“I know you narced on me, Chase. That’s pretty despicable, even by your standards.”
Either he’d invested in acting lessons or Chase was genuinely shocked by the accusation. “What are you talking about?” he asked.
“I’ve spent the last couple of hours in a cell at the Mattauk police station. The chief of police told me that you personally informed him I was selling mushrooms out of my home.”
“What? I didn’t—” He went pale. “That guy was the chief of police?”
“How did that fact escape you?” Harriett asked.
“He wasn’t in uniform!” Chase said. “He was wearing shorts and a polo shirt! I wouldn’t turn you in to the police. Do you think I’m that stupid?”
“Yes,” she said honestly.
“I was drunk, and I was talking to Jackson—”
“Jackson Dunn?” Of course. It was starting to make perfect sense.
“He’s the reason I’m out here on the island. He invited me to stay for Labor Day weekend. Last night, he had a small party. Just a few of the boys. I was talking to Jackson and another guy when your name came up—and the weed problem on the Pointe. Jackson said you had a way with plants, and I may have made a joke about you growing crazy shit in your garden. I never thought anyone there would use the information against you. It’s not like Jackson and his friends are upstanding citizens. In fact—” He paused, looking terrified.
“Tell me,” Harriett ordered.
“That’s why I came to see you. Last night Jackson asked if I’d be interested in a girl for tonight.”
“A girl?”
Chase had suddenly gone pale. “I was drunk,” he said. “But I got the sense that he was talking about something sketchy.”
“What did you say?” Harriett asked.
“I said okay.”
“You said okay?”
“I was drunk, and he’s the man who pays my fucking bills, Harriett. I have a baby on the way, I can’t—” He stopped.
“Congratulations,” Harriett said, surprised that she felt nothing. It seemed that wound had healed nicely. “You’ve successfully passed your DNA to a new generation.”
“I’m sorry. That’s not how I meant to tell you.”
“I figured it was only a matter of time. Let’s get back to the girl you were offered.”
“Jackson didn’t say anything about the girl’s age or anything, but I just got this sense that . . .” Chase looked truly ill. “I left first thing this morning. I’m going back to Brooklyn right after this. I don’t give a damn if I lose the account anymore. I don’t give a damn if I lose my job. I feel like I just had a brush with something evil. I know you have something to do with all of that stuff that happened with Spencer Harding, and I thought I should tell you. I think Jackson might be some kind of pervert, too.”
It was as close to a selfless act as Chase Osborne would ever muster. The species wasn’t entirely corrupt, Harriett observed. Once in a while, one of them would surprise you. Such actions never redeemed them completely, of course, but it did make Harriett wonder if they really deserved to be wiped off the planet.
“Thank you, Chase.”
“Do you think Jackson might do something to me? A lot of weird shit has been happening lately.”
“No,” Harriett assured him. “You have my word. Jackson can’t do anything to you.”
Chase’s phone dinged and its screen lit up. He glanced down, then his head jerked back up. “Jackson’s dead. Did you do that, Harriett?”