Читать книгу Her Stolen Son - Rita Herron - Страница 11

Serena’s comment about being in the system disturbed Colt. What had happened to her while she was in foster care? Had someone hurt her?

Knowing that was very possible, he hated even more that her son would be forced to stay in the orphanage or with a foster family until this mess was sorted out and she was cleared.

Granted she was cleared.

God knew he’d seen enough cases go awry not to completely trust the court system.

Colt stepped into the front office and phoned Kay Krantz, an attorney he’d met when he was on the force. She was kind, compassionate and a pit bull in court. As soon as he explained that Serena was a single mother whose husband had been killed on the force, she agreed to rush over.

Next he phoned Ben Camp at GAI. Ben was their go-to technical guy. If he couldn’t hack into it or trace it, it couldn’t be done. “Ben, it’s Colt. Did you talk to Derrick?”

“Yeah, he filled Gage and all the agents in on your case. Where are you?”

“The sheriff’s department. I just met with the little boy’s mother, and I believe her story.” He explained about Lyle Rice’s advances, Serena’s rejection and that the man had hurt the boy.

“How was he killed?”

“I don’t know any details yet, but I’m going to talk to the sheriff now. I also phoned Kay Krantz, and she agreed to represent Serena. She’s on the way.”

“So you believe this Stover woman is innocent?”

Colt hesitated. He’d been fooled by women before. But not for a long time. One plus of working undercover was that he’d become a good judge of character, both good and bad. “Yeah, I do.”

“Then I’ll see what I can dig up on Rice. If the man has skeletons, they’re coming out of the closet.”

“Thanks, Camp. I’ll update you once I talk to Sheriff Gray.”

Colt strode to the sheriff’s office and knocked on the door. The sheriff glanced up from the file on his desk and gestured for him to come in.

“I didn’t expect to have GAI in on this investigation,” Sheriff Gray said without preamble.

Colt shrugged. “Her kid made a good case.”

Gray nodded, his expression troubled. “I haven’t interrogated Ms. Stover yet. She was too upset when we first brought her in.”

So the sheriff had a touch of compassion. If he’d really believed the woman was a cold-blooded killer, he would have gone for the jugular before she’d had time to concoct a phony story.

Colt crossed his arms. “So, what evidence do you have against Serena Stover to warrant an arrest?”

Sheriff Gray leaned back in his seat, and propped his feet on his desk. “You know I don’t have to tell you that.”

“True. But I have a feeling you will.”

“Does Ms. Stover have a lawyer?”

Colt folded his arms. “She’s on her way.”

Sheriff Gray nodded as if he’d expected as much. “Then we might as well discuss it all at once.”

Colt wanted answers now. “The news reporter said you didn’t find a body. Have you recovered it yet?”

Sheriff Gray fiddled with the pen on his desk. “No.”

Colt frowned. “Then how can you be certain there was a murder?”

“There is other convincing evidence,” the sheriff said in a tone indicating he didn’t intend to argue—or reveal all the information he had at the moment.

“How about cause of death?”

Gray’s expression shut down. “I told you we’d discuss this with Ms. Stover and her attorney. Now, I need to make a call.”

Colt hesitated. He wanted to push for more, but Sheriff Gray gestured toward the door, and he remembered Gage’s warning about staying on Gray’s good side.

Anxious for the attorney to arrive, he stepped outside to wait for Kay. But questions nagged at him. What the hell did Gray have on Serena?

Whatever it was, it had to be pretty damn convincing.

A red convertible zoomed down the street, then whirled into a parking spot in front of the sheriff’s office. Kay Krantz. A second later, she climbed out, looking all-business in a tailored blue suit. She was a beauty, but it was the ferocious attorney at work that he admired.

Still, there had never been anything between them except friendship and a healthy respect for each other’s jobs. Like Serena, she was still grieving over the loss of her husband. Maybe one day she’d move past it and some lucky bastard would snag her.

Right now, he just wanted her to help Serena Stover and her little boy.

“You talked to the sheriff?” she asked, slinging a black leather briefcase over one shoulder.

