“We were.” Melissa’s words were barely audible.
She said no more. Dan and I exchanged glances. I hadn’t known he could jail Melissa for refusing to cooperate. The illegal weapon charge, I’d thought, would be threat enough. Now she was indeed trapped. The knowledge should have soothed me. I’d hunted her and found her. Mission accomplished.
But a niggling voice inside taunted this wasn’t over.
“Have it your way.” Dan pushed to his feet. “I’m going to make the call.”
Melissa jerked her head up. “What call?”
“The police. They’ll take you down to jail. The gun charge is going with you too.”
“No!” Melissa sprang to her feet. “No, I…Baxter will kill me, don’t you see? He’s already tried. Why haven’t you asked more about that? He tries to kill two people tonight, and you want to take me to jail?”
“At this point I have absolutely no proof of who was chasing you and Joanne.”
“I know it was Baxter! Somebody he hired.”
“Maybe we can prove that. We have a better chance if we tie it to Linda’s murder. Baxter killed his wife, and you witnessed it. Then he tried to silence you for your knowledge. Without that tie, what have we got?”
“And what about me until you arrest Baxter?” Melissa demanded. “Who’s going to keep me alive?”
“California has a witness-protection program. We’ll take care of you.”
“I’d rather take care of myself.”
“Doesn’t look like that’s worked too well.”
Melissa glared at the DA, shallow-breathing. He raised his eye brows, waiting. Emotions flitted across her face—anger…blame…indignation.
The silence spun out.
From somewhere in the house a clock ticked. Outside a dog barked in the distance. Perry looked at me, gave me the slightest smile of reassurance.
Melissa closed her eyes. Resignation dragged at the sides of her mouth. She pulled her top lip between her teeth. Crossed her arms in a self-hug. Another minute passed before she spoke the words I never thought I’d hear. “If I tell you, how long until Baxter is arrested?”
“We’ll protect you until he is.”
“How long?”
Dan tilted his head. “You can lead us to the body?”
She nodded.
“Were you with Baxter when he buried Linda?”
Another slight nod. “He made me go.”
Perry and I exchanged a look. The mere thought sent chills through my veins. How could Baxter have done that to a teenager? I couldn’t wait to see the man behind bars.
Dan surveyed Melissa, then gazed across the room, his expression blending disgust and empathy. It was the mixture that made an effective DA. He possessed passion for bringing criminals to justice without becoming calloused to the plights of witnesses who helped him do so.
“Is Linda’s body in this area?” he asked.
“Yes.”
Dan dipped his chin. “Okay. When we find the remains, which will corroborate your story, he’ll be picked up.”
Which didn’t mean he’d stay in jail. If some expensive attorney managed to get him bail, he’d be back out on the streets until trial. That could take months. Maybe a year, even longer. The thought punched holes in my lungs. I peered down the long days ahead, envisioned the uproar in Vonita, two camps taking sides—including the people of my own church. Saw myself trying to live within the vortex, go to the store, pass people on the street. At least half of them would hate me. How could I even stay in Vonita?
Guilt stabbed me. How could I be thinking of myself while Linda’s body lay out there somewhere, crying to be found?
“How long will that take?” Melissa asked.
“I’ll get a forensics team together first thing in the morning. You lead us to the site, we’ll dig. It’ll take some time to assemble all the bones. Once the dig is done we’ll have to positively identify the body as Linda’s. If we can match dental records, it will take only a day or two. But because of the apparent danger you’re in, I’ll want to get Baxter off the streets as quickly as possible. I’ll push for picking him up before identification.”
Melissa dropped her chin and stared at the floor. Calculations played across her face.
Come on, Melissa.
“Could he be arrested as early as tomorrow night?”
“Yes. If you can lead us to the exact site quickly. After six years, maybe you’ve forgotten the spot, and we’ll have to dig here and there to see if we can turn up anything. That could turn into days.”
Melissa shook her head. “I know the exact spot. I haven’t forgotten.” Her voice lowered. “I’ll never forget.”
Dan cast me a look that read he still couldn’t believe this was happening. Baxter Jackson. With all the cases Dan had prosecuted, all the dregs of humanity he had seen, this one still seemed to surprise him.
“I’ve worked with a lot of witnesses over the years.” Dan’s tone gentled. “I know the toll that seeing a crime takes on people. We’re the good guys here. We’ll keep you safe and see that justice is done for Linda. You just need to fulfill your part, and I’ll do the rest. Will you do that?”
Melissa rubbed her forehead as if to buff away the unwanted knowledge in her brain. She would not raise her head. A blush grazed her cheeks, her lips thinned in futility. One hand palmed the other, squeezing and relaxing, squeezing, relaxing. In that moment she looked like the girl of sixteen who came to live with Linda and Baxter. The young, damaged girl who so wanted to fit in.
Melissa swallowed. Determination dawned in her expression. She raised her chin and looked the district attorney in the eye. “Okay, I’ll tell you. And I’ll take you to the grave.”
FORTY-FIVE
Melissa’s words echoed in my head. “I’ll take you to the grave.” Her defeat, my victory. I wanted to jump up and cheer. I wanted to fall on my knees and thank God. But all energy had left my limbs. I could only stare at her numbly, her purse like an anvil on my lap.
My murdered best friend would have her justice. Linda, who’d lit up a room, even as she lied to the world. To me.
“Thank you, Melissa.” Dan stood up. “You’re doing the right thing.”
She lifted a shoulder.
“What happened, Melissa?” My mouth moved of its own accord. “Why did he do it?”
Her gaze dropped to the floor. She pressed her lips together, spots of color appearing on her cheeks. “It’s my fault.” Melissa’s voice caught. “If I hadn’t been there, in that house.”
“Melissa.” Dan shook his head. “It’s not your fault.”
Her mouth turned down. She made no reply.
Perry looked at me, sympathy shining in his eyes. It struck me—he knew how much I’d loved Linda. He understood.
A sudden violent longing seized my limbs. I wanted Perry’s arms around me. I wanted a man’s comfort, and my husband was gone.
Dan touched Melissa on the shoulder. “I’m going to make a call to the Vonita police, alert them we’re bringing you down for a statement.”
“No!” Melissa’s chin jerked up. “Don’t take me to Vonita! Why can’t I just tell you everything right here?”
“We need to tape and video your statement. I don’t have the equipment here—”
“Don’t take me to Vonita! They won’t listen to me. The chief’s too good a friend of Baxter’s.”
“What about your office, Dan?” I could understand Melissa’s fear of returning to Baxter’s stomping grounds.