Secret Alibi

by Lori L. Harris

  Lexie lifted her wrists to allow the guard to comply. She realized her hands were both freezing and shaking, as was everything inside her. As she turned in her seat to face forward again, her eyes went to the imposing, mahogany edifice of the judge’s bench.

  Taking a deep breath, Lexie let it out slowly. Above all else, she needed to stay calm. She didn’t want to fall apart in front of Garland or the courtroom full of people.

  Garland leaned in closer. He was a man in his upper sixties now, with silver hair and the tanned, lean face of an athlete. He wasn’t much over five-seven or-eight, but his restless energy made him seem larger. “Are you okay, Lexie?”

  Because she was afraid to speak, she nodded.

  “You were treated well?”

  “Yes,” she managed to answer, and turned to look at him. “Did you reach Fleming?” she asked in a tone just above a whisper.

  Garland Ramsey nodded, but then shook his head. “He says he’d like to help, but he doesn’t have that kind of cash and doesn’t think he can raise it even if we give him a few days.”

  She fought to stay calm. When her attorney had told her that the bail amount could be upwards of a million dollars, she’d realized that she was going to have difficulty coming up with the ten percent required by a bondsman. She’d been hopeful that Fleming would make her the loan.

  But if Fleming wasn’t able to, where was she going to come up with that kind of money? On paper, she looked pretty good, especially if you didn’t check her current credit card debt. With Dan having cleaned out the bank accounts, she’d been forced to use her salary to pay attorney fees, and her credit cards for the other necessities. It had been the first lesson she’d learned during the process of her divorce. Possession was everything in the eyes of the law, especially when it came to a joint bank account.

  Getting a signature loan was unlikely. No bank board would approve one for someone in her current situation. She’d taken out a mortgage on Riverhouse to pay for the kitchen remodel on the house in town earlier that year. Getting a mortgage on it would be impossible, since it was tied up in the property settlement dispute, and would likely remain that way until after the trial.

  Garland reached over and covered her hand with his, offering what was undoubtedly intended to be a bolstering smile. “One step at a time. Let’s just get through this morning’s proceeding, and then we’ll regroup and consider our options.”

  “Did he offer to help with some of it, at least?”

  “No.” Garland frowned. “To be honest, I don’t think it’s so much a matter of not being able to come up with the money as that he’s worried about how it would appear to his colleagues and patients.”

  She turned away. She couldn’t cry. Not now. Not in front of all these people. So Fleming probably hadn’t been called out on an emergency. Was it actually possible that he believed she’d killed Dan? Was that why he was refusing to help her?

  “It’ll be fine, Lexie,” Garland said. “You have friends. True ones.”

  She nodded, but felt certain he was wrong about the number of people who would come forward to help.

  He had been reviewing his notes when she arrived, and now went back to them.

  She didn’t turn around again until the courtroom suddenly went quiet. When she did, she realized that Jack had just stepped into the room. The hard knot of apprehension at her center didn’t completely disappear, but it eased some. He wore dark slacks and a blue dress shirt. A second man had followed him in, and though she had never met him, she recognized Jack’s brother, Alec Blade. What was he doing here?

  When Lexie’s gaze connected with Jack’s, he gave her a small smile and nod as he took a seat in the second row—the closest he could get. His brother didn’t sit. Instead, he stood at the back.

  “All rise for the honorable Judge Lloyd Meeks.”

  The judge took his seat behind the bench. He was an older gentleman, and with his black robe and bald head, he looked like a henchman.

  Charges were read by the bailiff.

  The judge shifted his attention toward where they sat. “How does your client want to plea, Garland?”

  “Not guilty.”

  The judge addressed the court reporter. “Enter a plea of not guilty, order state to provide discovery and set pretrial status.” He glanced at what Lexie assumed was a copy of the charging document. “That leaves us with the question of bail.”

