Dead of Spring: An Alexa Williams Novel

by Sherry Knowlton

  “That’s why I knew I could reach out to you, Alexa. I need your help. Your legal help.”

  “What kind of legal help?” Alexa’s reaction was wary.

  “It’s about Tessa. And what the fracking company has done to her.” Jeannie’s words trailed into sobs.

  “Tessa? Has there been an accident?” Alexa tried to remember how old her friend’s daughter would be now. Elementary school age?

  “No. She’s sick, real sick. We should have never gone for the quick money and signed over our land to the drillers. But, Tommy took a big hit when the real estate market went south. And, we weren’t farming those fifty acres . . .” Jeannie’s voice trailed off.

  “Are you trying to terminate your lease?”

  Jeannie gave a bitter laugh. “I wish that was all. No, the doctors say Tessa is going to need years of treatment. We’ve had her to Philadelphia to see the cancer specialists. I want those bastards at Monongas Energy to pay for making her sick and take responsibility for getting her the best medical help.” Another sob muffled Jeannie’s last words. “She has to get better.”

  “Jeannie, this sounds like a terrible situation. But, I’m not sure I can give you the legal representation you need. It sounds like you’d do better with a high-powered firm that takes on personal injury or class action cases. Have any of your neighbors been affected?”

  “Yes. The entire county has been affected in one way or another by fracking. But it’s complicated. A lot of lives have been ruined. People are suffering from all sorts of ailments. Many can’t drink their water. Some environmental lawyers have been trying to get us to sign up for a lawsuit, but they have their own agenda.” Jeannie’s voice dropped to a whisper. “Plus, there are lots of families who are getting rich off the fracking, and they don’t care about my sick child. Alexa, I need someone I trust to advise me.” Jeannie paused. “I need you.”

  Alexa looked up from the notes she’d been jotting down and took a deep breath. “OK. I can’t guarantee how much help I’ll be, but let’s talk. Should I drive up to your place?” She looked at her calendar. “I can’t do it before Saturday.”

  “Saturday will be fine. Why don’t you plan to stay overnight?”

  “Sure. I’ll head back home early Sunday morning. Your address is still the same?”

  Jeannie’s tone became animated. “Yes. We’re still at the farm. Thank you so much, Lexie. I can’t tell you how much this means to me.”

  “It’s been too long since we’ve seen each other. And being up there in Tioga County will help me get a better picture of what you’re facing. Sorry to cut this short, but I have to be in court soon. I’ll see you Saturday, late morning.”

  “Oh, just one thing more. Don’t bring Scout. Too many animals have died up here from drinking contaminated water. It’s better to leave him at home.”

  Chapter Four

  Alexa cleared security just inside the State Capitol doors and stepped into the rotunda. She couldn’t resist glancing toward the spot on the floor where Senator Martinelli’s broken body had lain the last time she’d been in the building. The yellow crime scene tape had disappeared. Nothing marked the site of the recent tragedy. Alexa swallowed a shout of protest when three heedless young boys on a school field trip strode across that patch of cobblestone. The students had no idea they trod where a man had died just days earlier. Alexa steered far left of the central staircase and headed down the hall to the Senate elevators.

  When Alexa entered the fourth floor suite of offices, the receptionist looked up. “Go on back to the conference room. Lauren’s already there. Keisha will join you soon.”

  “Thanks.”

  Lauren Hildebrand, the college intern assigned to support the Commission on Human Trafficking looked up from her iPad as Alexa stepped through the door. A box filled with binders sat on the table in front of her. “Hi. Keisha’s running late. She wanted to fill you in on everything that’s happening, but she’s still in a meeting with Senator Gabler. Maybe we should get started.”

  Alexa settled into one of the heavy wooden chairs and checked her watch. “The commission meeting begins in less than an hour. Let’s walk through the agenda. I’m sure you heard what happened the other day with Senator Martinelli. So, Keisha and I never got a chance to finish discussing the plan for today’s meeting.”

