by Robin James
“Mickey,” Sam said. “You were at Sky’s house on Friday morning. You went there at ten in the morning. The proof’s right here. You see that entry? That’s the cell tower on Redmond Road. You were there. You know the county has cameras set up at the Redmond and Whittaker intersections? There’s a Valero at Whittaker.”
“So what?” he said.
Sam pulled out a file. He’d blown up 8x10 grainy security footage photos.
“That’s your car, isn’t it, Mickey?” Sam asked. “That’s you heading west on Redmond at nine fifty-two a.m. Friday morning on the 18th. You went to Sky’s house, didn’t you?”
Mickey was sweating. He licked his lips.
“You know my old man lives over there. You ever think maybe I was going to my dad’s, genius?”
“Were you going to your dad’s?” Sam asked.
No answer from Mickey.
“The property abuts,” Sam said. “But your father’s house is off Whittaker. That’s not the direction you were heading, son.”
“I just drove by Skylar’s,” he said. “I didn’t go in. I was just looking to see if her car was there.”
“He’s lying,” Gus whispered. “Little punk is lying through his teeth. Cell records have him in one location for over an hour. He just put himself at the crime scene.”
“I know,” I answered. “What the heck is he thinking? He’s got to know he’s caught.”
Just then, there was a soft knock at the door. Clancy stood up and answered it. He kept a finger to his lips. A junior detective stood there. He leaned in and whispered something to Sheriff Clancy. Clancy scowled. He took a thin file from the other detective and shut the door.
He slapped the file on the table and opened it for the rest of us to read.
“Fruits of the warrant we served at Mickey’s house,” Clancy said.
I reached for a one-page report. They were lab results. Rapid DNA.
“Get Sam,” I said. “Gus, can you break him off for a minute?”
Gus was already out the door. He poked his head into the interrogation room. Mickey sat with his face buried in his hands. Sam rose, shut the door, then came to join us in the adjoining room.
I handed Sam the report. “You were there?” I asked. “When they served the search warrant?”
“Yeah,” he said. “This mother …”
“Sam,” I said. “Am I seeing what I think I’m seeing?”
“Yeah,” he said. He pulled out his cell phone and showed me a picture. Sam had taken photos of several of the items he’d collected from Mickey Harvey’s house. On screen, he showed me a crumpled yellow tee-shirt. It was stained brown in front.
Kenya came to my side. “What am I looking at?” she asked.
“Probable cause,” I answered.
Sam handed her the report we’d both read.
“We found it in a trash can in Mickey’s garage,” Sam said. “DNA came back. The shirt is covered in Skylar Sutter’s blood.”
10
“Is it true Skylar Sutter was bound and gagged?”
“We’ve heard rumors that there was a word carved into her stomach, can you confirm what that was?”
“We understand Ben Watson was dismembered in a very specific way …”
“There are still many concerns within the community about connections to a drug cartel. What can you tell us as far as that lead?”
A hundred cameras clicked as I stood in front of the bank of microphones with Kenya on one side of me, Sam on the other, and Sheriff Clancy behind us.
“I’m sorry,” I said. “We’re going to do this one at a time. My office won’t be answering any specific questions about the evidence in this case. You have Sheriff Clancy’s statement. Michael “Mickey” Harvey has been charged with several counts of first-degree murder in connection with the killings that took place on the Sutter farm back in May. He’s being held in the Maumee County jail awaiting arraignment. We’d ask that you please continue to respect the family’s privacy. You can imagine it’s been very difficult for them.”
Nikki Sutter sat in the front row with her grandmother at her side. Georgette Sutter wore a navy-blue pantsuit and her hair combed back. Her face was pale. Her hands shook until Nikki took one of them for support.
“Has the toxicology come back?” another reporter shouted.
It had, just a few hours ago.
“We won’t be making a statement on the specifics of the evidence in this case,” I repeated. “I know you all want answers. So do we. Mr. Harvey is scheduled to be arraigned the day after tomorrow. That’s all I can share with you at this time.”
