Thursday morning, June 26th, 2014
Less than 6 weeks until the election...
Mel ran out and got us breakfast while I showered. I wanted out of this fleabag motel but she was having none of it. She said we had more to talk about when she returned. I could only imagine what she knew that I wasn’t yet privy to.
“A paid witness? You’re serious?”
Mel nodded from her perch at the corner of the bed, “At least one and possibly more. I’m pretty sure Kelly Rice set up the witness that has since recanted. His description of her is spot on but he doesn’t have any other info about her. He says he also talked to a male via phone but he has no information about him.”
“But, it could have been Troutman?”
“It’s possible. The DA is waiting for the guy to cough up the number he called. I’ve tried to take myself out of that.”
“Good plan. What about Rice though? Why not put her in a line up and have this so-called witness ID her?”
“We’d do that except that we can’t find her. She’s not hanging around much in Muskingum County these days since her indictment. Tyler Whitesell put out a statewide APB on her. OSHP will find her.
I rolled my eyes and flopped back in the faux leather chair as I about chocked on my breakfast sandwich, “Now I know you’re not being serious, Mel! The State Patrol can’t seem to find their way out of a paper bag.”
“Hold off now! Think about this; for their purposes, it’s like you said, you were at the scene and so was one of the weapons used to stop Terri. Throw in witnesses that come forward and tell Nichols stuff that all points to you – that he then tells to me – and, well you can see how they would find you as the most plausible suspect. After hearing what he heard, I believed it too.”
“Have none of you people ever heard the saying, “trust but verify?”
Mel had the curtesy to look sheepish and apologetic. I wasn’t appeased, “Just what exactly did he tell you about me?”
She relayed to me what he’d told her while I just sat shaking my head. When she finished I said, “Next time, ask. Mel, I couldn’t have been sleeping my way ‘up the ranks’ in the first company I was working for all the while living with Terri. I was married to Nate at the time I held that job and still married to him when I took the second one. I didn’t come to terms with my sexuality and we didn’t divorce until I’d been with the second company nearly a year. Lt. Nichols could have easily verified my marital status and living arrangements at that time if he had bothered to check.”
“Secondly, I left the first security job on good terms. They’re still in business and they’ll be more than happy to tell you that or tell anyone else who wants to know. I was fired from the second job because of Terri – that would be my motive to kill her, if I had one – and not because I quit after she forced me to. I had an exemplary record with them before that and they’ll also back me up on that. It was their recommendation of my skills that got me the job with Customs.”
I was shaking with rage and frustration. “Someone learned just enough about me to make up some serious crap and then prayed that either no one would check, or, or...”
“Or that it wouldn’t come out until after the election,” Mel finished, for me. “I’m so sorry Dana...so sorry. I should never have doubted you. I don’t know what else to say.”
“Just have the DA get the Staties back on the trail of the real killer.”
###
Early Thursday afternoon, June 26th, 2014
In a Toney Suburb of Columbus, Ohio
“What the hell is wrong with you Kelly?” Noland Troutman stormed into his New Albany town home cursing his fiancé.
Kelly Rice jumped up from the laptop at his desk and whirled to face him. “What are you talking about? What did I do now?” Her voice trembled with fear.
“I knew that guy was going to be trouble when he called me!”
“Who? What guy?”
“Your ‘real’ witness, the fisherman,” he spat. He recanted Kelly. On top of that, there’s a statewide APB out for you, you fucking worthless bitch!
Noland, please, you don’t mean what you’re saying...”
“Yes, I do. You are worthless. You can’t do anything right and now it’s not just about the charges you already had but if this former witness IDs you...well, you’ve screwed me!”
Kelly walked toward him and placed a hand on his forearm. He shook it off.
“Don’t touch me you dumb bitch! I should never have let you get involved.” He looked at her with nothing but hatred in his eyes. “Frankly, I should never have gotten involved with you!”
“Noland don’t say that...you don’t mean that...” She tried to grab onto him again.
He held up his hands and backed away, “We’re done Kelly. It’s over! Give me back that ring; maybe I can at least get some of my money back for it!”
“But, you said this was your grandmother’s ring...”
“Do you honestly think I’d give a Troutman family heirloom to someone like you? Just give me the damn thing back and get the hell out of here. You disgust me!”
“What about your campaign Noland?”
“What about it? I have the best people money can buy. They’ll figure out a way to spin everything in my favor. You can go piss in the wind for all that I care. I don’t need you anymore.”
###
Thursday evening, June 26th, 2014
“Dana, I just wanted you to know that the DA, Tyler Whitsell, reconvened the Grand Jury today. He’s going after more charges against Kelly Rice.” Mel was calling my room phone.
“Has she been found?”
“No but there’s good information out there that she’s been hiding out at Troutman’s condo in the Columbus area where I don’t have any jurisdiction. If Tyler can come back with a new indictment, we’ll have ample reason to go after her wherever she is.”
“Do I have to keep staying in this God blessed place until she’s found?”
“You really need to hang out there at least until the indictment comes back for her or until State drops the warrants for you.”
I sighed into the handset.
“We’re working both ends hon. It’s just going to take a little time.”
“I’ll have you know, this place sucks!”
“I do know babe. Please just hang in there and don’t do anything...er,...stupid...you know what I mean, until we have what we need to nail her or to nail her and Troutman.”
“Please keep me in the loop?”
“I will Dana. You know that.”
“Okay.”
“I gotta’ go. I love you.”
“I love you too Mel.”