Icy Betrayal (28 page)

“Hello, Lisa, my name is Father Jon Foley. I’m from St. Joseph’s parish in Castle Springs, and I don’t believe we’ve ever met,” he said, extending his hand.

A look of utter disbelief crossed Natalie’s face. She didn’t respond or shake the priest’s hand. The sound of her old name brought a wave a nausea.

“You’re the man outside the condo today,” she said blankly.

Before Father Jon could respond, Jack grabbed the priest by the arm and pulled him toward the beach, away from the rest of the guests. Natalie stood there on the patio, staring, too stunned to move.

“What the hell are you doing here?”

“I think you know, Jack. I’ve been very patient with you. But you don’t return any of my calls, so I’ve decided to force the issue. It’s been almost a year, and the time has come for you to do the right thing.”

“Oh, for God’s sake. Are you still hung up on that?”

“Your daughter is a fugitive, and she needs to turn herself in.”

“And what if she doesn’t?”

At least Jack wasn’t denying the woman was Lisa Sullivan, Father Jon thought.

“Then I will return to Colorado and notify the authorities. I met your boss the other day at a campaign rally. I’m sure Captain McCallister and your former partner Mia Serrano would be interested to hear what I have to say.”

“Father, I could have her out of Mexico and hidden somewhere else before the authorities in Colorado could get here. It’s not like they can call down here to the local police and have her detained. The police here don’t work that way. Things here take time; there are channels you have to go through, and they are certainly open to the occasional bribe.”

“Jack, do you really want her to be on the run for the rest of her life?”

“Better than the alternative.”

“But you’re forgetting something. If she doesn’t turn herself in, and you force me to take action, then your involvement in all this comes out. Your career will be over. I would guess you could even be facing some prison time for aiding and abetting. And if she decides to run again, you know it’s just a matter of time before she’s caught. She won’t have your help anymore; she’ll be on her own. And we both know she won’t last long. And when she does get caught, she will be facing a much stiffer prison sentence than if she turns herself in voluntarily. Come on, Jack, you have to know that.”

Jack stood, shaking his head.

“I don’t care what happens to me. It doesn’t matter, Father; you don’t understand what’s going on here. She met someone, a man she loves and who loves her back. That man has a ring in his pocket, and tonight he’s planning to propose marriage. This is supposed to be the happiest night of her life. Now you want me to walk over there and tell her it’s all over? Bullshit, it ain’t gonna happen, Padre.”

“Perhaps we should ask her. It’s really her decision, Jack, not yours.”

“She has a whole new life here. My God, she works at a school helping local kids get an education so they can hopefully make something of their lives. Father, don’t take all that away. Remember the ‘greater good?’”

There was that phrase again, Father Jon thought. The same one Jack had used in Colorado.

Both men stared at one another defiantly.

“I’m going over there, Jack. I need to talk to her.”

“No, you’re not. It ain’t gonna happen. You are going to get off this beach and go back to Colorado. Do you understand me?”

Father Jon ignored him and started toward Natalie. Jack moved to cut him off.

“Don’t do this, Jack.”

The pair were quickly headed to a physical confrontation but were interrupted.

“Hello, I don’t think we’ve met,” Peter Donnelly said. “I’m Peter Donnelly. Is there a problem here?”

As if in slow motion, Natalie felt her new life slipping away. She didn’t know how or why this priest was involved, but it was clear he knew who she was. The realization crashed down upon her. The charade would soon be over. But she wanted to end it on her terms.

She walked directly toward them. Her eyes locked with the man who had tracked her to Mexico.

“Lisa, it’s time to do the right thing,” Father Jon said gently.

“Lisa? There has obviously been some kind of mix-up, Father. This is Natalie Summers,” offered Peter.

There were somber faces all around him. Peter realized something was very wrong. “Can someone please tell me what the hell is going on?”

“Peter, I need to tell you something,” Natalie said.

“What? What is it?”

“My God, I don’t even know where to begin.”

“Natalie, what is it?”

Tears began flowing down her cheeks.

“Please, forgive me, please, please, forgive me, Peter.”

“For what? What did you do? I don’t know what’s going on…”

“My name isn’t Natalie Summers. It’s Lisa Sullivan.”

“What?”

“My name is Lisa Sullivan, and I’m here in Mexico because I’m hiding.”

“Hiding from what?”

“Peter, I am so sorry… I’m hiding from the police. I can explain.”

