Chapter 17

The desk clerk's heels click-clacked down the hall at a fast pace. Jenny had to rush to catch up with her. She kept a careful eye on her surroundings, taking in the offices and conference rooms to each side of the hallway. What an elaborate facility she thought to herself. Seems like overkill. There were never going to be enough officers in this small town to fill a station like this.

“The holding cells are just up ahead. You will have to keep your hands and belongings to yourself. You aren't allowed to give him anything. Nothing at all. If you do, I could have you charged.”

Jenny doubted the validity of the claim, but chose not to say so.

“I'll let you in and leave you to it. I'll return for you in one hour. Don't do anything stupid. I have a camera at my desk and will be monitoring your every move.”

“Creepy,” Jenny murmured under her breath.

“What was that?”

The desk clerk raised a critical eyebrow at her.

“Nothing,” Jenny shook her head. “I didn't say a word.”

The desk clerk was unconvinced. As they approached another door, she extracted her set of keys again and selected one of the older ones. She placed it into the lock and turned, the metal catching on the other side. The door was part of the original station.

Jenny held her breath as the door swung inward. The room beyond was small and dimly lit . Apart from the small window looking out onto the street at one end, the only other right came from a low hanging, fluorescent bulb that flickered every few seconds as if it were about to die.

All of the jail cells were empty, except for one. Joey was in the cell at the end, closest to the window. Jenny barely recognized him when she entered the depressing room.

He wore a simple, white T-shirt and a pair of faded blue jeans. She noticed that his shirt had dried blood on one side. A few days’ worth of stubble covered his chin. She had never seen Joey with facial hair, but she thought it looked kind of good on him. His blonde hair was cut short on the back but the front hung haphazardly over his eyes. He stood and brushed it to one side before doing a double take. She was the last person he expected to see.

“This is it. One hour and counting.”

The desk clerk left the room, closing the door firmly behind her. Jenny waited until she could hear the key turning in the lock before she approached her brother.

He stared out at her through the iron bars. He looked worried, almost frightened to see her standing in front of him. Why had she come?

Sensing his fear, Jenny spoke.

“I’m not here to yell at you if that's what you think.”

“I don't know what I think.”

Jenny nodded. She touched her hands to the bars, feeling the cold of the metal beneath her skin.

“You look like hell,” she told him honestly.

His face changed into the same old Joey she knew as a kid.

“Well, I’m in the economy suite. You have to pay extra for the salon treatment.”

Again, Joey ran a hand back through his shaggy, blonde hair. This time, she noticed bruising on the knuckles of his right hand. Could Joey have been the one to give Chief Cartright his black eye? Jenny smiled at the thought.

“So you're happy to see me in here? Is that what you’re smiling about?”

He shook his head as he dropped back down onto his wooden bunk.

“Same old Jenny. You gotta be the best. Only happy when I’m fucking up. Don't worry, Jenny, I'll be the black sheep forever. Whatever makes you look good.”

“Hold on, now!”

She held up her hand to stop his angry tirade.

“Is that what you think I came here for? You think I want to give you hell for getting yourself into this mess? You think I want to rub salt in your wounds?”

When he said nothing, she continued.

“I came here to tell you something. I came to tell you that I'm working on getting you out of here.”

Joey’s jaw dropped.

“What the hell? Are you serious?”

“Do I look like I’m kidding?”

“I don't know, Jenny. I hardly know you? How do I know what kidding looks like”

“I'm your sister, idiot.”

But she knew that he was right.

“Listen, I had my doubts at first.”

“You assumed I was guilty from the start. I get it, Jen.”

“You’re right. I did, but, someone you know changed my mind. I'll admit it took a bit of convincing.”

“Who?”

“Roy Peters.”

“Of course! Roy!”

Joey let out a sigh of relief. He brought his hands to his face and sank down onto the bed. She couldn't recall ever seeing him look so grateful.

“It’s going to be okay, Joey, ” Jenny said.

She didn't know if that were true, but she wanted to comfort him. She realized with a pang of guilt that she had never said those simple words to him. Even after her parents had died. He needed support and comforting and she had run from him as fast and as far as she could.

“How is Isabelle doing?” he asked, a distressed look washing over his face. “I heard about the house fire from one of the officers here. Is she okay? Was she hurt?”

Jenny shook her head.

“No one was hurt. I was home alone at the time, and Roy got me out of there just in the nick of time. It could have been much worse.”

She paused before adding, “And it was not an accident.”

She watched as his face changed to one of horror.

“You have to tell me everything, Jenny.”

“I heard a smash from the living room before the fire really got underway. I saw a broken, blue bottle with a wet rag in it lying on the carpet in the living room. Next thing I know, the whole house is in flames.”

Joey sat silently, a serious expression on his face.

“What is it?” she asked.

Her hands grasped the cold metal bars even tighter.

“You look like you know something.”

“You said that the bottle you saw in the living room was blue?”

Joey stood up from his bunk and stepped up to the bars, only inches from his big sister. “Are you sure it was blue and not dark green or black?”

“No, it was definitely a blue wine bottle. Light blue. I remembered because it looked just like the one Chloe had in the fridge.”

She paused, her mind suddenly racing. It was definitely blue. It had been just like the bottle of expensive wine she had opened days earlier. It was odd that Chloe had it in her collection with its hefty price tag. She couldn't believe that she had not made that connection until now.

Roy had said the word around town was that Chloe was involved with another man. Entertaining a lover would be reason enough to splurge on a good bottle of wine, but still, Chloe was frugal, and Jenny still couldn't see Chloe making the purchase.

The wine had to have been bought by her lover.

“Joey, did you know Chloe was seeing someone else?” she asked gently.

Joey nodded his head sadly. His eyes were closed.

“Do you know who it was?”

Joey's eyes flashed open.

“If I knew who it was, I would have taken him down. I didn't know who the bastard was, but I definitely knew he existed.”

He slammed the bars with his palms out in anger.

“At first it was the little things. She started dressing nicer and wearing more perfume. Then it was the wine. I knew it wasn't what she usually picked up from the wine store. I checked our joint checking account, but I couldn't find any proof that she purchased it. I figured that meant he brought it with him when he came over to fuck my wife in our marital bed.”

Jenny nodded glumly. She still couldn't believe her best friend had been leading this secret life. Chloe had never said a word to her about another man. It wasn’t that unusual though. She was her husband’s sister after all. Even the best people make mistakes, their grandmother always said.

“If he came while you were at work, then he must be a local man.”

Jenny reached for her purse and dug through its contents until she found a pad of paper and a pen.

“Maybe he bought the wine locally, too. I can check the wine store on my way home and see what I can find out.”

“Home?” Joey asked, raising his brow.

“You’re still staying at the house, then?”

“No, someplace else.”

Joey looked at her, confused.

“At Roy's cabin. He kindly offered to put us up for a while. We've been waiting for the fire chief to call and let us know when we can do something about your house.”

Joey blew out a low whistle.

“Is that so?”

“Your daughter is staying there too. It's nothing like that,” she lied. “It’s purely platonic, don’t worry.”

“Sounds pretty cozy to me.”

He gave her a quick, half smile before returning to a frown.

“Check out the wine store and see what you can find out about that blue bottle. If you remember the store at all, you know it’s only a tiny place. If the wine has ever been in stock there, Lawrence, who owns it now, will be able to tell you exactly who bought it. And thank him for me”

“Will do.”

Jenny looked up at the sound of the holding cell door being unlocked. She put her hand through the cell bars and took her younger brother's hand tightly within her own.

“It is going to be okay, Joey. I promise.” she murmured again before being escorted out.