Chapter 36

Simon has just poured himself a second vodka soda when his phone buzzes with the distinct ring from the front gate doorbell. As usual, he opens the video app on his phone to check who’s at the door and ensure it’s not some crazed fan. A young Black man in a blue suit stares back at him through his screen.

“Can I help you?” Simon asks over the speaker.

“Detective Rivers with the Newport Beach Police,” he says, holding up his identification to the camera. “I’m looking for Simon Lowry.”

Simon’s mouth goes dry. Which one of them filed a police complaint? “Now is not the best time.”

“I need a few minutes at most, Mr. Lowry. Please.”

Simon hesitates before tapping the button to open the gate. He dumps his drink down the sink and heads to the front door. His rib cage is thumping by the time he opens it to let the detective in.

After they sit down together on the velvet chairs, Rivers says, “Thanks for seeing me.”

“Not a problem.” Simon leans back, trying to appear as carefree as possible, but his hip throbs and his throat feels thick.

“I’m looking into the death of Justine Jang,” the detective says.

“Oh, you mean JJ,” Simon says, hiding his relief. But it’s short-lived. A new worry forms in his head. Maybe Rivers has come to ask him about the night JJ bolted from his house?

“You did know Ms. Jang, correct?”

Simon shakes his head. “Not that well.”

“Were you in the same therapy group with Dr. Danvers?”

Simon folds his arms across his chest. “I’m not supposed to discuss the group.”

“Of course.” Rivers flashes a disarming grin. “I’m sure you hear this all the time, but I just have to tell you. My dad’s a huge fan. He’s got all your albums. On vinyl, too. I grew up listening to your music. The Time Will Come is still one of my all-time favorite albums.”

“Thank you,” Simon says, not fully trusting his flattery.

“You’ve been open in past interviews about your therapy with Dr. Danvers.”

“I have nothing to hide,” Simon says, uncrossing his arms. “But I don’t have the right to talk about anyone else in the group.”

“I respect your wanting to protect their confidentiality.” Rivers sighs. “But Ms. Jang is dead.”

The detective has a point. And the fact that he has come to see Simon means it’s likely he already knows JJ was in the tribe. “All right, yes, we were in the same group.”

“Being treated for alcoholism, as I understand it?”

Simon merely shrugs.

“When was the last time you saw Ms. Jang?” Rivers asks.

“At our last group session.”

“Do you remember which day that was?”

“Last Thursday.”

Lines crease the detective’s otherwise smooth forehead. “The day she died?”

“That morning. At group session.”

“How did she seem to you?”

“She was… quiet. Kind of withdrawn, I guess.”

“Did she seem upset?”

“I suppose you could say that, yeah.”

Rivers nods. “And that was the last time you spoke to her?”

Simon is about to answer in the affirmative when it occurs to him that the police might already have her phone records. “It was the last time I saw her in person.”

Rivers tilts his head, waiting.

“I called her afterwards.” Before the detective can ask, Simon adds, “I just wanted to check up on her. See how she was doing.”

“And how was she doing?”

Simon thinks about his answer. “She said she was OK.”

“Did she sound drunk to you?”

“Not that I noticed, no.”

“Did she happen to mention Ms. Golding’s death?”

Simon squints at Rivers. “You know about Elaine?”

He nods again. “I understand that Ms. Jang was extremely distressed about Ms. Golding’s death. Did Ms. Jang mention anything to you about that?”

“I…” Simon starts, but something makes him clam up. He doesn’t trust the friendly detective. If he goes into details about what JJ told him regarding Elaine, it might push the detective to look deeper into his own history. And Simon can’t afford that now, not with a fresh accuser crawling out of the woodwork.