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Mitch Turner #4

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The Killer’s Club: Chapter 10

10

The crowd was just starting to disperse when Audrey crossed the bridge, climbed the stairs, crossed underneath the first line of yellow police crime scene tape, and strode back to her car. Her eyes narrowed when she saw Kennedy McClellan sitting on the hood waiting for her.

Audrey frowned and wished she could shake herself of this woman. Audrey was increasingly confident that when Kennedy had learned they were both mothers returning to full-time work, she’d immediately taken hold of that and refused to let go, thinking this would be her ticket to ride.

I should never have been nice to begin with, Audrey thought. That was my first mistake.

It bothered Audrey how Kennedy just hung around, dogging her, because somebody else might think she was an informant for the newspaper.

Gregory Pope appeared to have left—she didn’t see his vehicle anywhere nearby—but that wasn’t a guarantee somebody else wasn’t watching. She had to be more careful now she was on a high-profile case.

“What do you have for me?” Kennedy asked as if Audrey regularly disclosed information to her from the District Attorney’s Office. She seemed convinced she would get something too.

That made it worse.

Audrey had had enough. She wanted it to be clear she had nothing to do with this woman if word somehow got back to Pope.

“Don’t act like you expect something from me! I’ve never given you a thing.” Audrey said this louder than she intended, but she didn’t look abashed at her volume and instead stared at Kennedy as if the woman were intruding where she was most unwelcome. Perhaps she was making a big enough scene that Pope would hear of it.

Kennedy appeared not to notice or care.

“Never too late to start.” She made no move to get off the hood of Audrey’s car. “You have an obligation—”

“I have no obligation to you whatsoever!” Audrey snapped.

Kennedy smiled. She clearly enjoyed getting underneath Audrey’s skin. “I was saying an obligation to tell the truth and to the people of this city. You don’t have one to me.” Her smile grew. “Obviously.”

“Get off my car.”

“No.”

Audrey frowned, thinking of making a threat, but then she just shrugged and got inside. She turned the ignition and even started to roll backward before Kennedy finally got off.

Kennedy had the audacity to look offended, but Audrey didn’t care. As Audrey pulled away, Kennedy pulled out her phone and appeared to be taking pictures. Perhaps she was hoping to catch Audrey glaring at her.

Audrey ignored the woman as she left.

It was now almost 4:30 PM. She was tempted to call it a day and make up time another day, but she had a feeling Pope would be waiting in her office when she returned.

He won’t like it if I go home early on the day he gave me the biggest case of his life.

It was also best to get the coming confrontation out of the way. If Pope was going to terminate her right after giving her this assignment, she wanted it to happen now before she invested time, mental energy, and emotion into solving the problem.

So, instead of heading back home, she once again drove over to the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office and made her way inside.

She’d just walked into her windowless office and had put her briefcase on her desk when there was a knock on the door she’d just shut behind her.

She cringed.

She’d hoped to have a couple of moments to gather her thoughts before meeting with Pope.

“Come,” Audrey said, forcing a confidence into her voice she didn’t feel as she turned, preparing herself for the next confrontation. She was surprised when Chuck came into the office. She occasionally had office visits from her family, but they were rare. The District Attorney’s Office was imposing, and it took some effort to get inside. It wasn’t like her husband Jim’s office, where her sons had learned to slip back to his office without the receptionists knowing.

Chuck was on the verge of losing it.

Audrey shut the door before throwing her arms around him.

“I wasn’t aware Rachel meant so much to you,” she mumbled, wondering if she was wrong about the nature of her son’s relationship with Rachel. She tried to think back but couldn’t remember Chuck mentioning any recent relationships, let alone one with Rachel. He was a junior in college, studying philosophy, intending to go to law school. Audrey and Jim couldn’t be prouder, and both were prodding him in their direction of practice. It seemed like he rarely took time for a social life.

He wasn’t the type to party on Saturday nights. He was far more likely to be found in a library on the weekends or playing computer games with his geeky friends.

“It’s not that, not really. It’s just that it’s so surprising, so shocking. I mean, if it could happen to Rachel, it could happen to anybody. I guess you could say this hits home.”

Audrey stepped back and looked into Chuck’s eyes. “Are you sure that’s it? You don’t look okay. You weren’t dating her, were you? I know you guys knew each other, and you had that thing for her in junior high, right? But you never spent time with her during high school, did you?”

It was natural for her son to be saddened, but she wasn’t expecting him to mourn, not the way somebody would mourn for a child, spouse, or significant other.

Was he mourning?

Audrey studied Chuck. Had she missed something? Would it be difficult for him if she prosecuted this case?

Should she withdraw?

Setting aside all professional concerns, she stepped out of her prosecutor’s shoes and looked at him as his mother. Would it be best if she just walked away? She had not anticipated this case affecting her family, but now she started to wonder.

She set her jaw.

Or would it just teach Chuck it was okay to quit when things got hard?

Or am I just looking for the first excuse I can find?

Her initial instinct was to use it as a reason to withdraw, but she would not back down from this challenge. She could just hear what her colleagues would say behind her back if she did.

No, Chuck would be fine.

He was a resilient kid. He could cope with this. This wouldn’t set him back for long.

She was committed. The only thing that would stop her was if Pope terminated her and, even if he tried, she would fight him. The man thought himself a king. He needed to be taken down a peg or two anyway. If she were going down, she wouldn’t go down easy. But she had no control over that, so she wouldn’t worry about it.

At least that’s what she tried to tell herself.

“No,” Chuck shook his head. “Nothing like that. It’s just, how could something like this happen? She’s so young. She had her whole life ahead of her, so many opportunities, so many dreams. Now that’s all been taken away so quickly. It’s all just gone. This morning, she was full of hope, and tonight she’s lying in the morgue.”

Audrey stared at Chuck, trying to determine if there was something more, but he didn’t appear to be hiding anything. She also suspected her son was in denial. Perhaps he cared more for Rachel than he’d let on. Maybe he’d nursed a long-standing crush he hadn’t acted on.

What do I know?

Audrey’s boss didn’t have high confidence in her and had accused her of letting the perp get away.

Maybe my instincts are completely off. Maybe I’m handling everything wrong.

“Yeah, that’s it.” Chuck gave his mom a hug. “I just wanted to come down to check on you, make sure you were doing okay. I’m sorry about hanging up on you before. It was just too much.” He paused. “I know this has gotta be hitting the DA’s office hard.”

“It is…” She was about to tell Chuck she was prosecuting the case until she remembered she hadn’t yet told Jim, so she clapped her mouth shut and just embraced Chuck until he was ready to leave.

“I’m sorry,” she said at length, “I know this is rough, but I have some things I need to do.”

Chuck nodded. “Of course, I’ll see you—”

There was a knock on the door.

Audrey could tell from its ferocity that Gregory Pope was on the other side. The expected moment had finally come. She looked at Chuck and wished she could hide him somewhere because she didn’t want him to witness Pope taking his anger and frustration out on her, but there was nothing else she could do. Pope was likely to start in on her the moment the door was halfway open before he even knew somebody else was inside.

“Just a sec. I gotta get that.”

“I should go anyway. I have an exam I need to study for.”

Audrey nodded as she yanked open the door and found herself facing Pope. He was red in the face, and it was clear he’d been fuming about their last encounter. Perhaps he thought he’d taken enough time to calm down, but he looked ready to bite off her head.

“Spencer! What was—”

Pope stopped when he saw Chuck, his eyes boring into her son similar to how he’d done with Parker.

What is it with this man? He suspects everybody. I gotta do something about this and quick.

“I wasn’t aware you had company,” Pope said gruffly.

“Chuck knew your daughter,” Audrey said, intending to get this out in the open immediately, so Pope didn’t accuse her of hiding something. “I don’t think they knew each other well, but—”

“I’m so sorry,” Chuck said, looking Pope in the eye and giving him a nod. “I hope you guys get the guy who did this. He deserves the chair. If there’s anything I can do, let me know. A group from our graduating class is holding a candlelight vigil at the front of the high school tonight. If you could make it, that would be great. You don’t have to say anything. Just showing up would mean everything to the crowd. Hopefully it will help you and your family too.”

