Page 264 of Under Her Skin
Max,however, couldn’t get the plan out of his mind but it wasn’t for a couple of days before he got Jess on her own. Thinking back, he pondered he probably have opened the conversation with something better than ‘I think you’re right aboutClem.’
Jess’s face had paled, turned green and she’d shot a look at Theo. They were in the garden and Theo was playing with the dogs. Seb and Tom were home from school and ganging up on their older brother as they teased and revved the dogs up into a frenzy. As fit as Theo was, the twenty-year age difference between him and the twins was beginning to show. Jess and Max were giggling at his exhausted demeanor and Max decided to broach the subject then andthere.
Jess looked at him and he could see tears shining in her eyes. ‘Max,don’t.’
He immediately felt sorry, especially seeing how her hand fluttered protectively over the tiniest bump on her belly. ‘I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have blurted it out like that. What I mean is, there’s something off about the guy. I’m not saying it’s…. him… I’m just saying there’s something about him we should maybe check out. You and me. I have his address on the island. You up for a little B&E?’
Jess studied him for a beat then a small smile crept over herface.
‘Like ScoobyDoo?’
Max laughed. ‘Just like Scooby Doo. You can be Daphne. I’ll beFreddy.’
Jess scoffed. ‘If anything, you’reScooby.’
‘That makes youShaggy.’
‘I can live withthat.’
They chuckled then Jess nodded, her face suddenly serious. ‘I would love to put my mind at rest once and for all. If he’s Jules, I’ll know immediately. I know him too well – even if it’s him, there’ll be some things he can’t do without. He’s toospoilt.’
‘Good. Then we’ll have to plan it for when… well, I don’t think we should tellTheo.’
‘Agreed. Well, he’s got a meeting Monday evening. Come over and pick me up as if we’re having dinner. I’ll clear it withMike.’
Max sat back in his chair, studying his friend. Even for her damage, maybe even because of it, Jess was a badass. She wanted this over. For a second, Max wondered if he’d done the right thing. Putting Jess in danger again? Theo would kill him if heknew.
This time, though, he would be prepared. Max thought of the little .22 he’d kept in his car ever since Josh waskilled.
He was ready to use it if he neededto.
On Friday,Jess and Theo shut the world out and set up camp in the living room, switching on the big flat screen. Theo grinned when Jess cringed at the first sight of them on thescreen.
‘Camera loves you, beautiful,’ he pulled her to him and kissed hertemple.
‘Who’s looking at me when a god is sitting next to me?’ She laughed as he rolled his eyes at her. The program went into an introductory package. Theo was studying Jess’face.
‘Yeah, you’re joking around but you,nervous?’
She nodded. ‘Sure, I’m worried about the edit. Too many times people have twisted my words or make me seem frivolous, hysterical or worse, aliar.’
His arms tightened around her. ‘Not thistime.’
‘Yousure?’
‘Yep. You know why? Because you are none of those things, Jessie. Not evenclose.’
She pressed her lips to his firmly. ‘I loveyou.’
To her great relief, the interview was pretty much verbatim to what they had told Diane in the studio. There were more photos, video of Jess at work at the foundation and to her surprise and delight, interviews with both Gerry, her old boss at the college and the Dean, who spoke seriously about the painting Jules had destroyed and that he was sad that Jess had taken the blame forit.
‘My regret is I made Jess a scapegoat when clearly, I should have supported her against the man who has hurt, terrorized and damaged Jess her whole life. I regret that decision greatly and would welcome Jess back as an associate anytime she wouldlike.’
Jess flushed pleasantly at that but the glow faded quickly as the interview went into her relationship with Jules, and her stabbing. There was a brief clip of her being loaded into an ambulance, bloodied and broken, barely alive and worse, Theo, his beautiful face contorted with bottomless grief. She gasped, a brief intake of breath, a horrified sound and closed her eyes. Neveragain.
‘Are you okay?’ Theo’s voice broke in the middle of his sentence and she hugged him as hard as shecould.
‘I’m so sorry,Theo…’
