Framed (18 page)

“The owner of a video proving Kingston’s defense came forward today and handed it over.”

“Where was this evidence hiding during the trial?” he asked as he reached for his phone.

“On a Nanny Cam,” Derrick smiled.

“A what?” Baer responded, dropping the phone back into its cradle without calling his wife.

“A little old lady who lives in the retirement home near the bar is a bit of a runner. Her son installed a Nanny Cam in her apartment to keep an eye on her. It recorded the men as they passed by her window.”

“Why is this video just now coming to light?” the Judge asked, frowning.

“The little old lady was injured by a nurse assistant the same day as the murder. Her son saved the tape for evidence against the nurse assistant, but never viewed the footage past her injury.”

“And today he just decided to look at it?” he asked skeptically.

“No, sir. Today he was approached by a friend of Kingston’s looking for evidence to exonerate him. He remembered the murder, knew it was the same day as her fall, and they viewed the tape together.”

“So you’re telling me that based on this footage, you think it’s likely we convicted an innocent man. Not only an innocent man, but an honest to God war hero at that?”

“Yes, sir, that’s what I’m saying. One of the men in the video wasn’t wearing a mask, and Ms. Dash recognized him. He is currently employed at the same prison Kingston is doing his time. His name is Ian Drum and I pulled his information. He’s ex-Army and he discharged as soon as he could. I spoke with his last employer and he told me that Drum had a temper. He let him go after an altercation with another employee. I asked about any known associates and he told me Drum hung out with a shady character by the name of Todd Raff, who, incidentally, was reported missing by his wife. I haven’t spoken with her yet, but the missing person’s report indicates he disappeared a week after Sutton’s murder. You add all that up and then look at Kingston who is a decorated SEAL, one who discharged from a career in the Navy just to take care of his dying grandfather, and two and two don’t add up. As for motive, he’d had no contact with Sutton since high school, so that doesn’t add up either. A man like Kingston isn’t gonna kill a man over some girl he slept with twelve years before. He’s a highly trained SEAL, who had more control than that.”

“You’re sure you can’t find any connection between this Drum and Kingston?”

“Other than the fact he applied for a job at Renault two days after Kingston was convicted?”

“To keep an eye on his friend?” he argued as any good former prosecutor would.

“I think we both know that’s wishful thinking for the court, sir. Ms. Dash said two attempts were made on Kingston’s life, which I confirmed with the Warden an hour ago. My guess is, Drum is there to keep an eye on Kingston for someone else. For someone who wants this murder swept under the rug and can afford to do just that.”

“Jesus, Chapel, you’re implying conspiracy to commit murder and frame a man. We both know that shit only happens in the movies,” Baer gruffed.

“Yes, sir, I am. Sutton was a law-abiding citizen with no priors. He wasn’t having an affair, he didn’t use drugs, and he paid his taxes on time. There was no reason for his death, yet we have proof of at least three men who worked like trained killers, who wanted him dead. That speaks of money, sir. Money and power. I believe someone wanted him dead to keep him quiet. So with that in mind, I decided to see where he worked.”

“And?” Baer asked.

“You’ll find this interesting,” Chapel said. “Sutton’s employment record didn’t show anywhere in his case file.”

“Even in his personal information?”

“Nope. Are you curious yet?”

“I’m aquiver with anticipation. Tell me where he worked.”

“Consolidated Poly Film,” Chapel answered, then watched Baer’s reaction to that news.

The Judge cut his eyes towards him and frowned, his lip curling slightly at the news.

“You know Williams, I take it.”

“I know him. He’s a real sonofabitch,” Baer growled.

“And a friend of the Mayor if my google search was correct,” Chapel pointed out.

Baer closed his eyes for a moment and clenched his jaw.

“Of course, this is all speculation that requires reopening the investigation.”

“Jesus, Chapel, you’re actually saying you think it’s possible that a war hero has been framed for murder by one of the most powerful businessmen in Pensacola,” Baer stated, trying to wrap his head around this startling news. “If this leads back to Williams, one of the Mayor’s biggest contributors, we’ll have a clusterfuck the likes we’ve never seen.”

