The Season of Sin (Peace In The Storm Publishing Presents) (14 page)

“But you haven’t heard it all yet, Bruce. Surely you don’t wanna miss this.”

“If you think you’re gonna trap me, you’re wrong.”

“I know you’re lying about seeing Shannon.  She was at Swag’s on the fifth and I know she was with you.”

Bruce’s palm grew sweaty against the doorknob.  “Who’s been lying on me
now
huh?”

“Can we talk like men huh? Can we cut the bullshit? See I think you killed Shannon and Dr. Hollister.”

“Oh you do?”

“You lied about being in town the night Nadia was killed.”

“So what Antwan says is the truth and everything I say is a lie right?”

“You can call a lawyer now if you want.” Jayce sat back. “I’ll wait. But if you’re so innocent then why don’t you take the polygraph?”

“Because I’m telling the truth and I don’t need to prove shit to you.”

“Well let’s see if you feel that way after I tell you this.” Jayce raised the folder. “We found blood on Shannon’s clothes that wasn’t Shannon’s.  It was yours.”

“Stick whatever’s in that folder up your ass. I’m outta here.”

“Not so fast.” Jayce pulled him back inside.

“Get the fuck off me! If you weren’t a cop your ass would be on that floor.”

“Can’t handle the truth?”

“It’s not the truth! My blood wasn’t on Shannon because I never saw her!”

“It’s right here if you wanna read it.” Jayce shook the folder. “We matched the DNA, Bruce. Did you forget we have that on file from when you were in prison?” 

 He gripped Jayce’s shirt. “You’re trying to set me up.”

 “Get your hands off me.”

 “I didn’t kill anybody. I don’t care what you got in that folder it’s a lie.”

Jayce tossed him the folder. “It speaks for itself.”

“Damn you slow, girl.” Swaggert limped through the hallway at the police station.
The shapely brunette trotted behind. Her briefcase swung back and forth in step with her pace.

Swaggert swung his arm. “Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck!  What else is the boy gonna do next,
what
?”

They turned at the corner stairwell.  A small gathering of people sat outside the interrogation room.

 “Ahh shit.” Swaggert shook his head.

The people broke from their conversations.

“What? You know these people?” The brunette asked.

“Hell I wish I didn’t.”

Brianna, Steven and Zoë sat on the bench by the door.  Dylan stood beside Nick. Jasmine looked up from her
Better Homes and Garden
magazine.

“Well what the hell y’all lookin’ at?” Swaggert dug in his butt. “I ain’t studdin’ none of ya’. Where’s Matthews so we can get this shit over with?”

“He’s talking to Bruce,” Steven said.

Dylan checked out the brunette. “Oh god Aunt Jas they called an attorney. They’re gonna arrest him.”

“Good.” Jasmine turned through the magazine.

“I should’ve kept my mouth shut.”

“What do you mean you shudda kept yo’ mouth shut?” Swaggert hobbled up to Dylan. “What’cha do, girl?”

“Nothing.”

“Nothing my ass.”

“Get away from my niece, Swaggert.” Jasmine moved from the window.  “Can you just act like a human for once? I know it’s hard but give it a try.”

“Oh go dust off your cunt.”

“Hey watch your mouth Mr. Swaggert,” Steven said.  “You don’t talk like that in front of ladies.”

“I don’t see no ladies around here.”

“Oh!” Jasmine threw the magazine down. “Swaggert you are the rudest and nastiest person I’ve ever met!”

“Get off my jock, lady.  This ain’t about me but yo’ stupid niece.”  Bruce was doin’ fine befo’ her.”

“Ha that’s a laugh! Bruce was a loser before he met Dylan and he’s a bigger loser now!”

“Stop it, Aunt Jas.”

“And he should bend down and kiss the ground for her even looking at him twice!”

“Hey cut it out.” Steven stood between them.

Swaggert reached over Steven’s shoulder. “Better for him to kiss the flo’ then yo’ niece’s ass!”

“Oh!” Jasmine swung fists.