  The prosecuting attorney stood. “Having viewed literally hundreds of crime scenes over many years, I can say with great conviction that this one is by far the worst I have ever dealt with. And because of the heinous nature of this crime and the fact that Ms. Dawson has contacts outside the country, making her a flight risk, I request that bail be denied and that Ms. Dawson remain in custody until such time as a verdict is reached.”

  Garland Ramsey quickly came to his feet and turned toward the prosecuting attorney. “Exactly who are these contacts outside the country?”

  The prosecutor ignored Garland, instead addressing his answer to the judge. “Your Honor, Ms. Dawson’s parents are currently living in Thailand. If she would flee, which seems likely given the charges—”

  Garland interrupted. “Your Honor, the relationship between Ms. Dawson and her mother and stepfather has been a very strained one. Ms. Dawson was adopted as an infant. Shortly after Ms. Dawson turned thirteen, her adoptive grandparents were awarded custody of her. I prefer not to discuss the grounds of that case. Suffice it to say that Ms. Dawson is unlikely to seek asylum with her mother and stepfather.” He nodded toward the other attorney. “Furthermore, Ms. Dawson is currently employed and has many ties to this community. As such, I request that bail be waived.”

  Judge Meeks shook his head, and cracked a smile for the first time since entering the room. “I know you have to ask, Garland.” He brought the gavel down. “Bail set at one million and the prisoner is remanded into custody of the state until such time as it is met, or a verdict is reached.”

  Garland cleared his throat. “Sir, my client doesn’t have those kind of funds.”

  “The court is well aware that the amount is substantial, Counselor. But my duty is to the public.” Judge Meeks rose and retreated through the door where only moments earlier he’d entered.

  The level of conversation rose behind her, the words indistinct, but she could imagine them just the same. People began to shuffle out into the cool morning, into the fresh air.

  What she wouldn’t give to be able to somehow meld into that flow of humanity, once more become part of them. But she couldn’t, could she? And even if acquitted, she would never be one of them ever again. She’d never be able to look at life as they naively did.

  Never believe that being innocent was enough.

  Lexie sagged in her seat. Again, Garland reached over, this time giving her forearm a comforting squeeze. “I’ll make some calls.”

  She nodded, but held little hope. Most of her friends were working people. They weren’t the type with money wallowing in bank accounts. Waiting for a lost cause.

  At the same moment the guard arrived to take her back to jail, she heard footsteps just behind the bar, but didn’t look up immediately, not until she heard Jack address Garland. “Is there some problem with raising bail money?”

  The guard reached for her, but Garland motioned the woman back. Lexie was surprised when she complied.

  Garland glanced at Lexie briefly, as if weighing how comfortable she would be with his being truthful about the need for cash. “Unfortunately, there is a problem.”

  Lexie scraped the chair back and hurriedly stood, fully intending to cut off Garland’s plea for financial help. She held out the hand without the cast to Jack, forcing him to take it. “Thanks for coming.” She needed his help, but she didn’t want to take his money, too.

  But as his fingers closed over hers, all she could think was that he looked good. Smelled that way, too, which reminded her of her own wrinkled orange jumpsuit, the lack of even lip gloss, and the k
nowledge that she hadn’t showered since the day before.

  “Sorry I ran late,” he said. “How are you holding up?”

  “Fine,” she lied.

  There was a small commotion near the courtroom door that jerked Lexie’s attention away briefly, but she couldn’t tell exactly what was going on or who was involved.

  When she turned back, she realized that she’d missed what was being said between Jack and Garland.

  “Then it’s settled,” Jack said. “I’ll make the arrangements and contact you.”

  Arrangements? At first she was certain that she had misunderstood. That Jack couldn’t be offering to put up the full amount of her bail. But when her gaze connected with his, she realized that she’d heard correctly. “I couldn’t…I can’t—” He was already doing enough for her.

  Garland interrupted. “Lexie is very grateful for your assistance.”

  With no other choice, Lexie again reached for Jack’s hand. “Thank you.”

  He offered a small smile, his hand still holding hers. “You have to understand that it could take me some time to come up with that type of cash.”

