Beyond A Reasonable Doubt

by Linda S. Prather

  The questions fired at her from all sides. She homed in on one: “Was his death a suicide, and if so why did he kill himself? And why was his home blown up?”

  Jenna glanced at Harry, who nodded. “Mr. Redmond and Mr. Savior were the officers that took the call to David’s house,” she said. “They verified his death was a suicide. As to why his home was blown up, the investigators are still out on that. We believe there may have been a gas leak.”

  “That still doesn’t answer the question of why he killed himself right before this case started.”

  The other journalists joined in the melee, firing similar questions.

  Jenna raised her voice to be heard. “David Garcia was my friend. His wife died last year, and David was suffering from terminal cancer. He had only weeks, maybe months to live. The governor informed me yesterday that David had sent in his resignation and asked that I be appointed as the new district attorney. I can only assume that once he resigned as district attorney, he no longer had the desire to live. If you’ll excuse me, I have work to do.”

  She moved forward through the mob, Harry and Jake on each side of her.

  Questions continued to fire at her from all sides, but she answered them all with, “No comment.”

  Harry pushed forward for a word with the guard.

  “Vultures,” Jake mumbled as he pushed their way through the crowd. “Or maybe leeches. They’re all bloodsuckers.”

  Harry joined them, taking her arm again. “Let’s move. The guard is going to close the doors and keep them inside long enough for you to make your escape.”

  They lurched forward two steps ahead of the crowd and passed through the doors just as the guard stepped in front of the doors.

  The three rushed down the steps and headed toward the parking lot at a fast clip. The guard wouldn’t be able to hold them long.

  “I need to check in with the office. We’ll need to start gathering that proof. If I don’t come up with something solid in the next thirty days, Judge White may throw the entire thing out.”

  “Jake, you want to tell her?” Harry asked.

  Jenna glanced from one to the other. “Tell me what?”

  “I’ve got a journalist friend who’s been working on that hospital list. She’s got three nurses willing to come forward and testify.”

  Jenna glanced back at the courthouse doors. “Get me the names. I can get them in and document their testimony through deposition. I’ll have to reveal their names to Dade as soon as I’ve set it up, but hopefully that won’t be a problem.”

  “We’ll keep our fingers crossed that Dade convinces Elkins to confess,” Jake said.

  Jenna shook her head and started walking faster as the first cameraman appeared on the steps.

  “I wouldn’t count on that confession,” Harry said. “Dade has a lot of power, but William Elkins is never going to confess to his wife’s murder—not willingly.”

  “When it comes to the Elkinses, I don’t count on anything,” Jenna said. “And we can’t really count on the confession holding up in court. He confesses, I dismiss the charges against Michael, and then he says he was threatened or coerced into confessing. His confession is thrown out.”

  “Damn,” Jake mumbled. “Can he do that?”

  “I’m afraid so. You can’t threaten, coerce, or promise a defendant anything in exchange for their confession. Technically, all he has to say is he did it to get the charges dismissed against Michael.”

  “And I suppose Dade is aware of this?” Harry asked, opening the door to his cruiser.

  Jenna snorted. “He probably helped develop that law. It benefits his clients much more than my victims.”

  “So, basically what you’re telling us is we need to go to work,” Jake said, climbing into the passenger seat.

  Jenna gave him a mischievous grin before climbing into the backseat. “Now I know why they call you Sherlock. Harry is the good-looking, sexy one, and you’re the brains.” She buckled her seat belt just as the crowd rushed around the corner. “Drop me off at my office. I’ll see you two at home tonight.”

  ~ ~ ~

  Harry glanced at Jake as he pulled away from the curb after dropping Jenna off. “You’re too quiet, Jake. What’s going on inside that head of yours?” He couldn’t quite suppress the grin that spread across his face. “Mr. Brains.”

  “Did you see the look on Michael Elkins’s face when the judge said what would happen if any of the witnesses on that list came to harm?” Jake asked, completely ignoring his taunt.

