“Found out what?”
The trickle of tears from before turned into a deluge, spilling down Nathanial’s cheeks. “Two years later, I won the race for circuit court judge. I’m the one who sentenced Maria to prison after convincing the new sheriff to plant enough evidence to make it stick. Unbeknownst to me, Gregory was obsessed with Maria, and when he became an officer of the law, he got a copy of the case file. He read between the lines and our relationship broke in two.”
Shocked by the revelation, Sam leaned back in the chair. “My God. Maria sure caused a lot of grief when alive.”
“Yes, she did, but it’s not entirely her fault. Those of us who used her body for our pleasure have some culpability too.”
“I assume the new sheriff was Bradford?”
Nathanial nodded.
“Did he tell you about the situation with my family?”
“He didn’t need to, but yes, he broached the subject when he brought the DNA results to me. Though your grandmother tried to keep things quiet, those of us who, um, enjoyed Maria’s company back in the day, knew the identities of other potential fathers. Many a night in the poker room of the club, Stan and I discussed the topic. We both regretted the lustful actions of our youth.”
Gritting her jaw to control the rising anger, Sam asked, “Did Bradford tell you about…?”
“If you’re referring to the precarious situation you have with Mr. Benton then the answer’s no, not everything. Enough information was provided I concluded you would be happy to learn the man’s deceased.”
Sam listened to enough of the judge’s sordid backstory. “Gregory worked the accident, discovered Kip was one of the victims, and called you?”
“Yes. The conversation was unpleasant, I assure you.”
“I bet.”
“I went down to the waiting room in the ER. I watched the paramedics bring Kip in. Seeing some suffering from such severe burns was horrible. I hope I never experience it again. Thank God Kip wasn’t screaming in pain. He was already unconscious.”
The coffee table vibrated as Sam’s phone rang. Glancing down at the unfamiliar Arkansas number, she grimaced. “Who in the world is calling me so late?”
Shifting his weepy gaze to the phone, Nathanial frowned. “The number belongs to Gregory, also known as Detective Hornsby. I believe I need to use your facilities, Samantha.”
Sam’s mouth went dry. Oh, shit. Pointing to the door to the downstairs bathroom, she answered. “Hello?”
“This is Detective Greg Hornsby from Little Rock P.D. May I please speak with Samantha Chapman?”
Cutting her gaze over to the judge, he nodded once before disappearing inside the restroom. Sam took a deep breath. “This is she. What may I do for you at this late hour, Detective?”
“I’m investigating a double homicide in Little Rock and understand you represent the lone survivor, a Mr. Kip Hale?”
“Oh no! What happened?”
“As I said—a double homicide. Will you verify that Mr. Hale is your client before I continue?”
“Oh, sorry. Yes, he is. I represent him in a domestic relations matter. I met with him and his wife earlier today.”
“For? And what time?”
“They are divorcing and were here around 11:30, maybe 11:45 to sign papers.”
“Did they seem agitated or have any sort of argument while in your presence?”
“No.”
“Was there any history of domestic violence on either side?”
“Nothing was mentioned to me about any violence.”
“Did you request a temporary restraining order for either party when filing the complaint today?”
“No. Again, I had no reason to believe one was necessary. When Mrs. Hale came in to sign the property settlement and custody agreement, the mood was tense but that’s to be expected given the fact they’re splitting up. Neither one said much except to ask standard questions about the entire process and how long before final, etc.”
“Are you representing them both?”
“No. Only Mr. Hale. Mrs. Hale agreed to the terms we set forth and to forego the expense of another attorney.”
“I see. So, you didn’t get any sort of negative vibe between them? No warning signs trouble was brewing? Were they driving separate vehicles?”
Hell yes I did but I’m not sharing that with you! “No, not at all. They arrived together in Mr. Hale’s truck. Mrs. Hale was giving full custody over to Mr. Hale and seemed eager to return to Memphis to spend time with their son, which again, is normal given the situation. I filed all the documents around 1 p.m. today. Based on your line of questioning, I assume Mrs. Hale is one of the victims?”
“Yes, we believe so. We won’t know for sure until verified through dental records, though a vehicle registered in her name was found at the scene, along with one belonging to Mr. Hale.”
The urge to inquire about Richard was driving her crazy. She knew she couldn’t without arousing suspicion, knowing the next words out of her mouth were blatant lies and a judge only feet away to hear them. Sam took a deep breath. “What’s Mr. Hale’s condition and which hospital has he been taken to?”
“Baptist. He’s alive, but in a coma. The doctors don’t expect him to make it through the night. He suffered severe burns over most of his body and several broken bones.”
Oh, Grayson. My God. Poor child! “Oh my. Okay, I’ll get dressed and head up there. They, uh, have an eight-year-old child together named Grayson. I believe he’s staying with a family friend in Memphis, where Mrs. Hale lives—uh, lived.”
“Yes, we’re aware. We already contacted Child Protective Services in Memphis. That is one of the reasons I called you. Do you know of any relatives of either party we may get in touch with regarding the child?”
