Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 71312 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 357(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 238(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71312 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 357(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 238(@300wpm)
“Have you forgotten that if you succeed in proving the cause of death—which I highly doubt you will—you must also prove that Mr. Bellamy was not acting in self-defense or in defense of another?” Lola’s tone is acerbic.
“I know the law, Lola.”
“Do you?”
“Your client is a confessed killer.”
“For which he paid his debt to society. That cannot be held against him in court.”
“He’s admitted to pistol-whipping the victim.”
Lola doesn’t miss a beat. “The trespasser was on his property, held him at gunpoint, and threatened his guest. I don’t know what you think you need to prove here. What happened to routine questioning?”
Detective Ericson interjects then, speaking for the first time. “Chill, Mulvaney.”
That’s all he says.
Mulvaney doesn’t look happy.
The dynamics here are odd. Mulvaney’s clearly the senior detective, but she went right for my throat.
I’ve never met the woman before in my life. What gives?
“You need to recuse yourself,” Lola says.
“I will not.”
Lola pushes a document toward her. “You will.”
“Excuse me,” I say, “but what’s going on here?”
“Detective Mulvaney is Jaden Perez’s aunt, his mother’s sister.”
Ah. Now I get it. That explains Lola’s raised eyebrows when Mulvaney entered. The detective’s got an axe to grind, and she’d like to bury it in my head.
Not happening.
“Did you really think I wouldn’t put two and two together?”
Mulvaney sneers. “That was nearly a decade ago. I can stay objective.”
“Can you? You told my client this was routine questioning, and then you went straight for his jugular. Not on my watch, Gina.”
Mulvaney stands, lets out a breath, and leaves the room.
“I guess I’m up,” Ericson says. “Mr. Bellamy, this is just routine questioning. A lot of people don’t even have attorneys present at this stage.”
“I’m not a lot of people,” I say.
“Understood. I’m sorry Detective Mulvaney got a little personal. She’s actually a decorated officer.”
“I know that, Marvin,” Lola says. “but this isn’t the case for her.”
Ericson turns to me. “Take me through what happened. I’ve got your statement here, but I need to hear it from you. When did you first realize someone had entered your property?”
“My guest and I were in the hot tub in the back, and she thought she heard something.”
“And did you hear it?”
“No, I didn’t. But then the dogs starting barking, so I realized something was up.”
“Okay. What did you do then?”
“I told my guest, Savannah Gallo—”
“Savannah Gallo, your parole officer.”
I clear my throat. “That’s correct.”
He regards me for a moment, but then he moves on. “So you told Savannah…”
“I told her to lock herself in the changing room. It’s the only place inside the pool area with a lock on it. The only place she’d be safe.”
“So you were concerned for her safety?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because of my background, Detective.”
“What about your background?”
“You know my background. I recently got out of prison. I made some enemies on the inside, and I thought one or more of them had sent someone to…”
“To what?”
“I’m sure I don’t have to spell it out for you.”
“All right. We’ll let that go for now, but you may have to come back and elaborate.” He makes some notes on his iPad. “What happened next?”
“I put on my clothes and went to investigate. Two men had entered through the gate into my backyard. My dog—”
“Your dog?”
“Technically Savannah’s dog. I have the dog’s pup. He wasn’t barking.”
“But the mother dog was.”
“She was protecting her pup. Protecting us.”
“Speculation, but that’s fine.”
“Two men were holding drawn pistols. One was blond, Giancarlo, and the other was dark-haired, and was called Abel.”
“You knew the men?”
“No. I just heard them call each other by name.”
“We’re getting ahead of ourselves.” He makes some more notes. “Go back to when you confronted them.”
“Abel aimed his gun at the dog, and I told him, ‘Don’t you fucking dare.’”
“And did he cease?”
“He did. The blond told him to leave the dog alone. Clearly he was the boss of the two. I asked who sent them. They said—”
“Which one said?”
I rack my brain. “Honestly, I don’t remember. Could have been either one of them.”
“All right. What did they say?”
“They said they had no issue with me. That they were here for her.”
“Her meaning Ms. Gallo.”
“I assumed so at the time. Yes.”
“What happened next?”
I think, try to remember, but it’s all a blur from there.
I can’t say that though. When I told Lola it was a blur, she was adamant. Do not use the word blur. If they think I don’t remember, they’ll fill in what happened for me, and it won’t be in my favor.
I don’t get any negative feelings from Detective Ericson, but I keep what Lola said in my mind.
“The dog had herded her pup into a corner to protect him, I assume, but he went running off, and she let out a shrill bark. Both men were startled, and I took advantage of the diversion to launch myself at the dark-haired one, Abel, and disarm him. I got him in a headlock and pointed his own gun at his head.”