“Yes. He has t-shirts, video games, magazines, and his computer is filled with mixed martial art material. The guy’s obsessed.”
“Exactly. I didn’t think of it until I saw it in writing, but look at this.” She pointed to the report and read, “The Ultimate Fighter. T-U-F.”
“Tuf. Tuffy. Sammy is Tuffy.”
“I think so.”
“I didn’t think he was smart enough, but his dad said he’s brilliant. Maybe that’s true,” JP said. “And that would explain why he hasn’t made a deal with the DA. His little drug charge is nothing compared to the sex crimes and scams he’s been pulling. He can’t tell them he’s Tuffy.”
The “ah-ha moment” look on Sabre’s faced was replaced with one of disappointment and frustration. “You know what that means?”
“Yes. If Sammy is Tuffy, we just lost our most likely suspect for Foreman’s murder. We know Sammy didn’t do it because he was in police custody that night.”
Chapter 49
“I’m sorry Frank and Marcus aren’t home,” Celia said, as she let Sabre in. “They just left. Frank promised to take Marcus to dinner as a reward for being so good about going to his programs. Then Marcus has a group therapy session and Frank will just wait for him. I expect they’ll be gone about three hours.” Since Frank was normally the host in this home, Celia must have felt obligated to explain.
“That’s okay. It’s really Riley I came to see this evening,” Sabre said.
They walked toward the stairs. “It’s so nice to see Riley studying. He wants to do well in school. We’re very proud of him,” Celia said.
“Does he spend a lot of time on his homework?”
“Yes, he’s very motivated. He’s not at all like he used to be. The only thing he was ever interested in before was cars.”
“Cars?”
“Yes, he’d talk about what kind of car he was going to get when he started driving, not that his father would have helped him buy one. He knows the make, model, and year of every car on the road.”
“Really?”
“Yes. He still talks about them some, but not like he used to. Frank and I promised him a car when he graduates from high school if he has good grades and is accepted into college. He seems determined to get there.”
“Good for him, and that’s very generous of you and Frank.”
“He’s a good boy in spite of the life he’s had to endure.” Celia stopped at the foot of the stairs. “It’s the first door on your left at the top of the stairs.”
Celia remained at the bottom of the steps as Sabre started up. The purpose of Sabre’s visit was to see Riley this time. Up until now Marcus had led them to many suspects, but perhaps Riley knew something that he didn’t even know he knew. Sabre was running out of options and she had to do something to help Bob.
She knocked on Riley’s door. Unlike most kids his age, instead of just yelling “come in” he actually came to the door and opened it. She thanked him for being a gentleman, after which she wondered if the door had been locked. Either way he was very polite when he invited her inside.
“Your grandma said you were doing homework. Do you have a lot?”
“Yes, especially in my World History class.”
His book lay open on his desk next to his computer. “What are you working on?”
“We have to write a paper on a World War II battle. I was assigned the Battle of Okinawa.”
“Wow! My grandfather fought in that battle. He was wounded there, and he received the Purple Heart. His papers read ‘for wounds received while in action against the enemy.’ He was very proud of that medal.”
“How was he wounded?”
“He never said exactly. He didn’t give too many details, but I know he lost his foot. He had a prosthesis.”
“I’ve been reading about it, and a lot of people died in The Battle of Okinawa, both American and Japanese. And a lot of ships and aircraft were lost.”
Sabre was pleased that Riley was speaking in more than one-word responses, as he usually did when she talked to him. “Yes, they did,” she said. “And even more were wounded.” Riley looked over at his computer. “Well, enough about the war. I’m sure you need to get back to your paper so I’ll try to make this quick.”
“Okay.”
“Riley, I know that Marcus spent a lot of time working the streets with your father. Did you ever go out with him?”
Riley intertwined his fingers together in front of him, pushing his hands back and forth and making his fingers pop. “Just once.”
“What did you do that time?”
He shrugged. “Nothing, really.”
“Do you know what your father did when he went to ‘work,’ as he called it?”
