15

 

Calley followed Silvi down the hallway to a small room. A machine for taking pictures stood on one side. A long table with assorted boxes and files alligned with the other wall.

“None of this will hurt,” Silvi said.

“Not physically anyway.” Calley turned to the door, hoping Riley would walk in and stop this. Maybe it was his idea of a prank. If he’d stop it right now, she’d laugh, though she didn’t find any of it funny. She just wanted out of there.

“Come over here, and stand on this mark.” Silvi pointed to an X on the floor. Calley did as instructed. Silvi walked behind the camera. “Look at the red spot.” Calley startled at the blinding flash.

“Now this way.” She guided Calley by her elbow to the long table. “This will wash off.” She placed Calley’s fingers on an ink pad and rolled them on a piece of paper one at a time. Silvi gave Calley a wipe to remove the ink after they were done placing her handprint on a card.

“Right this way.”

Silvi directed Calley out the door to the back. A buzzer sounded as they approached a large steel door. It slid to the right. They walked through, and it slammed shut. Calley jumped and looked over her shoulder at the closed door. She wanted to run, but there was no way out. Another buzzer sounded, opening the bars in front of them. Calley paused. Her feet didn’t want to move.

“Please. Don’t make me,” she cried.

Silvi’s hand directed her forward. “It’s all right. Most people get scared when they first come back here. Don’t worry. There’s no one else here but you.”

The bars shut behind Calley. There were six cages total, three on each side. Silvi led her to the second one on the right. The cell held two cots on opposite sides and a stainless steel toilet connected to the back wall. Calley walked through the opened cell door. The bars slammed shut behind her. Her legs barely carried her to one of the cots. She glanced at everything. How did she get herself into this mess? Tears rolled down her cheeks. Her fear no longer allowed her to contain them.

 

****

 

Riley rubbed his eyes. His office sofa wasn’t nearly as comfortable as his bed. He couldn’t leave until he found something to clear Calley. BJ had called several times, but he refused to answer his phone. When she showed up at the sheriff’s department door the night before, he refused her access to the building. He wouldn’t be surprised if he found out she spent the night in the parking lot.

Just after eight o’clock in the morning, the medical examiner phoned with the conclusion of the autopsy. Peter Jameson died from asphyxiation. There was water in his lungs. He’d been shot but alive when he was thrown into the lake. His hands were taped behind his back and his legs tied to a cinderblock. Would Calley have been callous enough to kill someone in this way? Riley knew the answer was a resounding no.

He got on the internet and pulled up the number for the notification department of the Atlanta Police Department. He needed someone to contact the widow.

“Sergeant, this is Sheriff Riley Owens of the Lincolnville Sheriff’s Office. We have us a body up here that has been identified from his prints as Peter Jameson. We need you to notify the man’s wife and have her provide a positive ID.”

“Do you have an address on her?”

“Just what the license says. If you can’t find her, you might want to try his office. He was a lawyer.”

Riley hung up the phone and cradled his head in his hands. Once Fifi Jameson got in his jurisdiction, he could interrogate her and find out her whereabouts. But right now she was off limits.

He thought back to the wedding. When he scooped Calley in his arms, she didn’t have her purse. In fact, Allison was the one who retrieved it. Maybe she picked up the gun. For all he knew, she might have as much a reason to kill Peter as Calley did. The man was obviously a player. Pitting one sister against the other wouldn’t be above a cad like that. There’s also the possibility that Allison found it and gave it to her mother, Nanette. Would she know who Peter Jameson was? And if so would she, would either woman be cold blooded enough to shoot him and toss him in the lake while still alive? Nanette was obviously not happy about the baby.

Riley had made a point of not putting the fact that Peter Jameson was the father of Calley’s baby on his report the night before. There was quite a bit on Calley already with her gun as the murder weapon. At this point, he wasn’t going to give them any more.

He leaned back. Two female figures heading his way caught his attention. Just what he needed—a parade. He should consider himself lucky Sheryl and Lydia were out of town. BJ stormed through his door, not bothering to knock, with Allison close on her heels.

“Who do you think you are Riley Owens, locking Calley in jail?” His aunt placed her hands on her hips and stood in front of his desk. “And not answering my calls or allowing me in last night?”

“I had no choice. Her gun was used to kill the man.”

“You can’t possibly believe she’s guilty. Can you?” BJ’s voice quivered.

He glanced up. Her brow creased, and her eyes were downcast. He hated to hurt his aunt like this. “It doesn’t matter what I believe. It’s the evidence that counts.”

“But she’s pregnant,” Allison said.

“A lot of pregnant women are in prison.” He paused. “By the way, at the wedding, when you scooped up Calley’s purse, you didn’t happen to find her gun, did you?”

“No. There was her wallet, her keys, assorted odds and ends.” Allison took a step forward. “This means she didn’t have it. Someone else did. Right?”

“It could mean that. Or it could mean she lied and had the gun somewhere else at the time of the wedding so she could be ready to kill Peter Jameson.” Riley hoped for a reaction from Allison but only saw concern.

“I want to see my sister.” Allison stood at the doorway, tears in her eyes. “Please.”

Riley pressed the intercom on his phone. “Silvi, take these two back to the meeting room. Bring Calley in to see them.” When he hung up he said, “You have five minutes.”

“I’ll take as long as I desire, young man. And don’t you forget it.” BJ gave him a stern nod.

Allison paused at the doorway. “We’ve got to help her.”

Riley ran his hand through his hair. “I’m doing my best.”

They walked through the back door leading to the meeting room. He let out a heavy sigh, got up, and trudged to the window. He glanced at the blue sky. It was a beautiful day. Too nice to be sitting in a cell.

“Please God, let my best be good enough this time.”

