Chapter 10

Falling deeply

"People are not rain or snow or autumn leaves; they do not look beautiful when they fall."

Jessica and Preston exchanged a dumbfounded glance, before they both directed their attention back to Chambers, who was still kneeling at the fireplace.

"What do you mean?" Preston asked sharply. "You don't think Aaron is dead?"

"What I said... One hour ago I received a phone call from a friend who was involved in the recovery of the car and the bodies - only one of the victims could be identified..." He rose and turned to face Preston. "It was one of Harper's accomplices from the prison break. The other body was burned beyond recognition. It will take some time to identify the man."

Jessica sensed where Chambers was going with his explanation and she saw from the way Preston's jaws clenched that he was thinking the same. "I don't think it was a good idea to come here," she said. "Until we know who the body belongs to, you shouldn't jump to conclusions."

"Mrs. Fletcher, I know, I have no right to come here, but if I'm right, the time the police will need to identify the body will be enough for Aaron Harper to escape for good."

Preston scoffed. "You have a very vivid imagination!"

"I just don't believe in coincidences," Chambers argued. "You have to admit it would be perfect."

"I think it'd best you leave," Preston said sternly. "This conversation is leading nowhere."

"I want to talk to Kate first."

"Kate is asleep."

"I think it' s best you leave her alone," Jessica agreed. "Come back tomorrow, after you've taken your time to think it all through!" She hoped her tempered suggestion would make him leave, but the man was too stubborn. He simply ignored their requests to leave. With long, determined steps he went into the hall and yelled for Kate.

With a suppressed curse on his lips, Preston followed him, but Jessica was quickly at his side, placing her hand on his arm.

"Preston, don't!" she hissed. "He won't leave before he has talked to her."

"Kate Harper! We need to talk!" Chambers was on his way upstairs when Kate finally appeared at the top of the stairs. He stopped dead when his eyes fell on her; wrapped in a black scarf and paler than ever, she moved deliberately slow towards him.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, as if she had expected him. "This afternoon I told you to leave me alone."

"We need to talk," he said. "There's been a new development."

"I don't care for anything you have to say."

She passed him on her way downstairs and he followed her. Jessica watched the scene with growing curiosity and anticipation and she sensed Preston was close to losing his temper. Again she squeezed his arm, hoping to sooth his nerves. To her relief it seemed to work. He stayed at her side and she felt him searching for her hand.

"Kate, there's a chance that your husband is still alive and I think you know all about it."

Kate laughed, but it was the bitter laughter of someone who had lost too much to be happy again. "You amaze me. Tell me, do you come up with this spontaneously or do you have a little black book where you take notes and wait for the right moment to spin them into a crazy theory?"

Chambers was on Kates' heels when she went into the living room.

"I'm dead serious about it. Do you know where your brother-in-law is right now?"

"No, I don't."

"He is talking to the officials, trying to speed up the process of declaring his brother dead."

"And who told you that? Your crystal ball?" Kate poured herself a large drink.

"I have my sources."

"The same sources that wanted to give you a search warrant for my house? I'm still waiting for a visit by the cavalry. How can I even be sure you're still working for the feds? Maybe it's all just a big joke." She toasted at him and drained her glass.

Chambers drew a deep breathe. "Listen, Kate, we both know that Aaron wouldn't leave you in the dark about something like this. If he planned to fake his death, he would tell you."

"I certainly hope he would," Kate answered dryly. "But since he didn't, this conversation is somewhat pointless."

"Do you have any idea what will happen to him, when the police find him?"

"Is this how they taught you to interrogate people? Because all you accomplish is making me angry instead of cooperative."

Chambers sighed, "Believe it or not, I want to help you."

Kate's reply came sharply, "That's a lie. All you want is revenge and an easy way to get a confession for something I never did."

"That is not true. But if you tell me the truth about Deidra, some of this can be mended. I won't press charges against you or Aidan!"

"I have nothing to tell you. Just go, Thomas. Leave my house."

Weary of the whole discussion Kate refilled her glass and this time Chambers didn't follow her. Again the picture of the worn out soldier who had nothing to lose, because there was nothing left to gain appeared in her mind.

"Excuse me, please." Jessica only noticed now that Preston had been holding her hand the whole time. He let go of it and followed Kate upstairs while Chambers was still standing in the living room. Jessica approached him with fading patience.

"Mr. Chambers, so far I have been very sympathetic toward you and your cause, but I'm afraid I can see why everyone thinks you're on a witch hunt!"

