Dare to Trust (22 page)

“Thank you, Captain.” Jason had a sorry look on his face as he glanced at Mia. “Let’s go,” he told her. Without another word, they made their way outside to the car.

“Are you going to tell me what was in the envelope?” Mia finally asked as the car pulled out of the driveway.

For several moments, Jason was silent. Finally, he answered her question. “My partner is framing me.”

“Do you want to elaborate?” Mia was confused.

“No.” He shook his head. “I need to figure this out first.” Mia knew that he wasn’t going to tell her anything more.

The ride back to Maine was quiet and strained. Mia looked out the window for the majority of the trip, gazing at the passing landscape. Every once in a while, she would glance over at Jason. He was clearly lost in thought, muscles tensed. His eyes were sharp and angry. Mia left him alone.

XVI.

The cottage had been searched again while Mia and Jason had been in Boston. Jannifer’s death had been ruled a homicide and the investigators were confident traces of the arsenic that had killed her would be found there. They had been wrong. But the search hadn’t been as neat as the first one. Items were left out of place and scattered and disorganized about the rooms. Jason was getting alarmingly comfortable with such invasions but Mia was visibly upset.

“I’m sorry, baby,” Jason told her as he picked up books that had been thrown and left on the floor. “I’ll pick up. Why don’t you take a hot bath? Relax a little bit.” He wished there was a way to leave Mia out of this nightmare. He was failing miserably at protecting her from all of this. Coming back to a ransacked cottage after the police searched it yet again, was the last thing Jason had wanted to face. Especially after the he had been side swiped by the revelations concerning his partner. 

“I guess I will,” she sighed. As she looked around and saw the disorder of her things, she could feel herself becoming more anxious.

Once she was soaking in the claw foot tub, Jason brought her a drink. “Want anything else?” he asked as he sat on the edge of the tub. “I can wash your back for you,” he offered with a rare grin, trying to lighten the mood.

“No,” Mia told him. “I’m just gonna soak until the water gets cold.”

“Okay. I’ll finish cleaning up.” He left a soft kiss on her forehead and closed the bathroom door.

As he picked up the mess the search had left behind, Jason noticed his one of his mother’s bags. Allegedly, the police had taken all of her things as evidence but they had missed this. He unzipped the Louis Vuitton bag and glanced inside. A couple magazines, a lipstick, tissues and half-empty bottled water. Jason knew that the source of the arsenic had yet to be found---could there be anything in the water?

Jason headed back into the bathroom. “Mia, I’ve got to go out for a little bit.”

“What?’ She had just gotten out of the tub and was drying off. “What’s wrong?”

“I need to talk to Lt. Ross.”

“Did he call you? Does your lawyer know?”

Jason shook his head. “No. I want to talk with him, without my lawyer.”

Mia felt panic creep into her chest. What was he doing? “Are you sure that’s a good idea? Last time, you ended up in jail.” Her voice was shaky.

“I need to prove to him I’m innocent,” Jason told her as he kissed her. “Try not to worry. I think it’s all starting to make sense.”

“What is making sense? Jason, please tell me what is going on.”

“I’ll be back soon.”

***

Lt. Ross was shocked to see Jason Howard waiting in his office. When he had been called and told the murder suspect wanted to speak with him, sans lawyer, Ross had figured it had to be some sort of joke. He couldn’t be that lucky. Apparently, he should be playing the lottery.

Jason watched as Ross sauntered into his office and sat behind his desk. “I wanted to assure you that I was back within the forty-eight hours,” Jason started.

“Does your lawyer know you’re here?” the lieutenant asked.

“No. And I don’t want him to know.”

Ross glared at the detective sitting in front of him, cocking an eye. “Are you playing some game, Howard? I don’t have time for games.”

“Your search of the cottage missed this.” Jason produced his mother’s bag and set it on Ross’ desk. “It was my mother’s. You’ll find my fingerprints on the outside but not inside. I think you should fingerprint the water bottle inside and test it for arsenic.”

