Clint Wolf Boxed Set: Books 1 - 3

by BJ Bourg

“I stopped at home to change into some old clothes and then drove out to my hunting lease. I go out there every day during hunting season.”

  “Did you kill anything?”

  Ed shook his head. “I worked on one of my tree stands for about an hour and then just sat there watching the deer until sundown.”

  Susan studied Ed’s face closely. “Can anyone verify that?”

  “My wife was home when I stopped to change and she was there when I got back from the lease,” Ed said. “She can verify that much. If need be, I’ll take a lie detector test. I’ll do whatever y’all need me to do. I just want y’all to catch the person who did this to her. Megyn was like family to me and I want the person responsible brought to justice.”

  Susan put a hand on his shoulder. “There’s no need for a lie detector test, sir. We just need to know where everyone was and what they were doing so we can move this investigation along.”

  “I understand.”

  CHAPTER 18

  “I don’t know.” I squinted in the sunlight, considering Susan’s theory that someone had staged the scene to look like a robbery. “The Parker brothers just so happen to roll into town yesterday morning and attack Amy, and then we get an armed robbery-homicide this morning—one that fits their MO like a pair of broken-in shoes. I’m telling you, Sue, my money is on them.”

  “It is highly coincidental.” Susan acknowledged. Without saying more about it, she pulled out her phone and called the coroner’s office to find out when the investigator would arrive.

  While she did that, I walked in circles in the parking lot and called Chloe’s phone. It went straight to voicemail. I grunted and shoved my phone in my pocket. What in the hell’s going on? Why won’t you talk to me? I began to worry if she was angry about something.

  I didn’t have long to think about it, because the coroner’s investigator arrived shortly after Susan called and we helped him load Megyn’s body into the van for transport. When he was gone, Susan and I wrapped up the scene investigation and were about to leave when an elderly man rode up on a bicycle. His clothes were tattered and his face stained from lack of bathing. He looked at my Tahoe and then at us.

  “Not again!” he complained.

  “What’s that?” I asked.

  “I came by here yesterday at seven and it was closed, so I came back at ten last night and it was still closed. Now, I come back the next day and it’s still not open? Where in the hell is a man supposed to get a drink around here?”

  “How do you know it was closed at seven yesterday?” Susan asked.

  “I already told you—I came by here and I saw the sign that said it was closed.”

  I looked toward the front of the building. Sure enough, the red sign on the double-door to the left read, Closed. “Were there any cars in the parking lot when you came here at seven and then again at ten?”

  The man pointed to Megyn’s car. “Just that one, but it’s always here when I come.”

  We asked him more questions, but the only thing he really cared about was getting some alcohol in his system. When we’d extracted all the information we could out of him, Susan and I returned to the police department. Melvin had just pulled up and was backing the airboat into the bay behind the building when we parked on the street. I waved in his direction and asked Susan to get with him about notifying our victim’s next of kin. “Let him take the lead because of what’s going on with you, but make sure he finds out if she had any friends or enemies. Tell him to get a warrant to search her house and property, and make sure he checks all of her electronic devices. I want to know if she was on any dating sites, if she’s been involved in recent arguments on social media, if she’d received any—”

  “So you don’t think the Parkers killed her?”

  “I do, but I want y’all to eliminate as many doubts as possible.”

  Susan cocked her head sideways and stared curiously at me. “And where are you going?”

  “I have a meeting at noon.”

  “You’re late.”

  I glanced at the time on my phone and nodded. “I sent a text earlier and he said he’d wait for me.”

  “Who’s he?”

  “Your lawyer, Perry Goldsmith.”

  Susan studied my face, scowling. “You haven’t said a word about your conversation with Uncle D since you’ve been back. That means what he had to say was bad, doesn’t it?”

  I was wondering when she would ask about my trip to Tennessee. I nodded slowly.

  “What did he tell you?”

  I pondered her question, trying to choose my words carefully. When I took too long to answer, she lowered her head. “How bad is it?”

