“Betty, everything’s going to be fine. I’m going to tell Martinez what I know and I’ll be out of here in no time. Trust me,” he said.
An officer stood nearby watching them. He could almost tell from the way Betty rubbed her hands together that she desperately wished she could do more with them.
Betty edged closer to the bars and whispered, “Be very careful what you say to these people, Victor.”
“I have to explain everything, Bee. It’s the only way they’ll understand that I’m innocent,” he replied.
“Don’t be so eager to reveal everything at once. Your lawyer will advise you on what you should and shouldn’t say. We know you’re innocent, but let your lawyer handle it,” she stressed.
“Time’s up,” the officer said abruptly.
Betty promised Victor that she would keep in touch with Charles and to do everything she could to help prove his innocence.
TWENTY-ONE
Within the hour, Charles Martinez arrived at the police station. He was a middle-aged man with very narrow features. As he hurried through the foyer, Betty immediately recognized him.
“Mr. Martinez,” she stopped him. “I’m Betty Scholl, Victor Emerson’s sister.”
“Yes, I remember you. How are you, Betty?” He asked.
“I was fine before this whole mess started,” she responded. “I can’t believe they’re accusing Victor of murder!”
“Don’t worry. We’re going to do all we can to clear his name.”
“I hope so, Mr. Martinez. We’re all depending on you.”
Martinez smiled briefly then continued on his way to see his client. When he arrived at the holding cell, he could tell that Victor was frazzled. The officer unlocked the door and let him inside.
“Hello, Victor.” Martinez extended his hand.
Victor shook back vigorously. “You don’t know how happy I am to see you, Charles. The cops are accusing me of double murder!”
“I know, Victor. Let’s take things one step at a time, okay? First of all, I have to ask you this at the onset so that we’ll be on the same page here.” Martinez looked Victor square in the eyes. “Did you do it? Did you kill Harold and Mary Guillespe?”
“Absolutely not, Charles! How long have you and I known each other, huh - fifteen, twenty years? You know I’m not capable of doing such a terrible thing. Harold and Mary were like family. I loved them dearly.”
Martinez listened attentively as Victor explained everything that had occurred since he discovered his aunt’s body in his house. Afterwards, Victor was escorted back to the Interrogation Room as he insisted on speaking with the detectives in the presence of his lawyer.
“Detectives Myers and Riley,” Martinez nodded upon entering the room. Myers sat at the long, rectangular desk in the center of the room as Lou stood near the door. Victor was seated directly opposite Myers and Martinez pulled up a chair next to his client.
He slid a legal pad out of his briefcase and said, “All right, gentlemen, let’s begin then.”
“Mr. Emerson, the charge here is first degree double homicide,” Nick stated. “Let’s start off by you telling us where you got that gun we found in your house this morning?”
“I told you I don’t own a gun, detective. Look, someone’s setting me up. I didn’t kill the Guillespes. Someone else did and planted that gun in my house,” Victor asserted.
“Interesting. Am I correct, Mr. Emerson, when I say that you stand to inherit the entire Guillespe estate estimated at two billion dollars, as well as the life insurance policies of both parties totaling over three million dollars?” Nick queried.
“You don’t have to answer that,” Martinez advised his client, knowing fully well what Myers was attempting to do.
“No, Charles, I want to,” Victor insisted. He looked at Nick. “I didn’t know anything about any inheritance or life insurance, or about me being the beneficiary. I hadn’t the slightest inkling that Harold and Mary would leave all they owned in the world to me. God knows I don’t need it. I’m just as surprised as everyone else is!”
Nick stared at him with distrusting eyes. “You know, that’s a weird thing, come to think of it. Why would a couple leave someone who isn’t related to them - just a mere employee of their very successful company, so much wealth if they weren’t somehow suckered into it?”
