16

 

Riley listened to Calley speak with her sister from the other side of the two-way mirror. The molestation explained why Calley ran away when she was a teen. It also gave him someone else to look at with a possible motive to frame her. Calley’s face looked troubled. She had good reason to be. If he didn’t find someone else to pin this murder on, the prosecuting attorney would choose her.

“You’ve got some good friends,” Silvi said to Calley in the meeting room. “BJ especially. I don’t think I’d want to get on her bad side.”

Riley grinned. Silvi knew he was listening in. Maybe she was giving him a warning.

“I guess I need to go back now.” Calley’s voice wobbled.

“Yeah. I’m sorry.” Silvi held the door open for Calley. Before closing it, she shot Riley a desperate look. How was it Calley could make friends in such a short amount of time?

Riley stood for a moment, staring into the next room. He hated the idea of questioning her about her uncle, but if he could put suspicion on someone else, it would only help Calley’s case. He paused at the door before walking out.

He sucked in a deep breath and nodded for the guard to open the final door. He knew Calley would probably hate him. She should. Probably be hurt even more than mad. He stopped just inside the cell area. She glanced over at him then diverted her eyes to the far wall. The sorrow in her eye caused him pain.

He hated putting her through this. “How are you doing?”

“I don’t think you should be speaking to me without my attorney.” Her voice was uneven. Probably trying not to cry.

How could she not understand what he was doing? He nodded to the man behind the wall at his left. The cell door clicked. It slid open to the right. He walked in and sat on the cot opposite her. The mattress was thin and uncomfortable. He’d have to either double them up for Calley or find her another place to sleep.

Her hair had fallen loose from her ponytail and her red swollen eyes only made him feel worse. Her hunched shoulders screamed of her anxiety, and dark circles whispered of the lack of sleep she needed for the baby’s sake as well as her own.

“Tell me about your Uncle Joe.” His voice was low. He knew it was a subject that would upset her.

She gasped. “You were listening in on Allison and me. Weren’t you?”

“The conversation wasn’t privileged. Neither Allison nor BJ are your counsel. Besides, I was hoping Allison would say something to incriminate herself.”

“Allison.” Calley shook her head. “She’d never hurt anyone.”

“She’s the one who picked up the contents of your purse.”

“The only thing she’d do with it is give it to my mother. Now she’d set me up in a heartbeat.”

“I’m trying to help you, Calley. I need someone else to offer to the prosecuting attorney. If I don’t find someone they’ll decide it was you.” He paused before continuing. “When’s the last time you saw your uncle?”

“At the wedding. He came with my mom.”

“That’s good. What’s his last name? I need to check on his whereabouts to see if he might have been in Atlanta or known someone who could have attacked you and killed Eva.”

“His name’s Joe Mercer. I can understand him being mad at me.” She turned to face Riley. “But I don’t think he knew Peter. No one in my family did.”

“What was the case you testified against Mercer for?”

She breathed out a deep sigh. “He had been arrested for raping a fifteen-year-old while she was drunk. They asked around the family for anyone he molested, and they found me. I was more than happy to go up against him. To show him I wasn’t afraid.”

“You’re one strong woman.” The words Matthew had said in the church returned to him.

“Then why do I feel like I’m falling apart?” She swallowed hard, and her jaw tightened. “Does this mean you don’t think I killed Peter?”

“I know you didn’t.”

Her mouth opened as if she was going to speak. Instead she crossed her arms over her chest and smirked. “How can you be so sure? We did have a relationship. As you said, I might have had a motive.”

“But you weren’t the only one.” Riley leaned forward on the cot. “His wife did also. And now your uncle might have, if it meant framing you and sending you to jail. Was he convicted?”

“He got seven years and had to register as a sex offender.”

“Very good motive to want to hurt you.”

“I still don’t know how he would know about Peter. Unless he’d been watching me for a while.” She shuddered. “Why did you put me in jail if you thought I was innocent?”

“I had no choice.”

Her eyes locked in a forward stare. She leaned her shoulder against the nearby wall with her legs out in front of her.

“I know you didn’t kill this guy, Calley. You’ve got to believe I have my reasons for doing everything I’ve done.” Her jaw loosened, and she stared at him. Her expression was one of bewilderment. He continued. “What do you know about Fifi Jameson?”

She turned so her back was now against the wall, and her legs hung over the edge of the cot. “She’s a hag.”

“Is that because she was married to the man you were seeing, or do you have a basis for feeling that way?”

“Because of how she came up to me in Lou’s.” Calley shook her head. “I didn’t even know Peter was married when we dated. I’d have never gone out with him if I did.”

“I know.”

She gave a smile that quickly faded. “If she did it, how did she get my gun?”