“The police? Your father is a cop… How can you be hiding from the police?”

“Peter, let me explain,” said Jack. “Lisa got caught up in a bad situation in Colorado, and the police are looking for her. I helped her come here to Puerto Peñasco.”

Peter looked incredulously at Jack and then at Lisa.

“What bad situation? Did you rob a bank or something?”

Lisa shook her head, “No, nothing like that.”

“Then, what?”

Jack began to offer an explanation, but Lisa cut him off.

“Let me tell him. I owe him that much.” Natalie took a deep breath and began. “About a year ago, I was involved with a man in Colorado. I lived there, near Denver. I thought I loved him, but really, I didn’t. I realized that later but only after it was too late.”

“Too late for what? Did he hurt you?” Peter asked, his body tensing.

“No… It wasn’t that. He was married—he lied to me about that. I only found out about his wife long after the relationship had started.”

Lisa realized just how stupid she sounded, falling for a married man. She was embarrassed retelling the story to Peter, but she knew the worst part of it had yet to be told.

“So… Why are the police after you?”

“The man I was involved with had a business that was having financial difficulties. He was looking for a way to solve his money problems, divorce his wife, and marry me—at least that’s what he told me.”

“Did he commit fraud? Embezzle money? What?”

“A few years ago, to help the company financially, he brought on a business partner. But that didn’t really help, and so he came up with an idea that would solve all his problems.”

“And what was that?”

Lisa paused, finding it difficult to tell the next part of the story. Jack stepped in.

“The guy then, on his own…”

Lisa interrupted, “That’s okay. Let me tell it. I need to start owning up to things… The guy, his name is Scott Lennox, plotted to kill his partner and collect the life insurance money. He said with the money he could walk away from the business, get the divorce, and be with me.”

Peter’s eyes widened. He looked like he was going to be sick.

“Scott killed him, and I helped him cover it up.”

Lisa was spilling everything. It had been stewing inside her for so long, she just wanted to purge herself of the secrets and lies.

“Scott made the death look like an accident, like his partner had been hit by a car. Scott ran him down, and then we staged it to make it look like I had accidentally hit him. He was already dead, though. The police came and interviewed me, and at first they believed it was an accident. Eventually, they tried to arrest us, but they only caught him because I ran away and came here. That’s when I met you. God, I am so sorry, Peter. I love you so much, and now everything is coming apart.”

Peter didn’t move, his eyes fixed on the waves as his dream crashed on the beach.

“I meant to tell you, but it was never the right time. I was scared that you’d leave me. I couldn’t bear the thought of you not being in my life. I fell in love with you the night we met… You had me by the time we sat down for dinner.”

Peter turned to Jack. “And you’ve been hiding her down here? Doesn’t that break some moral code? Some sort of police oath?”

“I’ve made some mistakes in my life, Peter, but this isn’t one of them.”

“Seems like a pretty big one to me, Jack.”

Father Jon interrupted.

“Look, I’m certainly no expert on the criminal justice system, but listening to all that has been said here, I may have some ideas how to best proceed.”

“I’d like to hear it,” answered Lisa.

“First off, you must turn yourself in. That’s imperative and non-negotiable. If you don’t, I will go public with all this. It’s the right thing to do, and it has to be done. Period.”

Jack started to object, but Lisa stepped in.

“I want to hear the rest.”

Peter’s mind was reeling. Twenty minutes ago, he was planning his proposal. Now his life had been turned upside down.

Father Jon continued, “You turn yourself in, saying that you are tired of running and you feel the need to set things right. You don’t tell anyone where you’ve been, and you do not acknowledge that Jack is your father. There is nothing really that connects all those dots. You get yourself a top-notch attorney who can negotiate the best possible plea bargain. He stresses the fact that you were only an accomplice in this crime and that Scott was the sole mastermind behind the murder. He tells the court that you have a clean record and that you are truly sorry for your involvement in this horrible crime. He stresses to the court that you returned to Colorado voluntarily because you knew it was the right thing to do.”

Lisa turned to Jack. “Do you think this is possible?”

“Yeah, it could play out that way. But you never know how plea bargain deals might go. Sometimes the DA wants to play hardball, and that’s what concerns me. You’re a pretty good catch for him—one that he and the RCSO might want to play up to the media and the public. But they need to be careful, though, because having you back in custody wasn’t really due to anything they did. That could be an angle the media plays up. One wildcard in all this is Election Day is just a few days away. The RCSO will have a new sheriff—probably my boss Mick McCallister, and the DA is in a dogfight to keep his job. He may not even win re-election from what I hear, it’s too close to call.”

