The facial recognition search just ended, Jamil said. And look what we have here. Paul Gilliard arrived at the Otis Estate at four forty-one on Friday afternoon. And at least according to the footage we have, it looks like he never left.

He turned back to Jessie with a gleam in his eye.

What now? he asked.

Now, Jessie told them both, I think its time we got to know Mr. Gilliard a little better.

CHAPTER THIRTY

Jasper Otis was having a rough week, and almost all of it had to do with the Estradas.

As he walked down the hall from his business office in East House back to the residence in West House, he did a mental check-in to review where he stood. He had ongoing challenges with Beto, which would hopefully be definitively resolved soon. But the problems stemming from Betos ex-wife, Milly, were more immediately pressing.

What had begun as helping out an old friend had gotten unexpectedly messy. He had known from the first second there was a problem, when his cell phone rang at 3:30 a.m. and the caller ID said it came from his own bedroom. When he picked up, he heard Paul Gilliards desperate voice on the line.

I screwed up, buddy, Paul said. And I need your help.

What is it?

I was with Milly Estrada, you know the lawyer? We were getting hot and heavy in your room and I took a little something to amp everything up and it got out of control. I got too excited, I guess, and I accidentally…yanked her neck too hard and it broke. Shes dead, Jasper.

What? Jasper had asked, not sure hed heard it right.

I guess I dont know my own strength and with everything Im on right now, I didnt even realize what Id done.

Jasper remembered trying to process the information as he lay next to the barely legal model hed spent most of the last hour with, the one whose name he didnt want to tell the cops because she had only officially turned eighteen hours earlier. Suddenly his raucous bacchanal had turned into a potentially empire-destroying nightmare. He remembered getting up and going into the bathroom where he could whisper without being heard.

Just turn yourself in, Paul, hed insisted. Ill get you the best lawyers. Well show that it was the drugs that did this, not you.

You dont get it, Paul pleaded. Milly was the best lawyer. Shes the one who saved me when I got in trouble before. If I turn myself in, all of that will come out. Ill spend the rest of my life in prison.

Jasper, who was feeling the effects of some chemicals hed ingested over the course of the night, felt panic rise in his chest.

Theyre going to find out it was you, Paul. Theyll check for DNA or something. Better to go on offense and massage the story as best you can.