“I have Rayleene, the photographer, sending me copies of the wedding pictures. It’s a long shot, but we might get lucky and see someone picking up your stuff without anyone knowing it.” Riley rose. “I understand Allison and BJ are getting you a lawyer.”

She nodded. “He doesn’t do adoptions though.”

“Why do you need an attorney that handles adoptions?”

“If anything happens to me, my mom will get first dibs on the baby. She’ll give him off to that Newman guy. I have to make sure the baby goes to a good home.” Her lip trembled and tears formed.

“I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”

“How can you stop it? Even if you don’t think I did it, there’s enough evidence to make me sit in jail until after the baby’s born. Besides, what type of mother would I be, under arrest and all?”

“I haven’t officially placed you under arrest.”

“Then why am I in here? Can you do that? Keep me here?” She spoke in angry panted breaths. “I thought you were Mr. Go-By-The-Book. So when it comes to me you throw the book out the window?”

“Yeah, I guess.” He sucked in a deep breath. His whole career was on the line for this woman. “It’s clear someone’s after you, Calley. They attacked you and got your friend instead. Then a guy you were dating turned up dead. I figured this was the safest place for you to be right now.” He knelt in front of her. “This is the only place I can be sure you’ll be safe twenty-four hours a day.”

She pushed herself up from the cot and shoved around him. “Why didn’t you just ask me to come to work with you if you thought I was in danger? Why lock me up? Treat me like a criminal?” She crossed her arms over her chest, and her eyes returned to the back wall.

“I’m hoping whoever this is will think you’re out of the way for whatever reason they need. Someone went to a lot of trouble, and we don’t know why. I’m hoping they make a mistake or take care of whatever business it is they need to.” He stood behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders. “Besides, you should know me well enough to know I might have other reasons.”

“How am I supposed to know that?” She shoved his arms off and moved away from him. “Men. They get mad when women play games and don’t say what’s bothering them. Yet they think women can read their minds.” She shook her head.

“How can you not know after these last few months?”

She turned to face him. “What am I supposed to know? That you put me in jail to protect me?”

“I’m not much for words. Do I have to spell it out for you, Calley?”

“Spell what out? Just say what you mean.”

He placed his hands on the side of her face and bent down. His lips touched hers, first soft then firm. He brought his hands around her waist and pulled her to him. After the kiss, he stared into her eyes. “Did I make myself clear?”

“Uh-huh,” her voice squeaked.

Riley’s phone buzzed in his pocket. “I’ve got to take this.”

She nodded but didn’t move.

He finished his conversation and hung up. “I have to go. It seems Mrs. Jameson has been staying in a rental on the west side of town. I’m heading over there now.” He tucked his knuckle under her chin. “You’ll be all right. And don’t even think about signing any adoption papers. That boy needs his mother.”

 

****

 

Calley sat down on the cot and watched Riley walk out the steel-barred door. Her heart still raced. She reached up and touched her lips. Boy, he really knew how to get his point across. She still felt the bristle of his whiskers on her chin. The guard at the glass wall grinned. Her cheeks warmed. She reclined on the cot and rolled onto her side. Riley’s arms around her made her feel grounded, safe, and secure. Could it be he really cared for her? Could this be a lifetime and not a moment thing? Her body relaxed for the first time in days, and her eyes closed.

A noise rattled her. She woke, not sure how long she’d been sleeping. Ty Davenport, from the wedding, followed another man into the detention area. The stranger had harsh features. His shoulders were rigid, his eyes angry, and his lips tight. He was speaking to Silvi. “You have two choices. Either set us up in an interrogation room or open the door.”

Silvi walked behind them, glancing to the officer at the glass wall. These men clearly had her flustered. “The sheriff will be back any minute.”

Ty glanced over at Calley then turned to Silvi. “Howard has a tendency to get carried away. He’s usually more polite than this.”

Howard turned on Ty. “We are here to interrogate a suspect, not nursemaid some officer’s girlfriend.”

Ty raised one of his eyebrows. He wasn’t very tall, but what he didn’t have in height, he made up for in muscular stature. His T-shirt was tight across his chest and biceps. Calley figured he could knock this Howard guy through a wall with just two fingers.

Calley leaned up on one elbow. “I really don’t know who this guy is, but I don’t think I like him very much.”

Howard sneered at her. “I really don’t care if you like me or not.”

Calley rose and walked over to the bars. “I’ll tell you what. Why don’t you let Ty interrogate me, and you go wait in the car.”

“You have no say in the matter.”

“Very well. You can talk to my lawyer instead.” She returned to the cot and pulled her feet up off the floor. She didn’t like the way this guy treated Silvi, and Calley imagined he hadn’t been any nicer toward the rest of Riley’s staff. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to get some rest.”

Howard’s jaw tightened. He turned to Silvi then Ty. His breathing intensified when he got no help from either.

