Conviction: Book 3 of the Detective Ryan Series

by Andrew Hess

“Ali, I’m so sorry.”

  “For what? It’s not like James and I were dating or anything. I just wish he would’ve thought twice before bringing some random woman home knowing you lived here.”

  “It’s not a big deal. I lived in the dorms; I’m used to stuff like that happening. My old roommate used to come back every weekend with some guy she met.”

  I wasn’t happy that Amanda’s former roommate had strange men traipsing through their dorm room at all hours of the night while my sister slept in the next bed. Although I was sure Amanda wasn’t alone either.

  “Whatever, I don’t have time to deal with this right now.” I barged into the house and grabbed my bags, stuffing them with the clothes and everything else I left behind.

  “What are you doing?”

  “I told you, I’m moving back to my old house. There’s no need for me to keep all this stuff here.” Slinging the bags over my shoulder, I exited the room. “After tomorrow, you won’t have to worry about walking in on him and another woman again either.”

  I could see she wanted to say something else, but opted not to as I stormed out of the house. I packed my bags into the trunk and told her to bring her stuff over when she was ready.

  I texted James from the road to tell him I was at the house and that we needed to talk. He agreed to meet me for coffee, but didn’t seem too eager about it. I drove to the coffee shop and waited in my car for him to show.

  When he pulled up, he swerved into the parking spot like he did when we first met. He stepped out of his car wearing khaki pants, polished dress shoes, a button down shirt with the first two buttons open, and a pair of sunglasses that reflected the word douchebag in my mind. He didn’t say hello or acknowledge me in any way. He just walked towards the door and grabbed the handle.

  “Where the hell do you think you’re going?” I shouted.

  “To get coffee. I believe that was part of the deal. I came here, we got coffee, and you flip out about whatever it is that’s got you pissed off this time.”

  After realizing I slept in a car all night for nothing, and what Amanda walked in on, I was already heated to a point where I wanted to slap the shit out of James Thornton. Hearing him talk to me like he was, made my blood reach a boiling point where there was no turning back.

  “First off, I came to tell you I came to the house and packed up all my shit and took it with me.”

  “No surprise there. You’ve been saying you were going to leave. I figured when you stormed out the other night, you weren’t coming back.”

  “I almost did. I actually came back last night. I sat in my car waiting for you to get home so we could talk, but things didn’t quite work out like I planned.”

  “What do you mean?” The cockiness in his demeanor shifted and I could see the look of concern hiding behind his expensive sunglasses as he let go of the door handle.

  “I came there last night looking to see what there was between us, if anything at all. I happened to wake up to my sister knocking on my car window telling me she walked in on you and some other woman.”

  I waited for him to tell me it wasn’t what I thought or try to come up with some excuse for what he did. Instead, he shrugged it off as if it didn’t bother him.

  “I didn’t know I needed permission to bring a woman back to my house for the night.”

  “I don’t care what you do in your own house, but I’d appreciate you not doing it in front of my sister. At least lock your door.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind for the next time. Anything else you want to yell at me for or want to know?”

  “Where are we with the flower shop lead, their driver’s accident, or the Sheila Nichols case?” I had been so busy trying to prove Rodney’s innocence that I hadn’t checked up on any of those cases in several days.

  “None of those are any of your concern, Ali. Those cases belong to the Dutchess County Police Department.”

  “Bullshit! Those were my cases too. We were working them together to track down their killer, the same one that was hunting me.”

  “Well, you’re not on them anymore. Other than the roses, we haven’t found anything linking the man who left you the flowers to either crime scene. We haven’t found anything that supports DeFalco had help of any kind other than Dr. Cain’s word, and she hasn’t said anything since then.”

  “We both know the same guy that attacked me and left me roses did the same to Sheila. And they torched the flower shop to hide where they got the flowers from.”

  “I don’t need this shit,” he spat as he walked back to his car. He opened the door and climbed inside. “Unlike you, I have some real cases to investigate, not some bullshit you made up in your head.”

  Seeing the sunroof open on his car, I dug out the key he gave me to his house. “Fuck you,” I screamed as I pelted him in the side of the face with the key.

  He sped off, leaving me behind. There were no tears in my eyes this time. There was just fury and determination, exactly what I needed before going to my meeting with the D.A.

  The meeting with Richard Garrett went smoothly. Dr. Woo presented his findings to the D.A. who smiled and nodded along. I was convinced Rodney would be cleared of all charges by the end of the day, but fate had other plans.

  “Detective Ryan and Dr. Woo, I appreciate you both coming out here today and presenting this evidence. However, I feel that I will need to spend some time looking it over and consulting with my team and other analysts as well before making my decision.”

  All the energy, rage, passion, and hope I had, deflated in an instant. Hearing I had to wait was the polite way of saying there’s not enough evidence to support your theory. I didn’t know why he just didn’t come out and say it. He’s never been one to pull punches in the courtroom before.

  “Of course,” Dr. Woo said as he said goodbye and exited.

  Richard Garrett came around his desk and sat next to me. His cologne was strong and off-putting like someone who took a bath in scented hand sanitizer.

  “So Ali, would you care to join me for dinner tonight?”

