Cold case deceit, p.19
Cold Case Deceit, page 19
Kelsey nodded.
“So, you’re telling me that you killed Myra.”
She started to sob. “I didn’t want to kill her, but I couldn’t just let her shoot Clara in the back. After I shot Myra, we made it look as if she and Clara had been kidnapped. Savage and I were cousins on my mama’s side. He had one of his boys get rid of Myra’s body and had another drive Clara to Atlanta. I knew my dad and his brother—Clara’s father—would help us. I waited a couple months before taking the bus to Virginia. After her wedding, Clara and I decided it was best not to see each other again.”
“So, you never spoke after that?”
“Only once,” Kelsey stated. “She called me in a panic to tell me that Miller knew she was alive. They were at a conference or something. She wanted to run away but I told her to talk to her husband. To tell him the truth. I was sure he loved her enough to protect her. I called her a couple days later. I never got an answer, so I drove to Charlotte and went by the house. I didn’t stop because I saw the police. I read in the newspaper that she’d been killed.”
“Miller is in custody for her murder,” Phillipa announced.
Kelsey nodded. “I had a feeling it was him. But you see... I couldn’t say anything to you without implicating myself.” She eyed Phillipa. “What happens to me now?”
“You will have to face charges in Miami. Tell them what happened.”
“I never set out to kill anyone. I just wanted my cousin and my friend to stop fighting. I never thought Myra would be angry enough to want Clara dead...”
“I understand,” Phillipa said. “But all this would’ve been easier to sort out if you’d just called the police after the shooting happened.”
“Maybe...maybe not,” Kelsey said.
“According to Miami PD, you had an alibi for that day,” Kyle stated. “Was it a lie?”
Kelsey nodded. “My mother lied to protect me. Savage had told her what happened. He told her that it was best that everyone says I’d been at home and never left the house.”
“The police will want to talk to your mother,” Phillipa said.
“She passed away this morning.” Kelsey’s voice broke again. “If she were still alive, I probably wouldn’t have come here. I didn’t want her to get into trouble.”
“It’s obvious you believe in protecting your family, Kelsey. But—”
She interrupted Phillipa by interjecting, “Please, no lectures...if I’d come forward sooner, Clara would still be alive. The way I see it, I killed her, too. And it’s time for me to accept the consequences of my actions. I suppose I’ll be held here until I’m returned to Miami.” She sighed. “I told my husband everything and he’s looking to hire an attorney to represent me.” A lone tear escaped her eye. “I’m grateful he plans to stand by me.”
Kelsey looked at Kyle. “You’re Jon’s brother, right?”
“I am,” he responded.
“Please tell him that Clara really was a good person. She never wanted to harm anybody. She loved Myra like a sister. We both did.”
Kyle gently replied, “Thank you for coming in and clearing this up for us.”
After Kelsey was taken to be processed and placed into a holding cell, Phillipa said, “I’ll call the detective at Miami PD.”
“She was the final piece of the puzzle,” he stated. “We finally have the whole story.”
“I wish we’d been able to hear it from Helena’s lips.”
Kyle nodded in agreement. “All I can say is this has been nothing but a huge circle of deceit.”
“At least we don’t have to tell Jon that his wife murdered her friend,” Phillipa responded.
“Thank goodness.”
“I guess we should head over to the house,” she said. “I’ll call and tell Jon to expect us within the hour.”
* * *
Kyle wasn’t exactly looking forward to this conversation with his brother. He was thankful that Kelsey had chosen to come forward. At least Jon would never have to tell his children that their mother had murdered someone.
He checked in on his team before meeting Phillipa for the drive to Jon’s house.
“Are you okay?” Phillipa asked when they were in the car.
“I keep thinking about the twins and what this is going to do to them,” Kyle responded. “Jon will eventually accept what Paula did, but the girls... They looked to her as a surrogate mom.”
She placed a hand on his arm. “They have your mother, Jon and you to help them through this.”
“Yeah, they do, but there’s nothing we can do to lessen the sting of betrayal they’ll no doubt experience.”
“Maybe Jon will consider counseling,” Phillipa said.
“I’m going to suggest it.” Kyle took her hand in his. “We’ll all get through this somehow.”
Phillipa smiled. “I know it. One thing I’ve learned about your family is that you’re stronger together. It’s what got you through the deaths of Helena and your father.”
“They also got me through our breakup,” he said.
“That’s now a part of our past.”
Kyle smiled. “Let’s keep it back there.”
“You won’t get an argument from me,” Phillipa responded.
His smile vanished when they turned into Jon’s neighborhood. “I’m glad the girls are in school.” He parked the car in the driveway. “I am not looking forward to this conversation.”
“I know,” Phillipa responded. “I’m not thrilled about it either.”
He sighed, then said, “Let’s get this over with.”
* * *
“What’s going on?” Jon asked when they entered the house. “Do you have any news on the case?”