“Hey, Harold and Mary were my two closest friends in the world. Even though Harold was my boss, we’ve been good friends for many years, and never once did I act with the intention of suckering him or his wife for monetary gain or any other type of gain. If they left me everything they owned, I can only say it’s because we were like family and they considered me like a son. Look, you’re wasting your time with me; I’m not a murderer. The murderer’s out there – and he’s probably the one who wrote Harold that death threat!” Victor vehemently responded.
“We found no such letter, Mr. Emerson. You dreamed that up like you did everything else, didn’t you?” Nick charged.
“All right, that’s enough,” Martinez interjected. “My client has nothing more to say. If you don’t mind now, I’d like him escorted back to the holding cell.”
Nick looked at Victor with frightening intensity, then back at Martinez. “Sure. I hope you come up with something real good, Charles - something that would explain your client’s fingerprints on the murder weapon.”
Nick watched their expression, then without further delay, he quietly got up and left the room with his partner. Victor was escorted back to the holding cell where Martinez joined him.
“Victor, you’ve got to fill me in here,” Martinez insisted. “How do you explain the fingerprints on the gun - your fingerprints?”
“I don’t know. I never fired that gun.” Victor held his head down for a moment. “I never owned a gun.”
“Victor, I don’t know if you know this, but everyone has a unique set of fingerprints. That means that you definitely had your hands on that weapon. Now we can be honest here or you can choose to make my job a lot more difficult, which means that my working in your defense is going to be compromised. Can you please just level with me?”
Victor sighed heavily, his face cupped in his hands. “All right, I’ll level with you. I bought the gun a few days after my aunt’s murder. I only wanted to protect my family in case someone decided to trespass on our property again.”
“Why didn’t you tell me that from the beginning?” Martinez asked.
“Because I don’t have a license for the gun,” Victor replied. “I purchased it illegally.”
Martinez shook his head in disbelief. “What I don't get here is why you didn’t go through the proper channels in order to purchase a gun. You’re a successful businessman who would have been granted a license in a heartbeat. You had every avenue available to you to obtain a firearm legally. So, why didn’t you?”
Victor shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess after a while, I felt like the cops were suspicious of me and really believed that I was the bad guy,” he said.
“Did you tell the detectives about the Sutton Creek incident?” Martinez asked.
“No, I didn’t want to cast even more suspicion on myself.”
“Wise decision, but eventually, we might have to bring this whole thing out. However, for now, I have to work on your defense against these murder charges, so in the meantime, keep your mouth shut and do exactly as I say.”
Charles Martinez met a group of reporters awaiting his exit from the police station. Deciding to make a public statement, he stopped as soon as they approached.
“I have one statement to make at this time,” he started. “My client, Victor Emerson is completely innocent of all charges made against him. He has obviously been framed and it’s just a matter of time before he is vindicated.” Martinez declined to answer any questions and hastily escaped from the busy scene.
Officially charged with first degree double homicide, Victor was soon transported to the county jail.
* * * *
&nb
sp; Victor thought incessantly about the humiliation he had inflicted upon his family. He was processed, shackled - hand and foot, and escorted down the cell block by a large, burly guard nick-named Big Heav. Hardened criminals hurled lewd remarks at him from their cells – a welcome he did not anticipate.
The guard unlocked the cell. Victor hesitated. “Inside, buddy,” Heav nudged him.
Coming to terms with the realization that it was no bad dream, Victor suddenly found himself confined to the tiny room. He looked about. A scrawny man wearing old-fashioned spectacles was lying on the top bunk reading a book. Victor’s presence did not seem to affect him one way or the other.
After the cell was locked, Victor turned and clasped the iron bars. Standing there like a caged animal, his future seemed dismal. An icy-cold terror gripped him and he thought he would die.
* * * *
“On my way out, Frank!” Annie hollered with a handbag tossed across her shoulder. From the edge of the kitchen, Frank took a lengthy blink as the door closed behind her. It was becoming a habit now - the secretive behavior, frequent outings, private phone calls. The fact that she was seeing someone was now all too obvious to him.