  “I’m guessing you’re not dropping the charges against Rodney. That was the deal right?”

  “Ali, his case has nothing to do with us having dinner. I meant what I said a few minutes ago. I do need to look everything over and have it run by other analysts for verification. I couldn’t just make a snap decision for a case this sensitive.”

  “I understand.”

  “I would still like it very much if you joined me.”

  “Sure,” I replied. I figured why the hell not. It wasn’t like I had anything to do. My plans consisted of going home to a boxed up house with nothing to do except stare at the ceiling. “Where do you want to meet?”

  “I’ll pick you up at your house.”

  “I’m actually in the process of moving.”

  “I’m not looking for an invitation to make myself at home. It’ll just be easier for us to decide where to go if I picked you up, as in a proper date.”

  I had reservations about making this a date. I was hoping it would be a dinner between two colleagues and hope I could talk him into dropping Rodney’s case.

  “Sure, pick me up at eight.” I jotted down the address for the house I rented and walked back to my car feeling a bit guilty for going on a date so soon.

  Chapter 26-PM

  “All rise,” the bailiff said as court resumed session for the trial of the People versus Dr. Claire Cain. The lawyers took their position behind their tables.

  “Ms. Reed, have you and Ms. Reynolds come to an understanding or a deal?”

  “No Your Honor. We have discussed this matter thoroughly, but the defendant has not provided any information to myself or her attorney.”

  “Then we will proceed with the trial.”

  The Puppet Master looked on, containing his delight. He was sure the meeting he stumbled on was the one the judge had insisted on. The idea of Claire giving up anything she knew about him was disappointing. Discovering s
he kept her mouth shut meant his threats worked.

  “That’s my good girl,” he whispered as his eyes shifted from one lawyer to the next. He settled on staring at Rebecca Reynolds, remembering how close he had been to killing her the other night. Drugging her was too easy, which made him second guess his decision to go back the following night.

  The night had worked to his advantage, an advantage he visualized every time he looked at her. Maybe I’ll keep her around a little longer, he thought. It would work to his favor. He could toy around with her as long as he wanted until she no longer served a purpose.

  His eyes shifted back to the prosecution. Stacy Reed was one that he would love to kill. She had pushed for the defense to give up everything they had on him. He needed to make sure she didn’t keep poking her nose where it didn’t belong. No one needed to know his name or his involvement in the murder sprees. They were just pawns to help him get closer to Detective Ryan. The more she focused on solving their cases, the more vulnerable she left her personal life.

  DeFalco believed he was the Puppet Master’s protégé, but in reality he was nothing more than a pawn or a distraction. He got the officers’ attention by killing the four people he hated the most. When the evidence started pointing at DeFalco, the Puppet Master was the one who stepped in to help clean up the mess.

  Knowing there was only two ways it would end, he set DeFalco up, ensuring the police found evidence linking Nick to the murders. To make sure he didn’t talk, he set a plan in motion that would see his blood be on Ali Ryan’s hands.

  He thought it would have ended her career, but she was commended for a job well done, given a vacation, and carried on with her life as if nothing happened. That angered him further, wanting to exact a revenge on her that she would never bounce back from. To do that, he needed another pawn.

  His eyes settled on Claire as she sat in the courtroom with her orange jumpsuit. She was supposed to be his pawn, one he could dispose of the moment the police suspected her. Unfortunately, they found her faster than expected and arrested her. Everyone viewed her as a goodie-goodie, which made her the perfect patsy. If it weren’t for her being so damaged, she would have never met him.

  He remembered the night they met so vividly. He was hanging around after a self-help meeting. She kept to herself while eyeing up one of the presenters.

  “It might be better if you joined the meeting,” he whispered.

  “Maybe you should take your own advice,” Claire snapped.

  “When it’s my turn, and they call me to speak, I will.” Claire’s eyes widened as she apologized. “It’s okay,” the Puppet Master replied. The calm sternness of his voice kept Claire from making another sound. He took a sip of coffee. “You seem like a bit of a spit-fire. What are you doing at a self-help seminar?”

  “I don’t really want to talk about it.”

  “Suit yourself, but I figured some one-on-one time with a presenter might do you some good.” He caught the side eyed glance from Claire. “This isn’t me hitting on you or asking you out. Just figured you might want someone to talk to.”

  The Puppet Master finished his coffee and walked towards the stage. The man at the podium concluded his speech as the host took the microphone. She introduced the next presenter, allowing the Puppet Master to take the stage. He saw Claire’s eyes lock onto him as he spoke. He knew then, she would be his next pawn.

  Shaking his head from his memory, the Puppet Master watched as the jury selection concluded. Twelve individuals, seven women and five men, sat in the juror box awaiting their final instructions.

  “Court will resume in one week for opening arguments,” the judge proclaimed as his gavel banged loudly.

  The jury dispersed while the prosecution gathered their files. Claire sat in her chair refusing to get up. Her eyes flickered to the back of the room. The Puppet Master saw the shock register on her face. He wanted her to know he was there, watching her, waiting for her to make a mistake. He wanted her to know she wasn’t safe no matter where she went.

