Rich Waters (Jason Rich), page 13
“Damn,” Jason said. “Practically sounds like a confession.”
“I know. There’s also a statement from Trey’s mother.”
“Is there anything helpful in it?”
“No. Just says he came to her house around eleven at night, and she was already asleep. Trey was drunk and said he’d gotten into it with Kelly Flowers. He was slurring his words, and Ms. Cowan was tired. She listened for a few minutes and then went back to bed, because her job started at six in the morning. When she got up the next day, Trey was passed out on the floor of her kitchen. She didn’t wake him and went to work. Said it wasn’t the first time he’d passed out at her house.”
Crap, Jason thought. “So she doesn’t help at all.”
“No. She gives him no alibi, since she went back to sleep. And she mentions that he was still angry about Flowers.”
“Is there anything good for us in what Shay provided?”
“No.”
“How far is Trey’s mother’s house from the murder scene?”
“Less than a mile.”
“Is there information in there about how Trey . . . or anyone else . . . could know that Flowers was going to be at Branner’s Place?”
“Branner’s what?”
“I’m sorry. That’s what that barn has always been called. Used to be a hangout for high school kids and ne’er-do-wells. Marshall County, outside of its four main cities, is dry, and Branner’s Place served alcohol and other things under the counter.”
“How did it stay open for so long?”
“Marshall County is about ninety-five percent law-abiding citizen and five percent outlaw, and the majority of that five is located in or around Sand Mountain. Branner’s Place was far enough off the road that it didn’t cause much disturbance.”
“Is it still up and running?”
“No,” Jason said, walking into the kitchen and pulling a yellow notepad out of his briefcase. “Closed about seven or eight years ago, but I think Bull Branner still owns the land.”
“That is who discovered the body,” Izzy said. “Lynn ‘Bull’ Branner.”
Jason rubbed his chin, thinking that they might have finally stumbled upon something positive. “We definitely need to meet with him. Bull’s a shady character.” Jason jotted the man’s name down on his pad. “I’ll take that one.”
“OK, back to your question. The answer is no. There’s nothing in the district attorney’s file about why Flowers was at Branner’s Place.”
Jason nodded to himself. “That’s their soft spot then. They can prove motive out the yin-yang and means with the shotgun. But what about opportunity?”
“I’m sure that Shay will argue Trey’s proximity to the murder gave him all the opportunity he needed.”
“Agreed. It looks good on paper, but the question remains.”
“How could Trey Cowan have known that Flowers was going to be at Branner’s Place?” Izzy said it out loud. “Have you asked him?”
“He can’t remember anything after getting to his mother’s house but is adamant that he didn’t leave.”
“Too bad his mother can’t confirm his alibi.” Then, as if she was turning a page in her brain, she asked, “All right, what else?”
Jason stared at his notepad. “Remind me the name of Braxton’s CRNA who testified in the trial last year. She was dating Trey at the time.”
“Colleen Maples,” Izzy said.
Jason couldn’t help but smile. His partner had a photographic memory. “Yes,” he said, writing her name down on the page. “We need to track her down as well.”
“Do you want me to take her? I seem to recall her being a bit chilly toward you during Jana’s case.”
“Definitely,” Jason said.
“Anything else?”
Jason rubbed the back of his head and again stared at the lake. “I can’t think of anything at the moment.”
There were a couple of seconds of silence. Then Izzy spoke, her voice softer. “How did it go in Perdido?”
“Terrible.”
“Did Chase ever speak with you?”
“No,” Jason said, hanging his head. “She barely said a word.”
“Jesus . . . I’m sorry.”
“Yeah, me too.”
“And what about Nola?”
Jason glanced toward the kitchen, and then his eyes drifted to the den. Nola was still downstairs. “She was pretty shook up by it.”
“That’s why you brought her, wasn’t it?”
“Yes.”
“Did you get her drug source?”
“Yes. A guy named Kevin Martin. Kids call him K-Mart.”
“That’s original.”
“Harry’s going to look into him.”
