by Alexa Davis
“He wore a plaid flannel shirt and a pair of jeans. The ball cap that he wore was pulled low, almost over his eyes. His tennis shoes were well-worn. He made it through most of the place without getting his face on camera. I’ll guess he’s become pretty good at that over the years. Unfortunately for Mr. Brigham, there was one camera in the back stairwell that was not obvious. In fact, a pigeon had actually built a nest on the brackets that held it to the wall. We almost didn’t find it ourselves.”
“So, you have a man who resembles my client leaving the building on the night of the murder. No smoking gun? No witness?”
This time, Dawson laughed out loud. “Oh, I have a witness. Did I forget to mention that David contacted us? He was scared to death of facing Brigham in court, but we assured him that we would provide for his safety. So, my dear, I have to ask again… Would you like to surrender your client or should we fetch him?”
My headache began to spread. Damn Brigham if he lied to me. Taking a deep breath and calling again on my professional façade, I said, “Give me a few hours to get a hold of him. I’ll call you by noon and let you know when and where.”
Dawson rose from his seat with a satisfied smile and held out his pudgy hand once more. “I will look forward to your call, Ms. Winston. Have a pleasant morning.”
I shook his hand, and as he let himself out, I slumped down behind my desk. If they really did have video of Brigham in the building and if David really is willing to testify against him, our case was all but lost already. Brigham was a villain in the media already because of the oil spill – finding an untainted jury pool anywhere in this country would be a challenge, if not impossible. There was also the gay angle. If the gay activists attached themselves to this case as the EPA had attached themselves to the civil one, we were in for even more bad P.R.
Carla cracked open the door, and poking her head inside, asked, “Anything I can do for you?” I smiled at her, grateful I had good people in my corner.
“Yes. Please get Miles Brigham IV on the phone, ASAP. Call Mr. Hanson’s team if you need to, one of them will have to know where he’s at. Oh, and Carla, get the investigator in here, too. I need him to find someone, today.”
Carla headed out to make her phone calls, and I started making my own. First, I called Miles’s cell phone. It went straight to voicemail, and I left a message telling him he needed to call me and it was urgent. I tried his home, and left another message, this time with Hannah to have him call me as soon as he got in. Before I began dialing his office, Brett, one of Adam’s best investigators knocked on my door.
“Brett it’s so nice to see you.” I shook his hand and said, “I need to you to find someone, fast.” I told Brett a little about the case, and then gave him a description and a picture from the Brigham file of David. “I need to speak to him right away.”
“I’ll get right on it,” he said, “I’ll call you as soon as I get anything.”
I thanked him, and after he left, I called Miles’s main office and again left another message. No one seemed to know where he was. I glanced at the clock as I hung up the phone. It was ten a.m. Adam’s hearing had started at eight-thirty. I was surprised I hadn’t heard from him by now, telling me how it went. I decided to try his phone, hoping that the hearing had gone well, and perhaps he may know where I could locate Miles. Adam answered on the first ring, but he didn’t sound happy.
“Hi, babe,” I said. “How did it go?”
“It was ridiculous!” Adam barked into the phone. “The judge gave that worthless bitch everything she wanted – everything, Alicia. She has my home, my assets, and is even a financial partner of the firm. Isn’t that just great?”
I was stunned. I didn’t know what to say. Adam had been so sure that things would end on a more positive note for him. “How did this happen?”
I could hear Adam sigh. “She had pictures of us. She told the judge that we had been seeing each other even before she and I split up. She actually cried and gave him some big story about how much she had loved me. How much she had given up so that I could go to law school and establish my business. The judge bought it all.”
“Oh, baby, I’m so sorry.” I was in shock myself. I didn’t know what else to say.
“Nothing to be done now,” he said, abruptly
I allowed the silence to fall between us for a moment, and then said, “I’m sorry to ask this right now, but do you know where I can find Miles? Dawson has issued a warrant for his arrest.”
“Damn!” Adam said too loudly into the phone. “No, I haven’t spoken with him today. Find him though, quickly! If the police or the press finds him first, there is no telling what the old SOB might say to get himself into even more trouble.”
“I know. Adam, I’m looking. I love you.”
“I love you, too,” he said as he disconnected the call.
Chapter Seven
ADAM
Alicia called me around six. “I found Miles. I see why you were so worried about what he would say. He’s an idiot for such a smart man.”
“I know,” I said. “You can fill me in on the details at dinner if we’re still on?”
I could almost hear the smile in her voice as she said, “There is nothing I’d rather do tonight. You sound better than earlier, I’m glad.”
“Yeah, I feel better. I’ve spent the day with Mac going over just exactly what Marjorie can and cannot do as far as my firm is concerned. I stand to lose a chunk of money, but she cannot take my business over.”
“That is good news!” Alicia said happily. “Does this mean she can’t fire me, either?” She sounded like she was kidding, but it had crossed my mind, too.
“Never!” I told her, “My employees, and my lover for that matter, are out of her control.”
“I’m really glad things are looking better, babe. Where are we having dinner?”
“At Romaletti’s, if that’s okay?”
“Of course.”
