Chapter 27
The next morning, it had warmed up considerably as a strong wind was blowing from the south. After breakfast, Stan called Agent Rutledge and asked her if he could see her later in the day. She said she had something to do in the morning, but if he came in around noon, they could talk. He left his 11:00 a.m. class a little early and drove downtown to FBI headquarters. He was clutching his evidence bag when he walked into her office.
Agent Rutledge’s eyes narrowed. “What happened to your face?”
“That’s why I’m here. Some guy has been hanging around Melissa Thornton, and I was trying to figure out what he’s up to. He didn’t like it much.”
Agent Rutledge came over to Stan and carefully examined the lacerations to his face. She shook her head. “Stan, when are you going to learn to leave law enforcement to the professionals? You should have told me about this guy and let us interrogate him.”
Stan shrugged.
“What do you have there?” she asked.
“A beer bottle. There are some fingerprints of the guy on it. His name is Vincente. You may want to run them.”
“What do you think he wanted with Melissa?”
“I’m not sure. He’s either blackmailing her, threatening bodily harm if she doesn’t cut him in on her two-and-a-half-million-dollar life insurance settlement she’s about to get, or she’s paying him off for something.”
“Did you say two-and-a-half million?” Rutledge asked.
“That’s what I’ve been told.”
“Why would she be paying him off?”
“I don’t know, but this guy is a tough hombre, and since he tried to kill me when he found out I’d taken his beer bottle, he’s obviously got something to hide.”
Agent Rutledge took the lunch sack and peered inside. “Okay. It will take a couple of days to run the prints.”
“That’s fine. I’m just worried about Melissa. I’d hate for you to find her dead in a ditch somewhere after she collects the insurance.”
“If this Vincente guy turns out to be as bad as you say, I’ll see if we can figure out a good reason to bring him in. Would you press charges if we decided that was the way to go?”
“Sure.”
“If we have some time, perhaps we can tie him into Silver Springs Ventures.”
“Maybe. I don’t know what he’s into, but whatever it is, I doubt it’s legal.”
“Where did the altercation happen?” she asked.
“In Plano, at El Chicos.”
“Alright. I’ll contact the Collin County District Attorney’s office and see if they’ll help us out.”
Stan thanked Agent Rutledge and then went over to his office at Cosmopolitan Life a few blocks away. He had a few applications to turn in, and he wanted to talk to a friend in the claims department about Melissa’s insurance claim. His friend’s name was Adam Clarkson.
“I don’t know how Provincial Life does it, but we wouldn’t pay out that much on a murder victim without an extensive investigation,” Adam advised.
“Who would you hire to make such an investigation?” Stan asked.
“We use Sentry Investigations. They’re expensive, but they’re good. They’ve saved us millions.”
“I wonder if Provincial hired them for this claim.”
“There’s one way to find out,” Adam said. “I can call the Claims Representative on the case and ask him.”
“Really?”
“Sure. I’ll tell him we’ve got a policy on the claimant and wondered if they’d found anything negative in their investigation. We share information like that once in a while. It’s to everyone’s best interest.”
“Great. That would be very helpful.”
Stan waited impatiently while Adam made the call. He didn’t know why he was so anxious about Vincente, but then he realized he was scared. Post-traumatic stress from being nearly killed by the asshole the night before, he guessed.
There was something else bothering him though. He felt like he’d lost something, but he couldn’t put a finger on it for a while. Then he realized he’d lost Kristina. Now she’d be caught up in the whirlwind of politics, and she’d be out of his life. He hadn’t thought about that when he was pushing her into the state representative race. Now, he almost regretted doing it, but knew in his heart it was the best thing for everybody. Had she not been elected, eventually he might have given in to his feelings for her and ruined both of their lives. Finally, Adam got off the phone.
“Yes, they’ve got an investigation underway,” Adam informed him. “They are expecting to wrap it up this week and send a report to Provincial on Monday.”
“Hmm. Anything negative in the report?”
“No, apparently not.”
“Did they give you the name of the investigator?’
“Yes, Larry Johnston. I’ve got his number if you want to talk to him. They can’t give you any information on the investigation, but if you have some reason why Mrs. Thornton shouldn’t be paid, they’d like to hear it.”
“Well, I wouldn’t want to torpedo her insurance settlement unless there is a compelling reason.”
“Suit yourself, but she’ll probably have a check by the end of next week unless something comes up.”
“Thanks, Adam. I appreciate your help.”
From his office, Stan went back to SMU to study the rest of the day, also in hopes of running into Paula. He needed someone to talk to and someone to brainstorm with about Melissa. He found Paula in a study cubicle on the second floor.
“Hey, there you are,” he said.
“Stan, hi. Congratulations on the election!”
“Thanks. What a night, huh?”
“Yeah. Kristina must have been happy.”
“She was, definitely. So, what are you studying?”
“Criminal appeals,” Paula responded blandly.
“Got a minute to talk about Melissa Thornton?”