Annie guided her Jeep onto the freeway. Though Frank was left in the care of a private nurse, Annie could not help thinking during the drive that she had been neglecting him. Her secret love affair with Ray was beginning to consume her, but she kept telling herself that she deserved happiness, regardless of how Frank felt about it.
“Wanna talk about it?” Ray asked as they cuddled together on his couch. “You seem a little distant.”
Annie looked at him and sighed. “Is it really that obvious?”
“It’s Frank, isn’t it?”
Annie turned away and nodded slowly. “It’s just that although I’ve made up my mind that I’m going to live my own life, no matter what he thinks, everytime I think of how I’ve been excluding him from this part of my life, I feel so guilty. I can’t help feeling like I’ve betrayed him,” she said.
“But how could you think that?” Ray asked. “How could you feel guilty for doing what you know is right?”
“That’s just it, Ray.” She looked at him again. “I don’t feel like I’ve gone about things the right way. I think I should be honest with Frank, instead of sneaking around the way I do hoping he never finds out what I’m up to. He’s not my father - he’s my brother!”
“Exactly. And I’m glad you finally realize that,” he said, sitting up. “Okay, let’s consider doing this the so-called right way and have me meet your brother for the first time. How about that?”
Annie sat up with him. “Okay.”
“So, when do we meet? The sooner, the better, don’t you think?” Ray asked.
“I guess. But give me a day or two to gear up for it, okay?” Annie replied. “I know it’s weird, but when you can’t tell what’s going on inside of someone’s head, especially when you can’t remember the last time you’ve heard that person’s voice, it becomes a bit intimidating when you have to break this kind of news to them.”
They arranged the meeting for later that week. Annie wanted to be ready for what might result from the unveiling of her secret love affair.
TWENTY-TWO
Ray arrived shortly after six o’clock. Frank was watching television in the living room that evening as Annie made punch in the kitchen.
“I’ll get it!” Annie cried at the sound of the doorbell, momentarily thinking that Frank might have answered it. She hurried to the front door, peeped through the tiny peephole, then opened. “Hi,” she said nervously. “I’m glad you found us.”
“I almost didn’t,” Ray smiled. “But then again, how could we ever lose each other?”
“Come in,” Annie spoke softly. Pulling him in by the hand, she led him over to where Frank was sitting.
“Frank…” she started, “I would like you to meet my friend Ray. Ray, this is my brother, Frank.”
“Nice to meet you, Frank,” Ray said, extending a hand.
Frank looked at him dryly, then at Annie. Annie was biting her lips hoping that by some miraculous intervention, she would not have to face embarrassment. Then, Frank reached up and shook Ray’s hand. The courtesy lasted for no more than a second, as Frank continued to watch television as if Ray had abruptly left.
Ray and Annie looked at each other somewhat thrilled by the simple handshake. They sat down together and attempted to make conversation.
“Ray owns a real estate firm here is Los Angeles,” Annie said. “We met a few weeks ago at the supermarket. I’ve told him a lot about you and he really wanted to meet you.”
Ray leaned forward. “Frank, I want you to know that your sister means the world to me. I know we’ve only just met, but I can honestly tell you that I’m deeply in love with her and I will do everything in my power to make her happy. You have my word on that.”
Annie was visibly moved. Frank, however, stared ahead poker-faced and Ray’s nerves seemed to weaken. Nevertheless, he continued. “Well, I just want to assure you that you have absolutely nothing to worry about as far as Annie and I are concerned. We care a great deal about each other… and that’s basically it.” He cleared his throat, simultaneously feeling a bit awkward.
“Frank, if there’s something you’d like to contribute to the conversation, you can always jot it down like you normally do,” Annie said tenderly.
There was no reaction.
She did not quite know what to make of Frank’s demeanor, initially expecting him to be visibly peeved and escape to his room when the pressure built. But with absence of reaction to the news, she had no idea of his true emotional state at the time.
