Linda Crowder - Jake and Emma 02 - Main Street Murder

by Linda Crowder

  “At the moment, make it fraud,” said Joyner. “She’s using a stolen Social Security number.”

  “At the moment?” asked Taylor. “That’s a Federal crime, shouldn’t the US Attorney be handling this?”

  “Maybe,” said Joyner. He briefed Taylor on his suspicious about Kristy Castle. The attorney let out a low whistle.

  “Holy crap,” he said at last. “You just never know about people, do you?”

  “Nope, you never do,” agreed Joyner, wishing the attorney would do less talking and more drawing up the paperwork for the warrant.

  “You know,” observed Taylor, “You’ve only got circumstantial evidence on those murders. That’s going to be a bear to get a conviction on.”

  “I know,” said Joyner, an impatient edge creeping into his voice. “That’s why I need the warrant for fraud.”

  “Ah, you’re hoping that once she sees you’re onto her, she’ll crack,” said Taylor. Joyner didn’t like the tone he heard in the prosecutor’s voice.

  “Just get me that warrant,” he said and hung up before the man could waste any more of his time. “Lawyers,” he grumbled, tapping the receiver. He found himself oddly disappointed in what Thomes had found out about Kristy Castle.

  The warrant was waiting on his desk, delivered by special messenger while he had been at lunch. He called the dispatcher and requested a squad car meet him at Kristy’s apartment, since he knew Emma had given her the day off since she would be out of town.

  The lobby was open this time, and Joyner went straight to the elevator, accompanied by two uniformed officers. He had said only that he had someone to pick up for a fraud charge but the rumor had spread quickly that this might be the person who had killed a fellow officer. Joyner positioned the two policemen on either side of the door.

  “Just keep your eyes open,” he told them as they put their hands on their weapons. “Don’t get trigger happy.”

  Kristy opened the door after confirming Joyner’s identity. She was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt with her hair held back in a pony tail. She expressed surprise to see the uniformed officers and even more surprise when Joyner read the arrest warrant to her.

  Joyner stepped back and let the uniformed officers do their job. They handcuffed Kristy and searched her, then they escorted her out of the apartment. Joyner shut the door and followed them to the elevator. Kristy hadn’t said a word. She’d barely shown any emotion at all.

  Joyner let the officers take Kristy to the police department. It would take time to walk her through the booking procedures before he would be able to interview her again. In the meantime, he radioed for the crime scene team and waited until they arrived at the condo.

  Escorting them up, he gave them a copy of the search warrant that Taylor had thoughtfully provided along with the arrest warrant. Since the charge was fraud, they were limited to searching for evidence relating only to that charge. Joyner reminded them that if they happened to find something that would tie her to the murders, it had better be in plain sight or in a place where they would reasonably be searching for evidence of the other crime.

  Joyner finished briefing the team and left them to their work. He would be especially interested to see what, if anything, they would learn when they ran Kristy’s fingerprints after she was booked.

  15

  “Why don’t we start with something simple,” said Joyner, taking the seat across from Kristy in the police interview room. He switched on a voice recorder and placed it on the table between them. “Why don’t you tell me who you are?”

  “You know who I am,” answered Kristy. “I’m Kristy Castle of 123 Main Street in Casper, Wyoming.”

  Joyner opened a folder he’d brought with him into the room and selected one of the papers inside. He closed the folder and put the paper in front of Kristy. She read it without expression, then looked up at Joyner.

  “You know who I am,” she said. “Why ask me?”

  “Fair question,” he admitted. “Why are you living in Casper under an assumed name and using a Social Security Number that belongs to a dead man?”

  Kristy was silent. “I have my reasons,” she said at last.

  Joyner sat back in his chair and looked at her. Thomes hadn’t been able to locate much information. He’d found her name and a work history that showed her bouncing from town to town until she settled in Casper. He hadn’t been able to find any criminal or arrest records.

  “My guess,” said Joyner quietly, “is that you’re running from something.” He saw a slight tic in the corner of Kristy’s eye and knew he’d guessed correctly.

