Deadly Deception

by London St Charles

  “Any good lawyer has a way of twisting the truth or their version of the truth to work in their client’s favor,” Detective Carter replied, giving a courteous smile to the passerby’s. “Reed is the best defense attorney in the country. He isn’t any different.”

  “Do you know them?” Crystal asked, nodding in the women’s direction. “Because they are staring like they know you.”

  “I’ve never seen them before.”

  “That’s Kenya Snell and Venus Dawkins,” Detective Carter said, altering his stance. “They are the other witnesses testifying for the prosecution.”

  “No wonder,” Cadence whispered, folding her hands in her lap. “Knox told me they only agreed to testify because I was.” She sighed. “I’m curious as to what Detective O’Brien did to them.”

  “Courts about to start,” a guard said, grabbing the handles of the doors.

  Crystal stood. “You’re going to do great,” she reassured, kissing Cadence on the cheek, then hurried inside.

  “This is it,” Cadence mumbled, trying to command her runaway heartbeat to slow down.

  The past four years all came down to this moment. Cadence closed her eyes and prayed that Detective O’Brien would be found guilty on the conspiracy to commit murder, that Jackie would get justice for the role he played in covering up the killing of her mother, that he would spend the rest of his life behind bars for witness tampering, and that she would finally be set free of her fears and could stop looking over her shoulder.

  “Let’s go,” Detective Carter said, interrupting her prayer. “Our holding room is a few doors down the hall. Someone will come to get you when it’s your turn to take the stand.”

  “Can we just sit here?” Cadence asked because she didn’t trust her feet to carry her weight.

  “Knox would prefer for you to stay out of sight until–––”

  “I know,” she countered, searching his eyes. “But I have you, and I trust that you wouldn’t let anything happen to me.”

  After a brief silence, Detective Carter glanced down at Cadence and said, “Okay.” He placed his hands on the tactical belt around his waist, equipped with a service weapon, handcuffs, flashlight, and radio. “But if I get the wrong vibe … to the room we go.”

  In less than ten minutes, Venus rounded the corner in a pencil skirt, and a floral blouse with kinky-twist swirled in a pile on top of her head. She glanced at Cadence and gave a timid smile. Cadence nodded in response. She could feel Venus’ nerves pipe through her body.

  “Whewwww.” She breathed out.

  “You good?” Detective Carter asked, claiming the spot next to her.

  “Yea.”

  “It’s natural to feel nervous.”

  Cadence swallowed. “Am I next?”

  “I’m not sure of the order.”

  Fifteen minutes later, the courtroom doors flew open, and Venus hightailed it out of there. Mascara ran down her face.

  Cadence jumped up and reached for Venus.

  “Hey. What’re you doing?” Detective Carter asked, grabbing Cadence by the arm. “You can’t talk to her.”

  “Huh?” Cadence turned and glared at him. “But, she’s hurting.”

  “Cadence Goldsmith,” a woman in a sheriff’s uniform came from around the corner. “You’re next. When the doors open, walk to the front of the courtroom and take the stand.”

  “Okay,” she responded, and it felt like Cadence’s chest cavity was caving in with every breath she took.

  “I’ll be right there in the back of the courtroom,” Detective Carter said, touching her shoulder. “If you get nervous, look to me.”

  “Will do. I–––”

  Detective Carter lifted his arm in the air with a closed fist, and Cadence’s speech halted. He stood, stepping in front of Cadence in a protective stance, gripping his service weapon.

  “Hey,” an agitated man’s voice shouted. “I have some important information that I have to get–––”

  “That’s Sly. My cousin,” Cadence called out, sliding to the opposite side of the bench and standing.

  “What the heck are you doing?” Detective Carter asked, half turning around.

  “I’m looking for Xavier Carter,” Sly shouted over the sheriff that was blocking him from entering the area outside of the courtroom.

  “Detective Carter,” the sheriff said, holding a hand in front of Sly. “He can speak with you once the witness enters the courtroom. No one can be in this area that isn’t part of the case for security reasons.”