“Would you mind meeting me there at seven-thirty? I just have a few more things to take care of first.”
“Not at all, I’ll see you then.
Alicia was already seated at the table Marco saves for us when I walked in at seven fifty-five. She was looking out the window watching the ducks and I got to study her profile as I approached the table. She’s so beautiful it takes my breath away. When she looked up and saw me, I could see the light in her eyes, and I loved it. I bent down and kissed her cheek. “Hi, baby, I’m sorry I’m late.” I had stopped and bought her a bouquet of orchids from a street vendor. I handed them to her and she buried her nose in them and then smiled up at me. “It’s okay, I was just getting worried.”
“I’m sorry you worried, but all is well.” She didn’t ask any questions about why I was late and I was glad. I was just happy being here with her and I didn’t want anything else getting in the way of that. Marco prepared an exquisite meal for us, and while we ate, I said, “Okay, tell me what happened with Miles today.”
She rolled her eyes. “So, I was in my office making phone call after phone call and he was suddenly on the line saying, ‘Hi there, young lady, I hear you’re looking for me.’
“‘Yes, Mr. Brigham, I have been. I’m sorry to have to tell you this, but the District Attorney has issued a warrant for your arrest.’ He cussed so much and so loudly I had to hold the phone back from my ear. Finally, he calmed down and said,
“‘So what now?’
“‘I need you to meet me at the station, to turn yourself in.’
“‘And why the hell would I want to hand myself over to the piranhas?’ was his reply.”
I shook my head. I could just hear him. “So what did you tell him?”
“The truth,” she said. “I told him, ‘Because, sir, if you don’t, they’ll come looking for you. It won’t be pleasant when they find you, and they’ll make sure the media is on full alert, as well.’ He didn’t agree to turn himself in right then; he wanted to see me at the office first, so I agreed.’”
She looked like she was remembering something else. She had a pained expression on her face and I asked, “Did he not show up?”
“He showed up. It was just that in between that time was when Marjorie came in shooting off her mouth and I smacked her,” she admitted. I couldn’t help it – I laughed loud enough for other people to glance at our table. Marjorie had it coming, and I was sorry I missed it.
I laughed again and she said, “I’m so sorry. She made me so angry I just wasn’t thinking.”
“I don’t know why you’re still apologizing.”
“She marched into my office and told me she was taking over the business and I were going to be fired.”
“Sounds like she asked for it.”
“I’ve never hit anyone in my life.”
“Some people don’t understand anything else,” I told her. “Besides, I’m sure everyone knows she goaded you into it. Tell me more about what happened with Miles.”
“I spent a half an hour telling him what evidence the DA claimed to have. He denied killing Vick again, but then added that, ‘the stupid little bastard had it coming.’”
“He has no filters,” I said. She nodded and grimaced.
“So what happened at the police station?” I asked
“He was read his rights and booked. I watched the video. It’s grainy and it could be Miles, but I don’t see it as proof. Anyways, I pushed for the bail hearing, and he was let go on two million dollars bond and he had to surrender his passport.”
“Did he cuss a lot?”
She laughed. “Under his breath, thankfully. Brett called while I was there, though, and told me he found David.”
“Great! Where is he?”
“He is surrounded with police and federal agents. They are there for his protection, but Brett says the manpower is overkill.”
“Yeah, the Feds have some kind of stake in him they’re not telling us about.”
“Right? So anyways, Brett is going to look into that. There is one more thing…”
“What’s that?”
“Probably nothing, but I ‘ran into’ Jack again at Starbucks after I left the courthouse. Once again, he said it was a coincidence, but I’m beginning to wonder…”
I didn’t like that at all, but I also didn’t want it to damper what I had planned. “We’ll talk about that later, baby. In the meantime, promise me you won’t be alone with him until we figure out his angle.”
“I don’t think…” The look on my face must have convinced her not to argue because she said, “Okay, I promise.”
Marco sent over a rich piece of chocolate cake and when we finished our dessert, we walked around the duck pond again and watched the swans glide across the surface. Toward the end of the deck was an old-fashioned light post. I led her over to it and turned her so her back was against it. She grinned up at me, thinking I was going to kiss her, but I had bigger plans. I knelt down on one knee and watched her eyes widen.
“What are you doing?” I pulled the velvet box I was carrying in my pocket out and flipped it open to reveal the ring inside. “Adam…”
I laughed. “Shush! I was going to wait for Christmas to do this, but with all that’s been happening; I thought we needed something to look forward to right now. Alicia Winston, will you marry me?”
She looked stunned. We had spent so much time talking about mine and Marjorie’s marriage that we had never mentioned our own happening someday. I had thought about it though, a lot. I knew I wanted her to be my wife more than anything in the world and I was sure that somehow everything else would work out if only we were together.
Alicia’s face told me she felt the same way once the shock wore off. “Yes, oh, Adam, yes, I’ll marry you,” she said with tears in her eyes.
I slipped the beautiful diamond on her finger and then stood to kiss her. Marco’s staff came out on cue and suddenly violins were playing somewhere across the pond. We kissed in the moonlight, feeling the warm glow that love brings with it. It was a beautiful night that I knew I’d look back on forever when I needed to smile.