“Yeah. What’s up with her?”
Stan told her about his encounter with Vincente and his suspicions that he was hanging around to get a cut of her insurance money.
“Have you looked into her family to see if there is someone who might have been kidnapped? Does she have children?”
“I’m sure she does, but they’d be grown. . . .Wait a minute! She took out a life insurance policy, $500,000, and made her daughter Amanda the beneficiary. I think that was her name. I thought it was a bit unusual at the time that she’d be thinking about life insurance when the FBI was all over them.”
“She must have known her life was in danger and wanted to be sure she’d be provided for.”
“Right. She promised Amanda she’d help her through medical school, and I guess she wasn’t sure she’d be alive to do it.”
“Okay. You should make sure Amanda is okay,” Paula suggested. “It’s too bad Melissa won’t level with you. It’s hard to help someone if they won’t tell you what’s going on.”
“I talked to Agent Rutledge this morning. I’m hoping she’ll talk to her. Maybe she can learn more about Vincente and what he’s up to.”
“Good. I don’t know what else you could do,” Paula said.
“How are you and Professor Hertel getting along?”
“Oh, that’s over,” Paula replied sadly.
“What happened?”
“The Dean found out he took me to Mexico and had a fit. He threatened to fire him if we didn’t break it off. Apparently, when our dear professor took this job, he promised to keep his hands off the students. I guess his reputation preceded him.”
Stan laughed. “What a shame.”
“Anyway. I was starting to tire of him. These older men can’t always perform all that well in bed. I need to stick with younger men,” she noted, slowly licking her lips.
Stan felt uneasy. He stood up. “Uh, well, thanks, Paula. I’ve got to get home. You were a big help, as always.”
“Sure. Anytime you want to study together, we can. We don’t
have to do it here. We can study at my apartment where we have more privacy.”
“Yeah. I’ll keep that in mind. Take care.”
Stan turned, and with some ambivalence, walked away. As he was walking down the stairs, he fantasized about studying with Paula at her apartment, but each time he ran the daydream through his mind, they ended up in bed. Not a bad outcome for a daydream, but a disaster in real life.
Before he left the building, he stopped at a phone booth and called Agent Rutledge. “Sorry to bother you again, but I just remembered Melissa Thornton has a daughter at A&M. Vincente may have kidnapped her, and the life insurance proceeds could be the ransom. It’s just a thought. Hopefully it’s a false alarm, but it probably wouldn’t hurt to check it out.”
“We’ll do that. Actually, I’m glad you called. We picked up Vincente and are holding him for the Collin County District Attorney’s office. Apparently, you already filed a complaint for assault and battery?”
“Right. Officer Jenkins filed that for me, I think.”
“Good. Hopefully we’ll get the results back on his prints, and then we’ll be able to identify him.”
“Thank you.”
“If you’re not busy, you may want to come down here. We’ve picked up Melissa Thornton, too, as a witness since she’s been seen with Vincente.”
“You may want to question Vincente’s girlfriend too,” Stan suggested. “She works at El Chico. He may have told her something. Her name’s Linda.”
“Good idea. I’ll get someone on it.”
“Okay. I’ll be at your office in thirty minutes.”
“Alright. See you then.”
Stan was greatly relieved that Vincente had been picked up since he knew from experience that Vincente was capable of anything. When he got to FBI headquarters, he was escorted to an interrogation viewing room. Agent Adams had just read him his rights.
“So, what’s your full name?”
“Everyone calls me Vincente.”
“I know that much. What’s your last name?”
“Like I said, everyone calls me Vincente.”
“Al right, have it your way. Where are you from, Vincente?”
“I don’t have to answer your questions, right?”
“No, not if you think it might incriminate you. Are you worried about that?”
“I did nothing.”
“So talk to me then. Where are you from?”
“Mexico City, but I live in San Diego.”
“Are you legal?”
“Yes. I have a green card.”
“What do you do for a living?”
He shrugged. “Odds and ends.”
“What kind of odds and ends?”
“Just odds and ends.”
Agent Adams sighed. “Okay, and what brings you to north Texas?”
“I’m visiting a friend.”
“Melissa Thornton?”
“Yes.”
“How do you two know each other?”
“A mutual friend put us together.”
“Why?”
“She needed money, and I make loans from time to time.”
“How much did you lend her?”
“About $200,000.”
Warren’s eyes narrowed. “So, you’re here to collect your money?”
“Yes. She said she’d have it the next week or two, so I decided to hang around and make sure she didn’t disappear without paying me.”
“How much does she owe you?”
“Is that important?”
“It could be. The maximum interest rate you can charge in Texas is 10 percent, unless you have a license to charge more.”
He shrugged. “I’m not charging interest.”
“Who’s the mutual friend that referred you to Melissa?”
“I don’t remember. I get referrals all the time. I don’t bother to keep track of them.”
“What did Melissa do with the $200,000 you gave her?”