Pope nodded. “I appreciate it.” His tone was still rough, but it might have softened a touch. “Thanks for coming down to let me know. I’ll see if I can be there.”

Chuck nodded and then was gone. Pope shut the door quietly behind him.

“Am I off the case?” Audrey demanded, jumping to the meat of the matter. She was about to go on but bit her tongue. Pope would fire her on the spot if she said everything she was thinking.

“What?” Pope shook his head. “No.”

Audrey cocked her head in disbelief. She was confident Pope had come in to do just that, but the man was having second thoughts for some reason.

Why?

Was it because of the vigil?

Had Pope finally recognized there were others affected by Rachel’s death? Or was it the display of sympathy from the community that made him back down?

“You were angry when I opened the door,” Audrey said, refusing to let him off the hook. “You’re furious with me. You came to tell me I’m off the case if not out of a job. Don’t deny it.”

“Perhaps I was hasty,” Pope said through clenched teeth, his temper briefly flaring. “My instincts told me to have you handle this case.” He paused again and stared at her. The silence became uncomfortable, but he then let out a massive sigh like a deflated balloon and looked away. “Because I knew you’d stand up to me, and I needed somebody who would do that.” He took in a deep breath and exhaled roughly. For a moment, it seemed like he would burst into tears, but he kept them back. “I want to make sure we get the guy. The right guy. If it takes extra time, so be it.”

He said the right words, but Audrey wasn’t sure he meant them.

“You’re sure?” Audrey asked, letting the anger she’d been holding back rise up. Pope needed to feel some teeth. He needed to know there were consequences for his behavior today, albeit minor. She also wanted to make sure he was committed. She chose her words carefully. “I know you’ve just been through something horrible. I can’t even imagine what you’re going through. It’s something no parent should ever have to experience.” She stopped and held his eye. “And that is precisely why I pushed back on you.”

Pope nodded. “I know.”

“So, I have free rein on this case just like you said?”

“Yes.” Pope stared at her, hard lines etched into his face. “You’re confident about Parker? He didn’t do it?”

Audrey put her hands on her hips and gave him a look she’d always used on her boys when they were younger. “I’m not confident about anything, and that’s my point. We know so little that we can’t jump the gun, form a conclusion, and already be charging a boy before we’ve even reviewed the evidence.”

Pope stared at her. She returned it. She was relieved when he broke off eye contact first.

“You have a point. I won’t deny it.”

Pope was out the door before she could say anything more. The man was holding back. It seemed his logical side was at odds with his emotions. The lawyer was struggling to regain control somewhere deep down inside. That Gregory Pope had popped up for some air but then disappeared again.

You can pick up The Killer’s Club here.

The Killer’s Club: Chapter 9

9

Audrey followed Gregory Pope as he walked down the trail, descended the stairs, and crossed the pedestrian bridge. She expected Pope to turn on her again before he got too far, telling her she was off the case or coming back to argue why her approach was wrong, but he just marched across the wooden bridge and up the stairs on the other side, ripping through the crime scene tape and going on his way. A nearby police officer looked like he would say something but then thought better of it as he moved to replace it.

They are all cowed by him. Pope’s not used to having somebody stand up to him.

If Audrey survived this, she should be in good with the man because she’d helped him refrain from doing something during his darkest hour that he’d later regret.

It also had the potential to backfire. She might be looking for a new job tomorrow.

“Now you’re just poking the bear,” Ramirez said a little loudly from behind her on the trail, probably because she wanted to be overheard. “A word of friendly advice: don’t poke the bear. I’m gonna follow Parker, just to make sure he doesn’t try to leave the city or anything. You know, in case you change your mind.” Ramirez gave Audrey a cold glare before she jogged back up the trail, headed for the stone bridge.

If looks could kill.

Audrey went back to the crime scene, too, taking steady breaths while trying not to be obvious about it. She’d been fine during the confrontation with Pope, but now it was over, and the moment had passed, her heart raced, and she was filled with anxiety.

This was not unexpected. She was usually calm during a crisis, but it always crashed down on her like a load of bricks afterward. This was why she was already doing a breathing exercise, so it wasn’t as bad when it all hit.

It was a doozy, but at least she could function.

The male detective hadn’t moved, and there were other police officers nearby too. The crime scene technicians had mostly finished with the scene, but several still lingered. She got the idea they’d stayed to watch how things played out with Pope. She was suddenly very conscious of how all these witnesses had seen everything that had just taken place. It made her anxiety grow.

What would Pope think when he calmed down?

Would he be grateful or vindictive?

There was no way to know, and she could drive herself crazy trying to figure it out. Pope likely didn’t know how he would respond. The best thing she could do was work on the case at hand.  

As long as it’s my case to run.

She focused on the spot where the body was discovered, examining the blood smear on the trail from the tape. She forced herself to think through the possibilities of what may have happened.

The male detective approached and stood beside her, hovering for a few moments before clearing his throat.

“I’ve never seen anybody handle Pope like that,” he said quietly. “Kudos.”

Was he making fun of her? Audrey couldn’t be sure. His words sounded sincere, but…

“Who are you?”

“My name’s Barry Michaels.”

“Audrey Spencer.”

“I know who you are.”

“Do you think Parker did this too? Do you think I made a mistake letting him go?”

“Those are two different questions. I think it was the right thing to let him go. Pope might have done something he’d regret later if you had Parker stick around.

“As for whether Parker did it? It seems unlikely, but please don’t go spreading that around.” Michaels gave her a toothy smile. “Pope is convinced Parker’s the guy, and he’s just waiting for us to arrest him. You didn’t hear him talking because you were interviewing Parker. He knows Parker did it. You’re not gonna convince him otherwise.”

“I have my job cut out for me.”

“We both do.” He gave her that smile again. “Politics. The one thing they don’t teach you in the academy.”

Or law school.

“You new?” Audrey frowned. Every instinct told her Parker didn’t do this but were those instincts wrong? Was she just counterbalancing because Pope and Ramirez had an obvious bias against Parker?

No, she told herself, it doesn’t appear Parker is the murderer, so I responded accordingly. If he did this, we will find evidence that shows he did.

But what if there were microscopic drops of blood on him, and she’d just let him walk away? What if he now tossed his clothes into an incinerator, and the evidence was gone forever?

Audrey took in another deep breath and slowly let it out. There was no reason to arrest him, so there was nothing else they could do.

“I’ve been on the job for five years. Just made detective.”

At least his earlier reticence made sense to her now. Ramirez was a senior detective, and Michaels was just following her cues.

“Congratulations.” She didn’t mean for it to sound sarcastic, but it did. She went on before he could think about it. “What else can you tell me about what happened here?”

“The forensics team will soon finish their work, we’ll get a preliminary report from them within the next two days, but scuttlebutt is the perp didn’t leave much behind. All we have is that knife. We have uniforms going door-to-door to check for security footage from the surrounding area, but it’s gonna take some time before we get any of that in too. Most of it’s residential, so we won’t get much.”

“Any other potential suspects?”

“A family on a picnic. Several homeless people, neither of whom are coherent enough to answer questions, so I doubt they had anything to do with it.”

Audrey raised an eyebrow. “You sure?”

“One was barely moving, he was so high. It’s amazing he didn’t go into cardiac arrest. The other couldn’t even speak coherent English. All his words were gibberish. His teeth were all worn down to the nubs. I doubt he’s had a lucid day this year.”

“Who else?”

“That’s it.”

“At a park this size in the middle of the day? There were others.”

“Of course there were, but those are all we’ve found. Rachel likely screamed as she died, and the bystanders probably ran.”

“Who called it in?”

“Don’t know yet. We’ll talk with dispatch. There’ll be a recording.”

Audrey nodded at the knife, which still hadn’t been moved. “What do you make of that?”

“It’s unclear if it means something.”

“Think it’s some sort of message?”

“I had the same thought, but Ramirez disagreed. She believed the murderer was in such a frenzy he just stabbed it into the ground before running.”

“Ramirez.” She left no doubt about her thoughts on the woman by her tone. “You think otherwise?”

“Whoever killed Rachel was saying something with that knife. I don’t know what, but perhaps we can make some better guesses when we know more.”