“Yes, sir, that’s what I’m saying. But I’ve come to learn in my short life that anything is possible. But right now, we need to decide what to do about Kingston,” Chapel pointed out. “We can worry about Williams and my speculation as to motive later. You and I need to decide if this new evidence exonerates Kingston or not before another attempt is made on his life. We don’t have the luxury of time, sir. We can’t sit around, pondering his innocence, while attempts are made on his life. If he’s killed in prison and we conclude later that he was innocent, that clusterfuck you mentioned will turn into a fire and brimstone lynching. I’m sorry, sir, but we need to decide tonight for Kingston sake.”

Baer sat back and contemplated all that Chapel had uncovered, and the implications left him weary. Williams was in the Mayor’s inner circle, an inner circle that was known for corruption, and he could almost read the headlines if what Chapel had suggested were true. Then he thought about Kingston in prison after serving his country for twelve years and felt a headache coming on.

Chapel waited patiently for the Judge to come to grips with all he’d laid out. He knew how it worked within The Boys’ Club. They had each other’s backs and membership was by invitation only. What he wasn’t sure of, was if Baer was one of the boys or his own man. He’d taken a gamble with what he knew of the Judge and decided he was a leader, not a follower. Luckily for Chapel and Kingston as well, he was able to breathe a sigh of relief when the Judge finally nodded, rolled up his sleeves, and put out his hand for Kingston’s file.

“I presume you brought me the security footage.”

“I did.”

“Then pop it in my computer and let’s see what we’ve got. I don’t want that man rotting in prison a day longer than need be if he’s innocent.”

Williams knew phone calls at one in the morning could only mean one of three things, and they were all bad. Either his daughter was in trouble, his mistress was pissed he didn’t show, or there was a mishap at work. Since he’d taken care of his mistress before coming home and she was smiling when he left, Williams knew it wasn’t Veronica. Since his daughter was currently asleep in her bed—he’d checked before he retired—he knew that only left Consolidated.

He was right, just not the way he expected.

“Williams,” he answered, his voice holding no evidence of sleep.

“We’ve got a problem,” Harland Green snapped down the line.

“And that would be?” Williams sighed, rubbing his eyes. As near as he could count, the Mayor and he had their hands in at least six deals that were volatile, and he’d didn’t feel like playing twenty questions.

“I just got off the phone with Baer.”

“And?” Williams asked. The Judge wasn’t involved in any of their dealings. He was too sanctimonious to get his hands dirty, so he was at a loss as to what Green was implying.

“New evidence that exonerates Kingston fell into the hands of the new SA I assigned,” Green hissed.

Williams bolted out of bed, not caring if he woke his wife, and bit out, “I thought you placed some redneck sonofabitch in that office that you could control. He was supposed to come to you before making any moves.”

“I did,” Green snapped back. “Apparently, I miscalculated his gratitude.”

“Then pull him and have Baer sweep it under the rug.”

“It’s too late. Baer has reviewed the file already and didn’t like what he found. Greystone was lazy covering his tracks with this one. Some resident in the retirement center caught one of your men’s images on a fucking Nanny Cam. It’s in the possession of the SA as we speak and Baer has seen it. The tape corroborates Kingston claim there were three men in the alley. It sounds like Baer may overturn his conviction within the next few days. Greystone went to great lengths to keep Sutton’s employment record out of the trial and that piqued Baer’s interest. He now knows he either has four suspects in Sutton’s murder or three suspects and an innocent man behind bars. Either way, we’re screwed. More than one killer indicates a conspiracy to commit murder and that, my friend, has him looking at you. And considering how much the man despises you, he’s got a hard-on the size of Tallahassee to prove you were involved.”

“He can speculate all he wants, but he’s got nothing that ties this to me.”

“Wrong, he’s got a picture of three men; one of which wasn’t wearing a mask. If they find him, they have you.”

Jesus, he is surrounded by incompetents.

“Who?”

“A man named Drum was all I got out of him,” Green answered.

“I’ll handle it.”

“You’d better fuckin’ handle it. Baer notifying me in the middle of the night was out of respect for the Mayor’s office and the fact he knows our affiliation. But he won’t back down from this, no matter what you bribe him with. Either you kill Chapel and a sitting Judge, which would cause an internal investigation, or you silence Drum and handle Kingston if he comes calling. Make the decision who dies, and do it now. I’m not going to prison for anyone,” Green ordered before the line went dead.

