"There is one more thing," I began, and they turned to me, mostly looking surprised that I had spoken at all. I could see my employer trying to figure out what I was going to say.
"Vicki," I said, "there's one thing you didn't mention. When we heard the story from Erika and Jason, they mentioned that Ryan said one word before he died. 'Bitch,' or 'witch.'" My employer had figured it out by then, but apparently the others hadn't.
"Probably 'bitch,'" Vicki said. "He called me that a couple of times."
"But that's the point," I said. "He was still alive when they came in, so he had been alive when you jumped out the window. Dying, but still alive, and you left him there, bleeding to death on this floor, because you were afraid somebody would find out who you were sleeping with."
I turned to Jan. "You talked to Mona. Would there have been a chance of saving him?"
"Definitely not. Based on what she said, I'm surprised he lasted as long as he did."
I turned back to Vicki. "But of course you didn't know that. Yes, it's terrible that you cheated on your lover and so on, but in one sense, who cares, compared to this."
I had never seen Vicki cry, but this was as close as I'd ever seen her come.
previous || about || home || next