  “It’s about Jackson,” Sly said in a raised voice.

  “Go see what he wants.” Cadence pushed Detective Carter forward. “Maybe he knows where Jackson is.”

  The courtroom door opened.

  Cadence’s heart slammed against her ribcage, and the back of her throat tightened.

  “Let’s do this.” Detective Carter nodded, gesturing for her to enter into the courtroom.

  “No,” she fired back, and her voice cracked. “Go get my husband.”

  “Come on,” Sly bellowed, peering around the guard with wild eyes.

  “Go on,” Cadence urged, glancing back at the awaiting guard standing in the entryway.

  “Ms. Goldsmith,” the female sheriff said with a little more bass in her tone. Her agitation was evident.

  Cadence glared at Detective Carter. “I’ll be fine. Go.”

  He took off toward Sly. Cadence straightened her shoulders and entered the courtroom.

  All eyes were on her as she approached the front. The only thing she could think about was Jackson. She crossed the infamous divider, then maneuvered around and stepped up onto the witness stand. The wooden box seemed even more massive than it does from the gallery.

  The Court Clerk’s heels clicked across the marble floor as she positioned herself in front of the witness stand, holding a bible in front of Cadence.

  “Place your left hand on the Holy Bible and raise your right,” she instructed. “Do you solemnly swear that you will tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you, God?”

  “I do.”

  “Please be seated,” she said right before walking away.

  The sea of blue uniforms on the defense’s side of the courtroom took up all the space in Cadence’s head. She refused to look at Detective O’Brien or his attorney.

  “Good morning, Mrs. Goldsmith,” ADA Knox greeted, buttoning his suit jacket as he came forward. “Why were you at Braelyn Nevel’s house on the day in question?”

  “Braelyn was leaving her boyfriend, Lester James. She and her daughter were moving in with me and my husband,” Cadence explained, keeping her focus on Knox. “I went by to make sure she was okay.”

  “Were you concerned for her safety?”

  “Yes.”

  “Why?”

  “Because Lester beat her, and he molested her daughter.”

  The jurors gasped.

  “Relevance.” Reed stood, leaning forward on the table. “Who’s on trial here? Why are we talking about a known drug dealer that has nothing to do with my client?”

  “I’m establishing the timeline and how Mrs. Goldsmith came to be in contact with the defendant,” Knox refuted, glancing at Judge Duncan.

  “I’ll allow it, but hurry up and make your point.”

  “Thank you, Your Honor,” Knox said, then put his focus back on Cadence. “What did you discover when you went inside Braelyn’s home?”

  Cadence hated to relive that gruesome encounter all over again.

  “Braelyn was lying on the floor in a pool of blood, clutching a gun,” Cadence recalled, lowering her eyes. “I saw the back of a man running out the rear door.”

  “Is that man in the courtroom today?”

  “Objection.” Reed bounded from his seat. “Mrs. Goldsmith just said she didn’t see the man’s face.”

  “Mr. Knox,” Judge Duncan said in an unsavory tone. “Stick to the matters of this case. This is your last warning.”

  C
adence didn’t know why Knox asked her that question. She had told him a long time ago that Lester was the gunman. Braelyn had said his name while taking her last breath.

  “What happened next?” Knox continued.

  “I called the police, but by the time they arrived, Braelyn had passed away.”

  “Did the police question you?”

  “Yes,” Cadence proceeded, feeling anxious. “After they were done, Officer Douglas gave me a business card and told me to come to the station in the morning for more questioning.”

  “Then what happened?”

  “I was getting ready to leave with my husband when Detective O’Brien approached us. He said he was with the Major Crimes Unit, and told me I needed to come with him to the Area South Police Station.” She swallowed, trying to keep her breathing under control. “I told him Officer Douglas asked me to come in the morning. He told me that he had questions that couldn’t wait until then. The whole time Detective O’Brien talked to me, he held a hand over his gun. I think he was trying to scare me.”

  “Speculation,” Reed said, thrusting his hands forward. “How does she know my client’s state of mind?”

