Page 60 of Silencing Stolen Whispers
“Tell her,” Courtney urged as she placed a hand on Jade’s shoulder in encouragement. “Please. This is wrong on a lot of levels.”
Kinsley had to be careful about how this exchange unfolded. Jade had invoked her right to a lawyer. While she wasn’t under arrest, any responses could be excluded from court if a trial ever occurred.
In the background, Katherine was concluding her remarks, thanking everyone for attending the ceremony to honor Hannah's memory. Few noticed the drama playing out on the periphery, for which Kinsley was grateful.
“Courtney, what just happened between Jade and Dr. Reeves?”
Courtney's gaze darted to Jade, seeking guidance. Jade had gone perfectly still, her eyes fixed in the direction of her professor. She wasn’t paying any attention to them.
“It's not what you think,” Courtney began, her voice barely above a whisper. “Jade is just?—”
“I'm not here to make accusations,” Kinsley interrupted, her tone gentle but firm. She positioned herself subtly to block their easiest path of retreat. “I'm here because Hannah Scrivenwas murdered. Brutally. Alone. If this is regarding the cheating scandal, then I?—”
“Stop, please.” Jade’s breathing had become shallow, her chest rising and falling in rapid succession. Kinsley noticed the way she had flinched at the word ‘alone’. “Just stop.”
“Hannah's mother is delivering a eulogy for a daughter she clearly didn't fully understand.” Kinsley pushed a little harder. “Hannah’s parents may never have closure unless the truth comes out. Can you imagine going through life not knowing who destroyed your family?”
“Stop! Please, stop. Courtney is just trying to protect me. She didn't know everything until after—” Something had broken loose inside Jade, some dam of restraint that could no longer hold back the flood of truth. “Dr. Reeves is blackmailing me.”
“Blackmailing you? Why?” Kinsley tightened her grip on the radio, anticipating giving a directive to detain Victor Reeves. “Why was he blackmailing you, Jade?”
“Because I found out the truth,” Jade whispered, wiping away her tears.
“And what truth is that?”
“Hannah was having an affair with Dr. Reeves.”
24
Kinsley Aspen
July
Monday — 10:16 pm
Kinsley fixed her gaze on Jade, attempting to discern any flicker of deceit in her expression. It wasn’t as if she had been forthcoming in their previous meetings. Still, the disclosure hung between them until Courtney disrupted the heavy silence.
“She’s telling you the truth, Detective Aspen. We think Dr. Reeves might have killed Hannah.”
“What was in the envelope?” Kinsley asked as she sought out Dr. Reeves. He was no longer standing in the shadows of the old oak tree. She was going to need more information before she could detain him for questioning. “What did you give him, Jade?”
Jade began crying, only this time, she was drawing everyone’s attention away from Katherine, who had finished her eulogy and was now accepting personal condolences. The lastthing this situation needed was for Hannah’s mother to hear the news of her daughter’s affair secondhand.
“Why don’t we sit down?” Kinsley gestured toward a bench about thirty feet from them. “Take a seat, compose yourself, and start from the beginning.”
Courtney guided Jade past groups of students who were beginning to scatter. Once the two women sat on the stone bench, Kinsley radioed the others. She didn’t have enough information or evidence to hold him, but she could make damn sure Reeves stayed in sight at all times.
“I need eyes on Dr. Victor Reeves,” Kinsley advised, unable to locate the professor in the crowd herself. She lowered the radio and knelt in front of Jade. “I’m going to need you to tell me everything, Jade. When did you discover the affair?”
Jade drew in a shaky breath.
“Last semester, a few weeks before finals. I’d been struggling to stay afloat, not only with my finances, but also with my course load. I was driving home to my mother’s at least three times a week, either to take her to chemo or to help out due to the side effects.” Jade shoved her purse between her and Courtney. She leaned forward, rested her elbows on her knees, and clasped her hands together under her chin. “It was late, a little after ten. I knew that Dr. Reeves had an evening class, so I was hoping to still find him in the lecture hall.”
Jade paused, swallowing hard. The memory seemed to physically pain her.
“I grabbed the handle. I don’t know what made me stop, but I paused to look through the thin window of the door. Hannah was…” Jade's voice lowered to a whisper. “Hannah was sitting on his desk without her shirt, and he was standing between her legs. They were kissing. His hands were...”
She made a vague gesture, unable to finish her sentence.
