Page 93 of Trust No One

I stood. “Gabe should be out soon.”

He nodded. “And Molly?”

“I filed papers. I’ll pick her up midday. Gabe will sign custody papers as soon as we talk.”

Steady brown eyes showed no hint of surprise. “Okay.”

“Keep your distance from me. We’re on the opposite side of this case now. And my life is getting messy.”

“We both want the truth,” he said.

An empty smile teased my lips. “There are so many shades of the truth.”

“No. Not really.”

I disagreed. I’d operated in the gray zone for a long time. I’d won cases by arguing what was true versus really true. Reality could be blurred. Emotions tainted a witness’s memories. DNA wasn’t always complete, and searches and seizures could be challenged.

The trick was to find the one that worked for my client. I’d pushed the edge on several cases. Offenders, many of whom probably should have done time, didn’t. Growing up, my lying to parents and teachers had trained me too well.

Double doors opened, and Gabe stepped out. His hair was disheveled. He carried a plastic bag, wore yesterday’s clothes, and was missing his shoelaces.

His steady gaze bounced between Judson and me. Normally, he’d have been relaxed and smiling. Now he looked wary.

“How are you doing?” I asked.

His eyes were wild, scared. “I don’t want to go back in there.”

I couldn’t make that promise. I’d lost cases and watched deputies march clients off to jail.

Five-year sentence. Ten years. Life. That last walk from the courthouse to jail marked a sharp line between past and present.

Feed Gabe to the wolves . . .

“Come on, Gabe. Let’s get you home. We have a lot to talk about.” We stepped past Judson. “Thanks for stopping by.”

In my car, the sour scents of the jail drifted off Gabe. His head dropped back against the headrest. “It doesn’t look good, does it?”

“No.” Maria had been poisoned. The toxin had been delivered via her wineglass. Gabe’s fingerprints were on the glass. And I knew Judson hadn’t shared all his facts.

“Why did it take so long?” he asked.

I shoved out a breath. “Maria died last night.”

“What?” He blinked. Froze.

“Her heart gave out. The doctors couldn’t save her.”

Head shaking, he stared out the front window. “That’s not right. I just talked to her. She was getting better.”

“We’re all shocked.”

Silence stretched. “I don’t believe it.”

“I’m sorry.”

His chest rose in a ragged breath.

“We need to talk about your marriage.”