by Jim Riley
Bailey tripped and almost fell. He reached out for something to stabilize his balance. His hand fell on LaDonne Elgin's body.
"I'm sorry. I didn't see you in the—"
He froze, realizing that his hand was wet. Without thinking, he wiped it on his sweatpants. Then he extended his hand and touched the girl again. Her arms were warm to his touch, but he knew she was dead.
The coach placed two fingers on LaDonne's neck. No pulse. Pulling his hand back, his fingers bumped into a hard object. Bailey grabbed it and instantly knew he had made a mistake. He was holding the knife that killed LaDonne Elgin.
Without warning, flashing lights and sirens exploded through the darkness from the other side of the field. Three squad cars raced toward the stunned coach, still holding the murder weapon in his bloody hand.
Billy ran. He stared at the police cars flying toward him. There was nowhere for him to go. He could not outdistance the cars, their spotlights already highlighting the coach running from the dead girl. He stopped and held up his hands, holding the knife in the right one.
Two officers in the first car leapt from their vehicle with their guns drawn.
"Dropped the knife. Do it. Drop the knife now."
The stunned coach did not react. His brain sent out messages that his body could not react to. Somewhere along the transmission, comprehension disconnected.
"Sir, put the knife on the ground," one cop yelled.
Billy stared blankly into the spotlight unable to see the officers through the blinding glare. He looked at the blood dripping down the knife onto his clothes, his ability to understand its meaning lost when the synapses in his brain failed to click.
The coach heard the two probes from the taser hit him in the chest rather than seeing them. The electrical shock that followed paralyzed his whole body, a charge of ten thousand volts streaking through his muscles.
The coach collapsed at the feet of the officers. Instantly, the first policeman charged while the second on his finger on the trigger of the taser. The deputy kicked the knife away and placed handcuffs on the coach’s wrists.
In the bright beam of the spotlight, Billy could see the limp body of LaDonne Elgin, red streaks of blood staining the light blouse. The other two squad cars arrived and officers jumped out of the vehicles, their full attention on the coach and the dead teenager.
They did not see the figure sneaking through the gate behind the stands. It crossed the open field behind the stadium and entered the remains of the historical buildings left when they tore down the junior high.
An ambulance passed only fifty feet from the killer’s vehicle with lights and sirens piercing through the quiet black night. The killers smiled, got in the car, and drove away from the commotion back on the football field. The killer smiled, knowing there would not be a soul left in the Central community that would no longer doubt the guilt of Coach Billy Bailey.
33
Central
"Niki, this is Billy. I need your help."
The investigator tried to clear the cobwebs from her mind. She had fallen into a deep, peaceful slumber until her cell buzzed. Glancing at the bold numbers on the clock beside her bed, she saw it was a little past two in the morning.
"This had better be good," she grumbled.
"It's not," the coach replied. "I'm in jail again."
Niki became alert with a jolt.
"What do you mean in jail again? We posted your bond. You're supposed to be free until the hearing." Her thoughts began to assemble.
"It's not that. I've been charged with murder."
Niki exhaled. "They have no evidence tying you to Earl Washington's death. Unless they found something they haven't shared with me."
"It's not Washington."
"I hope you're kidding. Who did you kill?"
The coach's voice broke. "I didn't kill anyone. You have to believe me."
Niki was losing the little patience she had left. "Who do they say you killed?"
"LaDonne Elgin, the cheerleader."
"When?"
"Around midnight."
"It shouldn't be a problem, Coach. Sara Sue can vouch for you being at home. You can't be two places at once."
Bailey taking a deep breath before replying. "I wasn't exactly home."
Niki moaned. "Where were you? I told you to stay put. After the deal with Washington—"
"I was at the football field."
"Is that where LaDonne was killed?"
"Yes," Bailey's voice barely above a whisper.
"What else?" Niki asked, although she dreaded the answer.
"They found me there next to her body holding the knife that killed her."
The breath gushed out of Niki's body. "Holy Mother of God. Are you serious?"
"Niki, I'm in a lot of trouble. Can you help me?"
"I'll be down there in a few minutes. First, I need to take a shower. You aren't going anywhere."
34
Sheriff's Substation
Central
"What in the world were you thinking?" Niki blasted across the table at Billy. They were at the small East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's substation in Central on Gurney Road.
"I wanted to find out who was behind this."
The strawberry blonde did not let up. "I can tell you who looks guilty, no doubt about it. You just gift wrapped an open and shut case for the prosecution."
"I didn't mean to. I thought I could get all the answers we’re trying to find." The coach was almost in tears.
"From now on, leave the investigation to me. That's why you're paying me. You have to let me do my job."
"I'm not."
"What?" Niki was thoroughly exasperated.
"I'm not paying you. That's one reason I wanted to help. I feel like I'm accepting charity by leaving you to do all the work and not paying you."
"That doesn't mean you have to act like you're stupid. I was already working on LaDonne. She was the weakest link in this whole mess. Now we don't have her available."
