Beyond A Reasonable Doubt

by Linda S. Prather

  She pulled out her phone again, called a cab, and opened the door. Geno was still stationed in front of the door. “Hey, I’ll be back in a few minutes. No matter what happens, don’t leave this spot, okay?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  Jenna rushed down the stairs, not wanting to wait for the elevator. The cab was out front, and she slipped past Marko, walking out in front of a nurse. If she was lucky, she’d be only a few minutes late. Climbing into the cab’s backseat, she handed the driver the address and said, “Step on it, please.”

  Twenty-five minutes later, he pulled into the driveway and parked in front of the two-story mansion. The lawn was well lit, and she sat for a moment, admiring all that money could buy. Dade’s car wasn’t here yet.

  “That’ll be thirty-seven fifty, miss. Unless you want me to wait for you.”

  Jenna pulled out a fifty and handed it to him before opening the door. “No, thank you. I have someone picking me up, but you can keep the change.” She closed the door and walked with a quick stride toward the front of the mansion. She wasn’t going to lose her nerve.

  Jenna stopped on the porch, eyeing the partially open door. She was pretty sure that the rich and famous didn’t leave their doors open at night. She called out. “Michael? Judge Elkins?”

  She glanced around the building. Dade had told her he’d meet her there, but he was nowhere in sight. The silence was eerie, and a chill ran down her spine. She emitted a small scream as her cell phone shrilled.

  “Damn it,” she muttered, rummaging through her purse. “Hello.”

  “Jenna, where the hell are you?” Jenna recognized the Texan drawl of Jake Savior.

  “I’m at Judge Elkins’s house. Dade isn’t here yet, but something doesn’t feel right. The door is open, and I called out, but no one is answering.”

  “Shit,” Jake muttered. “Is the cab still there?”

  “No, I figured I’d ride back with you.”

  “Jenna, do not go into that house. Get out of there. Walk down to the end of the road. I’m on my way.”

  “All right, but be quick about it. This place is giving me the creeps.”

  Jenna hit the End button and turned off the phone before dropping it back into her purse. She pulled out the small derringer. Harry had told her all she had to do was point and shoot. That was simple enough.

  Lights flashed on the driveway. She turned to see a limo pulling up and wasn’t surprised to see Marcus Dade exit.

  “Miss James. It’s good to see you again.” He glanced at the door and frowned. “Have you been inside?”

  Jenna shook her head. “No, I just got here. Jake’s on his way. I called out, but no one answered. I think something’s wrong.”

  He reached for the gun in her hand. “Why don’t you let me have that?”

  Jenna stepped back. If this was some kind of setup, at least she could get off one shot. Either Marcus Dade or William Elkins was going down with her. “I think I’ll keep it if you don’t mind.”

  He shrugged and pushed the door open. “William said he’d meet us in the library.”

  The two walked through the entryway and down the hall. Light flooded the hallway from one room.

  “Stay behind me,” Marcus said, pulling his own gun from the shoulder holster beneath his jacket.

  He rounded the doorway, gun held in front of him. He stopped just inside the door and holstered his gun. “I think you better call 911.”

  Jenna stepped into the room and surveyed the carnage. “I think it’s a little late for that.”

  Dade knelt next to Michael and felt for a pulse. “He’s gone.”

  Standing, he crossed to the bookshelf, moved a panel, and disconnected a small video camera.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Judge Elkins was my client, Miss James. I’m protecting his privacy.”

  Jenna raised the derringer. “No, you’re not. Leave it where you found it.”

  Dade shrugged and placed the camcorder on the shelf.

  Jenna motioned with the gun. “I think it would be better if we waited in the hallway. I’d hate to see evidence corrupted.”

  Dade smiled at her. “There’s a place for you in my firm if you ever decide you’re tired of working for pennies.”

  Jenna shook her head. “I think I’d rather starve.”

  Dade crossed the room and joined her in the doorway. “That could be arranged.”

  “Jenna?”

  She turned, breathing a sigh of relief as Jake burst through the doorway. “Back here,” she called out.

  Jake eyed Dade suspiciously, took one look inside the library, and ushered everyone outside. “I’m going to call this in. Don’t move.”

