Deacon's Defender

by Pandora Pine

  The fire scene was out past Old Salem Road heading toward the Magnolia town line. It was only going to take a few minutes to get there, and I used that time to get my friggin’ head in the game. I wasn’t going to do anyone any good if I were wallowing in self-pity over the situation with Deacon.

  When we pulled up to the scene, the house was fully engaged. To my horror, I saw Deacon standing at the foot of the driveway with the family. “Chasten and Jenks, get on the hose. Carl, check out the back of the house and the points of entry. I’m going to go talk to the family.” As I got out of the truck, I knew the house was a total loss. The only thing I could do now, was find out what happened here tonight. I was heading across the lawn toward the family, when a second set of sirens sounded. Seconds later, three Gloucester Police Department SUVs arrived on scene, blue and white lights flashing. Chief Holland climbed out of one of them. To my growing horror, Kennedy was the one driving him.

  The police converged on Deacon, grabbing and pulling him away from the family whose house was on fire. Slapping handcuffs on him, an officer I didn’t know walked him back to a different cruiser and shut him in the back seat.

  I felt frozen to the spot. Kennedy and the chief were having an animated discussion. With one last word on Kennedy’s part, he walked away from the chief, heading my way. “What the hell is going on here, Kennedy?” I asked, trying to keep my anger under control.

  “He doesn’t think you’re working fast enough.” Kennedy sounded matter-of-fact, but I could tell he was also doing his damnedest to keep his own growing anger under wraps.

  I knew exactly what Kennedy was trying to say. The chief didn’t think I was gathering evidence against Deacon quick enough for his tastes. “Did you arrest him?”

  “Yes,” Kennedy ducked his head, staring at his shoes for a couple of seconds. “The chief insisted. Mather thought it would be better to bring him back to the station for questioning, but the chief wanted him arrested and mirandized on the scene.” Kennedy looked guiltier than ever. “There’s one more thing you need to know.”

  Jesus Christ, what the hell was next? I stayed silent, hoping Kennedy would just spit it out and not make a presentation of it.

  “There was a tip. The anonymous caller gave us the address of the fire and told us we’d find Deacon there.” Kennedy set a hand on my shoulder. “I’m so sorry.”

  I didn’t have time to think about that now. There were bigger fish to fry. “What about the media? Did anyone alert them ahead of time?” I knew what the answer was before Kennedy could open his mouth.

  “I tried to stop him. I swear to God I did. The chief wanted to make a show of this. To prove that Gloucester law enforcement knew what it was doing and could take care of its own. To be honest with you, after seeing Deacon over the weekend at Mom and Dad’s house, I’m convinced he has nothing to do with this. While the chief put a call out to the media, I put a call out to someone more powerful than them.” Kennedy winked at me before heading back to the chief, who looked angrier than I’d ever seen him. He’d won tonight. What the fuck was he looking so angry about?

  Kennedy may have already called my parents, but it wouldn’t hurt for me to give them the heads up as well. I didn’t know when I would be free to leave the scene, but I needed to get to Deacon as quickly as possible. Knowing my parents were with him would help.

  Deacon was going to need all the help he could get.

  26

  Deacon

  My head was spinning. I’d been getting ready to text Ozzy when I got word of the fire. I was in my pajamas and ready to go to bed. I’d gotten into the habit of calling Ozzy at the firehouse before I went to sleep. Thank Christ I’d had the foresight to change out of my pajamas, and into jeans and a T-shirt, before I hurried out of the house to the scene of the fire.

  I managed to help the family escape, thanks to a painting ladder laying in the front yard of the house across the street. I don’t know where I found the strength to lift it, carry it, and then brace against the side of the house. I’ve read before that people are capable of amazing feats of strength when someone is in danger. That must have been what happened to me. Before I knew it, I was up the ladder and helping the wife down to safety.

