“You might want to sit this part of the interview out, Lexie.”
“Why?”
Ray put his hand on her shoulder.
“According to Connors, Jack Stone killed Logan Burkhart. He’s agreed to provide full cooperation in the homicide matter and to testify against Stone at trial. He’s also agreed to testify against Otis Ray Prichard and Aaron Jacobson.”
“You didn’t give him immunity, did you?” Lexie asked.
“No. His attorney wanted immunity, but that wasn’t going to happen. I told him that as long as his client didn’t actually kill Mr. Burkhart, we would do our best to ensure that he wasn’t charged for the murder. I can’t promise what the state prosecutor will do and he knows that. I did promise that if his client continues to be truthful and testifies against all other subjects, then we would tell the judge that he provided substantial assistance in the investigation that led to the prosecution of other subjects.”
“Are we sure it wasn’t Connors who killed Burkhart?” Don asked. “I can guarantee that Stone is going to claim that it was Connors and not him.”
“Connors says he can prove Stone killed Burkhart,” Greenwood said. “Let’s see what he offers up.”
“I want to sit in on the interview.”
“Are you sure? Given your history, it might be painful.”
“I want to sit in. I owe it to Logan. I need to know what happened.”
“Okay. If at any time you want to leave, please feel free.”
“Thank you.”
“Are you three okay with the agreement?”
All three agents nodded.
“Let’s finish this. We’re in the final stretch now.”
The four went back to the conference room and took their seats.
“Have you had enough time with your attorney, Mr. Connors?”
“Yes.”
“Tell us everything that you know about the murder of Logan Burkhart.”
Connors’ face turned ashen. He bit his lower lip and looked around the room. When he answered, his voice was a whisper.
“You need to speak up,” Greenwood told him.
Connors cleared his throat and answered.
“Jack and I went to the address on the boat registration looking for Liam Burkhart. We figured he could tell us about this FBI investigation since they were using his boat. He wasn’t home, so we waited and watched his house. He came home later that day, so we knocked on the door and forced our way inside when he opened up.”
Shoulders curved forward, neck bent, Connors continued with his narrative.
“Jack punched the guy in the face when we rushed the door, then Jack put a pistol in his face and made him sit on the couch. It took us a little while to realize that he wasn’t Liam, but he definitely knew the girl in the cabin. I figured he must be the Logan Burkhart listed in the agent’s cell phone directory.”
All participants in the room sat in silence, waiting for Connors to continue. Lexie bit her lip as she fought back tears.
“Burkhart claimed he didn’t know anything about her being an FBI agent. He said she was a nature photographer. Jack’s not the patient type, he picked up a lamp and knocked Burkhart in the head with it before I could stop him. The blow knocked him out cold. We needed to get out of the house before the brother came home. I tied him up and we threw him in the back seat of Jack’s SUV.”
“What kind of SUV, and where is it now?” Don asked.
“It’s an old Ford Expedition. I’m not sure what year, but it’s old. I don’t know where the vehicle is now, I guess at Jack’s house.”
“What color was the SUV?”
“Black.”
“Where does Jack Stone live?”
“I don’t know. Never been to his place. I know it’s outside of Georgetown in the country. Somewhere in the Choppee area.”
Connors looked at Don, waiting for more questions.
“Please continue,” Greenwood said.
“I sat in the backseat with Burkhart in case he woke up. He made some gurgling noises but he never woke up. I knew there was a problem when I smelled piss. The guy pissed himself. I felt for a pulse and realized he was dead.”
Lexie slumped in her chair. Her vision blurred and chest hurt. The whole story reinforced her belief that Logan’s death had been caused by her actions.
“Are you okay, Agent Montgomery?” Greenwood asked.
Lexie looked at the AUSA. She heard the question but found answering difficult.
“I’m … I’m … okay,” she said, her voice flat and monotone.
“Do you need a break?”
“No. Continue.”
Greenwood nodded at Connors.
