The Advocate's Felony

by Teresa Burrell

  “How can you be so certain that he doesn’t have a gun?”

  Sabre’s face grew pale. “Because he told me so. Besides, he’s really afraid of guns.”

  “Maybe he got over that. He’s been gone seven years. People change.”

  “Not about this,” she said emphatically. “I believe him.”

  “Sabre, it’s more than that and you know it. If they know about Kaplan being killed in Sarasota, Upton in Gilroy, and now Dawes in Hayden, their most likely suspect would be Ron. The three men were sent to prison by Ron and each one was killed the day before Ron left town. Who do you think they’re going to go after?”

  Sabre sighed. “I know. So we have to find who actually did it.” She started pacing. “Whoever is killing those men must be watching Ron and kills them before they get to my brother.”

  “But who would want to protect Ron?”

  Sabre reflected for a few seconds before answering. “Someone who loves him.”

  “And she would have to know where he was living,” JP added. “So, we can rule out you and your mother.”

  Sabre gave him a curious look. “Thanks.”

  “Who loves him more than you two? I always start with the obvious.” He smiled. “Who else loves Ron?”

  “Other family members, of course, but there’s no one who would go to that extreme. Besides, they all think he’s dead.”

  “What about the women in his life?”

  “There were only a few he was ever serious about. There was Carla, of course.”

  “Crazy Carla?”

  Sabre glared at him.

  JP raised his hands, palms up. “Sorry, I don’t know her last name. Just making sure we’re talking about the same one.”

  “Yes, that Carla, but it can’t be her. She’s only been living on her own for a few months. She was still institutionalized during the Sarasota and Gilroy killings.”

  “So who are the other ‘loves’ in his life?”

  “He was pretty crazy about Elizabeth Murdock, but I wasn’t around him then so I don’t know how she felt about him.”

  “Are you talking about Gaylord’s wife from that horrible case you had two years ago?”

  “Yes, but I think that’s highly unlikely. She seems to be living a quiet, normal life with Alexis, her daughter, in Atlanta.”

  “Isn’t that the case that triggered Ron’s testimony in the first place?”

  “Yes, but….”

  “It’s worth investigating.”

  “I have a friend on the police force there. His name is Joe Carriage and he was the detective on the Murdock case. He owes me. I’ll call him and ask him to see what he can find out. It’s a long shot, though. Unless Ron has been in touch with Elizabeth, how would she know where he’s been living?”

  “Maybe he has.”

  “Has what?”

  “Maybe he has been in touch with her.”

  “It’s possible,” Sabre said. “Do you really think Elizabeth could be involved?”

  “I have no idea, but we have to check every angle.”

  “I sure hope not because if she is, then her daughter could also be in danger. And she’s already been through too much.” Sabre thought about Alexis, the then nine-year-old girl, whom she had represented. Alexis had suffered plenty for her young age: She had witnessed a gruesome death, had been forced into the woods with Sabre while trying to escape from their stalker, and been without her mother for a very long time. She hated the idea that Alexis might suffer more. It just had to be someone other than Elizabeth.

  Sabre searched her memory for anyone else who might be close enough to want to protect Ron. She shook her head. “I can’t think of anyone else.”

  “Maybe he met someone while he was in Witness Protection.”

  “He said he hadn’t gotten close to anyone until Gina.”

  “That doesn’t mean someone wasn’t obsessed with him.”

  “True,” Sabre said. “We can ask when we talk with him next time. Chances are he would know if someone was that attached to him.”

  JP went back to studying his notes and Sabre called Joe Carriage, the detective who had helped her on the Murdock case two years ago.

  “Detective Carriage,” the southern voice said when Joe picked up the phone.

  “Two-syllable Joe. How are you?”

  “Sabre! Well, I’ll be. What a nice surprise.”

  “Thanks. It’s nice to hear your voice as well. How’s life treating you?”

  “No complaints,” he said. They chitchatted a little more and then Joe said, “I’m betting you didn’t just call to say hello.”