“Not really.”
“Can you tell me exactly what happened the time you went out?”
Riley hesitated as he moved his laced hands back and forth. “He wanted me to talk to this man and steal his wallet, but I wouldn’t.”
“Did he get angry?”
“Yes.”
“What happened next?” Sabre was once again frustrated with his short answers but she continued.
“He hit me and I ran home.”
“Riley, did he ever hit your mother?”
He nodded, still wiggling his hands in a nervous gesture. “My mom didn’t kill him.” His voice sounded cold.
“I’m not suggesting she did, but why do you say that?” Sabre asked.
“Marcus thinks she did.”
“Why is that?”
“I don’t know.”
“Did your dad ever hit Marcus?”
“All the time.”
“Did Marcus ever tell you what he was doing when he went to work with your dad?”
“Not really.”
When Sabre paused, Riley said, “Can I get back to my paper now?”
“One more thing: Do you know if Marcus has ever sneaked out of the house at night?”
“Not that I know of.” Sabre noticed a sketchpad lying on Riley’s bed. The front covering was filled with drawings. “JP said you draw exceptionally well.” She nodded her head in the direction of the sketchpad. “Nice work. Is that yours?”
“Yeah.” He picked it up and pulled it up to his chest so she could no longer see the cover.
“It’s okay. You don’t need to share your drawings with me. Some artists are very private about their work. And you are definitely an artist.”
“Thank you,” Riley said.
Sabre talked to him a little bit more about his paper. He seemed to be the most comfortable with that topic and she wanted to leave him in a better frame of mind. She also asked him about living in La Jolla with his grandma. He appeared to be quite content there and not real anxious to go back to his mother. The one thing that was so obvious to Sabre was that Riley didn’t smile a lot. He showed little emotion of any kind in comparison with Marcus, who had extreme highs and lows. Marcus was either laughing and joking or very disturbed; sometimes he exhibited anger or sadness or even depression. Riley, on the other hand, was very even tempered. He smiled politely when appropriate, but he didn’t show his emotions, at least not to Sabre. Sabre found it astonishing that two boys raised in the same environment had reacted so differently.
Sabre stopped to talk with Celia a bit before she left.
“He seems happy here,” Celia said. “Will he be able to stay?”
“That depends a lot on your daughter. If Dana can complete her programs and stay clean and sober, she has a good chance of getting the boys back in her care. Of course, she’ll have to have housing.”
“If she would stay clean she could live with us, and I’d like that very much,” Celia said. “Marcus is doing better and Riley has just blossomed since he’s been here. He’s doing so well in school.”
“He definitely appears to be benefiting from this placement,” Sabre said. “And he’s quite the artist.”
Celia looked surprised. “He doesn’t usually show people his artwork.”
�
��He didn’t. I saw his sketchpad lying on his bed. There were drawings on the front of it. I saw enough to tell that he’s remarkable.”
“He truly is. I’ve kept him in sketchpads over the years. When he was about seven I saw how good he was and started buying the notebooks for him. Back then he would show me what he had drawn whenever he’d come to visit. He would draw in them nearly every day, especially when something unusual happened in his life. They were like a diary to him.”
“When did he stop showing them to you?”
“Three or four years ago. Dana said his dad would make fun of him and tell him it was stupid. George even threw a couple of them away. After that, Riley started hiding his sketchpads. I was pretty angry at George for making him feel bad about such a talent. I was afraid he would stop drawing so I gave him supplies when George wasn’t around. Besides, his drawings kept me informed as to what was going on in the boys’ lives. I’m ashamed to say it, but I would sneak a peak whenever I got a chance so I could see if everything was okay at home. He even put the date on each page when he drew something so I always knew the time frame. Like I said, it was as good as reading a diary.”
“Have you seen any of his recent work?” Sabre asked.
“No. After he moved in I figured I didn’t need to do that anymore, especially since he’s doing so well. I’ve tried to respect his privacy in this house. He’s had so little of it.”
