“This is my investigator, JP Torn,” Sabre said. “And Conner’s grandmother, Muriel Roberts.”
“Hi, JP,” Larry said. “Nice to see you again.”
“You two know each other?” Sabre asked.
“We worked together back when we were both rookies at the sheriff’s department,” JP explained.
“Let’s do this,” Benson said abruptly.
Muriel told her account of the events with few interruptions from the DA. When she finished, Benson questioned her mostly about her motives, and Villareal asked about physical details—the campsite location, the area of the shooting, and where she threw the phone. All Muriel could remember about the crime scene was that she stopped in front of a speed-limit sign. The investigator also asked questions about the make and model of the gun. Most of which she couldn’t answer. Muriel described it as a “small gun with a real short barrel.”
Benson cut back in. “Did Conner hide the gun for you?”
“No,” Muriel said indignantly. “He had no idea I put the gun in his room. Even after he found it and came to me.”
“He saw the gun and told you about it?”
“Yes, but I didn’t realize at the time that he had touched it. I had wiped off the gun so it wouldn’t have my fingerprints. I never thought Conner would find it, much less touch it.”
“Did Conner go with you when you went after Bullet?”
“No, I went by myself.”
Sabre was irritated that Benson was trying to implicate her client, but she had known that would happen. She hoped Muriel could stick to her story and not sound like she was waffling.
The DDA switched tactics. “How is your health, Muriel?”
“My health?”
“Are you well?”
“I’m fine.”
“When was the last time you went to the doctor?”
“I don’t know exactly. It’s been years—at least five, maybe six. I don’t get sick much.”
Where was she going with this? Sabre tensed with uncertainty.
“And you have no heart problems?”
“No.”
“Cancer?”
“No. There’s nothing wrong with me.”
“Do you mind if we check your medical records?”
Muriel glanced around, as if looking for answers. Sabre understood her confusion. By now, she realized Benson was searching for a reason Muriel might take the blame for Conner, but Sabre couldn’t help her.
“It’s fine,” Muriel said. “But I don’t really have any records. I don’t think I’ve ever been to the doctor here in San Diego.”
“Did you go to the doctor when Bullet beat you up?”
“No.”
“There’s no medical record of him ever hurting you?”
“No, but plenty of people saw what happened.”
“Including Conner, who has already told the police that,” Sabre said.
Benson asked a couple more questions, then looked at her investigator.
“I’m good,” he said.
“Thank you, Ms. Roberts, for coming in. We’ll be in touch. Please do not leave the jurisdiction.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” Muriel mumbled. She followed Sabre’s lead and stood too. Once they were outside, Muriel asked, “Can I go home now?”
“Yes,” JP said. “I’ll take you.”
“Then what?”
“They’ll investigate and see if your story checks out to their satisfaction,” JP said.
“Will they let Conner go?”
“If they’re satisfied that you killed Bullet, and that Conner didn’t help you,” Sabre said, “then the DDA will file a motion to dismiss the charges against him.”
“Please tell him how sorry I am,” Muriel said with wet eyes.
When they reached the car, Muriel climbed in, and Sabre hoped for a few minutes alone with JP.
“I can pick up Morgan from school,” she said.
“It’s okay. I can get her.” JP turned and got in his truck.
Chapter 58
Sabre woke Saturday morning still wondering what had gone wrong with JP. She checked her phone to make sure she hadn’t missed a call or text from him. There was nothing. She had fought the urge to stop in and see him the night before. She’d thought about going over just to see Morgan, but even though she missed the girl, it was JP she longed to see and talk to. He would’ve known it too. She took a deep breath and decided to put it out of her mind.
She dressed and went for a long run along the bay. The sun was shining, people were picnicking, and crew teams moved gracefully through the water. She did her best to just be in the moment and enjoy the sights, sounds, and smell of the salt water. When her mind found its way back to JP, she forced herself to think about something else. It worked some of the time.
After her run, she took a shower and drove to see Conner. She had to let him know what was happening. She didn’t want him to hear it from Roxy or Muriel first—if they happened to visit.
Conner’s shoulders drooped as he entered the interview room. When he sat down across from Sabre, he slumped in the chair, rather than sitting up straight, as he had the first few times she saw him. The Hall was taking a toll. Sabre hoped her news would help bring him out of his funk, but she knew his grandmother’s involvement would hurt him as well. Nevertheless, it had to be done.
“Conner, we found out who murdered Bullet.”
The boy’s eyes lit up, and he sat up straighter in his seat. Then his shoulders dropped again. “It wasn’t my dad, was it?”
“No, but it was someone close to you.”
His brow creased. “Who?”
“I’m afraid it was your grandmother.” Sabre quickly added. “It was an accident.”
Conner stared at his hands for several seconds, then a pinched, painful expression filled his face, and his eyes overflowed with tears. “But how…why…why would she leave me in here?”
Sabre told him what had happened and did her best to explain how afraid Muriel had been. She also pointed out that his grandmother had thought he wouldn’t get much punishment. Even as she said it, she didn’t expect Conner to understand. She certainly didn’t. But it was his grandmother and he loved her, so the betrayal was personal for him. This was what Sabre hated most about working with children—watching them get their hearts broken by the people they loved and trusted. It never got any easier.