“He’s waiting for you.” He opened the door to the sheriff’s office, and she sashayed inside. “By the way, he hasn’t questioned Serena yet. She was too upset when he arrested her.”

Her eyebrow quirked at that, but she flipped a strand of her long black hair over her shoulder and forged on. The moment she entered the office, the sheriff’s eyes lit up.

“Kay Krantz,” she said, then extended her hand.

Sheriff Gray stood and shook her hand. “You’re representing Serena Stover?”

“That’s right.” Her fingers tightened around the strap of her shoulder bag. “I’d like to see a copy of the arrest warrant.”

Frowning, the sheriff snagged it from his desk and pushed it into her hands. “I can assure you it’s in order.”

She studied it for a moment, then dropped it on to the desk. “Okay, let me see my client now.”

“Fine,” Sheriff Gray said. “I’ll move her to the interrogation room and we’ll all convene there.” He glanced at Colt. “You can wait here.”

“He’s with me,” Kay said, then smiled when Gray narrowed his eyes. “My assistant.”

“Yeah, right,” Gray muttered, then jangled his keys as he went to retrieve Serena.

Five minutes later, they were all seated in the interrogation room. Serena and Kay sat on one side of the table across from the sheriff. Colt parked himself at the end. Gray had already given him orders to keep his mouth shut.

He hoped he could comply, but he wasn’t promising anything.

Still, he adopted his poker face, the one he used when he was undercover. Sometimes a person’s mannerisms said more than their words. He just hoped that Serena told the truth.

And that she didn’t have any ghosts in her past the sheriff could use against her.

SERENA GRIPPED her clammy hands together, bracing herself to be ripped apart by the sheriff’s questions.

Kay Krantz squeezed her hand, and she took a deep breath. When the lawyer had introduced herself, Serena remembered the attorney’s name from a big case in Raleigh.

Kay Krantz had won.

Hopefully, she was as talented as the article had claimed.

“All right, Sheriff,” Kay said. “Show us what you have.”

Sheriff Gray’s face remained solemn as he opened a folder and spread photos of a ransacked bedroom in front of them. The light was dim, the furniture old and outdated, but it was the mess that caught Serena’s eyes. Clothes were scattered in disarray, a lamp was overturned, a wineglass broken on the faded carpet.

Then her gaze fell to the bed, and her stomach pitched. The white bed linens were tangled and drenched in blood.

“We believe Mr. Rice was killed here in his bedroom.” Sheriff Gray gestured toward the crimson stains on the sheets and floor. “As you see from the amount of blood loss, he was apparently stabbed several times and bled out.”

Serena couldn’t take her eyes off the blood. No one could have survived that much blood loss.

Kay gestured toward the other photos of the crime scene. “Then where is Rice’s body?”

The sheriff twisted toward Serena, his suspicious look sending a chill up her spine. “We were hoping Ms. Stover could tell us that.”

“I have no idea,” Serena blurted. “I—”

“Shh, don’t say anything right now.” Kay placed her hand over Serena’s to calm her.

“What about the murder weapon?” Kay asked.

The sheriff pointed to a serrated kitchen knife on the floor beside the tangled bedding, and cold fear clawed at Serena. Dear God…that knife looked exactly like one from the set Parker’s parents had given them as a wedding gift.

“Blood matches Rice’s. And we found Ms. Stover’s prints on the knife, and the wineglass.”

Serena gasped. “But I’ve never been to the man’s house.”

Sheriff Gray leaned forward, hands gripping the file edge. He slid another photograph from the bottom of the stack and cocked one brow.

“Then how did your underwear and prints get in his bedroom, Ms. Stover?”

Serena stared at a pair of her black lace underwear in shock. “I have no idea, I told you I’ve never been in his house…”

The sheriff’s look hardened. “Just like you weren’t guilty of assault when you were a teenager?”

Serena gasped. “I wasn’t. Besides, those records were supposed to be sealed.”

Again Kay covered her hand to silence her. “Serena, please. Let me handle this.”

Serena gave Colt an imploring look, hoping for support, but his face was a granite mask revealing nothing.

They had to believe her. She hadn’t been at Lyle’s house.

