“You don’t ask for much, do you?”
“I’m asking you to tell me the truth.”
“If I know something and didn’t tell the police about it, does that make me an accessory?”
“Maybe, but you’ve got me in your corner. I’d be willing to help you if you help me.”
“Could you possibly be more vague?”
“Could you?”
“Okay, listen, Yuki. I had nothing to do with Jennifer’s death. Actually, I liked her.”
“I’m listening.”
Lynnette sighed. “I met Jennifer a couple of times when she came to school to talk about Lily. Lily was a mess. Withdrawn. Evasive. We never really got into it. Jennifer was reluctant to talk about her husband, and I didn’t want to talk about him, either. I liked him a lot.”
She shook her head, as if it hurt to remember.
“Talk about a colossal error in judgment. But anyway. Whatever Floyd Meserve tells you, I didn’t kill Jennifer. I’ve never killed anything or anybody.”
“Floyd will testify under oath that you set up the meeting with him and Keith.”
“I made the introduction, but for God’s sake, I knew Floyd was a cop! Keith was always talking about making Jennifer disappear. So I told Keith a story. That I knew this fixer. Blah, blah. And I’m saying to Keith, ‘Can you imagine?’ And Keith said, ‘Give me the guy’s name. Hook us up.’
“I told Floyd about Keith, and Floyd said, ‘I could play the part of a hit man. I know enough of them.’ I thought Floyd would lock Keith up and Jennifer would be fine. Get it? And then Jennifer could parent her daughter without Keith around terrorizing them.
“So I gave Floyd’s number to Keith and at the same time I told Keith I was done with him. He’s a scary man, Yuki. Even scarier when he’s frustrated. So like I said, I went up to my cottage to be alone. When I heard that Jennifer and Lily were missing, I thought Floyd actually took the job from Keith. Or if Floyd didn’t do it, maybe Keith did it himself. I was afraid for my own life.”
“And where was Lily at this time? Do you know?”
“Oh, I know where Lily was. That’s what I’m going to trade for getting these stupid charges against me dismissed.”
Yuki thought about what Lynnette had said. It sounded true, and it wasn’t even at odds, really, with Floyd Meserve’s statement.
“Hey,” Lynnette said. “I’m talking to you, you little gook bitch. I can help you nail Keith Herman. Have we got a deal?”
Chapter 84
YUKI SAID, “WHAT did you say?”
Yuki had never been called a gook in her life. Her mother was Japanese but had been an American citizen for twenty-five years before her death. Her father had been Italian American, US Army, a veteran. Yuki was born in San Francisco.
She was astonished by this new version of Lynnette Lagrande, who was not only a changeling but an ugly person through and through.
Lynnette said, “I said, pay attention, Yuki.”
Yuki considered launching a couple of stinging come-backs, but decided to take the high road. She ignored the insult and again asked Lynnette Lagrande to tell her what she knew about Lily’s disappearance and whereabouts between the first of March the previous year and last week.
Lynnette spoke with her trademark good diction and grammar, and she named names. Yuki put her notebook away and slammed the lid on her briefcase. She said, “I’ll get back to you.”
“When? How long do I have to stay here?” Lynnette called after Yuki as she exited the interrogation room.
Yuki went out into the hallway, found people stacked three deep at the elevator bank, and headed down the fire stairs. When she got to the third floor, she opened the door leading to the homicide squad room.
Brenda greeted her with a smile and said, “The boss is in.”
Yuki thanked Brenda, breezed through the gate, and crossed the bull pen to the corner office. She knocked on the glass door and Lieutenant Jackson Brady got to his feet, opened the door, and asked Yuki to come in.