“That’s none of my business.”
“True, but didn’t she tell you why she needed the money?”
“Something about a foreclosure and money for a lawyer.”
“Do you know Carlos Morales?”
“No.”
“He wasn’t the one who referred you to Melissa, was he?”
“Like I said, I don’t know who referred her.”
“What about Tony Rubio?”
Vincente shook his head. “No, I don’t know him.”
Agent Adams got up. “Okay. Give me a minute,” he said, leaving the room to confer with Agent Rutledge. He went over to Stan and Agent Rutledge and shook his head. “He’s not going to tell us a whole lot,” Agent Adams conceded.
“Well, Melissa did need money,” Stan noted. “I suppose she could have borrowed it, but it would be pretty stupid to borrow it from a loan shark unless you were pretty sure you were going to collect on the insurance.”
“So, you think Melissa knew her husband was going to die?”
Stan took a deep breath. “As much as I hate to suggest it, it kind of looks that way. Did you check on her daughter?”
“Yes. She’s okay—nobody has threatened her or anything.”
“I was afraid of that. It’s possible Melissa may have set this whole thing up.”
“You think so?” Agent Rutledge asked. “Why do you say that?”
“Well, think about it. She was on top of the world—big houses, expensive cars, lots of parties, the country club, and dabbling in politics. Then her husband’s business fails, and she’s devastated. Brad loves her and can’t stand to see her so unhappy. She talks about divorce. In desperation, Brad contacts his old buddy from college, Tony Rubio, and asks for help. Rubio needs money laundered, so he tells Brad that if he can come up with something, maybe they can help each other out.”
“A plausible theory,” Agent Adams agreed. “Go on.”
“Okay, so things turn around. Her life is back to normal. She’s happy, and then you guys start your investigation and her life turns to crap again. This time, however, money won’t fix her problems. Brad could go to jail, and she’s in danger of being indicted as well. When she voices her concerns about this, Carlos assures her they have been very careful and the feds won’t be able to make a case. They won’t be able to find a connection between Rubio and her husband.
“She knows that’s not true–there is one person who can link Rubio to Brad, and that’s Rob Shepard. Rob knows about Brad’s relationship with Rubio in college, and when the feds interrogate Rob, she’s petrified he’ll cut a deal and turn against them.”
“You think Melissa hired someone to kill Rob and his family?” Adams asked.
Stan shrugged. “It’s the only thing that makes since. If you remember, someone pulled $50,000 in cash out of one of Silver Springs Ventures accounts just before you froze it. I think she paid the two guys you have in custody to kill Rob and Cindy. They had to kill Cindy because she knew everything Rob knew. I’m not sure if they intended to kill the entire family or if that was something done impromptu in the heat of the moment. It kind of looks like the babysitter had left and then came back and surprised them. I’m not sure exactly how it went down, but they made it to look like a murder-suicide, hoping to conceal the truth.
“Again, everything seemed to be under control until I came into the picture and started nosing around. Melissa couldn’t let me stir things up again, so she invited me to her home on the pretext of buying an insurance policy. In reality, she’d hired the same two goons who slaughtered the Shepards to kidnap me.”
“But she was kidnapped too,” Agent Rutledge reminded him.
“She wanted it to appear that way. She needed to be a victim too. Her plan was for me to die but for her to escape. She wanted it to look like Brad or Morales was trying to kill her so she’d have an easier time cutting a deal with you guys.”
“Right,” Adams agreed.
“But her plan wasn’t totally frustrated when you guys rescued us. It’s not a complete c
atastrophe because she still looks like a victim and is able to cut a deal. Now her problem is with Brad. If he comes home and discovers she’s betrayed him, he might figure out what she’s done. She can’t let that happen, so she figures out how to kill two birds with one stone, so to speak. She convinces me to rescue Brad and then hires someone to kill both of us when we return from Mexico.”
“You think Vincente is the assassin?” Agent Rutledge asked.
“He or someone he hired to do it.”
Agent Rutledge and Agent Adams looked at each other for a long moment.
“That’s a pretty complex scenario,” Agent Adams noted. “I’m not saying I don’t like it, but I’d hate to have to prove it in court. Maybe I can convince Vincente that Melissa has turned on him—blamed everything on him.”
Just then, another agent walked up with a folder. “Here’s your fingerprint ID,” he said and handed him the folder.
Agent Adams opened the folder. “Okay. Our man in Vincente Perez from Mexico City. He’s reportedly a contract hit man. Reports are he’s responsible for dozen or more assassinations, but he apparently covers his tracks pretty well, as he’s never been charged with any of them. Seven of the assassinations took place in Southern California, the rest in Mexico.”
“So, Southern California is his territory. That’s why he got the call,” Agent Adams reasoned.
“Right,” Stan agreed. “And I think you’ll eventually discover that Vincente and the two guys you have locked up are connected. He’s probably the one paying for their lawyer.”