Of course, she hadn’t attacked that guy when she was fifteen either. She had been defending herself. But the boy who’d accosted her came from a rich family who’d paid a high-priced attorney to drag her through the mud, and she’d ended up in the juvenile detention center.

So how had her underwear and knife and her fingerprints gotten in Lyle’s place?

Sheriff Gray laid another photograph in front of them. “These are from Rice’s computer.” He spread several printouts of emails in front of her, then used a pencil to point to them. “Please read these emails, Ms. Stover.”

Trembling inside, Serena leaned forward to study the screen and Kay did the same.

I love you, Lyle. I won’t let you leave me. I’ll kill you before I let you go.

You’re mine forever.

Serena

Nausea settled over her as she scanned a dozen more. Each note poured out her love, begged the man to not leave her, the latter ones becoming increasingly threatening.

But she hadn’t sent them.

“Judging by these emails, it appears you were obsessed with Lyle Rice.” The sheriff’s chair squeaked as he leaned back, studying her. “Rice wasn’t upset because you rejected him, Ms. Stover. It was the other way around. You were stalking him.”

“No…that’s not true—”

“Be quiet, Serena.” Kay’s fingers tightened over Serena’s. “Sheriff, how do you know those emails came from my client? Did you have a warrant to search her computer?”

Sheriff Gray smiled. “I’m not some dumb local like you think, Ms. Krantz.” He lifted a manila envelope from a file box and dropped it on the desk, then removed Serena’s cell phone, which was sealed in a plastic bag.

“When we booked Ms. Stover, we collected her personal items. The emails came from this phone.”

Serena’s heart pounded. “That’s impossible.”

“Someone else could have used that phone to plant those emails,” Kay pointed out calmly.

Sheriff Gray shrugged, then angled his head toward Serena. “But you sent them, didn’t you, Ms. Stover? You were desperate for attention after your husband’s death, so you fell for the first man who came along. Then you couldn’t stand it when Rice broke it off with you, so you stalked him, then went to his house and stabbed him.” Sheriff Gray’s voice hardened. “Now tell us where you dumped the body, and maybe we can talk a plea.”

“There’s no need to discuss a plea. My client is innocent.” Kay glared at the sheriff in challenge. “Sheriff, look at Ms. Stover. She can’t weigh more than one hundred and ten pounds. Rice was much larger and stronger, right?” She glanced at Serena. “How much did he weigh? One-eighty, two-hundred pounds?”

Serena nodded.

“First of all, it would be highly unlikely that Serena could overcome a man that size and stab him. Secondly, if she did, he would have put up a fight and she would have major defensive wounds.” Kay ticked her points off on her fingers. “And thirdly, even if she overcame those obvious obstacles and managed to kill him, how could she have possibly gotten rid of the body by herself?”

Sheriff Gray punched the first photograph of the crime scene. “See those marks on the floor? There used to be a rug in that spot. She used it to roll up the man’s body.” He slanted Serena a condemning look. “Then you dragged him outside, put him in your van and dumped him somewhere. Where? A ravine maybe? The river?”

Kay rolled her eyes. “There is no way my client could have lifted Rice into her van by herself.”

Sheriff Gray tilted his head sideways. “You’d be surprised at how strong an adrenaline rush can make a person.”

Kay shot up from her seat, her tone sarcastic. “Sheriff, this is ridiculous. The next thing you’re going to accuse her of is having an accomplice. Maybe her six-year-old son helped her dump the body.”

“Why don’t you let your client tell us how she disposed of Rice’s body?” Sheriff Gray suggested.

Serena glared at him, biting back an argument. At this point, shouting and arguing would only make her look guilty. As if his evidence hadn’t already done that.

“As I said, my client is innocent, Sheriff.” Kay reached for her briefcase. “Now this interrogation is over. I demand you release Ms. Stover.”

“We’ll let the judge decide that in the morning,” Sheriff Gray said.

“But you have no case.” Kay glared at him. “You don’t have a body so you have no definitive proof of a crime, especially a murder. And all your evidence is circumstantial.”

“It may be circumstantial,” Sheriff Gray said. “But it is enough to hold your client, and enough to convict her. And for your information, I have a warrant to confiscate Ms. Stover’s vehicle and have it searched and processed for evidence.” He checked his watch. “In fact, it’s probably being confiscated as we speak.”