  Lauren leaned forward with an excited look on her face. Her spiky blonde hair rested like a crown on top of the shaved stubble circling the lower half of her head. “You’re not going to, like, believe everything that’s going on. I know Keisha wanted to be the one to tell you, but the senator’s death has triggered a bunch of changes. And it affects the commission.”

  “Senator Martinelli wasn’t involved in our work against human trafficking.”

  “Right. But Senator Gabler is going to move into Senator Martinelli’s role as chairman of Environmental Resources and Energy.” Lauren bounced in her seat. “That’s, like, a really powerful committee.”

  Alexa marveled at how astute Keisha had been in predicting this turn of events―the exact scenario she’d outlined the night of Senator Martinelli’s death.

  Lauren pushed a piece of paper across the table to Alexa as she continued. “Senator Jefferson is going to head up Law and Justice, but she doesn’t want to deal with the commission on top of learning a new job. So leadership promised her we’d wrap up the commission work by the end of next month. Senator Gabler will continue as co-chair until we issue the report.”

  “The end of next month? At this point, the group hasn’t even agreed on how to define the problem, let alone issue a report.” Alexa’s protest sounded half-hearted even to her own ears. The five plus months she’d been involved with this project had been frustrating and exhausting. Pulling the plug on the ordeal had a certain appeal.

  “That’s the beauty of this whole thing.” The intern giggled. “Instead of spending, like, four more months spinning our wheels, we’ll just give the group a draft report. We give them one chance to comment, and then finalize the sucker.” Lauren flashed a wide grin at Alexa. “Keisha and I went through the minutes from all the meetings and came up with ten, like, broad themes. At today’s meeting, we can, you know, update everyone on the new turn of events and discuss these themes. And then after the meeting, we’ll turn these ten topics into recommendations and a draft bill.”

  “I take it this isn’t really up for discussion? What does the minority chair, Senator Jacobs, say?” Alexa frowned.

  “He’s fine with it. His staff agrees producing a quick report is the best way to get a product out of this commission. It’s a way to focus all these competing interests.”

  Alexa picked up the sheet of paper. “Let me take a few minutes to read your ten principles.”

  “Of course. Do you want coffee?”

  “A cup of tea would be great.” Alexa turned to read the documents as Lauren slipped out the side door into an anteroom that housed a small kitchen. She had nearly finished reading by the time the intern returned, balancing a brimming Styrofoam cup in each hand. A dangling teabag bounced wildly against one cup as Lauren hiked up a foot and shoved the heavy wooden door behind her.

  The petite young woman set the cup in front of Alexa and fished two packets out of the pocket of her suit jacket. “Sugar or Sweet’N Low? Sugar’s supposed to be bad for you; but I worry about all those chemicals in artificial sweeteners.”

  “Neither, thanks.” Alexa took a sip of the hot tea. “You did a good job on these themes. I’m fine with using all of these except number nine. I’d like to change the clause―” She broke off as the door to the kitchen area creaked open. Two men had entered through another door and were deep in conversation.

  “Look. They have no clue. Don’t worry so much. Everything is going according to plan.” The man spoke as if trying to calm a toddler.

  Alexa glanced toward the door, which stood open at least two feet now. Clearly, these two didn’t realize they had an audience.

  “Damn, I tho
ught I’d closed that,” Lauren muttered under her breath as she jumped up and stepped toward the door.

  Just as she put her hand on the knob, the other man replied in a hysterical tone, “Easy for you to say. I’m the one with everything on the line here. You need to make sure―”

  “Just a minute,” the first speaker barked. His manner turned imperious as he moved close to the door. “This is a private conversation, you dyke bitch. I didn’t expect the conference room to be occupied. Are you alone in there?”

  Lauren shrank back from the opening and stammered, “I’m sorry. I just wanted to give you some privacy. I’m working on a project.”

  Alexa rose to intercede. This guy was out of line with both his attitude and language. She moved close enough to just catch a glimpse of snow-white hair and horn-rim glasses before Lauren ducked behind the door and slammed it shut. When they returned to the table, the coed’s face had paled.

  “What a jerk,” Alexa commented. “If he wanted a private conversation, he should have shut the door or gone into an office. He had no right to speak to you like that. You should report him.”