“We do,” Phillipa answered.
They settled in the living room to talk.
Amelie moved around the couch and sat down beside her oldest son. She took Jon’s hand in her own. “Tell us...”
“We have a man in custody for the murder of Helena,” Phillipa said. “And a woman... Paula.”
“I knew it,” Amelie uttered. “I had a feeling that manipulative woman had something to do with Helena’s death.”
“I can’t believe it,” Jon said. “Paula. What was her part in my wife’s murder?”
“She conspired with a man named Miller Rowland to get rid of Helena. Paula wanted you for herself.”
Amelie eyed Phillipa. “That’s not the whole of it. What haven’t you told us?”
She glanced over at Kyle. Phillipa didn’t want to break Jon’s heart, but he deserved to know the truth. She took a deep breath, then released it slowly. “Paula convinced Miller that Helena killed his sister.”
Jon shook his head. “Noooo...there must be some mistake.”
“There is more... Helena was born Clara Davis and she was from Miami—not Atlanta like she led you to believe.” She paused then continued, “After her friend was killed, Helena left Miami and went to her father, who lived in Atlanta. He helped her create a new identity.”
“I can’t believe this,” Jon repeated over and over. “My Helena was honest... She loved the Lord... She was a good person.”
“Helena didn’t shoot her friend,” Phillipa announced. “Her cousin shot Myra Rowland to save Helena’s life. Kelsey came to see me earlier. She told us everything.”
Jon sat there shaking his head.
Amelie had been quiet until now. “Helena once asked me if I thought the good Lord really forgot all of our sins,” she said. “I told her that He did...” Amelie looked over at Jon. “Son, I believe Helena tried to be the best person she could be. She loved you dearly and she loved those girls. Helena was young and scared. She made a mistake, but I believe she learned from it and spent the rest of her life trying to make amends. I saw the good in her.”
“Helena didn’t have anything to do with her friend’s death,” Kyle stated. “Myra Rowland was actually the aggressor.”
Jon shook his head. “Then why did she run?”
“I believe she was scared,” Kyle said.
“But you don’t know for sure if she took part in her friend’s murder, do you?”
“Actually, we do,” Phillipa said. “Her cousin is the one who pulled the trigger in Myra Rowland’s death. We’re holding her until someone from Miami PD or the US Marshals transfers her back to Florida.”
Jon let out a shaky sigh. “How did Paula connect with this man—the one who killed my wife?”
“Shortly before you and Helena got married, Paula found a degree and high school transcripts belonging to Clara Davis. She did some research and found the newspaper articles about Myra and Clara being missing. She contacted the Rowland family.”
“So, all this time, Paula knew what happened but didn’t say a word. I let that woman come around my children...” Jon’s eyes glistened with a mixture of unshed tears and fiery anger. “What do I tell the girls? Paula is their godmother.”
“Not anymore,” Amelie interjected. “We won’t let her have any more contact with the girls. I told Helena that she was making a mistake by doing that, but she kept saying Paula was her friend.”
“We need to get back to the precinct,” Phillipa said. “Jon, feel free to call me if you have questions or just need to talk. I’m sorry things turned out this way, but at least now you have answers.”
Jon murmured a thank-you to both of them for delivering the news in person.
“One more thing,” Phillipa said. “We will need your permission to conduct a DNA test on Helena’s remains to prove that she is really Clara Davis.”
He nodded. “Send me the necessary paperwork.”
“I feel horrible,” she whispered when they got to the car. “Jon is devastated.”
“He’s in shock right now. I’m going to stay with him for a little while,” Kyle said.
“That’s a great idea. But first, if you’re not busy later tonight, can you come by the house?” she asked. “I’d like to talk to you.”
“Sure.”
When Phillipa returned to the precinct, she took a deep intake of breath and exhaled slowly. She was glad that part was over. It was never easy making notifications or updates on cases like this.
She sat down at her desk to finalize the complete investigation summary of Helena’s case. Phillipa schedule a meeting with the assigned prosecutor to turn over the murder book and respond to any additional questions that may come up during the preparation for the Grand Jury.
At the end of the workday, Phillipa checked to see if Kyle was in his office. She found him at his desk staring at the computer monitor.
Phillipa knocked softly on the open door. “Hey, I thought you were going to call it a day.”
He gave her a tiny smile. “I thought about it but changed my mind. It’s better if I keep busy.”
“Are you planning to be here much longer?”
“For another hour,” Kyle responded. “Are you heading out?”
“I am.”
“If you’re not too tired, would you mind still coming to the house later?” Phillipa asked. “My timing probably sucks but I’m hoping we can talk. I’d rather not put it off any longer.”
“Is it okay if I come around seven-thirty?”
“Yes, that’s perfect. I’ll see you then.”
Phillipa hoped that the conversation later would lift Kyle’s spirits some. The shadows across her heart had dissipated. She was finally ready to admit her feelings to him. She’d always known that Kyle was the only man for her.
