Page 57 of Stand By You
“He’ll be home shortly if you want to come over anytime.”
“Can do,” Nick said. “I just got back from a run. I’ll shower and get changed then I’ll come.”
“Sounds good.”
“Nick coming by?” Mrs. Hudson asked.
“Yes, he has a gift for Travis,” Jillian said. “And I’m sure he’ll want one of these muffins. He was lamenting last night how he was going to miss your baking now that he has left the premises.”
Mrs. Hudson beamed. “I’ll have to make him a pie then to take home with him.”
An hour later,Detectives Simons and Kohl arrived at the McGinty house. Mrs. Hudson showed them into the formal living room and Jillian joined them.
“How did you sleep last night?” Simons asked. “Better than you have been, I’m sure now that Travis has been found.”
“Yes. I suppose,” she said. “Mrs. Hudson said you had follow-up questions about my hit and run?”
“Not really questions,” Simons began, “but we wanted to let you know that we have a full confession from Robert and Judy Reyes that they hired Delvecchio to orchestrate the muggings and then when that failed they told him to take you out. We reviewed the surveillance video on the hit and run, and we can clearly identify Delvecchio as the driver of the car.”
“I see. And since he is dead, what happens?” Jillian asked.
“Judy and Robert will be charged with facilitating a murder attempt on you,” Kohl said and smiled at her.
“Did they know about Wizard and Slick?” Jillian asked. “Are those boys in danger?”
Simons chuckled. “We tell you that the Reyes’ are going down for trying to kill you and you’re concerned out those two?”
“It’s clear they need looking after even if they are over eighteen,” she said.
Simons nodded. “Indeed, they do, but don’t you worry. Geneva has hired them an excellent attorney and he’s working on a plea deal with the District Attorney’s office as we speak.”
“Really?” Jillian said.
“Yes, we spoke with her last night before heading to the hospital to speak with Travis and his father again,” Simons explained. “And when she learned about them she immediately wanted to help them get out of this mess. She said it was the least she could do. They didn’t need their lives ruined by a bad choice like she’d made trusting her doctor when he gave her the opioids. They trusted Delvecchio, which was their first mistake, but they’re kind of babes in the woods if you get my meaning.”
“Well,” Jillian said, sitting back against the cushions. “I have to hand it to Geneva; she really has turned her life around.”
“The DA will be in touch about you testifying against Robert and Judy in the near future,” Kohl added.
A wave of relief spread over Jillian. “So, it’s over?” she asked.
“Maybe,” Simons said. “Nick called and told us about the dead woman that was found washed up at the Navy pier. We’re going there now to see if it might be Amber Collins, Geneva’s divorce attorney. Her husband reported her missing while they were on a cruise vacation. He thought she got off at a port stop and missed getting back on. It was the last stop so he thought she just flew back home when he couldn’t reach her cellphone.”
“Why hadn’t this made the news?” Jillian asked.
“Their cruise just docked yesterday, and he came straight to the station this morning to report her missing when she wasn’t waiting for him at home,” Simons explained.
“This is sounding crazier by the minute,” Jillian declared. “I don’t understand why they’d go after the judge or the attorney. Me, I get, I was trying to replace their daughter with Travis in their thinking.”
“Crazy is as crazy does,” Kohl said. “Thanks for your help with the investigation. Giving us access to Travis’ medical records and for being involved when we needed you.”
“Yes, you were a big help, so was Nick,” Simons said. “By the way, where is he?”
The doorbell rang and Mrs. Hudson’s footsteps could be heard making a beeline for the front door.
“He stayed at his place last night. He’s coming over to see Travis soon,” Jillian told them as she listened for a familiar voice.
“I think he’s here,” Kohl said.
