Locust Lane(54)

* * *



Cantor finally called late morning, sounding gloomy and overwhelmed.

“What’s going on?” Michel asked. “I’ve been waiting.”

“Yeah, well, dragging in Oliver Parrish’s son in the middle of the night was not an option.” He took a breath. “So we didn’t get the result we were after. Hannah and Jack both denied everything. The assault, the accusation, the fight between Eden and Jack.”

“But we knew they would do that.”

“Yes, but not so well. They were definitely reading from the same textbook.”

“So the police believed them.”

“That’s certainly my impression.”

“Where does this leave us?”

“Not in a great place. Right now it’s a he said, he said sort of deal with one he having a much louder say than the other. And a witness to back him up. Well, two. Hannah’s father also gave a statement, and he’s swearing Jack didn’t leave the house from midnight ’til morning.”

Hannah’s father. The husband of his lover.

“Christopher didn’t do this,” Michel said.

“Well, that’s certainly our position. I’m on my way to file a motion now to get your son released. But I wouldn’t hold your breath.”

“Please. I haven’t breathed in two days.”

There was an ominous pause.

“They’re still doing forensic tests but initial reports aren’t promising. They’re being very meticulous. Those scratches on Christopher’s neck aren’t a good look for us. Michel, I think you’re gonna need to prepare yourself for the possibility that your son is going to be charged with homicide.”

Michel sat perfectly still on the sofa after they hung up. It was as if the air itself had become heavy, miles and miles of it crushing down on him. Finally, he got up and walked to the window, peering through the sheer curtains. The reporters were still out there. He wondered how it would go if he simply walked out the front door and told them what Christopher was saying about Jack Parrish. But of course he wouldn’t. He’d do as told. At least until it was time to do something else.

And then, when he finally summoned the nerve to check his old phone, there was Alice, telling him she’d found something. He called and left a message and then he was waiting again.

“How’s Christopher?” she asked when she called him back.

“They’re still holding him.”

“I’m so sorry, Michel.”

“Jack raped her. He attacked her and he made them keep quiet about it. And then he went back later and…”

“I knew it.”

“You did?”

“I saw Hannah’s phone this morning. Jack’s pressuring her to lie. God knows what bullshit he’s told her. And I saw Oliver and Geoff together before dawn, having a big heavy conversation. After which Geoff starts messing around with our security camera. And then Celia just happens to drop by a few minutes ago. Talking shit about Christopher, making sure I toed the party line. Jack did this, Michel. And his parents are protecting him. They’ve got everybody involved. Hannah and Geoff and the cops and their friends. This happened before, you know.”

“What do you mean?”

“Lexi Liriano. You remember her, right?”

“She was one of the kids from Boston.”

“She accused Jack of the same shit last year. She was going to expose him to the world. But then Oliver pays a visit to Lexi’s mom and suddenly the whole thing goes away.”

“So what should we do?”

“Call your lawyer. Tell him.”

“He’ll want to know where I heard it.”

“Look, if you have to tell him about us, go ahead.” She paused. “But maybe you shouldn’t say anything for now. Maybe it’s better if they think I’m one of them. That way I can figure out what’s happening.”

“All right. You’re right.”

“We’re not going to let them do this, Michel. I promise you.”

They were silent for a few seconds, joined together by a cheap phone.

“I need to see you,” she said.

“Not yet. But soon. I promise.”

He called Cantor immediately. The connection was poor; there were voices in the background.

“I’m filing the motion right now,” the lawyer said, a little impatiently.

“We need to talk. There’s something new.”

“I’ll call when I’m done.”

“Come by.”

He arrived an hour later, smelling of coffee.

“Christopher is telling the truth,” Michel said the moment he closed the door on the braying voices from the street. “I’m sure of it.”

The lawyer studied him for a moment.

“Is there something you have to tell me, Michel?”

He wanted to tell him about the meeting between the fathers, the erased security footage. But this would make it clear Alice was the source and he wasn’t sure how much he could trust this man yet. There was one thing, however, that he could say.

“Jack did this before. Last year. It was a girl named Lexi Liriano. Oliver paid to keep her quiet.”

“And you know this, how?”