Unrevealed by Laurel Dewey Page B

turned to the clock. “It’s after two. The bartender left.” Her voice was remote. “I guess we overstayed our welcome.” She patted the perspiration from her forehead. “Is it hot in here to you, Jane?”
    Jane felt her heart race as she placed the unloaded gun back onto the bar. “No, Courtney.”
    â€œOh, it is to me .” With that, she removed her jacket and plopped it onto the bar. Underneath, her petal pink turtleneck
was covered with thick splatters of blood. Courtney let out a relieved breath. “Oh, much better!”
    Jane drew Courtney’s jacket toward her, placing it over the gun on the bar. “Courtney?” she said quietly.
    Courtney’s eyes drifted into another realm.
    Jane moved her body so that she was in line with Courtney’s gaze. “Courtney?” she repeated, this time with more urgency. Their eyes met. “You have to hear this. I processed a horrible crime scene tonight. The same one that Cynthia Taylor was reporting on the Channel 9 news? The one you saw on the TV when you came into this bar?” Courtney stared at Jane, nonplussed. “I found Craig in the living room. He was shot twice in the head and three times in the groin.”
    Courtney furrowed her brow. “No…”
    â€œMegan was in her bed, shot once in the forehead. The two boys were in their beds, both shot once.”
    Courtney shook her head as her lip began to quiver. “What? It’s a mistake…You are mistaken, Jane.”
    Jane felt herself breathing shallowly. “No, Courtney. I’m not mistaken.” She weighed her words carefully. “It was graphic…and it was purposeful.…”
    Courtney looked off to the side. First there was no visible emotion and then a single tear emerged from her right eye, drifting awkwardly down her moist cheek and disappearing into the pink turtleneck. “I…,” she paused, looking lost. “I couldn’t leave the boys without a father or their sister. That wouldn’t be right. So…I had no choice.…” She turned to Jane. “They were asleep. So was Megan. Craig was awake though. I made damn sure of that. I wanted to make certain he saw me . I wanted him to understand what was about to happen. I told him that he would never hurt me again and that Megan would never get hurt again either.”

    â€œYou didn’t need to kill Megan.”
    â€œOh, yes, I did.” Courtney’s voice was calm and blunt. “She was damaged goods. Just like I am. Who would love her, Jane? She was tainted by her own father.… I did what I did to her out of a mother’s love.”
    Jane regarded Courtney with cautious disgust. “Courtney, I came to this bar tonight to arrest you. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say or do can and will be held against you in the court of law.…”
    â€œSilent?” Courtney’s voice rose several octaves. “I don’t want to be silent, Jane! Silence is what got me where I am right now. I want to scream, Jane!” She flung her arms in the air, moving erratically around the bar. “I want everyone to know what happened to me…what happened to my daughter.…”
    Jane backed away from Courtney, giving the woman distance to vent. “You have the right to speak to an attorney,” Jane pressed on. “If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you — ”
    Courtney ambled closer to the bar, still waving her arms in the air. “I can afford the best goddamned attorney in the state of Colorado!”
    Jane heard the click of the bar’s front door opening and two sets of soft footsteps issuing forth. Courtney seemed unaware of the swift visitors. Jane needed to wrap things up here quickly. Pulling her handcuffs from her back pocket, she slowly walked toward Courtney. “Do you understand these rights as they have been read to you,