Jenna rose and joined him at the bar. She reached for a glass and picked up a scotch decanter. “Why don’t you call Dade, tell him what I’m doing, and see what he says?”
He turned to her, his jaws slack, eyes piercing. “You know how that will go in court. Dade will tear you apart.”
Jenna walked back to her seat and set her glass down on the table, conscious of the coasters sitting a few inches away. “I don’t give a damn what Dade does, David. For reasons we’re both aware of, I can’t prosecute Michael for the rape, but he killed Ben Andrews or had him killed, and that I’m going to prove… and I’m going to prosecute him for it. I also know he helped his father transport a dead body across state lines. That I’m going to prosecute him for. He tampered with evidence. That son of a bitch is going to jail, with or without your blessing. Now, pick up the phone and call Dade. He’ll either give you his blessing, or he’ll have me killed before the night is over.”
David walked to the phone, picked it up, and dialed a number. “Do you want me to put it on speaker?”
“Yes.”
He hit the speaker button and listened to the rings. It rang five times before an irritated voice answered. “Hello?”
“Mr. Dade, it’s David Garcia. Miss James is here in my home. She has warrants for the arrest of both William Elkins and Michael Elkins.”
“For what?” Dade asked.
“She has an informant that believes William killed his wife and that Michael helped to cover up that murder.”
“I assume Miss James is still there and listening?”
David glanced at Jenna, raised an eyebrow, and shrugged. “Yes.”
“And you have proof of these allegations, Miss James?” Dade asked.
“We have probable cause.”
Dade laughed. “And when do you plan on making these arrests?”
“There are officers standing by now,” she answered.
Jenna heard the sounds of ice clinking and a drink being poured. “And I presume you don’t want me to get them released tonight?”
“You presume right. I believe the officers would like some time to interrogate the suspects.”
Dade laughed again. “David, I have a trial starting in the morning, and I believe we’ll need a special judge for the arraignment. Perhaps you could arrange that, say, for Tuesday morning. Would that be acceptable to you, Miss James?”
“That would be very acceptable, Mr. Dade.” Jenna took a sip of scotch and stood.
“Good, then it’s done. Is there anything else you need, David?”
“No, sir. I’ll take care of the judge first thing in the morning.”
The sound of a dial tone filled the room, and David replaced the receiver. Jenna picked up her purse and moved toward the front door. “I’ll see you tomorrow, David.”
He didn’t answer, and she opened the door, closing it softly behind her. Listening and talking to Dade had taken its toll. She felt sick to her stomach—knowing he knew. Not only knew but had sat and listened to her being raped. She pulled out her cell phone and called Harry.
“Hello?”
“Go get them.”
~ ~ ~
Harry placed his cell phone over the visor and started the car. “That was Jenna, and we’re good to go. You can have the judge, but Michael Elkins is mine.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
Marcus poured another drink and glanced at Gregory. “Thanks to Miss James, we have a little over thirty-six hours to find that evidence and set the stage. The house should be empty except for the maid. Don’t kill her unless you have to.”
Gregory sipped his scotch. “What about James and those two cops? They could be a problem if they connect you to Elkins.”
Marcus smiled and lifted his glass. “They’ve already made that connection, but they don’t have any proof. If all goes as planned, thirty-six hours from now, I won’t have to worry about either of the Elkinses again, and there won’t ever be any evidence of my connection to them. Except as their lawyer, of course.” He downed the bourbon and wiped his lips on his sleeve. “Don’t look so disappointed. I do have a job for you. I believe David Garcia is soft where Miss James is concerned. He needs a little lesson on where his loyalty lies.”
Gregory grinned. “Leg or arm? Or both?”
“I think an arm will be fine. He needs to be able to walk tomorrow.”
~ ~ ~
Harry parked in front of the Elkinses’ house, picked up the arrest warrant for Michael Elkins, and handed Jake the one for William. “Maybe we’ll get lucky and they’ll resist arrest.”