“Jack didn’t mean to kill the guy. When I realized he was dead, we both panicked. Jack drove all over the place trying to figure out what to do with him. He remembered an old fishing spot where his uncle used to take him. It was down an old dirt road a little south of Georgetown. We didn’t have anything to weigh the body down with, so Jack found a large rock. Jack tied the rope around Burkhart’s body and the rock to try to weigh it down. We knew it wouldn’t hold for long but figured it would buy us a little time.”
“Then what?” Greenwood asked.
“We tossed the body in the water and got the hell out of there. Apparently, the rock didn’t work because that fisherman found the body the next afternoon.”
Connors looked over at Lexie.
“We didn’t want to hurt him. We only wanted to scare him to get some answers.”
Lexie crossed her arms, silent tears running down her cheeks, her empty stare unchanging.
“How do we know it wasn’t you who hit Burkhart with the lamp?” Greenwood asked.
“It wasn’t me. I swear. Neither one of us were wearing gloves. Jack’s fingerprints will be on the lamp. Jack is a crazy man who doesn’t know his own strength.”
Lexie flinched at the memory of Stone carrying her limp body through the woods to the cabin. She remembered the ER doctor telling her it was a miracle she survived the trauma to her head. Logan didn’t get a miracle.
“Jack and I decided we needed to split up. He dropped me off at my car and he returned home. I wanted to talk to Aaron, but I didn’t want to do it over the phone. I texted him and he met me the next day. I told him what happened. He told me to chill and that he would handle it.”
“So, Aaron Jacobson knew about the murder and assisted with the cover-up?” Greenwood said.
“Yes, he did. Look, I’ll testify against all these people. I told you everything that I know, but you can’t send me to prison for the murder. I didn’t kill Burkhart. I transported drugs for Aaron. I’ll plead guilty to the drug offenses, but I can’t go to prison for the murder. You have to help me.”
“As your attorney explained to you, we will notify the judge of your cooperation. The judge will determine the level of substantial assistance. You’re doing the right thing, Mr. Connors. Without credit for substantial assistance, you were looking at a life sentence.”
“Can you keep me safe? Once these people find out I ratted them out, they’re gonna come for me.”
“I’ll draft a separation order for the Bureau of Prisons. We’ll request that you’re not housed with any of the other defendants.”
Lexie knew there might be a time in her career where she would be forced to take a human life to protect her life, the life of another law enforcement officer, or the life of an innocent person. Other than for those reasons, Lexie never thought she would need or want to kill another person. As she stared into the empty eyes of Clay Connors, she wanted more than anything to choke every bit of life out of him. She wanted to see him turn blue and for his eyes to beg her to stop as she continued to squeeze. She wanted her face to be the last thing that he saw before he died.
AUSA Greenwood wrapped up the session and the Deputy U.S. Marshal removed Connors from the room. Lexie remained in a fog as Greenwood stared at her. He asked her a question but received no response.
&n
bsp; “Lexie. Lexie. Are you all right?”
Her eyes widened and she realized Greenwood, Don, and Zach were all looking at her.
“What?”
“You zoned out on us,” Don said. “Ray asked if you were all right.”
“I’m sickened by the interview, but I’m glad we know the truth. Connors is a vile piece of shit, but at least he’s going to prison and he’s taking all his cohorts with him.”
“Even with substantial cooperation, he’s looking at a chunk of time in prison,” Greenwood said. “I’m not sure he realizes how much time he’s facing.”
“He’s one of those guys who has had everything given to him his whole life,” Zach said. “He still thinks he’s going to come out of this smelling like a rose.”
“It’s getting late,” Don said. “Time for us to get back to the beach.”
AUSA Greenwood reached out and touched Lexie’s arm. “I realize how terrible this interview and this day must have been for you, Lexie; however, today has been a great day for justice.”