After Conner composed himself, he asked, “Does that mean I’ll get out of here?”
“We have to wait until the DA’s office investigates. Hopefully, they’ll be able to substantiate the evidence and realize you aren’t guilty. If that’s the case, the district attorney will set a hearing. The worst-case scenario is if they don’t believe your grandmother. Then you’ll have to stay here until trial. But we have a good case, and I think we could convince the judge that you’re innocent.” Sabre wanted to give him hope, but she knew how risky it was if the DA decided to prosecute Conner. She had a good defense, but that was no guarantee.
“Did they arrest Grandma?”
“No.”
“Will they?”
“Probably.”
“How long before we know what they’re going to do?”
“We won’t hear anything over the weekend, but I’m hoping they’ll set a hearing on Monday or Tuesday. If they decide not to dismiss your case, we’ll ask for a speedy trial and get into court as soon as we can. You have a constitutional right to that. We haven’t been rushing it, because we didn’t have a good defense up until now.”
“So, how long?”
“Three or four weeks probably.”
Conner gave a heavy sigh. “That’s a long time in here.”
“I know, but for now, let’s hope for the best.” Sabre’s heart ached for this young man, and anger festered against the adults in his life. “I know it may not seem like much from where you’re sitting, but there are a lot of people who care about you, and we’re working hard to get you out. Please try to be stro
ng, if not for yourself, for Morgan. She needs you, and she loves you—as she would put it—to the moon and back. She’s a special little girl, and I know you’ve had to be more of a parent sometimes than a big brother, but don’t give up now. We’re almost there.”
“Is Morgan coming to see me tomorrow?”
“I’ll make sure she gets here.” After she said it, Sabre realized she didn’t really have control over Morgan. But she couldn’t believe, no matter what state of mind JP was in, that he’d deny the girl a visit with her brother. But then, she didn’t really know what was going on with JP these days.
The first thing Sabre did when she left the Hall was call JP. He didn’t answer so she left a message: “I just saw Conner and told him about his grandmother. He took it pretty hard. He asked about seeing Morgan tomorrow at visiting hours. It’s important that he gets to see her, and I’m assuming you’re okay with that. I’ll gladly pick her up and take her. Or if you’d prefer to do it, that’s fine with me. Please let me know how you want to work it. I think they both need the visit.”
Sabre hung up, let out a long breath, and decided that was the last call she would make to him if he didn’t get back to her. She was done. If JP wouldn’t talk to her, she’d call Bob and ask him to ensure that his client got to visit with her brother.
Chapter 59
By five o’clock that night, Sabre still hadn’t heard from JP, so she called Bob.
“Hi, Snookums,” he said. “What’s up?”
“I need you to see that Morgan gets a visit with Conner tomorrow. The session starts at ten-fifteen. Can you do that for me? Morgan will be disappointed if she doesn’t get to see him, and Conner needs the visit as well.”
“You can’t get her there?”
“No, it’s not that. I think JP plans to take her, but I’m not sure because he hasn’t answered my call.”
“What the heck is up with you two?” Bob asked.
“I wish I knew, but he has completely shut down. I’m done trying to get through to him, but I don’t want it to affect Morgan or Conner.”
“I’ll see that Morgan makes the visit.”
~~~
Bob started to call JP, then decided to make a personal visit instead. They’d been friends for a long time, longer than JP and Sabre even. He was the one who’d introduced them, and he knew how happy they had been together. He owed it to both of them to see if he could fix this. Either way, he had to deal with his client, and Morgan was with JP. He stopped at the store and picked up a six-pack of beer on the drive over.
JP and Morgan pulled into the driveway just as Bob arrived.
Morgan jumped out. “Hi, Mr. Clark.”
“Hi, Morgan.”
“We spent the day in Julian. It was fun. I’d never been.”
“Did you eat some apple pie?”
“We sure did. That was almost the best part.”
“What was better than Julian apple pie?”
“The horseback ride. Uncle Johnny took me to the stables, and we got to ride for a couple of hours. It was stupendous.”
“Stupendous, huh?”
“Yeah, that’s the word of the day,” JP said. “What are you doing in this neighborhood?”
Bob lifted the six-pack. “I thought maybe you could use a beer.”
“As a matter-of-fact I could. Come on in.”
Once inside, Morgan went to her room, and JP and Bob sat outside to drink.
“So, what really brings you here?” JP asked.
“Sabre said Conner was looking forward to seeing Morgan tomorrow, and she wanted me to make sure his sister got there. Sabre called and left you a message, but she hadn’t heard back.”
“We had pretty bad reception in Julian, especially on the trail. When I got home, I was going to let her know I hadn’t forgotten about the visit, but then you showed up. Now, you can take care of it.”
“You doing okay?” Bob asked.
