INK: Vanishing Point (Book 2)

by Roccaforte, Bella

  “There are a couple of reasons, the most important of which is I’m not supposed to be anywhere near this case, but I’m working on that. I've got to make myself scarce before they get here.” He cups my face in his hands, “I’m not leaving you; I'm going to make everything okay.”

  His hands are so warm and reassuring on my skin, but I feel the apprehension in his touch. He’s worried and his eyes belie his confidence that everything is going to be okay. “Eli, I wish you would level with me. I can’t fight against something you keep from me.” My head hangs and I drop his gaze. “I’m not as fragile as you all make me out to be.”

  “Shay, after this interview I’m going to tell you everything that’s going on. Right now the less you can say the better. Jason is going to guide your answers. Do as he says,” he pleads.

  Anger boils in me that they all treat me like a child. At least Aiden doesn’t treat me like I’m made of glass. As a matter of fact I’m really starting to appreciate Aiden's attitude that I’m okay on my own when I need to be. And what about Aiden, God damn it? “Are you going to tell me where Aiden is?”

  There’s another knock on the door, Genie pokes her head in, “Sweetheart, Jason needs you now.”

  I look at Eli with pleading eyes, “I want to know where he is.”

  “I’ll tell you what I know when you’re done,” Eli promises.

  I follow Genie down to a conference room where Jason and Bob are waiting. They both stand until I’ve taken my seat at the table. “Hey guys, here we are again.”

  “Did Eli fill you in?” Bob asks cautiously.

  “As much as Eli ever will.” I say fiddling absently with a pencil on the table.

  “Shay, please understand that everything Eli is doing is for you. He thinks that the less you know the better. When the time is right he’s going to go over all of it. But first we have to get through this interview about Taffy.” Jason always sounds so reasonable his calm tone riles my insides. How can someone be so calm all the time?

  “That’s what everyone keeps telling me,” I answer flattening the pencil on the pad.

  “We are only here to discuss Taffy’s murder, nothing else. Do not answer any questions until one of us gives you a nod that’s its okay to continue,” Bob says, cautioning me.

  “Easy stuff guys; I didn’t do this one either. I was in Tampa.” I shrug and swivel my chair.

  “Shay, we know how you felt about Taffy. We were there. You as much as threatened her with all of us as witnesses; that cannot be made known. You are not to discuss that.” Jason leans forward “Or we can’t represent you.”

  “I get it. I say nothing.” I yawn realizing that all of this is making me very tired. “How long will this take?”

  “We’re not sure. We have confirmation from your doctor that you aren’t to be stressed or taxed in any way so we are going to keep it as brief as possible. The main goal here is to satisfy them with enough answers to keep them from bringing you in.”

  “Okay I’m ready. Let’s go.” I stir my hand in a circular motion to move things along.

  Jason leans on the phone, pressing a button. “Genie, we’re ready.”

  A few moments later in walks detective Glass with a cat-that-ate-the-canary grin on his face. Remaining calm I just nod and smile then look away. Then D.A. Preston follows him in with a court reporter in tow. Everyone shakes hands and completes the greeting ritual. Jason gets right down to business.

  “Gentlemen, we’ve made our client available at your request. We do appreciate you coming down here for the interview in consideration for her weakened state.” Jason continues, “You will be allowed to ask her questions regarding the murder of Kristen Ringgold, but that is the extent of the scope at this time. Should you have any further need of Miss Baynes’ help in this or any other matter, please contact my secretary and she’ll be happy to set something up."

  I can really appreciate how slick Jason seems. If I were a lawyer, he would intimidate the hell out of me. I mull around how Eli regards Jason. He has always been friendly with everyone in the firm, and Oliver loved Eli. But he has a certain respect for Jason that is different. Have they done battle in court against one another? I’m curious who won.

  “Miss Baynes?” An irritated voice breaks through my rambling thoughts.

  “Yes sorry. Could you repeat that?” I snap to attention. I really have no idea what they asked me. I’m having some real trouble focusing. My mind just wants to wander off on weird tangents. I’m doing it again.

  “Please state your full name for the record.” D.A. Preston’s steely gaze pierces me. I’m feeling closed in by his menacing glare.