  “I need a favor.”

  “Name it.”

  “Something has come up that might lead me back to Elizabeth Murdock.”

  “Is that case still open?”

  “No, we closed it about a year and a half ago, but this is a more personal matter. I can’t give you all the details, but I need to know about Elizabeth’s whereabouts on certain dates. I’ve talked to her a couple of times over the past two years when I’ve checked on Alexis, but I can’t just call and ask her this. Even if I did and she told me where she was, I wouldn’t be able to verify anything.”

  “Is Alexis or Elizabeth in danger?”

  “Maybe, and that’s one of the reasons I need to know. If Alexis is, I’ll let you know so you can get Social Services involved back there. I’m just hoping that I’m wrong.”

  “What do you need me to do?”

  “I need you to find out where Elizabeth was on March 29th and June 13th of last year.”

  “That was some time ago, but I’ll see what I can do.”

  “Thanks. I’ll call you back in a couple of days,” Sabre said.

  Chapter 17

  Happy hour at the food bar was already underway when Sabre and JP went downstairs. The smell of split pea and ham soup filled the lobby. Only one other hotel guest had turned up for the complimentary spread. She wore a huge red flower in her hair and sat at a high table near the food.

  Soup on this cold winter night was just what Sabre needed. She filled a bowl and took a seat at a two-chair table against the wall. It was away from the front door that let in a cold draft every time it opened. She sat with her back to the door, so she didn’t see the man and woman who entered. JP was still at the soup bar waiting for a biscuit. He spotted the couple—a woman about thirty-five and a younger man in his mid-twenties—and was quite certain they were law enforcement. When he saw them approach Sabre, he hung back. When they reached her table, JP took a seat a couple of tables away.

  The female showed Sabre her badge. “I’m Detective Daryl McLaughlin, Kootenai County Sheriff’s Department.” Nodding towards the man with her, she said, “This is my partner, Jason Poor. Are you Sabre Brown?”

  “Yes. What can I do for you?” Sabre said. “Have a seat.”

  McLaughlin sat down. Poor remained standing. “We’re looking for your brother, Ron Brown,” McLaughlin said. “And….”

  “Have you found him?” Sabre asked, her voice rising as if she were excited by the prospect.

  “No, Ms. Brown. We were hoping you could help us,” McLaughlin said.

  “I don’t know where he is. I’m looking for him too.”

  “Yet you didn’t go to the police?”

  “I went to WITSEC. They were supposed to be protecting him, and that seemed like the logical place to start. What do you want with him?”

  McLaughlin ignored her question. “When did you first have contact with your brother?”

  “You’ll have to be a little more specific,” Sabre said.

  Detective Poor took a step closer and leaned forward in one jerky motion. “You have a smart mouth on you, don’t you, Counselor?” he said, raising his voice and emphasizing “Counselor."

  Sabre saw JP start to rise from his seat when Poor came at her. She quickly said, “No,” shaking her head and looking directly at Poor, but the gesture and retort were meant for JP, not the detective. “I apol
ogize. I’m just used to courtroom responses to questioning.” Sabre turned to McLaughlin and JP settled back down in his seat. “I’m assuming you mean the phone call I received from Ron early Saturday morning.” There was no point in denying the call. Mendoza already knew about it and that’s how these two were obviously getting their information. “What did Marshal Mendoza tell you?”

  “That tight-lipped ass,” Poor mumbled. McLaughlin shot him a stern look.

  “I want to hear it from you. Tell me about the call.”

  “Ron said someone was trying to kill him and he was worried about me. What is it you want with him?” Sabre asked again.

  “We need him for questioning in the shooting of Lance Dawes near The Affordable Inn.”

  Sabre cut in before McLaughlin could say any more. “Is he a suspect?”

  “Just tell us what you know, Counselor,” Poor jumped in, once again stressing her profession. Sabre wondered if he had anger management issues, was playing “bad cop,” or if he just hated attorneys.

  “Is he a suspect?” Sabre repeated.