  “What I don’t know,” he continued, “is what you’re running from.”

  Kristy said nothing so Joyner went on. “Most people who change their names and get a stolen ID are running from the law.” He sat up and put his arms on the table. “What are you running from?”

  The tic grew more pronounced but Kristy still did not speak. “You know it’s illegal to use someone else’s Social Security Number.” He thought he saw a crack in Kristy’s armor.

  “It’s a felony,” he told her. “You could be looking at serious time.” Kristy started to shake and Joyner pressed his advantage.

  “Is that why you killed Vince Shipton?” he asked. “Did he know what you were running from?”

  Kristy turned pale, “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said, her words surprisingly forceful.

  “I haven’t killed anyone. I thought we were talking about fraud.”

  “We are,” said Joyner. “And Cheri Jackson? Did she know about you? Were you afraid she was going to tell someone?”

  Kristy looked up and Joyner almost flinched at the anger and shock in her eyes. “What in the hell are you talking about? Cheri is my friend, I would never hurt her. Besides, she didn’t know.” Kristy looked down at the paper on the table in front of her. “Nobody knew.”

  “Why don’t you tell me about it?” Joyner asked, his tone more friendly, inviting her to share her secrets.

  Kristy sighed deeply. “I wasn’t running from the law,” she said. “Or at least, not because of anything I did.”

  Joyner bit his lip to hold back his question. He didn’t want to interrupt if she was ready to start talking. Kristy continued after a short silence.

  “My husband, my ex-husband, he was an angry man. Violent.” Joyner watched a shudder move through Kristy’s body. “He stood right up in court when we got divorced and told everybody he was going to kill me. They put him in jail for that, of course, but his daddy was the chief of police so you can imagine how long he stayed in jail.”

  Her eyes became distant. When she resumed her story, there were tears in them. “I ran - of course I ran. I got out of that town and I just kept running. But everywhere I went, sooner or later, he’d show up and I’d have to run away again.”

  “He was following you through your Social,” Joyner interjected and Kristy nodded.

  “I had to work,” she said. “I had to eat. Every time I worked anywhere long enough for it to show up on some credit report somewhere, sure enough, there he’d be. I got in the habit of just moving on every few months, trying to stay ahead of him.”

  “Why didn’t you legally change your name?” Joyner asked.

  Kristy snorted, “What good would that do?” she asked angrily. “I could have changed my name ten times. I finally persuaded the government to legally change that damned Social Security Number. I found out the hard way that credit bureaus are allowed to link your old number to your new one. What the hell good did that do me? I finally got so desperate that I bought a new number that couldn’t be traced back to me. I hoped that would finally be enough.”

  Joyner waited for Kristy to regain her composure. Then he asked if that was why she had finally settled in Casper.

  She shook her head. “I got a call from the one person I kept in touch with all those years. She told me my ex-was dead. I didn’t believe it so I went to see his cold, dead body for myself.” She
picked up the paper Joyner had laid before her and crumpled it. “I signed that name in that guest book so the whole town would know that I knew he was dead.”

  She looked at Joyner. “Then I left that town and went back to where I was living at the time. I kept the name I have now along with the new Social because I wanted to start my life over again. When I moved on, it was because I chose to.”

  She pointed at the crumpled paper. “That woman is dead, Detective. If that means I have to go to jail, then I have to go to jail, but I am telling you right here and right now, I am never going back to being that woman. My name is Kristy Castle - whether it’s legal or not.”

  “And Vince Shipton?” asked Joyner.

  “Lived downstairs from me,” responded Kristy. “I’m sorry he’s dead but I didn’t kill him. I didn’t hurt Cheri and I certainly didn’t kill Officer Rutledge.”

  Morning at the cabin dawned sunny and cool. Emma took her coffee and slipped out onto the porch to enjoy the coming of the day while the others slept. They’d talked late into the night, at first going over the events that had driven them into hiding, then wandering aimlessly over topics great and small.

