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Ride the Lightning : Sinister in Savannah Book 1

Page 18

by Aimee Nicole Walker


  “Don’t you want to know why I’m here first?” Jonah asked. It never ceased to amaze him how trusting some people still were.

  “I mean, if it makes you feel better to tell me, then sure,” Jerry quipped.

  “My name is Jonah St. John, and I’m with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation,” Jonah said, hoping Jerry didn’t ask to see his badge. “I’m investigating the 1982 murder of Earl Ison. I’m interviewing anyone who might’ve worked with him before his death.”

  “Oh,” Jerry said softly. “I’d read about the new information in the paper. It wasn’t that I’ve never thought of Earl, but I at least felt some sense of closure when I thought his killer had confessed and was dead.”

  Jonah recognized the emotion washing over the man’s handsome features. It was the same expression he saw when he interviewed Earl’s friends and in Agnes Cahill’s eyes when she spoke about her late husband.

  Grief.

  Jerry Locke wasn’t just Earl’s former boss. Their bond was much tighter, possibly intimate.

  “Can I still come in?”

  “Oh, yes. Sure,” Jerry said, gathering himself. “Forgive my rudeness.” He stepped aside and gestured for Jonah to enter the house. “Would you like to sit out back on the patio and talk? It’s my favorite spot.”

  “Sounds great.”

  The glimpses of the interior Jonah saw were as expensive and impressive as the exterior. When they reached the back patio, Jonah understood why it was Jerry’s favorite part. He’d only met the man two minutes ago, but the comfortable seating area, built-in barbecue, and pool felt more like his style than the fussy furniture he saw during his quick pass through the house.

  “Is that one of those brick pizza ovens?” Jonah asked.

  “It is,” Jerry said, nodding. “We only moved into this house last month and haven’t tried it out yet.”

  “You have a beautiful home.”

  “And you’re wondering why a concrete guy like me lives here, right?” Jerry asked.

  “Not really.”

  “You want to know about Earl,” Jerry said, breaking eye contact and looking out over his back yard. Jonah followed his gaze. Beyond the ornamental fence marking the property perimeter, a golf cart drove along the lushly green course. “It feels like an eternity since I’ve even spoken his name.”

  “Did Earl work for you long?” Jonah asked. He wanted to start out with questions he already knew the answers to so he could gauge Jerry’s honesty and willingness to speak openly to him.

  Jerry met his gaze once more, and a wry smile spread across his face. He shook his head and said, “Earl was all thumbs and two left feet. He might’ve lasted two weeks.”

  Jonah laughed. “That’s what Marla said.”

  “I recognize the name. She was Earl’s best friend—the one who encouraged him to start performing.”

  “Marla is my neighbor and a dear friend. She’s the reason why we’ve reopened the case,” Jonah explained. “She never believed Bo Cahill killed Earl.”

  Jerry ran a hand through his hair. “How could she know that?” he asked.

  “Marla has amazing instincts, and she’s better at listening to hers than most people. She was right. There was no possible way Bo Cahill could’ve killed Earl,” Jonah said.

  “Did I read that the man was already in jail for killing someone else?” Jerry asked.

  “Yes. Bo Cahill was in a county jail awaiting a bail hearing when Earl died.” Jonah explained what had happened to Agnes and the circumstances surrounding Bo’s arrest.

  Jerry scrunched up his face. “How was that possible?”

  “Which part?” Jonah asked.

  Jerry huffed a sigh of frustration. “All of it. The system is broken, and I’ve been too ignorant my whole life to realize it.”

  “No one wants to think that innocent people land in prison, especially not on death row. History has taught us otherwise, and I’m afraid some people weren’t paying attention to the lessons.”

  “My wife would love that saying. Sheila is a history teacher and retired after forty years with teenagers. Do you mind if I borrow it?” Jerry asked.

  Jonah smiled. “Sure.”

  “What can I tell you about Earl?” Jerry asked, getting them back on track.

  “I really wanted to ask you about Earl’s father and brother.”

  “Thomas and Dennis?” Jerry asked. “You can’t seriously think Thomas would’ve killed his own boy.”