Ross peered inside. “Why do you think there’s arsenic in the water?”

Jason made sure to look the lieutenant in the eyes. “I didn’t do what you’re trying to get me for. I am trying to clear my name. I know you’d do the same. Humor my theory and test the bottle.” Jason stood. “I’m sure you’ll be in touch.”

Once Jason had left, Ross grabbed the file on Jannifer’s death. He flipped through photos of the cottage hours after she had died. The bag was in the photos---how had the officers missed it when they had executed the search warrant? Ross picked up the phone on his desk to forewarn the lab of the new evidence he was about to deliver to them.

The next morning, Lieutenant Ross knocked on the door of the cottage. When Mia answered the door, she immediately thought he was there to bring Jason back to jail. “May I come in?” Ross asked, recognizing the look of panic crossing her face. “I’m here to see Detective Howard.”

Mia slowly moved away from the front door and let him in. “He’s in the kitchen,” she told him, her eyes following Ross as he passed through the living room to the kitchen.

“Good Morning Detective Howard,” Ross started. “I wanted to tell you about the preliminary lab results on that water bottle you brought by my office.”

Jason looked up from the kitchen table where he was having his coffee almost hoping to hear that his theory was wrong. “And you came here to tell me?”

Ross smiled slightly. “I’m starting to think that maybe someone would be happy seeing you take the wrap for all the happenings around here, even though you might not have done any of it.”

“I’m listening,” Jason said.

“That water bottle had arsenic in it. And two sets of finger prints; your mother’s and Keith Grimes.”

Jason let out a breath and looked down at the table. “Shit,” he muttered. First the information he had read from the papers from the envelope and now finger prints on the tainted bottle. “There’s something you should see.” Jason got up, disappeared for a moment and returned with the manila envelope he had received from Saunders yesterday. He slid it across the table to Lt. Ross. “I just found out some interesting things about my partner yesterday.”

The lieutenant skimmed through the pages. He quickly learned that Grimes’ real name was Michael Keith Grimes, and the unhappy story of what had happened to him and his little sister, Caroline. Ross didn’t miss the link between Grimes and Jason’s father, Judge Stewart Howard. “You didn’t know any of this about your partner, Grimes?”

“No.”

“It seems like he might have reason to be behind this. But there’s still some dots to be connected.” Lt. Ross stood. “I am guessing you’re going to be doing some more digging.”

“I am,” Jason confirmed.

“So you tell me if you need any help. Have a good day, Detective Howard.” Ross walked towards the door.

***

Michael was frustrated. Why the hell hadn’t Howard been re-arrested and charged with his mother’s murder? Shouldn’t it have been seen more than a coincidence that he was bailed out of jail and on the same day, his mother was poisoned in the same manner as the others?

He began to pace, trying to collect his thoughts and decide what to do next. He started to pray, asking God what he should do next. Jason wasn’t a bad guy, he thought, but obviously had the Howard DNA. So, there was no alternative but make him pay for what his father had done. It had been hard to hold any sort of grudge of hatred towards Jason until he had knocked up his girlfriend doctor. They shouldn’t have been living in sin!

Michael and his wife had been trying to get pregnant for over a year. They were in a loving, committed relationship. And Jason? He lived in sin, outside the bonds of marriage with his girlfriend. She had accidently gotten pregnant. Well, it served them right that she lost it, right? Michael had secretly enjoyed watching how the miscarriage took a toll on Howard and then how it seemed to tear his relationship with the doctor apart.

When he had learned of the miscarriage that was when Michael knew it had been a sign from God. Time to act! And as he thought things over, he realized Mia was the key. If anything happened to her, Jason would suffer immensely. Maybe his fancy lawyer would get him off the hook for the arsenic poisonings, just maybe, but he wouldn’t care if something happened to Mia.

XVII.