“Okay. I’ll tell Melissa that Vincente has given her up and see what she says. Hopefully one of them will be shaken enough to slip up.”
“Neither one of them will be easy to crack,” Stan worried. “I hope they don’t lawyer up on you.”
“We’ve had a little experience at this, Stan. Just watch and learn.”
Stan smiled. “That works for me.”
Agent Adams went back into the interview room with Vincente’s file in his hand. Vincente eyed him warily. He opened the file.
“Vincente Perez of Mexico City,” he stated casually. “Let’s see… a contract killer for hire. How do you get into that kind of business anyway?”
Vincente swallowed hard. “I’ve never killed anybody.”
“Well, I’m not so sure about that, but I will admit nobody’s been able to prove it—until now.”
Vincente’s eyes narrowed. “What are you talking about? You have nothing on me,” he spat.
“I don’t know. Mrs. Thornton claims she hired you to kill her husband,” Agent Adams lied. “What do you say about that?”
“I say you’re lying. I didn’t kill anyone, and I know she wouldn’t accuse me of something like that.”
“So, what’s your relationship then?”
“Just a friend.”
“How long have you known her?”
“Several years. We met on a fishing trip.”
“Really? Where?”
“In San Diego. Hurricane Charters. Check it out.”
“I will. So, have you got together since the fishing trip?”
“No. We talk by phone from time to time.”
Vincente twisted in his chair and looked away. “I loaned her money. That’s it.”
“That’s not what she says. She says you’re the man to call in Southern California if you need someone knocked off. Your file would seem to suggest that’s true.”
He shook his head but said nothing.
“Why would she call you for money? Do you work at a frickin’ bank?”
“No. I have my own resources.”
“You mean the fees you get paid for assassinating people?”
“No. I have other business interests.”
“Like what.”
“My business interests have nothing to do with this case.”
“Okay. Who referred her to you? Was it Pablo or Manuel?”
“Who?” Vincente asked with no hint of recognition.
“Pablo or Manuel. You remember them. Aren’t you all in the same business—contract killers?”
“I’m not a contract killer, and I don’t know these men.”
“Why did you hire them a lawyer then?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I didn’t hire any lawyers,”
“I think you’re lying. I think you know each other very well.”
He shook his head. “No. You’re wrong. I don’t know them.”
“Well, it doesn’t matter. Who do you think a jury will believe, an admitted loan shark hanging around to take money from a grieving widow or a pillar of the community like Melissa Thornton?”
Vincente thought about that a moment before he replied. “She has much more to gain from her husband’s death than I do.”
“Really? How’s that?”
“You must know about the insurance money she’s about to get.”
“I heard something about that. Two-and-a-half million, right?”
He nodded. “That’s why I’m hanging around—to be sure I get paid.”
“How much does she owe you?”
“She owes me $500,000. That’s what she agreed to pay me.”
“To kill her husband?”
“No. Principal and interest on the loan.”
“So, $200,000 principal and $300,000 interest?”
“No!”
“Oh, I’m sorry. Was it $200,000 principal and $300,000 to kill her husband and Stan Turner?”
“No. It was a $300,000 bonus.”
“Oh! A bonus. I see. Why would she pay you a bonus?”
“It was a risky investment. I declined the request at first until she offered me the bonus.”
“Come on!,” Agent Adams spat. “Give me a break! It was either interest or hit money. What was it?”
“A bonus.”
“A bonus if her husband ended up dead?”
Vincente shook his head in utter frustration. “There’s no use talking to you. You’re just trying to twist my words. I’ve said enough. I want a lawyer.”
“You sure? You get a lawyer and the US Attorney’s not going to offer you a deal.”
“What deal? You haven’t offered me anything.”
“Oh, I didn’t tell you. I’m sorry....Well, if you’ll level with us and confirm that Mrs. Thornton hired you to kill her husband and Stan Turner, then he won’t ask for the death penalty and will recommend leniency to the judge. You’d serve your time in a federal penitentiary and could be out in twenty years with good behavior.”
“No guarantees, though, right?” Vincente noted.
“No, but whatever you get will be much better than what you’ll be facing if you don’t cooperate.”
Vincente shook his head. “Twenty years is a long time.”
“True, but life in federal prison isn’t so bad—a lot better than if we send you back to California and you end up on death row in San Quentin. You’ve heard of San Quentin, haven’t you? They execute inmates in a gas chamber there.”
Vincente rubbed his chin nervously. Warren got up. “Think about it for a minute while I go see how my partner is doing with Mrs. Thornton. Of course, if she confesses on her own, the offer is off the table, and San Quentin it is, Vincente.”
“Your offer isn’t worth crap!” Vincente spat. “Have you even talked to the US Attorney?”
Adams ignored the question and left the room. He smiled at Stan and Agent Rutledge looking rather pleased with himself.
“So, did I shake him up or what?”
“Yes. He looks pretty pissed,” Stan noted.
“We’ll let him stew a while Ruth visits with Mrs. Thornton.”
