Authors: Julia Keller
Evening Street (11 page)
“Right.” He wrote some words in his notebook.
Bell put her left hand on the newel post of the stair railing close to where she stood. She needed to hold on to something. Oakes knew better than to offer assistance.
“What was the cause of the accident, Jake? I meanâyeah, the roads were in bad shape, with the snow and all. That switchback can be a bitch. And it was dark. But Darlene knows her way around these mountains. Was there anything else? Any other contributing factors?”
Oakes looked at her. “Ma'am?” he said.
Bell waited. She didn't know what was going on, and waited for him to enlighten her.
“Ma'am,” Oakes repeated. He was tentative now, as if she might be testing him. “We don't have the toxicology report yet, of course, but it's an easy guess. There was a strong smell of alcohol on the body. And vomit in the car. She was drunk. That's how she lost control and hit the tree. She was impaired.”
“No.” Bell's objection was sharp and quick. “No way. I was with her. She had one drink. That's it. She was
definitely
not drunk.”
“Ma'am, I've already checked with the bartender at the Tie Yard. He was none too happy to have to answer his door first thing on a Sunday morning, but he remembered her right away. Recognized the picture. He served her four shots in a row. Some guy came in and sat down next to her at the bar, he said. Looked like they hit it off right away. He bought her a few more. By that time, she was slurring her words. Bartender finally had to cut her off.”
Bell was irritated now. “And I'm telling you he's wrong. I was
there,
Jake. He's got her confused with somebody else. Darlene had one drink. And we walked out togetherâjust the two of us. She was
fine.
Totally sober.”
The deputy flipped a few pages in his notebook, finding the passage he wanted. “What time did you leave the bar?”
“Nine thirty at the latest. I was home by ten forty-five.”
“Well, that's our problem, right there.” He tapped the page. “Bartender says he came on duty about ten. She was already there, shotgunning her drinks. She didn't clear out until after one. She was pissed as hell when he told her she'd had enough.”
Bell let the information settle. “She must have gone back. She must have pulled over somewhere and waited for me to passâand then she returned to the bar.”
“Sounds right.”
“Still doesn't make sense. Even back in law school, I never saw Darlene touch a beer. I meanâ
never.
And nobody gossiped about her having a problem with alcohol, either. Believe meâif she did, there would've been talk.”
Oakes frowned. “Okay, wellâthere was something in her other coat pocket. A blue coin. About the size of a poker chip.”
“What was it?”
“A sobriety medallion, ma'am. From Alcoholics Anonymous. Represents one year's sobriety. Looks like your friend might've been hiding a secret or two.”
Aren't we all, Bell thought grimly. Aren't we all.
Photograph by Mike Zajakowski
JULIA KELLER
spent twelve years as a reporter and editor for the
Chicago Tribune
, where she won a Pulitzer Prize. A recipient of a Nieman Fellowship at Harvard University, she was born in West Virginia and lives in Chicago and Ohio. You can sign up for email updates
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Contents
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously.
EVENING STREET.
Copyright © 2015 by Julia Keller. All rights reserved. For information, address St. Martin's Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.
Cover design by Crystal Ben
Cover photographs: street © Igor Link / Shutterstock; girl © Oliyy / Shutterstock
Our e-books may be purchased in bulk for promotional, educational, or business use. Please contact the Macmillan Corporate and Premium Sales Department at (800) 221-7945, extension 5442, or by e-mail at
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e-ISBN 9781466857018
First Edition: December 2015