“Are you going to tell me what’s going on?” Mia sat next to Jason at the kitchen table. The lieutenant had left almost a half hour ago and Jason was still sitting, lost in deep thought.

“I gave Ross a water bottle my mother drank from. It had arsenic in it. And Grimes’ fingerprints on it.” A cold, angry look skimmed across his face. Jason was still trying to digest that there was a possibility that his partner hated him. Had it out for him. After working together, having each other’s backs for over three years, how could that be?

“And?” Mia gently touched his knee. She could sense the storm of emotions going on inside him.

“Points to him poisoning her,” Jason spat out. He stared blankly at the kitchen wall.

She hadn’t been prepared for that answer. Not in a million years. “What? Are you sure?”

“Turns out he has a past. One he never bothered to mention to me.” Jason unconsciously banged his hand into the table and immediately regretted it when pain shot through his broken limb. “I can’t wait to get rid of that,” he muttered, referring to the splint.

Mia clutched his hand gently between both of hers. “What are you going to do?”

“I need to talk to him.” Jason sighed, letting his weight rest against the back of the chair. “There’s got to be a better explanation.”

Mia stood and hugged her body to Jason’s reclining frame. “I’m sorry,” she whispered into his shoulder. He draped his arms around her, feeling fortunate he had her.

***

“I need you to meet me,” Jason told his partner. He had called Grimes, deciding he was just going to ask Keith about the information the captain had passed along. There had to be an explanation. He and Grimes had been through too much together. No way could Grimes be responsible for setting him up or killing his mother. It was crazy!

“I’m kind’a busy, Jason. What’s so important?” Grimes smiled into the phone, noting the distress in his partner’s voice.

Jason let out a loud, frustrated sigh. “What the hell is your real name?” he demanded.

“What? My name?”

“It’s Michael, isn’t it?”

“What the hell is wrong with you Howard?” God, toying with Jason was more fun than he thought it would be.

“Your
real name
is Michael Keith Grimes, isn’t it?”

“So what?” Grimes asked. “I go by my middle name.” Took you long enough, Howard, he thought.

Jason let out a frustrated breath. “We need to talk, Keith. You need to tell me what is going on.”

Grimes let out a taunting laugh. “You’re not making a lot of sense, buddy. Been drinking?”

“Dammit, Keith!” Jason realized he was yelling. “What game are you playing? I know about you and your sister, that my father denied your petition. Are you trying to get back at me for what my father did?” Grimes said nothing. “You campaigned hard to become my partner three years ago. Why Keith?”

“You’re a good detective. I wanted to learn from the best.” There was heavy sarcasm laced in his tone.

Jason wasn’t deterred. “Every move I made in the police department, you followed suit. You stalked me until you were my partner.”

“So you’ve got it all figured out, Howard. Just like you always do. Congratulations.”

The realization hit Jason like a brick. “You did poison my mother,” he stated into his cell. “And poisoned all those people. You set me up but
you
really did it.” Although the evidence had pointed in that direction, until this moment, Jason hadn’t been able to believe Grimes could have been responsible. Not the Grimes he had partnered with for over three years. Not his best friend.

Grimes gave a chuckle. “Hopefully you can figure out my next move before it’s too late. It would be a shame for anything to happen to that pretty woman of yours.” The phone line was disconnected.

“Shit,” Jason muttered. He unconsciously shivered, confident Grimes would make good on this veiled threat against Mia. What was Grimes planning?

After Grimes hung up, Jason dialed his captain’s private cell number. “Saunders,” his captain barked into the phone.

“Captain, its Howard.”

“You shouldn’t be calling me.”

Jason ignored the comment, knowing it was true. If anyone in the department found out Saunders was communicating with him, his captain would be in hot water. But Jason was desperate. “Where is Grimes? He all but confessed to me that he is behind setting me up.”

Saunders was quiet for a moment. “He just took some time off. Said he needed to get some personal things in order.” He sighed. “I originally nixed the request but he threatened to bring the union into the mix---so he got his time off.”