Not Quite Dead Yet
by Holly Jackson
Contents
Chapter 32
Overview
Jet and Billy wait for Luke’s tracker to move, convinced Luke will lead them to his biological father—whom Jet believes is also Jet’s attacker. Jet narrows the suspect list to Andrew Smith or Chief Lou Jankowski, but their plan turns personal when Jet finds Billy’s Coleby tool kit missing its hammer and briefly accuses Billy of murder.
Before the conflict can resolve, Jet’s aneurysm suddenly worsens and she suffers a violent seizure. Billy holds her, tries to soothe her by taking blame, and promises to finish the case as Jet gives him her letters and fades in and out of awareness.
Summary
At Billy Finney’s house, Jet Mason anxiously monitors Luke Mason’s location through the tracker she planted on him. Jet insists Luke will lead them to his biological father, whom Jet believes is also the person who attacked Jet. Jet and Billy agree to give Luke one hour to move before Jet asks her mother directly who Luke’s father is.
Jet lays out two suspects: Andrew Smith and Chief Lou Jankowski. Jet argues Andrew could have had motive to kill Jet so Luke would inherit Mason Construction, and Andrew’s connection to the North Street site could explain how the killer hid Jet’s phone and the hammer in fresh foundations. Jet then explains why Lou could fit the physical evidence and timing, and why Jet’s mother’s support for Lou as chief may hint at an old relationship. Billy challenges the logic and asks what they would do once they found the man; Jet admits she hasn’t planned beyond forcing a confession.
Preparing for a confrontation, Jet asks for duct tape and gloves. While searching Billy’s closet for the tape, Jet opens Billy’s tool kit and notices the tools are all Coleby-branded, matching the murder weapon’s set. The kit is missing the hammer, and Jet dumps the tools out, frantically searching and confirming it isn’t there.
Jet panics and accuses Billy of killing her, constructing a timeline and motive: the red wig hair could have transferred to Billy at the Halloween Fair, Billy could have learned about the North Street foundations from Sophia, and Billy could have hidden the phone and hammer before returning to “find” Jet. Billy denies it, crying and pleading with Jet to stop, but Jet spirals through possible reasons Billy might have wanted Jet dead.
Jet is suddenly hit by an agonizing neurological episode as the aneurysm worsens; she collapses, screams, and begins seizing. Billy catches Jet, holds her through the seizure, and—desperate to comfort her—sob-wails that Jet solved it and that he did it, even as Jet weakly tells Billy she knows he would never hurt her. As Jet fades in and out, she tells Billy there are letters in her pocket for everyone, insists Billy must read his, and clings to Billy’s presence while Billy promises to finish the investigation for her as Jet’s consciousness slips away again.
Who Appears
- Jet MasonDying investigator; debates suspects, panics over evidence, then suffers a seizure and gives Billy her letters.
- Billy FinneyJet’s partner; monitors Luke’s tracker, denies killing Jet, holds her through seizure, promises to finish the case.
- Luke MasonPrimary lead; being tracked; expected to lead Jet and Billy to his biological father and Jet’s attacker.
- Andrew SmithOne of Jet’s two suspects; potential biological father and motive-link to North Street site and red wig hair.
- Lou JankowskiOther suspect; chief of police possibly tied to Jet’s mother and to Luke’s “advice” about the company.
- SophiaReferenced as the person who told Billy about the North Street foundations at the fair.
- Jet’s motherMentioned as knowing Luke’s real father; Jet delays asking her to avoid hurting Jet’s father.
- Jet’s fatherReferenced in inheritance stakes; Jet fears revealing Luke’s paternity will ruin him.