Julia could see that the expensive layers of Paul’s sandy brown hair had begun to thin, and crow’s feet wrinkled at the corners of Paul’s round brown eyes. She realized with a twinge of grief that he had gotten older, but Mike would be forever thirty-two. Paul had gained a few pounds, which showed in ruddy cheeks sporting a year-round golfer’s tan, which left his left hand a shade lighter from his glove.
Paul spotted her pulling in and rushed over, distraught. “Julia, my God, what the fuck’s going on? I went to the funeral home and they told me Courtney was arrested forKay’s murder! That’s insane! She’d never kill anybody! She loved Kay!”
“I know—”
“I got a call from a lawyer named Bennie Rosato. I can’t even believe Courtney has a lawyer now, acriminal lawyer. She told me you guys were staying here. This is crazy!” Paul shook his head, his brown eyes flaring with incredulity. “How in the world could this happen? Why didn’t you call me?”
“I’m sorry, but everything happened so fast, and I remembered you changed your number and I don’t have the new one.”
“Bennie called me.”
“Maybe Courtney gave her the new one.”
“Okay, well fill me in, would you?” Paul huffed, still shaking his head. “Jesus, I can’t believe this is happening. I need to move, I’m so stiff. I’ve been driving for hours. Let’s walk, okay?”
“Okay.” Julia got out of the car and fell in step beside him, as they walked through the lot for the sidewalk. The main drag in New Dover was a busy one, its two lanes of light traffic lined with well-maintained rowhomes interspersed with commercial buildings like a mechanic’sgarage, a vape shop, a medical supply store, a busy McDonald’s, and her favorite, Dunkin’ Donuts.
Julia started by telling Paul about her FaceTime call with Courtney and finished with bringing him up to date on Samuel’s note left in her car. He listened as they walked, his head slightly down because he was so tall. Mike used to do the same thing, calling himself the Hunchback of Notre Dame.
Paul mulled it over. “So the Buckley cops are white supremacists?”
“Some are, but we don’t know who. I suspect Glushenko.”
“Did they kill Kay because she was Black?”
“Maybe, but I think it’s because of whatever she found at the clean-up.”
“What could it be? Did this Alex guy say?”
“No, he doesn’t know more than Courtney or I do.”
“But he lives here. Could he be more helpful?” Paul snorted, and Julia thought he was acting selfish.
“Can I just say that you haven’t been very helpful?”
Paul stopped, his mouth downturned. “Look, I’m sorry I’m late.”
“You missed the funeral, even the delayed funeral.”
“I couldn’t help it. I got held up.”
“What could be more important than your wife, at the worst time of her life?”
“I didn’t know she’d get arrested,” Paul said, with a defensive frown.
“You knew she was going to Kay’s funeral. How’d you miss that flight? You know how important Kay was to her. She needed your support.”
“She had you, Jules.”
“You’re her husband, and she needed us both. Kay was the last family member she has besides you.”
“I didn’t think about it that way.” Paul spread his palms in appeal. “I thought she had it under control.”
“What, her emotions? How could she? She walked in on her grandmother, who was shot to death.”
“I tried to make the funeral.” Paul pursed fleshy lips. “I drove all the way here.”
Julia recalled what Courtney said. “If you’d made the flight, you wouldn’t have had to drive.”