“Perhaps,” Audrey said. “So Rachel’s running, and somebody comes up from behind—”

“She was stabbed from the front.”

“Really? I didn’t know that because she was covered with a sheet.” Audrey felt sheepish for not knowing such an essential detail, but she quickly pushed past it. The anxiety from before was mostly gone. This was why she’d focused on the case.

It was helping.

“How many times?”

“Five to eight.”

“Where?”

“Chest.”

“Any evidence of a struggle?”

“Not that I could see. I think the first went straight to the heart. The others were insurance. He wanted her dead.”

Audrey frowned. “You don’t think this was a crime of passion?”

“No. I don’t.”

“What’s your evidence?”

“The whole thing seems planned. She was jogging, which likely means she’s a regular on this trail. Whoever planned this knew she would be here at this time of day. They knew she favored this path. They were waiting behind a tree to pop out and attack her. It’s too planned to think this was passionate.”

“Do you have evidence?”

“No. Something about the stab wounds made me think this was done by somebody who knew what they were doing. They were almost too clean. I think he got her heart on the first try, so she didn’t put up much of a fight afterward.”

“You think this was a hit.”

Barry Michaels seemed surprised. “Don’t you?”

“Pope won’t be easily convinced.”

Michaels handed her his card. “I’ll let you know what I find.”

You can pick up The Killer’s Club here.

The Killer’s Club: Chapter 8

8

Audrey heard footsteps approaching from behind. She cringed. Without looking back, she already knew who it was. Ramirez made no move for the pad and pen. The other detective held out an evidence bag. Audrey carefully dropped them in.

What am I gonna do about Pope? Audrey wondered. Pope had already made up his mind that Parker did it, but Audrey didn’t see any evidence that pointed to Parker other than his presence, which was circumstantial at best. They could arrest him if they found something more, but was Audrey supposed to charge the boy just to make Pope happy?

Was that really the way things worked around here?

Audrey knew the answer before she even finished thinking the question. It was bad enough the detectives had already grilled Parker like he was the chief suspect without anything other than Pope’s interference pushing them forward.

What’s the deal with Ramirez anyway? Audrey frowned. Does Ramirez have a connection to Rachel or Gregory Pope?

Ramirez had been professional if prickly in the past. Why the change today?

“Why’d you let him go?” Pope demanded before Audrey turned. Ramirez looked gleeful, like she was looking forward to watching Audrey get dressed down.

Pope was still Audrey’s secondary concern. Parker had noticed Pope and stopped dead in his tracks on the stone bridge as if expecting to be immediately called back.

Audrey wasn’t surprised when Parker turned.

Was that the action of a guilty man?

Audrey didn’t think so.

Pope had probably spoken loudly on purpose to get the boy’s attention, perhaps hoping the detectives might arrest Parker since Audrey had apparently failed Pope. The boy looked like a fox who was about to have the hounds released. He couldn’t decide if it was better to run or wait for them to catch him.

This was just further evidence Audrey’s initial conclusion about Parker was correct, but it also didn’t help the situation because she could feel Pope’s eyes boring into the young man.

Audrey waved the boy away, urging him to leave, and then turned to Gregory Pope, who looked at first like he was heading toward her, but it quickly became obvious he was planning to go past her to the bridge. He thought things had gone far enough and was determined to take matters into his own hands.

“Sir,” Audrey said, running to catch him, “you come back here right this second!”

“No.” He glanced at Audrey. “You failed me. I never expected this of you, especially not so soon, but you did.” He ended the sentence as if he’d just pronounced a final judgment and was about to send her away for execution. “I thought you believed in justice,” he added in a ragged voice.

Ramirez chuckled softly while the other detective frowned. He did not seem amused, but he also wasn’t attempting to help either. Audrey didn’t have time to analyze what he was thinking. She could just tell he wouldn’t intervene.

Audrey caught up to Pope, grabbing him by the arm, which he ripped free.

“I put you in charge because I didn’t think you’d make mistakes like this. You’re letting the perp go minutes after we found him. What kind of prosecutor are you anyway?”

Audrey frowned at his words and suppressed her first response.

She now knew why Gregory Pope had put her in charge. If Pope thought he could influence her to do his bidding, he had another thing coming to him. He’d picked the newest Deputy District Attorney to handle this because he was planning to backseat drive the prosecution.

Free rein, huh? Is this what it looks like? Did he think my interview with him was an act?

I won’t be walked on.

Audrey would set him straight, even if he fired her afterward.

“You’re the one who’s about to make a mistake,” Audrey said, letting her exasperation show. “That boy had nothing to do with this, at least not from what we presently know. I believe in justice, but I also believe a man is innocent until proven guilty. We don’t even have enough evidence to arrest him, let alone charge him. He satisfactorily answered our questions and even stopped to wait when he saw you charging him. Don’t you think he’d have run the other way if he was the perp, especially after I told him he was free to leave?”

“What are you babbling about?” Pope didn’t stop, marching like a soldier to the battle of his life. He had his hand in his suit coat pocket as if he held a weapon.

A chill ran down Audrey’s back. She had to stop this now before things got worse.

“The boy was sitting at a picnic table when our detectives found him. He wasn’t trying to run. He was studying. Do you really think he could stab another person and then return to his studies while waiting for the police to show up, all so he could taunt us by pretending he had nothing to do with it?”

“Nonsense. He did it.”

“Not from what we can tell. There’s no evidence.”

“He wouldn’t actually—”

Audrey jumped in front of Pope, holding her hands in front of him. “Stop! Please. You have to think this through. You’re not thinking like a prosecutor. Shake it off!”

Pope stopped, his sides heaving. He scowled. He also looked murderous. His hand was still in his pocket. Whatever he had in there, he was thinking of using it on her.

“I just got his fingerprints. If there’s anything on that knife or anything else that ties him to this, we’ll pick him up, but at this point, we don’t have the requisite evidence. He was just nearby when it happened. That’s all we have. That’s all we know. Yes, that is a remarkable coincidence, and we won’t discount it, but at the same time, we can’t jump the gun.”

Pope stared down at her with flaring nostrils, like he was looking at scum under his feet. “You better not be wrong, Spencer.”

“I don’t think I am, but if I am, we can always pick him up later.” She took a deep breath and let it out slowly while holding his eyes. “It’s better if we are extra cautious now, especially since you are so personally involved. We don’t want to make any mistakes that would let a perp get off on a technicality.”

Pope shook his head. He looked like he was about to say something more but then stalked the other way.

At least he’s headed away from Parker.

Audrey let out a deep breath once he’d gone. She’d known she was taking an enormous risk when she’d agreed to this, but she hadn’t seen a way to turn Pope down, and she didn’t see a way out now.

She’d been forced to confront Gregory Pope head-on, and she got the feeling this was just the first of many potential confrontations with Pope.

How could she figure out who did this while also managing Pope?

She took another deep breath and held it for several seconds before finally releasing it.

Her patience with Pope would run thin if this went on much longer. She could cut him some slack today, but the man had to pull it together before too long.

He shouldn’t be here, but who is gonna tell him to leave? It wasn’t like Audrey could just go to Pope’s boss.

Everything he had said and done was understandable in light of his grief. Unfortunately, there wasn’t anybody in a position to tell him to take a step back, not unless she took drastic measures, and that had career suicide written all over it. The man had just lost his daughter, but he didn’t need to have everything else he’d worked for put into jeopardy too. Once he had time to calm down, he would soon recognize she was correct and that he needed to take a step back.

No, the only choice she had was to proceed carefully, hoping she could manage Pope while figuring out a way through this mess.

You can pick up The Killer’s Club here.

The Killer’s Club: Chapter 7

7

It felt different to Audrey when she parked her car in almost the same spot. She’d come to comfort Pope the first time. Now she was here to do her job.

Two completely different mindsets. And she wasn’t sure how to make the switch, especially with Pope already chomping at the bit about this alleged suspect while suffering from shock.

Her eyes narrowed. Unless the guy was in cuffs—something she thought unlikely—he was there voluntarily, whatever Pope said about him being ‘the guy.’

She took a deep breath and let it out while trying to get past the emotions of the moment. She’d listened to the news on the way over, thinking she might pick up useful information but hadn’t learned anything new. The radio was now reporting Rachel Pope’s name, something they didn’t have before. The reporter didn’t say how they knew, and Audrey just hoped the source didn’t lead back to her son Chuck.

