Page 27 of Not Quite Dead Yet

‘River Street,’ Ecker sounded it out. ‘Does that mean anything to you? Know anyone who lives there?’

Jet searched her mind, memories intact, even if not all her words were. ‘Nope, I don’t know anyone who lives there.’

The detective swapped a look with the other two, then up at the darkening evening sky. ‘All right. I’ll go speak to the people in these houses. See if they saw anything that night. Chief, you coming?’

‘Coming,’ Lou said, screwing on his cap.

The detective held out his hand, gesturing for Jet’s watch.

Jet looked down at it: 6:49 p.m., it told her, still trying to be useful. She placed it in his open palm but didn’t quite let go.

‘You’ll tell me? When you learn anything more?’

‘I’ll let you know what you need to know,’ he said, closing his hand around the watch.

Cop speak for:Maybe.

Ecker got back into his car, the chief climbing into the passenger seat. Jet and Jack backed away as he started the engine, driving off with a wave, fingers tapping the glass.

‘Can I borrow your pen, please, Mr Finney?’

She smiled up at him. He offered it over without a word.

‘And maybe a couple of pages from your notebook?’

A bigger ask. But he still did it, without a word, ripping out two fresh sheets.

‘Thanks.’ Jet grabbed them, leaning against the roof of Jack’s squad car.

10:46 – Time of murder,she wrote, before she forgot any of it. Didn’t know how much she could trust her condemned brain.

10:56 – Phone turned off. Last known location: River Street, near corner of North Street. Is that where killer lives? Or they turned it off on their way home? Didn’t throw it in the river?

10:58 – ‘Sorry’ text from JJ.

‘I’ll just go say goodbye to your parents,’ Jack said when she finally looked up from her scribbles. ‘The cleaners should be finished soon, then you can get back in, get back to –’ He stopped abruptly.

‘Normal?’ Jet guessed. They both knew it was the wrong choice,sorrywritten all over his creased eyes.

Then he blinked and they softened, the flicker of a smile. ‘Someone’s here to see you,’ he said, pointing, then turning away toward the backyard.

Jet spun around.

The crime scene tape lay trampled across the drive now, forgotten in the wind, pinned down by a pair of boots. And four paws.

‘Reggie!’ Jet yelled, stuffing the paper in her pocket, darting forward.

Billy smiled, letting go of the leash.

Reggie launched toward Jet, his back half almost leaving his front half behind, legs a tangled blur, yipping as he collided with her.

Jet dropped to her knees, screwed her face as he jumped up to lick it.

‘Hello handsome boy,’ she said, rubbing his belly. ‘Hello. Hello. I’m here. I’m here. Careful of that bandage. No, you can’t have it, silly. I’m sorry you had to see that, boy. I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I’d kill them if they touched you.’

She tried to hold him, but he wouldn’t stay still, lurching in manic circles around her.

‘Dad said you were back from the hospital,’ Billy said, his turn to approach. ‘Knew Reggie was staying with Luke and Sophia. Picked him up on my way. Thought you’d want to see him.’

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