  Bob tries to add a touch of levity putting his hand on my shoulder, “The questions are only going to get harder. The sooner we finish up the sooner you can get home and get some rest.”

  “Miss Baynes, how did you know Kristen Ringgold?” Glass asks.

  “Who is Kristen Ringgold?” I’m a little confused. I thought that’s what Jason said earlier, but glazed over it, lost in a random thought.

  “Kristen was Taffy’s real name.” Jason leans forward with the caveat.

  “Oh, okay.” Figures, her name was fake just like her boobs. “I met her once at Eli’s house. I really didn’t know her.”

  “What is the nature of your relationship with Elijah Walker?” Glass doesn’t look up from his notebook. He already knows that Eli and I have been involved. Eli told him that.

  Seems harmless enough, but I look at Jason for confirmation that it’s okay to answer. After a nod I answer, “I’ve known him since elementary school. We're very close.”

  “Are you romantically involved with Mr. Walker?” Glass still doesn’t look at me, which I find really strange considering he should be trying to get a reading on my answers. How I react when I tell the truth or when I lie. Interrogation 101, get a baseline.

  Looking to my legal team for an okay before I answer, I’m being so good! I deserve a cookie. “I have been, but not currently.” The memory of Aiden and I entangled in a heated kiss until we were asked to leave the beach floats through my mind.

  “Were you aware that Mr. Walker and Miss Ringgold were involved?” Glass chooses to look up then. His unblinking stare is penetrating. It's as though he just revealed some big secret, when in fact all he revealed was a fraud. Processing all of his questions so far I see the pattern. He’s trying to establish a motive. It doesn’t matter how true it is that I was jealous, it doesn’t make it true that I killed her. Besides, there’s video evidence that proves I was in Tampa.

  “No, it was my understanding that Taffy was seeing Jerry, Eli’s brother.” Thankfully Eli bestowed that little tidbit on me before this meeting. It makes things a lot easier not feeling betrayed by Eli dipping his wick into Sparkles the town bike. Oh God, I have to stop speaking so ill of the dead.

  “So you weren’t aware that she was seeing both of them?” Glass leans forward thinking he’s just dropped the skank-bomb on me, but I don’t even flinch, I know it isn’t true.

  I look him hard in the eye leaning forward across the table to meet his challenge. Jason’s tension reaches my awareness like a wave. I glance in his direction to see him shaking his head slightly with his lids half closed. He’s warning me. I'm trying to heed the warning. “Detective Glass, I wasn’t aware that she was seeing both of them. Quite frankly, it’s none of my business. Jerry and Eli can swap sloppy seconds all they want.”

  Jason exhales a little, but not all the way, “Gentlemen, can we get to the part of this that is relevant to my client?”

  “Mr. Eddins, I can assure you this is all very relevant.” Preston interjects and nods for Glass to continue.

  “So you did have a problem with Mr. Walker seeing Miss Ringgold?” His tone is betraying his impatience. I’m not reacting like he would like.

  I shake my head “I wasn’t even aware of it until now.”

  “You weren’t jealous in the least when he bailed her out of jail when she totaled his
car while driving drunk?” Glass is such an asshole. I didn’t even know it was Taffy that totaled his car.

  Wait, Taffy totaled Eli’s car? Don’t think about it Shay, just answer the questions. “No, I didn’t even know she had until you just told me.”

  “So you were fine with their relationship?” His eyes harden on me, desperately trying to break my demeanor. Since I didn’t kill her there’s really nothing to break. This guy is as absurd as a pair of mismatched clown shoes.

  “If they had one yes, honestly up until…” I have to really think about it, was it two or three weeks ago that Gary and Alice were murdered. “I'm not sure exactly when because of the holes in my memory from the –”

  Jason cuts me off. “Shay, it’s been three weeks.” His tone is cautious. I’m not sure why I’m not allowed to talk about it. Whatever.

  I continue, “Up until four weeks ago I hadn’t seen Eli for a couple of months. I wasn’t privy to his comings and goings.”

  “So is it a coincidence that you hadn’t talked to Eli for months, but when you were brought in for questioning for the murder of the Messners that you chose to call him?” He pulls his mouth to the side in a half smile.

