Hide & Seek - James Patterson [80]
“Tell me what you know about Palmer,” Barry said once we were together in a small conference room used for just such meetings.
I was somewhat puzzled. It seemed a strange way to begin our conversation. Palmer Shepherd?
“What about him? He’s Will’s brother, of course. They weren’t close. I only met him twice. He offered his condolences—at the wedding.”
“Was he close to his aunts, do you know?”
“Not as close as Will was.”
The words came out fast and must have had a ring to them. Barry looked at me sharply, then his eyes became sad and distant.
“You know about Vannie and Will?” he said. “So why didn’t you tell us? Why did we have to find out from Will’s brother?”
Long-suppressed anger rose. I had to let some of it. out. “I don’t know anything. I might have suspected something. Barry, what are you trying to do to me?”
He looked at me unwaveringly. “Tell me the truth, Maggie. Was she ever in your house? Was Vannie ever there?”
“Only at our wedding.” I remembered the image vividly. “She was very attractive—his mother’s younger sister. You were there, Barry. You saw her. Will never got over his mother.”
“I guess not! Did he ever bring any other strange women home?” Nathan asked.
“Never. Why would I allow that? That doesn’t make any sense, Nathan.”
“Let me ask again,” Nathan said at last. “Will didn’t try anything funny in the house? You have to trust us, Maggie. You mustn’t keep secrets from us. Not at this point in the trial. We have to know what the prosecution does.”
I hesitated, just for an instant. I tensed. I didn’t like where this was going.
“No,” I said. “I don’t have anything to tell you. Why would I hold something back?”
Barry pounced. “You’re lying right now. Dammit, Maggie. You’re breaking my heart.”
“I swear to you—” I whispered. I was lying, of course. I never lie—but I had to now.
“Who was it?” Barry nearly shouted at me. I’d never seen him this angry before. Veins pulsed all over his forehead and neck.
“Please! … Barry, no!”
His face suddenly went pale. His eyes closed, then slowly opened again. “Of course,” he said and I could see tears in his eyes.
He looked toward me with such tenderness and pity that I was sure both our hearts would break.
“Oh my God, of course,” he said. “Will was after Jennie, wasn’t he?”
I stood and called for the guard. “Take me back to my cell. Take me back right now!”
I went away with the guard. I wouldn’t say another word to either Barry or my lawyer. I couldn’t, I wouldn’t, drag Jennie into this.
CHAPTER 97
“THE PROSECUTION CALLS Peter O’Malley.”
I blanched as I heard the words spoken in open court. Actually, I was getting used to the feeling of constant anxiety and fear. We were twenty-nine days into testimony, most of it very bad for me.
Over strenuous defense objections, Judge Sussman had allowed Nizhinski to introduce evidence about the death of Phillip Bradford. Now the district attorney planned to get in as much as he could about Patrick’s death.
It would be difficult. He could do no more than imply that I had been responsible. But that’s what Peter wanted, I knew. To imply, to insinuate, to hurt me in any way that he could.
In a very strange move, the court had been cleared of spectators for the testimony. Peter had agreed to talk, but his lawyer had convinced the judge to allow Peter privacy.
I didn’t understand. Why should Peter be protected? But very soon, I understood everything. Peter’s testimony took forever in real time—there must have been a hundred objections from my lawyers—but the bottom line would have sounded something like this.
“Mr. O’Malley, are you a member of an establishment called the Lake Club?”
“I am.”
“The club is located in Bedford Hills? Just off Greenbriar Road?”
“It is.”
“What is its membership?”
“About five hundred people.”
“And the activities are those of most country clubs—golf, tennis, swimming, dinners, and dancing in the evening?”
“That’s right.”
“Yet the Lake Club provides something more, does it not?”
“For some members, yes.