And there would be nothing to connect him to the next one. He’d thought it all the way through. It was the perfect plan, with a perfect result.
He wasn’t a psychopath. He was just a deep thinker, one who did what was necessary to take care of himself. Others waited for life to happen to them, and they took the cards they were dealt. They deserved to be victims, but not him.
He was too smart for that. He could shuffle the deck the way he wanted, and choose his own hand. And when it was all over, he would not be remembered as a bottom-dwelling psychopath, or even as a killer.
Not even Curious Cat could trace these deaths to him.
CHAPTER 20
No, not here. Take a right after the red light. Then a quick left. Could you stop by the bank up there and let me run in so I can pay you?”
Holly sighed and made the right turn. Her passenger would probably skip out the back door of the bank without paying. But what could she do? It wasn’t like she could run a credit report every time someone called.
“I have to keep the meter running while you’re in there,” she said, turning into the bank’s parking lot.
“Of course, no problem. I’m not gonna run out on you, if that’s what you think. I need you. I just got my license revoked for getting another DUI.”
Holly glanced in her mirror at the woman. “Sorry about that.”
The woman was quiet as she dug into her purse. “Yeah, but I’m going to meetings and trying to get my life together. Don’t want to lose my job just because I can’t drive. So if you’ll just wait while I run in.” She opened the door, started to get out. “You really will wait, won’t you? I really do have to get to work.”
“Yes. I’m not going anywhere.”
The woman who looked too classy to have a DUI trotted in. Holly watched her.
The passenger seemed more like Cathy than like Holly. Holly couldn’t imagine her sister having a DUI. Cathy didn’t have time for foolishness like revoked licenses and surprise pregnancies.
And she sure would never be caught dead driving a cab.
As she watched for her passenger to come out of the bank, Holly’s phone buzzed, and she saw Juliet’s face on her screen. She clicked it on. “Hey, Sis. What’s the bad news?”
“Jay just got arrested.”
She sucked in a breath. “No! Did you call Cathy?”
“Yes, but they should have told her first, and they didn’t. They took him in, and now Jackson’s asking all sorts of quest ions.”
“I’m coming over after I drop off my passenger.”
“Don’t tell anybody. I know you like to talk to them.”
“Juliet, I’m not sharing our family’s dirty laundry. But it doesn’t matter, because this is going to be all over the news. Probably even nationally because of Cathy’s blog following.”
Juliet sighed. “I know. Poor Jay. What are we gonna do?”
The woman came back out of the bank, her skirt blowing behind her in the breeze. She slipped into the backseat. “Thank you. We can go now.”
Holly nodded. “Juliet, I have to go. I’ll see you in a few minutes.”
“Okay. Drive careful.”
Juliet couldn’t resist mothering her. Holly cut off the phone and glanced in her rearview mirror. “Where now?”
“433 Westhaven Street.”
Holly glanced back at her as she pulled out of the parking lot. “What do you do?”
“I’m an event planner. Parties all the time.” She said it as if the concept disgusted her. “Ironic for someone who has issues with alcohol. Parties can ruin your life.”
“Tell me about it,” Holly said. “I used to take pride in my partying.” She thought of telling the woman that she was pregnant, that she didn’t know how she’d tell her family, especially when they were going through such a tough time already, that she wasn’t equipped to take care of herself, much less a little baby.
After all, she’d probably never see the woman again.
But that was absurd. There was no one she could tell. No one at all.
She dropped the woman off and gave her her card. “If you need a taxi again, ask the agency for me. I could use the business.”
“Sure will. I feel more comfortable with you than with some guy.” The woman got out, then bent back in through the open window and handed Holly the fee. “What are you doing driving a cab, anyway?”
Holly shrugged. “Girl’s gotta make a living.”
As she drove to Juliet’s house, her left hand rested on her stomach. How big was the baby at this stage? Did it have eyes? A brain? Was it already a boy or a girl?
How would this child feel, having a loser mom raising him? Or her?