Just as coolly as he’d always faced any challenge, Williams scrolled to White’s number and hit call.

“White,” the mercenary answered, all business like it was ten in the morning

“Kingston’s team found something before they left town,” he announced. “It made it into the hands of a Judge who I can’t blackmail. They have Drum’s face on film, so I need him to disappear before they pull him in and he talks.”

“Has an arrest warrant been sworn out for Drum?”

“Not yet, and I want him gone before they do. Whomever this redneck is that Green put in the SA’s office, he is a cowboy, literally and figuratively. He’ll have a warrant out for Drum by tomorrow, I’d bet, so I need Drum dead tonight,” Williams ordered.

***

Kade sat upright when he heard the lock turn on his cell door. He’d lost track of what day it was, let alone the time, thanks to the constant light. However, his body told him it was early morning. He kept his eyes on the small door, expecting his breakfast to be served, but instead of it opening to provide him with his morning meal, the cell door opened and Gerald Daily’s frame filled the space.

“You’ve got a visitor,” the guard announced.

“Who?” Kade asked, confused. He knew until he was out of solitary, his brother’s visits would be denied.

“Don’t know. I was just told to come get you and take you upstairs.”

“What time is it?”

“Seven A.M.”

Kade raised his brows at that news. Visiting hours weren’t until eight. Who in the hell had enough authority to be granted an audience with a prisoner in solitary confinement? Before visiting hours, no less.

Rising to his feet, he put out his arms so Daily could cuff him.

“I trust you,” the guard answered, surprising Kade.

Daily stepped back and waited for him to clear the door, then led Kade down the dank cold halls. They climbed two flights until they made it to a private interrogation room. When Daily stopped and opened the door, Kade hesitated.

“You aren’t settin’ me up, are you?” Kade asked. Two attacks in one week, one where he knew a guard had to be involved, left him cautious.

“Nope.”

Kade took a step forward and looked into the small room, ready to defend himself. There was a table with two chairs in the center and a large window overlooking the grounds. He saw a lean-built man with strawberry-blond hair dressed in jeans and cowboy boots. His clothes were wrinkled, as if he’d slept in them. He had his back turned to the door, looking out at the grounds, so Kade entered, crossed his arms over his chest, and waited. The stranger kept his face turned even though he knew Kade was there. He didn’t say a word while Kade waited until Daily closed the door.

“Did you kill Stan Sutton?” the man asked in a country drawl.

“Jury of my peers said I did.”

The man nodded that he’d heard Kade, but he still didn’t turn around.

“I know they found you guilty. What I want to know from you is, did you kill Stan Sutton.”

“Is there a point to this?” Kade asked, confused.

“What if I told you I didn’t believe you killed Sutton?

Kade sucked air through his nose and held it. A week ago, he would have given anything to hear someone say that.

“I’d say I’m guilty.”

That got the man’s attention enough for him to turn around and stare at Kade.

“Who are you?” Kade asked. “What do you want?”

“Why would you admit to killing Sutton when you denied it during the trial?” the man asked, ignoring Kade’s question.

“I’ve had time to reflect on my actions since I was convicted. It’s time to come clean,” Kade shrugged, not about to admit the truth.

I’m protecting Harley.

“So there weren’t three men in the alley behind the bar?”

“Nope. Sutton pissed me off and I followed him outside. We had words and I killed him just like Greystone said I did.”

“Do you always carry a hunting knife when you have a drink with your brother?” the man drawled sarcastically.

“I’m a SEAL, we’re always prepared. Now, you answer
my
question. Who are you?”

Chapel still didn’t answer Kade. Instead, he moved from the window and opened his briefcase, pulling out a file. He laid it on the table, then looked Kade straight in the eyes and put out his hand. “Derrick Chapel, acting State’s Attorney.”

Kade stared at his hand as if it were a snake. “What happened to Greystone?” he asked without shaking Chapel’s hand in return.

“He died in a car accident a few weeks back. His brakes failed and he wrapped his car around a tree.”