  Harry shook his head, but his hand tightened around the wheel. “You think they’ve already set those plans in motion?”

  “Yeah, and I think JJ’s on the top of their list.”

  Harry turned toward the police precinct. “I think it’s time we signed out for that vacation.”

  Jake lit a cigarette. “We need to put Beaumont on alert too. If they could take down Jordan and JJ, the rest of the witnesses would fold. Nobody would talk.”

  Harry reached over the visor and tossed Jake his cell phone. “Call them.”

  “Before I do, it might be simpler if we had everybody under the same roof. Think you could talk JJ into moving to Beaumont’s until this is over?”

  Harry shook his head. “Nope. She’s stubborn, and she’s tough. She tried to send Geno and Marko home after we made the arrests. I talked them into staying.”

  “How about Loki? Should we warn her?”

  “Yeah, we’ll stop by the office after we finish at the station. Montgomery isn’t too happy with us right now, anyway. Probably be happy to have us out of there until this thing is over.”

  Jake laughed softly. “Did you see his face when he found out who we had arrested? I thought he was gonna stroke out.”

  Harry pulled into the station lot and parked. “You don’t think he’s dirty, do you?”

  “Nah, he’s just conservative. You don’t arrest a high-profile official unless you’ve got it on tape.”

  Harry opened the door and climbed out. “I have a feeling that before this is over, we’re going to make a lot of enemies, high-profile enemies. Let’s go see if we can get that vacation.”

  CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

  Marcus pulled out his cell phone as he clomped down the back stairs. He’d let Jenna deal with the press for the time being. She’d earned it, and he had bigger problems. He was losing control, and he didn’t like that. Drago couldn’t be allowed to get to show up in a courtroom even if it meant wiping them all out. He dialed the number, stopping on the first landing as the cell rang.

  “Hello.”

  “Where are you?”

  “Good news, boss. I know where the package is. I’m headed out to pick it up right now.”

  Marcus smiled and glanced up and down the stairs. Good news always brightened his day. “How long before you can get here?”

  “A couple of hours. We still doing this tonight?” Gregory asked.

  “No, we’ll have to put it off until tomorrow. We have another problem. Drago is still alive.”

  “I’ll meet you at the office at ten tonight.”

  Marcus hit the End button. He hated loose ends. They prevented functioning at full capacity, leaving a need to constantly look over one’s shoulder. He’d wanted to give Michael Elkins to Jenna as a trophy, a peace offering between the two of them. Michael knew little to nothing about the deals between him and the old man—nothing anyone would believe without the evidence Olivia Elkins had gathered. The missing link to his plans fell into place. He whistled softly as he descended the remaining steps. The judge had denied his request to ten percent of the bond but had agreed to allow him to use the Elkins estate as collateral. Gregory would know how to deal with Drago. Opening the back door, he strolled out into the sunshine. The day was turning out to be a good day after all.

  ~ ~ ~

  Jenna found it hard to concentrate at the office. The press kept calling, and some had even set up vigil outside the office. Picking up her briefcase, she loaded th
e current files into it. With David gone, her workload was going to double if it didn’t triple. Crime didn’t stop or take a vacation. She needed to prep for a domestic violence case in the morning, as well as a pending murder trial by the end of the month.

  Sitting back down, she rubbed her right temple. The headaches were coming far more frequently. She needed to start running again, needed to go back to the gym. The stress of this job had always been tough, but she’d had ways of combating it. If she didn’t get back to that, her own emotional pain plus the stress of the job would pull her under. She picked up the phone and dialed Sarah.

  “Yes, Miss James.”

  “Call Grant Benson and tell him I’d like to see him.”

  “Yes, Miss James.”

  She hung up the phone and pulled the files out of her briefcase. David’s only dissatisfaction with her had been that she tried to do it all. She didn’t know how to delegate—something she needed to learn, and right then was as good a time as any to start. Grant was a good attorney—still young, but then so was she.

