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As soon as Fran left the hospital, she phoned Molly from the car. “I really need to see you,” she said urgently
“I’m certainly here,” Molly told her. “Come by. Je
“I hope I don’t miss her. I’ve been trying to set up a date to talk with both her and her husband. I’ll be there in a couple of minutes.”
I’m cutting it close, Fran thought, checking her watch and calculating that she had to start back to New York in the next half hour, but I do want to see for myself how Molly is doing. She has to have received the notice for the special meeting of the parole board scheduled for Monday. It occurred to her that if Je
At ten minutes to three, Fran turned into Molly’s driveway. There was a Mercedes convertible parked in front of the house, which she knew had to be Je
I haven’t seen her in so many years, Fran thought. I wonder if she’s still as great looking as she was back then? For a moment the old sense of inadequacy enveloped her as she thought of the years she had lived in Greenwich and gone to school there.
When they were at Cranden Academy, it was generally known that Je
Molly opened the door as Fran came up the walk. She obviously had been watching for her. Fran was startled at Molly’s appearance. She was ghostly pale, and her eyes were heavily circled. “ Reunion time,” she said. “Je
Je
“Don’t remind me of that idiotic class history I wrote,” Fran begged with an exaggerated grimace. After the quick embrace, she stepped back. “Come on, Je
Je
For an instant, Fran felt as though the clock had spun backwards. The closest she had been to Molly and Je
“It’s been a useful day,” Molly said. “Je
“Not a fun day, but there’s time for that later, isn’t there, Fran?” Je
She spoke with such confidence that Fran suspended reality for a moment and actually believed her, even to the point of experiencing the feeling of being left out and a longing to be included in the plans. Again, shades of yesterday, she thought.
“I’ve given up believing in miracles, but if that miracle should happen, then Fran is definitely one of the celebrants,” Molly said. “Without you two in my corner, I wouldn’t have made it this far.”
“You’ll make it, I promise, on my honor as the wife of Cal the Mighty,” Je
She hugged Molly. “I’ve got to run, and Fran may want to go over something with you. Fran, it’s really good to see you again. Next week, right?”
Fran thought fast. If Molly’s parole were to be revoked, it would happen on Monday, and Je
“Perfect.”
Molly walked with Je
“Oh, yes, I’ve not only heard about it, I’ve received a notice to attend.” Molly’s face and voice were calm.
“I know what you’re thinking, but hang in there, Molly. Something’s going to break, I swear to you. I spoke to A
“Peter Black didn’t kill Gary. They were close.”
“Molly, if even half of what I suspect about Peter Black is true, he’s a thoroughly evil man, capable of committing just about any crime. This is what I need to know from you, and hopefully you’ll have the answer: Why did your husband invite Peter Black to move here and share his practice? I’ve done research on Black. He was no great shakes as a doctor, and he didn’t have a nickel to contribute to the operation. Nobody just gives away half a hospital to an old buddy-which, in fact, I don’t believe Black really was to Gary Lasch. Do you know the reason Gary brought Black here?”
“Peter was already in place at the hospital when I started dating Gary. The subject never came up.”
“I was afraid of that. Molly, I don’t know what I’m looking for, but do me a favor and let me come back and go through all Gary’s files before you discard anything. Maybe I’ll find something helpful.”
“If you want,” Molly said indifferently. “I’ve got three full garbage bags already in the garage. I’ll put them in the storage closet for you. How about the photos?”
“Hold on to them for now. We may want some of them for the program when we do it.”
“Oh yes, the program!” Molly sighed. “Was it really just ten days ago that I asked you to start an investigation that I thought would prove my i
She’s given up hope, Fran thought. She knows in all likelihood that on Monday she’s on her way back to prison to serve the remaining time from her original ten-year sentence, and that’s even before the new trial for the murder of A
“I am looking at you, Fran.”
“Molly, you’ve got to trust me. I believe Gary ’s murder is only one of a series of murders that you certainly could not and did not commit. Believe me, I’m going to prove that, and when I do, you’re going to be completely exonerated.”
She’s got to believe that, Fran thought, hoping she had sounded sufficiently convincing. It was apparent to her that Molly was sinking into listless depression.
“And then I’ll get a makeover and dine my way through the best restaurants in New York.” She paused and shook her head. “You and Je