What would she tell him when he was old enough to ask about why she drove a cab?
Well, see, I could have gone to college like my sisters. I could have gotten grants and loans, but I figured I’d wing it.
Or she could tell the truth.
I barely graduated high school and lost every other job I had because of hangovers and oversleeping. Cab driving suits me. I can set my own hours and no one can fire me.
No, it wasn’t something she would have chosen. She hadn’t grown up wanting to be a cab driver. Her mother would turn over in her grave.
Her overachieving sister had tried to talk her out of it and had made phone calls to get her other jobs. Eventually, Cathy had quit trying, because Holly managed to embarrass her every time.
Now even Juliet accepted what she had to do to pay her rent. She’d lost umpteen jobs, and when no one would hire her because of her own record of failures, she had started thinking outside the box.
She saw a want ad for taxi drivers, and applied. She’d been hired, and for a while had driven the agency’s cab. Then a friend retired and offered to sell her his taxi.
In the interest of keeping her working, Juliet and Bob had loaned her the money to buy it. Ever since, she’d been her own boss, though she still took calls from the agency.
At least she couldn’t fire herself.
But neither of her sisters would respond well to her pregnancy. Her family had been staunch pro-lifers as far back as she could remember. They would never consider abortion an option, but an unwed pregnancy was a fate worse than death, at least to Juliet.
Guilt raged through her as she drove to her sister’s house. Here she was, thinking about herself at a time like this. What kind of person was she? Her brother was traumatized after finding his wife dead, and now he was being blamed for her murder. His child was at Juliet’s, confused and asking questions. And Holly’s mind was on her own plight. It was just like her.
She hated herself.
She reached Juliet’s house where three TV vans were parked and pulled her taxi into the driveway. As she did, a police car pulled up, with a silver Cadillac trailing it.
Holly got out, hoping they’d thought better of Jay’s arrest and brought him back. Maybe Cathy had pulled some legal strings.
Instead, Warren and his mother got out of the car. What now? Were they going to try to take Jackson again? Holly slammed her door and ran into the house, “Juliet!”
Her sister was at the door in seconds. “Shhh. Jackson’s sleeping.”
Holly tried to catch her breath. “Juliet, it’s the police and Warren and his mother”
“The police? What do they want?”
“Jackson, I’ll bet.”
Juliet looked out as the group made their way through the reporters. Holly felt her sister go rigid.
As they reached the front steps, Juliet said, “My brother isn’t here, and Jackson’s asleep right now. You’ll have to come back later.”
“Ma’am, we have a court order.”
One of the police officers handed her a folded sheet of paper, and Juliet opened it, her hands shaking. “We have to take Jackson Cramer from you and place him in the custody of his grandmother.”
Juliet’s mouth fell open, and she couldn’t seem to speak. “No,” Holly said, “Jay wanted him to
stay here. His father gets to determine where his child will stay.”
“His father has been charged with murder,” Warren said. “We talked to a judge this morning, who ordered that Jackson come home with us. My mother is his next of kin.”
Juliet kept staring at the order. “It’s a temporary order until we can have a hearing. But no one even gave Jay a chance to tell the judge where he wants Jackson to stay? This was decided without him?”
Holly suddenly felt sick. She couldn’t throw up right here, in front of the press and the police. She tried to hold it back. Juliet took a step forward, touched Mrs. Haughton’s arm. The woman looked weak, and her labored breathing suggested this was not easy for her. “Mrs. Haughton, you know Annalee would have been worried about Jackson’s state of mind. I promise you he’s fine here. He’s taking a nap. Jay told him about his mom, so it’s been a tough day for him already. Please … let him stay. Don’t do this.”
“He’s my grandson,” Mrs. Haughton said, breathless, as if that was all she could manage to get out.
“And he’s my nephew,” Juliet said. “He loves being here with his cousins. I’m set up for kids. And you’re not well.”
“I’m well,” Warren cut in, “and he’s my nephew too. The judge says he’s coming with us. Are you going to get him, or am I?”