  In the half-light of dawn, Emma’s heart seemed to stop when she saw movement at the edge of the clearing that surrounded the cabin. She hadn’t thought to bring her gun with her - the cabin was a place of safety. No one knew they were here.

  A scream bubbled up in Emma’s throat when a shadow stepped out of the forest. It solidified into a doe, curiously tilting her head at the human intruder into her world. Emma laughed out loud at having scared herself so badly, causing the doe to turn and disappear back into the woods.

  Jake pulled open the door, rifle in hand, ready to do battle. Emma started at his sudden appearance and he looked down at her, then threw his glance around the clearing. “Where is he?” demanded her husband.

  “Jake, I ‘m sorry,” soothed Emma, stifling a giggle at his GI Joe response. “I didn’t mean to wake you up.”

  Seeing no threat, Jake relaxed. “I rolled over and didn’t find you in the bed,” he explained. “Then I heard a noise out here and I guess I over reacted a bit.”

  “Better safe than sorry,” Emma told him. “Besides, I about scared myself to death when a doe came out of the woods to look at me. Poor thing, I’m sure I scared her too.”

  Jake sat down in the chair next to Emma’s, his rifle across his lap. “I guess we’re both a little on edge.”

  “It’s ok,” she said, sipping her coffee. “Cheri’s safe and that’s all that matters.”

  Making breakfast, Emma hummed to herself in the kitchen. Cheri had insisted on making both their bed and her cot and was sitting on the bed playing with a much recovered Jonas. Jake had announced he wanted to walk the perimeter before breakfast and had gone off with his rifle in hand.

  As she put breakfast on the counter, her phone beeped, signaling a voice mail. Emma had to go outside before she could get enough of a signal to be able to hear the message. As soon as she did, she shouted, “Jake! Jake, where are you?”

  Jake came running from behind the cabin, rifle poised to repel a possible intruder. “What is it?” he shouted, “Where is he?”

  “Oh for heaven sakes, put that gun down and help me pack,” cried Emma, hurrying into the cabin.

  A worried Cheri looked up from her breakfast. “What is it, Emma?” she asked.

  “It’s Kristy,” said Emma, throwing food into the cooler. “She left me a voice mail last night. I guess I didn’t have enough signal to get it until now.”

  “What’s wrong?” asked Jake.

  “She’s been arrested,” said Emma, packing the dry goods as quickly as she could. “She said something about fraud and that Detective Joyner seems to think she’s the one who attacked Cheri.”

  “That’s ridiculous,” said Cheri. She abandoned her breakfast and scooped Jonas up and popped him into his carrying case. “We have to get back.”

  Jake tried to insert a voice of reason. “You realize that if we go back, Cheri will be in danger again.”

  “I realize that Jake,” said Cheri. “But we have to go. I’m positive that Kristy did not attack me.”

  Cheri stopped suddenly in mid-motion. An odd expression crossed her face. “What is it, Cheri?” asked Emma with concern.

  “Kristy didn’t attack me,” said Cheri.

  “I know, honey,” said Emma. “I believe she’s innocent too.”

  “No, it’s not that,” said Cheri. “I know Kristy didn’t attack me because I remember.” She met Emma’s startled look. “I remember it all now, Emma. And it wasn’t Kristy.”

  16

  Detective Joyner ushered Jake, Emma and Cheri into an interview room and turned on the voice recorder. “All right, Ms. Jackson,” he said, after stating the time, date and participants for the recording. “You say you remember what happened the night you were attacked at the Solstice Rodeo. Why don’t you start from when you entered the ladies room?”

  “Well,” began Cheri, “as I told you before, there had been a long line and the announcer was just starting to call the team roping event when we finally got into the bathroom.”

  “You and Kristy Castle,” noted Joyner for the record.

  “Yes,” agreed Cheri. “I heard Kristy call out that she was going to get something to drink and head back to our seats, then I didn’t hear anyone else so I thought I was the last one in the ladies room.”

  She paused and Joyner prompted, “Then what happened?”

  “I was washing my hands at the sink,” said Cheri, “when I heard someone behind me. I turned around to get a paper towel when she screamed at me and punched me in the stomach.”