Sam came to the microphone. “Folks, let’s report responsibly on this one. There are a lot of people in town who are friends or family to the Sutters. I understand members of the media have knocked on their doors looking for interviews. I’ve been asked by the family to let you all know they won’t be granting any right now. Please respect that. And once again, if there’s anyone out there who thinks they have information material to this case, please call my office or the crime stopper hotline. That’s all we have for you right now.”
More shouting. More cameras flashing. Georgette crumpled against Nikki. I turned to Sam, but he was already of the same mind. He gestured to a pair of patrol officers to get on either side of Nikki and Grandma George. As we left the podium, they brought the Sutter women through the same private door into the bowels of the City-County Building and away from the hungry reporters.
“Can we get her a glass of water or something?” Nikki shouted with alarm.
I turned. Georgette looked pale and sweaty. Lord, I hoped she wasn’t about to have a heart attack on us.
Sam snapped his fingers. One of the patrolmen disappeared down the hall. He returned a few seconds later with bottled water. We put Nikki and Georgette in chairs right outside of Clancy’s office.
“Do you feel like you’re going to pass out?” I asked Georgette. “Do you want me to call someone?”
“No,” she said. “I’ll be all right. How can they say all of those things? Did they cut up that boy?”
“No,” Sam answered. “Don’t pay any attention to that stuff. They’re just trying to drum up readers and clickbait.”
Georgette sipped her water. Sam also had a soothing effect on her. She put a hand on his shoulder as he leaned down to talk to her. Nikki left her side and came to me.
“Is she okay?” I whispered. “I don’t like her color.”
“She will be,” Nikki said.
“Does she have someone staying with her?” I asked. I knew previous to the killings, Grandma George was living by herself with her husband. Sam had put a pair of deputies in front of her house.
“I’m staying with her,” Nikki said. “She’s also got a zillion nieces and nephews on her side, as well as shirttail Sutters. Everyone’s been pitching in. But she ... she wants me with her over anybody else. There’s a lot to sort out. My brother left his affairs in kind of a mess. He and Lea weren’t married, and he made out his will before Ava was born. He named me in it. I don’t want it all, I swear. Now with Mickey being arrested, I just don’t see how I can go back to Seattle anytime soon.”
“I’m so sorry,” I said.
“They still won’t let my grandma see Kevin’s daughter, Ava,” Nikki said. “That’s her great-grandchild.”
“Nikki,” I said. “This maybe isn’t the right time to talk about this, but do you or your grandmother have your own attorney to help you navigate the civil part of this?”
Nikki answered with a shrug.
“I can give you some names,” I said. “I know some good family law and probate attorneys that are outside the county. That might not be a bad idea considering how everyone knows everyone around here.”
“Thank you,” Nikki said. “That would be really helpful. We all just want the best for Ava.”
“Of course,” I said. Sam had worked his magic, and Georgette looked much calmer. She got to her feet with his help.
“Of course. But it’s okay, Grandma. Cousin Jody’s over there. And Luke said he’d stop by today too,” Nikki said.
Grandma George waved her off. “A bunch of busybodies. And Luke’s got his own trouble to deal with. He lost his whole family out there, Nikki. He’ll just upset your grandpa.”
“Why don’t you let the deputy take you to your car,” Sam suggested. “I think all the reporters have left, but just in case.”
“Thank you,” Nikki said.
“I’m glad they picked you,” Georgette said to me. She reached up and put her hands on my cheeks, taking me a little off guard. “You’ll get ’em. I know you will.”
“I’ll do my very best for your family,” I said.
“Will you come to the house?” she asked, taking her hands away. “I have some questions about what to expect. I talked to that liaison lady, but you’re the one who’s running this show now. You think you could clear some time for me in your schedule?”
“Of course,” I said. “Mickey Harvey’s arraignment is Thursday at eleven. How about I stop by around eight? Is that too early?”