  “Stick to the facts, Mrs. Goldsmith,” Judge Duncan ordered, peering at Cadence over the rim of his glasses. “Your opinion means nothing here.”

  His aura gave off a bad vibe. Cadence shouldn’t feel that way about the judge––– O’Brien’s attorney, yes, but not the judge.

  Knox must have sensed her discomfort.

  “Your Honor, may we request a short recess?” Knox asked. “Mrs. Goldsmith needs a moment to regroup.”

  Judge Duncan folded his hands in front of him. “I don’t think that’s necessary at this time. She seems perfectly capable of continuing,” Judge Duncan said, glancing down at Cadence. “Proceed or rest so the defense can cross-examine.”

  Inadvertently, Cadence’s eyes shifted to Detective O’Brien. The satisfying smirk on his face that followed the reprimanding she received from the judge spoke volumes. In her gut, she knew things weren’t going to go her way.

  Chapter 23

  Cadence and Knox shared a glance, confirmation that she didn’t imagine Judge Duncan’s disdain for her.

  Knox cleared his throat, then asked, “Did you go with Detective O’Brien?”

  “Yes. I rode in the back of his truck to the police station,” Cadence testified.

  “Did anything unusual happen along the way?” Knox queried, standing an equal distance between the witness stand and the jurors.

  “Yes. We were stopped at a traffic light down the street from Braelyn’s house when Lester approached my window.”

  “Did you tell Detective O’Brien that Lester was alongside the truck?”

  “No.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because I was scared,” she admitted. “Lester had the check I’d given to Braelyn in his hand.” Cadence paused, glancing at the jury, then back to Knox. “The check had my home address on it. He knew where I lived. I couldn’t do anything that might make him angry.”

  “That’s understandable,” Knox said, maneuvering into a spot that blocked Detective O’Brien from Cadence’s view.

  “What happened next?”

  “He asked me why I was at Braelyn’s house. Then he asked why I would give Braelyn a check and was I part of a drug deal that went bad. He said I had motive to kill her,” Cadence explained, rubbing her hands along her thighs. “That’s when I started secretly recording our conversation.”

  Knox walked to the prosecution table. “This recording right here,” he said, lifting a clear plastic evidence bag with a flash drive inside.

  “Objection,” Reed shouted, almost knocking over the glass of water in front of him. “This evidence wasn’t presented in discovery.”

  “It’s the same evidence as before,” Knox defended.

  “How’s that possible when you said all the evidence was destroyed during the break-in at your office,” Reed countered, eyeing Knox with a loathing glare.

  Cadence caught a glimpse from the corner of her eye of Detective O’Brien. He wasn’t looking as pleased with himself as he did when the judge scolded her.

  “We discovered a back-up,” Knox revealed, glancing at Cadence.

  “How can we be sure of this recording’s authenticity?” Reed asked, facing Judge Duncan.

  “Your office received a copy this morning,” Knox replied with a raised brow. “It’s not my fault if your staff doesn’t handle their affairs.”

  “That’s enough,” Judge Duncan ordered, glaring at both of them. “The evidence stays.”

  Cadence hadn’t even realized that she was pinching the back of her hand. It didn’t hurt until now. The entire case was built on that recording.

  Knox inserted the flash drive into the laptop and cued the volume.

  Whatever you think you know about what happened today, you better have fucking amnesia tomorrow when you speak with Officer Douglas. Do I make myself clear? Good. If you’re feeling brave in the morning, just remember, I know where you live.

  The jury, the folks in the gallery, and even Judge Duncan had stunned expressions on their faces.

  “For the record,” Knox said, closing the laptop. “Who’s voice is that we just heard?”

  “Detective O’Brien,” Cadence responded.

  “Where did this take place?”

  “In the back of the police truck,” she said, her voice quivering. “Detective O’Brien threatened me while shoving his gun between my breasts.”

  “Speculation,” Reed countered.

  “Not if she’s telling the events of what happened to her the way she remembers them,” Knox argued.