It was unlikely, but she’d have to be more careful from here on out. It wasn’t unreasonable to assume journalists would approach her family, looking for a scoop, hoping Audrey had let something slip.

Audrey prided herself on her professionalism, but she’d have to take it up a notch on this one. She wanted to be beyond reproach, however the case went.

It also didn’t help that she was filled with mixed emotions because she’d just been called up to the big leagues. She wasn’t sure she was ready. She was currently handling several low-profile murder cases, including the case she’d just ordered the psych eval on today, but all were likely to plea out before trial.

They don’t teach you how to deal with these conflicting emotions in law school.

Audrey hesitated and then opened her briefcase, pulling out a small yellow notepad and two pens. She left everything else in her car, including her cell phone. If she missed any calls, she could wait until later to call them back. This case would require her full focus. She couldn’t allow herself to be distracted by anything else.

What am I going to say to Jim?

He was so relieved when he thought she wouldn’t have this case. She’d leave him in ignorance a little longer. He would stress about it. Better to spare him all she could.

With another deep breath, she opened the door and stepped out.

“Back so soon?” Kennedy McClellan asked as Audrey pushed her way through the crowd again and up the trail to where the tape was affixed to the metal handrails above the stairs. “How was Rachel Pope killed? Was she stabbed or shot? Do you know who did this?”

Kennedy looked as if she expected to get something this time, but Audrey didn’t say anything. She barely made eye contact as she slid past.

“This isn’t how you treat a member of the press. Someday you’re gonna need something from me, and you’re going to regret your silence.”

Audrey hesitated and turned back with a tight-lipped frown. “No comment.”

“That’s it? That’s all you have to say?”

Audrey didn’t look back again as she stepped underneath the police crime scene tape, walked down the stairs, passed the same officer from before at the bridge who dutifully recorded her presence, and found Gregory Pope coming out to meet her.

“Finally. Glad you’re here.”

“Who’s the suspect?” Audrey asked.

“Parker Johnson.” Gregory Pope said the name with such disdain that it was clear his mind was already made up that this man was the killer. Audrey thought it unlikely the perp would be apprehended so quickly right by the crime scene, but stranger things had happened.

It was more likely somebody who was in the wrong place at the wrong time when the cops needed to offer someone up to Gregory Pope to turn the man’s attention off them so that they could do their job.

“Parker’s his first name?” Audrey frowned. Something in Pope’s demeanor told her he knew the guy. “How do you know him?”

Pope grimaced as he nodded. “He dated Rachel in high school. Surprised it’s him, to be honest, but…” Pope trailed off, and his anger bubbled up. “I can see him doing it. I can totally see him doing it.”

Easy there, papa bear.

“Where is he?”

“He’s this way.” A cruel smirk crossed Pope’s lips. “They took him back to the crime scene, and they’re interviewing him there.”

“Is Rachel’s… Is Rachel gone?”

Pope nodded. “They just took her.” His voice faltered as he spoke, but it became stronger as he went on. The man was like a missile zeroing in on its target.

Audrey had a bad feeling.

I should’ve said no, she thought. I should’ve said no. Perhaps Pope would come to his senses and put a seasoned prosecutor on the case, one who could easily handle Pope. Maybe she should make another push for Pope to appoint an independent counsel or ask a neighboring county’s District Attorney to handle it.

“What evidence is there he did this?”

“It’s an awful strange coincidence he’s here.”

Audrey stopped, wondering how to broach the topic, but she decided just to spit it out. “Is that all we have, a coincidence?” She didn’t hide her skepticism.

Pope turned. “What more do you need?” For a moment, Audrey thought he was about to grab the lapels of her suit, but he stepped back and kept his hands at his side.

“Evidence. For us to put somebody away for Rachel’s murder, we must have evidence. We can’t work off a gut instinct. We can’t just take the first guy we pick—”

“It’s not the first guy!”

“There’s somebody else?”

“They’ve talked to other people who’ve been in the park today, but he’s the first who turned up with a connection to her. He has a motive.”

“And what exactly is his motive?”

“Revenge. Rachel dumped him.”

“Wasn’t that like four or five years ago? Why wait so long?”

“Whose side are you on?”

Audrey looked up at the big, angry man, stiffened her back, planted her feet, and reminded herself of her job interview.

“The side of truth.” Audrey didn’t blink as he took in several deep breaths.  

“I recognize I’m a little involved here.”

A little?

“That’s why you asked me to do it. You need to take a step back if I’m going to do my job.”

Pope nodded. “I will, promise.”

She didn’t wait as she pushed past Pope, feeling like she’d just taken the bull by the horns as she headed toward the crime scene.

The detectives had Parker standing by the second bridge, in view of the second line of police tape. They were positioned so that Parker had to look either at them or right in between at the river hawthorn tree where Rachel’s body had been discovered.

The man was pale, and his eyes kept going everywhere. Audrey’s first instinct was there was no way he could have done this. He looked like some kid who’d just come from a college class or just got off work at a local fast-food joint and had taken a nature walk on his way home.

He didn’t look like a murderer, somebody capable of stabbing another human being. He didn’t look like the type of person who would stick the knife in the ground to taunt Gregory Pope.

Normally, she would have tried to suppress her instincts, but she didn’t because of Pope’s overbearing manner. She hoped each would cancel out the other in her subconscious so she could be unbiased.

She approached until she could hear the conversation.

“I tell you again,” Parker stammered as he tried to figure a way out of the situation. “I didn’t even know she was here today. I was just out for a walk, taking a break from class, decided to study, and—”

“Tell us about your prior relationship with Rachel Pope,” demanded a female detective, who was several inches taller than Audrey. “What was it like?”

Audrey frowned as she tried to remember the woman’s name.

Detective Mary Ramirez. 

Parker shook his head in frustration. “Again? We dated. In high school. I mean, it was four years ago. I’ve hardly said a word to her since.”

“How did it end?” Ramirez asked. “She dump you?”

“No, as a matter-of-fact, I dumped her!”

“That’s a lie!”

Audrey hadn’t expected Gregory Pope to follow, and she turned now to see the man red in the face, marching up the trail toward Parker.

“Stop!” Audrey said, holding up a hand like she was a traffic cop. “Stop right there!”

Pope didn’t appear to hear her and didn’t even glance at her as he barreled on past. She ran until she got ahead of him, forcing her way into his path, putting both hands up in front of her, hoping he wouldn’t just run over her on his way to attack Parker. “Remember, we don’t know who did this yet. Just take a step back.”

“Oh, we know!” Pope jabbed a finger at Parker. “It was him! Rachel dumped him, and he never got over it. He was always pining after her every time I saw him.”

“That’s not true,” Parker said slowly. The detectives were now on either side of him. Audrey couldn’t decide if they were looking to keep him from escaping or thinking of stepping in to protect him from Gregory Pope. After another look at their faces, she decided it was more to keep him from running away. Gregory Pope was an intimidating man, and she didn’t think they would stand in the way of anything he wanted.

Audrey took Pope by the arm. “I think you should wait over there.” She nodded back down the trail.

“I’ll wait wherever I want to wait!”

Audrey grabbed his arm and gave a solid tug. It barely drew the man’s attention. She glanced over at a nearby officer and jerked her head toward Pope, but the man shook his head and didn’t move. She looked back at the detectives. Neither made a move toward her either.

She was on her own.

Audrey got in Pope’s face and lowered her voice. “You have a rope somewhere? Should we hang him on that tree behind you? Is that what it takes to solve this problem?”

It appeared Gregory Pope was giving the sarcastic suggestion serious thought until he looked down at Audrey.

Pope’s eyes narrowed. “I know what you’re thinking.”

“That you’re too involved? I know this is your daughter. It wounds me deeply you have to go through this, that she died like this, but we have to remember—”

“You’re right. You’re right.” Pope took a deep breath, looked at Parker like he was going to say something more, and then stalked off.

“I’m screwed,” Parker muttered.