  “He’s a person of interest,” McLaughlin said. “Do you know where he is?”

  “No. I do not,” Sabre said honestly. “And for your information, I’m not only Ron’s sister, I’m also his attorney and anything else I know, or don’t know, falls under the attorney/client privilege.”

  “It’s a felony to harbor a fugitive,” Poor said.

  She turned to him and looked him straight in the eyes. “I know the law, Detective Poor. And you just told me he’s a ‘person of interest.’ That doesn’t rise to the level of ‘fugitive.’ Do you have a warrant for his arrest?” Detective Poor didn’t respond. “I didn’t think so. Now, I’ll tell you one more time: I do not know where Ron is.” She stood up. “We’re done here.”

  Sabre picked up her soup and walked to the elevator, not looking back at JP or the officers.

  ***

  When McLaughlin and Poor left, JP followed Sabre to her room.

  “You’re shaking,” JP said. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine. I was a little scared. I’m used to asking the questions, not answering them. But mostly I’m angry at them for thinking Ron is a murderer. I know he didn’t kill anyone.”

  JP put his arm around her shoulder. “Look at it from their point of view. To them, Ron is the most likely person to have killed Dawes. The guy was shooting at him. Why wouldn’t he shoot back?”

  “Because he wouldn’t have a gun,” Sabre said emphatically. “Didn’t Ron tell you he didn’t have a gun?”

  “Yes, but they don’t know that. Besides, it doesn’t sound like they have any other suspects. We can’t even come up with anyone.”

  “We will. We have to. That’s the only way we’re going to prove Ron’s innocence.” She leaned her body into his. Then she perked her head up. “I need to find Ron and talk with him in person. These half-hearted phone calls are driving me crazy.”

  “Not without me, you’re not.”

  Sabre was comforted by his remark and his concern for her until she realized what he was really saying. She pushed away from his hold on her and stepped back, looking him in the eye. “You think he did this,” she said accusingly.

  “Sabre,” JP said softly, “I think we need to consider the possibility.”

  “What!”

  “We should consider every probable suspect. That’s all I’m saying.”

  “Yes, and it’s not probable that Ron killed anyone.” Her voice was filled with anger.

  JP’s voice was soft and steady. “If you weren’t so close to him, you would have him at the top of your list.”

  “But I am close to him. I do know him. And I’m telling you that Ron isn’t capable of killing anyone.”

  JP raised his hands in defeat. “Whatever you say.”

  “And don’t patronize me.”

  JP let that slide. “The cops are not going to let up. It won’t be long before they take you in for questioning. At least they don’t seem to know I’m here, so I can still snoop around. But it might be best if you went back to Arizona so the cops can’t question you.”

  “So now you’re trying to get rid of me?”

  “Dang you, woman. Getting through to you is harder than trying to put a wet noodle up a wildcat’s ass.”

  Sabre would have laughed if she weren’t so angry with him. He had a way of getting through to her, but not this time. The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. And the angrier she got, the more she wanted to cry. Her face reddened and her lips flattened out as she started to choke up. She was seldom one to cry about anything, but anger made the tears come. She hated that she couldn’t control them when she was angry. It was impossible to speak without turning on the waterworks, so she just looked at him and shook her head, telling herself to breathe. If she could breathe and not talk, she could keep the tears from falling.

  “Sabre, be reasonable. I want you to back off before you get hurt.”

  She took a deep breath and swallowed. “You want me to back off?”

  “I just want you to let me do the job you hired me to do.”

  “I didn’t hire you to railroad my brother.”

  “Now you’re being ridiculous.” JP raised his voice. “I have no intention of railroading your brother. You know better than that. I just don’t want you going in blind because you haven’t considered everything. You could get yourself killed.”

  “Ron is not going to hurt me.”

  “He’s been gone for seven years. You have no idea who he is now.”

  Sabre wanted to tell him what a gentle soul her brother was, how he couldn’t hurt anyone, how he suffered as a child when someone was hurt because of him, and how he would never have a gun. But she was too angry with JP to share her thoughts. “You really believe he killed all those men.” She glared at him. “Don’t you?”