Jake tossed his cigarette out the window. “JJ might be upset if she doesn’t get to take these bastards to trial.” He opened his door and stepped out. “Of course, if there’s nobody else here, who’s gonna know they didn’t resist?”
Harry joined him on the sidewalk. “I’ve got scratches, and you’ve got a busted nose. Looks like the bastards resisted to me.”
Jake shook his head. “I know you want to kill the guy for what he did to JJ, but he had a heart attack recently. We want him alive long enough to enjoy the fruits of being behind bars. He’s cute, remember. Cute guys are always popular.”
Harry’s lips compressed into a tight line. “All right, but I get one punch.”
Jake slapped him on the back. “One punch it is, partner.”
Harry knocked loudly on the front door, which was opened by the maid. Her eyes widened and her hands immediately started fluttering. “Can I help you?”
“We have a warrant for the arrest of William Elkins and Michael Elkins. Where are they?” Harry asked.
The hands fluttered even more wildly. “I do not understand. You’re going to arrest Mr. Elkins?”
Jake gave her his best smile. “That’s the plan, honey. Where is he?”
“The judge is in his study. Mr. Michael is upstairs in the shower.”
Jake tapped Harry on the shoulder. “We’ll do the judge first.” He turned to the maid. “Why don’t you show us where the study is, then you can go get Michael and bring him down.”
“Yes, sir. Please follow me.”
They followed her down the hallway to huge oak doors. She knocked and waited.
“Come in.”
Jake grabbed her arm as she reached for the door. “Go get Michael. We’ll take it from here.”
Harry drew his gun as Jake opened the door and stepped into the room. Elkins glared at them from behind a huge mahogany desk. “What the hell are you doing here? Get out of my house.”
Jake moved slowly. “William Elkins, you’re under arrest for the murder of Olivia Elkins. You have the right to remain silent.”
When Elkins reached for his drawer, Jake drew his gun and pointed it directly at the judge’s chest. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you. I don’t need much of a reason to pull this trigger.”
Elkins let his hand fall away, and Jake grinned. “As I said, you have a right to remain silent. If you give up that right, anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law.” He rounded the desk, holstered his gun, and jerked the judge to his feet. He pulled an arm behind the judge’s back and slapped on a cuff. “You have the right to an attorney.” Grabbing the other arm, he wrenched it around and cuffed it. “If you can’t afford an attorney, one will be appointed to you.” He turned the judge to face him. “Do you understand your rights, sir?”
Elkins spat on him before bellowing, “You’re dead, you son of a bitch.”
Jake wiped off the spittle and glanced at Harry. “I do believe the judge just threatened me, Harry. What do you think?”
Harry leaned against the wall, never taking his eyes from the open door. “Sounded like a threat to me.”
Jake eyed the old man. He wanted to hit him—maybe break a few bones. Instead he smiled maliciously and pulled him in close. “I’ve waited twenty-eight years to get you, so you know what I’m gonna do, Judge? I’m gonna spread the word around the jail that you’re a former judge. Prisoners don’t li
ke judges. With that information making the rounds, even an old ass like yours is gonna see some real action. You’ve spent your whole life fucking people. Let’s see how you like it.” He pushed him toward the door just as Michael Elkins came sauntering through it.
“Don’t worry, Dad, I called Marcus and left a message. He’ll have you out before they even finish the paperwork.”
Harry stepped forward and handed Michael his warrant. “Michael Elkins, you’re under arrest for conspiracy, tampering with evidence, and transporting a dead body across state lines.”
Michael glanced at the warrant. “That little whore put you up to this?” He smiled at Harry. “She’s pretty good in bed, isn’t she?”
Harry’s right fist came up hard and fast, slamming into Michael’s lips and teeth. He grabbed him before he could fall, pulled his arms behind his back, and cuffed him. “You have the right to remain silent. If you give up the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will result in me beating the shit out you.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
“Thank you, sir.” David Garcia hung up the phone, poured a drink, and signed his resignation. The next morning, Jenna would be appointed the new district attorney. He flipped the paper into the fax machine, dialed the number, and pressed the Send button.