 

****

 

Calley hesitated in the hallway, afraid of whom she might find on the other side of that door. Allison and BJ stood inside. Mascara tracks led from Allison’s eyes. BJ’s jaw clenched. They looked wonderful to Calley. She let out a breath she’d been holding, and a grin came over her face. “What are you ladies doing in a place like this? Come to see my new digs?” She let out a laugh, but felt no humor behind it.

“Are you all right?” BJ rushed over and gave her a hug. The concern in BJ’s eyes made warmth tug at Calley’s heart.

“Wonderful. I hear they’re serving meatloaf for dinner.”

BJ brushed back Calley’s hair from her face. “I’m glad you can stay light in this situation. I’m ready to shoot Riley.”

“I’d loan you my gun, but it’s apparently missing.” Calley didn’t feel humorous. The doctor said she needed to watch her blood pressure. Joking was all she could think to do after a long night of crying.

BJ walked with her arm around Calley to one of the chairs surrounding a table. She glanced around the room and stared at the mirror on the wall. “And don’t anyone be listening in.” BJ walked to the mirror. “We’re acting as Calley Regan’s counsel so this is a private conversation.”

Calley laughed. “Let me guess, you’ve been watching cop shows on television?”

“No. Reading books.” BJ grinned from ear to ear.

Allison sat on the opposite side of the table. “We’re going to see a lawyer later. We’re hoping once they get you in front of a judge, they’ll let us post bail so we can get you out of here.”

“You’ll be out before you know it.” BJ patted Calley’s hand. “And don’t judge that nephew of mine too harshly. He can be a real stickler for the law, but I know he’s trying to find the right answer.”

“I’m not too sure. He seems to think I’m guilty.” Calley’s heart skipped a beat at her words. He should know her better than that.

“I don’t believe that for a minute. And neither should you.”

“Then why’d he lock me up?” Calley hoped BJ was right but she couldn’t be sure about anything anymore. A knock on the door startled her. Silvi stuck her head back in.

“I’m sorry, but that’s all the time you have.” She kept her voice low.

“You keep your chin up. You’ll be home soon.” BJ hugged Calley before turning to the door.

Allison paused. “Can I have another minute with my sister?” Her eyes pleaded with Silvi. “Please?”

Silvi nodded and led BJ from the room.

“How’s Mom doing?” Calley wasn’t sure she wanted to hear how her mother felt about all this. Best to get it over with.

“She’s upset. How will people think when they hear, yada, yada, yada. She wasn’t too thrilled when I said I was coming, but I had to make sure you were all right.”

“As you can see, I’m hanging in there.” She then added, “By a noose.”

“Don’t worry. God will take care of you.” Allison stood in the middle of the room, her hands in her jacket pockets.

Calley scoffed. “God stopped taking care of me a long time ago.”

“Don’t say that.”

“It’s not His fault. I’m too much trouble for Him to mess with.”

Silence fell between the two women. Allison finally spoke, her eyes directed at the floor. “I asked Mom about Uncle Joe’s trial.”

“I’m not really in the mood to talk about this right now.” Calley moved to the corner of the room. She wanted to become one with the wall. To forget everything she was going through, and all she’d been through in the past.

“She claimed you were wild for years, and that you testified against Joe just to upset the family.” Allison took a step toward Calley. “I don’t recall you being wild. You didn’t lie. Did you?”

Calley shook her head. Talking about Uncle Joe hit a sore spot within her. She was not sure she could go into this, but her sister pressed on.

“What did he do to you?” Allison’s voice lowered, and her jaw tightened.

“He tried to scare me, but only made me mad.” Calley turned and looked at her sister. “We were in the small backroom in the garage during the Fourth of July party. He kept saying he could be there with you. You were so pretty, but he decided I needed someone to make me feel special.” A shiver ran up her back. “Piece of garbage. Probably figured I’d be easier because I was so much uglier than you.”

“You were never ugly, Calley.” Allison paused, then spoke in a whisper. “Did he rape you, too?”

“Rape, no. He kissed me and told me how I was going to be his special girl. Then he touched my breast.”

Allison gasped.

“I kneed him in the groin and ran out.” A smile came over Calley’s lips as she recalled the pained expression on his face.

“Why didn’t you tell anyone?”

“I did. I told both Mom and Dad. They couldn’t believe good old Uncle Joe would do something like that.” Calley drew her arms over her chest. “They said I must have been mistaken by his actions. But I knew there was no mistake.”

Allison walked over to Calley. “That’s when you started hating everyone.”

“Not everyone, just them.” Calley paused, then added, “And you.”

“Why me? You never told me about Uncle Joe. I might have believed you.”

“Because I told Mom and Dad the truth about things all the time, but they never seemed to believed me. My sixth grade teacher Ms. Goozeman told me she hated me. When I told Mom, she said I was just trying to get Old Lady Gooseface in trouble because I got a bad grade on a test. Mom wouldn’t even look at my paper to see I should have gotten a better grade.” Calley turned and faced her sister. “But they always believed you, even when you lied.”

Allison’s eyes widened.

Calley let out a laugh. “When you were caught with a pack of cigarettes, you claimed they were someone else’s, but I knew you were smoking. I saw you. I also know you stole those earrings when you went to the mall with Molly. But you told Mom they were given to you. She and Dad believed every word you ever said.”

“Yet you never let anyone know? You could have gotten me into trouble.”

“It’s not like they would have believed me, if I had.”

“I’m sorry you grew to hate me. I should have seen what was going on.” Allison put her hand on Calley’s arm. “From this point forward I’ll work at being a better big sister.” She pulled Calley into a hug.

Calley sobbed against her sister. “I’m so scared. How can I have a baby in jail?”