  ~ ~ ~

  Jenna stood beside the car, arms crossed over her chest. With Dade’s permission, she’d watched the tape of Michael killing his father and his subsequent heart attack. Neat. Too neat. Also, Dade hadn’t seemed at all surprised by the death of his client. She watched as Jake supervised the removal of the bodies and the gathering of evidence. Dawn was breaking. Another day and still no justice.

  Jake walked over to join her. “There was a package on the desk. Photos, notes, tapes. Mrs. Elkins had been gathering evidence for years and sending it to her best friend for safekeeping. You may have some cases to reopen after we’ve sorted through it all.”

  “They won’t ever let that happen. It would be a judicial nightmare. Every criminal who was ever sentenced by him would scream ‘tampered evidence.’ Dade will see it’s buried somewhere.”

  Jake leaned against the car with her. “That might not be a bad thing. His reign of power is over.”

  Jenna glanced up at his face. “There’s still Dade. I know he had something to do with this.” She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “And there’s Jordan Elkins. I promised him, when the evidence came to light, I’d get him out.”

  “With the evidence we found inside, a good lawyer could make a real case for self-defense. Talk to Clifford Beaumont. If anybody can get his sentence overturned, he can.”

  Jenna felt the first stirrings of hope. Beaumont was going to be a grandfather. He wouldn’t want the father of his grandchild behind bars. “Thanks, Jake. I couldn’t have done this without you and Harry.”

  Jake wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “I’m starved. What say we go for breakfast and then stop by and tell Harry the news?”

  Jenna turned to watch the bodies being loaded into an ambulance. She felt cheated. She’d wanted to try them, send them both to prison. Her gaze fell on Dade, climbing into his black limousine. Sooner or later, she’d find the evidence she needed to take him down. She turned to Jake and smiled. Dawn was breaking. It was time for a new day. “Great idea. I’m starved.”

  EPILOGUE

  Jenna pulled a roast from Harry’s oven. She’d tried to cook that meal for Harry and Jake three times. If things went wrong again, she was never cooking another roast.

  “Touchdown!”

  She smiled at the camaraderie between Jake and Harry as they watched the football play-offs. Another week, and maybe the three of them would be back to normal. She’d been only half teasing when she asked Harry if she could move in with him, but he hadn’t forgotten it. He’d insisted she get settled in and be there when he came home from the hospital. With what little she’d been able to save from the house, settling in had taken less than an hour.

  “Hey, JJ, bring us another beer,” Jake yelled from the living room.

  She opened the fridge, grabbed two beers, and walked to the door between the kitchen and living room. She tossed them to him. “I’m not your maid, Jake. I’m fixing you a delicious meal here. You want anything else, get it yourself.”

  He shot her a hurt look but immediately turned his attention back to the screen. “Fumble? Did you see that, Harry?”

  She laughed and went back to the kitchen. Thanks to the governor, she had one more week off work to get her life settled. He’d sent two seasoned attorneys to run the off
ice and help Grant keep things straight until she returned. Clifford Beaumont was having the debris removed from her home, and if all went well, contractors could start building within a month, not that she was in any hurry to leave Harry’s home. He still needed her, and she was enjoying herself for the first time in a long time.

  She glanced at the invitation pinned to the refrigerator. Jordan had been released, and he and Kamela had set their wedding date. Clifford had insisted they have a proper wedding. Kamela had actually asked Jenna to be her maid of honor. The war was finally over, and everything was looking up.

  The sound of the doorbell broke her reverie. She waited for Jake to get it, but he was still yelling at the TV. He probably hadn’t even heard it. She crossed the room and jerked open the door. Her smile faded as her gaze met the dark-gray eyes of Agent Starks. She’d actually forgotten about him.

  “Miss James, may I come in?”

  Jenna turned and glanced at Harry. “It’s not my house, Agent Starks. Harry?”

  Harry pulled himself up on the couch, reached for the remote, and turned off the TV. “Tell him to come in.”

  Jenna opened the door wider and waved him in, making introductions. “Harry, Jake, this is Agent Starks. I told you about him. Mr. Starks, Harry Redmond and Jake Savior.”

  “May I sit?”

  Jenna nodded, and he took the chair closest to the door.

  She moved toward Harry and sat on the edge of the couch. “I guess you heard about the judge and Michael?”