And then the nausea came, roiling up in Holly’s stomach, rising to her throat. She left the doorway and ran for the bathroom. Barely making it in time, she bent over the toilet and wretched.
“Aunt Holly? Do you have the flu?”
Holly finished heaving and looked up to see Jackson, standing sleepy-eyed in the bathroom doorway. “Maybe I do. Honey, I thought you were taking a nap.”
“Where’s Aunt Juliet? Is my daddy back yet?”
Tasting the bile in her mouth, Holly took his hand and tried to lead him back to the stairs. Surely Mrs. Haughton would think better of taking this child away right now. Surely Warren would care more for his nephew’s fragile state of mind than for his own “rights” in removing him.
“Jackson!” Warren’s voice startled them both, and Jackson turned around.
“Hey, Uncle Warren.”
“Jackson, come here, bud.”
Holly’s nausea made an encore. Holly raced back to the bathroom and threw up again. When she looked up, Juliet was standing in the doorway. “Holly, are you all right?”
She nodded. “Yes … just upset.”
Juliet left her alone to clean up and went back to the front door. When Holly came back out, the travesty continuing, Jackson stood in front of his uncle, who had stooped to his eye level.
“Jackson, Grandma and I want you to come to our house for a while. We want to spend some time with you.”
Jackson looked at him. “Did you know Mommy died?”
Warren looked at his mother, who bent more over her walker, as if her grief prevented her from holding herself upright.
“Yes, we know. We’re all really sad, but we want to make sure you’re okay. If you came, it would make Grandma feel so much better.”
Jackson gazed at his grandmother. Holly hoped the guilt-inducing tactics weren’t working. “Grandma’s going to be sad no matter where Jackson is. Won’t you, Mrs. Haughton?”
Mrs. Haughton couldn’t seem to answer.
“I was gonna swim in a little while,” Jackson said. “Aunt Juliet said —”
“We’ll do something fun at Grandma’s,” Warren cut in. “You can sleep over and —”
“No, I want to sleep over here until Daddy comes back.”
“But your daddy’s going to be gone for a while. Let’s get your stuff. Grandma’s not feeling well. We need to get her home.”
Jackson’s big eyes sought his aunts. Speechless, Juliet struggled with tears. Holly knew she was censoring her words, considering Jackson’s reaction. But Holly didn’t care about that. Rage beat in her face. “Warren, this is making things worse. Don’t be so selfish. Think, for once!”
“Holly, don’t make it harder for him,” Warren said through his teeth.
“But you know this isn’t what his dad wants!”
“Jackson,” Warren said in a sterner voice. “Show me where your stuff is.”
When it was clear the police would demand compliance, Juliet tried to paste on a happy face and convince Jackson that he’d have fun at his grandmother’s. But the child wasn’t buying it.
Holly called Cathy while Juliet helped pack up Jackson’s things, but there was no answer. She was probably with Jay. When Jackson began to cry, Warren just moved faster, stuffing Jackson’s clothes into a suitcase.
“Uncle Warren, I don’t wanna go!” Jackson cried. “Please, can I stay here?”
“No, bud. You have to come with us. Just for a while. It’ll be okay. We’ll watch a movie. I’ll take you to the pet store, and we can pet some puppies.”
The child clearly wanted none of it. He reached for Juliet. She picked him up and held him. “It’s just for a little while. They can bring you back to swim later, can’t you, Uncle Warren?”
Warren didn’t answer. He just zipped up the bag.
Jackson wailed louder as Warren took her from Juliet’s arms, the police standing beside him, ready to intervene if anyone tried to prevent this. As Warren carried the distraught child out to their car, his grandmother hobbling behind him on her walker, Holly wanted to scream and throw something.
“This is absurd!” she told Juliet. “Why did you just let that happen?”
Juliet burst into tears. “I had no choice. They had a judge’s order.”
“We could have stalled until Cathy called back!”
