Reality Lies by D.F. Downey (books recommended by bts txt) 📖

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She could see she had him. “You know what helped me when I had a job that I wasn’t familiar with, a procedure manual. You must have something you can follow.”

“Sure, you wouldn’t mind?”

“Not at all.”

It sat, still in its shrink wrap, on the credenza behind his desk. He tried to rip it open by hand. Jeanne took it from him and slit it open with one deft thrust of her letter opener. She handed it to him with a slight shake of her head. “Uh thanks Jeanne.”

He gave it a quick going over and found the applicable section. He summoned all his officiousness. “Ladies, let’s get started.” They looked at each other and simultaneously decided it was too easy.

“Jeanne, roll tape.” He shot through the boilerplate, correctly this time. Finally, it was Jackie’s turn. She was relaxed. She realized that her story change would probably get them off the hook. It sounded like they had screwed up the investigation so badly that they were holding Johanna solely because they didn’t know what else to do. ‘Maybe, when I’m finished, I’ll ask him.’ she thought.

“I’m here to revise my statement.” she answered to the question of the purpose of this affidavit.

“In your own words could you tell us the reason for this change.”

“Yes, at the time of my son’s, Robbie’s, recovery I was under a great amount of understandable stress. As time has passed I’ve remembered details that weren’t apparent to me at the time of my original statement.”

“Could you elaborate please?” Detective Plant prodded.

“On the day of Robbie’s recovery, April 12th, I had driven over to Johanna Noll’s house to well, mainly for her company. During Robbie’s disappearance, she had been a great comfort to me. I had tried the front door but no one had answered. I tried for about five minutes and was going to leave when I heard a noise coming from the side alley. I figured it was Johanna, so I came around to check. As I turned the corner of the house, I saw a figure cutting through the hedges to the house next door.”

“Did you get a good look?”

“No, it was just a fleeting glance. I didn’t stay focused on him. Instead, I was overwhelmed with a drive to look around back. I guess I sensed something.”

“You said him. You saw a man?”

“He struck me as mannish but I didn’t really see him.”

“Do you have any idea how tall this person was?”

“He was shorter than the bush he passed through.”

“How much shorter?” he asked.

“About a foot, he was moving so you’d have to correct for that.”

“Okay, you headed for the back, go on.”

“I turned the back corner and saw the rear door. I kept moving towards it and there was Robbie. I was overwhelmed.”

“Understandable.”

“For a moment, and then when I saw Johanna and Jay I became enraged. I immediately jumped to the conclusion, she had taken him.”

“You say jumped to the conclusion. What do you mean?”

“On reflection, in my mind’s eye I’ve come to realize they were first seeing him too. Then the figure in the alley, the noise that drew me to the back, well it’s apparent that was the kidnapper.”

“What makes you so sure?”

“Johanna was with me when Robbie disappeared. She stayed with me for hours afterwards, even after you arrived. We searched that house from top to bottom. There wasn’t a sign of him and there wasn’t a sound from him either, even though I called repeatedly. He was totally unharmed. The only way he could have remained silent and unharmed during that period would be if he was already gone. That would require an accomplice, more than that a motive. I’ve come to realize recently, how utterly alone she is. There is no accomplice. She has no involvement. She is innocent. She should be set free. She should be sent home to care for her son.”

The detective started to react but in a moment of professionalism stopped himself.

“Thank you Mrs. D’Angelo. Is there anything else?”

“No, that’s it.”

He looked at Jeanne and made a slashing motion. She stopped the tape.

“Well?” Jackie asked.

“Well what?” he replied.

“I could see you busting to talk.” She was smiling.

“Oh.” he looked at Jeanne as she gathered her equipment.

“I’m leaving before you say something really stupid that I’d have to deal with.” Jeanne said sardonically as she ambled out the door.

An awkward silence momentarily filled the room. They shifted anxiously in their seats. Finally, Ted spoke. “Based on what you’ve told me. I can’t see any reason why Ms. Noll will be held much longer. I’ll get this over to the prosecutor’s office. We might even have her out by close of business today.”

Jackie smiled broadly, “That’s great.” she paused, “but I can’t resist, I have to ask. Do you think you could have held her much longer in any event?”

“Why would you say that?” he asked, slightly insulted.

“Frankly, it doesn’t seem that you know what you’re doing.”

“I do so!” he offered weakly.

“You said so yourself. You said you made a lot of mistakes.”