He opened his desk drawer and pulled out his 9mm semiautomatic. Suicide was an unforgivable sin, but he was dying anyway. He turned as the front door opened. “Hello, Gregory, I thought you might be coming by.”
“You planning on shooting me, David?”
David smiled. “Not you.”
Gregory closed the door behind him. “Mr. Dade thinks you might be soft where Miss James is concerned.” He walked slowly into the middle of the room. “Are you getting soft, David?”
David picked up his glass. “Would you like a drink?”
“Got any beer?”
“In the refrigerator. Help yourself.”
Gregory walked toward the kitchen, opened the refrigerator, pulled out a beer, and popped the top. “So, how do you want to do this? It’s a big house. Take me a few hours to search it. You willing to wait that long?”
David waved toward the couch. “No need. There’s nothing here to implicate Marcus or you. Have a seat and enjoy your drink.”
Gregory sat down. “Doesn’t have to go down this way, David.”
David walked to the mantel and picked up his wedding picture. “So, what did Marcus send you here to do?”
Gregory laughed. “Break an arm. Figured we’d run you over to the doc, put on a cast, and nobody would be the wiser.”
David sat down opposite him. “There’s only been two women in my life I’d die for.” He handed the picture to Gregory. “Why don’t you keep that? I think Susan would want you to have it.”
Gregory took the picture. “And the other woman?”
David met his gaze across the coffee table. “Jenna James. She’s a good person, Gregory.”
Gregory finished his beer and crushed the can in his hand. “What do you want me to do?”
David handed him an envelope addressed to Marcus Dade. “Watch over her. Make sure she doesn’t get led down the wrong path for the right reasons.”
Gregory grinned. “Life insurance?”
David nodded. “Top notch policy. He touches her, you make sure it gets served on the right people.”
Gregory stood up. “You sure about this, David? There’s new advances in cancer every day. A few weeks, another month, they could find a cure.”
David stood and held out his hand.
Gregory grasped it and pulled him in for a tight embrace. “You were good to Susan. A good husband. And you’ve been a good brother-in-law. I won’t forget you.” He broke the embrace and held up the envelope. “Nor will I forget my promise. As long as I live, Jenna James will be safe. What do you want me to do with the house?”
“Wait until my body’s found, then burn it to the ground. It’s the only way Dade will believe there wasn’t anything left behind.” David picked up the gun and walked to the center of the room. “Goodbye, Gregory.”
Gregory walked toward him. “I can’t let you kill yourself, David.”
David frowned. “What do you mean, Gregory?”
“My sister went to heaven. If you kill yourself, you can’t join her there.” Gregory grabbed the hand holding the gun and in one swift motion, pulled it to the side of David’s head and pulled the trigger. “Goodbye, David.”
Gregory let go of the hand, allowing David’s body to fall naturally as it would have if he’d actually pulled the trigger himself. He quickly washed the blood from his hands and placed the wedding picture back on the mantel before dialing Dade’s number.
“Good news?”
“Afraid not, boss. Bastard offed himself.”
“That could be troublesome. I hope you tied up any loose ends.”
Gregory glanced around the room, his gaze falling on the empty beer can. “Be better if the police verified it as suicide first. Give me a half hour to rig the place, and then have someone call it in.”
Marcus chuckled. “Sounds like a perfect job for Savior and Redmond. Give them just enough time to check the body.”
~ ~ ~
Jenna settled back into the plush leather of the limo Clifford Beaumont had sent for her. She was itching to get started on the indictment and putting together the list of names of all the people that needed protection. Dade would ask for bail, and the judge would grant it. They needed to be ready before that happened.