Pure panic seized Serena. She wanted to deny that he would find anything incriminating in her van. But already he had evidence that boggled her mind. Evidence that had to have been planted.

But who would frame her for murder?

Dear God. If she was convicted, Petey would definitely go to foster care. She couldn’t lose him or spend the rest of her life in jail for a crime she hadn’t committed.

“Ms. Stover, do you have anything to say?” the sheriff asked.

Serena glanced at Colt. He was watching her with hooded eyes. Judging her. Trying to decide whether or not he believed her.

For some reason, that hurt more than the sheriff’s blatant accusations.

She straightened, injecting sincerity into her voice. “Just that I am innocent. I did not kill Lyle Rice, I swear it.”

The sheriff stood then as if dismissing them. “Ms. Krantz, your client’s bail hearing is set for ten in the morning. We’ll see you then.”

Kay’s eyes darkened with anger, but she nodded, then turned to Serena. “Hang in there, Serena. We’ll get you out of here as soon as possible.”

“But what about my son?” Serena clenched her hands into fists. Maybe she should have stolen those keys, snagged Petey and run. “Petey’s scared. He needs me.”

“You should have thought about that before you killed Rice,” Sheriff Gray mumbled.

“That’s enough, Sheriff.” Colt stepped toward the sheriff. “While you’re wasting time bullying an innocent single mother, the real killer, if there was indeed a murder, is free and escaping right now.”

Sheriff Gray glared at him then clutched Serena’s arm and hauled her toward the door.

COLT HATED like hell to leave Serena in jail for the night. Gray was being a hardass. Dammit, Serena’s juvenile record didn’t help.

He had to find out the story behind that arrest.

Still, he hoped Gray didn’t toss another prisoner in the cell with Serena, especially one who might be violent.

Petey’s face flashed in his mind. Her son would have to spend the night at Magnolia Manor.

He didn’t like it, but his hands were tied. And finding Rice’s killer—or his body if he was still alive—was the best way he could clear Serena and reunite her with her son.

Circumstantial or not, the evidence Gray had was pretty damn convincing.

You have been fooled before, he reminded himself. And nearly died for it.

Only this time he would be smarter. This time he wouldn’t become personally involved. Wouldn’t get close to Serena or her son.

But he would finish the case. The fact that the evidence was circumstantial and there was no body threw up red flags. He didn’t peg Serena for the stalker type either.

Of course, there was her prior record….

That was years ago, though, and she’d said she’d grown up in the system. He needed to hear the whole story before he gave credence to that arrest.

For now, he’d talk with some of her employers, friends and neighbors and find out what the adult Serena was like. He didn’t believe for a minute that Serena had left her son alone, driven to Rice’s house, murdered him, dragged him to her van and dumped his body.

Not that little bitty woman who adored her son and was sick over the idea of him being in foster care.

Trying to deflect images of her alone in that ugly cell sleeping on that nasty cot—or not sleeping, most likely—he climbed in his Range Rover and drove back to GAI. He had to update the team, see what Ben had found, and start questioning everyone who knew Serena to establish her character references.

They also needed to canvas Rice’s neighborhood for witnesses. Maybe someone spotted another vehicle the night before or heard an altercation that might lead them to the truth.

Late afternoon shadows obliterated the sun as it slipped behind the horizon, and his gut tightened. It would be a long night for Serena.

And for Petey.

Steeling himself as he parked, he strode inside. He paused at his office, but it was empty so he strode to Derrick’s. Brianna’s voice echoed from inside, then he heard baby Ryan babbling.

As he turned the corner, he spotted Petey slumped on the couch watching the baby, his little face riddled with worry. Derrick glanced up as he entered, and so did Petey.

Petey’s face fell. “I thought you was bringing my mommy back.”

Colt swallowed against the knot in his throat, then stooped in front of Petey. “I just came from seeing her, bud, and she’s okay. But it’ll be tomorrow before she’s released.”

“No!” Petey jumped up and bunched his hands into fists. “No, she gots to come get me so we can go home and make hot dogs and read stories and play with my action figures.” He heaved for a breath, a sob escaping at the end.