  We’d all been standing at the foot of the driveway when the fire department arrived. When I’d seen the blue and white flashing lights from the police coming down the street behind them, I assumed it was Kennedy. He had a tendency of always showing up at Ozzy’s fire scenes. I’d been right, it was Kennedy, only, he wasn’t alone.

  I’d assumed Kennedy and the chief were walking over to thank me for saving another family from a fire. I’d been shocked and stunned when another officer with Kennedy told me to turn around and put my hands behind my back. Reality soon set in when the cold metal of the handcuffs rested against my wrists. I’d never been arrested before. I’d never even come close. There I was, being marched to a police car and put in the back. I was terrified. The windows of the vehicle were tinted, but thanks to the light being thrown off by the fire, I could still see Ozzy. I’d never seen him so angry. I still didn’t understand what the hell was going on and why I was arrested for arson, but I knew Ozzy would help get to the bottom of it for me.

  Kennedy had been the one to pull me out of the police car when we arrived at the station. He held my arm as we walked into the building. Chief Holland led the way looking like a conquering hero. A couple of the guys in the station applauded. When I got the hell out of here, I was going to write the most scathing exposé on the Gloucester Police Department. Not only had I been arrested on false charges, but members of the department were applauding my arrest?

  “You’re going to be booked and fingerprinted,” Kennedy whispered to me. “Then, one of the crime scene technicians will confiscate your clothes and do an exam looking for evidence. My parents are on the way. Do not say one word until then. Listen to every word my father has to say. Do you understand me?”

  I nodded. Police officers weren’t kidding when they said anything you said could be used against you. I knew it was a fact. I’d been reporting on criminals who spilled the beans for my entire career. I knew when to shut up.

  As I was taken through the booking process and the forensic exam, I did my level best to keep my emotions in check. I didn’t meet Kennedy’s eyes as he walked me through each step. When we were finished, he led me to a room with a window and a door that read: Interrogation One.

  “Remember what I said. Do not say a word. The walls have ears. Eyes too.” Kennedy opened the door and ushered me inside. He took off the handcuffs before leaving the room.

  For the first time since this whole debacle started, I was alone. I was innocent of the crimes I had been accused of committing. I hadn’t set any of those fires. Unfortunately, innocent men went to prison every day in this country.

  I had one thing going for me, an ace in the hole. One I probably should have mentioned to Ozzy or a member of the Gloucester Police Department before now. I had a feeling this was the time to play that particular card.

  A few moments later, the door opened and in walked David and Mandy McCoy. “How are you doing, son?” David asked, before pulling me into his arms.

  I never expected this kind of reception from Kennedy and Ozzy’s parents. After David was finished hugging me, Mandy had her turn. She held on far longer than she needed to, but somehow, she knew it was exactly what I needed. “I didn’t set those fires.”

  “We know you didn’t.” Mandy ushered me into the seat next to David. She sat on the other side of me.

  “Did you say anything to the police?” David asked.

  I shook my head. “I knew enough to keep my mouth shut, and Kennedy made sure I knew it too.” I hadn’t expected Kennedy to be so kind to me.

  “We called a lawyer for you. The best criminal defense lawyer in town. He should be here shortly. We don’t want you to worry about a thing. We’ve got your back.” Mandy reached out for my hand.

  That simple touch almost
brought the house of cards down. I’d been trying so hard to keep my emotions in check, but Mandy’s kindness almost undid it all. If I was going to keep my ass out of jail, I needed to stay in control of myself. I took a few deep breaths, but my meditation was interrupted by a knock at the door.

  David got up to answer the door and I saw Macon Burnett, Gloucester’s top defense attorney. He and I had met several times, although under far different circumstances. I’d interviewed him in regard to high profile clients he’d represented in a fraud case.

  “Hi, Deacon. I was able to speak with the police for a few minutes before coming in to see you. The situation isn’t good.” Burnett took a seat across the table from me.