A cold shiver raced up Sam’s spine. “To my knowledge, not anyone on Mr. Hale’s side. His parents recently passed away. I don’t know about Kathy’s side of the family. She owned a business in Memphis, so perhaps the employees there might know?”
“Do you know the name of Mrs. Hale’s business?”
“I, uh, let me think—Kip only mentioned it in passing once—had something to do with her name. Ah, yes, Kat’s Toys.”
“Is that a pet shop or something?”
“No. A strip club.”
There was a long pause before Greg replied, “Interesting.”
“I realize you are in the early stage of the investigation, but in your opinion, was the incident one of a domestic violence nature? You said double homicide before. Who’s the other victim? An innocent bystander?”
“No. The incident occurred at the home of your former colleague, Richard Benton. He’s the other casualty.”
Sam did her best to sound shocked. “Oh, my God! Richards’s dead? Are you serious?”
“I’m afraid so, ma’am. From the preliminary information gathered so far, it appears there was some sort of extortion plot as motive involving something in Mr. Benton’s past.”
Sam’s mouth dropped open. Oh, shit. “Why in the world do you believe the deaths tie into some sort of blackmail scheme?”
“We were able to recover various items inside both vehicles. A laptop was found in Mrs. Hale’s sedan with some interesting search history regarding Mr. Benton. Also, we found cell phones inside both vehicles. One had several text messages between Mrs. Hale and another party. We verified the number was Mr. Benton’s after talking to Conrad Baxter.”
“I see. And those few pieces were enough to consider extortion as the motive?”
“Yes, and the fact Mr. Baxter mentioned Richard took early retirement from the firm today, and they had a strange conversation this past Sunday. Mr. Benton alluded someone was threatening to expose a shameful secret from his past, which is why he opted give up his law practice. The texts we recovered were vague yet hinted at the same thing, involving both Mr. and Mrs. Hale. Since the entire structure is nothing more than burned rubble, there isn’t much evidence left to sift through. However
, as soon as the bank opens in the morning, we’ll pull Mr. Benton’s financial records.”
Sam thought about the phone call made by Kathy to Nicole’s sister. Her stomach burned.
“Were you aware of any issues the Hales had with your former colleague, Ms. Chapman? Did Mr. Hale mention anything about Mr. Benton to you? Did either of the Hales ask you about your experiences working with him?”
Here we go. Pull off the lie. Offer up some information as if this is all news to you. “No. I’m stunned by your revelations. I met the Hales in grade school. Kip works as an electrician for my family’s construction company. He came to me and asked me to handle the divorce, so of course I agreed. He’s a friend of the family. I can’t fathom him being a part of trying to extort money from anyone. He’s not cut from that type of cloth.”
“What about his wife? Is she?”
Sam bit her cheek, holding in the answer she wanted to give. “Until the discussions about divorce occurred, I haven’t seen nor spoken to Mrs. Hale in years, so I’m afraid I’m unable to answer the question honestly.”
“How long has Mr. Hale worked for your family?”
“About a year I think. I don’t handle the day-to-day operations of Chapman Construction. My brother-in-law, Reed Mason, does.”
“Would you mind providing me with Mr. Mason’s contact information? I’ll need to speak with him.”
“Oh, sure. He’s with the rest of my family in Eureka Springs. My mother’s getting married tomorrow. I planned on leaving early in the morning, but I think the roads are closed. Is the number you called me from a cell?”
“It is.”
“I’ll text you Reed’s contact information when we’re finished.”
“Thank you. It’s my understanding Mr. Benton was a tax attorney, like you, correct?”
“Yes, though now I specialize in estates and probate.”
“Do you mind me asking why you left Benton & Baxter?”
“I don’t see how it’s of any relevance, but no, I don’t mind. I’m from Hot Springs. My family’s here. I had the opportunity to start my own practice and be closer to my relatives, so I took it. The firm bought out my book of business and I used the money to purchase a building and remodel it.”
“I see. One more question then I’ll let you go.”
“Okay.” Steady. Take a deep breath.
“Do you know if Richard has any family we should contact? Mr. Baxter wasn’t able to recall of any.”
“If memory serves me correct, I believe he was an only child. His parents died years ago. Auto accident, I think. I don’t remember hearing him mention anything about grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, children or ex-wives. I’m afraid that’s all I can remember.”
Greg sighed. “No family does make my job a bit less stressful. Notifying someone a person they love has passed on is rough. It’s even worse when they died at the hands of another before their time.”
“I can’t imagine. You alluded earlier this tragedy involves fire and an explosion of some sort. What happened?”
“The fire investigator believes the explosion originated in the den, probably from the gas fireplace, based off the burn pattern and trajectory of the explosion. Richard’s remains were discovered in what we believe was the den. Though we won’t know for sure until the autopsy’s performed, the coroner noted a possible bullet hole and a cracked section on his skull. Quite a few of his teeth are missing and his lower jaw bone broken by what appears to be blunt force trauma.”
“Dear Lord,” Sam whispered.