  Her throat suddenly tight with relief, she nodded.

  As she watched Jack walk toward the courtroom exit, Lexie felt Garland’s gaze resting on her. She had allowed Garland to believe that the reason Jack had agreed to help her was because he believed a miscarriage of justice was about to take place. She suspected Garland now knew it wasn’t quite as simple as that. But even if he asked her, she didn’t think she could explain Jack’s actions.

  Because even she didn’t understand them.

  “YOU ARE GETTING YOURSELF in way too deep here, Jack. It’s one thing to want to see justice done, another to put up that kind of money.”

  Jack had known his brother would disapprove. And in some ways, Jack had even surprised himself. It wasn’t as if that kind of money was going to be easy for him to come by.

  Though they were basically alone in the hallway just outside the courtroom, Jack kept his voice low. “It’s just a loan.”

  “You may want to get that it writing.”

  Jack faced his brother. “What would you have me do? Leave her sitting in jail for the next few months?”

  “What about family?” Alec asked as both men resumed walking toward the exit. “Surely she has someone who—”

  “Only living relative is the mother. She couldn’t be much of one if the grandparents were awarded custody of Lexie.” He looked over at his brother. “As for friends, I’m sure they would have come through in time.”

  “You’re assuming she has any,” Alec said, as he reached for the front door. There had been a slow drizzle falling when they’d gone in, but now the sun had made an appearance.

  Jack recognized that he was the one who had asked Alec along, but his attitude was beginning to get under Jack’s skin a bit. “And you’re making assumptions about a woman you don’t know based on a twenty minute court appearance where you had no actual contact with her. I know you’re good at profiling people, Alec, but don’t you think that’s a little fast for even you?”

  His face revealing frustration, Alec suddenly halted just outside the courthouse doors. “Okay. Let’s say you’re right to risk that kind of money on a woman you barely know. Where in the hell are you going to come up with that kind of cash?”

  “I’ll close out my retirement account.” It wouldn’t be enough. He’d need to bleed his savings down to the last few thousand, too. And considering he was jobless and was likely to remain that way for some time to come, the move was probably financial suicide, but he didn’t see where he had much choice.

  “Don’t do that.” Alec settled the navy-blue jacket he’d taken off in the courtroom over his shoulder. “Some of the money from Jill’s life insurance policy is still sitting in the account. I was making arrangements to donate it to a woman’s shelter, but the paperwork hasn’t come though yet.”

  Alec had received a large settlement from his first wife’s murder, money he had used solely to bring her killer to justice.

  “Those funds should go to the shelter,” Jack said.

  “Jill would want it to be used to help another woman. And as you said, it’s just a loan.”

  Suspecting he was feeling what Lexie had when he’d made the offer of financial assistance—not wanting that type of help from him, but also recognizing that not taking it would be foolish—Jack held a hand out to Alec. “Thanks.”

  After the briefest of hesitation, his brother shook it. “Just be careful, Jack. And I’m not talking loans or jobs now.”

  “I plan to.”

  Though they’d arrived in separate vehicles because Alec was meeting his wife, they walked toward the parking lot across the street together. When they reached Jack’s SUV, Frank Shepherd was leaning against the vehicle’s front grille, his arms crossed and sunglasses firmly in place. He’d been in the courtroom, near the back, when Jack and Alec had arrived, and had obviously slipped out before them, so Jack was surprised to see him now.

  “Morning, Shepherd,” Jack called as he headed for the driver’s door. He fully expected the detective to follow him, and he did.

  “You plan to put up the bond money?”

  “I can’t see that it’s any of your business.” Jack opened the door, but didn’t get in.

  “Well, that’s where you’re wrong.”

  Jack turned to the officer, suddenly aware that the fastest way to end the conversation was to take control of it. “What is it that you want?”

  “Where were you Friday night?”

  “You know damn well where I was. I flew in from Philadelphia.”

  “What time?”

  Jack refused to glance over at his brother. “The plane was scheduled to land at 10:08.”

