Imperfect Escape
Page 24
"Did Mrs. Flocker say what gun she used?" Shim said.
"Yes. The one with the carving on the butt," Mullins said.
"Then, the ballistics can tell us if it's true," Ray said. "I'll go out there when we're done here and collect the slugs and casings."
"No need. The DA called Nashville. TBI's crime scene techs are on their way. I notified the deputy who's guarding the scene."
"Good," Ray said.
"Oh, by the way, I received a call that Ashley Beach died this morning," Mullins said.
"Too bad. The last I heard she was doing well, and they were planning to take her off the vent." Ray thought a moment. "That makes Flocker's tally two charges of arson and three murders—Ashley Beach, Vast's cousin Harold Kramer, and Vast's double-first cousin Richie Vast. Plus, two attempted murders—LeRoy Vast and me—and multiple charges from today." Ray put his hand on the door to the holding room. "Now's the time. Wish us luck."
Flocker scowled when Ray and Mullins walked into the room. "Made me wait long enough. Think it's going to soften me up?"
"First things first." Ray read Flocker his rights.
"I don't need to wait on my stupid-ass attorney."
"We're only too happy to wait," Mullins said.
"No. Let's do it. Where's Ma?"
"She's being processed downstairs," Ray said. "You dragged her into a mess of trouble."
"That's the thing, Stone. She went and done those things because I made her. She's a good God-fearin' woman."
Ray nodded. "With the list of charges, she's likely to die in jail. Thanks to her loving son."
"Stone, can't you do something to help her? I mean, what if I come clean with you? Can you cut her some slack?"
"Explain to me why we should?"
"She really is sick. She has the cancer, and it's spreading. That's why I had to go off on my own and make more money. The insurance didn't cover the cost of the treatment to keep her alive. All I wanted to do was make some money for Ma."
Ray thought Flocker had put an interesting spin on his story, but it was something to work with. "Flocker, I don't see why we should deal."
"Then get my lawyer."
Ray and Mullins left the room and called the lawyer, who was, again, Holly Aster. She happened to be in the jail meeting with another client, so was available within the hour.
After speaking with Ray and Mullins, Aster met with her client, then asked the detectives to come into the room.
"Lay out what you have for my client, please."
Ray went through the litany of charges, giving specific details and incarceration times for each.
Flocker laughed. "You can't prove anything. Just because I misspoke to that-there nurse of yours, doesn't mean I blew up Vast's lab. I already admitted to blowing mine. And, you done got me solid for today's Bonnie and Clyde run, but I didn't do no murders."
"You remember Ashley Beach?" Ray said.
Flocker stared at the table. "No."
"She's one of the people you critically injured when you blew up Vast's lab."
"I told you I didn't blow his friggin' lab. Besides, she's on a ventilator and can't talk no more."
"For your information, Ashley Beach is alive, well, and talking." Ray leaned across the table until he was about twelve inches from Flocker's face. "She saw you torch the place, and she'll testify at your trial." Ray leaned a couple of inches closer. "We'll get you on all the charges, lock you up, and wait for the hangman to come. Tennessee is a capital punishment state, you know. Then we'll get your mother, too. First, she'll know her son is on death row, then she'll die in prison."
Flocker motioned to Aster, who leaned in close to listen.
Epilogue
Sophia
Sophia poured another full glass of Chianti for herself and Ray, then snuggled beside him on the sofa. She settled Mischief on her lap, where the dog closed her eyes and commenced snoring.
"I don't get how she is awake one minute, down for the night the next."
"She's a pup." Ray kissed Sophia on the forehead. "The officers in town and the deputies who helped on the Flocker takedown took me out for a beer today."
"Oh?"
"Johnson said, and I quote, 'You proved you're one of us. We're happy to have you on the team.'"
"Wonderful. I know you've felt like an outsider."
"It does make me feel good. Like, maybe, we made the right decision to come here." He kissed her again, this time on the lips.
Sophia sipped. "You haven't said anything about the case in a couple of days. Is the end result Flocker did it all?"
"Not all, but enough to put him away forever."
"Is it true that he wanted to take over the whole meth trade in the area? Put Silken out of business?"