“Isn’t that kind of dangerous?” Izzy asked, her tone amped up now. “I’m sure he’s hooked up with Cade. And how does Nola’s supplier help us defend Trey Cowan?”
Jason forced himself to take a deep breath and then exhaled. “Just circling the wagons, Iz. Trying to protect my family from any more issues.”
Another break in the conversation, and Jason knew his partner’s mental wheels were turning. “OK then. I understand. Do you think Nola is still using?”
“She says no.”
“Do you believe her?”
Jason didn’t immediately answer.
“Jason?”
“I don’t know. That’s one of the reasons I’ve asked Harry to look into K-Mart.”
“OK,” she said. “Hey, Jason Rich.”
He smiled. Occasionally, when his partner was trying to emphasize a point, she used both his first and last name. “What?”
“Hang in there.”
26
Trey Cowan gazed through the plexiglass at the woman, feeling a weird combination of guilt, anger, and lust.
“How are you?” Colleen asked. She had her brown hair up in a ponytail and wore green surgery scrubs.
“I’m fine,” he lied.
She rolled her eyes. “Same old Trey. Stuck in jail for two weeks. Charged with murdering a police officer. ‘How am I? Oh, I’m good. No worries.’”
He managed a genuine smile. “It’s good to see you.” He glanced down at the floor and then back up at her. “Why did you come by my apartment the morning I was arrested?”
Her eyes flickered. “I saw the police cars. They were everywhere. I was . . . worried.”
“About me?”
She gave him another eye roll. The gesture had always been sexy the way Colleen did it, and Trey felt a tremor of excitement. “Yes, about you.”
For a few seconds, they just looked at each other. Their romance had never made much sense. She was a good ten years older than Trey, and she had been the CRNA for Dr. Waters’s surgical repair of his broken tibia. She and Waters were having an affair at the time, and witnesses said they’d had an argument during Trey’s operation. Though the evidence was not conclusive, Colleen believed that her personal relationship with Dr. Waters had affected the doctor’s response time to the infection that Trey developed after the procedure. After the lawsuit was over—Dr. Waters obtained a defense verdict—Colleen had sought Trey out to offer an apology. He had invited her for a beer, and one drink turned into four, which turned into them rolling around in his bed the rest of the day.
His own relationship with Colleen had affectively ended last October when it became evidence in the Jana Waters murder trial. The fling had been fun when it was under the radar, but once everyone knew about it, the shine had worn off for Colleen. At least that was Trey’s assumption.
There was also the matter of her burgeoning drug use . . . and a new man in her life.
Kelly Flowers . . .
“Why are you here, Colleen?” Trey finally asked. He couldn’t hide the hurt in his tone.
“I’m just . . . worried about you.”
“Me? I figured you would be angry with me. Given who I’m charged with killing.” He glared at her, and she gazed down at the floor.
“Look,” Trey finally said. “We had our fun. You had your fun, and you moved on. You don’t owe me anything.”
She peered up at him. “I’m not here because I feel guilty.”
“Then why the hell are you here?”
“I guess I’m curious. What is Jason Rich doing representing you?”
Trey frowned. “He’s who my mother got.”
“How? No offense, but you don’t have the kind of money to afford an attorney like Jason Rich. And neither does Trudy.”
“Then you’ll have to ask Mr. Rich. All I know is that he’s my lawyer.”
“Cade’s paying him, isn’t he? That’s the only thing that makes sense.”
Now Trey gazed down at the floor, not answering her.
“Trey, for all you know, that bastard killed Kelly himself or had someone do it at his bequest, and you’re his patsy. He’s hired Rich to represent you to make it look good, but he fully expects you to go down for it.”
“Give me a break, Colleen. That’s some kind of conspiracy theory.” He cocked his head at her. “Is there something you’re not telling me?”
She put her hand to the glass. “Trey, I know about Kelly’s association with Tyson Cade. I know firsthand.” Her lip started to tremble, and Trey again envisioned her in the back of Kelly’s truck. “It makes me sick how the whole town is treating Kelly like he was some kind of a hero. He was a sick sonofabitch who used his badge and his association with Cade for his own personal benefit.” She wiped her eyes. “He hurt a lot of people.”