He glared at Ty. “Take her into a room. Find out everything she knows. I’ll be waiting for the sheriff.”

Calley didn’t move until Howard walked out the door. “What’s going on?” She knew from meeting him at the wedding, Ty was with the DEA. Could that mean even more trouble for her?

“Come on.” The door clicked and slid open. “Let’s go somewhere more comfortable.”

She followed him into a room like the one she’d met BJ and Allison in earlier. He held a seat for her to take.

“How are you holding up?” His voice was gentle. Calley hoped he wasn’t trying to bait her by being nice.

“Wonderful.” She looked over at the stocky man. She imagined he made a good agent with his muscular frame and dark looks. “How about you and Rayleene?”

“We’re okay.”

“Having problems?” From the look on his face, he didn’t want to talk about it. “Hey, someone else’s problems might make me feel better about mine.”

“Let’s just say it’s hard to work on a marriage when you’re not around.”

“I’m sorry. So what is it you need? Didn’t bring me a cake with a file, did ya?”

“No.” His featured softened when he grinned. “What do you know about Peter Jameson’s legal practice?”

“His legal practice? Why?”

“I wish I could tell you, but I can’t.”

“Honestly, I don’t know much. He said he was a partner in a firm, and they handled all types of rich business clients. I never really asked him much about it.”

“He never told you who any of these rich clients were?”

“No.” What had she gotten herself into?

“Where did he take you when you went out?”

“We went to restaurants, mostly on the beach. My place.” She really didn’t want to talk about this. What if she was digging herself into another mess that she couldn’t get out of? “I’m not going to say anything else until you tell me what’s going on.”

He glanced at the mirror on the wall. It was seconds before Calley realized Howard was probably listening in. Ty didn’t speak, just sat there. His cell phone vibrated. He leaned back in the chair and read the text message. He nodded.

“It seems evidence in a drug sting has gone missing. And Peter Jameson was the attorney representing the accused.”

Calley tried to draw everything in. She really didn’t know much about Peter. She was always in such a hurry to find someone who would love her that she never asked any questions.

 

****

 

Riley hated the idea of leaving Calley locked up, but the sooner he found out who was doing this, the safer she’d be. He and Deputy Green sat in the police cruiser down the road from the rental home where Fifi Jameson was staying. Riley leafed through photographs trying to see what it was that had placed the large grin on Deputy Green’s face.

“Right here.”

Green pointed to a picture of the wedding cake being cut. In the far corner, hiding behind everyone was Fifi Jameson.

“I’ll be.” Riley grinned. This could be the break they were looking for.

“Do you think this will help Calley?”

“We’ll have to wait to see. But it’s certainly not going to hurt. Come on.”

Green pulled the cruiser up the road and parked in front the small home. The house lay just inside the town limits. Riley was grateful for that. A couple more feet, and he’d lose any chance of being able to question her without first meeting with the sheriff of the next county. He would have gotten it, but it would have been time wasted.

The home was more of a cabin, like the ones that bordered the lake. This one lay back in the woods surrounded by trees. Riley stood outside the car, checking the area. A pier in the back floated in the lake. Convenient if you wanted to dump a body. He didn’t see any boat she might have used to transport her dead husband. He grabbed the picture and marched up the walk.

He had just stepped on the porch when his cell phone rang. It was Silvi.

“Sheriff,” she whispered. “I just wanted to let you know the DEA is here questioning Calley.”

“The DEA? You shouldn’t have allowed them.” He crumpled the edge of the file in his hand. What had Calley gotten herself into now?

“One was pretty forceful. He just kind of came in and took over. The other is that friend of Matthew’s.”

Riley stood for a moment. He needed to get back to protect Calley, but that would give Ms. Jameson an opportunity to disappear if she were the guilty party.

“Get someone in there to listen in on what’s being said. And if she sounds like she’s about to say something she shouldn’t, stop her.” Riley relayed the information to Green. “Let’s get this over with so I can head back.”

Mrs. Jameson answered on his first knock.

She led them into a large living room with a white stone fireplace and oversized furniture. A large flat-panel television, Riley guessed to be about fifty inches, hung over the fireplace.

“I understand you’re holding someone. A woman.”

Riley decided to play along. “Yes, a Calley Regan. Do you know her?”

“No. Was she someone my husband represented?” Fifi leaned her head on her hand as she sat on the large tan sofa.

“No.” Riley wasn’t impressed with how easily she lied. “She wasn’t a client. In fact, she was having an affair with your husband.”

Fifi gasped. “I don’t believe it.”

“Really? Because she said you accosted her in the local grocery store over the affair. If need be, we can get the store’s video to prove it.”

Pink creased Fifi’s cheeks, and she cast her eyes downward. “I did. It wasn’t one of my better moments.”