  Lauren attempted a faint smile. “That guy’s a pain in the ass most of the time. He comes from a big family of movers and shakers. Thinks he’s hot sh―eesh. I shouldn’t be talking to you this way.”

  Alexa never had a chance to respond. Keisha breezed through the main door and asked with a grin, “Did Lauren fill you in on the plan? I know you’ve had it up to here with this commission, girl. You should be dancing for joy.”

  “The idea of fast tracking a report has some appeal,” Alexa twisted her mouth into a rueful smile. “My managing partner just complained about the amount of time I’ve been spending here in Harrisburg. He’ll be pleased there’s an end in sight.”

  Lauren piped up. “Alexa wants some changes on number nine. If we can, like, take a look at her notes, I’ll make the changes and have copies for the meeting.” She looked at her cell phone. “Whoa. We’ve only got twenty minutes.”

  As the two staffers huddled over her marked-up copy of the document, Alexa studied Keisha. She could see no trace of the vulnerable young woman who’d fallen apart the night of Senator Martinelli’s death. This brash and determined version of Keisha was the familiar one. Of course, Alexa reflected, she hadn’t been at her best on Tuesday night either. Having a man crash to his death in front of you could shake even the most self-possessed person.

  Keisha looked up from the document. “These changes are fine. Alexa, why don’t you and I head down to the meeting room?” She turned to Lauren, “Can you ask Audrey to make these changes and bring us thirty copies?”

  “Sure. But do you have just a minute?” Lauren pulled Keisha to the corner and spoke in low, animated tones. Alexa couldn’t make out any words but noticed the young woman’s look of consternation as she glanced toward the door to the kitchen. Gathering her belongings, Alexa wondered about the identity of the jerk who had blasted Lauren. Apparently, someone important enough to warrant an immediate discussion with her boss.

  “My dear,” Senator Gabler shook Alexa’s hand as she sat next to him at the head of the table. He leaned closer and whispered, “I hope you’re on board with winding down this process sooner than anticipated.”

  “I can live with it.” She nodded past him to acknowledge Senator Jacobs and turned to study the group of twenty assembled around the large conference table. A much larger crowd filled the seats in the back of the room. Pennsylvania’s Sunshine Law guaranteed that commission meetings were open to the public.

  “Well, let’s get this show on the road,” Gabler muttered as he rose to his feet. “I now call this meeting to order. Thank you all for attending. I want to begin today’s session by announcing an unexpected change in direction for the work of this commission.” His voice took on the reverential tone many politicians adopted for public tragedies. “Many of you are aware of the recent death of one of Pennsylvania’s most beloved senators, Carmine Martinelli.”

  As Alexa watched the senator sell this abrupt change to the commission’s game plan, she marveled at his skill in working the room. The man was a born salesman. Uncle Silas, as she and Graham had called him, looked a lot like an old-movie version of a politician; from the days when people held their elected leaders in awe. Tall and handsome, Gabler wore expensive suits with a muted pinstripe, expertly tailored to draw attention away from his expanding waistline. Now in his mid-sixties, he had served in the legislature for more than thirty years. When Alexa and Graham were kids, Uncle Silas had always made a point to interact with them during his visits with their father. The charisma she’d warmed to as a child was in full force today.

  Two women and one older man dabbed at their eyes as the senator concluded a brief eulogy for Senator Martinelli. Alexa blinked to curb tears of her own as she relived the sickening thud of the legislator’s body hitting the capitol floor.

  With his entire audience now in a somber mood, Senator Gabler plunged into the news that the commission’s work would end early. Although a buzz arose from the crowd of observers, only one of the commission members objected.

  Shoshanna Barr, a sex-trafficking survivor, reached for the nearest microphone the minute the senator finished his remarks. “This work is too important to be cut off because senators are playing musical chairs. We have four more months on the schedule. Alexa and your staff can provide continuity. And this committee thing doesn’t affect the minority chair.” She looked at Senator Jacobs.