  “Overruled,” Judge Duncan said, glancing at Cadence. “You may continue Mrs. Goldsmith.”

  “We arrived at the police station, but Detective O’Brien never took me inside. He pulled to the back of the parking lot beside a row of paddy wagons. I couldn’t see anyone––– the truck was hidden from view,” Cadence explained, gnawing her inner jaw. “Then, he pressed his gun into my forehead.”

  “What did you do?” Knox asked, stepping forward.

  “Nothing.” She shuddered, recalling the feel of the barrel on her skin. “I listened as he talked.”

  “What happened next?”

  “Detective O’Brien slid the gun down the center of my face until it landed between my breasts. That’s when he said, do I make myself clear. When I agreed, he got out of the car. I had been holding the phone between my knees. I quickly put it in my purse before he opened my door.” Cadence paused, glancing at the jury who appeared to be hanging on her every word. “He then snatched me from the car. I screamed for help, but Detective O’Brien covered my mouth with his hand and told me to shut up before I make him do something I’d live to regret.”

  “Objection,” Reed interjected, standing. “We didn’t hear my client say that on the recording.”

  “Why wasn’t that last part clear on the recording?” Knox questioned.

  “My phone was in my purse at that point,” Cadence stated, glaring at Reed. “If you listened closely, you can hear him. It’s scratchy from moving around inside my bag with my things.”

  “Thank you for clarifying that, Mrs. Goldsmith,” Knox said, stepping in front of Reed. “Please continue.”

  “Once I was compliant, Detective O’Brien told me to leave,” she said, fidgeting with a gold stud earring in her earlobe, keeping her focus on Knox. “I ran to the nearest bus stop and went home.”

  “Thank you for your testimony,” Knox said, moving behind the table, unbuttoned his suit jacket, and claimed his seat. “The prosecution rests.”

  “Cross, Mr. Reed.” Judge Duncan angled a glance at the defense attorney.

  “Hello, Mrs. Goldsmith,” he greeted; his brown suit jacket was already unbuttoned since the last time he hopped up to object.

  Reed moved from behind the defense table, and Cadence got a good look at him. She could tell he had an athletic build fr
om the way the upper part of the suit jacket hugged his biceps. The closer Reed got to the witness stand, she could smell the musk aftershave or cologne on his golden-bronze skin. He was quite handsome, but that appeal didn’t keep him from being a jerk.

  “If you were as frightened as you say,” Reed commented, leaning on the witness stand. “Why didn’t you seek help? You were right there at the police station. Why didn’t you go inside?”

  “Because I was afraid.”

  “You were afraid of my client?” he prodded.

  “Yes.”

  “So why not speak to his superior?” Reed asked, propping on his elbow, invading her personal space. “Surely, you aren’t frightened of all policemen.”

  Cadence sat back as far as she could. “Detective O’Brien had just told me–––”

  “Yes or no, Mrs. Goldsmith,” Reed interjected, glaring at Cadence. “Are you frightened of all policemen?

  “No,” she responded, her voice trembling. “I didn’t know what–––”

  “So, you made a conscious decision not to say anything to the people who could help you.”

  “Yes.”

  She glanced over at the rows of blue uniforms in the gallery behind the defense table. Every last one of the officers seemed annoyed by her presence. Some of them had to know what kind of cop Detective O’Brien was. Why would she trust any of them?

  “Interesting,” Reed commented, pacing in front of the witness stand.

  Cadence was furious at the way Reed tried to twist her words, but she had to remain calm, or else he’d try to say she was irrational. Knox warned her about that.

  The one thing that worked to her advantage was the recording. No matter how Reed attempted to make it look like Cadence misinterpreted Detective O’Brien’s actions while riding in the police truck, his own words caused the most damage.

  “Excuse me, Your Honor,” the bailiff said, rushing over to the bench.

  Judge Duncan raised his hand, halting Reed’s cross-examination. Cadence was thankful for the interruption. She needed time to regroup. Judge Duncan placed his hand over the microphone and pushed it forward.