  “I didn’t call Eli when that happened,” I say thinking about it. I hadn’t called him. He just showed up at the police station.

  Bob chimes in, “We are here to discuss the Ringgold case and that’s it.”

  Preston nods at Bob then looks to me, “Where were you on March first?”

  I have to pause and really think about it, my days are so mixed up and I’m not sure how much time I’ve lost. My head is starting to throb. “Um, that was the day before the signing?” I turned to Jason and Bob, “The day we met to discuss the other case?”

  “Yes it is.” Jason turns to Preston.

  I chronicled my day for them step by step remembering most of the big stuff. I’m sure I couldn’t have talked about every nuance, but I could at least give them the big picture. Meeting at Eli’s, Blood-Borne, drive to Tampa, check in to the hotel. I left out the fight with Aiden where he asked me to marry him. Aiden. Even when I say it in my head it sounds exasperated. My heart starts to ache a little bringing up the frustration of no one being willing to talk about him.

  “So you were with Aiden Roth for most of the day?” Glass asks.

  “Yes, with the exception of when I was on the dock by the hotel and dinner with McNab,” I state simply.

  “You’re going to need to tell us how to contact Mr. Roth to corroborate your story.” Preston raises an eyebrow as though challenging me to do the impossible.

  My first thought is that “Mr. Roth” is dead, but I realize he’s talking about Aiden, not Oliver. He is right, I don’t even know if I can contact Aiden. When I sneaked a call to his cell a couple of times when Eli was out of the room, it always went straight to voicemail, until finally his voicemail was full. No one will talk about him, except for Preston and Glass. “I don’t –”

  Bob cuts me off, “Our office will provide you with the necessary contact information. Is that everything?”

  “I have one more question.” Glass raises an eyebrow “What did Eli mean by ‘I’ve taken care of the problem; Taffy’s no longer an issue.’”

  “Eli never said that.” I looked at Jason and Bob truly perplexed.

  “You don’t have a note from Eli with those very words written on it?” he glares at me unblinking.

  “I have a lot of notes from Eli, but none that say that.” Then I remember the note he left me. “There was a note I hadn’t read; perhaps that’s what you are referring to.” That means that… “Why would you have that note?”

  “Once again, Miss Baynes your house was a crime scene.” Glass smirks in the triumph of having free rein to rummage through my panty drawer. I really hate this guy. Oh, my head is pounding. I resist the urge to press on my eye to relieve the pain. I don’t want to do anything to display an ounce of distress or weakness.

  “You’re crossing a line, Detective.” Jason warns.

  “Why hadn’t you read the note from Eli?” Preston piped up, genuinely curious.

  “Because I was pissed at him.” I hate all of the damn questions. I want to get up and walk out. This is ridiculous.

  “Why were you angry with him?” Preston perks up even more, like I’m about to reveal something really juicy. That’s when it dawns on me that he’s gunning for Eli. Shit.

  Jason shakes his head warning me to not say anything, “D.A. Preston, Miss Baynes respectfully declines to answer.”

  “I don’t mind telling them why I was pissed,” I say to Jason, but I’m stifled quickly by the daggers he and Bob are shooting in my direction.

  “Miss Baynes has no desire to damage or disturb AD.A. Walker’s career. She fears that if she were to answer the question she would be putting him in jeopardy.” Bob looks directly at Preston.

  “She can’t decline to answer based on that.” Glass’ hands ball into tight fists; he slides them under the table when he sees that I notice. Hmm, interesting, he’s the one that is shaken this time. I feel a rush of power come over me realizing that he’s more incensed that I’m using Jason and Bob as a filter so he can’t trip me up.

  “She can decline to answer any and all of your questions at this point.” Jason says simply. “This meeting was done as a courtesy to your office. It's apparent that since my client was out of town during the time of death, as the traffic camera footage indicates, she could not possibly have anything to do with the murder.” Bob says, standing and motioning for me to do the same.

  “That concludes the questioning.” Jason says it as a fact.

  “I have more questions for her.” Glass’ voice is firm, and has dropped an octave as a result of him trying to control his tone. He slides the glasses off his nose. "We aren’t done.”