He turned beet red. “Yeah, I did, didn’t I?”

She thought he looked cute, boy-like in his embarrassment. She decided to let him off the hook. “Don’t worry, your secret’s safe with me.” he looked relieved. “As long as Johanna gets out of jail, what is there to tell?”

His face grew taut at the implication. “Yeah, I guess your statement takes care of everything.”

“Not everything. You still have a kidnapper out there.”

“Yeah right, we have a kidnapper to find. I have a feeling that might prove difficult.” He knew that he had just lost the prime suspect in the biggest case he would probably ever have but still he felt elated. It would give him an excuse to talk to Jackie. He didn’t think she’d mind.

“I really have to be going.” Jackie said as she grabbed her purse off the table and turned towards the door.

“You don’t need me for anything else, do you?” she smiled playfully as she said it.

“Uh, no, nothing else. I’ll let you know personally if anything changes with your …friend.”

“Friend? I don’t think that even begins to cover it, more like a duty. I understand her, what she’s going through, but I barely know her.”

“Okay, whatever but still I’ll let you know. Will you be home later today?” Ted asked hopefully.

“Yes, just me and the boys once school lets out. I’ll expect you.”

She worked it through the door. She hadn’t done that in awhile. She thought she had forgotten how to use the power. It felt really good.

“Good-bye Jeanne.” she said as she passed the front desk.

“Good-bye Ms. D’Angelo!” ‘Some of these women,’ she thought, ‘marriage used to mean something.’

As she exited the building the stimulation of this beautiful spring day hit her. Jackie decided to treat herself. The statement hadn’t taken as long as she thought it would. ‘It’s about time I took some me time. I think I’m due for a manicure, maybe a pedicure if they can fit it in!’

The nail place, “Tootsies”, was in a storefront a few buildings down from police headquarters. She remembered she used to pamper herself all the time, hair, nails clothes, shoes. But she hadn’t emphasized “me” in quite some time. Lately, she felt like she was taken for granted. She was Robbie’s mom not Jackie. It may have been her imagination but her husband wasn’t as attentive, make that jealous, as he once was. There was a time when he would get crazy if a man just looked at her. Now, well, he didn’t seem to notice any more. She had consciously decided to turn it back on this morning. Her custom tailored, front zippered jump suit, shades of Charlie’s Angels, still fit. There was more to her but it was contained through the miracle of Lycra. And it had worked like it always used to. Detective Plant had noticed her, really noticed her even though they had spent hours together in the last few weeks. He was cute, there seemed to be something. . . ‘Jacqueline, calm down, you’re a married woman.’ Still, it felt great to be noticed.

She sashayed into the nail parlor. It was in a long, narrow building. There had to be twenty stations each with a cute Asian “girl” small, thin, young. The only one who spoke English clearly was an elegant older woman at the register.

“Hello, can I help you?” she asked in a well established accent.

“Yes, I’d like to get my nails done.”

“You want special?”

“Special?”

The woman pointed to a chalkboard with prices, the specials sat at the top.

“Get one hand done, second one free.” the woman laughed heartily then added, “Only kidding. You never been here?”

“No, I haven’t.” Jackie was quite surprised by the joke. She hadn’t expected it… here.

“Tell me what you want. I tell you how much.”

“I just want my cuticles trimmed; my nails shaped and filed, a little color, nothing too fancy.”

“Nothing fancy.” she turned towards the girl at station three. “Ming mao, kitty cat, fondue, chop, chop, wing wang.” At least that’s how it sounded to Jackie. The woman turned to Jackie, “Come this way, Lili will take care of you.”

Lili, of course spoke little English and none that was useful to conversation. Jackie entertained herself by watching the TV on the far wall. A teaser for the noon news was on. “Coming up at twelve, sources tell us that a local woman is to be released in kidnapping case. More of that story as well as other news, sports and weather coming up at twelve.”

She smiled. ‘I guess I won’t be getting that visit after all. What the heck, I’ll just do this for me.’

Chapter 13

She went straight to the school from her manicure to pick up the boys. She arrived home to the happy surprise of finding Detective Plant encamped on her porch.

“So Detective, what brings you here?” she asked airily.

“I guess you haven’t heard. They’re going to release Johanna in a little while.” he replied seriously.

“That’s great! Jay will be so happy.” she feigned ignorance.

“I’m sure he will. He has you to thank.”

“It was the least I could do. I put her there in the first place.”

“You were only telling what