The coach dropped his head. "I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking. I was so glad to get a break I didn't realize what could happen."
"Now you know. I gave you explicit instructions to stay at home. The judge gave you an explicit order to stay away from Flavia Foster and LaDonne Elgin. You ignored both of us."
Bailey did not raise his head.
"She sounded so good on the phone. I didn't even tell Sara Sue where I was going. I told her I needed some time to think. I needed to take a ride to clear my head."
Niki pointed a finger at him. "You lied to your wife. You ignored me. You ignored the judge. You went alone to meet with one of your alleged victims at midnight on a deserted football field. Do you have any idea how guilty this makes you look?"
Bailey slowly nodded his head. "Can you help me?"
"I don't know. You certainly aren't making my job easy. I should walk away and try to help people who actually are trying to help me defend them. You aren’t doing that."
"I'm trying," he cried. "You've got to believe me. I was only trying to help."
"Any more of your kind of help and Sara Sue will be watching them stick a needle in your arm at Angola. Is that what you want?"
Shock spread across the coach's face. "My God, I haven't called her yet. They only let me have one phone call, and I used it for you."
Niki softened.
"I'll go by your house and tell Sara Sue where you are. I've got plenty of time before she opens the office."
Bailey's eyes were still wide. "She's gonna be pissed off. She was already upset with me about all this, and what happened tonight might send her over the edge."
"Why didn’t you think of that before you lied to her?" Niki asked.
"I don't know. I didn't want her to get involved with meeting LaDonne. She has her business to run."
"H–E–L–L–O. Earth to Billy Bailey. She is involved in this, though not by her own choosing. She is married to you. Your actions, no matter how stupid they are, affect
both of you."
"I realize that now. I don't know how I'll ever be able to make it up to her."
"Start by doing what I tell you and don't circumvent the investigation."
Bailey sighed. "What do we do now?"
Niki stared at the coach. "My plan is to get you out of this mess. I’ll try to get bail for you again, but I'm not sure why. If you're in here, you can't get in much trouble."
Dread was apparent in Bailey's face and his voice.
"I can't stay in here. I don't belong in jail. I won't survive with these people."
35
Central
"Oh, my goodness. Please tell me you’re kidding."
Sara Sue could not believe what Niki was telling her. They sat in a tiny office at the temporary agency. Two assistants were busy on the phones trying to match applicants with job openings.
"I wish I were kidding. Unfortunately, your husband is in jail, and I'm not sure the judge will let him out on bail this time," Niki replied.
"He told me he was going for a drive. He said he needed to clear his head. When he wasn't home when I got up, I tried to call, but it went to his voicemail."
The private investigator nodded. "The police have it. I'm sure the call log will show he spoke to LaDonne Elgin to set up a meeting."
"Why is this happening? We’re good people. Billy is a good man. Why is this happening to us?" Tears streamed down Sara Sue's cheeks.
"I'm trying to find out. I believe we were close to getting some answers from LaDonne, but somebody got to her before we did."
Sara Sue buried her head. "He's in a lot of trouble, isn't he?"
"I won't lie to you. He is in a ton of trouble. He still has the rape and molestation charges filed against him. Now, he will face murder charges for LaDonne, and may be charged in the death of Earl Washington."
"Lord. Will he ever get out?"
"We can get the molestation charges dropped against him for LaDonne. We have the video proof the event never occurred."
A brief smile came across Sara Sue's lips.
"At least that's a start."
"Not a very good one. Unfortunately, we didn't tell Billy until we had a chance to sit down with LaDonne. The prosecutor will assume your husband was eliminating one of his accusers."
"But if he was innocent—"
"He didn't know we had the proof. It won't help him."
Sara Sue sobbed while Niki was quiet. There was nothing the private investigator could say to ease her pain. Finally, the agency owner regained a bit of composure.
"What do we do?"
"I'll get Kemp to try to get the judge to set a new bail. I'm not optimistic."
Sara Sue shrugged. "It really doesn't matter. We have no money, and I can't let you spend any more of yours."
"I don't mind," Niki replied. "If the roles were reversed, I'm sure you would help out one of your friends."
Sara Sue continued to shake her head.
"It's too much. I heard what you said about getting the bail money back, but I don't think you'll ever get your money back from the attorney no matter how this turns out."
Niki let out a breath. "You're right. But Durwin is earning his money if he can get your husband out of jail until the trial starts, you guys will have some time together. I know it's tough, but you need to enjoy every minute."
"Why are you doing this? We're friends, but you don't know me that well. You don't know Billy at all. There has to be a reason."
Niki sat quietly for a long time. A single tear rolled down her cheek.
"It's because of something that happened when I was a little girl."
"What? What could affect you this much?"
More hesitation from the private investigator. She dug a tissue from her bag and dabbed at the corner of her eye.
"My uncle was a high school football coach. Uncle Otis. He was my dad's brother, and my favorite uncle. I loved him. We used to go to his ranch and ride his horses and play with his goats."
The strawberry blonde paused to dab more at her eye. Sara Sue remained silent.