Stan nodded and followed Agent Rutledge over to the other interrogation room. She opened the door and entered. Melissa Thornton smiled at her, unsuspecting of what was about to happen to her.
“Hi, Melissa. How have you been?” Agent Rutledge asked warmly.
“Okay, considering everything,” Melissa replied wi
th a sigh.
“Well, like I told you on the phone, we picked up your friend Vincente Perez. He tried to kill Stan Turner with a tire iron over at El Chico’s the other night.”
Melissa frowned. “Yes, that’s so terrible. I don’t know what got into him.”
“I have advised you of your rights in the past. Do you remember what I told you?”
“Yes, I have the right to an attorney, etc., etc… but this isn’t about me, is it?”
“I don’t know. You tell me. Why has Vincente been hanging around Plano? He doesn’t live here, does he?”
“No. He’s concerned about me—wants to make sure I’m alright. You know how friends can get overprotective.”
“Is he a relative?”
“No. Just a friend.”
“Where does he live?”
“In San Diego. We met him on a fishing charter a few years back.”
“Just a casual acquaintance then?”
“Well, we’ve kept in touch.”
“How well do you know him? Did you know he is a known contract killer?”
“What? That’s nonsense. That couldn’t be true.”
“What do you think he does for a living then?”
“I truly don’t know. He did loan me some money, but it was his own personal funds, I’m sure.”
“Yes, he mentioned that. What were the terms of the loan?”
“When I collect the insurance proceeds on Brad, I’m to pay him $500,000.”
“Is that how much he loaned you?”
“Well, no, but I was desperate, you know. Nobody would loan me any money, so I had to offer him a premium. I had to get the money or I would have lost all our real estate.”
“You mean your home here in Texas and the Maui property?”
“Right. Plus, there were lawyers’ fees and monthly expenses that were way behind.”
Agent Rutledge gave Melissa a hard look. “Unfortunately, your stories don’t match,” she noted.
“What? Don’t match? What do you mean?”
“Mr. Perez says part of the $500,000 is his fee for killing your husband,” Agent Rutledge lied.
“What? That bastard. That’s absurd. He didn’t say that, did he?”
“What made you think he’d have that kind of money to lend?” Agent Rutledge asked.
“He mentioned to us—Brad and me—that he makes loans from time to time. He’s a very successful businessman.”
“Come on, Melissa! Give me a break. This guy is a professional hit man from Southern California. We’ve got his file. He’s no longtime friend. Someone referred you to him—was it Rubicardo or his amigo Pablo?”
“No! He lent me money. That’s the truth, and that’s all!” Melissa assured her.
“Well, I don’t know what to tell you, but Vincente claims you hired him, and you know what that means, don’t you?”
“It means he’s lying. He must be trying to get you to offer him some kind of deal. You’ve got to believe me.”
“I’d like to, but what he says makes a lot of sense. At any rate, until we can sort this out, I’m going to have to advise the insurance company of the accusation.”
Melissa’s eyes widened. “No! You can’t do that. I need that money,” she replied desperately.
“Why? What happens to you if you don’t pay Vincente?”
Melissa looked horror stricken. Tears welled in her eyes. “No, please don’t do this. Don’t contact the insurance company. They promised I’d have the money next week.”
“I don’t have a choice. The accusation has been made, so I have to contact them and tell them what I know.”
“No! He’ll kill Amanda.”
“Who? Vincente?”
“Yes. If I don’t pay him, my daughter is dead.”
“Then perhaps you should level with us. We can protect your daughter from him.”
Melissa slumped in her chair, the color drained from her face.
“If you tell us the truth, I promise you he’ll go to jail for the rest of his life, and neither you nor your daughter will have to worry about him ever again,” Agent Rutledge promised.
Tears began streaming down Melissa’s cheeks. Agent Rutledge gave her a tissue. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. When she opened them, anger had overtaken her. “Turner’s behind this, isn’t he? Is he out there watching?” She gestured toward the window with her middle finger.
“You can’t blame Stan for what you’ve done. He had nothing to do with it.”
“He was so worried about clearing Rob’s name. Rob was no saint. He should have left it alone.”
“So, when did you make the decision to kill Brad?” Agent Rutledge asked. “Was it after you had the Shepards killed?”
Melissa began sobbing again. “Oh, God! I can’t believe this is happening!” Agent Rutledge handed her another tissue. “I had no choice. I knew Rob pretty well. He’d cut a deal in a second if it would save his own ass.”
“So, you hired Rubicardo and Pablo to do it?”
She nodded. “They weren’t supposed to kill the children. It was just supposed to be Rob and Cindy, but I guess the babysitter had forgotten her school book and came back to get it. Then everything went wrong. Their eldest child, Jenny, woke up and saw Pablo kill his mother, so I guess Pablo decided to kill everybody so there wouldn’t be any witnesses.”
“Tell me about the kidnapping. How was that supposed to work?”