Trey kept his gaze on the concrete floor. It was all true. “How long did you date him?”
She scoffed. “We didn’t date. I used him for drugs, and he used me . . .”
Trey looked up from the table and wasn’t sure what he saw in her eyes. Hurt? Regret? Shame? He’d never been able to read people.
“Eventually,” Colleen continued, “he got bored with me and found someone else’s life to ruin.”
“Who?”
“I don’t know.”
“Well . . . I guess I’m sorry,” Trey said, his voice edged with sarcasm.
She leaned toward him, her eyes narrowing. “Have you told your lawyer about how you . . . and Kelly . . . worked for Cade?”
Trey shook his head.
“Then how is Mr. Rich going to be able to effectively represent you?”
“I don’t know.”
“Trey, this is your life. You’re being charged with capital murder. You understand that, don’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Are you willing to sacrifice your life to keep Tyson Cade out of trouble?”
“It’s not that simple,” Trey said. “Tyson owns Sand Mountain. He owns me.”
“How?” she asked. “How in here could that still be the case?”
“My mom,” Trey said. “My dad too.” He hesitated. “You.”
“What about us?”
Trey sighed. “He’ll kill all of you, Colleen. Don’t you understand? No one that I care about is safe.”
“But how can you win?” she asked, a trace of desperation creeping into her tone.
He gave his head a jerk and stood. “That’s up to Mr. Rich.”
27
The fire was raging full tilt by 8:30 p.m. Satch, Chuck, and Mickey Tonidandel sat around it in lawn chairs, each with a red Solo cup of something in their hand. Jason didn’t ask. Every so often, one of the brothers threw an item on the fire, and sparks flew into the evening air.
This was what folks in Mill Creek called “taking out the trash.”
“What’s on your mind?” Satch finally asked, poking the fire with a stick.
“I want you to ramp up our security detail. I don’t want to go with an outside group this time.” Jason paused and met Satch’s gaze. “Just you . . .” Jason moved his gaze to Chuck and Mickey. “. . . and your brothers. We need more manpower, and I want you to hire the additions.”
“What about Niecy? Last time, Cade attacked her.”
Jason bristled as he remembered the frantic trip to Birmingham after he’d received word that Nola’s older sister had been attacked by one of Tyson Cade’s goons. They’d roughed her up to send him a message. Would they go that route again? Jason didn’t think so. He figured Cade would focus on Nola, Chase, and Jason himself, but he wasn’t taking any chances. “I’ve hired a Birmingham group to have a guard watching her place at all times and to also follow her if she ever leaves campus.”
“Did you tell her that?”
“Yes. Full disclosure.”
“How’d she take it?”
“She was shaken, but she understood. She was more worried about Nola and Chase.”
“And how are they?” Satch asked.
Jason peered into the fire. “Chase is in rehab. She’ll be there for a while. And Nola . . . is OK.”
“You don’t sound convincing.”
“I know.”
“What do you want from us and our team?”
Jason looked up from the flames. “Full surveillance of my house by water and land.” He hesitated and then nodded. “I have complete trust in you. If what I’m paying you now is not enough, just name your price.”
Satch rubbed the stick with both of his hands. “That’ll be fine. Anything else?”
“Yes. Do you know Bull Branner? Used to own Branner’s Place out at Alder Springs?”
“Yeah, I know Bull,” Satch said.
“He comes to the range just about every week,” Mickey added, pulling on his mustache and throwing a trash bag into the fire.
Jason rubbed his chin. The Tonidandels owned a gun range off of Highway 431. Chase had actually been an instructor there for a while. The three brothers also trained patrons in the use of all variety of firearms. “I need a meeting with him. Even though his barn store is closed, he still owns the property, and he’s the one who found Kelly Flowers’s body.” Jason stood and grabbed a stick. “At the murder scene.”
“We’ll set it up,” Satch said. “Bull’s crazier than a shithouse rat, but he owes us a few favors.”