“No, ma’am,” she said. “I’ll put some coffee on. Nikki, you’ll pick up some donuts from Brinkley’s? That’ll be nice.”
“You don’t have to go to that kind of trouble,” I said.
“Want to,” Georgette said. Nikki gave me a look that seemed to show I’d be wasting my time protesting.
“I’ll be there,” I said.
I couldn’t help but chuckle as Georgette smiled up at the two strapping deputies Sam picked to get her safely to her car. As soon as they had her out the door, I turned to Sam.
“She’s a tough old bird,” I said.
“That’s for sure.”
“I’m going to have to tell her about the toxicology report,” I said. “As his sister, Nikki’s Kevin Sutter’s next of kin. He wasn’t married to Ava’s mother, Lea.”
“Yeah,” Sam said. “Kevin’s blood was a pharmacy, Mara.”
I was still working my way through it all, but Kevin Sutter had high levels of oxy, antidepressants, and worst of all, heroin in his system when he died.
“You think they knew he was using?” Sam asked.
“I doubt it,” I said. “I want to talk to Lea Shane though, his ex. Ava’s mother. I have a feeling she knew, and that’s why she was fighting so hard to keep Ava away from him. Sam, we need to know who his dealer was. I don’t want any surprises if this thing goes to trial.”
No sooner had I said it before a surprise started rushing down the hallway.
“You!” A white-haired man pointed an angry finger at Sam, then charged him. A pair of deputies standing near the restroom door saw him coming and got in the middle.
“Sir!” one of them said. “You can’t be down here.”
“What did she say?” the man said. “What did that old bat say to you? Whatever it was, it’s a damn lie. This is a set-up. My boy had nothing to do with killing that girl. You let me see Mickey. You let me see him right now!”
“Mr. Harvey,” Sam said. “Not here. Not now.”
“And you.” The man pointed his finger at me this time. He looked enough like his son, I would have deduced him to be Mickey’s father without Sam’s declaration.
“I know what your office does,” he said. “I’ve been around a long time. You’re Phil Halsey’s puppet. That dirty son of a …”
“Ed!” Sam shouted. “You need to back away from her or I’m gonna have one of these deputies cuff you. Do you hear me?”
“Mickey didn’t kill nobody. You hear me? You set him up. You think the Sutters are the only ones around here with money? You better be ready. I’ll get the best damn defense lawyer you’ve ever seen. I’ll have your badge. And I’ll have her law license before this whole thing is through. And you better believe that’s a threat.”
Then Ed Harvey hurled a racial slur at Sam that made my stomach churn. Sam took it in stride. He fixed a stony, menacing stare at Ed that made him blanch and take a step back.
“Come on,” I said to Sam, putting a hand on his shoulder. “Why don’t you walk me to my car?”
The deputies muscled Ed Harvey down the hall away from us.
“Sam,” I said. His nostrils flared with fury. His fists stayed tightly curled.
“Sam,” I said again, gentler.
Sam muttered something in Spanish under his breath. I recognized but one word and found it wildly appropriate under the circumstances.
“Come on,” I said. “It’s five o’clock. I know Ritter’s got a beer for you somewhere. See if he can scare one up for me as well.”
A twinkle came into Sam’s eyes. “Yeah,” he said. “Now you’re talking.”
I was still a little shaken, but Sam brushed it off as we made it out of the building in search of Detective Ritter and a couple of cold beers.
11
Lea Shane lived with her parents an hour outside of Waynetown. She didn’t want to talk to me. She’d spent the last week and a half doing everything she could to avoid me. But finally, I got a tip she was on her way home after picking her daughter up from preschool. I waited in the driveway.
She was pretty. Hair dyed blue with a nose ring and painted eyebrows with a high arch. She struggled with a large shopping bag as she tried to get a crying Ava Sutter out of her car seat.
“Here,” I said. “Let me help you with that.”
Lea startled. Then recognition dawned. For a second, I expected her to cuss me out. Instead, she dropped her shoulders in resignation and handed me the shopping bag while she pulled Ava into her chest.