“Why you here anyway?” Swaggert swung his hand in Dylan’s face. “You already broke the man’s heart. I can’t understand the shit he puts himself through for you. Ha. I hope your pussy was worth it because the package it’s carried in sure ain’t.”

“Hey!” Nick shoved Swaggert. “Watch your mouth.”

Swaggert hid behind the brunette.

“Everyone stop it!” Brianna ordered. “Remember where you are!”

“Please everyone!” The brunette whistled. 

Everyone froze. 

“Please this isn’t helping. Can we please keep this professional?”

“Tell that to him!” Jasmine kicked at Swaggert. “You old half-dead, wrinkled up crow!”

Zoë held her back. “Stop it, Jas!”

Swaggert spit into a tissue. “I don’t care if none of ya’ don’t like me, lady. It don’t make a damn difference to me. I’m telling the truth and you know it.  Your niece is the reason he’s in this mess. Guess she won’t stop ruining Bruce’s life until he’s dead.”

“I cared about Bruce.  I loved him very much.”

“Bullshit.” Swaggert leapt in Dylan’s face. “You sold him out you little brat.”

“Oooh!” Jasmine fought Zoë’s hold. “Nobody talks about my niece like that, Swaggert!  Nobody!”

“Yeah? You should have taught your niece to keep her legs closed and her mouth shut!”

“You bastard!” Jasmine reached for him.

Nick caught her. “Stop it! He’s not worth it!”

“Get away from me, Nick.” She tussled.  “I’m gonna rip out his throat! We’re already at the police station so they can lock me up after I kill him!”

Steven jumped in between everyone. “Stop it!”

Jayce popped out. “Hey! What the hell is going on out here? This is a police station not the damn street!  Act like you got some home training.”

Jasmine raised a fist at Swaggert.  “He’s gonna have a busted lip in about a second.”

“Calm down, Aunt Jas.  I don’t care what Mr. Swaggert says or thinks about me and my relationship with Bruce is none of his business.”

“Mr. Swaggert, I assume this is McNamara’s attorney,” Jayce said.

The doe-eyed brunette nodded.  “I’m Annabelle Fontaine. You’re Detective Matthews I presume?”

“Yes.”

“May I speak with Mr. McNamara?”

“Let her, Matthews.” Swaggert spit into his tissue.  “No tellin’ what you try’na do in there.”

Jayce laid his hand on his chest. “Why Swaggert are you accusing me of trying to muddy the waters?  I don’t work like that. I’ve been telling Bruce what we know. He’s smart enough that he hasn’t said much of anything.” Jayce bowed to Annabelle.  “So counselor you should be happy about that.”

“Thank you, Detective.”  Annabelle went inside the room.

Swaggert bucked up behind her.

Jayce stood at the door. “Hey where are you going?”

“I’m paying for her, I’m going in there.” Swaggert slammed the door behind him.

“She sure is young-looking to be a lawyer,” Nick said.

Jasmine fanned her hands. “The more inexperienced the better.”

“What’s going on, Detective Matthews?” Dylan asked. “Is Bruce gonna be all right?”

“I know you’re concerned but what happens to Bruce is really none of your business. I thought you believed he had something to do with the murders.”

“I didn’t say for
sure
. I just said it wasn’t adding up.”

“What about him lying about not being in town when your mother was killed? What about him lying about seeing Shannon at the garage before her death? You can overlook that?”

“Please just tell me if he’s okay. He must feel so alone.”

“He’s upset,” Jayce said. “I think he realizes how much trouble he’s in.”

“I betrayed him. I was always the one Bruce could count on. I told him I’d always believe in him and I didn’t.”

Jasmine fanned with her magazine. “I’m at a loss for words.”

“Since when?” Steven whispered.

Brianna and Nick grinned.

“If Bruce is innocent and if I’ve ruined things for him, I’ll never forgive myself.” Dylan sat beside Zoë. “Not in a hundred years.”

Jayce walked to the bench.  “I doubt you’ll be so understanding once you hear what else we found out about Bruce.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

“You gotta tell me the truth if I’m to help you, Bruce.” Annabelle pulled out a small recorder. “You gotta be honest with me.”

