The Advocate's Illusion

by Teresa Burrell

  “I don’t know what to think.”

  JP hung up, took a shower, and sat down at his computer. He wasn’t sure where to start, but he had to figure it out. He thought about what the detective had said, that it might not be connected at all, but he didn’t believe it. He was pretty sure Eugene didn’t either. He picked up his cell and called Ian Lynch.

  “This may seem like a strange question,” JP asked, “but did Todd ever show any interest in magic?”

  “When we were kids, my dad used to pull quarters from behind our ears, and he thought that was pretty cool. You mean something like that?”

  “Yeah. Or did he go to magic shows, or have a magic set, anything?”

  “I can’t remember either of us ever having a magic set. We saw a magician at a circus once, but Todd was more interested in the elephants than the magic show.”

  “Have you ever heard Todd mention the Great Silent Thunder?”

  “No.”

  “Do you know who he is?”

  “No, but I’m guessing from your questions that he’s a magician.”

  “Yes, he is. He recently performed a show in San Diego, but he’s world-renowned.”

  “Sorry, never heard of him.”

  “Do you know if Todd would have any connection to show events? Maybe some way to get free tickets?”

  “Maybe. He’s a sales rep for Xerox and his clients would occasionally give him tickets for things, but they were mostly sporting events, football or baseball. Keep in mind, I haven’t been around him for the last five years. Things could be different now.”

  “Thanks,” JP said. “Please call if you think of anything else.”

  JP’s phone beeped and he checked his text.

  Ron: We’re leaving hospital now.

  JP: Ok. See you at Sabre’s.

  “Come on, Louie, let’s go for a ride.”

  JP and Louie reached Sabre’s before Ron arrived. He punched the code into the keypad on the garage and let himself in. Louie darted from room to room looking for Sabre. JP looked around for anything unusual, but found nothing out of the ordinary. He heard a car pull up and the garage door open as he started upstairs. Louie looked back at the door and then upstairs, seemingly uncertain of which way to go. Finally, he ran up the steps. Again, JP didn’t find anything out of place or any hint that someone might have broken in.

  JP started back down again, just as Ron and Sabre came inside. Louie ran full bore down the steps and up to his guests, where he flitted from one to the other, seeking attention.

  When JP reached Sabre, he gave her a kiss. “How are you feeling?”

  “Almost normal,” she said. “I’m not surprised to see you here. Did you find evidence of any intruders?”

  “No, it’s fine as cream gravy.”

  Sabre gathered some clothes and her make-up bag and they left. They stopped by her office and picked up a few files. JP and Louie went in first, making sure everything was okay.

  “What did you expect to find?” Sabre asked on their way out.

  “I don’t know, but I’ll know it when I see it.”

  “Maybe they weren’t really after me, like that detective said.”

  “I hope that’s the case, but until they catch him, or we figure it out, I’m not letting up.”

  Chapter 51

  The next morning, JP pulled out of his driveway and away from his house, heading down the steep but short incline toward Mission Gorge Road. He pushed on the brake and his foot went to the floor. He kept his foot off the accelerator, downshifted to low, and pumped the brakes, but still didn’t feel any resistance.

  “Hang on, Sabre! The brakes are out!”

  Sabre braced herself and JP stepped on the emergency brake just enough to make the truck jump, slowing it some. Then he pushed a little harder. Mission Gorge Road was coming up fast and JP had to make a right turn or drive into oncoming traffic. Trees blocked his vision on his left but he could see cars passing on the busy street in front of him. He pushed the emergency brake all the way down as they hit Mission Gorge. The truck skidded onto the avenue with JP pulling the steering wheel to the right to avoid as much traffic as possible. His truck came to a stop partway into the street. Sabre sighed just as a horn blared and a red Ford F-150 swerved to go around them, but the Ford skidded and slammed into the front of JP’s truck, spinning them around and into the side of the hill.

  There was a loud bang and for a few seconds everything was white. The smell of talcum powder filled the air. The dust from the deployed airbags made it hard to breath, but the air from his broken window was helping the powder dissipate. JP turned the key in the ignition to off.

