Fatal Intent - Jamie Jeffries Page 0,67

this time, young lady?”

Fifteen minutes later, Alex was still recounting the sequence of events for an astounded Rick when the matron came back. “Times up.”

“No it isn’t,” said Rick. “Get me the detective in charge of the murder case.”

“Who do you think you are, mister?” she replied. The woman looked menacing to Alex, a good head taller than Rick and twice as broad.

“I’m the attorney that’s going to get you fired if you don’t do as I ask,” he replied. The woman deflated before Alex’s eyes. All attitude and no substance, just like Thurston used to be, before his humbling last fall by a young cartel kid he should have been able to break in half.

She noted the way Rick had dealt with the bully. Don’t back down. Turn their threats around on them. All well and good if you’re an officer of the court, but maybe not so effective for a journalism student.

Rick had seen how weary Alex was and advised her to put her head down and rest until the detective got there. The negotiations would be tense he explained. He had to give the detective enough to gain his interest, while protecting Alex’s defense strategy if he couldn’t negotiate a break for Alex for testifying for the prosecution.

He believed her, he said, even though her story was a bit far-fetched. He’d known Alex just over a year, and her father all his life it seemed. Alex trusted him with her life and her freedom. However, she knew he’d have a tough time representing her this time. Unlike before, it wasn’t so cut and dried. She hadn’t acted in self-defense, and she’d been a self-confessed lookout while a murder was being committed.

Everything hinged on the detective believing she hadn’t known what would happen and hadn’t actively participated. After all, her assignment was to report converging law enforcement units, and there hadn’t been any. Alex took Rick’s advice and put her head down on her crossed arms. It felt good to close her eyes in a place where she was safe, for now. If she had to go back into general lockup with the others, she didn’t think much of her chances. Hopefully no matter what, Rick could prevent that.

It seemed like only seconds before Rick was shaking her gently awake. She glanced at the clock and was startled to see it was almost six in the morning. Rick looked as haggard as she felt. He wasn’t used to sleeping in interrogation rooms all night either, she supposed. Alex dragged her eyes open, rubbing the sleep out of them. When she looked up, another welcome sight greeted her.

“Lt. Wells!” she cried. “Thank you for coming.”

Wells softened his stern demeanor only a bit. “How’s my favorite criminal?” he asked, slowly winking one eye.

“Repentant,” she said. Then she snapped her lips shut as Rick gave her a scandalized glance and laid his finger across his closed lips.

“I’ll do the talking here,” he said.

Just then, another large man crowded into the room with them, dragging two more chairs. He thrust one in Wells’ direction and sat heavily on the other himself.

“I’m Lt. Jake Watson,” he said. “I have to say, I’ve never heard such a fucked-up story in my life. You’re lucky Wells here is an old friend and I trust him. He says there was no criminal intent on your part when you got mixed up in this. Care to tell me what the hell that means?”

Alex opened her mouth only to close it again at a signal from Rick.

“Before my client tells her story, I’d like to know she won’t be charged in this matter.” Alex admired the way his chin jutted out at the much bigger detectives.

“I’ll have to hear it before I can make that promise,” said the detective.

“Then I’m afraid we’ll have to wait while we get the district attorney in here,” said Rick.

“Wait a minute,” said Wells. “Jake, I’ve known this girl for a year, and I’m here to tell you trouble finds her faster than an ocotillo blooms after a rainstorm. I’d bet anything you want that any charges brought against her are going to be dismissed once we know the whole story. Give the goddam lawyer his guarantee and let’s get to the bottom of this. You’ve got a murder to solve.”

Alex jerked at the word murder. Even after they’d rounded up all the bit players like herself, they still didn’t know the facts of the case? Where was Jim Atkins? Was this delay