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Stacy stalked down the Robbery/Homicide Unit’s narrow hallway and stuck her head inside Captain Bannister’s office.
“Is everyone here?”
Diana hung up the black phone receiver, putting it into the cradle on her desk. “Knox just arrived.”
“Good.”
Stacy and the captain discussed the information Monica DeVito had shared with Stacy at Starbucks and how that connected to the crime scene in Bratenahl.
As Stacy moved to the left of the office, the floor was brimming with activity. A cacophony of rustling papers, clacking keyboards, and various patterns of moving chairs and feet filled the tight space. Everyone was working together but also independently on multiple cases involving various suspects and scenarios.
At the end of the corridor, Stacy pushed open the door to the conference room. It was arranged with soft seating and a conference table for four people. Stacy preferred this room because it was great for unstructured sessions or smaller, more intimate groups that needed a flexible space to collaborate. A flat-screen monitor adorned one wall, and a large picture window framed the downtown Cleveland skyline.
Inside, Gavin Knox stood up. Diana Bannister moved in behind Stacy and closed the door.
Gavin looked around the room. “Where’s Detective Cerrera?”
Stacy removed a file folder tucked under her arm and plopped it down on the table in front of Gavin. “He’s still in Bratenahl, at the Crawford house.” Before Gavin could say anything else, Stacy cut him off. “At my request.”
Gavin made eye contact with everyone in the room and then sat down. The captain spoke next.
“All right, folks. Have a seat. We’ve got a lot to cover in a short amount of time, so let’s get to it.”
Gavin held up a hand. Wearing a gray suit with a white shirt and red striped tie, his thin, bushy eyebrows and piercing blue eyes could hold command of a room, and his cheekbones drew down to a soft chin, which flexed as his emotions changed.
"Diana, if I could have a minute...."
The captain pressed her lips together tightly until they formed a thin line. “Fine. Sixty seconds. Make that fifty-nine.”
Gavin sat down and smoothed his tie. He had a leather briefcase sitting next to his chair, which he looked at briefly before speaking.
“Brandon Deerfield was arraigned this morning in common pleas court. He pleaded not guilty to all charges.”
Stacy sat down and pulled her chair close to the table. “What were the charges?”
Gavin eyed Stacy cautiously as he spoke. “Attempted murder of a police officer, conspiracy, drug possession, distribution, and some other things.”
Stacy looked out the window for a moment before returning her gaze to the room.
“The judge believed that the severity of the charges, coupled with the fact that Deerfield is a cop, meant a denial of bail was appropriate. He’ll be remanded pending trial.”
Stacy wanted to speak, but words left her. She felt her eyes burning with anger. Her heart fell silent. She looked around the room and noticed Diana and Gavin watching her intently.
“I took a precautionary measure,” Gavin said. “I asked the judge to isolate Deerfield away from other inmates at the county jail and to have a guard monitor him at all times. Being a cop, he’s got a big target on his back if he’s mixed in with other inmates.”
Stacy stared at Gavin. His eyes were desperately searching hers, waiting for her to say something. Stacy’s mind was blank, and her wide-eyed stare made Diana shift in her seat.
“I don’t suppose he said anything about Chance or if anyone in the courtroom asked about that in the case.”
Gavin let out a strangled laugh. "Stacy, those things aren’t discussed at arraignments...."
“I think the paperwork needs to be refiled,” Stacy pronounced, slamming her hand on the table. “There should be another charge of attempted murder on my brother. Brandon Deerfield put that cruiser into the path of an oncoming truck. Deliberately.”
Diana leaned forward. “Stacy, we don’t know that.”
“Stop defending him,” she shouted. “This man betrayed his oath as a cop, dealt drugs, put lives in danger, and nearly blew Mike O’Neill into five pieces. He’s no saint. He’s not someone that can be trusted.”
A palpable silence filled the room. Stacy rubbed her face with her hands. “I’m sorry,” she said, exasperated. “I’m just worried sick about Chance and where he might be. I have this sinking feeling that something bad has happened to my brother. Maybe we need to start dredging the bottom of Lake Erie.”
When Stacy’s words stopped, she felt her heart break.
“I’m sorry,” she croaked.
Diana folded her hands. “Gavin, thanks for the update. Let’s move on.”
“Has someone contacted Houston PD and given them an update? Gavin asked.
"I have," Diana said calmly.
“Good. I have some contacts in the Harris County DA’s office if you need it.”
Diana nodded. While Stacy took a moment to collect herself, Diana told Gavin the details of the Brooke Crawford case, including what Stacy had told Diana about her conversation at Tower City with Monica DeVito and what the woman failed to tell Stacy.