  “It’s not the best news, but I don’t think it’s as bad as you’re imagining. I think it’ll definitely help our case.”

  “If it’ll ruin his reputation, I don’t want you using it.”

  I stared off in the distance, watching Melvin and Seth unhitch the airboat. When I looked back at Susan, her jaw was set. “I’m serious, Clint. I don’t want my dad’s name being destroyed.”

  “I don’t think it’ll come to that.”

  “It had better not.” Without saying another word, she stepped out of my Tahoe and shut the door. I watched her walk toward Melvin and then I drove away.

  I called again for Chloe as I traveled north to Perry’s office, but it went straight to voicemail. I left another message asking her to call me as soon as she could, but a sense of dread began to settle in the pit of my stomach. I realized I didn’t have her parents’ number, so I called Lindsey and asked if she’d research it for me. “Just text it to me when you get it,” I said, and thanked her before hanging up.

  CHAPTER 19

  Perry’s secretary led me to a large conference room and showed me to a plush rolling chair at one end of a long table. “Mr. Goldsmith will be right with you,” she said, and then scurried away.

  When I was alone in the room, I checked my cell phone. Still nothing from Chloe. Unable to help myself, I called her number again, but it went straight to voicemail. Maybe her phone’s dead? I decided to send her a text message asking her to call me as soon as possible, and I also let her know I was starting to worry about her. I was about to call Lindsey when Perry bustled in carrying a large file folder filled with legal documents and other papers. He dropped it on the table and settled into a chair next to mine.

  “As you can see, I’ve been busy,” he said. “I interviewed Sergeant Wilson yesterday and then—thanks to Sheriff Turner and Isabel at the DA’s office—I was able to obtain every report that was generated in connection with the shooting last year.” He stopped and shook his head. “Chief, there’s not a single shred of evidence to support a murder indictment against Sergeant Wilson. I don’t know what Bill Hedd’s thinking. From everything I’ve read, she should be getting a medal.” He took a breath and blew it out forcefully. Staring over the large file at me, he said, “My secretary says you have some information that might prove helpful.”

  I pulled the digital recorder from my shirt pocket and placed it on the table beside me. “This is the voice of Damian Conner, Susan’s dad’s best friend.”

  I flicked the recorder on and watched Perry’s face carefully while the audio file played. His eyes grew wider and wider as he listened to Damian explain how Isaiah had been sleeping with Bill’s wife for six months prior to his death. Bill hadn’t found out about the relationship until after Isaiah died. When he confronted his wife, she claimed Isaiah raped her. “I never thought I’d say this about my friend,” Damian had said, “but he was better off dead at that point, because if he would’ve still been alive, they would’ve arrested him on the word of that lying bitch.”

  The recording continued to play and Perry and I listened as Damian explained how Bill had sent a detective to the gym to question him about a rape allegation. Damian told the detective Bill’s wife was lying and that she’d been carrying on with Isaiah behind Bill’s back for months. Damian even showed the detective thre
e Polaroid pictures of Isaiah and Bill’s wife together at a crawfish boil that the trainers threw for all the boxers. The pictures had been primarily of other people at the party, but Isaiah and his mistress had been captured in the background. They were holding hands in one and she had her arm around him in the other two.

  Satisfied, the detective had left, but a week later Damian was served with a DA subpoena ordering him to appear in Bill’s office to answer questions. “When I got there, the DA himself met with me,” Damian had said. “He told me I’d better never say a word about Isaiah having an affair with his wife or he’d bring me up on charges of helping with the rape. He called it something else—accessory something or other—but he made it clear he would destroy my friend’s name and have me sent to prison for a long time. He told me the pictures I had—or used to have, because the detective never gave them back—only proved Isaiah was stalking his wife. He said his wife was of high moral character and would never willingly accept the advances of another man. He said he’d see me rot in prison before letting me defile her good name.” Damian sighed audibly on the recording. “I would fight any man, anytime, and anywhere, but I know better than to fight the law. There’re too many of you guys. So, I packed up what little I had and got my ass out of town in a hurry. I’d always wanted to move back home, and I figured that was as good a time as any to do it. I went to work for a logging company and kept boxing for about fifteen years, and then I opened this here place of my own.”