  He stood up and blended into the herd of people exiting the courtroom, ensuring no one else noticed him. He lingered in the hall long enough to watch the attorneys leave. They shook hands, which sent an uneasy feeling through the Puppet Master’s body. He moved closer to hear the last bit of their conversation.

  “Have your client ready to go by tomorrow,” Ms. Reed said in a loud whisper. “Once we have what we need from her, I’ll push the paperwork through. In the meantime, I’ll have the warden increase security and make sure Claire has two guards with her at all times.”

  “Perfect. We will see you tomorrow.”

  The attorneys split off in different directions, missing the Puppet Master by a few seconds. Entering the bathroom, he slammed his fist into the wall, knocking a tile loose. Feeling the warm trickle of blood down his hand, he moved to the sink and washed it away. He was seething for vengeance and knew his next attack was imminent.

  “Looks like your usefulness has worn itself out.”

  *********************************************************

  Ali

  Richard Garrett pulled up in front of my house promptly at eight o’clock. He parked on the street and walked up to the front door. The gentleman approach won him points in my book.

  “I’ll be right out,” I said as I answered the door. Grabbing my purse, I closed the door and greeted my date. He held out his arm for me to hold onto as we marched down the lawn to his car. He opened the passenger side for me to enter. More gentleman points.

  “Did you have any preference for dinner?” he asked.

  “Not really; what did you have in mind?”

  “I know a nice Italian place in Rhinebeck we could go.”

  We drove with the music occupying the dead silence between us. Thanks to the summer, a glowing orange sunset provided a romantic backdrop in the distance. Now how the hell did he plan that one?

  So far, Richard Garrett was on his game and doing a hell of a job in getting me to like him. When we pulled up to the restaurant, I thought he had put in the wrong address.

  The building had the appearance of a white shingled house with white wooden steps leading to the entrance. I must have been making a disgusted looking face when Richard opened my door.

  “Come on; I promise it’s not as bad as you think.”

  Really? Because I’m thinking we’re eating at a farm house. He took my hand and led me up the steps. Inside the restaurant beige walls lined with cherry wood framed mirrors. The tables were covered with soft white linen with chairs matching the cherry wood finish displayed throughout the restaurant.

  “Beautiful, isn’t it?”

  “Yes,” I gasped.

  He held up two fingers to the maître de as we followed him to a table in the center of the room. In the middle of our table sat a slender vase with a lavender orchid. It was beautiful and perfect, but my night felt anything but perfect.

  Richard and I sat across from each other. His focus was on getting to know me a bit better; mine was on convincing him to toss out Rodney’s case.

  “Ali, I’d prefer to leave work at the office. We can discuss his case more tomorrow. I just want our night to be about us.”

  I couldn’t help but laugh. “You don’t know me too well.” I definitely caught him off guard with that one. “My last relationship ended because he knew I was too dedicated to my career. He wanted me to quit because it was getting too dangerous, and he was right. It got so dangerous that he lost his life to the same man Rodney is being framed by.”

  “Ali, I’m sorry.” He reached for my hand, and I let him. The feel of his skin sent a shiver down my spine. “I know proving your partner’s innocence is important to you. I get it, and I understand how important your career is. I’m the same way. But you reach a point in your life where your career leaves you cold and lonely. I have lived that way for the last ten years, and I am sick of it. I don’t want to be like that, and I think deep down you don’t either.”

>   As much as I hated to admit it, he was right. I didn’t want to be alone. I had something great with Matthew, but he didn’t understand the life I lived. I needed someone that did. I needed someone that understood me; that could put up with my crap and still love me for it.

  At the completion of dinner, Richard took me home. He walked me to my door, still showing how much of a gentleman he was, despite the horrible date I was.

  “Ali, I had a nice time.”

  “I’m sure you’ve had better dates,” I joked. “I’m sorry. You were great tonight. The restaurant was beautiful and I loved how nice you were. Chivalry is definitely not dead.”

  “Maybe when this is whole mess clears up with your partner, and this case you’re working ends, we can try this again.”

  “Maybe,” I replied while feeling doubtful there would be another date. But I’ve also come to learn never say never.

  Richard leaned in and gave me a kiss on the cheek. But as he did, a pair of headlights pulled up in front of his car. The door flung open as a tall, fit man stormed up towards the house.

  “So what is this, Ali?” the man shouted. I knew who it was instantly as James. “I’m guessing this is you getting back at me.”

  “I’m sorry,” Richard replied. “Who might you be?”

  James flashed his badge. “Detective James Thornton. Who the hell are you, and why are you here?”

  “I am Richard Garrett, District Attorney.” I watched James take a step back, but the anger held firm. “I was just escorting Detective Ryan home for the night.” He looked back at me. “Would you like me to stay?”

  “No, thank you. I can handle him.”

  “Then I’ll call you when I have the results in.” He kissed my cheek again and whispered in my ear, “I’ll be right around the corner if you need me.”

  “Thank you, but that won’t be necessary.”

  Richard stepped away and walked backwards to his car, never once taking his eyes off James.

  “What are you doing here, James?” My tone cut any momentum of his in half.

  “Nevermind why I’m here. What the hell was that about?”