  Jonah tipped his head to the side. “How supportive was he when Earl came out as gay?” he asked instead of answering Jerry.

  Jerry puffed out his cheeks as he released a big breath. “Thomas was furious. He kicked Earl out and told him to never come around. Later, Thomas told Earl that he hoped he died of AIDS.” Jerry shook his head sadly. “I cannot fathom a single circumstance which would make me turn my kids away.” He swallowed hard. “From an investigator’s standpoint, I know it makes Thomas a top suspect, but I just can’t see it.”

  “Why? Because he was a Christian?” Jonah asked.

  Jerry scoffed. “No. I’m saying Thomas would’ve had to care about Earl to kill him, but Earl was already dead to his family. Earl was also much taller and stronger than his father and could’ve fought him off.”

  “Logic and reason go out the window when someone you love turns their rage on you. Someone knocked Earl unconscious before strangling him. It doesn’t take brute strength to catch someone by surprise,” Jonah said. “What about his brother, Dennis?”

  “I don’t think Dennis felt the same way as his parents but was too cowardly to speak up. Earl told me Dennis frequently checked up on him to make sure he was doing okay. He’d given him money for food and even helped Earl cover his rent for a few months. I cannot see Dennis turning on Earl in such a brutal way.”

  “You seem to know Earl’s personal business pretty well for someone who only worked for you for a few weeks,” Jonah remarked.

  Jerry looked out over the golf course for a few moments before locking gazes with Jonah again. “We both know there was more to my relationship with Earl, or you wouldn’t be here.”

  He was wrong. Jonah wanted to know about the people who had worked with Earl, either directly or indirectly. Finding out Jerry was the secret boyfriend was just a bonus. “I suspected.” Not until I saw your reaction, but why split hairs? “Did you ever come forward and speak to the police?”

  He shook his head. “To the best of my recollection, they only interviewed the guys who’d discovered Earl’s body. My crew had already moved on to another project by then.”

  “Did Earl work at the location he was killed?” Jonah asked.

  Jerry furrowed his brow. “I honestly can’t say off the top of my head. We were so busy that summer. Believe it or not, I’ve kept all my records. I could dig through them and find out which projects Earl worked on and the other people on his crew.”

  “Oh, wow,” Jonah said. “That would be very helpful.”

  “My wife thinks I’m nuts for holding on to all that old stuff, but I loved running my own company. I was proud to take the business over from my father. But between Earl dying and my business going bankrupt…” Jerry sighed.

  “I needed a brand-new start somewhere else. I moved to Florida and attended community college for a few years before transferring to a university, where I earned a bachelor’s in business and met my wife. Later, I got my master’s degree and worked my way up to a CEO position for a telecommunications company, which paid well and kept my brain engaged.”

  “Did Earl ever tell you about having issues with anyone on the crew?”

  “Not that I recall, but he probably wouldn’t have told me anyway. Earl wouldn’t have wanted to get someone fired or draw attention to our relationship for my sake.”

  “You weren’t out as gay?” Jonah asked.

  “Bisexual,” Jerry corrected. “No. I didn’t come out until much later. I told Sheila when we started dating, but no one else until my children were old
enough to date. I wanted them to know I’d love whoever they did.”

  “Did your closeted status cause a lot of problems between you and Earl?”

  Jerry narrowed his eyes. “Should I have an attorney present?”

  Jonah chuckled. “You can call a lawyer if you wish, but I’m not trying to trip you up and get you to confess to killing Earl.”

  “I probably shouldn’t take your word for it, but I will,” Jerry said. “Earl and I had broken up before he died, but it wasn’t because I was in the closet.”

  “Did it have to do with his performances?” Jonah inquired.

  “No,” Jerry said, shaking his head. “I was surprised to find out Earl had decided to develop and nurture a drag persona, but I wasn’t mad or turned off by it.” Jerry shifted his attention to the golf course again, and Jonah waited patiently for him to speak. When their gazes met again, Jerry’s eyes shimmered with tears, but he wore a beautiful smile. “I was his first audience. I couldn’t believe how graceful Earl was in those high heels. I teased him and asked why he couldn’t have been that dexterous while working on my crew. He laughed and told me it was because I wouldn’t let him wear heels.” Jerry chuckled. “I loved Earl. All I ever wanted was for him to be happy. I even bought him a necklace as a good-luck charm to wear for his first performance.”

