1st to Die

Cindy, using the information Lindsay gave her, searches through the archives at the San Francisco Chronicle to identify Kathy’s ex-boyfriend. She eventually finds a photograph of Kathy and Nicholas at the premiere of a movie based on his first published novel.

Cindy rushes to Lindsay’s to tell her about Nicholas Jenks. She is disappointed to learn that not only does Lindsay already know, but also that Cindy cannot publish the information yet.

Claire, Cindy, Lindsay, and Jill meet for drinks the following day. Lindsay tells them that phone records verify a connection between Nicholas Jenks and Kathy Voskuhl. They discuss the case, and then decide to form a permanent detective club.

Chris and Lindsay meet up. He discovered that Nicholas has an ex-wife who reported him assaulting her years ago. He also found that Nicholas has a permit for a gun of the same caliber as the gun used in the DeGeorge murders.

Chris and Lindsay interview Nicholas in his home. When he denies knowing the names of any of the murder victims, Lindsay shows him a photograph of him with Kathy Voskuhl.

Nicholas insists that he meets and is photographed with lots of people including strangers. He also denies that he was in Cleveland the weekend that Kathy and James were murdered. Nicholas admits to owning a case of the champagne found in the Brandts’ hotel room, but insists he hasn’t touched it in a long time. Nicholas’s wife Chessy comes in the room and interrupts the interview.

After the police leave, Chessy tries to talk to Nicholas, but he becomes angry and hits her. Nicholas drags her into their bedroom closet, where he sexually assaults her.

Lindsay tracks down Nicholas’s ex-wife Joanna Wade to an exercise studio where she teaches “Tae-Bo” (272). Joanna explains that the end of her marriage was not her choice. She also says that she tried to warn Chessy about Nicholas’s violent streak, but Chessy wouldn’t listen.

Joanna tells Lindsay about the first novel Nicholas wrote, Always a Bridesmaid, about a man who goes on a rampage, killing brides and grooms.

Lindsay tracks down Nicholas’s first agent Greg Marks to get a copy of Always a Bridesmaid. Greg doesn’t, but suggests that if Nicholas got it copyrighted, there is a copy of the book in the copyright office. Getting it there would give Lindsay a way to find the book without alerting Nicholas that she is looking for it.

McBride tells Lindsay that Nicholas was indeed in Cleveland the weekend the Voskuhls were married. McBride is moving to get an arrest warrant, which means Lindsay only has a day to get the evidence she needs to make the arrest first.