Public defender Raymond L. Schmidt, a young man possibly early thirties, arrived at the jail with his brand-new brief case in hand. Detective Lake saw him coming in the door.
“I’ll bet you fifty bucks, a gift from his old man for graduating law school and passing the bar exam. Either that or mommy made him a big lunch. Either way, I’d say there’s a few dollars in that family.”
Reese elbowed him in the side. “Shut up.”
“Good afternoon, my name is Raymond Schmidt, I’m the attorney representing Timothy Cole. I’d like to speak with my client.”
“I’ll bet you would,” Lake mumbled under his breath. “Until you meet him.”
“What’s that? I’m sorry I couldn’t hear you.”
“Nothing important. Right this way. Anything you need, just ask.”
“Well, right now I’d like my client removed from that cell and placed in a room where we can speak in private.”
There’s nothing private at a police precinct, Reese thought.
She led him to Tim Cole’s cell where he introduced himself. The two were brought into an interrogation room. Tim in handcuffs and leg restraints. An officer was placed outside the door.
“As your court appointed attorney, I have to ask you a few questions. Were you read your Miranda Rights, when you were arrested?”
“Yes.” No sense lying about that, he thought.
“Sir, do you understand the charges being brought against you?”
“Not really. They say I killed a guy in the hospital. I don’t remember that. I was in there because they brought me in, saying I had some sort of an attack. I just decided I didn’t want to be tested again so I got off the exam table and left the hospital. Nobody told me not to leave.”
“What do you mean, tested again? When were you tested and where? Most important for what were you tested?”
“A long time ago. Right here in Jade. A place called Saturn Center or something like that.”
“Mr. Cole, do you have family or anyone that I may contact for you?”
“No.”
“You have no family?”
“I said no. They’re all gone.” Tim was beginning to feel the heat rise to his face again.
“I’m just trying to get to know more about you,” the lawyer said.
“My rights said I had a right to remain silent. Isn’t that true?”
“Yes, it is, but I’m your lawyer and if I’m going to represent you in court, I need to know the answers to these questions. Do you understand what I am saying?”
“Yes. I have a right to remain silent and I am.”
With that Tim made the motion of zipping his lip, like a child being told not to tell a secret.
Raymond L Schmidt walked out of the interrogation room shaking his head. Tim was taken back to his cell.
“How’d that go, Mr. Schmidt?” Clayton asked.
“I would like to speak to the District Attorney.”
“I’ll arrange the meeting to be held here at the precinct. Is that all?”
“No! I mean now.” He was getting a little hot headed with her.
“Look, Counselor, we’ll call right now,” Lake interjected. “But no promises that she is available on such short notice. Got it? And in the future, be a bit more respectful of my partner or you and I are going to have a problem.”
“Is that a threat? Because it sure sounded like one.”
“Not a threat. A promise. Now here is the number for the D.A. If she doesn’t answer our call now, then you can try to contact her yourself later. Are we on the same page, Schmidt?”
“Yes. And I apologize for being rude.” He put out his hand for Emerson to shake and then did the same with Reese. He told them he needed coffee and would be right back.
“I almost feel sorry for that kid,” Lake said. “He has no idea what he’s doing and this could be a very complex case - even for the big guns. He might as well hit that pretty briefcase with a hammer now because by the time he is done with Tim Cole’s case, it will be banged up from hitting the table out of total frustration anyway.”
Reese nodded in agreement as she dialed the D.A.
“District Attorney Dawson’s office, how may I help you?”
“Yes, this is Detective Reese Clayton, Cromwell Police Department. Is Ms. Dawson available?” It felt strange to pick up a regular, old-fashioned telephone. The whole planet it seemed uses cell phones.
“One moment, please.”
“This is Eve Dawson. Aren’t you a bit out of your jurisdiction?”
“Yes, my partner, Detective Emerson Lake, and I are following a lead in a murder investigation. The suspect is in the Jade lock-up as we speak. His name is Timothy Cole. His attorney, Raymond Schmidt, asked us to see if you are available to come to the precinct to meet with him and his client. Is this possible sometime today?”
“Forward me his contact information. I will speak with him myself. Will you be at the precinct?”
“Yes, we will be here for the rest of the day.”
“Who is the victim? I am assuming it has to do with what’s going on in Cromwell. Is that correct?”
“So far, one victim from here and a possible connection to the murders of his entire family and two others in Cromwell.”
“Seems like a lot going on, Detective. I’ll contact Mr. Schmidt and the judge as well.”
“Thank you, Ms. Dawson. Talk soon.”
Reese hung up the phone. “Well, it appears Ms. Dawson will be here this evening. Let’s get something to eat before the madness.”
“I have a better idea.”
“No, you don’t. I’m quite sure about that.”
Chapter 68
D.A. Eve Dawson met with the accused and his attorney and the detectives at the Jade precinct at 6pm.
“Now, Mr. Cole, you have been accused of murder of an X-ray technician. One Jeremy Boyle,” she said looking at her paperwork.