But she had one more thing to do before she talked to him. Sitting in the SUV, Phillipa pulled out her cell phone.
When the person on the other end answered, she said, “Gary, it’s me. Are you busy?”
“Is everything okay?” he asked. “Is something wrong with Raya?”
“No, she’s fine. There’s nothing wrong,” she assured him. “I just wanted to talk to you.”
There was a slight pause before he asked, “About what?”
“First, I wanted to say congratulations on your upcoming marriage. I’m very happy for you.”
“Thank you,” he said, “but I’m sure that’s not the real reason for this call.”
“No, it isn’t,” Phillipa said. She paused a heartbeat before saying, “Gary, I’m calling because I want to say that I’m really sorry for the hurt I caused you. You were a good husband and father. You certainly deserved better than what I gave you.”
“I know you didn’t set out to intentionally hurt me. I should’ve realized that you hadn’t gotten over your own heartbreak. I guess I just thought my love could heal you, and I was wrong.”
“We were both wrong,” Phillipa said. “I thought the same thing.”
“Have you seen him?”
“Yes.”
“Have you picked up where you left off?”
“Not really. We’re starting from scratch, so to speak.”
“How is Raya doing?”
“She’s adjusting well.” Phillipa hesitated as she searched for the right words, then said, “She had been hoping we’d get back together. That’s why she was so upset. She also worried that you won’t be the same after you get married.”
He sighed. “She and Francine were getting along well until I told her about the engagement.”
“Maybe it’s out of some fierce loyalty to me. I explained that Francine will be one more person to love her.”
“How is she dealing with you seeing someone?”
“I think she’s adjusting now that she knows you and I won’t ever get back together. Gary, would you consider coming to Charlotte? You and Francine?”
“Sure, if you think it would help.”
“I think if we present a united front, Raya will feel better about your marriage and my relationship with Kyle. She likes him, but if things between him and I progress... I’m not sure how she’ll respond.”
“We’ll fly in this weekend.”
“Great,” Phillipa said. “See you then.”
She released a sigh of contentment. She’d found a way to lay the past to rest. Now it was time for her to look toward the future—a future with Kyle.
* * *
Kyle wasn’t sure what to expect, but he chose to remain hopeful that night as he pulled up to Phillipa’s parents’ house. He got out of the car and walked to the front door.
Phillipa opened it and stepped aside. “Thanks for coming.”
They sat down in the living room.
“The reason I wanted to speak with you is because I need to apologize.”
“For what?” Kyle asked with a frown.
“I was wrong to blame you for the breakdown of my marriage. I never should’ve gotten married when I knew I wasn’t over you. It wasn’t fair to Gary. When things started to go south—it was just easier to blame you. I didn’t want to accept my part in any of this. Seeing Miller and all that anger... I realized that I was just like him—walking around sowing seeds of anger and refusing to forgive. Kyle, I’m so sorry.”
“There are so many things I wished I’d done differently—like go out to California to convince you to marry me.”
“You once asked me if I still had any feelings for you... The answer is yes. Kyle, I never once stopped loving you. Don’t get me wrong—I didn’t want to love you. I fought it with every fiber of my being.”
“Same here,” he responded with a chuckle.
“I hope you can forgive me.”
Pulling her close to him, Kyle whispered, “Yes, I can.”
* * *
Keep reading for an excerpt from A Cowboy’s Justice by Lisa Childs.
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A Cowboy’s Justice
by Lisa Childs
Chapter One
The sound of the hooves pounding against the ground echoed the pounding of Ryder Lewis’s heart inside his chest. He gripped the reins tighter in his gloved hands as he urged his mount faster across the snowcapped hills and through the valleys of the expansive campus toward the entrance of the private college.
She was coming back.
Maybe now he would finally get the justice he’d sought, with no success, for the past decade. Justice had eluded him because of her. Because she was the key...
Maybe now he would finally convince her to tell the truth, to admit to what really happened that night so long ago. But he had to be patient, like he’d been all these years. He couldn’t push it; he couldn’t push her. So he eased back on the reins and slowed the horse. He needed to draw up, turn around and ride Sable back to the stable. He couldn’t meet her car and confront her like he wanted.
He had to wait until their paths crossed naturally. And he would make sure they crossed. He’d worked too hard to track her down, and then to get her back here, to lose her again. With as long as he’d already waited for justice, it was excruciating to continue to bide his time until he had the chance to get the truth out of her and get her to admit it to the authorities.
That she’d lied.
That she had aided and abetted a killer...and for all these years that killer had gone free. And no justice had been served for the murder committed ten years ago on this campus, for the brutal murder of his younger sister...
* * *
Kristy Kendall found her foot lifting up from the accelerator the closer she got to the gates of the private college in northern Michigan. She had vowed never to come back here. At least not while awake.