“When Stan Turner started snooping around trying to clear Rob’s name, Manuel and Pablo got nervous and wanted me to pay them to kill him. I said I would, but I didn’t have any money. That’s when the idea came up about killing Brad. I told them about the insurance I had on him. Of course, Brad was in Mexico by then, so that made it impossible. That’s when I got the idea to ask Stan to rescue Brad. I couldn’t believe it when Stan agreed to it. Finally, I’d caught a break. Manuel and Pablo said they knew a man from San Diego that would kill Stan and Brad, but he was expensive.”
“Murder doesn’t come cheap, huh?” Agent Rutledge noted.
“No, particularly when the assassin has to wait to get paid. It would have only cost $100,000 had I had the cash up front.”
“So, you were going to fund all this with the proceeds from Brad’s insurance?”
“Right. The only problem with our plan was that it would seem obvious I was behind the murder. Pablo came up with the idea of kidnapping me and Stan so I wouldn’t be a suspect in Brad’s death and would seem like a victim. It would have worked perfectly had you not been following us.”
“So, tell me about the threats against you and your daughter. That might influence the judge or jury to lessen your sentence.”
Melissa took a deep breath. “Well, after we’d negotiated the fee, I asked him what would happen if for some reason the insurance money didn’t come through. I was worried about that since I knew they might delay paying the claim on account of the circumstances of his death.”
“What did he say?”
“He told me if he didn’t get paid, he’d kill me and Amanda.”
“And you still went along with the arrangement?”
Melissa shrugged. “The deal had been struck. There was no backing out by that time.”
Agent Rutledge nodded. “Okay. Thank you, Melissa. You did the right thing. Now we’ll be able to protect you and your daughter and put Vincente away for a very long time.”
Melissa looked at her dejectedly. “A lot of good that will do me, but at least Amanda will still have a life.”
Agent Rutledge got up and left the interrogation room. She smiled at Stan and Agent Adams.
“Nice work,” Agent Adams said. “I guess that wraps it up.”
“I guess so,” Stan agreed.
“You know, Stan,” Rutledge said thoughtfully, “after you graduate from college, you ought to come work for the FBI. You’ve got great instincts.”
“I appreciate the thought, but I’m not very good at taking orders.”
“Well, t
hat’s true,” Agent Rutledge replied.
Stan smiled. “So, I plan to start my own practice.”
“So, are you going to be a prosecutor or get rich defending thugs?” Adams asked.
“Neither. Criminal law doesn’t interest me that much, but I might take on a little defense work if I think the client is innocent. I’m not one of those purists who thinks you should defend everyone because they all are entitled to the best defense available. I plan to pick and choose my clients.”
“Well, that’s quite admirable but not very practical, I’m afraid,” Agent Rutledge noted. “Anyway, thank you for helping us wrap up all these cases. You did some extraordinary detective work.”
“Extraordinarily reckless,” Warren interjected, “but effective, I must admit.”
Stan shook their hands and left, feeling good about how he’d managed to sort everything out and earn their respect. He knew he should be feeling anger at Melissa Thornton for trying to kill him and for all the deaths she was responsible for, but instead, he felt sorry for her. Her life had spun out of control, and her focus had narrowed to her own self-preservation—not an unusual response for the human species.
He was just relieved it was finally over. It had been a tough year. He hadn’t intended to do anything other than make a living and finish law school, but he’d been pulled into the political arena and then faced with Shepard family tragedy by forces beyond his comprehension. He remembered his childhood fortune predicted by the old Univac Computer at the Ventura County Fair. It had foretold of a difficult and perilous life for Stan and, so far, it had been right on the mark. He wondered how long it would be before fate dragged him into yet another impossible situation. When it came he just hoped he’d be ready for it.
Epilogue
In the six months following the November elections, Stan’s life settled down considerably. With the election over and his investigations concluded, he focused his attention on law school, his job, and spending time with the family.
Shortly after her confession, Melissa Thornton pled guilty to six counts of capital murder but avoided death row by cooperating in the prosecution of Vincente Perez, Carlos Morales, Manuel Rubicardo, and Pablo Gomez.
Vincente Perez was found guilty in a California court for the murder of Brad Thornton and sentenced to life in prison. He is currently serving his time at San Quentin.
Manuel Rubicardo and Pablo Gomez were tried on five counts of murder in the 299th District Court of Collin County, Texas for the brutal slaying of the Shepard family and found guilty on all counts. They were both given the death penalty and are awaiting execution at Huntsville Prison in Texas.
Shortly after his arrest, Carlos Morales was released on five million dollars bond and is awaiting trial for money laundering and income tax evasion. Due to the complexity of the cases against him and a formidable legal defense team, experts predict his trial could be postponed for years.
Tony Rubio was indicted but never apprehended and is believed to be living in Costa Rica, but all of the businesses used by the Burilo Cartel in its money laundering operation were seized and the assets forfeited.