As Gavin took notes, Stacy chimed in, changing the subject. “Did Charlie pick up Monica DeVito?”
“Yes. She’s downstairs in one of the interrogation rooms waiting for you.”
Stacy kicked her chair back and stood up. Diana placed a hand on her arm.
“Take a few minutes to regroup. Ms. Divito is fine for now.”
Stacy looked down at the captain with a mixed look of sadness and disdain. Diana kept her face still and expressionless.
Someone rapped on the door. Gavin stopped writing and looked up as Austin burst into the room.
He tossed a clear plastic evidence bag on the table. “On loan from Detective Yates.”
Stacy poked at the bag with the edge of her file folder. “A cell phone.”
“Bratenahl PD found it under a dresser in another bedroom as they were making a final walkthrough.”
Gavin removed a pair of latex gloves from his pocket. Austin removed the phone from the bag with his gloved hands and turned on the phone. He pressed another button and began scrolling. “
Stacy furrowed her brow. “How long before last night?”
“There are text messages that go back two weeks, and the last one was sent two days ago.”
Stacy exchanged looks with Gavin and Diana. “What did they say?”
“It wasn’t password protected.” Austin went to the large projection screen and connected a wire to the base of the phone. He clicked a button on the side of the phone and began scrolling. “Here’s one from two weeks ago.”
Colton: I need to see you. I miss you.
Brooke: I can’t. Luke isn’t feeling well.
Colton: Tmrw then?
Brooke: Probably not.
Colton: Please. I need 2 C U bad
Austin kept scrolling as everyone sat back in their chairs and read. “This pattern basically repeats itself every day until yesterday. Read this.”
Colton: Brooke, I’m coming over. Now.
Brooke: No. Plz don’t.
Colton: I just want to talk
Brooke: Fine. But no sex.
Colton: Deal. No sex.
Gavin stood up and looked at the screen. “So, he wanted sex from her.”
Diana spoke next. “Is sex mentioned in any other exchanges between them?”
Austin made a face and kept scrolling. “There was a mention of it in a text a few days ago. Just a one-word text from Colton with the word sex in it. Brooke didn’t acknowledge it.”
“So, she ignored it,” Stacy chimed in.
Gavin spoke next. “But the intention is clear. Part of the reason he wanted to see her was for sex.”
Austin unplugged the phone and placed it back in the evidence bag. He stood next to the table and examined the text messages again.
“What if Brooke let Colton in the house, and he propositioned her for sex again, and she refused. Maybe they got into a fight that got physical. Violent.”
Gavin stood up next. “But would it get so physical to the point that Colton would shoot her several times at close range? I mean, if he wanted sex, why not just rape her and then threaten to kill her if she told anyone.”
Stacy spoke next. “If Colton is the killer, he wanted to humiliate Brooke. This was a killing of revenge. He put her body on display in a gross sexual position and then put a bullet into her head.”
"And now Colton is missing," Diana said slowly. "On the run?"
Gavin folded his arms and leaned back. “Let’s say it’s not Colton that killed her. Maybe the killer found the cell phone, read the messages like we did, and decided to kill Brooke and make Colton disappear.”
“I don’t think that’s possible.” Austin spun around and leaned against the corner of the conference table. “There were only four sets of fingerprints found in the house. Two of them probably belong to Brooke and the baby. The third set probably belongs to Virginia Crawford, and the fourth set is probably the prints of the killer.”
Stacy recounted her conversation earlier with Monica. “If they broke up and Colton never got over it, he had the means, motive, and opportunity to commit the murder.”
She faced the group. “We need to call Houston PD and put an APB out on Colton DeVito. He may be on his way back to Houston.”
Gavin walked around the room until he stood in front of the captain. “And from there, he’s probably a hundred and fifty miles away from the Mexican border. If Colton wanted to disappear, that would be the place to go.”
Diana folded her arms across her breasts. “I think we’re going to need some help from your DA friends in Houston.”
“I’ll make the call. Meanwhile, I’ll see about getting a warrant to search Colton’s apartment there.”
Diana sat up straighter in her chair. “Let’s get a full profile on Mr. DeVito. Check his bank account, debit cards, cell phone activity, everything. I want to know where he’s been, why he went, and where he might be.” She looked over to Austin. “See if we can get a picture of Mr. DeVito from AEP and put an APB and a BOLO out for him.”
In the commotion of discussing the next steps, the door opened.
Austin threw up his hands. “Where is Stacy going now?”