When it was time to go, I left my car with the valet at Marco’s and told him I would send for it tomorrow. I drove Alicia’s car to her apartment, and we barely made it across the threshold before we began tearing at each other’s clothing like teenagers. The stress of the day and the excitement of the evening had manifested itself in an animal-like lust that neither of us could – or wanted – to control. When we were fully inside and the door was locked behind us, I lowered her down to the carpet in the living room and began my exploration of her body with my hands, lips, and tongue.
Alicia moaned and writhed on the carpet, begging for more. I gave it to her, licking and sucking her to an almost screaming orgasm before I finally slid my throbbing erection inside of her. It didn’t take long for both of us to explode simultaneously, and I held her afterwards and rocked up inside of her for a long time before looking at her face and saying, “Damn! If that’s what stress does for us, I think we need more of it.”
“I agree,” she said as she snuggled into me.
We lay there like that for a long time enjoying the silence like only lovers can until it was rudely shattered by the ringing of my phone. I refused to let go of her, so I half-dragged her along with one hand while I reached my jacket and pulled the phone out of the pocket. I looked at the face and said,
“Hmm, it’s Mac. I wonder why he’s calling so late. Hey Mac, what’s up?”
“Marjorie’s dead.”
I pulled my arm out from underneath Alicia and sat up. “What?”
“She’s dead, Adam. The police are here…”
“Jesus, I’ll be right there.” I ended the call and Alicia said,
“Your face is as pale as a ghost. What happened?”
“Marjorie is dead.”
Chapter Eight
ALICIA
Adam tried to go without me, but I wouldn’t let him. When we got there, we were turned away by the officer guarding the door. Adam told him who he was, though, and insisted on talking to the detective in charge of the case. They made us wait for half an hour before two detectives appeared at last. The older one introduced them, but directed everything toward Adam. “This is Detective Cane and I’m Samuels,” he said. “How did you know what happened?”
“My partner called me. He said he received a call from Marjorie’s lawyer. I don’t know why he called Mac and not me. Anyways, we came right over. But, I still don’t know what happened to her. Was it an accident?”
The detective acted as if he had just noticed me then and said, “And you are?”
“My name is Alicia Winston. I am Mr. Hanson’s associate.”
The detectives exchanged a glance that said they weren’t buying the “associate” thing at eleven-thirty pm, but they didn’t push it. I had my hand on Adam’s arm. His muscles felt tense and I could tell that he was growing impatient.
“What happened to her?” he asked again.
Instead of answering his question, the detective said, “Mr. Hanson, maybe you and your ‘associate’ can come inside with us and answer a few questions.”
“Fine,” Adam agreed. He was definitely annoyed. He’s used to being the one in control. This was going to be hard on him. We followed the detectives around the caution tape and into the lobby of the building.
Once inside, the detective that had been doing the talking thus far said, “Mr. Hanson, would you follow me?”
“Ms. Winston, I’ll need you to come with me,” instructed the other detective. I looked at Adam and he gave me a slight nod before following the detective to a seat across the room. It was going to be a long night.
I followed Detective Cane across to a couch in the lobby and he gestured for me to take a seat. I looked across the room at Adam. He looked lost and even a little nervous, which was totally out of character. My heart was aching for him. I looked towards the detective and said,
“Can we please just get this over with? It’s been a lo
ng day.”
He sat down next to me. “Ms. Winston, can you tell me how well you knew Mrs. Hanson?”
I sighed; my headache had finally grown into a full-blown migraine. It was hard to think around the way it was pounding.
“I did not know her well. I had met her on several occasions, and we weren’t on the best of terms.”
“And why was that?”
“Because I have been seeing Adam for the past six months or so. He and Marjorie were separated for quite some time before he and I began seeing each other, but she was a bitter woman, and she was angry with me for whatever reason.” The detective raised an eyebrow, and made a note on the little pad he carried.
“How did Mr. Hanson get along with his wife?”
“Ex,” I corrected him. “It was an ugly divorce. Adam obviously wasn’t pleased with what was going on between them.”
“May I ask where you were earlier this evening?” the detective said as he absently scratched his head with his pen. Now it was my turn to raise an eyebrow.
“Am I a suspect?” I asked.
“No, ma’am, we’re just trying to get a time line on everyone involved here.”
“I was out this evening, at dinner in a crowded restaurant. Adam was with me, so neither of us were ‘involved’ in Marjorie’s death. That will be the last question I will answer tonight and now that you have your ‘timeline,’ I’d like to get back to Adam.” The detective looked as if he were about to say something else, but changed his mind.
“Alright, ma’am, I’d like to get your information in case more questions arise later?”
I gave him my cell, home, and office numbers, and then without waiting for him to give his consent, I stood and walked over to where Adam was still talking to the other detective. As I approached, I heard Adam repeating almost verbatim, what I had told the other man.
“Ms. Winston and I were at dinner, at Romaletti’s. Are you implying that you think either of us had anything to do with this?”
“No, sir, not at all,” the detective told him. “I'm just trying to establish a timeline.”