“My client has no recollection of this incident, Ms. Dawson. Nor does he have any recollection of why he was brought into the hospital in the first place. Yes, he admits to walking out of the Jade hospital, because he didn’t understand why he was there. He claims he felt fine. So, he left.”
“Is that true, Mr. Cole?”
No answer.
“Detectives, why was my client detained at the Jade precinct? Was he under arrest for something else? Detective Lake, you first.”
“He was not under arrest at the time. He was brought in for questioning on a tip we had from a third party about a murdered taxi driver found between here and Cromwell. His throat was slit. Cab was found turned over on the edge of the road leading into Jade. While we were questioning Tim, he had some sort of medical problem. He turned blue, fell over and wasn’t breathing. We started CPR on him until the paramedics arrived. As you have already read in the report. There have been eight murders in Cromwell and we recently determined Tim Cole is a suspect. Dental records show that the six bodies discovered in our local theater are the parents and siblings of Timothy Cole.”
“And yet there is no real proof that my client murdered anyone. Is that correct?”
Emerson was furious. “He is also a suspect in the murder of the technician. He was the last person to see him in X-ray according to the transport girl. Mr. Cole is also suspected of firing a weapon at my partner and I at our motel the other night.”
“Detective, did you actually see my client take shots at you? And furthermore, did you get a sworn statement from this transport person?”
“To answer your first question, no. Just the outline of a very large man that jumped over the railing. Second question, yes. We did get a statement saying she recognized this man as the person she brought to X-ray.”
Detective Lake’s phone rang. “Excuse me. I need to take this.”
Lake turned his b
ack on the group and accepted the call.
“Emerson Lake here. Yes. What did you find out? Okay, thank you very much.”
Lake turned toward Cole. “That was the lab. Timothy Cole, you are under arrest for the murder of the taxi driver found along the road near the Jade County line. Your fingerprints were all over the knife and the cab as well. You have the right…”
Tim began to laugh. An uncontrollable laugh. He knew this was the only way. The way to get transferred into a mental hospital. He had done it many times before. He rocked back and forth in his seat and began to sing “Rock a bye baby, in the tree top. Where’s my mommy? I love my mommy.”
Raymond Schmidt was in total disbelief at his client’s behavior.
“I believe this meeting is over for now,” he boomed. “I will be asking for the judge to have my client Timothy Cole evaluated by a mental health professional.”
Eve totally agreed. “A mental work-up will need to be done before we can move forward. Mr. Schmidt, see to it that you make those arrangements with the judge’s full knowledge as quickly as possible. And remember, I am entitled to receive a copy of the diagnosis when the tests are complete. Understood?”
“Ms. Dawson, you will treat me with the same respect that you would apply to any other attorney. Is that understood, Ms. Dawson?”
“Shit, where did those balls come from?” Reese thought.
Emerson was about to step in to put the fire out, but, she had already extended her hand out to make amends. “I apologize. Are we good?”
Schmidt nodded and left, motioning to the officers to escort his client back to jail.
“Son-of-a-bitch,” growled Lake. “This is the same way he acted at the hospital and the same trick at the station. He played us.”
“Of course, he did,” Reese shouted. “But there is more to this story. More to this killing spree. A whole lot more and I for one am determined to find out the truth. Pull yourself up by the bootstraps partner. We need to find out who else is involved in this. It must be more than just Timothy Cole. He may be smart, but not that smart.”
Chapter 69
Mary Elizabeth Hollingsworth called Minh Nyung with a heavy heart. It wasn’t a call she wanted to make, but knew she must. She thought it would be nice to be friends with him one day. He was such a kind man. Maybe even a little bit more than friends. She had been alone for a very long time. Maybe it was time for a new direction. Her thoughts were interrupted when Minh picked up the phone. He answered with a pleasant-sounding voice. Soft, yet manly. One of his many nice traits. Something she really liked about him.
“This is Mary Elizabeth. I think you should come down to the hospital to have a conversation with the doctors about Kei Lien and what’s next. You should bring Daniel as well.”
“Something is wrong. Am I correct?”
“Please. It would be wrong for me to try and answer that. I’m not her doctor, but I do care about what’s happening to her. Can I expect you soon?”
“Of course. I will try to reach Daniel so we may come together.”
When Daniel received the call from his father he was on his daily walk in the woods. His first thought was to run deeper into the woods. To hide. To forget all of this. But he ran deeper into his soul instead and ran most of the way home. He prayed that the worst would not happen to this girl he now considered his friend. Although, he thought, what could be worse than what had already happened in her life? As he approached his house a strange calm ran over his body.
“Dad, am I wrong to wish for her peace and the possibility of once again being re-united with her Mom? Is it wrong for me to even say these things? I feel that is the only answer for this woman…well…child. What possible good could come from her being subjected to months, maybe even years, of questions? She will never recover her childhood. She will never be able to do all the things that children do nor the things that adults do either. Could she ever allow a first kiss without running away? Would therapy even be an option? Physical or mental? Dad, I know it’s not up to me to say when. I’m just trying to be as level-headed as I can when it comes to her care, now and later. Yes, there is an emotional bond between us. Mostly me because of what I allowed to happen to her that day under her window.”