“I didn’t want to get Jackson more upset. Look at him!”
“It’s going to be all over the news. The little boy whose mother was murdered, carried, crying, out of his aunt’s house. They’re going to milk this for all it’s worth.”
“We need to pray,” Juliet said. “We need a whole series of miracles.”
But Holly doubted God even cared. It was the exact reason she had given up praying long ago.
CHAPTER 21
I want my son back with my sister!” Jay had remained relatively calm since being arrested, but since Cathy told him that Jackson had been removed, he’d begun to shake and pace the floor. Al and Max watched him carefully, as if taking mental notes about his behavior. “This isn’t right. I’m his father. I say where he stays. I haven’t lost my parental rights just because you guys are barking up the wrong tree!”
Cathy tried to quiet her brother. Insulting the police wasn’t going to do any good. “Detectives, I need a moment alone with my client.”
Al uncrossed his legs and slowly got up. “Let us know when he’s ready to resume.”
As they walked out, Cathy turned to Jay. “I know this is upsetting. I’m upset too. I’m working on getting him back.”
“How can you do that? You’re also working on getting me out of here and solving this murder. You can’t do everything, Cathy.” Perspiration shone on his face. “I want to get another attorney. An experienced lawyer who can focus on getting me out of this.”
She gaped at him. “You’re firing me?”
“No, but I need a heavy-duty criminal defense attorney.”
She crossed her arms and threw her chin up. “You don’t think I’m heavy-duty?”
“Cathy, this is not about you. I want you to work on getting Jackson back with Juliet until I get out of here. And maybe you can follow some leads and figure out who killed Annalee. If you’re tied up in all these interviews with me, you can’t do that.”
She had to admit, there was wisdom in what he was saying. She wasn’t that experienced in murder cases, and she hadn’t practiced law for the last two years. He did need someone top notch. She couldn’t let her pride get in the way.
She sighed. “Then I’d recommend Lawrence Pratt. I can call him right now. He’s gotten a lot of high-profile defendants acquitted of murder charges.”
“I don’t need
someone who gets guilty people off. I need someone who gets innocent people off.” He dropped back into the chair. “But right now, I don’t even care. Just go take care of Jackson. He must be so confused. Being told his mother is gone, that he’ll never see her again this side of heaven, and watching me being arrested. Then being forced to go to a house where his grandmother is slowly dying. Why does she want him?”
“I think she’s just not thinking clearly,” Cathy said. “Warren isn’t helping matters.”
“But Warren has never even spent time with Jackson alone as far as I know. He never pays any attention to him.”
Cathy shook her head. “Maybe he’s just trying to do something for his sister.”
“Don’t defend him!” Jay bit out.
“I’m not,” Cathy said. “But grief does different things to people.”
“The only person whose grief matters to me is Jackson’s. Why can’t they think of him? Cathy, don’t I still have parental rights? They can’t take my child away against my will until I’ve been convicted of something, can they?”
“They do have the right to make arrangements for a child’s custody when his only remaining parent isn’t able to care for him. And when his grandmother filed for custody … well, she’s the closest kin. She knows the judge really well. He’s a friend of the family. He probably thought he was doing the right thing, taking care of Jackson so he wouldn’t go into foster care.”
“Foster care?”
“I’ll petition the court to put him back with Juliet until the hearing. Then we can present all the facts.”
But Cathy knew her reassurances were weak. They did little to calm Jay down.
As Cathy left the police station, she knew she had to get Jackson back to her sister’s. Even being charged with murder hadn’t upset Jay as much as his child’s plight.
She supposed that was how it should be. The best way to help him was to find this killer so Jay could have Jackson back.
She hurried home and made a phone call. Her first choice for Jay’s attorney, Lawrence Pratt, agreed to take the case. He would go visit Jay in the next hour or so, freeing her up to file a motion to get Jackson placed back with Juliet. But first, she checked her blog to see if she’d heard back from the killer.
Truth-Stained Lies Page 9