  “Mr. Burnett, I did not commit any of these arsons. I’m completely innocent. How can the situation not be good?” I didn’t understand what was happening to me. Two hours ago, I was in my pajamas getting ready to call and say good night to my boyfriend. Now, I was sitting in the police station speaking to a high-powered criminal defense attorney who had been hired to represent me. It was a world gone mad.

  “You’ve arrived at several arsons prior to the police and fire departments. You were the one who pointed out how the door to one house had been nailed shut. You also pointed out that glue had been used on the door of another house. The police think you were the one who used the nails and the glue.” Burnett’s eyes moved back and forth over the McCoys with a dour look on his face.

  “There’s a reason I knew about those fires, but it isn’t because I set them. I need my phone back to prove it to you.” It was ridiculous, but I felt naked without my phone. My entire life was on that device, including my ace in the hole.

  “Why don’t you tell me why you knew about the fires? We can deal with your phone, and any evidence on it, later.” Burnett pulled the legal pad from his briefcase and grabbed a pen.

  “A couple of weeks ago, I got an anonymous text telling me I needed to get to a certain address out by the Rockport line. 189 Bay Street.” I had thought nothing of the weird message at the time.

  “What did you do?” David asked.

  “Nothing. I read the message and I went to bed. I give out my business card to more people than I could ever count. I get strange messages all the time. Some people write to me with story ideas they think I should investigate, while others send crackpot messages. I figured this address was nothing. It was a Friday night, so I figured somebody drunk texted me.”

  “What happened next?” Burnett looked up from the notes he’d been writing.

  “When I got up the next morning, the top headline in my paper was that there had been a house fire at 189 Bay Street. I knew in that moment the message hadn’t been from a crackpot. It had been a tip about the fire. I figured it could have even come from the arsonist himself. When I realized the opportunity I’d missed out on, I was devastated. I promised myself I would do something if I ever got another anonymous message.” I would never get over the guilt I felt for not rushing out to Bay Street that night. Maybe I could have saved that husband and wife.

  “I’m guessing you got another anonymous message.” Burnett didn’t look quite so down in the mouth anymore.

  “The next message was for the Old Salem Road Fire. When I got to the house, I could hear the people inside screaming for help. They were banging on the door and trying to break windows, but they all had those decorative wrought-iron bars over them. I was convinced I was going to have to stand by and listen to the cries of this family as they burned to death. That’s when I noticed these long nails inside the door jamb. I knew they were the reason the front door wouldn’t open. I managed to wiggle them out and pulled the door open to save the family. That was also when I burned my hand and had to be taken to the emergency room at Gloucester Mercy Hospital. I was treated by Doctor Stark Givens.”

  “Did you get a message from your anonymous pen-pal about the next fire?” Burnett’s entire demeanor had changed. He’d gone from looking like I was headed to the electric chair to looking like he’d have me home by morning.

  “I did. That was the fire where the front door had been glued shut. The family was trying to escape from the second floor using bedsheets as a rope ladder. I arrived just in time to help them down.” I’d been terrified when the little boy got stuck halfway down and I couldn’t coax him to let go. Thank goodness Ozzy arrived when he did.

  “What about tonight? Did you get another message then?”

  “I was just about to go to bed. Ozzy and I talked to each other before we go to sleep at night. I was about to call him when the anonymous message came in. I changed my clothes and got down there as soon as I could. I was able to help the family, but then the police showed up. I guess you know the rest. Do you think this is going to help me?”

  Burnett shook his head as he read through his notes. I’d assumed letting them know I had some sort of mysterious benefactor feeding me information would be my get out of jail free card. It didn’t look to be that way. “And you’re saying these messages are all still on your cell phone?” Burnett was tapping his pen against the legal pad where he’d been scribbling notes the entire time I had been speaking.

  “Yes, they’re all on the phone.”