  “Are you okay?” Sabre asked as she coughed.

  “Yes, are you?”

  “I think so.”

  “Do you hurt anywhere?” JP asked.

  “I feel like I was punched in the face.” She wiggled around, moving her arms and legs. “My limbs all seem to work.”

  JP tried to open his door, but couldn’t. “Can you open your door? Mine won’t open.”

  Sabre reached for the handle and opened the door, but it didn’t open very far. The truck was sitting at an angle with the passenger side higher than the driver’s side, making the heavy door hard to maneuver. She unlocked her seatbelt and used both arms to push the door open. The air flowed in, clearing out more of the powder.

  JP leaned over, trying to assess what Sabre was stepping into, but he couldn’t see much. “Can you get out without hurting yourself?”

  “It’s a bit of a drop, but I think I can,” she said turning back toward JP. “You’re bleeding.” Sabre’s mouth dropped open and she gasped. “Oh, no!”

  “I’m okay,” JP assured her.

  Sabre gulped, then took a deep breath. “You have a piece of glass stuck in the side of your head.”

  JP started to reach up. “No, don’t! Leave it alone. Let’s get you out of here first.”

  “Go ahead. I’ll be right behind you.”

  Sabre looked down, trying to figure out how to get out without the door slamming against her. The truck was sitting about a foot higher than normal. Even when it sat flat on the ground, it was difficult for her to get in and out.

  “What’s the matter?” JP asked.

  “I don’t know if I can hold the door open and get out at the same time. I’m afraid it will slam shut and it might make the truck move with you in it.”

  “Can you see what the tire is sitting on?”

  She leaned over as far as she could. “No, sorry.”

  “Close the door,” JP said. “I’m going to move over as close as I can and hold the door for you, but our combined weight might make the truck drop so hold on.” He pulled himself up in the seat and slowly scooted toward her. JP leaned over to where he could get some leverage on the door. When the truck didn’t move, he slowly pushed the door open far enough for Sabre to get through.

  Sabre turned, gave him a quick kiss, and jumped. The truck shifted a little but didn’t drop. “The tire is on a rock,” she said. “Be careful.”

  “Stand back,” JP said. Sabre took a couple of steps backward as JP opened the door and jumped, letting the door slam shut as he did. He lost his footing and rolled just as the truck slid off the rock. It bounced a little before it came to a standstill.

  A couple in a Honda Accord stopped to help. They jumped out and ran toward them. The woman said, “I called 9-1-1. Is there anything else I can do?”

  “Do you have any water?” Sabre asked. “Maybe a towel or something?”

  The man in the Ford F-150 had exited his truck and walked toward JP and Sabre. He couldn’t have been more than eighteen and his lips were trembling.

  “Are you hurt?” JP asked.

  “Not really, but my dad’s going to be furious.”

  “I’m sorry,” JP said. “My brakes went completely out. Are you sure you’re okay?”

  He stared at JP. “Better than you, dude.” He pointed at JP’s head. “You have glass coming ou
t of your head. That’s jacked up.”

  “You’d better call your parents,” Sabre said, and took hold of JP’s arm. “I think you should sit down. You’re still bleeding.”

  “I feel okay.”

  “Because you’re running on adrenaline.”

  The woman returned from the Honda carrying two bottles of water and a white bar towel. The man with her brought a folding chair. He opened it up and sat it on the side of the road. “I think you should sit, sir,” the man said to JP.

  JP started to object, but Sabre said, “Please, JP.”

  He sat down and the woman gave him a water. “Drink it,” Sabre said.

  The woman handed Sabre one as well, along with the bar towel. “You too.”

  Sabre took a drink, then poured some water on the towel.

  “Let me get some of that blood off so we can see how badly hurt you are.” She very carefully dabbed at JP’s face, turning the towel red. They all looked up when the sirens came into range. Within minutes, there were two police cars, an ambulance, and a fire truck surrounding them, and they were whisked off to the hospital once again.

