When he saw her, a smile crossed his face.
Patti rushed in and hugged him. He could not believe how good it felt to touch her and hold her.
He looked at her. She had tears in her eyes. “Is it true?” she asked.
He tried to say something, but no words came out.
He broke down and cried. She held onto him.
He wiped away the tears and said, “I didn’t kill anyone, Patti. I swear.”
They sat down on the hard mattress. She did not let go of his hand. “When your lawyer called me, I thought it was a sick joke, but what he told me made me physically ill,” Patti said.
“I’m so sorry,” Callaway said. “I never wanted to get you involved, but I don’t know who else to turn to.”
“What were you doing at that woman’s house?” she asked.
He turned to the camera. Their conversation did not fall under attorney-client privileges. Every word recorded would be used against him.
“If I get out, I’ll tell you everything,” he said. “I promise.”
Patti said, “You know I don’t have the money for the bail. My salary as a nurse barely covers the bills.”
“I know, but Roth thinks he can work out a deal if you put up the house as collateral.”
Patti stood up and turned away from him.
After he walked away from their marriage, he left her the house. He was always behind on alimony and child support, but the down payment on the house made her feel like she had something of value.
And now he even wanted that from her.
He said, “If you think I’ll run away and won’t show up in court to face the charges…”
“You did run away from Nina and me,” she said, not looking at him.
After a brief pause, he said, “You’re right. I don’t deserve your trust. If you walk out now, I won’t hold it against you. I’ve been a selfish jerk all my life, I know that, but I’m not a murderer.”
For a minute she stood still, and he thought she would leave. But then her shoulders slumped, and she sighed. “I’ll do it,” Patti said. “I’ll put up the house as collateral.” She turned and faced him. “But remember one thing, Lee. I’m not doing this for you. I’m doing this for Nina. If she ever found out I let her father rot in prison when I had the power to do something, she would never forgive me.”
Patti had every right to be angry with him. He had abandoned them, and she spent all her time and energy focused on Nina. She had built a stable and secure life for their daughter.
He was now putting all that at risk.
EIGHTY-THREE
Fisher waited in the back of the soup and noodle shop. She still could not wrap her head around Callaway being a murderer. In her line of work, she had dealt with psychopaths, con artists, serial killers, and people far worse. They were all able to hide behind a veil of normality. Some were average folks with families who turned out to have committed evil crimes.
Callaway was not one of those people. He never hid behind a mask. With him you got what you saw. And he was always one of the first people to admit his faults. He never denied that he was a lousy father, that he was terrible with money, and sometimes even reckless and irresponsible. But he lived by a code that went: Always do the right thing even if it goes against your interests.
Callaway had taken on cases where the pay was minuscule compared to the work involved. He did them because he wanted to right a wrong. Paul Gardener had been wronged and Callaway had poured his heart and soul into the case, even when all odds were against him.
Fisher believed in her heart that Callaway genuinely did not remember what had transpired the night before. If he did, he would tell her. At least, she hoped he would.
But then again, when it came to people’s freedom, they did and said anything for it not to be taken away.
She shook her head. I can’t believe it has come to this, she thought.
Holt appeared around the corner, accompanied by a small Asian woman. She was holding a key, and judging by the look on her face, she was not happy at what she was about to do. But Holt, Fisher knew, had given her no choice.
Callaway was charged with a crime, and as the detectives on his case, they could interview anyone closely related to him, and search properties he was known to frequent or use.
They followed the woman up the flight of metal stairs. They stopped at the landing, and the woman unlocked the door.
“Thank you,” Holt said to her. “We’ll lock it once we leave.”
Without uttering a word, the woman hurried away.
Holt and Fisher pulled on latex gloves and entered.
Holt looked around and quipped, “He won’t have any trouble getting used to living in a cell.”
His joke was crass, but Fisher saw his point. Callaway’s office was no bigger than two cells combined. There was a sofa, a TV, and a desk.
“We should take his laptop,” Holt said.
“You think he’s got an electronic diary of all the people he’s killed?” she asked.
“I’m just saying it might contain pertinent information, that’s all,” he replied.
She knew he was right. What if Callaway had stored on his laptop the photos he had taken that night? What if he had photos of other crimes he had committed? Of other murders, perhaps?
Fisher would not allow herself to believe that.
“It’s your call,” Fisher said.
Holt thought about it but then he pulled open the desk drawer and lifted out a gun with two fingers. “Look what I found,” he said with a smile as he held the gun for her to see.
“He’s got a license for it,” Fisher said. “I’ve seen it.”
“Even then, he’s got a weapon.”
“Sure, but then that means it wasn’t premeditated.”
Holt frowned. “What makes you say that?”
“If he went to the victim’s house with the intention to kill her, then why not take the gun with him? It would have been far easier than stabbing her.”
Holt did not like the sound of that.