“We can talk in the living room,” she said. “For a minute. You can’t be here when my dad gets home.”
I refrained from asking why. A petite blonde woman opened the screen door as she saw us approach.
“Mom,” she said. “This is that lawyer lady. The one dealing with Kevin’s case. Can you get Ava’s lunch?”
Mrs. Shane looked me up and down. She took her granddaughter from Lea and disappeared further in the house with her without so much as a hello. Oh boy. I didn’t have high hopes for a fruitful conversation at this rate.
Lea led me into the living room. Things were tidy inside with floral print furniture and an upright piano against the wall. I took a seat on the nearest couch. Ava sat in a deep leather chair across from me and crossed her legs. She wore skinny jeans and an oversized tee shirt that read “Shane’s Auto Parts.”
“First off,” I said. “I’m sorry for your loss. I know this has all had to come as a shock to you.”
There were already tears in Lea’s eyes. I’d looked into her background some. She was thirty years old. A high school dropout, she’d gotten her GED and worked as a dental hygienist. She had some minor brushes with the law. A shoplifting charge when she was nineteen. She’d crashed her car into a neighbor’s fence and left the scene. But by all accounts, Lea Shane was a smart, hardworking woman.
“I loved him, you know,” she said. “Kevin. He was the love of my life. When he was good, he was great. It’s just, he wasn’t good very often.”
“He was using,” I said. “His sister is his next of kin as the two of you weren’t married, but it’s going to come out if this all goes to trial. Kevin had drugs in his system when he died.”
“I was suing him for full custody of Ava,” she said. “God. He made me so many promises. We’d been off and on again for years. Seven, I think. He was clean when we started dating. I mean, I knew. Even before we got close, I knew Kevin Sutter was a junkie. Everyone did.”
Tears fell down her cheeks. She wiped them away.
“You were in the middle of a custody proceeding,” I said. “I had a chance to look at some of the court filings. You claimed he was using drugs around Ava?”
“Yes,” she sa
id. “One time she left her stuffed giraffe at home when he was taking her for the weekend. I brought it over because she can’t sleep without it. When I walked in Kevin’s house, he was passed out on the couch, completely wasted. Ava was in the other room watching cartoons. That was the last straw.”
“He fought you on it,” she said.
“His whole family fought me on it. When he sold that store to Verde and got all that money, I thought maybe we’d have a chance. But he started pissing that away. He burned through most of it the first year. There was very little left. He accused me of being a gold digger.”
“Lea,” I said. “You know Mickey Harvey’s been arrested for the murders. Did you know him?”
“Of course,” she said. “He grew up on the property next to Kevin’s folks. Where Kevin lives ... lived. He was a creep though, Mickey. Just a loser. He dated a friend of my kid sister’s a while ago. You could talk to her, but I think he abused her too, maybe.”
I ripped a page off my legal pad and handed it to Lea. “Do you think you could write her name down?”
“Do you not have enough? They can prove Mickey did this, right?”
“We’re working on building the strongest case we can if this goes to trial,” I said. “Lea, you knew Kevin better than anyone, maybe. Can you think of any reason Mickey would have killed him too? We have a solid case on Skylar Sutter’s murder. But I just want to make sure I have the fullest picture I can about what happened out there.”
“Look,” she said. “I just don’t have a lot I can say. And I won’t be a part of this. I can’t go through that trial and sit there. It’s just ... I can’t hear about what happened to Kevin. It’s just too much.”
“I’m not sure I’d need to call you as a witness,” I said. “That doesn’t mean Mickey’s defense lawyer won’t for some reason. I don’t have control over that.”
“Kevin hated Mickey,” she blurted. “But you don’t need me to testify to that. It was common knowledge. Their families had this stupid feud. Kevin mentioned there was drama over the fact that his cousin Skylar was dating Mickey. But he didn’t have much to do with the rest of his family besides his grandparents after his cousin C.J. died. That’s the one he ran the store with. His business partner.”