“So you knew about your husband’s affair.”

“My husband’s many affairs.” She nodded. “I just couldn’t seem to leave. There was something about him that kept me connected.”

“How long have you been in town?”

“Since I followed Ms. Regan. I shocked her pretty hard.” Fifi gave a weak smile. “Most of the girls tell me how he’s going to leave me. Ms. Regan looked like a bunny trying to scurry from a wolf.”

From the glint in Ms. Jameson’s eyes, Riley figured she’d enjoyed humiliating Calley in the middle of the supermarket.

“Then she called my husband to let him know what I did. He wasn’t real thrilled since she left a message with the receptionist. By the end of the day, the other partners had called him in about it. I guess they were worried she was a client.”

Good for Calley. Riley forced himself not to say it out loud. “Where were you this past Saturday, between two and six?”

“Here. I don’t think I left once.”

“Not once?”

“No.” Red lipstick clung to one of her front teeth.

Riley pulled out the photograph and tossed it on the table between then. “Then how did you end up at a wedding I don’t think you were invited to?”

Tears welled in Fifi’s eyes. She lowered her head into her hands and sobbed. Riley couldn’t be sure how much was an act. He didn’t move.

“Peter showed up here and told me his affair with that girl was none of my business. He said if he could get her back, he’d find a way. My guess is she wanted nothing to do with him after she found out he was married. But for him, I could tell she was different.” Anger overtook her sorrow. “He’d actually fallen in love with this one. Saturday morning, I followed her. I wanted to catch them in the act. Have enough evidence to either force him to come back to me or pay highly for any divorce he wanted.”

“But he never showed up at the wedding.”

“I don’t know where he went. And I could tell she wasn’t pining away for him either.” She grinned at Riley. “By the way, congratulations. You two make a wonderful couple. When’s the baby due?”

“Month and a half.” Riley couldn’t get a read on this woman. Her emotions were too off kilter to get a handle on her.

“I see she didn’t waste any time waiting on Peter. Good for her.”

“Ms. Regan’s gun was used to kill your husband. It went missing at the wedding.”

“And you saw I was there so you naturally assumed I did it.” She shook her head. “How would I have gotten hold of her gun, Sheriff?”

“She dropped her purse and everything fell out.”

“I wouldn’t know. I left after you two got up and started dancing. It was pretty obvious she wasn’t waiting for Peter to show up.” She rose and walked to the fireplace. “This may sound strange, coming from me, but I’m not even sure she had a reason to kill him herself.”

Riley tried to hide his shock. Why would this woman be protecting Calley? Please don’t let her have another secret. “What do you mean?”

“It was obvious from the way she looked at you. The way she clung to you while you danced. And the way you held her.” Sadness floated into Fifi’s eyes. “Peter and I used to look at each other that way. Besides, I’d followed Calley a couple of months ago, to and from work. She just didn’t seem the type to kill a man over a breakup.”

“What type does she seem?” Riley hoped no one noticed his face warm up from Ms. Jameson’s words.

“Independent.” She laughed, and tears flowed from her eyes. “Unlike me. I’m not sure how I’ll survive without Peter.”

“Did you and your husband have any children?”

“No. Peter never wanted them. I always hoped he’d change his mind, but he didn’t.”

“Maybe he did this time? Calley Regan is pregnant with his son.”

Fifi gasped. “Peter’s son?” She picked up her husband’s photograph from the mantle. “You’re wrong, Sheriff. I didn’t kill my husband because of some pregnant woman. And if Ms. Regan did do it, it was because he wanted nothing to do with the child.”

 

****

 

Riley paced. How dare the federal government send their men down to manhandle someone on his turf. He had yet to unclench his fists. Calley seemed reasonably calm through the ordeal.

“We just need to know if Jameson ever met with any of these people.” Howard said. He tossed six mug shots down in front of where Calley sat next to Riley.

“Who are they?” Riley fingered through the pictures.

“Known drug dealers.”

Calley reached over to pick up the pictures, but Riley stopped her. “Before Ms. Regan gives any type of ID, we want an exchange of information.”

“What type of information?” Howard’s brow creased.

“I want to know where Eddy Fulbright is. He’s an informant for one of your men, and he’s disappeared.”

“How are we supposed to know who’s even protecting him?” Howard’s face reddened. “We don’t keep that stuff on computer. Why do you need him?”

“He attacked Calley in Atlanta and killed one of her friends.” Riley forced himself to keep his voice even. He didn’t want to get cocky with his attitude now that he had something to trade. “I have reason to believe he’s responsible for another murder, here in Lincolnville.”

“Well, we don’t know anything,” Howard sputtered. “We can’t give you something we don’t have.”

Riley pushed the photos back in front of Howard. “I suggest you find out, if you ever want Ms. Regan to look at these pictures.”