  “Shoshanna, we understand your concern,” the Democrat replied. “But this group has had months to discuss the issues, and I agree with Senator Gabler. We have had substantive input and developed considerable consensus. In normal circumstances, we would have continued our work for a while longer; but I believe we are in an excellent position to move forward with the development of a report and legislative recommendations.”

  The outspoken advocate looked around the table for support from her fellow commission members, but Alexa could see no one else dared to object. In fact, one of the women who had been moved to tears during Senator Gabler’s speech glared daggers at Shoshanna.

  Senator Gabler jumped into the silence. “Let me turn the discussion over to our co-chair, Alexa Williams. Due to the expedited time frame, she and the staff have already put together a set of principles to provide the foundation for the commission’s report.”

  Scout jumped up at the sound of the bell and ran to the door. John had installed a driveway alert system to give Alexa advance warning of cars approaching down the long gravel lane to the cabin. Scout’s tail wagged when he recognized the sound of John’s car engine.

  “Hey, big guy.” John walked through the door and rubbed Scout’s ears. The dog’s entire body wriggled with joy. “Go on, go outside for a run.” The trooper let the mastiff outside and dropped his coat on a dining room chair.

  “Hi.” Alexa smiled but didn’t budge from the couch.

  John did a mock double take. “Oh, Alexa. You’re here too. I didn’t see you lying there.”

  “You don’t have to pretend, Taylor. I know you only have eyes for that dog. You fooled me at first, but now I know you’re only dating me so you can spend time with Scout.” Alexa sat up and held her hands toward the woodstove. “I can’t believe it’s still so cold. I can’t wait for spring.”

  John sat next to her and drew her into his arms. “I’m with you. I spent most of my day traipsing around outside at a crime scene. A trailer on a hill over toward the North Mountain. Not a tree in sight. The wind was brutal.”

  Alexa hugged the state trooper. “Was it bad? The case, I mean.”

  “Yeah, for the victim. A domestic violence thing. The husband got drunk and killed his wife. I have a feeling he tied one on regularly at the end of his night shift. This morning, he stopped at a bar with his buddies.”

  “Bars are open in the morning?”

  “Yes. Remember, it’s the end of his workday. So, the guy’s already lit when he arrive
s home. Then he downs another six-pack. The wife asks for money to go grocery shopping. He’s pissed because she wants a hundred bucks and he only has fifty left. They get into an argument, and he slams her against the wall. She takes the truck keys and runs out of the house. He picks up the AR-15 he keeps by the door for shooting rounds with his buddies. Said he just wanted to scare her away from his truck because she’s not allowed to drive it. But his aim sucked. He meant to fire over her head, but he hit her in the chest.”

  “How did you find out so much about what happened?”

  “Dumb ass told us. The wife’s sister showed up to visit and called it in. His blood alcohol level was still off the charts when we got there.”

  “My God. I don’t know how you deal with this, day in and day out.”

  “Because I need to. Not to sound sappy, but I want to make the world a better place. Of course, fly fishing and a beautiful girlfriend help with the stress levels.”

  “You’re a good man, John,” Alexa ruffled his sandy hair before she kissed him.

  “Enough about my miserable day. You went to the capitol this afternoon, right? How did that go?” John flashed her an intense look.

  Alexa grimaced. “I have to admit, I gave that spot in the rotunda a wide berth. But I managed. The rest of the day was interesting. With Senator Martinelli’s death, there’s a big shake up. Senator Gabler is moving to a pretty powerful position in the Environmental Resources and Energy Committee. The new person who would have responsibility for the commission wants it shut down. So, they’re skipping ahead to the report phase now.”

  “Is that good or bad?”

  “A little of both.” Alexa flashed an impish smile. “Tyrell will probably be pissed when he hears about it. He really wanted the commission to recommend high mandatory sentences for traffickers. But he’s an advocate, so he’s aiming for the stars. We’re looking at eliminating some loopholes in current law, which will make it easier to convict offenders. Another year wouldn’t have gotten us any closer to Tyrell’s ultimate wish list. But, I have to admit, I’ll be glad to see this commission end.”