Chapter 50
“Hey, kid,” JP said, as he stepped into Sabre’s office. He stopped in the doorway and leaned against the rim of the door. “You need to lock your door when you’re here alone, especially after dark.”
Sabre looked up and smiled. “You’re right. I got busy and didn’t realize how late it was.” They had agreed to meet and hammer through this case once again, but she was always pleased to see him. “What do you have for me?”
“I just spoke with Detective Olen Williams and unfortunately, he confirmed that Sammy and Tuffy are one and the same.”
“Dang, I was so hoping we were wrong. I guess that moves Dana to the top of our suspect list.”
“Yes, and I think Riley knows a lot more than he’s telling,” Sabre said.
JP sat down in the chair across the desk from Sabre. “Do you think he knows who killed his father?”
“He was very quick to say his mother didn’t do it, which makes me think he knows more.”
“It’s his mother,” JP said. “Don’t you think it’s normal for him to defend her?”
“It was more than that. There was something different in his voice.”
“Different how?”
“Kind of cold and almost calculating.”
“Maybe he was angry that you suggested his mother may have killed his father.”
“But I didn’t suggest that. I just asked him if his father ever hit her. And he said that Marcus thinks his mom killed Foreman.”
“Has Marcus ever told you that?”
"No. He asked me if she did, but he never implied that he thought so.”
“So, let’s focus on Dana. What can we do? What do we need to know?”
“I need to get Riley to show me his sketchpad.”
“What?”
“Celia says Riley’s sketchpad is like a diary. He draws whatever happens in his life. I need to see the events of the last few weeks before Foreman’s death. Maybe it’ll tell us something.”
“That’s not going to be easy,” JP said. “Riley is very protective of his artwork. He snatched it up real fast when I tried to look that day at school.”
“I know. He did that to me, too.”
“So what’s your plan?” JP asked.
Sabre pursed her lips and wiggled them back and forth. “I don’t know. I don’t actually have a plan yet. I was hoping you had an idea.”
“Well, I could break into the house and steal it, but when the alarm goes off and I get caught, you’ll have to bail me out of jail. That’s if Frank doesn’t shoot me first.”
“You have another idea?” Sabra asked.
“He either has to let you see it or you have to trick him into showing it to you. Or you can look without his knowing it. Which way would you like to go? And keep in mind that if you go with the first choice and it doesn’t work, the other two are probably out because he’ll be onto you.”
“Of course, I’d like him to just show it to me, but….” Sabre threw her hands in the air. “I can’t believe I’m even talking about doing something like this.”
“Why? Is it unethical?”
“Yes. No. I don’t know, but it sure doesn’t feel right.”
“Saving an innocent man’s life feels right to me,” JP grumbled.
“You’re right. I need to find a way to see the sketchpad and if it leads us to Dana we’ll find a way to disclose it. My first obligation is to protect my minor client. At some point I’ll need to take sides on whether Riley and Marcus return to live with their mother. And if she’s a murderer that certainly would factor into my decision.” Sabre sighed. Perhaps she was just rationalizing, but she had convinced herself that she needed to see Riley’s sketchpad. After all, she really didn’t want those boys living with a murderer. “I don’t think I can trick him into showing it to me. So, how do I see it without his knowing about it?”
“Is Riley still home alone with Celia?”
Sabre looked at the time on her phone. “Marcus’ therapy session started about ten minutes ago and if we factor driving time back from therapy, they should be home in about an hour.”
“Then let’s go. We’re going back to see Riley. You need to think of something to ask him that you forgot to ask earlier. I’ll take care of the rest.”
Sabre was reluctant. Talking about it was bad enough. Now that they were actually considering deceiving Riley so they could see his drawings, she wasn’t so sure it was a good idea after all. “You think?” she said.
“I think.” JP stood up. “Let’s go.”
JP led her out the back door and to his car. “I’ll drive.”
“Of course you will.”
Once on the road, JP said, “And when we get there, you need to limp.”