Professor Harry Hertel managed to convince the US Attorney not to press for an indictment of Commissioner Barnes, and likewise, no indictment ever came down on Ron Wells. Both agreed to return the profits they’d received from the Silver Springs Ventures to be forfeited, along with the other assets of the venture.
It was May 14, 1977, graduation day at SMU Law School. Rebekah, the kids, and Rebekah’s parents sat in the crowd as the graduates paraded across the stage to receive their diplomas. When the ceremony was over, Stan returned to where they were sitting and gave Rebekah a big hug. Then he picked up Marcia and held her in his arms.
“I’m so proud of you,” Rebekah said excitedly.
“I’m just glad it’s over,” Stan replied. “Now, I can finally practice law and make a decent living.”
“Where are you going to work while you wait to take the bar exam?” Rebekah’s father asked.
“I’m going to stay at Cosmopolitan Life. I’ll work there until I get my license and can get some financing for a law practice.”
“Daddy. Why don’t you stay home with us all day?” Reggie suggested.
“No, no,” Rebekah protested. “It’s time for your father to support us. I’m quitting my job just as soon as he starts making decent money—which I hope is very soon. Taking care of you monkeys is a full-time job, believe me.”
As they were talking, Stan saw Paula. “I’m going to go congratulate a few of my friends and then we can go.”
Rebekah nodded. “Okay, but don’t be long.”
Stan left and went to where Paula was talking with her father and some friends.
“Hey, congratulations, Paula,” Stan said as they embraced.
“Likewise,” Paula replied. “Can you believe it’s over?”
“God, I’m so relieved. What an ordeal, huh?”
“Of course, your extracurricular activities didn’t help,” Paula said wryly.
Stan smiled. “Actually, I think it made it more bearable. Studying can be so boring.”
Paula nodded. “That’s true.”
“So, have you decided what you’re going to do yet?” Stan asked.
“I’m taking the job at the District Attorney’s office, I guess.”
“Putting away bad guys, huh?”
“At least until I learn the ropes, then I’ll switch sides and become a filthy rich defense lawyer.”
Stan laughed. “Sounds like a plan. Maybe I’ll see you in court.”
“I hope so. It’s been fun this year. We should stay in touch.”
“Yes, definitely,” Stan agreed. “Well, I’ve got to go. The family is waiting to go out for dinner.”
They embraced and Stan started back to where Rebekah and everyone was waiting. Before he made it back, however, he ran into Lamar. They congratulated each other, and then Stan asked if he was still going out with Kristina.
“No. I’m afraid not. I saw her a few times after she was elected, but then she got too busy for me.”
“Oh, that’s too bad,” Stan said. “You guys would have been good together.”
“Hasn’t she kept in touch with you?” Lamar asked.
Stan shook his head. “No. I haven’t talked twice to her since the election.”
“Hmm. Well, I heard she was engaged”
“Engaged?” Stan gasped. “That was fast. I didn’t even know she was going out with anyone?”
“Yeah, to the son of a wealthy insurance executive, I understand.”
“What?” Stan asked in disbelief. “You’ve got to be kidding.”
“No. In fact, her fiancé’s father is a lobbyist for the insurance industry.”
Stan’s heart sank. Could she have sold out already?
Stan said goodbye and rejoined Rebekah and the others. His shock and dismay had turned to anger. Had he been betrayed? Kristina had promised to be independent and challenge the corrupt establishment. Had she been playing him from the start—telling him what she thought he wanted to hear rather than what she believed?
The next day he decided to call her. It took several tries but he finally got through.
“Stan. Sorry I didn’t return your call right away, but I’ve been terribly busy.”
“Yes, I can imagine. How are you liking the job?”
“Oh, it’s awesome. I love it. It’s very demanding, though. I’ve got so much to learn.”
“Hey. I heard you’re engaged.”
“Oh, yes. I am. How did you hear about that?”
“Lamar told me yesterday at graduation.”
“Oh, you’ve graduated now. Congratulations!”
“Thank you. . . . So, tell me about your fiancé.”
“Oh, Mark Branson is his name. He’s a grad student at UT.”
“What’s he studying
?”
“He’s finishing up his MBA.”
“What’s he going to do after he graduates?”
“Oh, he’s got a job lined up with his father.”
“That wouldn’t be David Branson, would it?”
Kristina hesitated. “Yes. That’s right.”
Branson was a notorious insurance company lobbyist who pumped millions of dollars into the campaigns of Texas politicians who were sympathetic to tort reform and laws favorable to big business. His name had come up in Stan and Kristina’s conversations in the past.
“I can’t believe you’d marry into that family.”
“Mark isn’t like his father.”
“But isn’t he about to go into the same business?”
Kristina sighed. “Stan, you’re a nice guy, but you’re so naive. You shouldn’t believe everything people tell you—particularly someone aspiring to be a politician. I’d have done anything, including jumping into bed with you, to get elected.