“Is that a confession?” Detective Mary Ramirez asked. Besides being taller than Audrey, she was muscular and looked like she could take Parker down by herself if necessary. Audrey worked out regularly, but she’d never look like that, even if she were to work out all day, every day. She’d never be able to stand beside Parker, almost hoping he ran so she could chase after him in the way Ramirez was poised to do.

“No! He’s just going to bury me. I didn’t do this. I promise you.”

“Walk us through again what you were doing here,” the other detective said. He was a couple of inches over six feet with a full head of black hair. He was younger than Ramirez by a decade or more, and he, too, looked like he spent time at the gym. His suit coat was tight on him. He didn’t look hopeful Parker would split so they could chase after.

Audrey had dropped her notepad while trying to stop Pope from attacking Parker. She picked it up and slipped it between her elbow and side before folding her arms while studying the situation.

“Is what Mr. Pope says true?” Ramirez challenged Parker again. “Did she dump you?”

“Maybe I misspoke.” Parker took note of Ramirez’s face and hastened to add, “I didn’t lie, but relationships are more complicated than people want to make them out to be, aren’t they? That’s how it was for us, too.”

Ramirez frowned. “It’s never good to lie to a detective.”

“I didn’t. At the time, I thought it was a mutual breakup, but I heard later she’d told others she’d dumped me. I never challenged it because why would I? There was no need. It was over. There was no use airing old dirty laundry. I just wanted to move on. And I wanted the same for her.” He shook his head. “Sheesh! I mean, come on, we were juniors in high school. We were kids. That has no relevance to this.”

“What’s relevant is you’re here,” Ramirez said, “studying, not even a couple of hundred feet away from where she was killed. You currently have a girlfriend?”

“No, I don’t.”

Audrey didn’t like how they were handling the potential suspect. Ramirez was trying to get under this guy’s skin, and she didn’t think that was the right approach. The other detective appeared to be hanging back. Audrey suspected they were playing good cop, bad cop. She wasn’t sure that would be fruitful either.

Audrey stepped forward. “Do you mind if I ask a question?”

Ramirez looked like she was about to ask for identification and then glanced at Gregory Pope, who stood thirty feet back, hands curled into fists, glaring daggers at Parker.

“No, I don’t mind.”

It was clear she did, but Audrey approached anyway.

“I’m Audrey Spencer. I work at the District Attorney’s Office.” She said this more for the benefit of Ramirez than Parker. It looked like the detective needed the reminder.

He paled. “Are you charging me already?”

“Nothing like that,” Audrey said, shaking her head slightly. “As you can see, emotions are running hot. Rachel is a beloved daughter of a formidable prosecutor. As you can imagine, everybody’s tense right now.”

“No kidding.”

“I just want to make sure I understand exactly what you’re doing here today. Okay?”

“Do I need a lawyer?”

Audrey glanced at the detectives. The man gave a slight shake of his head. Ramirez looked on with fiery eyes.

“I don’t know,” Audrey said honestly. “Maybe.”

“Anything I tell you will be held against me, is that it?”

“Perhaps. Did you guys read him his rights?”

“No, Parker is here voluntarily.” Ramirez had such a straight face that Audrey had a hard time not asking what made it voluntary but kept her thoughts to herself.

This kid probably felt like he’d had no choice when the detectives invited him to the crime scene to talk about the death of an old high school flame.

“You haven’t been charged with anything,” Audrey said reassuringly, hoping the repetition might calm him down, “and as near as I can tell, we don’t have any physical evidence that points to you.”

“You mean I’m free to go?” Parker turned to leave, drawing an angry look from Ramirez.

“Yes, you can go,” Audrey said agreeably, “but I recommend you at least stay for a couple more questions. You don’t want to look guilty, not to say you are, but I think if you cooperate and help us understand why you’re here, you can hopefully put this matter behind you. I’m sure there’s a perfectly reasonable explanation for your presence in this park, and I, for one, would like to hear it.”

Parker stopped. “I’ll talk to you, but neither of them and only if Mr. Pope doesn’t get in my face again.”

“That’s fine. I can agree to that.” Audrey glanced at the female detective, who now looked ready to spit fire. “Is that okay?” She hated to ask for permission, but she also needed to calm Ramirez. Sometimes, asking did more than demanding, though she’d never say it out loud to any of her colleagues. The trick was to know which to use. “Can I talk to him by myself for just a moment?”

“Knock yourself out,” Ramirez said as she stalked off, heading toward Pope.

Audrey watched her go, wondering if there was a connection between Ramirez and Gregory Pope that she wasn’t aware of. Ramirez’s display of emotion was concerning, especially considering how there was not yet any physical evidence tying Parker to the crime scene. There were many reasons he could be here today. They needed to cross each off the list before considering him a suspect in Rachel’s murder. He was merely a person of interest at this point and might never go beyond that.

The male detective was slower to move.

“I’ll just be over there,” he finally said, grimacing. Audrey couldn’t help but wonder if perhaps the man was embarrassed about how the interrogation had been playing out. He appeared to be an alpha male type, so she was surprised he wasn’t trying to step in to take control.

What’s up with that? Audrey wondered.

She stepped forward once the detectives were out of earshot.

“I know you,” Parker said, “you’re Chuck’s mom.”

Audrey gave the kid what she hoped was a pleasant smile. “You know him?”

“Not well, but I know who he is.” Parker frowned, his eyes turning to slits. “He used to have a thing for Rachel Pope too.” Parker made Audrey think of a rat trying to claw its way out of a box by grabbing anything for leverage.

Audrey nodded. “It was many years ago. I think even several years before you and Rachel were a thing, junior high if I’m not mistaken.” She paused. “I don’t think it would be right to call what they had a thing.”

“Doesn’t it give you a conflict of interest or something?”

Audrey broke into an easy smile. “I know where my son has been for the last three hours. While it is not likely he had anything to do with this, if he somehow becomes involved, even tangentially, yes, I would step aside.” She gave the young man her best querying look. “Did you see him here?”

“No, I didn’t. I’m sorry, I’m just getting defensive.”

Audrey nodded and even managed a small snort. “Don’t know why.” She took a step closer. “I know it’s been a long day. Please think about Gregory Pope over there—looking past his accusation—and everything his family is going through right now. You seem like you’re a good boy. And you don’t seem like the guy who did this. You have two choices. You can put up your back, lawyer up, and make it difficult for me to learn what you know, or you can tell me what you know, and I can cross you off the list and work on finding the actual person who did this.”

“You really don’t think I did this?”

“To be honest, no. I don’t. But that’s just my instincts. It’s also just a natural response when I see people jumping to a conclusion without evidence. From what I know, there isn’t anything tying you to this crime. Nothing that we’re aware of, at least. The only thing you’re guilty of is proximity to the crime scene. Once we get this tidied up, you’re going to be just fine. Are you going to help me?”

Parker studied her as if trying to decide whether she was serious. He finally nodded. “Anything to get out of this.”

 “So, just because it’s become an issue of concern for others around me, not for me necessarily, but for the other people, can you tell me about your relationship with Rachel Pope back in the day?” She could tell Parker didn’t want to say anything more, so she quickly went on. “Just humor me. I don’t believe it has any relevance, but a lot of investigative work is more about crossing things off. I just want to know about the nature of the relationship, if there were any problems, specifically if there was any conflict between you two.”

“Sure, I get it. We dated for like six months. It was our junior year of high school. I think she was prom queen during one of the dances. I mean, it was foolish. We were young. We thought we were in love, but what did we know? We were just stupid kids.”

Audrey gave him an appraising look. As far as she was concerned, he was still young. Any relationship he might become involved in would still be two kids in love, but she chose not to voice her thoughts.

“Did you ever hit her?”

“No!” Parker backed up as if he was thinking of leaving. “Why would you accuse me of such a thing?”

She paused, waiting until he made eye contact, and then gave him a tolerant smile. “Remember, this is about crossing things off. I don’t actually believe you’re a violent person. I think it’s likely you’re telling the truth. I just need to know everything I can about your past relationship, so I can cross you off my list.”

“No, I never got violent. We got angry, but who doesn’t in a relationship, right?”

Audrey nodded. “Of course. I have to ask. Did she ever get violent with you?”

“No, nothing that was serious.”

“What do you mean?”

“Girls sometimes hit playfully.”