“Limp?”
“Yes, we’ll tell Celia you sprained your ankle after you left here. Just don’t tell her you did it on her property. She may be afraid you’re going to sue her,” he said jokingly.
“So, I’ve sprained my ankle and so I can’t walk up the stairs and Riley will have to come down to see me.”
“That’s the plan. And I’ll take care of the rest.”
Sabre was getting more and more nervous by the time they reached the Davis house. When she stepped out of the car and started to walk up to the front door, JP reminded her to limp in case someone looked out.
“Oh, wait,” JP said. Sabre stopped and JP returned to his car and retrieved a video game from his trunk.
“What’s that?” Sabre asked.
“A present for Marcus. Did you figure out what to ask Riley?”
“Yes,” Sabre said and rang the doorbell.
When Celia opened the door Sabre thought she smelled a whiff of alcohol on her breath. Sabre spoke quickly, “I’m so sorry to bother you, but I need to speak to Riley again for just a moment. Would that be okay?”
“Of course, please come in.”
“Hello, Celia,” JP said.
“Is Marcus home yet?” Sabre asked.
“No, another half hour or so, I should think.”
Celia opened the door wide as they entered. Sabre’s limp prompted Celia to look down at Sabre’s foot and ask, “What happened?”
“I just sprained my ankle. On the step at my office,” she added quickly. “That’s why JP drove me here.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I’m sure it’ll be okay in a day or so,” Sabre said.
Celia started to lead them toward the stairs. JP spoke up. “Perhaps Riley could come down here so Sabre doesn’t have to climb the stairs.” He stepped around both Sabre and Celia. “In fact
, I’d be glad to go get him.” He raised the video game he had been carrying. “Besides, I have this game for Marcus. I’ll drop it in his room while I’m up there.”
“Thank you,” Celia said.
JP bounded up the steps and Sabre said, “I’ll wait here for Riley. I’m sorry to interrupt your evening like this. I don’t mean to be a bother.”
“It’s no bother. I was just watching a movie in my room.”
Riley started down the steps. “Here he is now,” Sabre said.
Celia pointed to an area just off the living room. “You can meet in the sunroom if that’s okay.”
“That would be perfect, and you can get back to your movie. I’ll only be a minute and Riley can see us out.” Sabre had a feeling Celia was anxious to get back to her nightcap. She made a mental note that she’d have to look into her drinking. She was starting to see a pattern that may have to be addressed, but for now she still felt this was the best placement for the boys.
Celia walked away as Riley led Sabre to the sunroom. “Did you finish your paper on The Battle of Okinawa?”
“Almost. I’m working on the conclusion.”
Sabre continued to talk about the paper as she stalled for time. She didn’t know how long it would take JP and she didn’t have many questions to ask about the case. She also knew she would receive short answers, so the longer she could talk about Okinawa the more time she could give JP.
Upstairs, JP dropped the video game in Marcus’ room while Riley descended the steps and then JP went into Riley’s room. He picked up the sketchpad lying on the bed and opened it up. It only had four pages filled, and the last one was from yesterday. It contained a drawing of the tarantula JP had seen at school in the biology lab, a soccer player, and a teenage girl with a sad, painful look on her face. All the drawings appeared to be about school activities and perhaps Riley had a love interest. The very last entry was a car smashed into a tree with two bodies on the ground. JP wondered if Riley had witnessed a car accident.
JP looked around the room for more sketchbooks. There was nothing on the shelves or on the desk. He opened the top two drawers on the side of the desk. The third one, a larger drawer built to hold file folders, was locked. JP looked around the desk for a key, trying to be careful to not change the placement of the papers and things on his desk. It wasn’t there. He pulled open the middle drawer directly under the computer. It contained pens and numerous other writing tools, but there was no key. He feared Riley had the key on him. He thought about trying to pick the lock, but even if he was successful he would have to re-lock it so Riley wouldn’t know someone had been in the drawer.
Adv04 - The Advocate's Dilemma Page 24