“Daniel, please stop now. This is a difficult time for all of us. Guilt is never pretty, no matter the situation. The time will come far too soon to bear the feelings of regret when it comes to this young lady. Now it is time to leave. Go. Get cleaned up. Maybe grab a healthy snack. Something with a lot of protein to help your state of mind. I do not need two of you in hospital beds or on the proverbial couch, so to speak.”
As much as Minh loved his stepson and felt everything that his son was feeling, he had to stay focused on the task at hand. Getting the best care for Kei Lien. Minh paced up and down the driveway waiting for what seemed like forever for Daniel to come out of the house. He was deep in his own thoughts about starting a new life for himself. Although he was anxious to get to the hospital, he was secretly excited to see Mary Elizabeth again. It would be nice to have someone, a companion, in his life again. He had been alone far too long and missed the connection of a woman lying beside him. I’m too young, he thought, to let my life pass me by. One day Daniel will be gone, and I will be alone if I don’t think of myself. The calm, soft-spoken man, who always tried to be the level-headed one, suddenly was overwhelmed knowing Kei Lien’s life was in his hands. It was his decision. A decision that should be in God’s hands. A decision that would be a little bit more comforting if he had a shoulder to cry on. A female shoulder.
Daniel appeared on the scene. Peanut butter sandwich in one hand and one wrapped for his father in the other. Minh smiled at the thoughtfulness of his son.
Chapter 70
Tim Cole was sitting in a warm room full of framed photographs of someone’s distant memories. Memories of happy times, maybe vacation times, he thought.
“This will be fun,” he snickered.
A rather large recliner sat on one side of the room with a sofa nearby and a mahogany desk with all the essentials on top to complete the picture-perfect décor. A fine place to tell your life story to a total stranger. Tim was in full manipulation mode as he waited for the questioning to begin. He knew he had to play this right for him to be committed to a facility. A facility he knew he could control. He had done it before.
“Tim… may I call you Tim? We are here to determine your mental status in connection to the charges against you. Do you understand?”
Tim shrugged his shoulders. “I guess you can call me Tim.”
“My name is Doctor Carl Brickman. Do you understand why you are here?” the doctor repeated.
Tim gently nodded his head staring directly into his eyes and deep into his soul. He was already unnerving the psychiatrist even though there were armed guards outside the door to his office.
“Let’s begin. You live in Cromwell, South Dakota. Is that correct, Tim? Could you tell me a little bit about your family? How many siblings do you have? What are your parents like?”
Tim sat quiet, continuing his piercing stare.
“Mr. Cole, please answer the questions the best that you can? I’m just trying to get to know a little bit about you.”
“I like the sound of Mr. Cole,” Tim grunted. “Yeah, that’s a better way to ask me something. My family, well, I have two sisters, two brothers, mom, and dad. They’re gone now, though.”
“Where have they gone, Mr. Cole?”
“I lived in a place for a long time. I was sixteen years old. Every now and again my father would take me home, but he’d eventually bring me back to that place. That place is bad. You get wires hooked to your head and then your head buzzes and burns and really hurts. Do you know the kind of place I mean?”
“Do you remember the name of the place where you stayed? Was it near here?”
“Saturn. Not here anymore.
I took care of that. I took a match to it a long time ago.”
Dr. Brickman was surprised at how quickly Tim admitted to the arson. “Why did you do that, Mr. Cole?”
“Wouldn’t you?”
“Can you tell me what happened?”
“My dad took me out of there so I could go on a trip with him and mom. I love my mom. We went to the cabin in the woods with my sisters and brothers. After that, I went back to Saturn because I had no place to go. So, I hitched a ride. I just walked in. Nobody asked me how I got in, but then they wanted to put those wires on me again. So, I burned the place down and ran away to Cromwell again. Not in the woods though. Just anywhere I could find.”
“Why didn’t you have anywhere to go? Where were your parents? Mr. Cole?”
Tim seemed to be impressed with himself just hearing those words…Mr. Cole.
“Can you tell me why your father didn’t go with you back to Saturn?”
“He just couldn’t.”
“Is there anything you’d like to share with me? I’m here to listen. That’s what I do. I listen to the stories people want to talk about. Sometimes those stories are about their families. Do you want to tell me about your home life? What was it like growing up with two sisters and two brothers?”
Tim’s face began to turn a fiery red, his breathing labored, his chest rising and falling at a quick pace. He abruptly stood up and stomped around the room. His shackled ankles tangled caused him to trip, knocking over a Tiffany lamp next to the sofa. Immediately, the office door sprang open. The two officers in the doorway with guns drawn.
“Everything okay, Dr. Brickman?”
“Yes, everything is okay. Mr. Cole just bumped into my lamp and it fell to the floor. Thank you though for your concern.”
“We’re just on the other side of this door if you need us.”
With that the officer holstered his gun and closed the door behind him.
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