YUKI GOT OUT of Lindsay’s car, saying, “Now I know what they mean about feeling no pain.
We couldn’t stop you from downing two margaritas, sweetie, and God knows we tried. You’re way too little for that much octane. I’ll walk you inside.
I’m okay, I’m okay.” Yuki laughed. “I’m going straight to bed. So I’ll talk to you on Monday, ’kay
She said good night to Lindsay and walked into the lobby of the Crest Royal, said hello to Sam, the doorman, and wobbled up the three steps to the mail alcove. On the third try, she managed to get the tiny key into the tiny lock, pulled out the banded packet of mail, and took the elevator up to her apartment.
The apartment was empty, but since the ghost of her mother lingered in the furnishings, Yuki talked to Mommy as she dropped the mail on the console in the foyer. An envelope slipped out of her fingers onto the floor. Yuki peered down at it. It was a padded envelope, not very big, dark brown with a handwritten label.
She kicked off her high heels and said, “Mommy, whatever it is, it can wait. Your daughter is smashed.
But the envelope was intriguing.
Yuki put one hand on the console, bent and picked up the envelope, stared at the unfamiliar handwriting in ballpoint pen. But the return address on the left-hand corner grabbed her. It was just a name: Junie Moon. Yuki ripped open the envelope as she walked unsteadily to her mom’s green sofa.
Junie had been acquitted of Michael Campion’s death. Why would Junie be writing to her
Sitting on the sofa, Yuki shook the contents of the envelope out onto the glass coffee table. There was a letter and a second envelope with her name on it.
Yuki unfolded the letter impatiently.
Dear Ms. Castellano
By the time you get this I will be on the road somewhere, I don’t even know where. I want to see America because I have never been outside of San Francisco.
I guess you’re wondering why I’m writing to you, so I’ll get to the point.
The evidence you wanted is in the second envelope, and you’ll probably want to use it to give the Campions some closure.
I hope you understand why I can’t say any more.
Take care
Junie Moon
Yuki read the letter again.
Her mind was swimming, trying to follow what Junie had said. “The evidence you wanted is in the second envelope.
Yuki tore open the plain white envelope and emptied two items onto the tabletop. Item one was a shirt cuff, ripped from its sleeve, monogrammed with Michael Campion’s initials. The cuff was saturated with dried blood.
Item two was a small clump of dark hair, about three inches long, roots attached.
Yuki’s hands were shaking, but she was sobering up, starting to think about the call she would make to Red Dog. Wondering, if they put a rush on it, how much time it would take for the lab to process the DNA that would surely match to Michael Campion.
And she thought about how even if they were able to find Junie Moon and bring her in, the law was clear: she couldn’t be tried for Campion’s death again. They could charge her with stuff - perjury, obstruction, hindering prosecution. But unless they could establish how the evidence came into Junie’s possession, odds were that the DA wouldn’t even try to indict her.
Yuki looked at the gruesome evidence that had now dropped literally into her lap. She picked up the phone and called Lindsay. As she listened to the phone ring, she thought about Jason Twilly.
He was charged with attempted murder on the life of a peace officer, and if convicted he could go to prison for the rest of his life without possibility of parole. Or he could hire the best criminal defense attorney money could buy and maybe win.
Maybe he’d go free.
Yuki saw Twilly in her mind, sitting in some café in LA writing his book with everything he needed for his big-bang, gazillion-dollar ending. The news would get out about the bloody cuff, the hank of hair, the DNA matching to Michael Campion.
Who dunnit
Twilly wouldn’t have to prove it. He could make her a character in his book. And then he could simply point his finger at Junie Moon.
The ring tone stopped.
Yuki?” she heard Lindsay say.
Linds, can you come back? I’ve got something you have to see.
