While Aunt Aggie spent the night in hiding, Jill stayed in Aunt Aggie’s house with Celia. David had decided to have dinner with his parents before they headed back to Jackson.
Still fully dressed, Jill lay in the guest room next to Aunt Aggie’s room, where Celia was going to sleep tonight. Every muscle in her body was tense as she waited for her plan to work. The killer had to strike tonight. If he didn’t, she didn’t know what she would try next. She checked her cell phone to make sure it was still powered, and wished Sid would call.
It was already past midnight, and Jill could still hear Celia weeping in the bedroom. The pain Celia was going through broke Jill’s heart. She hoped the joy of seeing her aunt revived would be enough to make Celia forgive her. The forgiveness would come hard, though, if her plan didn’t work tonight.
The cell phone vibrated, and she bolted upright. Maybe they had caught the killer already. Maybe it was over. Quickly, she clicked it on.
“Jill?” It was Sid’s voice.
“Yeah, it’s me,” she whispered. “What is it? Has anything happened?”
“Nothin’ here,” he said. “But somethin’ else I thought you might be interested in.”
“What?”
“Lee Barnett. He got arrested tonight at Joe’s Place. Seems he had too much to drink and got in a fight. Disorderly conduct.”
“Oh, no!” she whispered. “Sid, what if he’s the killer? He can’t make a move if he’s stuck in jail! The whole sting could blow up in our faces if the killer’s not free to strike.”
Sid wasn’t buying. “We ain’t callin’ this off, Jill. He’s in jail and I can’t do nothin’ about it.”
“You can let him back out,” Jill said through her teeth. “Sid, think! You’re messing this whole thing up!”
“I didn’t mess nothin’ up. He got arrested fair and square. Remember, most of my cops ain’t in on this sting.”
She began pacing the floor. “I know that,” she whispered harshly. “But isn’t there someone who could go bail him out? Without him, we’re in serious trouble here.”
“Jill, I’m tellin’ you, your client is our killer. She’s the only one we gotta watch.”
“Celia is in Aunt Aggie’s room crying her heart out. She’s not going anywhere. Do you realize we only have tonight? Please, Sid. You know the judge’ll go along with setting bail to keep the sting from being sabotaged. I’ll call him myself.”
“You gon’ have to,” Sid said, “’cause I ain’t callin’ him. I don’t like this.”
“Well, you don’t have a choice! As long as somebody meets bail, that guy’s out on the street where he can do the harm we need for him to do.”
Sid moaned.
“You let me know the moment something happens,” she said. “By the way, where is Stan?”
“Took him and his folks and Aunt Aggie to my house. Nobody knows. We took every precaution. I’m at Stan’s. His and his parents’ cars are still here. No reason for nobody to think he ain’t in here, sound asleep.”
“All right,” Jill said. “Let me know the minute something happens.” She went out into the hall and peered into Aunt Aggie’s room, just to make sure Celia hadn’t overheard. Her client was sitting in the dark on the pillowed window seat, gazing out into the stars. She was still crying, but she was quieter now. Jill wished Celia would fall asleep.
She went back into her room and quickly dialed information to get Louis DeLacy’s phone number. It rang several times before he answered. “Hello?”
The judge had been sleeping, but Jill didn’t let that stop her. “Louis? Jill Clark. We have a problem.”
“What problem, Jill?”
“They’ve arrested the major suspect—other than Celia—for disorderly conduct.”
“What? Of all the cockamamy…”
“He’s in jail, Louis. I need for you to set bail so somebody can get him out. I’ll pay it myself. Just please, help me. If he isn’t out, we’ll never know if he’s the real killer.”
“Oh, for heaven’s sake. I’ll set it at fifty dollars, Jill, and I’ll go to the police station right now and take care of it. But I can’t bail him out. That would look too suspicious. And I don’t want you leaving Celia.”
“I’ll find someone to do it. Thank you, Judge.”
She hung up and punched out the number for Midtown station. She hated calling the fire department this late at night, when the guys were probably asleep, but it couldn’t be helped.
“Midtown fire station,” someone said.
She hesitated. “May I speak to Dan Nichols, please?” she whispered.
The man didn’t hear her well enough. “Excuse me?”
“Dan Nichols,” she repeated just above a whisper.
A few minutes passed, and finally, a groggy-sounding Dan came to the phone. “Hello?”
“Dan, it’s me,” she said.
“Jill? I can hardly hear you. Where are you? Are you all right?”
“I’m fine,” she said, “but I need a favor.”
He paused. “Jill, what’s going on?”
“Please, will you just do me a favor? This is very serious. I need for you to do me this favor without asking any questions, I need for you to do it as soon as possible, and I need for you to keep quiet about it.”
“What is it?”
“Lee Barnett was arrested tonight for brawling at Joe’s Place. His bail is going to be set at fifty dollars. I need for you to give it about twenty minutes, enough time for the judge to officially set bail, then go get him out. I promise, I’ll pay you back with interest, and I’ll explain everything for you tomorrow. But I need for you to do this.”
Again, there was silence. “Jill, why would you help him? Where are you?”
“I can’t explain right now. Please, trust me. This is very, very important.”
“Since when have you been Lee Barnett’s advocate?”
“I’m not. Please, Dan, will you trust me and do it? Can I count on you?”
He hesitated again. “I guess so, Jill, but tomorrow I would like to hear the story.”
“I promise you will,” she said. “And trust me, it’s a doozy.”