  Cheri looked at Emma, “At least, that’s what I thought at the time. It really hurt though and when I put my hand over it, there was so much blood.” Cheri shuddered at the remembrance.

  “I looked up at her in shock and I think she must have been shocked too because she was just staring at me - eyes wide, mouth open. I sank to the floor because I just didn’t have the strength to keep standing and I remember just being surprised that she would do that.”

  Cheri stopped for a moment, then went on. “I heard Kristy outside calling to me and then I guess I must have fainted because after that, I just remember waking up in the hospital.”

  “You didn’t mention who stabbed you, Ms. Jackson,” noted Joyner. “Did you recognize the woman who attacked you?”

  “Oh yes,” answered Cheri. “Her name is Kayla. Kayla Hutchinson.”

  “Do you know why this Kayla Hutchinson would want to hurt you?” asked Joyner.

  “I fired her. She worked at the bank,” explained Cheri. “She’d been a poor performer. I gave her every opportunity to turn it around but in the end, I had to let her go.”

  “When was this?” asked Joyner.

  “In May,” answered Cheri. She looked at Emma. “Kayla took it badly. She was always blaming everyone else for her performance issues. That’s why I became involved in the first place, to provide support for her supervisor.”

  Cheri looked back at Joyner. “I never dreamed she’d do something like this though. We go through those trainings at the bank you know, how to handle disgruntled customers? They teach you what to look for if someone might turn violent? I never got that feeling from Kayla. I was never afraid of her.”

  “Had you seen her since you let her go?” asked Joyner.

  Cheri nodded. “She filed a grievance with the Labor Board and I saw her briefly as I was going out of their office and she was going in. They ruled against her, of course. That was just a few days before the rodeo.”

  Joyner turned off the recorder and stepped out of the office to ask dispatch to look up the address of Kayla Hutchinson and have a cruiser pick her up for questioning. When he returned, all three heads looked expectantly at him.

  “You’re going to let Kristy go now, aren’t you?” asked Emma. “Now that you can see she’s innocent?”

  Joyner sh
ook his head. “She may be innocent of attacking Ms. Jackson, which in turn would mean she is unlikely to have killed Ann Rutledge. However, I still don’t know what involvement she may have had in the murder of Vince Shipton.”

  Jake spoke up. “Matt, don’t you think your evidence there is a little spotty?”

  “More than a little,” Joyner admitted, “but I didn’t arrest her for murder. I arrested her for fraudulent use of a stolen Social Security Number.”

  “What? Why would Kristy use a fake Social?” asked Emma.

  “Because Kristy Castle is really Melissa Runyan,” said Joyner. Emma looked stunned and all three looked confused so Joyner continued, satisfied they had not been aware of their friend’s deception.

  “Melissa Runyan was married to Samuel Runyan in Tennessee. According to Kristy, or Melissa, Runyan was a violent man. Court records show he was arrested a few times on domestic violence charges but the charges were usually dropped.”

  “It’s not unusual for a battered woman to refuse to cooperate with the police,” said Emma.

  “True but in Runyan’s case it was more likely the charges were dropped because his father was the Chief of Police. When she divorced him, Runyan threatened her in court and the judge immediately had him jailed. He didn’t stay in jail long, but it was long enough for her to leave town.”

  Joyner told them the rest of Kristy’s story as she had relayed it to him. “Oh that poor, poor woman,” said Cheri as Joyner finished his tale. “Well, you must simply drop the charges.”

  “I’m sympathetic, but it’s a Federal offense,” explained Joyner. “We can drop the charges in Casper because it isn’t our jurisdiction but she could easily be facing federal charges once the US Attorney’s Office takes a look at it.”

  “Just don’t tell them,” said Cheri. “Kristy may have broken the law but she had a very good reason.”

  “It doesn’t work that way,” said Emma gloomily.

  “It could,” said Jake thoughtfully. “We can’t not tell the US Attorney about it, but there is such a thing as prosecutorial discretion.”