  A knock sounded, and he poked his head through the door. “You wanted to see me, Miss James?”

  She waved him in. “First of all, I’ll fire you if you ever call me Miss James again. And, yes, come in and close the door.”

  Grant closed the door and took a seat across from her.

  “How’s your workload?” Jenna asked.

  Grant shrugged. “A few minor things involving a couple of juveniles. Nothing major.”

  Jenna picked up the files and handed him the first case. “Good. There’s a domestic violence case in the morning. Could you handle it for me?”

  He flipped through the file. “Looks pretty straightforward. Sure.”

  She handed him the second file. “We also have the Carson murder trial at the end of the month. If I help you get ready, do you think you could handle that one too?”

  His face lit up. “You bet. I’ll start getting prepared as soon as I clear my desk.”

  Jenna smiled. She liked Grant, and he had a lot of potential. She could only hope she turned out to be half as good a trainer as David had been. Her voice turned serious. “David’s death left a lot of holes, Grant, here”—she waved her hand around the office—“and here.” She pointed to her heart. “It’s going to take me some time to get my bearings and pull things back together. I’ll probably make a lot of mistakes. I hope you’ll be patient with me, work with me, and keep this the best prosecuting office in the state of Texas.”

  “Do I have your permission to tell you when you’re overloading your own calendar and hogging all the good cases?” he teased.

  Jenna laughed. “With the exception of the Elkins case, and I still may need your help there, feel free to ask me for any case that comes through the front door.”

  He stood up and stuck out his hand. “Clerking for you and David has been an honor. Your trusting me with this”—he held up the files—“means more than I can find the words to say. I won’t let you down.”

  Jenna shook his hand. “I know you won’t, and I’m going to say the same thing to you David said to me five years ago. You can’t win them all. Even if every shred of evidence is in your favor, something will slip through the cracks. Don’t take it personally, and don’t ever hesitate to knock on my door if you need help.”

  She watched him virtually rush through the office door, closing it softly behind him. Her lips lifted in a smile as she waited for the “whoop” she expected to hear once he thought he was out of sight and sound. She laughed aloud when it came, remembering her own elation when David had finally trusted her with an important case.

  She glanced at the framed painting of David on the wall. Her picture would eventually replace it. She hoped that would take a long time. She liked the idea of his watching over her, just as he’d done for the past five years.

  CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

  Marcus sighed heavily as he turned onto Main Street and headed out of town. Listening to the old man bitch and gripe was taking all the pleasure out of his earlier good news and was a constant reminder of still-remaining loose ends. “Damn it, William, you’re almost home. Could you shut up for ten minutes?”

  “You let that judge talk to me like I was some common criminal. Me! The lousy son of a bitch. When this is over, I’ll see he gets his, just like all the rest of them.”

  Michael spoke for the first time since Marcus had gotten them released. “We’ve got bigger problems.”

  Marcus glared at him in the rearview mirror. “What are you talking about, Michael?”

  “Why don’t you tell him, Dad? Tell him what you’ve done.”

  “Done what I had to do, that’s what I done. You two gutless bastards weren’t going to do anything to protect me.”

  Marcus pulled to the side of the road, cut the engine, and turned toward the backseat. “What did you do, William?”

  “Took care of that little bitch, that’s what I done. She’ll be dead by nightfall. Her and her boyfriends.”

  Marcus felt the stirring of fear inside his pelvic area, a deep gnawing feeling that caused bile to rise in his throat. “If anything else happens to Jenna James, I’ll come back and kill you myself.” Beaumont didn’t make threats lightly. He’d do it, and Marcus knew his death would be slow and painful.

  He pulled out his cell phone and tossed it in the backseat. “Call it off.”

  Judge Elkins glared at him but ignored the phone. “I can’t reach them, and it’s already done.”