She moved her hand between the sofa cushions. When she lifted one cushion, she saw an envelope stuck inside a slit in the sofa frame’s fabric. She peeked inside the envelope and saw a stack of hundred-dollar bills.
“Where do you suppose he got all the money?” Holt asked
“I don’t know, and I don’t care,” Fisher replied. “Unless you want to seize it as evidence.”
Holt shook his head.
She placed the money back where she found it.
Holt picked up a small framed photo sitting next to the laptop. The picture showed Callaway and Jimmy Keith standing next to each other.
Fisher had had the unfortunate luck of also arresting Jimmy, but in Jimmy’s case, he turned himself in.
Holt asked, “Do you recognize the watch Callaway is wearing in the photo?”
She did.
It was the same watch they had found next to the bed in Isabel Gilford’s house.
EIGHTY-FOUR
Callaway was surprised at how fast Roth was able to schedule the bail hearing. Normally it could take days or even a week in some cases, but Roth had a certain clout in the legal community. He also had powerful connections.
Callaway was glad he used those connections to quickly get him before a judge.
Callaway was dressed in a dark blue suit provided to him by Roth, who sat next to him at the defense table. Patti sat a few rows behind them, wearing a black dress. Callaway was grateful Nina was not here to see this. His heart would break if he saw his daughter’s face when she heard what he was accused of.
Seated at the prosecutor’s table was a fresh-faced lawyer who looked like he had just passed the bar exam.
Roth leaned over to Callaway and whispered, “You’re lucky Barrows isn’t here.”
District Attorney Judy Barrows was a legend in the court system. She rarely lost a case, and she especially hated losing one to Roth. No one would have been surprised if she had shown u
p at the bail hearing, but there was a reason why she chose not to.
Barrows was recently diagnosed with lung cancer. She had been a chain smoker for decades, and her habit had shown its ugly side.
There was another reason why she did not come. Callaway’s case was not a front-page story, at least not yet, and if it did turn into one, Roth would bet his career that Barrows would appear in court even with an IV stuck to her arm.
Roth had already explained to Callaway the factors that influenced bail. The seriousness of the crime, the defendant’s past criminal history, the defendant’s employment status, and the defendant’s ties to the community.
The murder of Isabel Gilford could lead to a life sentence. Callaway had been booked for misdemeanor offenses, but nothing that would raise a red flag. His employment record was sketchy, and he did not have a permanent address. But he did have a daughter and an ex-wife in the city.
The prosecution, naturally, wanted bail denied and put their case before the judge. Roth countered with his own reasons as to why bail should be allowed. In the end, the judge ruled in the defense’s favor and set the bail for one-hundred thousand dollars. The main reasoning for his decision was the property put up by Patti as collateral. But the bail came with conditions. Callaway had to hand over his passport, he could not carry any firearms, and he could not leave Milton without advising the courts first.
Callaway agreed to all the conditions. He would not survive another minute inside a cell.
EIGHTY-FIVE
Wakefield stood next to the gurney that held Isabel Gilford’s body. “Death was definitely caused by the knife penetrating the heart,” she said. “She died upon being struck.”
“Was there alcohol in her system?” Fisher asked.
“Yes, but not enough to get her drunk.”
Holt said, “But the accused stated he was drinking heavily with the deceased on the night she was killed.”
Fisher knew where Holt was going with this. According to Callaway, he had several drinks with Isabel Gilford before he passed out.
Wakefield shook her head. “I wouldn’t call it heavily.”
“A few glasses, let’s say,” Holt said.
“The amount of alcohol in her bloodstream could have come from, perhaps, half a glass of wine. But then again, some people can drink six beers and not even feel a buzz, while others can get tipsy after just one bottle. It depends on each individual.”
“To confirm, was she inebriated or not?” Holt asked.
“You want my personal opinion, or do you want a stated fact?” Wakefield asked in reply.
“Your opinion would be fine.”
“I don’t think she consumed enough wine to lose her faculties.”
Holt was trying to make a point that if Isabel Gilford was not drunk, then neither was Callaway. Which meant he likely did not black out like he wanted them to believe.
“Did you find anything else of interest?” Fisher asked, trying to move the discussion along.
“There was a bruise around her eye,” Wakefield said.
“I was going to ask you about that,” Fisher said. “How old do you think it is?”
“I would have to say it’s quite fresh.”
Fisher blinked. “How fresh?”
“If I had to take a guess, I’d say not even a day old.”
Fisher fell silent.
“So, it’s very recent?” Holt asked.
“Yes.”
Callaway had stated that he had seen Isabel Gilford with a bruise under the eye, which he said was inflicted by her husband. If the bruise was less than a day old, that could only mean Callaway had hit her before he stabbed her.
Lee’s lying, Fisher thought. Or is he?
Holt’s phone buzzed. He excused himself to answer the call.
