Last to Die: A Rizzoli & Isles Novel

her.”
    “Then which of ’em did it?” said Roman.
    Behind them, a voice asked: “Why do you think it was a student?”
    They all turned to see Julian standing at the edge of the clearing. He had returned so quietly, they hadn’t heard him.
    “You just assume it’s one of us,” said Julian. “That’s not fair.”
    Dr. Pasquantonio laughed. “You don’t really think a teacher would do this?”
    “Remember what you taught us about the word
assume
, sir? That it makes an ass of you and me?”
    “Julian,” Maura said.
    “Well, it
is
what he says.”
    “Where, exactly, is this leading, Mr. Perkins?” asked Pasquantonio.
    Julian stood straighter. “I’d like to take Herman’s body.”
    “It’s already rotting,” said Roman. He lifted the corpse by its rope and tossed it into the woods. “Crows have already gotten a start on it; let ’em finish.”
    “Well then, can I have the twig dolls?”
    “I’d as soon burn the damn things. Forget this fool business.”
    “Burning them doesn’t make the mystery go away, sir.”
    “Why do you want them, Julian?” asked Maura.
    “Because right now, we’re all looking at each other, suspecting each other. Wondering who’d be sick enough to do this.” He looked at Dr. Pasquantonio. “This is evidence, and the Jackals can analyze it.”
    “What are the Jackals?” said Jane. She looked at Maura, who shook her head, just as bewildered.
    “It’s the school forensics club,” said Dr. Welliver. “Founded decades ago by a former student named Jack Jackman.”
    “Which is why it’s called the Jackals,” said Julian. “I’m the new president, and this is just the kind of project our club does. We’ve studied blood splatters, tire tracks. We can analyze
this
evidence.”
    “Oh, I get it.” Jane laughed and shot a glance at Maura. “It’s
CSI High School
!”
    “All right, boy,” said Roman. He reached up with his hunting knife and sliced the dolls from the branch. Held them out to Julian. “They’re yours. Go to it.”
    “Thank you, sir.”
    Thunder rumbled, and Roman looked up at the sky. “Now we’d best get inside,” he said. “I smell lightning coming this way. And there’s no telling where it’ll strike.”

FIFTEEN
 
    D ID YOU DO IT?”
    Claire had been expecting the question. Back at the clearing, when they’d all stood gaping at what hung from the willow tree, she’d caught Will looking at her and had read the question in his eyes. He’d been discreet enough not to say a word at the time. Now that they’d lagged behind the other kids on the trail, he sidled up to whisper: “The others, they’re saying it was you.”
    “They’re idiots.”
    “That’s what I told them. But you
were
out again last night.”
    “I told you, I don’t sleep. I can’t sleep.”
    “Next time, why don’t you wake me up? We could hang out together.”
    She halted beside the streambed. Raindrops plopped onto their faces and drummed tattoos on the leaves. “You want to hang out with
me
?”
    “I checked the weather forecast, and the sky’s supposed to beclear tomorrow night. You could look through my telescope, and I’ll show you some really cool galaxies. I’m sure you’d like seeing those.”
    “You hardly know me, Will.”
    “I know you better than you think.”
    “Oh sure. Like we’re best friends forever.” She hadn’t meant to sound sarcastic, but once the words were out, she couldn’t take them back, and she wished she could. There were a lot of things she wished she’d never said. She tramped a few more paces up the trail and realized that Will was no longer beside her. Turning, she saw he’d stopped and stood staring at the stream, where water splashed and rippled across rocks.
    “Why couldn’t we be?” he said quietly, and looked at her. “We’re not like everyone else. You and I, we’re both …”
    “Screwed up.”
    “That’s not what I meant.”
    “Well,
I’m
screwed up, anyway,” she said.
    “Why do you say that?”
    “Everyone says so, including my shrink. You want proof?” She grabbed his hand and pressed it against the scar on her scalp. “Feel that? That’s where they sawed open my skull. That’s why I stay awake all night, like a vampire. Because I’m brain-damaged.”
    He made no attempt to pull free, as she’d expected. His hand lingered in her hair, caressing the scar that marked her freakdom. He might be fat and spotty with acne, but she suddenly noticed he had nice eyes. Soft and