  The medical team examined Sabre and discovered she only had a few bruises and a sprained ankle, which she thought she got when she jumped from the truck onto a loose rock.

  JP took a little longer. The doctor removed the glass from JP’s head and cleaned him up. Fortunately, the glass didn’t go very deep or hit any major arteries. Other than the head injury and some sore muscles, JP appeared to be unscathed.

  Ron was waiting for them when they came out of the ER. “I thought you might need a ride home.”

  Chapter 52

  Sabre insisted on going back to work after their trip to the hospital, so Ron drove them to JP’s house. They cleaned up, and JP drove Sabre to juvenile court, where Bob was waiting for her. Sabre’s cheek was bruised and she had a burn mark on her arm from the airbag. JP had a 4 x 4-inch bandage on the side of his head.

  “Nice bandage,” Bob said to JP. “How’s your head?”

  “I feel like they tried to hang me and the rope broke—dang lucky. The chunk of glass didn’t penetrate much, but it bled a lot, especially when they pulled it out. They ran a bunch of tests, stitched me up, and sent me home.”

  “I’m glad it wasn’t any worse,” Bob said.

  JP pecked Sabre on the cheek. “Call me when you’re done here.”

  “I’d like to go see Mom,” Sabre said. “You and Ron will probably be working late anyway.” She turned to Bob. “Can you take me to my mom’s?”

  “Sure.”

  “Are you sure you don’t need your car?” JP asked.

  “No, I’ll be fine.”

  “Call me when you get to your mother’s. I’ll have a better idea of how late I’ll be, but I’ll come pick you up when you’re ready.”

  ~~~

  Bob and Sabre walked to Department Four, went inside and sat down in the back, and waited for their next hearing.

  “Fowler has already taken steps to file an appeal on Hekman’s ruling on the demurrer,” Bob said.

  “Do you think he can win on appeal?” Sabre asked.

  “He has an outside chance.”

  “I don’t think any California court would rule in his favor.”

  “I think Fowler knows that, and he’s fine with it. At this point, I don’t think he wants to win in California. What he wants is a chance to get to the Supreme Court where he believes he can win.”

  “He’s not going to win on this one. He has the wrong set of facts. Maybe if he was dealing with an adult he could get there, but not with a twelve-year-old.”

  “That’s what I told him, but I won’t be handling the appeal, so it’s not my problem,” Bob said. “Speaking of problems, Fowler has bigger ones than that. Did you hear he was arrested?”

  “For what?”

  “Child endangerment—for putting Mary Margaret at risk.”

  “That seems like a stretch. I can’t imagine they’ll get a conviction.”

  “That’s what I thought.” Bob shrugged. “But you never know.”

  Sabre picked up her cell phone and stood up. “I had a message from the social worker, but I didn’t get the chance to call her back. I bet that’s what it was about.” She made a call as she walked out of the courtroom.

  Sabre returned shortly and sat back down next to Bob.

  “So what did you find out?” Bob asked.

  “You’re right about Seth Fowler, but there’s more to the story. They also arrested Gibbs for lewd and lascivious acts with a minor under the age of fourteen.”

  “That’s no surprise.”

  “No, but get this. Your client worked with Gibbs when they lived in Texas over ten years ago. They were both fired.”

  “Your point?”

  “They worked at a group home for teenage girls and were fired because several girls reported inappropriate behavior.

  ~~~

  After the accident, JP had had his truck towed to his house. When he returned from dropping Sabre off, he found Ron examining his truck.

  “It’s pretty messed up,” Ron said.

  “Yeah, I don’t think it’s fixable.”

  “What did you want me to look at?” Ron asked.

  “Check the brake lines.”

  Ron got down on his knees behind the front tire on the driver’s side. He turned on the flashlight on his phone and looked under the truck. “Damn, this line has been cut.”

  “Exactly.”

  “The back too?” Ron asked.

  “Yup.”

  Ron walked around to the back and checked it anyway. “You’re right. What do you make of it?”