  “Maybe the one you were initially booked on came in at that time, but you caught an earlier connecting flight out of Atlanta, didn’t you? Got in before seven?”

  Jack couldn’t see anything to be gained by responding to the detective’s question.

  “So where were you between seven and, say, ten-thirty that night?”

  After reading body language for so many years, Jack knew how to appear unfazed by the questions. And they wouldn’t have bothered him quite so much if Alec hadn’t been watching. “I went for a drive.”

  Out of the corner of his eye, Jack saw Fitz cutting toward them, his path taking him in front of the SUV.

  Shepherd lowered his shoe from where it had been propped on the bumper. “After a four-hour flight, the first thing you did when you landed was get in your car and go for a long drive? Must have had some things on your mind, huh?”

  Fitz, whose shirt sported large teardrop-shaped patches of perspiration beneath his armpits, arrived at that moment. Jack nodded at him, but immediately shifted his attention back to Shepherd. “That’s right. I had some things on my mind.”

  “Any chance your drive took you through Thornton Park between eight-thirty and ten that night?”

  When Shepherd smiled, Jack suddenly found himself wanting to wipe the smirk off the detective’s face. Why stop there, though, he decided, when what he really wanted to do was wipe the pavement with the man?

  As Jack shoved the car door closed behind him, Shepherd came toward him. If Fitz hadn’t come between them, the detective would have thrown a punch. Jack wished Shepherd had gotten the opportunity. If only because it would have allowed him to throw a few of his own.

  “Take it easy, Frank.” Fitz kept his body positioned between Shepherd and Jack.

  Shepherd stabbed a finger at Jack. “Your car was seen in the area that night.”

  Jack reached behind him for the door handle. “Like hell it was. If you’re accusing me of having something to do with Dan Dawson’s murder, Shepherd, at least have the damn guts to come out and say it.”

  The detective glanced over at Alec for the first time. “Maybe you know where your brother was that night?”

  “I’m not my brother’s kee
per. You have questions for him, you ask him.” Alec glanced at Jack. “You okay here?”

  “Sure. Buzz me later and we’ll firm things up for tonight.”

  Jack climbed in the SUV, but left the door open as he started the vehicle. “You used to be a good detective, Frank. I considered you the best on my force.”

  “It’s no longer your force. It’s mine.”

  “For how long? Keep making the mistakes you’re currently making and they’ll come back to bite you in the ass.”

  “I’m going to prove that Lexie Dawson wasn’t working alone that night. That you were helping her.”

  “You can try.” Jack slammed the car door and dropped the truck into reverse.

  NINE HOURS LATER, Lexie paced her small cell. Her adrenaline continued to flow, making it impossible for her to stop the constant movement. She’d managed to eat a few bites from her lunch and dinner trays, but knew it wasn’t enough to sustain her or to protect the health of the baby.

  The guard who had escorted her to court earlier in the day had left several hours ago at the end of her shift, but not before telling Lexie that she was scheduled to get a cellmate.

  She didn’t want to share the small space with a petty thief, or a drunk, or a druggie or prostitute. Which was pretty damn funny when as far as the world was concerned, she was a murderer.

  Most of her thoughts over the past nine hours had been centered on Jack. He’d quit his job and now he was putting up a lot of money. Why? What did he expect in return? There was no such thing as true generosity. Not when it came to a hundred thousand dollars, there wasn’t.

  Lexie sank onto the bench. She was just wasting energy here. It was a loan. As soon as she was free of the charges, she’d repay him.

  Lexie’s nerves tightened at the sound of approaching footsteps. She eased toward the back wall, expecting the worst. But the female guard was alone.

  “Guess you won’t be staying with us tonight, after all, Dawson.”

  The guard handed her the clothes she’d arrived in. After exchanging the jumpsuit for sweater and jeans, she was escorted to a room where she had to sign for the rest of her possessions. The shaky signature didn’t even look like hers. She slid the form back to the man behind the counter. “Is that it?”