Dale. All she wanted was to go home. Mr. Garner hadnât been drinking, so perhaps, she thought, she could ask him to drive her home. She made her way to the front door and walked out onto the porch. Down a double row of steps, past a deck and a garden path was the pier that led out onto the lake. She couldnât see all the way to the edge of it, but she knew Mr. Garner wouldnât be out there. She turned and went down the side of the house. On the way, she ran into Silvia.
The beautiful woman was a little disheveled andthe hand that pushed back her windblown hair was trembling. But she forced a smile and asked how long Josie had been stumbling around outside in the dark.
It was an odd question. Josie admitted that sheâd had some spiked punch and was sick. She wanted Dale or Mr. Garner to drive her home.
Silvia had immediately volunteered. Sheâd only had one wine spritzer, she assured Josie and herded her toward a new silver Mercedes. She put the young woman in the car and pointedly remarked that Henry Garnerâs car was still sitting there, but heâd told Bib he was going out for some cigars. She waved, but Josette couldnât see anybody to be waved at.
She drove Josette home. Late that night, the local news channel was full of the breaking story of the apparent drowning of philanthropist Henry Garner, whose body had been found by a guestâfloating in the lake. A news helicopter hovering over the Garner and Webb estate fed grainy film to the studio for broadcast. Police cars and ambulances were visible below. It was an apparent accidental drowning, the newswoman added, because the gentleman was drunk.
Still unsteady on her feet, but certain of her facts, Josette had immediately phoned the police to tell them that sheâd just been at that party. Henry Garner had been drinking ginger ale, he wasnât drunk, andhe and Bib Webb had apparently been arguing before Garner vanished from the party. The tip was enough for the local district attorneyâs office to immediately step into the investigation.
A blackjack with blood on it was discovered in the passenger seat of Dale Jenningsâs car at the scene, where police were holding guests until they could all be interrogated. Against the wishes of Bib Webb, an autopsy was ordered, which was routine in any case of sudden, unexplained violent death. The medical examiner didnât find a drop of liquor in Garnerâs body, but he found a blunt force trauma wound on the back of the old manâs head.
The âaccidentalâ drowning became a sensational homicide overnight.
The best defense attorney in San Antonio was at Bib Webbâs side during a hastily called press conference, and Marc Brannon got emergency leave from the FBI, with Webbâs help, to come back to San Antonio and help investigate the murder. In no time at all, Dale Jennings was arrested and charged with first-degree murder. The blackjack in Jenningsâs possession was said to be the instrument used to stun Garner; it had traces of Garnerâs hair and blood on it, despite obvious efforts to wipe them off. Silvia Webb added that sheâd seen Jennings near the lake, and the blackjack in Jenningsâs car, just before sheâd come back to the house and had taken Josette Langley home.
Jennings didnât confess or protest. His public defender attorney entered a plea of not guilty, evidence was presented, and Josie had to admit that she hadnât seen Dale during the time the murder was apparently committed. But she had been in Jenningsâs car on the way to the party, and she hadnât seen any blackjack, and she said so on the witness stand.
She also said that Bib Webb had a better motive for the old manâs death than Dale, and that heâd argued with Henry Garner that same evening. But Webb spoke to the prosecutor privately during the lunch break and gave him an ace in the hole. When she was fifteen, Josie had slipped out of
The beautiful woman was a little disheveled andthe hand that pushed back her windblown hair was trembling. But she forced a smile and asked how long Josie had been stumbling around outside in the dark.
It was an odd question. Josie admitted that sheâd had some spiked punch and was sick. She wanted Dale or Mr. Garner to drive her home.
Silvia had immediately volunteered. Sheâd only had one wine spritzer, she assured Josie and herded her toward a new silver Mercedes. She put the young woman in the car and pointedly remarked that Henry Garnerâs car was still sitting there, but heâd told Bib he was going out for some cigars. She waved, but Josette couldnât see anybody to be waved at.
She drove Josette home. Late that night, the local news channel was full of the breaking story of the apparent drowning of philanthropist Henry Garner, whose body had been found by a guestâfloating in the lake. A news helicopter hovering over the Garner and Webb estate fed grainy film to the studio for broadcast. Police cars and ambulances were visible below. It was an apparent accidental drowning, the newswoman added, because the gentleman was drunk.
Still unsteady on her feet, but certain of her facts, Josette had immediately phoned the police to tell them that sheâd just been at that party. Henry Garner had been drinking ginger ale, he wasnât drunk, andhe and Bib Webb had apparently been arguing before Garner vanished from the party. The tip was enough for the local district attorneyâs office to immediately step into the investigation.
A blackjack with blood on it was discovered in the passenger seat of Dale Jenningsâs car at the scene, where police were holding guests until they could all be interrogated. Against the wishes of Bib Webb, an autopsy was ordered, which was routine in any case of sudden, unexplained violent death. The medical examiner didnât find a drop of liquor in Garnerâs body, but he found a blunt force trauma wound on the back of the old manâs head.
The âaccidentalâ drowning became a sensational homicide overnight.
The best defense attorney in San Antonio was at Bib Webbâs side during a hastily called press conference, and Marc Brannon got emergency leave from the FBI, with Webbâs help, to come back to San Antonio and help investigate the murder. In no time at all, Dale Jennings was arrested and charged with first-degree murder. The blackjack in Jenningsâs possession was said to be the instrument used to stun Garner; it had traces of Garnerâs hair and blood on it, despite obvious efforts to wipe them off. Silvia Webb added that sheâd seen Jennings near the lake, and the blackjack in Jenningsâs car, just before sheâd come back to the house and had taken Josette Langley home.
Jennings didnât confess or protest. His public defender attorney entered a plea of not guilty, evidence was presented, and Josie had to admit that she hadnât seen Dale during the time the murder was apparently committed. But she had been in Jenningsâs car on the way to the party, and she hadnât seen any blackjack, and she said so on the witness stand.
She also said that Bib Webb had a better motive for the old manâs death than Dale, and that heâd argued with Henry Garner that same evening. But Webb spoke to the prosecutor privately during the lunch break and gave him an ace in the hole. When she was fifteen, Josie had slipped out of
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