She sighed and looked out the window. None of this would have been possible without Clifford Beaumont’s intervention and help. She’d promised Harry and Jake she’d meet them at Beaumont’s. At least she’d get a chance to see Jordan again and give him the good news. It might be the last fun night she had for a long time. Tomorrow, she was going to do her best to convince David to testify against Dade.
The limo stopped, and the driver quickly came around to open her door. “Enjoy your evening, ma’am.”
“Thank you,” Jenna answered with a smile. “I don’t think I’ll need a ride back. I have some friends who should be joining us.”
She knocked on the door, which was opened by the same maid who had let her in a week before although it seemed as if years had passed. “Ah, Miss James, they are expecting you. Please follow me.”
Jenna followed her through the front room and wished she had a moment just to amble around and touch things. Beaumont might have once been a dock worker, but his taste in art and furniture was now impeccable. Her gaze fell on the piano in the corner. “Is that a Steinway?”
The maid stopped for a moment. “Yes, of course. It was a gift for Miss Kamela although I don’t believe she truly likes to play. Mr. Beaumont uses it more than she does. Please, follow me.”
Jenna tore her gaze from the beautiful instrument, her mind trying to reconcile the huge hands she remembered with someone being able to play such a delicate instrument. “I’d love to hear him some time.”
The maid gave her a smile. “You must simply ask.”
They continued through the room and out the patio doors to the pool. Jenna took in the scene and laughed. The day so far had been full of surprises, and that was no different. Beaumont was manning a huge grill filled with steaks, his chef’s hat leaning to one side while Kamela hovered close to Jordan’s side. Tom, or Drago as he’d called himself, was chopping up vegetables with a little more gusto than she felt was probably necessary.
Kamela caught sight of her first. “Jenna!” She rushed forward, pulling her into a bear hug. “Are you okay? Look, Jordan is here.”
Jenna extricated herself carefully but still found her hand grabbed.
Kamela pulled her forward. “Jenna is here.”
Clifford Beaumont pushed up his hat and raised a pronged fork in greeting. “Make yourself at home. Where’s Harry and Jake?”
“They got a call right before we were supposed to leave. They promised to join us as soon as they finish
ed there.”
Jenna allowed Kamela to pull her to the recliner where Jordan sat, propped up with pillows. His face was still unnaturally pale, and he’d lost a lot of weight. “Hey, partner. Grab a seat.”
She glanced to where Tom was still cutting vegetables. “Maybe I should help.”
Kamela pulled up a chair. “You sit. I’ll help Tom finish the salad. Jordan is dying to talk to you.”
Jenna sat and turned her attention to Jordan. “When did this happen?”
He smiled. “Last night. He said it was easier to have all his worries under one roof.”
“I’m glad. I was worried about you.”
Jordan searched her face, his eyes darkening. “Clifford told me what Michael did to you, Jenna. I’m sorry.”
“You warned me. We arrested them this morning for your mother’s murder. I have them where I want them; now, I just have to get the information to keep them there.” She smiled at him. “At least it will be easier now, knowing I don’t have to worry about you getting into trouble.”
He laughed weakly. “I’m afraid I haven’t been able to cause much trouble even without the handcuffs.”
Jenna glanced around at the group again and frowned, something niggling at the back of her mind. “There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you. Who was driving the van in Atlanta?”
“Someone you’ve met but who prefers to stay anonymous.”
Jenna searched his face. “Like a huge black man?”
Jordan shrugged. “Maybe.”
Jenna continued to search his face as she digested the information. It made sense. Agent Starks had known that Michael had called Simms and Treadmore. He must have been watching them and followed them to Atlanta. But how had he hooked up with Drago?
Clifford joined them, placing a hand on Jenna’s shoulder and interrupting her thoughts. “We lost the pilot.”
“When?”
Clifford pulled out a news article and handed it to her.
Jenna read the article quickly. A single-engine plane had crashed the day before in Montana, killing the pilot. “Is this the pilot he used to fly Olivia Elkins’s body back to Texas?”
Beyond A Reasonable Doubt Page 15