Jason grinned, thinking how crazy a person had to be for him to be referred to as such by Satch Tonidandel.
“What else?”
Jason walked a lap around the fire. “You boys have lived in Marshall County your whole lives. You know the players here. You’re familiar with Tyson Cade and how he operates. I need some reconnaissance on what Cade is up to these days. Where’s he selling? What’s he distributing? Who are his buyers? Is he having any trouble?”
“Why is any of that important?” Satch asked.
Jason stopped walking and gazed across the street to his house, where Nola was downstairs studying. “The murder happened at Branner’s Place. That’s Cade country, right?”
Satch flung some rotting wood on the fire. “Big time. If Sand Mountain had a beating heart, it’s right in the middle of Hustleville Road.” He squinted at Jason. “And Sand Mountain is Cade.”
“I need to understand what Cade’s stake is in this murder trial. I knew exactly why he was interfering in Jana’s case, but I don’t get it with Trey Cowan. I’m assuming that Trey worked for him in some capacity, but I haven’t been able to confirm that. But I think Cade’s entanglement in this situation must run deeper.” Jason stopped talking and moved his eyes to each of the Tonidandel brothers before gazing back into the raging fire.
“Jason, if we dive into our own investigation of Cade, that could increase the danger to you and your family.”
“I think that’s inevitable regardless of what we do.” He threw another stick on the fire. “I’m tired of playing defense against this prick, Satch.”
The colonel grinned, but there was no humor in his eyes. “We can do that, Jason, but it’s going to up the buying price of our services.”
“Understood,” Jason said.
Satch walked around the fire and stood in front of Jason. He leaned forward and spoke just above a whisper. “You realize that there’s only one way you’re ever going to rid yourself and your family of that sonofabitch.”
Jason held Satch’s gaze. “Yes, I do. That’s why I want you to do one more thing for me.”
“What’s that?”
Jason took a Glock 43X semiautomatic handgun out of his pocket. “I want you to teach me how to shoot.”
PART THREE
28
“ALL RISE!”
Jason and Trey rose together as the bailiff bellowed his opening salvo. Judge Terry Barber strode out of his chambers and to the bench, walking with a forward lean and holding a file under his arm. He sat down and spoke without looking up.
“State of Alabama versus Trey Jerome Cowan.” Then he stared down from his high perch, first focusing on the district attorney. “Madame Prosecutor, is the state ready for the preliminary hearing?”
“Yes, Your Honor,” Shay said, looking both elegant and intimidating in a black pantsuit.
“And Mr. Rich. Is the defendant prepared to proceed?”
“Yes, Your Honor,” Jason said, straightening his light-gray suit, which was slightly wrinkled.
“All right then. Ms. Lankford, call your first witness.”
Shay glanced to the man sitting next to her and cleared her throat. “The state calls Sergeant George Mitchell.”
As the officer walked to the witness stand, Jason watched with mild curiosity. He was expecting Detective Hatty Daniels to be the prosecution’s only witness today. Daniels was older and more experienced. The investigative report was primarily authored by Daniels, though Mitchell was involved in the interviews. Daniels had also been the state’s chief witness in Jana’s trial. Mitchell was of average height and medium build with a high-and-tight military-style haircut. Jason had met the man in passing during Jana’s trial but had never paid much attention to him.
Maybe Shay is mixing it up, Jason thought. Or perhaps Daniels isn’t available. Or . . . Jason smiled to himself at his own silliness. Or this is the damn prelim, so Shay knows all she’s got to do is show probable cause, and she doesn’t want to give me a free shot at cross-examining her lead investigator. Still, though, regardless of the ease with which the state could make its showing, this particular preliminary hearing was a big deal. Jason peered behind him, where the gallery was, as he expected, full to capacity. Most of the spectators appeared to be reporters, and Jason nodded at his friend, Kisha Roe, the new editor in chief of the Advertiser-Gleam. Because of the gag order, Jason hadn’t been able to participate in any interviews, but he’d already promised Kisha the full scoop after the close of the case. She winked at him, and he remembered he needed to talk to her about something else. Or rather, someone else.
