Page 71 of Line of Sight

Talk about the perfect lead-in.

Gary gave her a sympathetic glance. “Not according to Mark it wasn’t.”

Jennifer blinked. “What do you mean?”

“Mark had job offers from two pharmaceutical companies,” Riley said, reading from his phone. “Eli Lilly & Co., and Merck & Co., Inc.”

“I know. We were both applying for positions at the time.”

Dan focused on the visible pulse in her neck. Fast heartbeat. It was going to get faster.

Gary was about to toss a grenade into the conversation.

“I’m assuming you didn’t know Mark told them the research was all his own work.”

Jennifer stared at Gary, her face flushed. “He…. No. Mark wouldn’t have sold me out.” She removed her hands from her pockets and folded her arms. “You’ve got it wrong.”

“I’m sorry, but that’s the way it looks.” Gary’s tone was apologetic. “We visited the companies last week. Both their HR departments confirmed it. And we also have photostats of Mark’s original application. There was no mention of you.”

Her face was a mask of horror. “I don’t believe this. Iknewhim. Mark wouldnotdo this.” She unfolded her arms and clasped her hands together, resting them on the table.

“And I’m sorry too,” Dan added. “We’ve obviously upset you.”

Now.

He’d learned never to ignore that voice inside his head.

Dan covered her hands with his, and the onslaught of emotion was so overwhelming, he had trouble sifting through her reactions, but there it was, the knowledge he’d sought. “Are you okay?” He kept his voice even, fighting to hide his elation.

At last. A goddamn break.

Jennifer paled and pulled free. “I’m fine.”

Too late, lady.

“Of course you’re fine.” He speared her with an intense gaze. “Because we haven’t told you anything you didn’t already know.”

She froze. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Because if you’re implying I knew about this, and that I had something to do with Mark’s—”

“But youdidknow,” Dan interjected. “I sensed that the moment I touched you. So we’re notimplyinganything. And no, you didn’t kill him.”

Jennifer expelled a breath. “Well, thank God for that. Because I was nowhere near—”

“But Iamsaying you know who killed him. You might not have strung him up against that rock face or disemboweled him, but you certainly know who did.” Dan ignored her gasp. “The same person who thoughtfully provided tickets to the Led Zeppelin concert. The same person who was supposed to join you, Amy, Greg, and Jason for dinner the night Jeff Murphy died. You know about Jeff, don’t you? And wewilldiscover the identity of this mystery person, don’t you worry about that.”

Before she could utter a word, Gary took up the conversation, scarcely missing a beat.

“Did youallknow what was going on? Did you know when you went out on that boat trip that you were providing yourselves with an alibi?”

“And what about the meal?” Riley flung at her. “Did you all sit there, laughing, eating, drinking, knowing thatsomewhere,someone was losing their life? Or are you telling us you didn’t know until after the fact? That you were all innocent.”

Dan kept up the pressure. “Was it you who organized the camping trip to Acadia? Because we know you didn’t pay for the booking. That was our mystery guest.”

Apparently that was the proverbial straw.

Jennifer rose, her face flushed. “I think you should leave. I have nothing more to say to you.”

Gary pocketed his notebook and stood. “Fine. We’ll go. But the next time we want to speak with you, Ms. Sullivan? You’ll need to have a lawyer present.”