"One day a girl at the school made some allegations against him. The school board didn't wait. They fired him immediately. He and Aunt Nancy were devastated. It was one of those he said–she said things."
"What happened?" Sara Sue asked.
"Uncle Otis was broken, literally. His heart failed him less than a week later. They couldn't save him. Aunt Robbie couldn't live without him. She took her own life the day after the funeral."
Sara Sue gasped. "That's horrible."
Niki wiped both eyes. "That's not the worst part. After the death of Aunt Robbie, the girl admitted she had lied. Uncle Otis never did anything to her, except she failed a test in his class."
"That's horrible. What happened to the girl?"
"Nothing. Everyone still saw her as the victim, even though she lied. They said there was too much pressure on her to maintain good grades, and she took the only avenue she could."
"Now I understand," Sara Sue said.
"I couldn't let that happen to someone else. You told me Billy was innocent and I believed you."
Sara Sue cried again. “I'm glad you believe in him. I'm having my doubts.”
36
Wildcat Investigations
Central
"I swear, Niki. That man is a ghost. I've never lost a target two nights in a row in my life," Drexel Robinson held his palms up, showing his frustration at his inability to keep up with Sleazy Slocum.
"He's had a ton of experience from what I understand," Niki replied.
"Besides that, you're getting too old to keep up," Donna added, laughing at the senior detective.
Drexel ran his hand through his hair before taking a sip of the steaming dark brew before him.
"I'm beginning to believe that myself, girl. Believe me, that thought has crossed my mind several times."
"Hush that kind of talk. You still know more about this business than I'll ever know. I just hope I squeeze some of that knowledge out of you." Niki put her arm around her friend.
"I was only kidding. You're not that old. I'll get you a cane so you can walk faster," Donna giggled at the expression Robinson emitted.
"You—" He started.
"Don't get too upset. That old heart of yours may not be able to handle the excitement. Then I'll have to go see you in some nursing home and wipe the drool off your face."
Even Niki smiled at Donna's humor.
“You little whippersnapper. I'll—” He began.
"Hold on. Don't get excited. I don't change diapers for you old guys either," Donna retorted.
"Let's get back on focus. We've got a man's life in her hands," Niki admonished.
"You two do. I don't know what I've got in my hands, not my client’s husband for sure." Drexel replied.
"Isn't that funny?" Niki asked.
"I didn't think she was that funny," Drexel nodded at the hourglass blonde.
"I don't mean her, and I don't mean that kind of funny. I was talking about Slocum."
"What's funny about him except I can't keep up with him?" Drexel asked.
"Maybe I could," Donna said. "I can still see out of both eyes."
She playfully pinched Drexel on his shoulder.
"Let's not get on that again. No, I was talking about the coincidences," Niki said.
"I'm not following you," Donna stated.
"What she is saying, for those too young to understand adult conversations, is it is mighty strange we catch the Slocum's case when two murders are committed on consecutive nights when we’re supposed to be watching him." Drexel smiled at the junior private investigator.
"You're right. I don't believe in coincidences, and this is a mighty big one, to say the least." The long–legged detective confirmed.
"The phone call came from Mrs. Slocum. How would she be involved with Flavia Foster?" Donna asked.
"Did you talk directly to her?" Niki asked.
"Yes, Ma'am. She told me who she
was and said she had used this before. She asked me if we could do it again."
"Hold on," Niki said.
Niki picked up her cell and scrolled through the phone list. When she got to Josie Slocum's name, she punched the button.
Drexel and Donna could only hear Niki's side of the conversation.
"Hey, Josie. This is Niki Dupre."
"Yes, I'm doing fine."
"I know it's been a long time. I've been meaning to call you, but we've been awfully busy."
"I know. There never seems to be enough time, anymore."
"No. Not yet. Can I ask you a question?"
"Thanks. Did you call our office this week and speak to my partner?"
"Aha. Then we misunderstood. It must have been another case. I'll try someone different."
"Yes, Ma'am. Those things happen. Please tell John David hello for me."
"Thanks. Bye."
Niki hit the end button, a peculiar expression in her eyes.
"That's odd. She isn't the one who called us and asked us to track down her husband."
Drexel rolled his eyes. "Then it's been a game all along. He knew I was back there even if he couldn't see me."
"Yep. Somebody is playing an awful game, and we’re being played like fools." Niki sighed when she said the last part.
"But why?" Donna asked. "It makes no sense."
"I have no answers to that. But it makes me wonder," Niki replied.
Niki dialed the number for Keith Stroud. When the wealthy investor answered, she conducted a conversation similar to that she had with Josie Slocum.
When she hung up, a serious frowned appeared.
"Keith didn’t call us. He is happy with his current investments. Said he is making twelve percent a year."
Drexel whistled. "Twelve percent. I need to get in on that gravy train."
"I would too," Niki said. "But right now, I have most of my investment capital tied up in bail money. If we’re lucky, I'll have a lot more to invest with Keith's advisor."