“I don’t know about the politics,” Father Jon said. “But I can’t allow you to wait. I’m sorry, Lisa, but you need to go back to Castle Springs right away.”

Peter held out his hand, bringing the discussion to a halt. “I’d like a few minutes alone with Natalie. Do you mind?”

“No, of course not,” answered Jack.

“Okay with you, Father?”

“Certainly.”

Peter silently guided her to the beach. They stopped short of the waves lapping on the shore and stood eye to eye.

Lisa had grown to love Peter deeply, but had no idea how he’d react. She ached at the pain she had caused him.

“Natalie… Can I call you that?”

“Of course.”

“You will always be Natalie to me, no matter what happens.”

“Okay, Peter.”

“I’m trying my best to process all this, but my God—I’m numb.”

“I know. So am I.”

“Not exactly the way I pictured this day ending,” Peter added, quietly touching the small box in his jacket pocket.

“I’m so sorry, Peter. I should have told you. I came so close so many times. I just couldn’t do it. I was so scared that you’d leave me.”

“You should have told me. If I had known all this it wouldn’t have changed anything between us. It just would have allowed me to prepare for if and when this day ever came.”

“So, what do you think I should do?”

“If our relationship isn’t built on trust and honesty, we have nothing. You need to do what’s right and live the truth. I can’t make you any promises, but I can say that I love you very much. But we can’t build a life on a lie. You should go. I can only hope that someday you’ll come back to me, and I hope I can be here for you.”

Natalie saw the pain in his face.

“Just know, I love you,” she said. “I always have. I’m so sorry.”

“I’m sorry, too. Now go.”

She turned and gazed at the moonlight reflecting off the water. Natalie stole a final glance at the man she loved and walked back up the beach to her father. Jack put his arm around his daughter and pulled her close.

Together they left Puerto Peñasco toward a new reckoning.

FORTY-SEVEN

L
isa did her best to hold her emotions in check, mostly staring straight ahead, sitting between the two men that helped her escape to Mexico. Now, the three were crammed into the cab of Frito’s truck, making their way north. She was leaving the place she thought of as her home and leaving behind the man she loved. She had no idea when or if she would ever return or if she would ever see Peter again. The pain of leaving him was raw, but Lisa’s resolve was strong. It was time to do the right thing for her father and for herself.

Frito dropped the pair at the airport in Tuscon where Jack picked up a rental car for the rest of the trip to Colorado. Jack drove the rest of the way, very careful not to draw the attention of the highway patrol. He had rehearsed a story about how he had tracked Lisa down in the event they were pulled over and she was recognized. He wouldn’t need the story, as they made long trip without a hitch.

The hotel was one of a dozen located just off Pena Boulevard near the Denver airport. Jack knew that hundreds of travelers went through the place each day, and the staff would be too busy to remember faces. Besides, they wouldn’t be needing much time.

After checking into the hotel and getting Lisa settled in the room, Jack returned the rental car to the airport and retrieved his pickup from the long term lot. He stopped off at a nearby strip mall for new burner phones and something to eat.

“Hope you’re hungry. I grabbed a pizza on the way back,” he said to Lisa upon his return.

She didn’t respond.

“I also got you another phone—one you should use for the attorney. If you pop open the soda, I’ll serve up the pizza. Then, when you’re ready you can make the call.”

“I’m scared,” Lisa said.

Jack hugged his daughter. He held her close, feeling her warm tears through his sleeve. “I know, sweetie, everything’s going to be okay.”

Danny Velasco was a far cry from the slick, well dressed, defense attorneys that smiled from billboards off the freeway. He was fifty pounds overweight, balding, and wore ill-fitting, off-the-rack suits. He was, however, a hell of a lawyer with a reputation for playing hardball with prosecutors and securing favorable deals for his clients. Jack Keller had seen Velasco work his magic on more than one occasion.

Divorced and the father of two grown children, work consumed his life. On this particular Friday night, he was sitting in his apartment watching a movie on cable and looking over a case file when his cell phone rang.

“
Danny Velasco.
”

“Mr. Velasco, my name is Lisa Sullivan, and I need an attorney. You were recommended to me.”

“Lisa Sullivan? I’m sorry, your name sounds familiar, but I can’t place it. Have we met?”

