Equitable Chapter 1

Chapter 1Isla

 

 

Milo sped down the bumpy backroads while sirens grew farther into the distance. Isla held on to the door panel and prayed he wouldn’t wreck and kill them both.

Isla couldn’t think of anything but Tom, his bloody body slumped in the driver’s seat of his car as the life slipped out of him. She looked at Milo gripping the wheel and realized that they looked guilty.

“We have to go back!” She knew that would be an unpopular opinion, but she had to say how she felt. “We have to tell them what we know.”

If there was any way she could help, she wanted to.

“No way, I’ll be the first person they blame, and they’ll take my gun and say it’s the one that shot him, knowing damned well it wasn’t. I’m not going back to jail for anyone, not even Tom.”

“He was helping us, Milo. He died helping us.”

“We don’t know that,” he said. “For all we know, he’s into some seedy shit, and I’m not going down for it. We don’t know his enemies.”

“He didn’t have enemies,” she said.

“You don’t really know that, though, do you? You don’t know him, Isla. We don’t know anything about his personal life.”

“I know he was a good man. He was willing to help. He helped with the DNA. He put himself on the line and paid for it.” She wished she hadn’t asked him to help them.

But Milo was too busy freaking out to feel anything but fear of going back to prison. “I’m sorry. I know you had feelings for him, but he died in the line of duty. And I’m not going back. We need to get away and pretend we were never there.”

Isla wished it was that easy. “If someone saw us, they’ll say we ran from the scene. We have to go back. We can say we were going to get help, that he called me. I have the proof.”

“They won’t know what you’re talking about. They’ll say I was jealous or something. I’ll take my chances. But I’m not going back to another murder victim.”

“Then at least slow down!”

“I’m putting as much distance as I can between that scene and us. You know how this works, Isla. You act as if I’m overreacting when they always come at me first for this shit. Well, not this time. No way.”

“Well, where are you going? I’ve never even been on this side of Daybrook before.” The area was more rural, with large fields and plenty of barbed-wire fences. The road seemed to stretch ahead for miles and connected to many other streets that led into neighborhoods.

“I’m going to loop around and take the main road back to Preston’s office. I know where I am.”

“Good,” she said. “I have no idea.” She didn’t know how the road would come around to Preston’s part of town, but she would trust him.

She eased back in the seat and hoped that her heart would stop pounding in her chest, That was when it really hit her. Tom was dead. Fresh tears formed and slipped down her cheeks and she wiped them away. “I can’t believe this. He’s dead. Oh my gosh, Milo. He’s really dead.”

“I know. I’m sorry, Isla. Whoever was following him tried to run him down, and when they couldn’t make him lose control, they must have shot him.”

Things were quiet for the next few minutes as Isla let that sink in. Somehow, Milo made his way to the main road and she realized they were already on the other side of town.

“I never knew that back road existed,” she said.

He slowed the car and turned down the side road that led to Preston’s office on the other end. “We took it to avoid the press on our way to court. If I had turned two roads back, I would have come out next to the courthouse.” He pointed ahead, and Isla noticed Preston’s law office in the distance.

“Nice. Let’s hope he’s not busy.” She hated to barge into his office and wasn’t really sure what Milo expected him to do.

“Let’s just hope the cops are not already after me.” Milo turned into the parking lot of the small brick office building and found a place to park.

Isla felt weak when she went to get out of the car but took a deep breath and put one foot ahead of the next. She couldn’t lie down and cry over Tom. His friendship and kindness had been so helpful to her, and even if they never got anything from it, she would be forever grateful. She hated that she was responsible for what happened, even if Milo didn’t think she was. 

When they went inside the office, Preston’s secretary was just sitting down behind her desk with a cookie in her hand. “Milo!” she said with a big grin on her face. “Preston is in a meeting. Is he expecting you?”

The smile faded as she realized that the two of them were in panic mode.

“Hey, Debbie. Not exactly.” He tried to get his breath and began tapping his finger on the desk. “I need to talk to Preston now.”

“Are you okay?” she asked, looking at Isla. “Ms. Perry?”

“I just need to sit down,” said Isla, who made her way over to the fancy black leather sofa in the waiting area.

Debbie got to her feet. “I’ll just tell him to take a minute.”

“Thank you.” Milo walked over and looked out the window. “Who could have done that?” he mumbled to himself. “Someone must have found out about the prints and the DNA.”

“I don’t know, Milo.”

“He said it wasn’t Dobson. But let’s face it, it could be anyone. There’s no way we can trust any of them. I’d bet money that person he thought was loyal wasn’t and told everyone.”

Debbie came out from the back. “Milo, he said he’d be out in just a minute. You should really sit and have a cup of coffee or something to eat. There are cookies in the breakroom if you want them.” The worry creased her forehead, and she seemed to be trying any solution to help Milo calm down.

“I can’t eat,” he said, shaking his head. “My life might be over.” He paced the area in front of the window, and Isla could see the worry in Debbie’s eyes increase.

“Our friend is dead,” Isla explained.