  “I think whoever did this was also the one who attacked Sabre.”

  “So, if they’re after Sabre, they know she’s staying here with you.”

  “Yup.”

  “What now?” Ron asked.

  “I’ve called one of the detective who’s working on the Silent Thunder issue. She’ll be out here soon. In the meantime, we need to figure out who could be after her. Did you bring your computer?”

  “I did.”

  “Bring it in. We’ll start going over everything on Sabre’s cases and pin this down.”

  Ron brought his Apple laptop inside and set it up on the dining room table, not far from JP’s desk.

  JP’s phone rang, and he answered it. When he hung up, he said, “We can take Jim Jones off the list.”

  “What happened?”

  “I made some calls earlier to see if they found Jones. The cops got the fingerprints off the sunglasses he left behind at Dandee’s house, and when they ran them they didn’t find a criminal record. But since we had narrowed it down to a likely worker at CPS in Linda Vista, they compared the prints to those employees. Turns out he’s a data entry worker, and had access to hundreds of names, addresses, and whatever else he needed to prey on these women.”

  “If he hadn’t left his sunglasses behind, he might never have been caught.”

  “Exactly. No one ever reported him and he couldn’t understand why he was being charged with rape because he never forced any of them.”

  “He drugged them. That’s the same thing,” Ron said, raising his voice. “I take it he’s in custody?”

  “Yes, they arrested him on Thursday, so unless he has an accomplice, which is unlikely, he’s not our magic connection. Besides, it appears he didn’t even know we were onto him.”

  “Who does that leave us?”

  “Assuming it’s a recent case, which it may or may not be, we have Seth Fowler and Russell Drake, Sarah’s father. And I haven’t ruled out Todd Lynch.”

  “Me neither. I really don’t like that guy.”

  “Here’re my notes and the reports on Lynch.” JP handed some paperwork to Ron. “Read through these and see if I might have missed something. Then do whatever you can to find any social media sites that I haven’t uncovered. Read his posts on the ones I have, or any new ones you find. You may have to go back a f
ew years. Google his name and see if that leads you to anything connected to magic. I’ll do the same with Seth Fowler.”

  They both worked diligently until the doorbell rang, and Louie barked.

  Detective Addie Lewis was at the door.

  “Come in,” JP said and introduced her to Ron.

  Addie smiled at Ron, then turned to JP. “Tell me what happened.”

  JP explained how he started down the hill, and when he tried to apply the brakes, they didn’t work. He told her the lines looked like they’d been cut.

  “Would you like to see them?” Ron volunteered.

  “Please.”

  Ron and Addie walked out. JP stayed behind and continued with his research.

  Ten minutes later they returned. “You’re right, those lines were definitely cut,” Addie said. “When did you last drive your vehicle prior to the accident?”

  “Sunday night we went out and got some food and brought it back here.”

  “What time was that?”

  “We were back here by eight or so.”

  “And you didn’t drive it again until the accident?”

  “No, the line had to have been cut sometime between eight last night and nine this morning.”

  “And you never heard anything?”

  “I think it happened around midnight.”

  “Why’s that?”

  “Because Louie started barking. I got up and looked around, but I didn’t see anything. The neighbor’s dog was barking too, so I figured Louie just joined him.”

  “Did you go outside?”

  “Not very far. Louie does this a lot, so it wasn’t unusual.”

  She asked him a few more questions, taking notes as she did.

  “Do you have anything new on Sabre’s case?” JP asked.

  “We’ve about ruled out Russell Drake, the father on the Sarah Parker case. He’s even less likely if these two events are connected.”

  “You don’t think they are?” Ron asked.

  “I think they probably are, but we can’t be certain yet.”

  “Why is Drake no longer a suspect?” JP asked.

  “He has an alibi for Friday night, although it is somewhat tenuous. He was with some woman who vouched for him, which may or may not be true. Yesterday, we verified he was in Fresno Sunday night with his mother. He’s still there. It’s possible he drove back to San Diego sometime in the night, then went back again, but it’s not likely.”