“No, we’ve never met, Mr. Velasco. The Rocklin County Sheriff is looking for me in connection with the George Lombard murder.”

Velasco certainly recalled the case that captivated Coloradans months earlier. He could still picture the woman RCSO had sought in connection with the investigation. He also remembered Branch Kramer’s bloody mouth.

“Right, of course. The Scott Lennox case. So, what can I do for you?”

“I want to turn myself in, and I need your help to do this. I want to stay out of prison, and I want Scott Lennox to pay for what he did.”

“I don’t do pro bono work. Can you pay?”

“Yes.”

“Can I ask who referred you?”

“I’d rather not say.”

“Where are you now?”

“I’m in a hotel near DIA.”

“Good. Do you have time right now to tell me about the case?’

“Yes, I can do that.”

“Okay, let’s start from the beginning. Tell me everything…”

Lisa carefully and methodically told Velasco the story, from the time she first met Scott to the trip back from Mexico. He told Lisa he needed to make a call and that he’d get back to her shortly. Lisa gave him the number to the new burner phone.

Velasco flipped through his contacts for Dave Baxter’s personal cell number. Generally, he dealt with assistant DAs, but this time, he’d go straight to the top.

“Baxter.”

“Dave, Danny Velasco.”

“Hey, Danny. Listen, I’m walking into a fundraiser right now,” he replied, irritated. “The election, you know?”

“I think you’ll want to hear me out on this one, Dave. I have a new client you may be interested in talking to—her name is Lisa Sullivan.”

“Hang on.”

Velasco suspected Baxter was finding a quiet place to talk. It was nearly a minute before he came back on the line.

“You’re in contact with Lisa Sullivan?”

“I am, and she may be willing to give up her boyfriend in the Lombard killing.”

“I have a campaign speech in twenty minutes, let me call you once I finish with it. If we can get something done quickly, I may be open to a deal.”

Of course he’s interested in a quick deal, Velasco thought. The election was four days away. He had the DA just where he wanted him.

Jack and Lisa were both startled by the buzz of the phone.

“Go ahead, let’s see what Danny has to say.”

Lisa put the call on speaker. “Hello?”

“It’s Danny Velasco. I talked with the DA. We’re going to negotiate a proffer hearing. Do you know what that is?”

“A proffer? No, I don’t know what that is,” she replied, turning to Jack.

He gave her a thumbs up.

Velasco continued, “That’s when the DA gives you immunity for a short period of time in order to hear your testimony in the case. Based on that testimony, the DA will either agree to a deal or not. Your testimony has to be completely truthful. Either way, you get to walk out the door when you finish the hearing. If we agree to a deal, then you’ll have to testify at trial. If we don’t, then you’re back to where you are now. There’s no real risk and you get to decide. That’s why they call it ‘Queen for a Day.’ Listen Lisa, this is what I do. I get clients good deals. Do you understand?”

“I think so.”

“So do you want to move forward?”

Lisa again looked to Jack for guidance. He nodded.

“Yes, I do.”

“I will do everything in my power to keep you out of prison. You stay put until you hear from me. It’ll probably be mid to late morning tomorrow before I call you again. Once things are in place, I will have one of my assistants come and pick you up and bring you to the DA’s office in Castle Springs. Sound okay?”

“Yes, that sounds good. Thank you for your help.” Lisa hung up and turned to Jack.

“Okay, the wheels are in motion. You gonna be okay?” he asked.

Lisa nodded, trying to contain her emotions.

“You want me to stay with you?”

“No, I’ve got to do this on my own. Besides, you’ve taken enough chances. I’ve got to stand on my own two feet now.”

“Okay, but call if you need me,” Jack told her.

“So, when will I see you again?” Lisa asked as Jack prepared to go.

“In all likelihood, tomorrow sometime. It sounds like this thing will happen fast, and typically they will have the lead investigator present for the proffer hearing. If I am there, you can’t let on.”

“I know. But having you there will help.”

They hugged tightly.

“It’s gonna be okay.”

“I know… I love you, Dad.”

The words caught him off guard. “I love you too, Lisa,” he whispered. “See you soon.”

Jack waited until he was down the hall before allowing the tears to fall. By the time he reached his truck, he was nearly sobbing. He couldn’t recall Lisa ever calling him “Dad” as a child, and he certainly never heard the words “I love you” from her before.

Inside the truck, Jack Keller struggled for the strength to turn the ignition. The emotions churned deep inside him, welling up until he could no longer hold them back.