“Oh no,” said Debbie. “I’m so sorry.”

“Someone shot him,” said Milo. “And I didn’t know where else to go. They’ll blame me. You know they will.”

Debbie put her hand to her heart and looked helpless, as if she didn’t know how to help. “Well, Preston will be out soon. Just give him a minute.”

Thankfully, Preston came out with his clients before Milo wore a hole in the carpet with his pacing.

“Thank you again for coming down,” he told them, looking nervously at Milo across the room. “I’m sure we’ll have this matter cleared up in no time. But I’ll be in touch.” He gave the clients a reassuring look when they looked over to see Milo raking his hand through his hair like a maniac.

The man and woman hurried to leave, and Preston walked over after glancing at his watch. “What’s going on out here?” He didn’t seem too happy to see them. “You couldn’t have called?”

“We’re not sure what to do,” said Isla.

“I could be in big trouble again for something I didn’t do. I just panicked and came here.”

“Wait, slow down,” said Preston. “Let’s take this to my office.”

Debbie looked relieved to hear that, and Isla followed Milo and Preston.

“Have a seat,” said Preston, closing his door. “Now, tell me everything from the start. Just catch your breath, slow down, and tell me.”

“I got a call from Tom, and he was telling me that he wanted to meet. He had some information and seemed to be in a good mood, but that was short-lived. Someone came up behind him. I could hear the engines revving, and then they tried to run him off the road. We thought he had wrecked, and the call ended. So we went to look for him.”

“Big mistake,” said Milo. “When we found him, he was shot and bleeding out. He said it wasn’t Dobson, but when he was about to say who, sirens started sounding, and he looked at Isla and told us to run.”

“He said to run?” asked Preston. “That’s odd. Why would he do that if help was on the way? I mean, wouldn’t he think sirens are a good thing?”

“I think it was a cop who shot him. Whoever is dirty, whether it’s Dobson or not, is probably a cop. So, when he heard sirens, I think he thought that whoever ran him down might be coming back with the rest of the crew. Plus, I know I’d be their number one suspect.”

“Did anyone see you at the scene?” asked Preston.

Milo shook his head, but it was Isla who spoke up.

“There were other houses around, but we’re not sure. I didn’t see anyone else. No one came out. We were the only ones there at the time.” Isla wasn’t sure if there was someone at the neighbor’s house or not.

“He was shot?” asked Preston. “Could you tell where?”

“I couldn’t tell. But he was bad off. I think they came up to the car and did it. He had said that it wasn’t Dobson like we thought but that we were on the right track.”

“So, I think that means it’s a cop,” said Isla.

“Do you think it was someone he trusted? It sounds like they had to get close to him.”

“Yeah,” said Milo. “I don’t know. All I did know was that we had to get away. We couldn’t be there. They would have shot me on the spot. A dead cop? You know how that would have gone down.”

“I told him we should have just stayed and told them what happened. Tom called me, and all of this unfolded.”

“They could use the call against you, Isla. You did the right thing. I just hope no one else saw you going to and leaving the scene.”

“I can’t be sure,” said Milo. “But I know if I was there and a cop pulled up, they would have shot me on the spot.”

“No, I agree. You did the right thing.” Preston put his hand in his pocket and rattled his keys.

“I don’t want to go home,” he said. “I think if we go back, they’ll know where to come and get me. And I don’t want to be a sitting duck.” Milo was convinced that they were going to blame him.

“I told him if we flee, it will look bad.” Isla just wanted things to be more reasonable, but so far, law enforcement had never been reasonable when it came to Milo.

“She’s right,” said Preston. “It will look bad. My best advice is to go home. Carry on like normal, and if something happens and someone shows up, call me immediately. Otherwise, it will look like you’re running. And that’s worse.”

“That’s easy for you to say,” said Milo. “You haven’t ever been locked up in prison for something you didn’t do.”

“Tom did tell us that he got the hat to the lab. So there’s that. I just don’t know how we’re going to get it. Do you know anyone in that department?”

“I don’t know anyone personally. The pal I had there retired two years ago.”

“Well,” said Milo. “I don’t think it matters now. It’s probably why Tom was killed. He trusted that person, and now he’s dead.”

“He didn’t give you any indication of who his friend was?” asked Preston.

“I know it’s a woman. I’m not sure how many women work there, but that could help narrow it down if they want to find her.”

“No way,” said Milo. “I don’t want to meet them. Look what happened to Tom. They did that. I’d bet money.”

“Just go home. I’ll see what I can find out about all of this, and I’ll be in touch.”

“I still think I should leave town.”

“You’re not leaving town. Just go home and settle in. If someone comes around, just don’t say anything and give me a call. You didn’t do anything wrong. Don’t give them a reason to be suspicious.”

“He’s right, Milo. Let’s go home. We have to find answers. And we can’t do that if we’re not here.”

“I can’t do it from prison either.”

Isla tried to keep calm as Preston saw them out. “I’ll drive,” she told him, taking the keys. She wasn’t sure what he would do if the cops tried to pull them over.