Later on, as Annie walked Ray to his car, she vehemently apologized for her brother’s behavior.
“It’s okay. I’m at least grateful for the handshake.” Ray smiled.
“I was surprised he even bothered,” Annie said. “I must say, there’s something quite different about him, but I can’t pinpoint what it is.”
“Don’t try, honey. In time, he’ll come around.” Ray’s eyes locked onto hers, then he slowly leaned in and kissed her. Annie felt a surge of electricity travel through her body. What she was beginning to feel for him was frightening and she fought to retain control of her heart.
After Ray pulled off, Annie could not wait to get back inside to question her brother. In her careful approach, she said, “I wish you’d at least let me know what you’re thinking, Frank. I’m your sister. I deserve to know how you feel!” She grabbed the pen and pad from the table nearby and handed them to him.
“I… don’t need them,” Frank slowly uttered in a raspy voice.
Annie froze as if she had seen a ghost. “Oh my God! Frank, you spoke! Oh my God!” Tears of joy gushed from her eyes and she knelt down in front of him. “You promised you’d try, Frank, and you did. I was beginning to think I’d never hear your voice again.” She reached up and hugged him tightly and did not want to let go. “I love you so much, Frank.”
“You’re going to marry him?” Frank asked, much to her surprise.
“Marry? But we’ve only just met,” she replied. “I can’t possibly marry someone I don’t know very well, even if I do love him. We have to spend a lot more time together before either of us considers marriage. But that’s not important right now. I’m just so thrilled that you’re actually speaking to me. I’m so proud of you!”
Annie spent hours that night talking with Frank, although she was still the one doing most of it.
* * * *
Victor’s children, who were temporarily in the custody of their aunt and uncle had both precipitously been plunged into a state of depression since their father’s arrest. Betty tried to remain strong, though it was evident to everyone that she was terribly worried about her brother and his family’s future.
One evening, as they were all at home, the phone rang. Rosy, the Scholls’ housekeeper, who happened to be on her way out, turned back to answer it. “Mrs. Scholl, it
’s for you!” She cried. “It’s Mr. Emerson.”
Betty dropped what she was doing and rushed over to the telephone.
“Tim, it’s Dad!” Lisa shouted to her brother who was upstairs. “Aunt Bee, I want to speak with Dad when you’re done,” she said excitedly.
“Victor?” Betty answered.
“How are you, Bee?” Victor asked solemnly.
“How am I? How are you?”
“I’m okay. How are the kids doing?”
“They’re fine; we’re all fine,” Betty lied.
“That’s good to hear, Bee. I really appreciate everything you and Joe are doing for the kids,” he said.
“Don’t mention it, Victor. Just take care of yourself. This will all be over soon.
“Look, I don’t have much time to talk, so I’d like to speak to the kids quickly if I can,” he said.
“Sure, hold on. They’re right here.” Tim and Lisa were standing next to Betty, anxious to speak with their father.
“Hi, Dad,” Lisa said tearfully.
“Lisa, why are you crying, honey?” Victor was saddened by his daughter’s pain.
“I miss you so much, Dad. I can’t stop thinking about what you must be going through in that horrible place!”
“It’s really not that bad, Lise,” he tried to assure her, though he was not sure how he was surviving.
“When are you coming home?” She asked; her voice shaky.
He thought for a moment. “I don’t know, honey. Charles is seeing about getting them to grant me bail, but if not, I’m sure that everything will go well during the trial and I’ll be home again soon.”
“But what if everything doesn’t go well, Dad?” Lisa asked fearfully. Betty stood nearby, absolutely heartbroken.
“We have to believe that everything would, Lisa. I didn’t do what they’re accusing me of and I’m confident that the jury would see that,” Victor said. “Charles is one of the best attorneys in the state and he’s going to do everything he can to help me. Honey, no matter what happens, I want you to know that I love you and your brother, and I’ll always be there for you guys.”
Dangerous & Deadly- The Nick Myers Series Page 13