"He says it is. Turns out he really does—make that did, because the DEA went there today—have a huge operation out in the hills. Thank heavens it's out of my town."
"Where did Krantz fit in?"
Ray thought a moment. "I'd say he wanted a bigger slice of his uncle's profits, not Flocker's. Flocker didn't know and decided he'd try to take Krantz down along with Silken."
"So, he set up Krantz with the IV thing?" Sophia said.
"Yup. It would have worked, too, if you hadn't connected the dots when he had the visitor in the ED."
"I feel bad about the old lady. She tried to help her son, and now she's sitting in jail," Sophia said.
"I think his mother's circumstance is what moved Flocker off the mark. He agreed to talk if we went lightly on his ma and took the death penalty off the table for him."
"There is some good in the guy," she said.
"There is some good in most everyone, though in this case, I think he was self-serving." Ray sipped his wine. "The DA talked to Mrs. Flocker's doctor. She's dying of cancer, doesn't have but six months to live. I spoke with the DA and convinced him nothing would be accomplished by her incarceration. So, after the arraignment, they released her on her own recognizance and gave permission to travel to Kentucky to stay with her daughter. The trial date is already set for nine months from now."
"Will she live that long?"
"Doubtful. And if she is still alive, chances are they'll delay it further."
"That's good," she said, snuggling closer. "See, I am useful. I helped." She smiled.
"Never said you weren't. In fact, Mullins wants to put you on the payroll—occasional part-time for when your input would be useful. It will also serve to cover us legally when you get involved."
"Hot damn."
The End
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Writing this story has been an adventure. When we moved to Middle Tennessee, I took Sophia Burgess and Ray Stone along. Here I faced a new culture, new language, Tennessee laws and rural policing, different weather and terrain, animals of all manner, mountains and rivers, and not a palm tree in sight. My learning curve was huge, hence the long interval between releases.
I wish to thank:
Shannon Lee, Office Manager, Putnam County Sheriff’s Department, for answering my questions and selecting me for the Sheriff’s Citizen’s Academy. The Academy brought me up to speed on many differences in law enforcement.
Cookeville Creative Writer’s Association for help with my Tennessee Southern.
Carpenter extraordinaire, Ed Miller, and hair dresser supreme, Lisa Harvey, for giving me many Tennessee-isms and explaining the usage.
My Florida Critique Group—Randy Rawls, Stephanie Saxon Levine, Ann Meier, Bob White, and Victoria Landis.
My new Cumberland Cove Group—Jeffrey Philips, Beth Nelson, and Eric Beaty.
Retired police officer Tim Schmidt for help with the pit maneuver scene.
My new friends and neighbors who have tirelessly answered my questions, sometimes without laughing. I hope they forgive the liberties I took with the names and descriptions of towns and cities in Middle Tennessee.
The unnamed contributors who are unaware I wrote down their words and phrases, some of which m
ade it into the book.
Beta Readers—Steve Brickman, Stephanie Saxon Levine, Jennifer Samuels, Janet Portnow, Joy Heit, and Katherine Capotosto.
I appreciate every contribution. Mistakes, as always, are mine alone.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Gregg E. Brickman was born in North Dakota. She completed her education in Florida and embarked on a varied career in clinical, administrative, and academic nursing.
Credits include Imperfect Defense, Illegal Intent, She Learned to Die, Plan to Kill, Imperfect Daddy, Imperfect Contract, Illegally Dead, Chapter 14 of Naked Came the Flamingo, a Murder on the Beach progressive novella edited by Barbara Parker and Joan Mickelson, and On the Edge, a short story [MiamiARTzine.com]. The Writers' Network of South Florida recognized On the Edge among the finalists in their Seventh Annual Short Story Contest.
Gregg has been active in MWA since 1999. She co-chaired SleuthFest in 2001, coordinated the moderators for several years, served on various committees, and was the Florida chapter treasurer and photographer in 2014 and 2015. She has also been an active speaker in the community, attending book fairs, signings, and other events.
Gregg resides with her husband, Steve, on the Northern Cumberland Plateau in Middle Tennessee.
CONTENTS
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Epilogue
Acknowledgments
About the Author