  “I’ll make sure the police do a search on the number to see who’s sending you that information.” Burnett was out of his seat and shoving his notepad back in his briefcase. “One question though, why didn’t you check out that phone number? Surely you have databases at your disposal at the paper where you could have traced that phone number?”

  Shame crept up my neck and burst over my face. “The calls were coming through as unknown, without displaying the number. I thought about digging into the number through my cell carrier, but I was afraid if I checked into whoever was sending me this information then it would stop. You know, just like the goose who laid the golden eggs. I didn’t want to do anything to jeopardize the information I was getting, since I had been able to save people from dying.”

  “Okay, let me check into this.” He walked to the door, but before he opened it, he turned back to me. “There’s someone outside who is waiting to talk to you. Do you want me to let him in?”

  I had a feeling the someone he was talking about was Ozzy, which of course meant he had just heard my entire confession about having a tipster supplying me with information about the fires. He was going to be pissed. “You can let him in.”

  I didn’t need to see the look on Ozzy’s face to know how angry he was at me. I was in big trouble here and not just with the law. My relationship with Ozzy might be over before it even fully got off the ground.

  27

  Ozzy

  I’d hadn’t felt this numb since the night my father attacked me with the broken whiskey bottle. Standing outside the two-way mirror, listening to Deacon tell my parents and his lawyer about someone tipping him off about the arsons, took my breath away. It seemed I wasn’t the only one keeping a secret.

  When my parents walked out of the room, I wanted to rush in and start yelling at Deacon. It was David’s hand on the back of my neck which stopped me. “Neither of you are blameless here,” my father said, as if he knew my secret too. I’d sworn Hennessey and Dallas to secrecy, but that didn’t mean they weren’t going to say something when I was clearly in trouble. “He’s scared and is hoping to find a friendly face in you. Do not let him down.”

  All of the anger in me drained out. I gave my dad a hug and took one last deep breath before walking into the interrogation room. Deacon looked so small sitting at that table by himself. His body was folded in on itself, with his arms wrapped around him as if he were trying to give himself a hug. I shut the door behind me, and the sound startled him. “Hey.”

  “Hey. I guess you heard.” There was no light in Deacon’s eyes.

  I didn’t have a chance to ask what he meant. Tears streamed down his face so fast he couldn’t wipe them away before more fell. Knowing Deacon, the way I did, he’d been battling his emotions back all night and now the dam h
ad broken. I moved across the room quickly and pulled him into my arms. “It’s okay. I’ve got you. I’m not letting go.”

  By the time Deacon was finished crying, my arms ached from holding him so tight. I urged him to sit back down, and I took the chair next to him. “I have so many questions.”

  “You must be so mad at me.” Deacon wouldn’t meet my eyes.

  I tilted his chin upward so he would be forced to look at me. “I’m not mad, sweetheart. I’m confused and scared. This isn’t some thirty-minute sitcom where every problem is solved by the time the credits roll. You are in serious trouble here.” I wished this were an episode of The Brady Bunch. If it were, Chief Holland would stride through the door and announce that there had been one big misunderstanding and that Deacon was innocent.

  “I know how serious this is. I’ve been the one writing stories about this arsonist. I did my research. Each charge of first-degree arson is punishable by up to twenty years in state prison. I might never again see the light of day as a free man if I were convicted of setting all three fires. I understand how much is at stake here.”

  Deacon was always thorough when it came to doing his research. “Why didn’t you tell anyone about the anonymous tipster? I heard the answer you gave your attorney, but Jesus Christ, you could have told me.” I realized what a complete hypocrite I was preaching to Deacon what I should have been following myself. My lie might cost me everything, but I wouldn’t be locked up in prison for it. Deacon very well could be.

  “I was afraid that if I said anything the messages would stop. Imagine if I hadn’t been warned about the fire on Old Salem Road? That family would be dead. The families in the last three fires would all be dead. No one was having any luck catching this person, but I figured, so long as I was getting inside information, I could at least do my best to save people.”