“I’m not talking about that. I just want to be sure nothing violent ever happened.”

Parker shook his head.

“Did she ever threaten you or anything like that?”

“No, never.”

“Did you threaten her?”

“No.”

Audrey studied the boy and then finally nodded. “I believe you.”

“Thanks.” He nodded at Gregory Pope. “Convince him.”

“Why did you guys break up?”

“I wanted to date somebody else.”

“Who?”

“Janet Lanni. You know her?”

“I don’t. I’m sure my son would recognize the name.”

Parker nodded agreeably. “You can ask him. She and I dated right after Rachel. Some people told me I moved on too quickly. I got the feeling others were saying that, too, behind my back. He might have heard something. Doesn’t that crush any motive for why I might have killed her?”

“It helps, possibly.” The detectives had either read the situation wrong or were just placating Pope by drilling the kid.

“So, let’s come now to the present. How often have you gotten together with Rachel since you broke up with her?”

“Never.”

“Have you been to any of the same parties or other social gatherings?”

“No, not in years.”

Audrey nodded as she stared at Parker’s bag.

“Do you have schoolbooks in there?”

“Yes.”

“Can I take a peek?”

“Do I have to?”

“It’s completely at your option.”

“I prefer not to show you.”

Audrey nodded. “I’m only asking because those detectives are trying to think of a way to detain you. They could get a warrant or find probable cause to search your stuff. I can assure them there is nothing of interest if you show me, and you can probably be on your way a little faster.”

“Really?”

She nodded. “It’s up to you. I’m trying to make this as easy as possible.” Parker hesitated and then took off his backpack and tried to hand it to her.

Audrey hadn’t expected this to work, and she immediately recognized she’d better not contaminate any potential evidence. “If you could just hold it open and move things around at my direction, that would be great.”

Parker did as she asked. It wasn’t long before he was slipping the backpack over his shoulder. Audrey had found nothing of consequence. A hat. A statistics textbook. An anatomy lab workbook. A tablet.

“You believe me?”

Audrey nodded. “Yes.”

“So can I go?”

“Yes, but could you stay? I have a few more questions still. Can you tell me more about what you’re doing here today?”

“I was just taking a break from school. I like this park. I come here to think.”

Audrey frowned. She was convinced this was not the whole truth.

A thought occurred to her.

“Have you seen Rachel in this park before?”

Parker hesitated.

Bingo. He still has a thing for her.

“Yes,” he said guardedly.

“Did you come to see her?”

“What kind of question is that?”

“You’re not denying it.”

“I’m not admitting it.”

Audrey nodded. “Stalking is not murder, Parker.”

“You think I was stalking her?”

The boy was getting defensive. Audrey was confident she was on to something. She just didn’t think it would take her to the murderer.

“That’s insane. I was just… I wasn’t stalking her.”

“Are you currently seeing anybody?”

Parker looked like he didn’t want to answer. “No.”

“Did you want to get back together with Rachel?”

Parker thought about it, and from what Audrey could tell, he was giving the question serious thought.

“I don’t think so,” he said at last. “The relationship we had was just okay. I’ve had better relationships. Not to speak ill of the dead, I certainly wouldn’t say anything bad about her. She just wasn’t a good fit for me. I wasn’t a good fit for her.”

“Were you interested in a fling?”

The boy hesitated again, and she knew she had it figured out.

“That’s what you wanted, isn’t it? A fling, not a relationship.”

Parker closed his eyes. “She’s an attractive woman, okay?”

“How bad did you want her?”

“What do you mean?”

“Would you ever try to force yourself on her?”

“No!”

Audrey was back to believing the boy. She was certain now that she’d ferreted out the thing he’d wanted to hide.

“Did you see anybody else you know here today?”

Parker shook his head. “I don’t think so.”

“Have you seen anybody she might know?”

“I doubt it.”

“What time did you get here?”

“I don’t know, just after noon.”

“Where did you set up?”

“Over that way.” He pointed at some trees. “There’s some picnic tables on the south side by the parking lot. I set up there, eating a hamburger and drinking a Coke.”

“Did you hear screams?”

Parker paused. “No, I don’t think so. I was listening to music.” He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a pair of headphones. “Noise-canceling. Best on the market. Set me back three hundred bucks. I was wearing these.”

“So you were hoping to run into Rachel, correct?”

Parker nodded. “Yes.”

“How often have you been coming here?”

“I don’t know, several weeks.”

“Did you approach her?”

“No, I came wanting somehow to run into her accidentally. I wanted it to be natural. I wasn’t trying to force it.”

“I see.”

“So, if Rachel screamed, you wouldn’t hear her?”

“No, I don’t think so.”

“You were just listening to music and watching the trail, hoping she ran by?”

“Actually, I was studying. I just kept hoping she might see me and stop. So far, she hadn’t noticed me.”

“What were you studying?”

“Statistics.” He pointed to the backpack. “You saw the book.”

“How did you become aware Rachel was dead?”

“Those detectives showed up. They asked for my name and if I knew Rachel Pope. I told them who I was and then said I knew her. They asked me to come with them.”

“That’s it?”

“That’s it.”

“Can I ask them over to confirm this?”

“Sure.”

Audrey waved to the detectives, who approached. She confirmed Parker’s story and also learned Gregory Pope had followed behind them and recognized Parker.

“Can I get your contact information?” Audrey asked, giving him a friendly smile while pulling out her notepad, which she handed to him with a pen. He wrote his name and information.

“Here you go.”

Audrey reached for the pen and took it by the bottom and the notepad by the top. She was careful to keep them from touching anything else. Parker’s eyes narrowed when he saw how carefully she held the pen and paper. He looked like he might be worried about it but then gave a small shrug as if telling himself he had nothing to hide.

“Am I free to go?”

“Yes, thank you for cooperating. I appreciate it.”

Audrey waited until Parker was gone before turning to Ramirez while holding out the pen and paper. “I don’t know if that’s enough, but get it dusted to see if you get some prints.”

Ramirez was not impressed. “You’re just gonna let him walk away?”

Audrey nodded. “Can you think of a reason to hold him?”

“What was in his backpack?”

“Textbooks. A tablet computer. A phone. Some chewing gum. He also had some headphones in his pocket.  No knives. No drugs. No weapons. Nothing sinister.” She thought about it. “I also didn’t see blood on him or his bag. It’s quite unlikely he could have stabbed Rachel without getting anything on him.” She nodded back at the blood on the trail where they’d found Rachel. It wasn’t as visible now that it had had time to dry. “The perp dragged her under that tree. I have a hard time believing Parker did that while remaining clean.”

You can pick up The Killer’s Club here.

A few updates

As I’m sure some of you have already noticed, I’m excited to announce that my new legal thriller, The Killer’s Club, is now out! 

You can buy it here. 

After a couple of other smaller projects are off my plate, I’ll turn my attention to Mitch Turner #4. Mitch has been patiently waiting his turn but getting increasingly anxious for his next story to be told.

Mitch’s time is coming VERY soon.

Jason Maxfield is also starting to knock on the door as well. In the meantime, I have various other projects in the works, several of which I’ll mention here.

The Stubborn Lawyer is getting turned into an audiobook and will soon be available on Audible, Amazon, and Itunes. In case you missed it, The Good Client is now available in audio, and Eric G. Dove did a great job! He is returning for The Stubborn Lawyer. 

Also, the short story “The Arraignment” is getting turned into an audiobook by Mr. Dove, and that will be available for FREE to my newsletter subscribers.

On the horizon, The Victim’s Wife is next up to get the audiobook treatment.

Book #4 in the Jake Ramsey Thriller series is nearly done. That series will probably get a refresh at the same time #4 is released. Jake Ramsey #1 (Black Brick) was one of my early books, and I’m so pleased that many of you have been enjoying it! 

Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for more! I can’t wait for Mitch Turner #4. It’s going to be awesome. In the meantime, I hope that The Killer’s Club will scratch your legal thriller itch. I had a blast writing it and have been very pleased with early feedback on the novel.   

The Killer’s Club: Chapter 6

6

Audrey walked into the conference room while panting for breath. She was much later than she’d anticipated. She’d finally remembered the case her appointment was about on the drive over and had considered calling the other attorney until she recalled it was the mercurial Saul Boyle.