39
Logan, bound and bloody, sat in his brother’s boat. Two ominous figures guarded him as the boat drifted out to sea. Logan begged for Lexie’s help. She tried to reach him but the fog surrounded him and ripped him away. An arm around her neck prevented her from moving.
“It’s your fault he’s dead,” a voice growled in her ear. “Now you’re gonna join him.”
The arm around her throat tightened; she couldn’t breathe. She could hear Logan calling her name. Suddenly she was falling down a long, dark hole. She grabbed for the sides, but couldn’t catch hold of anything. She plummeted to the ground, but before reaching the bottom—
Lexie screamed and sat up in bed. Soaked in sweat and shaking from fear, she put her head in her hands and wept.
When will the nightmares end?
***
Lexie’s phone rang as she drove to the office. The previous night’s bad dreams had left her exhausted and drained. She hoped a second cup of coffee would help kickstart her mind and body.
“Good news,” Don said. “The AUSA talked to our SAC about you staying in town a little longer. He told the SAC that you were an intricate part of the prosecution team and that you were a huge help with the interview yesterday.”
“Oh, wow. That is great news. I’m on my way to the office now.”
“Just so you know, Tony is back from vacation. He’s supposed to come into work today.”
“Thanks for the heads up. How are Stuart and Matt coming along with their investigation?”
“I talked to Stuart last night. Between our investigation and theirs, most of LaBaron’s information has been corroborated. It’s not looking good for Tony.”
“Good,” Lexie said. “He’s a total piece of shit and doesn’t deserve to wear the badge.”
“I agree. It’s always hard when one of our own goes bad. Luckily, it doesn’t happen very often.”
“Can Tony look up the Connors interview in the system? What if he snoops?”
“I’m one step ahead of you. I’ve taken Tony off the participants list. The only agents who have access to the electronic file are you, me, Zach, Stuart, and Matt.”
“Will that send up a red flag?”
“Only if he tries to access the file. I’m hoping he has too much of his own work to catch up on to worry about our case.”
“I’m parking now, see you in a few.”
Lexie parked, grabbed her backpack, and slogged up to Don’s office, where she dropped her backpack and flopped into a chair.
“Is Tony here?”
“Not yet, but we need to be careful talking about the case. You never know when he’s going to sneak in.”
“Where are Stuart and Matt?”
“Since Tony is back in town, they’re not coming into the office anymore. We can meet with them outside the office when necessary.”
Lexie nodded.
“I’m meeting with the lead homicide detective for Georgetown County this afternoon. I thought you would like to go with me.”
Lexie’s eyes widened.
“I thought we were supposed to keep the investigation under wraps for now. Isn’t that what the SAC told us?”
“He did, but I don’t feel right keeping this information from the detective. He needs to know that we know who killed Logan Burkhart and that we’re making arrests. I plan to bring him aboard to help with our investigation. The more people we have working with us, the better.”
“I agree, but are you going to get in hot water with the SAC?”
“No more than usual. Plus, in the long run, the SAC will look like a hero for solving the murder. If Connors goes sideways on us, the state can charge him with the murder.”
“What about Stone?”
“I talked to AUSA Greenwood this morning. Based on your reports and Connors’s confession, he’s presenting the case to the Grand Jury next week. Since we have the outstanding warrant for Prichard, he said to concentrate on finding him. After the indictment, we’ll have arrest warrants for both Stone and Jacobson.”
“That’s great news. I can’t wait to get the three of them in custody.”
“Me, too. Maybe the Sheriff’s Office can help us find Stone. If he’s holed up in some house in the county, we’re going to need sufficient manpower to find him and make the arrest.”
Lexie smiled.
“I haven’t seen you smile in a while.”
“I haven’t felt like smiling until today.”
***
The meeting with the homicide detective went according to plan. After the meeting, Lexie and Don stopped for a coffee. Sitting outside The Roasted Bean, they both relaxed for the first time in weeks.
“I thought the meeting went well,” Lexie said.
“Me, too. The homicide detective is a nice guy and he seemed cool with keeping the investigation under wraps until after the Grand Jury meets.”