“I’m sorry, Petey,” Colt said. “I did everything I could. But the judge won’t see us until morning. Then we’ll post bail and your mommy can come home.”

“But I wants her tonight,” Petey wailed.

“Petey,” Brianna said softly. “Remember what I told you about Magnolia Manor? It’s not a bad place. The kids are nice, and they’ll play with you, and Ms. Rosalie will read you stories.”

Petey slammed his fist into Colt’s chest. “No, you lied. You’re sending me back to kid jail. I don’t wanna go to jail!”

Colt’s gut clenched, but he let the little boy purge his anger, accepting his blows until Petey finally collapsed against him in a sobbing fit.

Brianna and Derrick both watched with sympathetic looks. Baby Ryan even stopped playing to look up at Petey, his lip quivering as if he might burst into tears, as well.

“Colt,” Derrick said. “Instead of sending Petey back to the manor, Bri and I will take him home for the night.”

Brianna rubbed Petey’s back where he lay against Colt’s chest, exhausted and spent. “That’s a great idea. Petey, you can spend the night with Ryan.”

Colt gave them a grateful look. Brianna was experienced with kids, and much better equipped to deal with an angry, frightened child than he was. “Thanks. I’m sure his mother would appreciate that.”

Besides, he couldn’t babysit Serena’s little boy and investigate her case at the same time. Yet holding Petey stirred some kind of primal instincts that he didn’t even know he possessed.

“Petey,” he murmured. “You’re not going back to the manor right now. Mr. Derrick and Ms. Brianna want you to spend the night with them and baby Ryan.”

Petey hiccupped on another sob but didn’t respond.

Colt carried him out to Derrick’s car, and Petey slumped into the seat, eyes red and swollen. He glared up at Colt as if he hated him.

“I know you’re mad at me.” Guilt stabbed Colt at Petey’s accusatory look. “But you asked me to get your mommy out of jail, and I’m going to do that, Petey. I promise.” He leaned forward. “But I need your help. Your job is to be nice to Ms. Brianna and Ryan. Then Ryan’s daddy can help me clear your mom.”

Petey’s lower lip trembled. “If my daddy was here, he wouldn’t have let them take mommy or me away.”

Colt gritted his teeth. That might be true. But his dad was gone.

And right now, he was all Petey and Serena had.

Colt reached inside his pocket and withdrew a small shiny whistle. He’d never forgotten the day his father had given it to him. It was the day a police officer had come to school to talk to the children about strangers.

He handed it to Petey. “My father gave this to me when I was about your age. He told me to blow it if I ever needed help. I want you to take it. But remember, only use it if you need it.”

Petey’s hand trembled as he wrapped his fingers around the whistle.

Then Colt watched Derrick drive away, Petey’s face haunting him.

COLT SPENT THE EVENING canvassing the homes near Rice’s, but no one seemed to know anything. According to an elderly woman two units down, the man had moved in a month before and kept to himself. Others claimed they’d only seen him coming and going. None had really talked to him.

And no one had heard anything the night before. No cars. No arguments. No screams.

On a positive note, not one of them had seen Serena Stover or her minivan anywhere near the man’s house.

So what the hell had happened to Rice?

And who was framing Serena?

A dozen more questions bombarded him as he wolfed down a pizza. He spent a couple of hours online himself researching Rice, but found very little about the man in cyberspace.

Which raised more questions. An entrepreneur involved in several small businesses should have more of a presence on the internet.

He typed in the link to Serena’s business and accessed her records, then phoned two of her clients. Both gave her raving character descriptions, claiming she was nice, professional and adored her son. All seemed shocked at her arrest.

He tried a different tactic for Rice, searching for more on his background, and was still digging around for information at 2:00 a.m. when the phone trilled.

Colt frowned and grabbed the handset.

“Colt, it’s Derrick.” His voice sounded choppy, strained, upset.

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s Petey. He finally fell asleep around midnight, and then we went to bed, too. But I heard a noise a few minutes ago and got up, and…dammit, Colt.”

Colt’s heart raced. “What?”

“Petey’s gone.”