"I'm not insane, Mrs. Fletcher. I can feel it in my bones. Aaron is alive and sooner or later, he will turn up here to get Kate and then they will ride into the sunset."

"You have no proof for your theory," she said. "Kate is right, you should go."

He nodded, unable to resist. "All right." On his way out Jessica accompanied him, just to make sure he wouldn't try to get upstairs again. She recalled his conversation with Kate and suddenly a bizarre idea crossed her mind.

"Mr. Chambers, just one question..." He stopped in his movement. "Yes?"

"The night your sister died, you tried to stop her from going on that boat."

"Yes, I went to the pier to talk her out of it, but she wouldn't listen."

"Who else was there?"

He thought for a moment, "The twins. They made some jokes on my behalf."

"And Kate? Was she there?"

Again he took his time before he answered, "I didn't talk to her, but she was there."

"Did you see her?" Jessica asked eagerly.

"No, but I know she was there. She admitted during the interviews in the days following Deidra's disappearance."

Jessica contemplated his statement before she opened the door for him. "Good night, Mr. Chambers."

"Good night, Mrs. Fletcher."

Half an hour later Jessica stood in the kitchen where she made herself a sandwich. She wasn't really hungry, but preparing some food kept her occupied while her brain was processing everything that had happened that day. The storm outside was perhaps subsiding, but inside her a tornado of feelings was rushing through. She had come to solve a murder case and now she was dealing with two murders and her feelings for Preston. The kiss they had shared earlier had been as foolish as it had been inevitable. How should she handle the situation from here on? Especially now that she knew he was terminally ill? The thought pained her and it was time she faced what it meant for her, if he died.

The whistle of the kettle tore her out of her morbid thoughts. Armed with a plate of food and a pot of tea she left the kitchen. Preston was again in the living room, sitting by the fire.

"Would you like something to eat?" she asked and put down the plate.

"You shouldn't have gone through all this trouble."

"It was no trouble. My brain works much better when my stomach isn't empty."

She handed him a cup of tea, carefully avoiding looking him in the eyes.

"Does that mean you really think Chambers is on to something?" he asked.

"That's what I'm asking you," she said. "What did Kate tell you?"

"Not much," he admitted. "She thinks Chambers is delusional. Jess, whatever is going on her, Kate doesn't know about any scheme. She doesn't know anything about Aaron's mysterious prison break and she certainly doesn't know if he is faking his death. Her grief is real!"

"I had the same impression," Jessica agreed, "But you have to admit that Chambers' theory makes sense."

"I think it's pretty far-fetched," he argued and dismissed the small plate she offered him. Agitated he rose and paced the room. Jessica watched him for a while, before she addressed him. She chose her words with caution.

"Something is bothering you and I think it's the nagging thought Chambers could be right."

He stopped in his tracks, but didn't say anything. Jessica rose. "Preston, this won't work, if were are not honest with each other and that means you have to be honest with yourself at first."

"Easier said than done."

"Won't you tell me what's bothering you?" she asked softly.

"I can't. Not just yet…."

Again he was close enough to touch her, but if he wanted to do so, he kept himself in check. He withdrew and picked up his cup, as if he wanted to do something to keep himself occupied.

"What about Blake Napier?" he asked, changing the subject. "Blaming Aaron for a crime to regain control over the company fits his description of dealing with problems. He has got away with it before, when he sent me to prison."

"But wasn't Carter a much too valuable partner in crime to kill him?" Jessica wondered, but Preston shrugged her objection away. "For Blake the end justifies the means."

Jessica remembered her conversation with Blake. He certainly had a way of manipulating people and she didn't hesitate to believe that he was cold-blooded enough to throw people under the bus, if there was something to gain for him.

"Tell me… what do you know about Doreen's death?"

"Doreen?" he asked puzzled. "What has she to do with this?"

"Blake lied to me – and everyone else for that matter - about Doreen's illness. Doreen never suffered from Alzheimer's and while there's no proof that she didn't commit suicide I think his version of the last few months of her life is pretty questionable to say the least."

A shadow crossed his face, "You talked to him? When?" Did he really sound jealous?

"Does that matter when?" she asked. "He would never have talked to me with you around."

He scoffed, "Of course not. I watched him the other night at the dinner party. He's approached you the same way he approaches every woman he finds attractive."

