Transparency by Charles Royce (children's books read aloud txt) 📕

“That didn’t go the way we’d hoped,” Josh says.

“I can’t do this.” Jenna finally speaks.

“We have to. He’s the only one who can help us.”

“He’s so angry.”

A loud knock echoes through the holding room. Detective Penance opens the door and enters halfway. “Time’s up, Mr. Harrison. As agreed, I let you both see Mr. Connelly together. Now I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”

The detective leaves the door open for Josh to exit.

“I’ll be back,” Josh says to Jenna. He grabs the red folder on the way out.

C h a p t e r   5

OUTSIDE THE PRECINCT building, Josh sees Shawn entering a black Mercedes SUV, runs to the driver’s side and taps on the window.

Startled, Shawn jerks away, then immediately puts his head down on the steering wheel. After a few seconds, he pushes the door unlock button.

Josh walks around to the passenger side, opens the door.

“The thing about Jenna,” Josh says as he pulls himself up onto the seat with his free hand. He closes the passenger door, presses the lock button, places the red folder in his lap. “She gets triggered by boisterous breeders like yourself.”

Shawn presses the unlock button. “Get out.”

“What happened here?” Josh puts his finger on the windshield, running his fingers along the spider crack that extends vertically up the glass.

Shawn is annoyed, but the question softens him. He thinks of his wife, of that awful day when she saw Ghost at the carwash. “Haylee. She went to get the car washed and saw Ghost working there.”

“The drug dealer guy? Blown up in Jenna’s apartment?”

“The drug dealer Jenna blew up in her apartment. The drug dealer Jenna worked with to kill Lennox.”

“Mr. Connelly, come on. That’s absurd.”

Shawn releases his grip on the steering wheel and glances again at the glass in front of Josh. “My wife recognized him. Ghost. At the car wash. Ghost saw her take a picture of him. At the time, we both suspected he was the one who killed Lennox.”

“Still coulda been.”

Shawn sighs. “We called the police, sent them to find Ghost. I guess you could say we’re the ones who sent the detective’s partner Lily to his apartment to interrogate him. Then he crucified her to the back of the door. I need this nightmare to end.”

“No.” Josh recognizes the strange mix of regret, culpability, and exhaustion. “Hey, look at me. What happened to Lily McGuire is not your fault, man.”

“I know that.” Shawn looks back at him. “It’s Jenna’s.”

“There you go again.” Josh pulls the folder closer to him. “You may think that Jenna did all this, but she isn’t who you think she is.”

“Oh yeah, and who do I think Jenna is?”

“I think you see her as some spoiled rich kid who dresses in designer clothes, who skates through life with sitcom humor and mixed metaphors. Maybe to you, she lacks credibility.”

“Go on.”

“You think she’s untrustworthy, that she moves wherever the wind blows, or toward whatever shiny thing grabs her attention. And maybe you think she’s damaged in some way. I mean, why else would she have all us gays in her life, right? Me, Lennox, Micah?”

“Don’t you dare stereotype me.”

“I’m not, just bear with me. I’m just saying, you don’t really know someone until you do.”

“Do what?”

“Know them.” Josh moves the folder to the floor of the car and twists his whole body toward Shawn. “Jenna was attacked, Shawn. College campus, NYU, 2007. By a former boyfriend.”

Shawn fidgets in his seat, turns a bit toward Josh. “Sad, but no excuse for a murder.”

“Jenna’s parents own a dairy farm in rural France. They don’t make much money, but they saved up enough to send her to school in America. To be a lawyer. She got a partial scholarship to NYU; her parents scraped by to take care of the rest. She was so excited to be at NYU, got involved with Young Lawyers, met a boy she really liked. Her new boyfriend was nice at first, but then became abusive. First verbally, then physically. Beat the living shit out of her. Later she found out he’d been cheating on her with several different women the entire three years they were together.”

“Jesus.”

“She left the guy. Broke it off completely. Moved in with a friend. Tracy Heissman. You may know her—tall, former model. I used to represent her when I was an agent for Corps Agency New York. Beautiful girl, beautiful friend. Anyway, Tracy works at Élan now too. Press magazine.”

“Heard of Tracy Heissman, yes, but I don’t think we’ve ever met.”

“Jenna doesn’t talk about it, but Tracy told me what happened soon after. This guy, this son of a bitch, broke into the apartment when Tracy wasn’t there, and that’s when it happened. Forced himself on Jenna. She fought. He fought back better.”

“Did she ever press charges on this guy?”

“Nope.” Josh turns again in his seat, staring straight ahead at the fragmented view through the cracked windshield. “She was never quite the same after. Quit school. Did odd jobs for several years just to make the rent. Starbucks, J.Crew, Duane Reade corporate. Then she started working for Lennox at Élan. I’d just started with Élan as well. That’s when we met. In orientation.”

“Then what? I mean, it’s terrible what happened to her, but it’s no excuse for what she did.”

“Lennox and Jenna became very close. To be an executive assistant at an up-and-coming publishing company was a huge deal for her. She was in charge of Lennox’s professional and personal life, and she was good at it. Lennox got sober. He quickly made VP, gave Jenna a huge raise and gigantic bonuses. She was making enough money to finally get a place of her own; she even got a two-bedroom condo. Of course, she picked a building close to Lennox. I guess Lenny made her feel safe for the first time in a while. But she didn’t like being alone. She spent several nights a week