  The same missing necklace Earl wore every day? “A silver heart-shaped pendant?” Jonah asked.

  Nodding, Jerry said, “He loved the inexpensive piece of jewelry as much as I loved him. I never would’ve ended our relationship. I would’ve eventually found the courage to come out to be with him.”

  “Why did Earl end it?”

  “He’d met someone else during one of his performances. Earl had said he cared a great deal for me, but he’d felt a connection with the new guy like nothing he’d ever experienced. I was crushed. Earl died maybe a month or so later.” Jerry shook his head. “Damn, such a waste. Earl was a beautiful person.”

  “Did Earl tell you he met this new guy at a club during a performance or did you assume it?” Jonah asked.

  “He told me so,” Jerry replied. “I’d asked Earl why he was breaking up with me, and he’d originally said things just weren’t working out for him. I knew something else was wrong because he’d been just fine the previous week. I’d asked Earl to be honest, and that’s when he told me he’d met a guy at a club. As painful as it was to hear, I needed to know, so I didn’t make a fool of myself trying to get him back.”

  This was new information. None of Marla’s friends could tell Jonah how Earl had met his new beau. If Earl had told Jerry the truth and had met this guy at a club, then chances were, they’d met him too. Jonah clamped down his excitement to focus on what he should ask next, but he shouldn’t have worried. Once Jerry started talking about Earl, he didn’t seem to want to stop. Rather than discourage him, he let Jerry get the things off his chest he’d carried around for thirty-eight years.

  “I knew I liked both boys and girls at an early age.” Jerry took a deep breath and continued. “Anyway, I’d never given in to my attraction to men until I met Earl. I’d never encountered anyone with as much joy and zest for life as him. I was a goner after one kiss.” Jerry’s cheeks turned pink, and his bottom lip trembled. “He was my first boyfriend and my first sexual experience. I’m sure I was clumsy and not too good in bed, but Earl was patient and loving. I only have one regret, Jonah. I wish I’d been brave enough to love him openly. Earl had deserved it, and it took me a very long time to realize I did too. I don’t want you to think my sadness is because I’m unhappy or don’t love Sheila. You just never forget your first love, and I refuse to deny Earl that title.”

  “I’m not judging you, Jerry,” Jonah said softly. He steered the conversation to a less personal topic by asking for the names of the other subcontractors who worked in the subdivision. He’d hoped Jerry would remember some of the other companies, but Jerry knew them all. There were surprisingly few subs working to develop the subdivision.

  “You had to know somebody who knew somebody to land contracts like government jobs and big projects like residential subdivisions. Back then, a new kid on the block didn’t have much of a chance.”

  “And you knew somebody?” Jonah asked.

  “My father did,” Jerry replied. “As much as I resented him at times, he could network like no one’s business. I had a tough first year trying to convince everyone I was as good as he was, but my hard work paid off. I took an already solid business and made it even bigger until the economy took a nosedive in the early eighties and killed the industry.”

  Jonah asked a few more questions and made more notes before he thanked Jerry for talking so candidly with him.

  “It’s a great thing you’re doing,” Jerry said after walking Jonah to the front door. “Good luck.”

  “Thanks, Jerry,” Jonah replied, knowing it would take more than luck to get justice for Earl.

  On the way home, Jonah stopped at the specialty store to get tea for Avery. Marla’s friend hadn’t been exaggerating about the selection. He stood in the center of the room feeling foolish for thinking he could just walk in and snag some chai for Avery.

  “Can I help you, dear?” a kindly woman asked. “You look overwhelmed.”

  “I never knew there were so many different types of tea. Growing up, my choices were sweet and unsweet iced tea,” Jonah teased. “I want to buy a gift for a friend.”

  “You’ve come to the right place. My name is Janice. I’m the owner of The Tea-Totaler. I offer selections from all around the world. Do you have something specific in mind?”

