck if it isn’t.”
“It’s no one’s fault. How could you know?”
Thinking back on the conversation, I do know, I did know, but I was too fucked up at the time to realize it.
“He called for fucking help. All I did was tell him he shouldn’t be calling me and that everything would be all right. Fuck. I mean, it was so easy. All he had to do was cooperate, and he’d probably get a slap on the wrist.”
“Yeah. I don’t know what to say, bro.”
“So where does this leave you?”
“Floating, almost dead in the water.”
“What do you mean? You got the kid as a cooperator, right?”
“No. Some more bad news there. His lawyer said he changed his mind and would rather take his chances in court.”
“Son of a bitch! Jasper had to get to him somehow.”
“I’m sure he did. More than likely through his brother. We have plenty to work with, though, so we’re not giving up yet. Wyatt’s knife had what appears to be dried blood on a few parts where the blade folds into the handle. Not as fresh. Might be something.”
“He’s dead. How’s that going to help the case against Jasper?”
“Everything is too circumstantial, Frank, not even close to enough for a warrant.”
“Lean on the boys. Press ’em. The younger one will break. Trust me,” I say with a bit too much familiarity.
“We got other evidence from their home. See where it leads.”
He means the guns I left behind.
“If Biddy’s suicide turns out to be something more, you be sure to tell me, okay?”
“I will.”
I want to throw the phone, but then I’d have nothing. Nothing.
It’s my fault. I should have realized. Get him on suicide watch. How could I not see that?
A couple of hours later, before I can fall into complete self-loathing, my phone rings again. This time Luna.
He’s been checking in on me a lot, like the good friend he is. He wants to come over, bring me a sub from his spot off Florida Avenue, Northeast. I haven’t had anything to eat since yesterday afternoon, so I accept.
It’d be nice to have a good friend to talk to. All this shit needs to find a release—at least the stuff that can be released.
Eighty
Eighty
I straighten everything up around the house, make sure there’s nothing to incriminate me. Luna has a tendency to wander, make himself at home wherever he is.