Defending Jessica: Murder by the Bay by Benna Bos

Author:Benna Bos [Bos, Benna]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Amazon: B0B9V3JB9Z
Publisher: Flashpoint Publications
Published: 2022-10-31T18:00:00+00:00

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Somewhere between the electric touch in Veronica’s car and being seated in the little interview room in the jail, Kaia gave herself a pep talk. She convinced herself she could, in fact, get what she needed for the podcast in the limited forty-five-minute window they’d been granted.

She took a deep breath and shot off her first question to the woman across from her. “Jessica, last time we spoke, you mentioned that you were planning to divorce Gregory just before he went missing. Can you tell me more about that?”

Jessica twisted her fingers, lacing them into odd shapes. Her gaze remained fixed on those acrobatic digits. Her breath echoed through the room, deep and ragged. This was not the cold, composed woman Kaia had met during their first interview.

Kaia knew she needed to back up and take care of Jessica’s needs first and leaned over the table. She laid one hand over Jessica’s. Beneath her palm, all movement stopped. Jessica’s gaze shot up to meet hers.

Kaia smiled sweetly. “I saw Pookie yesterday.”

Jessica’s voice, ragged, strained, pushed out from dry, cracked lips. “You did? How is she?”

“She’s good. I mean, I know she misses her mama, but she’s happy. She gets along really well with the other two dogs she’s living with. She has a big fluffy bed and gets lots of treats.”

The corners of Jessica’s mouth turned up just a tiny bit. “Are they putting bows in her hair? She really likes that.”

Kaia nodded. The lie was easier with just a gesture.

Jessica sighed. “I miss her, too.”

“I know this is hard.” Kaia pulled her hand back across the table. “And I want to make it end soon.”

Jessica shifted in her seat, straightened her shoulders, tossed her hair back, and took a deep breath. Her mouth went back into the severe line everyone was accustomed to, and she tapped at the table with her index finger. “Then you make sure you’re recording, because I want everyone to know the truth.”

Filled with a rush of exhilaration, Kaia checked her computer to make sure all the little lines of dots were peaking and falling as they should be. Satisfied, she turned back to Jessica.

Jessica waited until she had Kaia’s full attention again. For the first time, Veronica squirmed in her chair, making her presence in the room known. But she may as well have been absent since interviewer and interviewee were so deeply focused on one another.

“The truth,” Kaia prompted. “What is the truth?”

“He was having an affair and I found out about it. I was done. And it was all I needed to cut him off completely from my money since it violated the pre-nup.” Jessica’s grin morphed into a smirk. “I even had proof.”

Veronica swiveled in her seat, eyes wide. “Proof? Where is this proof?”

Jessica’s smug smile melted. “It disappeared along with Gregory. It was in my roll-top desk in the library. When I sent Tom to get it, he couldn’t find it.”

“Who’s Tom?” Kaia asked.

“Her divorce attorney,” Veronica said. “He mentioned the affair to me, but not the proof.

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