  “You are. If you need to speak with Miss Baynes again, please contact our office.” Bob puts his hand on my back ushering me out of the room.

  Glass breaches the doorway as we’re walking down the hallway and yells, “What did you do with Aiden’s body?”

  Glass’ words freeze my feet to the floor. I could not possibly have heard him right. Aiden’s body? I turn slowly to look at Glass. He stares back at me with an intense hatred so palpable it rolls down the hallway for me like a desert sandstorm. Bob gives my back a gentle push. “Come on.”

  “No!” I stop and put my back against the wall, “What is he talking about?”

  Glass’ expression hardens with delight at my outburst. “She doesn’t know?”

  Carl rounds the corner and stands sentinel by my side. He doesn’t say anything he just stands there glowering at Glass.

  “Shay, in my office now.” Jason gives me a stern look of warning that I dare not disobey, “D.A. Preston, I strongly suggest you curb the detective. The terms of this meeting were very clear.”

  Carl nods and walks with me to Jason’s office. Before I’m through the door I hear Preston address Jason. “My apologies, this will not happen again.” Preston is loath to make an apology and is more than willing to focus his anger on Glass, “Let’s go.”

  With my arms folded across my chest I stand in front of Jason’s desk, waiting for him and Bob to come in. Carl places himself just inside the door. As soon as they see me, regret and apprehension fill their expressions. “Bob, please get Eli when they are gone. He’s in Oliver’s office.”

  Bob leaves the room and Jason motions for me to take a seat on the couch, “Shay, you should sit down.”

  “I don’t want to sit down, I want answers. What did he mean by ‘Aiden’s body’?” I am absolutely terrified that something has happened to Aiden. I wish I could remember.

  Carl’s attention snaps to me, riddled with alarm. A sharp pain ricochets in my head. I have no choice but to sit down, right where I was standing. Eli rushes from the doorway and helps me to the couch. “What happened?”

  My vision is starting to feel fuzzy and the pain in my temples is unbearable,
“I need some water.”

  Eli refusing to leave my side orders Jason to get me some water. He pulls me tighter against him holding my head. “It’s going to be okay.” He whispers in my ear over and over.

  “I just want to sleep.” My eyes feel so heavy, I feel myself wanting to succumb to the wave of exhaustion.

  Jason brings the water handing it to Eli. “Is she okay?”

  Eli doesn’t answer; all of his focus is on me. “Here, drink this.”

  I sit up on the couch and take a long draw from the bottle. Much better. “I didn’t realize how thirsty I was.”

  Carl is staring at me with concern. I need to get to the bottom of this. “Where is Aiden?”

  Eli exhales a long breath exchanging a glance with Jason. Neither of them speaks. Jesus Christ, what the hell is wrong with them? Why are they keeping me in the dark? It’s just making things worse. My head is still pounding like someone’s put a pick axe in my temple.

  I repeat myself with an even and serious tone, each word its own sentence, “Where. Is. Aiden?”

  Still silence. Carl shakes his head, blowing out a frustrated breath, “They don’t know where he is.” He looks at them both like they are idiots.

  “Is that true?” I look at both of them, “Why wouldn’t you just tell me he’s AWOL? It certainly isn’t the first time Aiden’s whereabouts were unknown.”

  Jason and Eli continue exchanging an apprehensive glance. Eli finally speaks, “We really don’t know where he is.”

  “That was easy. Simple. Aiden took off again.” Of course he did; he’s gone. My insides cinch at the confirmation of his departure. It's not like I didn’t suspect it when he didn’t come to the hospital. I’m probably forgetting another marriage proposal. I stop pondering long enough to answer Eli and Jason, who are gawking at me nervously. “I’m not a little girl, and this isn’t my first time having Aiden bail on me. It's not a big deal.” Okay so I lie a little. I catch sight of Carl’s sympathetic eyes. Great, now even he feels sorry for me.

  “We’ll talk.” Carl says simply. “Are you ready to go home?"

  Eli looks at Carl as though he just slapped him, “She can’t go home. It hasn’t been…cleaned yet.”