"Preston, please... As you well know, he's sleeping with Melanie," she reminded him. "I doubt I fit his individual dating rules. The phone call I received earlier from Doctor Hazlitt confirmed my suspicion. Doreen never suffered from Alzheimer's. She had a history of manic-depression and other psychological problems that might have led to her suicide. I wonder why Blake would lie about something like that."

"Maybe it was a wrong diagnosis," Preston suggested, but Jessica wasn't convinced. "No... There must be a reason for him to lie about it." For a moment the scar on the back of Blake's hand appeared on her mind.

"What is it?" Preston asked when he saw her getting lost in her thoughts.

"I'm not sure…." she gave him a half smile. "I need to think it through first," she repeated his earlier statement.

"Well, what did you say earlier about an empty stomach?" he asked half-jokingly. "Let's have something to eat. I'm starving."

"Me too," she admitted. "And after that I want you to do me a favor."

"What is it this time?"

"You won't like it," she said seriously. Wrinkles appeared on his forehead, but he preferred not to make a comment on her statement.

One hour later Jessica stepped out and inhaled the air that was still heavy from the subsided storm. The rain had stopped, but a fresh breeze gave her shivers.

With slow steps she walked around the pool and stopped at the point where Kate had claimed to see the body falling. The lamps in the yard were switched on, as were the lamps on the balcony. The view from down here was perfect, too perfect. Jessica saw the French doors opening and Preston stepped out.

Goose bumps formed on her skin. She had been there before: Preston Giles, a swimming pool in the darkness, and the nagging question, if she was right about her assumption. The answer was the same as almost seven years ago.

"Can you see me?" he asked.

"Yes."

She moved around to see if Kate had remembered it wrong, but no matter where she stopped she could see Preston clearly from every angle.

"I'm afraid I was right," she finally said. "Kate did lie about the person who threw Carter over the balcony. There's no way she would not describe or even recognize the person, unless they had worn a mask or the lights were switched off, which they weren't."

Preston bowed his head in agony. "Ironic, isn't it?" he asked after a minute of silence. "Father and daughter stumbling over the same insignificant detail. Automatic lights."

"Oh, I don't think Kate killed Mr. McEntyre. I just think she lied about it to protect someone."

"But whom?" he asked. "Aaron went to jail. So why insisting on lie that couldn't save him in the first place?"

"Perhaps she was lying for someone who was unable to protect themselves…."

It started raining again. With rushed steps Jessica entered the house and went upstairs. She met Preston in the hallway in front of Aaron's study, took his arm, and led him back inside.

"Listen," she said, when Preston gave her a puzzled look. "This is what I was thinking..."

"What is going on in here?" Kate stood in the doorway. Her face spoke volumes about her mood.

"Your father and I are discussing the night Carter died," Jessica answered promptly. "And I think I know now what happened."

"Really?" Preston asked while Kate just shrugged.

"Preston, would you mind getting me the book from your nightstand?" Jessica asked.

If her found her request strange, he didn't show it. He did as asked, leaving Kate and Jessica alone.

"What do you mean, when you say you know what happened?" Kate asked.

"Kate, I think it's time you told us the truth about Carter's death."

Kate drew a deep breathe but before she could say anything, Preston returned, the book in his hand. It was the copy of Jessica's novel, "Murder at the Asylum".

"When I saw Preston was reading it, I suddenly had a hunch," she said and took it out of his hands and pointed at the white bird on the cover.

"A white raven," she said and continued reading the quote on the title leaf. "When they attack kids or lambs or weak animals, it is said that they first pick out the eyes of their victims."

"I'm afraid I can't follow you," Kate said.

Slowly Jessica walked over to the shelf where the photograph of Aaron, Aidan, and Kate stood.

"When I first saw this photograph, the three of you reminded me of three black ravens, but the longer I thought about it, the more I came to realize that you in particular are more of a white raven."

"Jessica!" Preston was aghast.

"No, I mean it. During all this time, you and the Harpers have done nothing but picking at peoples' eyes to keep them from seeing the truth. You have created a gigantic scheme of lies and red herrings to cover up the death of Carter McEntyre - and you've done the same with the death of Deidra Chambers."

"That's a very unflattering but nevertheless interesting metaphor, Jessica," Kate said and did her best to look amused, but her eyes betrayed her.

"I'm not calling you a murderer, Kate," Jessica clarified, "But I think you should start to tell the truth, namely at the very beginning: the night Deidra died."

~~~tbc~~~