“He seemed happy that we wanted him to be part of the prosecution team.”
“It’s always nice to be included,” Don said.
“It’s a win-win situation for everyone involved. The state gets their homicide cleared, and all four defendants are looking at serious prison sentences on the federal charges.”
Lexie lifted her mug for a toast.
“To working together,” she said.
Don lifted his mug and lightly clinked it against Lexie’s.
TJ came outside to check on her customers. “How’re the coffees?”
“Perfect, as usual,” Don said.
“Wonderful,” Lexie added.
“Great. If you need anything else, let me know.”
“Will do,” Don said.
“What’s on the agenda for the rest of the week?” Lexie asked.
“I have to be in Florence in the morning to go over my Grand Jury testimony with Greenwood. He’s going to put me on first to outline the case to the jurors. Then Connors goes on after me.”
“I’m glad AUSA Greenwood is pinning down Connors’s testimony under oath.”
“Me, too.”
“I’ll give Zach a hand with the fugitive search tomorrow.”
“Thanks, Lexie. I know this case has taken a toll on you. I want you to know how much we appreciate your help.”
“You’re welcome.”
The two agents finished their coffee and returned to the office parking lot.
“It’s late. I think I’ll take off from here,” Lexie said.
“Be careful going home.”
Lexie turned up the radio and listened to the Myrtle Beach classic rock station. She rolled down the window and felt the summer breeze against her face. Convinced that her luck had finally changed, she allowed herself to relax and sing along to the radio.
The only problem was that her luck had not changed.
40
With a backpack on one shoulder and two bags of groceries in her hands, Lexie struggled to push through her condo door without dropping her load. She didn’t se
e the dark figure sitting on her couch until it was too late. Focused on the barrel of the forty caliber Glock, it took her a few seconds to realize who was holding the gun.
“Good evening, Lexie,” Tony said. “Keep your hands where I can see them. Don’t even think about going for your gun, sweetie. I’ll put a bullet though that pretty little head of yours without thinking twice. Sit down in that chair.”
Lexie obeyed the order.
“What are you doing here?”
“I came to visit my favorite undercover agent.”
“Get out of here, Tony. Before you do something stupid.”
“You’re not in the position to give orders, so shut your fucking mouth.”
“How did you find this place?”
“That’s a funny story. When I returned from my vacation, which was wonderful in case you’re wondering, I received a pretty strange message from my informant. The message didn’t sound like him, so I decided to see what was going on in the office. That’s when I found out that I had been locked out of the electronic file for your big case.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Oh, I think you do. Anyway, your buddy Zach isn’t the sharpest knife in the drawer. He left the copy of the lease agreement and the extra key for this condo in his desk drawer. The locks on those drawers are so flimsy.”
“What do you want from me?”
“I want to know what you know. What the hell is going on with Max? What did he tell you?”
“Nothing. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Tony walked over to the chair where Lexie sat. Without warning, he slapped her across the face. Lexie’s head snapped to the side from the impact, the numbing pain pulsed through her face and neck.
“Let’s try this again. What did Max tell you about me?”
Lexie glanced down at her waist.
“Is that gun tempting you? Do you really think that you can draw that holstered weapon, from a seated position, and shoot me before I simply pull my trigger? I think not. Let me take that temptation away from you.”
Tony walked over and reached down to remove Lexie’s gun from her holster. When he was close enough, Lexie lunged. She grabbed Tony’s weapon with both hands, like she had been taught in the academy, and squeezed as tight as she could to keep the semi-automatic weapon from firing. As long as the slide couldn’t cycle, the gun wouldn’t fire. While holding the gun, Lexie kicked her leg out, landing a blow to Tony’s crotch. She felt a stinging pain in her tender ribs from the sudden movement. The blow gave her just enough of an advantage to force the gun away from her head. She tried to kick him again, but he turned his hip, absorbing the blow in his upper leg.
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