“I’m fine. But it’s been a rough couple of days.” JP paused. “This case has gotten to me. I recently discovered I’m an uncle, and then I’m suddenly thrust into a parental role. I see my brother, who hasn’t been around in nearly twenty-five years. I’ve been trying to figure out if I can trust anything he says. Meanwhile, he gets me punched, chased, and shot at. He’s my big brother, and I’m not even sure I like the guy.”
“Yeah, that’s a lot. It might be easier if you had Sabre to help you.”
“She doesn’t need me or my problems. It’s unfair to expect her to stick around this old guy, especially now with Morgan in my care. Sabre needs to find a younger man.”
“What the hell’s the matter with you?” Bob said. “Sabre is crazy about you.”
“I know she’s your best friend and…” JP stopped and shook his head. “Let’s just drop it. Okay? By the way, I don’t think I ever thanked you for taking Morgan’s case. She’s a handful, but she’s awful special. She sure didn’t deserve to be living in that environment. I want to pummel my brother when I think about it sometimes, but the truth is, things seemed to be better over there when he was around. Unfortunately, he isn’t around enough. I’ve been pleasantly surprised at how much he seems to care about his kids, but he can’t keep himself out of prison long enough to raise them.”
“It’s good you’re here for them. If they file on Conner, can you take him too?”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way—unless he doesn’t want to live with me. I don’t know the kid very well, but he’s been good to Morgan. He’s been her protector.”
“Maybe if he lives with you, he’ll get a chance to be a kid for a while.”
“That would be nice.”
“Hey, did Sabre tell you they caught that guy on the kiddie-porn case?”
“No. I wasn’t working on it. What’s it about?”
“Some guy was taking nude photos of his girlfriend’s children and selling them online.”
“What a creep.”
“For sure. But for him, it was all about the money. At least, as far as they know. It wasn’t his first time, and he didn’t intend it to be his last. He’d hook up with women on this online dating site, but only those with children. Then he’d weasel his way into their lives and their homes, and take photos of the kids. He’s a disgusting individual.”
~~~
JP flashed back to the online dating site he’d found on Sabre’s computer, and the situation hit him hard. “Oh no,” he said out loud, emotions flooding over him. Anger and guilt fought for dominance. He stood and started pacing.
“What?” Bob asked.
“Sabre didn’t help catch the guy, did she?”
“I’m afraid so, but I’ve said too much. You two are having enough trouble. I don’t need to add to it.”
“You have to tell me. What did she do?”
When Bob didn’t answer, JP said, “Okay, let me tell you. She signed up for a dating site to see if she could lure the guy in.”
Bob looked wide-eyed at him.
JP went on. “She pretended to have children and made a date with the guy.” He paused. “How am I doing so far?”
“How did you know?”
“How could you let her do that? She could’ve gotten hurt. Not to mention that she was probably interfering with a police investigation.”
“You know how she is. There’s no stopping her when she decides to do something. I went with her, and was there the whole time. I took the photos, and my client, the mother on the case, was able to identify him.”
“Sabre just met him for coffee and that was it?”
“No,” Bob said. “Wait. How did you know they met for coffee?”
JP didn’t answer. “She met him more than once?”
“Yes, but the feds were involved, and they made the arrest as soon as they connected. Bob gave him a look. “How did you know they met for coffee?”
“I was there.”
Chapter 60
JP knocked on Morgan’s door and entered when she invited him in. When Morgan s
aw him, she asked, “What’s wrong?”
“I really dropped my candy in the sand this time.”
“I hope it wasn’t chocolate, because it’s really hard to get sand off of chocolate.”
“Worse. I need to apologize to Sabre. Want to go? Because I’m not leaving you here by yourself, and I really need to make amends.”
“What did you do, Uncle Johnny?”
“I jumped to conclusions and didn’t trust her when I should have.”
“I’ll try to keep a better eye on you,” Morgan said. “Keep you out of trouble.”
“Are you ready?”
“Do you have any flowers, or perfume, or diamond jewelry?”
“No.”
“A stuffed animal, maybe?”
“No.”
“That’s what they always do in the movies, or some other grand gesture.”
“I’m not a grand gesture sort of guy, but I do need to tell her how sorry I am.”
Morgan jumped up. “I can help you. Give me a couple of minutes. I need to do something first.”
“Don’t take too long.”
JP went back to the patio where Bob was waiting. “You can stick around if you want, but I need to go see Sabre.”
Bob stood to leave.
“Thanks for coming by, my friend. You saved my butt this time. I hope it’s not too late.”
“She’ll be glad to see you. She hasn’t been able to figure out what was wrong with you.”
“I’ve been trying to figure that out myself for half a century. Sometimes I get a little hard-headed.”
Just as Bob left, Morgan came out carrying poster boards under her arm. “Let’s go.”
“What’s that?”
“I’ll tell you on the way.”
~~~
JP and Morgan pulled into Sabre’s driveway.
“I hope she’s home,” JP muttered.
“Didn’t you call her?” Morgan asked.
“No, I was afraid she wouldn’t see me.”
Morgan looked over and shook her head. “You really messed up, didn’t you, Uncle Johnny?”
“Yup.”
“You know what you have to do now, right?”
“I don’t know if I can do that.”
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