  Marcus felt his jaw set, his hands clench into fists. “What?”

  “For God’s sake, Dad, just tell the man. He’s trying to help you,” Michael said.

  “Planted a bomb underneath her house. It’s set to go off sometime tonight. Won’t be enough left of any of them to even put in a box.”

  Marcus started the car and pulled back onto the highway, his mind turning over options. He didn’t really care about the cops, but Jenna James couldn’t die—at least not yet.

  “Give me my cell phone.” Michael handed it to him, and Marcus dialed as he turned into the Elkins estate. “Change of plans. I’m dropping off the Elkinses. Meet me at the office in an hour.”

  “I’ll be there.”

  Marcus tossed the phone into the passenger seat, pulled up in front of the house, and parked. “Get out.”

  Michael opened his door and leaned in. “Do you still want me to come by the office later?”

  “No. Come by in the morning.”

  He waited only long enough for them to close the back doors before speeding down the driveway. Gregory was going to be a very busy man. First, he had to save Jenna James, and then he had to finish the job he’d messed up several years before. “You’re a dead man, Drago.”

  CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

  Marcus sorted through the photos, notes, and tapes in the package Gregory had just delivered. “Did you go through it?”

  Gregory nodded. “Didn’t take too long. Three tapes and a bunch of pictures and notes. You were only on one tape.” He pulled it from his jacket pocket and handed it to Marcus. “The rest show Elkins taking bribes from criminals he let go.”

  Marcus smiled. “You’re a good man, Gregory. Did you get the gun?”

  Gregory reached inside his pocket and removed the Glock. “Clean as a whistle. Purchased in Michael Elkins’s name.”

  Marcus sat back with a sigh of relief. He could do what he should have done a long time before. What was in the package was evidence beyond a reasonable doubt of Judge Elkins’s corruption and the bribes he’d taken over the years as well as Michael’s little escapade with the prostitute. He’d killed before, so no one would question the fact he’d kill again.

  “Couple of Beaumont’s people still watching the prosecutor. Cops are chasing down the leads on Olivia’s death, and Jordan Elkins is lying low with his girlfriend. You want me to finish this?”

  Marcus tapped the package. He didn’t believe in making trouble where none was warranted. “I don’t think th
at will be necessary. I think I’ve figured out a way to put an end to it all.” He reached into his desk drawer and pulled out a bottle of pills. “I’ll need you to sneak into the Elkins residence tonight and replace Michael’s nitroglycerin with these. We’ll set everything for ten tomorrow night. Right now, I have a more pressing problem. Elkins had someone put a bomb under Jenna James’s house. It’s set to go off sometime tonight. Think you can disarm it?”

  Gregory frowned. “Maybe. Do you know what kind?”

  Marcus reached for a cigar. “No, and the bastard can’t call his guys and call it off. I should have realized a long time ago how inept he was. If we can’t disarm it, we’ll need to find a way to get them out of that house and keep them gone tonight.”

  “I have to find a way around Beaumont’s guys. Give me an hour, and I’ll call you.”

  Gregory picked up the pills for Michael. “So we do this tomorrow night. What about the maid?”

  Marcus thought for a moment. He had no qualms about killing anyone who might be a threat, but the maid might come in handy should they ask questions about Olivia’s package and the beatings. “I’ll call Elkins and tell him I’m stopping by. The maid can take the night off.”

  Gregory slipped the bottle inside his jacket and glanced at the clock. “I’ll get back to you before five. James shouldn’t be home before then anyway. Neither should the cops.”

  ~ ~ ~

  Harry pulled the car into gear and glanced at his partner. “What’s first?”

  “Let’s pay a call to the coroner. He may or may not know he’s on the list.”

  Harry pulled into the stream of traffic. “First vacation I’ve had in two years, and I’m working.”

  Jake laughed. “You think you’ve got problems? Wait until Cara finds out I took my vacation without her. She had plans for Hawaii this year.”