After Anna(80)

Maggie stared at the phone, stunned. Who was this from? What was Noah doing in the picture? In a hotel room?

Maggie read the text again, her eyes still wet. She enlarged the photo. It was definitely Noah.

Maggie eased Anna off her chest, shifting her onto the bed.

Anna half-woke, murmuring, ‘Love you.’

‘Love you, too,’ Maggie whispered, then headed for the door.





Chapter Fifty-five


Noah, After

TRIAL, DAY 3

Noah straightened as Linda called her next witness to the stand, an attractive African-American woman in her mid-thirties dressed in a loose-fitting black pantsuit. She had a pretty face dominated by oversized wire-rimmed glasses, and she wore her hair short, with little gold hoop earrings. She smiled for the courtroom clerk, who swore her in.

Linda stood in front of the witness stand. ‘Please state your name for the record, if you would.’

‘Patricia Evans.’

‘Thank you, and what is your occupation?’

‘I’m a criminalist in the Forensic Services Unit in Montgomery County.’

‘And do you have a degree in criminology?’

‘Yes, I have a criminal science degree from Drexel University.’

‘And how long have you been a criminalist?’

‘Approximately four years.’

‘Ms Evans, can you tell the jury, in layman’s terms, what a criminalist does for Montgomery County?’

‘We collect, document, preserve, and interpret physical evidence using scientific techniques, in order to support law enforcement in its investigation of crime.’

‘And did you collect evidence relating to the murder of Anna Desroches?’

‘Yes, I was called to the crime scene that night.’

‘Please describe for the jury the fiber evidence you collected at the scene.’

‘Certainly, to begin . . .’ Evans launched into her testimony, but Noah already knew the fiber evidence. They had found two white threads from his oxford shirt on Anna’s dress, and they had found a blue thread from her checked dress on his khaki pants. Noah remembered that sundress, which she’d worn to the barbecue that had turned into a nightmare. It had only gotten worse after Maggie had come down, after having listened to Anna.

Noah! Maggie had charged downstairs into the basement. Her face had been red, her eyes had glistened with angry tears. She held her phone in the air like a flaming torch. What the hell is this?

I don’t know what you mean. Noah hadn’t been able to see what was on the phone.

This is a text I just got. It looks like a picture of you in a hotel room. This is you, isn’t it? Maggie had thrust the phone at his face.

Maggie, hold on. Noah had put up his hands, reflexively. It had looked like him in the photo, going out a door. But he hadn’t known who had taken it or when.

Who took this photo?

I don’t know.

Oh, come on! This is a hotel room. I enlarged the photo. You can see the notice on the back of the door. It says checkout time is noon. What time did you check out, Noah?

I don’t know, Noah had started to say, then he’d seen the phone number that had sent the text, a number he recognized. Jordan’s. She must’ve taken the photo as he was leaving her hotel room in Miami. He remembered she’d had a phone in her hand, but he hadn’t realized she’d taken a picture of him.

Noah, is this recent? When was this taken? Who took it?

Babe, I can explain –

So start explaining. Because I’m getting a suspicion that this is from Miami and it was taken by you-know-who. Maggie’s eyes had flashed with fury. How does she know about our party tonight? How could she know that unless you told her? What the hell were you doing in her hotel room? You just told me that you didn’t see her down there!

Maggie, listen, I’m sorry, but nothing happened. Noah had tried to take her arm, but she’d smacked it away.

You just told me you didn’t see her.

I’m sorry –

So you saw her? So you lied before? You really did? Maggie’s eyes had widened, her worst fears confirmed. I believed you, Noah! I believed you and I thought you were faithful to me! You told me you didn’t see her down there, but you did, didn’t you?

Yes but –

What am I supposed to think about this? What did you do?

I didn’t sleep with her, I didn’t even kiss her.

Bullshit! You were in a hotel room! She got a picture of you leaving!

Because I didn’t stay. I wouldn’t stay and she was mad –

Noah, what were you doing in her hotel room in the first place? And why did you lie to me about it? How am I supposed to believe you? And what is going on with you?

Maggie, wait – Noah had put his hands up again, seeing that she had been losing control. Tears had spilled from her eyes. Mucus had bubbled in her nose.

Noah, my daughter cried herself to sleep! She told me that you’ve been trying to molest her! You’re telling me you didn’t! How am I supposed to believe you now?

Maggie, what does Anna have to do with it? These things aren’t related –

Yes they are! How stupid do you think I am? You have no credibility with me! You’re, like, a predator!

No, I’m not!

You’ve got a thing for young girls. Jordan was always too young for you! It’s disgusting!