  “My friend loves chai, and I’m just grateful it doesn’t smell like sweaty gym socks,” Jonah replied.

  Janice laughed. “Not a fan of tea?”

  “I prefer coffee,” Jonah admitted.

  “I won’t hold that against you,” she said cheekily. “I offer many varieties of chai.” Janice gestured to a section along the back wall and began talking about the different nuances each chai offered. “And this one,” she said, picking up another pouch, “has hints of chocolate and chili. It reminds me of Mexican hot chocolate. It’s very popular.” Janice glanced up at Jonah, who’d fallen quiet as he tried to guess which one Avery might like best. She chuckled and patted his bicep. “I’ve overwhelmed you, haven’t I? Why don’t you give me an idea of how much you would like to spend, and I’ll put together a gift basket for you.”

  “I didn’t have a limit in mind,” Jonah said. “I just want to buy something thoughtful.”

  “Must be a very special friend,” Janice said as she started choosing a variety of pouches.

  “He is.”

  Janice chose five of her top-selling chai blends, then talked Jonah into buying an electric tea kettle and a little ceramic pot with a removable steeping basket. She even demonstrated how to use everything to make a perfect cup of chai.

  Once Jonah arrived home, he changed out of his suit and started looking up information on the subcontractors Jerry gave him until someone rang his doorbell.

  Jonah smiled when he saw who stood on his porch. “This is a nice surprise,” he said.

  Avery held up a bag of food in one hand and a drink carrier in the other. “I wanted to make sure you’re not working through mealtimes.”

  Guilty. Jonah took the food and drinks from Avery and set them on the table. Then he pulled Avery into his arms and kissed him. “I have something for you too,” Jonah said once they broke apart for air.

  “I just bet.”

  Jonah gave him a quick kiss, then left him at the dining room table to retrieve the gifts he’d purchased for him. “I wasn’t sure what all you’d need to make tea for when you stayed over. Marla told me about this specialty store that sells teas. I never knew there were so many different types of chai.”

  Avery oohed and aahed over each one and ran his finger over the curve of the teapot. Jonah had to admit it was cute as hell. “This is seriously the nicest thing anyone has ever given me
.” He rose on his tiptoes to kiss Jonah’s cheek.

  “You need nicer friends,” Jonah said, feeling his cheeks heat.

  “Stop it,” Avery said, slapping his bicep. “I love it so much. Thank you.”

  Several moments and a long, breathless kiss later, Jonah looked into Avery’s twinkling eyes. “Be honest,” he said. “Is lunch the real reason why you came over?”

  “It’s only part of my motive,” Avery admitted. “Fancy a nooner?”

  Jonah feasted on Avery before the food and didn’t feel an iota of guilt when his intern returned to work late and rumpled.

  Jonah spent the remainder of his suspension running down leads and interviewing as many subcontractors as he could with either Felix or Rocky acting as his sidekicks. Even though their names weren’t included in the official police report, the guys managed to uncover the names of the three construction workers who’d discovered Earl’s body.

  John Chambers, an electrician, Doug Haverty, a plumber, and Rex Miller, an HVAC contractor, were hesitant to answer questions until Felix assured them that he’d keep their names out of the press or their podcast.

  “Why aren’t the cops the ones knocking on my door?” Chambers asked. “I saw the police commissioner’s interview about reopening the case, and I’ve expected a visit from SPD every day since then.”

  “I can’t answer that,” Felix said.

  Jonah could, but he didn’t. Milton and Morrissey had omitted their names from the file.

  The three men all worked for different subcontractors but knew each other well. They admitted to seeing Earl around the jobsites while he worked for Jerry, who had contacted Jonah and confirmed that Earl had worked at the site where his body was discovered. Chambers, Haverty, and Miller all said Earl seemed like a nice guy. He was clumsy and awkward on the sites, but he tried really hard. They couldn’t remember seeing Earl argue with anyone.

  The interviews didn’t garner new leads, but Jonah gave their names to Ellie when they met for lunch on Friday.

  “Nice work,” she said. “I asked Milton and Morrissey why they excluded the names of the construction workers who’d found Earl in their official reports.”

 

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