Alex stood and approached Isabel as she entered the waiting room. “I need to shove off, Is. I’ve got court in the morning. Are you going to stay?”
“For a while. No news on Molly, I’m guessing.” Isabel looked around at the gang.
“No. It could be quite some time before they know anything.”
“I’m not ready to call it a night, hon. I have my own car.”
“All right. Call me if you need anything.” Alex kissed his wife lightly and left.
Isabel took a seat beside Emily.
Emily sat up straight in her chair and turned to Isabel. “Any luck?”
“Not much. The nurse up there was a real peach.” Isabel grimaced.
“That’s too bad.”
“I’ll try again tomorrow.”
“Do you mind if I tag along?” Emily asked.
“I don’t know. Jerry might be more forthcoming if I can talk to him alone.”
“You’re probably right.” Emily patted Isabel’s leg. “Let me know if he gives you anything of importance.”
“You know I will.”
“And I’ll get that gun to the county lab first thing tomorrow,” Colin said.
“What are you talking about? I have the gun,” Isabel said, looking confused. “I’m taking it to the FBI lab in the morning.”
“The other gun, Is,” Emily replied.
“What other gun?”
“I’m sorry, Isabel, but I think in all the drama over Molly and the Jade Thai Spa, we haven’t kept you in the loop about the other gun,” Emily said.
“A neighbor of Delia’s found a gun by the river Saturday, a Ruger P345. Emily and I interviewed him Saturday night and we had the man show us where he found it.”
“You think it might be the weapon used in Evan’s murder?” Isabel asked.
“It might be,” Emily replied with a nod. “It’s been mostly submerged in mud for the past year, but we’re hopeful the lab can get some prints off of it.”
“Make sure they check to see if there are any bullets left in it. Maybe they’ll be able to get a print off of one of them,” Isabel suggested.
“I had that same thought,” Colin said.
“As far as the gun I have, I’m planning to ask the lab to put a rush on it,” Isabel remarked. “Jerry doesn’t have much time left, so if the Beretta pistol from Evan’s safe deposit box was his, I’d like to get a confession out of him before he passes away.”
“Good idea,” Colin agreed.
Emily grew silent and pensive, staring blankly off to nowhere, her thoughts somewhere else. She felt Isabel take her hand.
“I know the handgun you left with me isn’t the one that killed Evan, but it could get us closer to the truth.”
Emily nodded, bringing her gaze down to meet Isabel’s.
“On the other hand, the Ruger found at the river might actually reveal the killer,” Colin added. “Then we can finally put an end to all the questions surrounding Evan’s death.”
Emily looked into Colin’s kind hazel eyes and saw how much he wanted that for her, to put an end to the investigation so she could move on with her life. She nodded again. “Once and for all.”
Everyone jumped to their feet as Camille and Jonathan came back to the waiting room.
“How is she?” Emily asked, but her words were drowned out by Maggie’s abundant exuberance.
Maggie rushed in and threw her arms around Camille. “Oh, Cam, did Molly wake up?”
“She’s still not conscious,” Jonathan replied.
“She looks so peaceful, like she’s sleeping,” Camille answered, dabbing a tissue under her eyes once Maggie released her.
“What does the doctor say? Anything new?” Isabel asked.
“No change yet. They’re doing all they can to find out what’s in her system and counteract it.” Jonathan wiped his moist, red eyes with his fingers. “She may simply have to let the drugs wear off, the doctor said. Apparently her kidnappers were trying to keep her sedated.”
“What can we do?” Emily asked.
“You’ve done enough,” Camille replied flatly to Emily.
Emily wondered what Camille had meant.
Camille turned her attention to the rest. “You should all go home and get some rest. There’s really nothing to do now but wait.”
“Camille and I are staying the night.” Jonathan put his arm around his wife’s shoulder. “They’re bringing a cot into Molly’s room and we’ll take turns in the chair.”
“No, no, go on home, please,” Camille pleaded. “We appreciate your wanting to stay, but we’d feel better knowing you all went home. We’ll phone you if there’s any news in the night.”
CHAPTER 21
Emily’s cell phone beeped on her nightstand, alerting her to a new text