The man already got under her skin enough during their regularly scheduled interactions. There was no sense in giving him another opportunity. It was always tricky to work with Saul Boyle, and in this matter, in particular, she wasn’t looking forward to wrangling with him. People were often best served when represented by an attorney, but in this case, the client would have done better representing himself. Saul would just muddy the water to muddy the water, even if it accomplished nothing. He was a former prosecutor who had turned to defense work just a few years back. The man had a chip on his shoulder because he hadn’t left the DA’s office on good terms.

Her heart squirmed inside her chest as she looked across the conference room table and the people waiting for her. Saul Boyle didn’t stand when she entered, but the other two did, the boy—Billy Wilder—dragged to his feet by his mother. Saul scowled and looked at his watch.

“My apologies for running late,” Audrey said as she set a file folder on the table in front of her, pulled out the chair, and sat down. “It’s a busy day.”

Many years ago, Audrey had worked as a part-time juvenile defender. That’s why this case had landed on her desk when it technically should have gone elsewhere. She had the experience, and the Juvenile Division was currently behind due to staffing issues.

“Why’d you keep us waiting?” Saul demanded. He was a bulldog who didn’t care who he bit. Once he latched down, he didn’t let go easily.

“An urgent matter came up. I had to deal with it.”

“Sounds like an excuse.”

Audrey held Saul’s eyes. “I assure you it is not. It was quite an urgent matter, and unfortunately, I had to come late. My apologies. Again.”

“Why didn’t you call?”

“I didn’t. I’m sorry. Can we just move on?”

“I expect something for this.”

Audrey held Saul’s eyes. “You’re hardly in a bargaining position as it is.”

Once the words left her mouth, she immediately regretted them, not because of Saul, but because of the wide-eyed fifteen-year-old boy who was staring at her, watching these two adults bicker while his future hung in the balance.

“It’s okay you’re late,” Ms. Wilder said quickly. “We don’t mind waiting. We know you’re busy.”

Audrey gave her a tight smile and turned her attention to the pale youth as she straightened the papers in front of her.

“I understand you got caught trying to shoplift some beer, that accurate?”

“Before he says anything,” Saul said, “this is a negotiation conference. Nothing he says is admissible—”

“Save it,” Audrey said, “we’re not in court. There’s no judge. I understand how negotiation works.”

“Then,” Saul said, glancing over to his client, “you can answer the question.” He had a smug look as if he’d just proven his value.

“I went…” Billy trailed off. “I’m not sure what to say.”

Audrey smiled at him, the most genuine expression she’d given since walking into the room. She had some empathy for the mother and no empathy for Saul, but she could relate to the boy sitting scared in front of her.

“How about you tell me what happened beforehand?”

“Me and some friends decided we wanted to go get something from the convenience store.”

“Which friends?”

“I… I’m not sure I want to answer that.”

“Okay,” Audrey said as if it weren’t a problem, “tell me what happened.”

“We went into the store. I don’t know what I was thinking. I think I decided to—”

“Is this really necessary?” Saul said, breaking in. Audrey wasn’t surprised. “You don’t need to hear a confession from the kid. You’re not his priest. We all know what happened. I’m sure you saw the tape already.” His eyes narrowed. “You did, didn’t you?”

Audrey ignored the question. “I would like to hear it from the boy himself, if you don’t mind.” She had, in fact, watched the security camera footage, but she didn’t like Saul’s needling accusation. Answering it would result in more.

The mother was pale, and tears were forming in her eyes. She glanced at Audrey and then looked away.

“But I do mind!” Saul leaned forward, jamming a finger into the table. “You come late! You’re wasting our time rehashing—”

“If you want to talk turkey, I need to hear it from the boy’s mouth.” Audrey almost looked at the boy and told him he needed a better attorney but decided that would be inappropriate.

“We’re going—” Saul stood, but he was alone.

“I can tell her what happened,” Billy said in a small voice. “It’s okay.”

“You don’t have to!” Saul banged on the table as he sat back down. “You shouldn’t have to.”

Audrey refrained from rolling her eyes. The mother looked embarrassed.

“Please go on,” Audrey said after it was apparent Saul was done.

“I unzipped the backpack. I put the beer inside. I tried to walk out with it.”

“That’s when the shopkeeper confronted you?”

The boy nodded. He was pale now, with his arms folded in front of him.

“So, what happened next?”

“My friends were outside. They all ran.”

“And who are they?” Audrey asked, hoping the memory of their betrayal would loosen his tongue.

The boy said nothing.

“Fine. Just tell me why you did it?”

He shrugged. “Heard it tasted good.”

“You’ve tried it before?” The boy glanced at his mother. He started to shake his head, but then he stopped. “Yes, once.”

His mother gasped. “Where?”

“A friend’s house.”

“Which friend?” Ms. Wilder demanded.

“I’d rather not say.”

“Was it Kip’s place?”

He hesitated before finally nodding.

“Kip.” The mother muttered something, pulled out her phone, and acted like she would make a call but must have remembered where she was because she threw it back into her purse and turned her attention to Audrey.

“This is a serious matter,” Audrey said in an authoritative voice, wishing Saul wasn’t glaring at her. He was making it impossible to carry out this meeting in the way she’d planned.

“It’s hardly your place to lecture him,” Saul said. “You’re not the judge. Enough of this. If you have a deal, tell us, otherwise…” It looked like he was going to threaten that they’d walk again but had just remembered in time how well that had gone a moment ago.

Audrey gritted her teeth. As usual, Saul was making things worse for his clients while barely helping. It was not an unusual occurrence. She took a deep breath, let it out slowly, glanced at Saul, and then tried to avoid making eye contact with him further as she turned her focus to the boy.

“As I was saying, this is a serious thing. Shoplifting is a crime. Underage drinking is also—”

“You can’t prove that—”

“Mr. Boyle, please let me get a word out. You—”

“Save your sanctimony for the courtroom,” Saul said, venom practically dripping from his tongue.

Audrey would have asked to speak with Saul in private if he were anybody else. She knew from past experience this would do no good with Saul.

“Let’s talk about consequences,” Audrey said.

“Consequences?” Billy shuddered. “Am I going to prison?”

“Stop scaring him,” Saul interjected. “That beer wasn’t even $10.”

Audrey gritted her teeth. She gave Saul what she hoped was a pleasant smile and focused on the young boy. Chuck was now twenty-one. It wasn’t hard to remember him at this age. “If you were an adult, I would propose something different—”

“But he’s not an adult, is he?”

“Since you are still a minor, I will propose something more lenient.”

“Which is?” Saul demanded.

“I want to hear the story from you one more time,” Audrey said in a quiet voice. “Just once more, please, if you don’t mind.”

Saul held up his hand. “There’s no benefit to hearing it a second time.”

“Indulge me.”

Saul looked like he would argue the point further but then glanced at his watch. He must have realized he had another appointment he would be late for if he continued to drag this out.

There was a slight shift in Saul’s demeanor as he glanced over at Billy Wilder and gave a small nod. Audrey hid a smile. Perhaps it was to her benefit she’d arrived late. She’d have to remember it in the future when dealing with Saul Boyle.

“I just went into the store. I’m not sure what I was thinking. I just slipped the beer into the backpack and thought I could just walk out.”

“Was it your pack?”

Billy hesitated. “No.”

“Who else was with you?”

“I’m no tattletale.”

“What is this?” Saul demanded. “Are you trying to get him to testify against other boys in the neighborhood? Over $10.00? Is that what this is? You want him to turn state’s evidence?”

Audrey ignored Saul. “Underage drinking is a big problem. It could ruin your life before you even get started. I feel for the other boys who were in this with you.” She paused. “Those who left you holding their bag.”

“Come on, Spencer, is this necessary?” Saul shook his head. “There’s no need for my client to testify against 15-year-old boys. They’re just being kids.”

Audrey didn’t take her eyes off the boy.

“Answer me,” she gently prodded.

“He’ll do no such thing.”

“It’s not just for your own good. It’s for theirs, too.”

The boy swallowed. “I’m not gonna tell.”