Stan felt like he been struck by a whip. He tried to keep his composure but couldn’t manage it. “So, was it love at first sight or an offer you couldn’t refuse?”
There was silence for a moment. “Stan, I owe you a lot. I thought it was going to take me years to get my foot in the door in Austin. Then you offered me my dream on a silver platter. I could hardly refuse it, just like I couldn’t refuse what Mark had to offer.”
“Of course not,” Stan spat. “I trusted you. I believed in you.”
“I’m still my own person,” Kristina insisted.
Stan laughed. “Keep telling yourself that. Self delusion is a great coping mechanism. I just hope in ten years you’ll be able to live with yourself.”
He hated it when people lied to him, particularly someone he trusted. It was the last straw for him. He’d had enough of corruption and deceit. When his term as County Chairman was up, he’d be finished with politics forever.
His anger turned to sadness and disappointment as he realized his oldest and most cherished ambition—to be a politician—had been dashed by fate and a sober dose of reality. He had been naive. He should have realized Kristina, like any good politician, would move to strengthen and solidify her position once elected. Marriage was one of the oldest and most effective strategies for doing that. The kings of Europe had been masters at it. Perhaps his outrage was more to do about jealousy than moral outrage. Disappointment that he’d never have Kristina for himself, and the realization that he didn’t really like politics now that he understood the ugly reality of it.
He tried to think why he wanted to be a politician in the first place. He couldn’t remember. He had told himself it was because a politician could make a difference in the world, but was that really it? Or, was it simply a lust for power and the glamour and riches such a life would bring? Whatever his motivations had been, he knew now he wanted no part of it. Maybe he owed Kristina a debt of gratitude for making him realize it before he was so deeply mired in the mud and slime of politics that he couldn’t extricate himself.
“I’m sorry, Stan,” Kristina said seeming sincere.
“It’s alright. I’m sorry I bit your head off. Congratulations on your engagement.”
“Thank you, and don’t write me off as a typical politician quite yet. You know I’m full of surprises.”
“That’s good to hear,” Stan said holding back his tears. “I’ll be keeping an eye out for some good things.”
“I’m glad. I won’t disappoint you.”
Stan hung up the phone. He knew it would take a time to get over Kristina and the death of his childhood dream, but he knew he didn’t have time for self-pity. He had to try and put aside his disappointment and depression and begin to focus on the road ahead—starting a new law practice.
He couldn’t wait to get started—to move on to something new and exciting. There was only one problem—money. He hated having to worry about money, but realistically he’d need a hundred grand to start a law practice. That was a lot of cash, more than he’d made in his entire lifetime, but now that he was a lawyer he figured it wouldn’t be a problem.
Then he thought of Tony Rubio. It bothered him that the bastard was probably living a life of luxury in Costa Rica while he organized a new criminal organization to replace the Burilo Cartel. There had to be a way to nail the bastard–some way to exact justice for Rob and his family. Then and idea came to him. He wondered if Rebekah would be up for a vacation to Costa Rica.
BRASH ENDEAVOR
William Manchee
A Stan Turner Mystery
Top Publications, July 1998,
Trade Paperback ISBN # 1-884570-89-5
Step into the shoes of Dallas attorney, Stan Turner, in the late 1970's as he begins the practice of law. Then hang on for the ride of your life as Stan immediately steps into a rattlesnake's nest and has to do some fancy two-steppin' to avoid a lethal strike from his own clients. When Stan's wife, Rebekah, is arrested for murder and a client turns out to be a ghost, Stan turns in his legal pad for a detective's notebook and goes to work to solve these most perplexing mysteries.
Teetering on the brink of bankruptcy, Stan pushes on relentlessly to extricate himself and his family from certain doom. Sex, greed and a lust for power drive this most extraordinary novel to a stunning conclusion.
THE STAN TURNER MYSTERIES
by William Manchee
Undaunted (1997)
Brash Endeavor (1998)
Second Chair (2000)
Cash Call (2002)
Deadly Distractions (2004)
Black Monday (2005)
Cactus Island (2006)
Act Normal (2007)
Disillusioned (2010)
Deadly Defiance (2011)
"...appealing characters and lively dialogue, especially in the courtroom . . . " (Publisher's Weekly)
"...plenty of action and adventure . . . " (Library Journal)
"...each plot line, in and of itself, can be riveting . . . " (Foreword Magazine)
"...a courtroom climax that would make the venerable Perry Mason stand and applaud . . . "
(Crescent Blue)
"...Richly textured with wonderful atmosphere, the novel shows Manchee as a smooth, polished master of the mystery form . . . " (The Book Reader)
"...Manchee’s stories are suspenseful and most involve lawyers. And he’s as proficient as Grisham . . . (Dallas Observer)
"...fabulous-a real page turner-I didn't want it to end!" (Allison Robson, CBS Affiliate, KLBK TV, Ch 13)
Disillusioned, A Stan Turner Mystery Vol 2 Page 27