Murder Deja Vu

Before everything faded away.

Chapter Forty-Six
Too Late

    C larence skidded to a stop as the ambulance shot away from Daughtry Custom Homes, siren wailing. The sick feeling churning in his stomach now blossomed into a full-scale active volcano. He double-parked and bolted from his car to approach the first cop he saw. Identifying himself, he asked what happened.
    “You need to talk to the man in charge.” The cop pointed. “Over there. Sergeant Zane.”
    Zane stood on the other side of the cordoned-off entrance where a couple of uniforms stood sentry. “I can’t go in there,” Clarence said. “Would you mind getting him for me?”
    The cop grimaced, but he sauntered to Zane and spoke a few words, pointing at Clarence. Zane slipped under the crime scene tape and approached. Clarence identified himself again.
    “The victim’s your client, Reece Daughtry. His brother shot him in self-defense, what I heard.”
    Clarence feared the answer to his next question. “How bad is he hurt?”
    “Don’t know. He was unconscious. The paramedics put him on an IV and stabilized him, but you can never tell with chest wounds.”
    “Where’d they take him?”
    “Mercy,” Zane responded. “I’d hurry if I were you.”
    Clarence speed-walked backwards toward his car. “Did Reece have a gun?”
    “Don’t know. A detective’s in there now. Better move on before I get my ass chewed for talking to you.”
    “Mercy, you say?”
    “Yeah, get on Congress—”
    Clarence noticed two suits exiting the building, but he wanted to get to the hospital. “I’ll find it.” As he sprinted to his car, Clarence knew one thing. Reece wouldn’t go into Carl’s office with a gun, which meant Carl had one. Did Reece struggle for the gun, or did Carl shoot him in cold blood?
    He should have figured this out sooner. Gotten here sooner. Kicking himself wouldn’t get him anywhere. There’d be plenty of time for second-guessing later.

Chapter Forty-Seven
Sprung from the Hoosegow

    T he Lynn police put Dana in an interrogation room. When they took her from the apartment, she heard Frank yell not to say another word and that he’d call someone. He didn’t mention names. Dana knew he’d call Clarence, who would call Jeraldine. The only thing she said while the detective asked her questions about Reece was that she wanted a lawyer. They threatened to arrest her, but they didn’t. She checked her watch. Two hours. An officer came into the room and Dana heard Jeraldine’s voice when the door opened. It had to be one of the sweetest sounds she’d ever heard.
    “Your lawyer’s here,” the officer said.
    “Mrs. Minette is going to sue you for false arrest,” Dana heard Jeraldine say.
    “Don’t get your panties in a wad. We never arrested her.” He motioned Dana to follow. “We just wanted to ask her a couple of questions.” He stepped aside. “Here she is, all nice and pretty.”
    “Pretty? F—”
    Jeraldine let the F sound fade but Dana saw the struggle. If she weren’t in jail in a strange city, she might find the humor.
    The attorney took Dana’s arm. “Come on, honey.” She sniffed at the cop as they passed, then whispered to Dana, “Boy, I wanted to let them have it, but for once I kept my mouth shut. I want to get you out of here.” Jeraldine looked at the cop and spoke so he could hear. “They had no reason to bring you here in the first place.”
    The cop sniffed back at her.
    They got outside and Jeraldine said, “You stuck up for your rights, honey. Frank told me what you said. You were perfect. Without Reece there, you were a visitor in a friend’s house. End of story.”
    “You mean they bought that?”
    “They didn’t buy shit, Dana, but they still didn’t have proof to hold you, and they knew it. That sweet-talking runner of Vance’s swore the clothes were his, and they were the right size. Good thing. Let’s get the hell out of here.”
    “Have you heard anything from Reece?”
    “No. He must have his phone off because Clarence couldn’t reach him. All I know is he’s on his way to Portland. Probably there by now.” They walked outside to the car and Jeraldine clicked the remote. Dana slid into the passenger side, and they pulled out of the police parking lot and into traffic. “Clarence has eliminated everyone but one person: Reece’s brother.”
    Dana thought she heard wrong. “Carl? But why?”
    “We don’t know why yet, honey. There must have been some bad blood Reece didn’t