“Was Kip one of the others?” Audrey asked, glancing at the boy’s mother, who seemed to be growing in anger. She, too, wanted an answer.

Billy hesitated before he finally gave a tiny nod. “Yes, he was there.”

“How many were there?”

“There were three others besides me.”

“What are the other names?”

“Jamie and Mark.”

The mother took careful note of each new name. Audrey hid another smile. She didn’t know if she would do anything about the other boys, but it looked like the mother certainly would.

“Who came up with the idea?”

“Kip. We went to his house because he promised us more beer, but he didn’t know they were out. He said it wasn’t a problem. We could just go get more.”

The mother took note of the word ‘more’ and did not look pleased. Whatever Audrey did would likely pale in comparison to the mother’s punishment.

“Who owned the backpack?”

“Kip.”

Audrey nodded. She felt like she was getting the truth out of him.

That’s what she’d wanted. She leaned back in her chair. She’d come in convinced that if this boy were her own son, she could get him to talk. If it wouldn’t have been for Saul looking at his watch and deciding he needed to be somewhere else, she doubted she could have gotten these final details out of the boy with the lawyer sitting beside him.

“Listen, Billy,” Audrey said, not looking at Saul. “It’s clear you were all in this together. Is that correct?”

“Where is this going?” Saul demanded.

She ignored the man. “It’s lucky for you you’re here today.” She leaned back in her chair.

“What is this?” Saul leaned forward. “We’re talking about a juvenile crime here. This is hardly—”

“How am I lucky?”

Audrey gave the boy a thin smile. “Because you’re going to learn a lesson the others won’t.”

“What lesson?”

“Community service. I have a list of several things you can choose from. You have to go every other Saturday for two months, just two hours each time. You’ll also need to pay a fine, but I’ll keep it small.”

Saul nodded as if he’d negotiated this. “Now we’re finally getting somewhere.”

“I wasn’t done. As part of the deal, you’re also going to meet with me once a month for the next six months.”

“This is highly unusual,” Saul said, frowning.

“I just want a report from the boy about how he is doing.”

“If I may—”

Audrey cut Saul off. “This is nonnegotiable.”

If I may? Look who’s suddenly polite now I’m handing him something he couldn’t negotiate if he tried.

Saul glanced at Billy. “It’s not a bad deal.”

Audrey’s phone rang. She took it out and was surprised to see Gregory Pope was calling. Her first instinct was to let it go to voice mail because she was in a meeting, but she couldn’t do that, not with everything Pope had going on.

She held up a finger. “I need to take this. I’ll be right back.”

She snapped the folder shut, slipping it under her arm as she walked out the door. She answered only after the door was closed behind her.

“Spencer, you there?” Pope asked.

“Yes.” She paused. “Any developments?”

“Several. They found the guy, and I’ve made a decision. You’re going to prosecute him.”

Audrey swallowed. She didn’t know what to say. She was flattered her boss had thought of her, but this could blow up in her face. Gregory Pope was a difficult man under the best of circumstances.

He didn’t ask, he told. That was another problem. Audrey hoped it wouldn’t set the tone for the case.

Pope grunted. “You there?”

“Are you sure I’m the right choice?” Audrey asked. “Don’t get me wrong, I want to make sure we get the guy, but wouldn’t it be better if an independent prosecutor were appointed?”

“I’ve already thought it through. You’re the one I want to do it. You’ll have free rein, and I won’t say anything to you.”

I don’t believe that for a second, Audrey thought, but how can I say no?

Pope had also dodged her question about an independent prosecutor. That wasn’t an accident.

She waited, weighing everything she knew.

“I’ll do it.”

“Excellent. The guy is here now. Come on down. I want you to watch while they interrogate him.”

“I’ll be right there.”

Audrey hesitated. She didn’t know what to make of this, but she needed to hurry.

She opened the door. “You guys have until tomorrow to think about this.”

“We’ve decided,” Ms. Wilder said, nodding at Billy.

“I’ll take it.”

“Perfect. The most important part is you’re here in my office on the first Thursday of every month at 3:00 PM. I’ll call to reschedule if I can’t make it.”

She shut the door just as Saul was commenting on how unusual of an arrangement it was, but she didn’t care. She would do everything she could to keep the boy from getting into trouble with the law again.

You can pick up The Killer’s Club here.

The Killer’s Club: Chapter 5

5

Audrey stayed as long as she could with Gregory Pope but eventually needed to get back to work. She had a 3:00 PM meeting for which she would already be late, even if she sped. She was surprised Pope came with her as far as the pedestrian bridge, quiet sobs occasionally escaping his otherwise stony demeanor.

“Thank you for coming, Spencer,” he said. “I won’t forget.”

Audrey nodded as she left without another word.

What was there to say?

She could still make out his figure as she walked away. The man stood resolute despite the heavy weight thrust upon him.

She was soon back in her car, keeping her foot on the gas pedal, rushing toward the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office.

Her phone rang, and she answered without looking to see who was calling by using the Bluetooth buttons on her steering wheel.

“Mom, is it true?” Chuck demanded.

The words brought Audrey back to reality. “Is what true?”

“Rachel Pope. Is she dead?”

Audrey hesitated. She didn’t know what to say, and she didn’t want to jeopardize her professional status by revealing confidential information.

The news would certainly get out.

“Where did you hear that?”

“Mom.”

Chuck had attended high school with Rachel. They had even dated briefly during that awkward stage when kids start going together.

He deserved the truth, not dissembling words.

“You can’t tell anybody, not until you read about it in the newspaper—”

“So it is true! This is horrible. How did it happen?”

“I can’t say more. Again, it’s very important—”

“Who did this?”

“It’s difficult to say at this point. There’s not much we know. I can’t comment on what we do know.”

“But—”

“I’m sorry. I wish I could say more, but I can’t. I also can’t talk long. I have a meeting I can’t change. I’m—”

“Thanks for nothing.” He hung up.

Audrey sighed but wasn’t offended or surprised. Of her two sons, Chuck was more likely to overreact, but he was always sweet afterward if he did something rude. This particular flaw had infuriated her over the years because she’d tried many times to help him, but it hadn’t gotten much better.

By the time she saw him, she knew he would apologize for hanging up. He would also shamelessly try to wheedle out any other information he could.

She hesitated for only a moment before pressing a button on the car’s dashboard screen, calling her husband.

He answered on the second ring.

“Well, isn’t this a surprise,” Jim said pleasantly. “The great Deputy District Attorney Audrey Spencer doesn’t usually have time to call her husband in the middle of the day.”

“Rachel Pope is dead.”

“What?”

“Chuck just called, apparently he heard a rumor about it somewhere, not sure where, but if you could reach out—”

“Of course, sorry to hear about this. How’s Pope doing?”

“Not well. I just came from the crime scene.”

“What can I do?” He paused. It appeared he was typing something on his computer. “My afternoon is free if you need anything.”

Jim was a lawyer, too. He practiced civil litigation. It was part of why Audrey had focused on practicing criminal law. There was already more friction than necessary with two argumentative lawyers in the family. They didn’t need to be looking over each other’s shoulders, too, trying to backseat drive each other’s cases. They both had a high-level understanding of the other’s practice area, and Jim had even started out as a prosecutor many years ago, but it was different from knowing the daily nitty-gritty.

“Unfortunately, I can’t think of anything right now. I have a meeting I can’t reschedule.” She paused and tried to remember who it was with but couldn’t summon the information. “I’m already late.”

“I understand. I’ll call Chuck. Let me know when you know more. Are you working late tonight?”

“I don’t think so. I won’t be assigned this case. I’m too new.”

Who will handle it?

She didn’t envy whoever Gregory chose to lead the case against his daughter’s murderer. She wouldn’t be selected for such a high-profile case so shortly after coming to work at the District Attorney’s Office.

“For some reason, I thought you were running the case.” He let out an obvious sigh of relief. “I can’t tell you how glad I am you aren’t.”

Audrey bristled.

Why can’t it be me?

The feeling didn’t last. Gregory Pope was already a difficult man to work for. She didn’t want to know what it would be like prosecuting his daughter’s murderer.

That was best left to somebody else.

“We’ll talk soon, honey,” she said before disconnecting.

You can pick up The Killer’s Club here.