Fisher turned to Wakefield. “Is there a possibility the victim could have fallen and hit her face on the side of… perhaps, the coffee table or something?”
Wakefield smiled. “I’m aware of your relationship with the accused, Detective Fisher, and I applaud you for your loyalty toward him, but I can state without any hesitation that the mark on the victim’s face could only have come from the end of a fist.”
Holt returned and said, “The judge has granted Callaway bail. I hope that made your day.”
It didn’t, Fisher thought. If the evidence keeps piling up against Lee, he’s as good as locked up for life.
EIGHTY-SIX
Callaway sat in Patti’s living room. She was in the kitchen making a cup of tea.
When the judge was considering his decision, Callaway felt like the weight of the moment was crushing his chest. Only when the judge allowed bail could he breathe again.
He could not imagine what he would go through while the jury deliberated to decide his fate. The wait would almost surely kill him.
He covered his face with his hands. When will I wake up from this nightmare? he thought.
The answer came back: Never.
What was happening to him was real and not a figment of his imagination. He would have to stand before the judge again, and when he did, he would have to face the consequences of what he had done.
But what have I done?
Each time he tried to remember what happened, he was faced with a blank screen.
Patti returned with two cups in her hand. “Would you like something to eat?”
He shook his head. Before the bail hearing, Callaway had thrown up in a toilet in the men’s bathroom. Even after being freed, his appetite had not returned. He knew his freedom was only temporary. He would be back in court to fight for his future, one that could involve being locked up twenty-three hours of the day inside a cell.
He shuddered at the thought.
“Everything will be alright,” Patti said, trying to reassure him. She always saw the bright side of everything. Even when he ran away from her and Nina, she put a positive spin on it. She would say his desertion gave her an opportunity to get closer to her only child. They went grocery shopping together, watched TV together, and went for walks together. But the truth was it was hard raising a child on her own.
He took a sip from the cup. “Thank you,” he said.
“You’ve said it a dozen times already.”
“It’s still not enough.”
She gave him a rueful smile. “Wish you said that more often when we were married.”
“I wish I had.”
They were silent a moment.
“Things are different now, Lee. We don’t need you like we needed you before.”
“I know.” He stared at his cup. “I didn’t kill that woman. And I didn’t sleep with her.”
“Okay, sure,” Patti said. He could tell she did not believe him.
“She was my client and I went to her house to give her what she’d asked me to get.”
“You don’t owe me an explanation, Lee.”
He felt like he did. She had always been there for him, but he was hardly there for her.
“Are you and Dr. Hayward together?” he asked.
Her eyes narrowed. “Like I told you before, it’s none of your business.”
“I know, but if you are, I’m happy that Nina will finally have a positive influence in her life. I mean… I might not be around to see her grow older.” His eyes welled up at the thought of not being there to see his daughter go to college or walk her down the aisle when she got married.
Patti sighed. “It was only one date.”
“He seemed like a nice guy.”
“I didn’t know this until recently, but Michael has a reputation of sleeping with nurses. So, to answer your question, we’re not together. I didn’t want to become another notch in his belt, so to speak.”
“I’m sorry it didn’t work out.” A part of him was elated that it did not, but another part of him worried what would happen to Nina and Patti after he was gone.
Why am I suddenly so interested in their wellbeing? I never cared how they managed before.
&nbs
p; He sighed.
You know why, Lee. You always thought you had time to make things up to Patti and Nina. Damn it, I wish I had done a lot of things, because now I might never get the chance to.
EIGHTY-SEVEN
Fisher could see the evidence mounting against Callaway. As a friend she was devastated and appalled. Devastated because she could see his life would never be the same. Appalled because he could be involved in something as heinous as murder.
Holt said very little when they returned to the Milton PD, but Fisher knew he was quietly gloating. She could not hold that against her partner. Callaway had made Holt look like a fool on several occasions and now it was his turn to show who was the bigger fool.
“You okay?” Holt asked, coming over to her desk.
“Why do you care?” she replied, not looking at him.
“Listen,” he said, “if you want me to get off this case, I’ll talk to the sergeant myself.”
She gave him a skeptical look.
“I’m serious. I value our friendship more than any case.”
She was silent. She was not expecting that response. Holt lived for detective work. He would not hand over a case so lightly.
She sighed. “I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“For griping at you. I know you’re doing your job.”
“I won’t deny that I don’t get some pleasure…”
“I knew it!” she said, pointing at him.
He put his hands up in defense. “But more than putting Callaway away in prison, I feel I have an obligation to Isabel Gilford’s family. I want you to know, if I had committed a terrible offense, I would hope you would not let our relationship get in the way of justice.”
She could tell he meant every word. Holt valued the law above everything else.
“I hope I never have to put handcuffs on you,” she said with a smile.
“I hope so too,” he replied. “You still have not mastered the art of cuffing.”
The Invisible Wife Page 19