  I had asked Damian a few more questions, but the recording soon ended. When it was over, Perry’s brows furrowed and he gave a cautious nod. “If what he’s saying is true, our district attorney might’ve committed prosecutorial misconduct. Putting aside the witness intimidation and possible tampering of evidence that occurred back then, he knowingly and maliciously swayed a grand jury to indict an innocent officer to get back at her dead father for having an affair with his wife. This is a serious offense. I’m going to immediately file a complaint with—”

  “Not so fast.” I stood and paced back and forth beside the table. “Susan won’t let us use anything that’ll cast her dad in a negative light, and it doesn’t get any worse than a rape accusation. She’d rather go to prison than ruin his reputation.”

  “Excuse me?” There was a bewildered look on Perry’s face. “We’re not talking about six months in the parish jail…she could go to prison for the rest of her life if she’s found guilty. I mean, I doubt any jury would convict her based on Bill’s trumped up charge, but there’s still some risk associated with going to trial, and I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone. I say we end this now by having Bill himself indicted.”

  I loved the sound of that and I wanted nothing more than to see this bully pay dearly for what he’d done to Susan, but I had to honor her wishes. Now, the trick was to use this information to force Bill to back off while keeping my promise to her.

  “If you file a complaint against Bill,” I explained, “the news will spread faster than a wildfire across the dry marsh, and everyone will know that his wife accused Isaiah of raping her. Even if we clearly demonstrate it was a false accusation, that’s the kind of bell that can never be unrung. We can’t do that to Susan and her mom. That dark cloud will follow them to their graves.”

  “Well, I can’t let Sergeant Wilson stand trial for a crime she didn’t commit, especially if I have the silver bullet that can stop this train dead in its tracks.”

  “I think we have another option.” I slid the recorder toward Perry. “Why don’t we meet with Bill and play the recording for him. If he’s willing to threaten to bring false charges against a witness to keep his wife’s name pure, I’m guessing he’s willing to play ball with us to save his own ass.”

  “So, are you saying you want me to coerce the district attorney into dropping charges against Sergeant Wilson?”

  “That’s exactly what I’m saying.”

  A wicked smile played across Perry’s mouth. “I never liked Bill Hedd anyway, so I’m going to enjoy this a little too much. Even if he refuses to drop the charges, the mere fact that his wife had a sexual relationship with Sergeant Wilson’s father—consensual or otherwise—will disqualify him from being involved in any criminal proceeding against her, so we’ll be able to have him removed from the case with no problems.”

  “When do we leave?”

  “I’ll have my secretary call and see if he’s willing to see us right away. When I tell him what it’s about, I’m sure he’ll make time.” Perry stood and gathered up his files and the recorder. “You can tag along, but I think it’s best if you stay out of the meeting. I’ll have my partner come in to witness the conversation and you can wait out in the lobby until we’re done.”

  I started to object, but realized he was right. Having me in the meeting would only antagonize Bill, and that’s not what I wanted at that moment. “If he doesn’t want to cooperate with us, we need to get the audio recording to Isabel Compton,” I said. “She’s the voice of reason at the district attorney’s office, and she’s been in our corner since the beginning. Now that we have this information, if anyone can convince him to back off, it’ll be her.”

  CHAPTER 20

  Twenty minute later I was following Perry and his partner to the district attorney’s office. On my suggestion, Perry had spoken with Isabel first and provided her with the information. Within five minutes she’d called back to say Bill had cleared his schedule and would meet with Perry immediately.

  “She told me she’d never seen him so flustered,” Perry told me once he hung up with Isabel. We’d left immediately—Perry and his partner in his black Cadillac and me in my Tahoe.