  When JP didn’t respond right away, Sabre knew his answer. Through her frustration and anger, coupled with little sleep, she barely heard him say, “I just think he’s the most likely suspect,” as he walked toward the door. “I’m going to my room. Let me know if you need me.”

  Chapter 18

  Sabre’s bowl of soup sat in front of her untouched. She didn’t feel much like eating. She knew JP was right in considering every person a suspect, but she couldn’t allow herself to think Ron might be one of them. She knew better and had to make JP see that too. They had to spend their time looking at other alternatives or they’d never find the truth.

  Staying here in Coeur d’Alene would serve no purpose. She had to figure out where Ron was and go to him. If JP didn’t want to go with her, she’d go on her own.

  She called Bob. “Do you still have the number for the phone booth that Ron called you from?” Sabre asked.

  “Yeah, just a second. I’ll get it.”

  Sabre could hear Bob shuffling some papers and then he gave her the number. She wrote it down and stuck it in her pocket.

  “How did the Morrison trial go today?”

  “County Counsel asked for a continuance. I didn’t object since the kids weren’t going anywhere. I figured you’d be okay with that.”

  “Absolutely.”

  “Sobs, someone was asking for you at court yesterday morning.”

  “Who was it?”

  “I don’t know. When Mike Powers and I were trying to settle our trial this afternoon, Mike mentioned that a guy approached him yesterday morning and asked him if you were here. Mike said you were out for a few days, and then he asked where you were and Mike told him to talk to me, but he never did.”

  “What did he look like?”

  “Tall guy with short, dark hair, about thirty-five, medium build, wearing a suit. Nothing unusual about him.”

  “It’s probably just some attorney I had a case with before.”

  “That’s what I thought, but when I asked around no one seemed to recognize him.”

  “Thanks for letting me know, and keep an eye out for him i
n case he shows up again, okay?”

  “Okay, but Sobs, are you okay? You sound like something’s wrong.”

  “Yeah, it’s just that JP and I are butting heads.”

  “Over what?”

  “Whether or not my brother is a murderer,” she said acerbically.

  “What does your gut tell you?”

  “That he didn’t do it.”

  “And your head?”

  “That he couldn’t do it.”

  “You have good instincts, but you’re awfully close to the players in this case. I’m not suggesting that Ron has done anything. I don’t know enough to form an opinion, but you can hold on to your belief in him and let JP look where you aren’t willing. Together you are far less apt to miss something.”

  Sabre sighed. “Look at you, getting all serious on me. How’d you get so smart?”

  “It was a gift from Brodina, the goddess of luck, lust, and libation.”

  “And the Bob I know and love is back.” Sabre said jokingly.

  “Just be careful, Sobs.”

  Convinced more than ever that she needed to see Ron, Sabre hung up and dialed the number for the pay phone. No answer. She tried Ron’s cell, but he didn’t answer that either. Wherever he was, they were having cold, snowy weather today. She turned on the television to the weather channel, hoping to narrow down where he might be. Storms covered the whole northern part of the U.S. Based on the weather, he was somewhere between Montana and Maine. She knew he had been somewhere in Montana, if he hadn’t moved on already.

  She tried to remember what else he had said that might give her a clue to his whereabouts. In their first conversation he told her he was going to “the ultimate place.” According to Ron’s code, wherever he was going would start with the letters UP or TUP. But she didn’t know if he was using the code or just making one of his usual strange comments. Nevertheless, when she was in Arizona with her mother she had used her Uncle Gary’s computer to research both UP and TUP. Google’s response left her with two options: the New York Stock Exchange symbol for Tupperware or the Technological University of the Philippines. Neither of these offered a clue. She thought about UP. Maybe he was going “up” on the map, perhaps Canada, but that covered a lot of ground. She would just have to wait until he called tomorrow afternoon and try to convince him to tell her where he was.