“Mr. Hale was found about twenty yards from the front door on the lawn, Mrs. Hale’s body on top of his. Her corpse shielded a good portion of his back, which is why he’s still alive. For now. If he regains consciousness, perhaps he can fill in the blanks about what happened, including why all the bones in his wife’s face are broken. Is criminal defense in your bag of legal tricks as well?”
Sam’s mouth gaped open. “Uh, no.”
“Then for your client’s sake, perhaps you should forego the trip up here and contact a local defense attorney? He’s going to need one should he wake up.”
“Kip’s your main suspect?”
“At this point, yes.”
“What an immeasurable tragedy for all involved, including their child. I can’t believe Richard’s dead. If you don’t have any other questions for me, I need to call Conrad and several others before heading to the hospital. Until I can obtain other counsel for Mr. Hale, if he happens to wake up before I arrive, please refrain from questioning him.”
“I suggest you get on the horn and find someone quick. The east and westbound lanes of I-30 are shut down near Bryant because of a huge wreck between two semis. Black ice. It’ll be hours before the lanes are reopened.”
Shit! “Thanks for the heads up. I’ll take the back roads. Are we done?”
“I think I have all I need for now. Thank you, Ms. Chapman. I appreciate the information you provided. Try to have a good rest of the night.”
“Thank you for letting me know, Detective.”
The line went dead. As she set the phone down, Sam heard the toilet flush inside the bathroom. Judge Hornsby emerged, cheeks flushed and face pale.
Staring at him, noticing for the first time the similarities between Kip’s nose, brow, eye color and jawline, wondering if she were dreaming or awake and the nightmare with Richard over, and not by her hands, she rose from the chair. “I’m heading to the hospital in case Kip wakes up.”
“May I join you?”
Sam hesitated answering, unsure what to say.
“I don’t relish the idea of going back to my empty house.”
Unable to stand looking at the judge’s pale blue eyes full of sadness and grief, Sam nodded. “Fine, but fair warning: I recently picked up an old, nasty habit from my past. After everything I learned and the stress of driving on the slippery roads, I’ll smoke like a freight train. I hope it won’t bother you.”
Nathanial removed a cigar from his jacket pocket. “Not at all.”
TEN MINUTES LATER, Sam slid into the Valero parking lot. Stepping out into the freezing air, she noticed a handmade sign on the pump: Cash only. Credit card machine out.
“I’ll be right back.”
After paying in cash, Sam filled the tank then crawled back inside the warm interior. “Ready?”
“Some things you can’t prepare for and require you go with the flow.”
“No doubt. Buckle up, Nathanial. This is going to be an interesting journey.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Wednesday, December 7, 2016
WATCHING DAINTY SNOWFLAKES fall silently from the sky, Sam cursed the weather. Snow was a rarity in Central Arkansas, and unheard of in early December. She hated being on the road because she worried about other drivers. Southerners were terrible drivers in good weather—horrendous drivers in bad.
Glancing down at her legs, which were bouncing with nervous energy, she shifted in the seat while concentrating on the road. “I never imagined the two of us driving in the snow while discussing a case, much less the current topic of conversation.”
Cracking the window about an inch, Nathanial blew out a plume of smoke, watching the thick vapors interact with the falling snow. “Agreed. Hard to believe I’m a widower. I assumed I would punch out first, given my affinity for certain vices. Like my father used to say, my chickens came home to roost then shit all over the coop.”
Sam held in a chuckle. “Sounds like something Big Sam would’ve said. Southernisms—gotta love them.”
“Old sayings still hold true today. My father said the expression meant sometimes the worst punishment life throws at you is being left behind, forced to live with the repercussions of your actions. I used to think the saying was a load of swill. Now, I think my father was right on target.”
Sam nodded yet didn’t reply.
“Considering your ensemble, it looks to me like you had other plans for the night, perhaps something along the li
nes of a black ops mission?”
Sam never missed a beat. “I’m a fan of black. It’s quite slimming and warm. Before all this mess happened, I planned on leaving early to surprise my family in Eureka Springs. My mother and Bradford are getting married.”
The alarm screeched from Sam’s phone, indicating it was midnight. Both jumped. With a swipe of her finger, she turned it off. “See?”
Nathanial laughed. “Uh-huh. Pardon my language, but I call bullshit. As I mentioned earlier, Bradford only shared the basics of the situation with Richard. I witnessed enough vile things during my seventy-plus years to read between the lines. Any doubts were wiped away when you pulled a gun upon seeing someone on your front porch. The look of sheer terror on your face spoke volumes. Plus, your reactions to the news about the explosion and deaths were rather over the top for the wife of a client and a former boss. You looked…relieved. And now, you’re risking life and limb to sit at the bedside of a client.”
Letting her foot off the gas as the back end slid, Sam kept her tone neutral. “I live alone and in a part of town known for criminal activity. I’m always armed—and cautious. My overly emotional responses are due, in part, to the fresh, raw grief of losing my grandmother.”
“Your argument was delivered well and believable to an untrained ear. I, however, do not possess untrained ears.”
Sam took a long, deep drag of the smoke while contemplating the best response. She didn’t like the direction of the conversation.
Fatal Agreements Page 31