  Starks nodded but remained silent.

  “So, why are you here?”

  “I thought perhaps there was something I could do for you now. Something you haven’t quite finished.”

  Jenna glanced at Harry. She still wanted Dade, but not enough to lose more people she loved. “I appreciate the offer, but I think everything is fine. Mr. Beaumont was able to get Jordan released on time served, Judge Elkins is dead, and so is Michael. There’s nothing left.”

  Starks laughed, the sound a deep rumbling in his chest. “Forgive me again, Miss James, if I don’t believe you.” He stood and walked to the window and pulled aside the shade. “Are you simply going to let Marcus Dade walk free?”

  Jenna felt her heartbeat quicken, her hands growing moist against her thighs. “I don’t have anything on Dade. He is now and always has been squeaky clean.”

  Starks reached inside his jacket and pulled out a small manila envelope. “No one is ever squeaky clean.” He laid the envelope on the coffee table. “Open it if you’re interested. Simply throw it away if you’re not.” Dropping a business card next to the package, he held out his hand. “Either way, it’s been a pleasure meeting you, Miss James.” He nodded toward Harry and Jake. “Mr. Redmond. Mr. Savior.”

  He walked toward the door.

  “Wait a minute,” Harry said. “What exactly do you have in mind?”

  Starks moved back to the chair. “As I told Miss James at our first meeting, Judge Elkins was just a small fish in a great big lake filled with bigger fish. I’m still fishing, but at the present time, I’m out of bait. Jenna has a unique position. She’s district attorney. Dade likes her.”

  “You want me to be bait for you?” Jenna stood up, picked up the envelope, and stalked from the room. “Forget it. I’ll deal with Dade in my own time and my own way.”

  “So why are you including us in this conversation?” Jake asked.

  Starks stood and once again moved toward the door. “Because should Miss James decide to accept my offer, she’s going to need good people around her, people who care and will watch her back. I can’t think of anyone better than you two.” He pointed at the card lying on the coffee table. “Don’t hesitate to call if there’s anything I can do for you.”

  Jenna heard the door close behind him. Her gaze strayed to the manila envelope she’d tossed on the counter. She should throw it in the trash. Dade was dangerous, possibly the most dangerous man she would ever meet. She should just throw it away, go back to her job, date Harry, and have some fun.

  Her hand seemed to move of its own volition, closer and closer to the envelope, until her fingers closed around it. She ripped open the top and poured out a list of names, dates, and places. Case numbers were written next to several of the names. Even if she hadn’t recognized Ben’s writing, the quote at the end would have tipped her off. “When you look at an abyss, the abyss looks back at you.” Be careful, Jenna, and give him hell.

  Jenna glanced up to find Harry leaning on his crutches in the doorway, with Jake beside him. Harry handed her a cell phone and the card. “We all know you’re not going to let this go, Jenna. You’re too passionate about justice. And that bomber is still out there. Beaumont has guys looking for him, but who knows when Dade will decide to finish what Elkins started? If we’re gonna do it anyway, we might as well have some big guns backing us up.”

  Jenna dialed the number, hit the speaker button, and waited for Starks to answer.

  “Hello.”

  “We’re in. Let’s go fishing.”

  Starks chuckled, his deep voice filling the room. “I was hoping you’d say that. I’ll be in touch.”

  Life was short—much too short to waste a minute of it. Even if they didn’t go after Dade, they would always be in danger. Hitting the End button, she walked over to Harry, wrapped her arms around his neck, and pulled his lips down to hers for a long, searing kiss.

  “Get a room,” Jake muttered before heading back to the living room and turning the game back on.

  Jenna ignored him but pulled back to stare into Harry’s deep, brown eyes, now darkened with passion. She grinned mischievously and ran the tip of her tongue across her lips. “As soon as your leg gets well, I’ll show you something else I’m passionate about.”

  NOTE TO READER

  Thank you for reading Beyond a Reasonable Doubt. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

  Please consider posting a short review as I love to hear from readers and it truly is what makes all this worthwhile to an author.

  I hope you’ll join me on Facebook, Twitter or stop by my blog and sign up for my newsletter. Just want to chat about the characters, story or other books? Feel free to email me at linda@lindasprather.com

  Linda S. Prather