  I called Susan a few minutes into my drive.

  “What happened?” Her voice was taut. “What did Mr. Goldsmith say?”

  “We’re going meet with Bill right now. Perry’s got a proposition for him, and I think he’ll go for it. I’ll call as soon as I know something.”

  “Clint, please don’t use anything that’ll disgrace my dad.”

  “Don’t worry. Bill Hedd won’t want this information getting out. Your dad’s name is safe.”

  Susan was silent for a long moment, and I knew she was mulling it over. I interrupted her thoughts and asked if they had notified Megyn’s next of kin.

  “Yeah, we notified her mom and dad. It was bad, Clint. She was their only daughter. We had to get an ambulance for her mom.”

  “Did y’all search her place yet?”

  “We’re here now. So far, we haven’t found anything suspicious. She’s never been on dating websites, doesn’t have any social web pages, and barely uses email.”

  “What does she do in her spare time?”

  “Crossword puzzles and Sudoku…in print, too, not on the computer.” Susan sighed. “The girl doesn’t even text. Her phone can make calls and that’s all.”

  “It’s got to be Simon and his crew.” I pursed my lips, wondering where they could be hiding out. Melvin had towed their vehicles when they attacked Amy, so they were either on foot or they’d acquired new wheels. I slowed my Tahoe as Perry tapped his brakes in front of me and turned into the district attorney’s office. “We’re there,” I said. “Keep me posted, and I’ll let you know what happens here.”

  I hung up and followed Perry and his partner into the lobby, where we didn’t have to wait long for Isabel to meet us. She wore jeans and a flannel shirt and her hair was down. I was surprised how short she was, but realized she had on sneakers instead of the high heels she usually wore.

  “No court for me today,” she explained, holding the heavy wooden door for Perry and his partner to enter. Once they had made their way down the hall, she joined me in the lobby and sat in one of the chairs. She put her feet up on a small coffee table and sighed. “I don’t want to be in that room when he hears what they’ve got to say.”

  I agreed and sank to one of the chairs opposite her and leaned back against the wall. It was then that I realized how tired I felt. Every muscle was te
nse. My heart was pounding. What if Hedd didn’t play ball? What if he interpreted what we were doing as bribery and brought all of us before the grand jury? I shuddered at the thought. We were counting on him wanting to keep his wife’s name pure, but what if he no longer cared about that? After all, she’d been dead for twenty years, or so, and he might’ve moved on.

  “What do you think he’ll do?” I asked.

  Isabel frowned. “It’s hard to tell with Bill.”

  I nodded and looked anxiously around the room. I wanted to be in that meeting. Susan’s freedom was hanging in the balance and I needed to know she would be okay. Seconds ticked slowly by and turned into minutes. The longer we waited, the more nervous I got. It wasn’t until thirty minutes had passed that an angry voice boomed from somewhere deep in the building, and I recognized it to be Bill.

  “Get the hell out of my office and don’t ever come back!”

  Isabel and I jumped to our feet just in time to see the door burst open. Perry and his partner came hurrying out, both of them stifling smiles. I waved a quick goodbye to Isabel and followed them toward the door.

  “What happened?” I wanted to know.

  “Let’s get outside,” Perry said. “He wants us gone, so we’ll leave. We don’t want to give him a reason to file some bogus remaining after being forbidden charges against us.”

  I matched Perry’s stride and followed them out into the sunshine. We all gathered in the parking lot near Perry’s car. “Well,” I said impatiently, “what the hell happened?”

  “He was so angry he was blowing smoke,” Perry said. “He didn’t say a word the entire time the tape was playing, but his face grew redder and redder. I thought he was going to have a stroke. When it was done, he—”

  Perry stopped speaking when my phone began ringing loudly from my pocket. I quickly checked to see if it was Chloe, but scowled when it wasn’t.

  “Do you need to take that?” Perry wanted to know.