Total pages in book: 134
Estimated words: 123825 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 619(@200wpm)___ 495(@250wpm)___ 413(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 123825 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 619(@200wpm)___ 495(@250wpm)___ 413(@300wpm)
“It was a great day for me as well. I’m going to keep doing everything in my power to keep him locked away, I assure you. I’ve worked with the criminal division extensively, and I feel confident you’ll be assigned an attorney soon,” he said, which wasn’t necessarily the truth, but he sure hoped it worked out like that. Alec opened a much more condensed version of the packet of information Janice had supplied him with yesterday. “I’ve stumbled on something that I need clarification on. That’s why I asked if you could stop by.”
“I’ve told y’all everything I know,” she started. He could see the anxiety building and interrupted her by lifting a hand to stop her flat denial.
“I know, but we’ve found something from an old police report. Something your daughter told a police officer almost three years ago about the Disciples of Havoc Motorcycle Club,” Alec explained, reaching for the report inside the folder. “I’m wondering if you remember anything about Donald’s time with the club.”
“Oh no, they’re a real gang,” she said immediately, insistently nodding with all her certainty. “Donald always bragged that they were a gang. He liked things a little rough, but when he met one of their members, everything changed for the worse. He became obsessed with them and my daughter changed too. She’d follow him over to their parties. They’re no joke.”
“Talk more about how things changed after he got involved with Havoc,” Alec asked, dread coiling in his gut as he picked up his pen, prepared to take notes.
“My daughter would complain that Donald started staying out all hours of the night. When he did come home, he was drunk and high. All he could talk about was earning his jacket—I think that’s what he called it. Soon after that, my daughter started joining him and hanging out up there all the time. That became their whole world. The robberies started because Donald couldn’t make ends meet and stay at the club all the time, so he started stealing, and my daughter was right there with him. I sure hate to say that,” Rosa said, her shame-filled gaze lowering in what Alec suspected was embarrassment.
Alec gave her the second she needed as he scribbled unneeded words on to the blank pad of paper inside his portfolio. Her clear memory about the club was exactly the concern Alec had. The small ray of hope Alec had that the police report would go unsubstantiated by a third party died a dismal death with Rosa’s instant and detailed recall of the events. Donald would in fact be of great value to the DA if his connections were discovered. He paled, thinking about the chaos Donald would bring to Rosa and Keely if he had a get-out-of-jail-free card, and free rein at doing whatever to help DA Twiford infiltrate the club.
“Have you heard anything from your daughter?” Alec asked. Keely’s mother had skipped bail months ago.
“Nothing. She knows better than to call me,” Rosa said sternly.
Maybe as much as a minute later, he pulled a picture of Key’s father out of the file folder and slid it across the small table toward Rosa. “Did you ever see this man with Donald?”
“No, I never saw any of ’em. They scared me,” she said, looking over the photo and shaking her head. She pushed back in her seat as if the picture were evil in its own right. “This isn’t going to jeopardize Keely, is it?”
“No, not at all. I made sure of that yesterday,” Alec said, knowing even with losing parental rights and Rosa having full custody, there would be little hope for either of them if Twiford found this information and freed Donald. Back on the streets, he’d have ample opportunity to terrorize his daughter. Alec forced a reassuring smile while tucking the photo back inside the folder. Her anxiety didn’t leave her face, and he feared his poker face might be showing some cracks, exposing his increasing tension.
“Why did you ask all this if it’s not important?”
“I’m combing through everything, Mrs. Daly. This won’t be the only question that arises as we get through this process. I need you to be honest with me, and I’ll always be honest with you. If I see any new developments, I assure you that you’ll be the first to know,” Alec said, getting to his feet.
He managed a small, hopefully reassuring smile, and she seemed to take it at face value. She gave one back to him. That wasn’t necessarily a lie, but what was becoming increasingly more concerning was Alec wasn’t finding his way out of this job. He would have to stay to watch this case. These two needed him…and so did Key. What could Donald expose about the Disciples, and how would that affect Key? Damn.