“I am. I didn’t see Shannon before she disappeared.”

“We both know that’s not true. I’m on your side don’t you understand that? Come on.”

“Fuck.” He kicked the chair when he got up. “What the hell does everyone want from me? I can’t go back to prison for something I didn’t do. If I’m supposed to trust you then I gotta know in my heart that you believe me.”

“I believe you.”

“Don’t play with me.”

“I’m not. I honestly don’t think you did it.”

He squinted. “Why?”

“I just don’t. But Matthews has some damn good evidence on you.  It didn’t just drop out of the sky.  I need you to admit what happened. Tell me the truth no matter how horrible you think it is.”

“Okay I did see Shannon the night of Nadia’s funeral.” He walked around the table.

“How was she acting?”

“She was a complete mess. She was screaming my name. She had this bottle of Jim Beam and she dropped it at the door. She was so drunk it was amazing she could stand up let alone drive all the way to the garage.  She accused me of killing Nadia and I told her to get out. She started ranting and raving and took out the gun. She told me she’d shoot me unless I called the police and turned myself in for killing Nadia.”

Annabelle stooped over the back of her chair.  “Did you get angry?”

“I admit Shannon had a way of pushing my buttons like you wouldn’t believe. And she always loved to do it too.”

“Well what happened after she told you to call the police?”

“I told her to fuck off and I grabbed the gun. She ran out the garage.” He walked to the other side of the room. “I swear I just wanted to talk but she wouldn’t listen. She hid from me. I caught her when she tried to leave. I grabbed her when she got to her truck and dragged her back to the garage. I swear I wasn’t gonna hurt her.”

“Did you still have the gun?”

“Yes but I dropped it when she kicked me.”

“Why didn’t you just let her leave?”

“I panicked. I didn’t want her going to the police because I knew I’d lied.”

“About being in town when Nadia was killed?”

“Yeah and they already had an eye on me. I just wanted to talk to her that’s all. I also didn’t want her going off as drunk as she was. She could’ve killed someone.”

“So you were concerned?”

“Yes. I’m not the animal everyone says I am. Fuck me for being scared and confused but I’m human just like everyone else.”

“How did your blood get on her clothes?”

“She hit me in the nose with the gun when we were inside the garage and I started bleeding.  I guess some got on her when we tussled.”

“What happened to Shannon?”

“I swear I have no idea.  When I tried to talk to her she hit me again and drove away. I swear I’m telling the truth. I haven’t heard from Shannon since.”

“You should’ve come forward the minute she was found dead.”

“I know but you think the cops would’ve let me walk away? They’ve been bothering me ever since this started. Hell I thought Shannon killed Nadia and maybe that’s why she ran off.  I don’t know what happened but I didn’t kill Shannon.”

“
Someone
killed her.”

“This might sound like bullshit but I think someone else was there at the garage. Maybe someone followed her and killed her. The same person probably killed Nadia.”

“Speculation and guesses are useless, Bruce.”

“Maybe the person did it to set me up. They saw the perfect opportunity and took it. All I know is I didn’t kill Shannon. Besides Matthews’ just blowing smoke out his ass. They don’t even have a murder weapon.”

“And do you realize how many people are convicted of murder with no murder weapon ever coming into the picture?”

“This is such bullshit. They don’t give a shit about Shannon. They just wanna tie Nadia’s murder to me. Well they never will because I didn’t kill either one of them.  I don’t care what “evidence” Matthews comes up with.”

She turned the recorder off. “We need to…”

Dylan charged in with Jasmine and the others behind her.

“Dylan?” Bruce ran to her. She held her hand up to stop him.

“Don’t come near me you bastard.” Tears ran down her face.

“Dylan what’s wrong?”

“Just tell me this, Bruce.  Was everything you said and did always a lie? Were you ever honest?”

“Dylan I’m sorry I lied about being in town when Nadia was killed but I did not kill anyone.”

“I’m not talking about that. Shannon was the woman you cheated on me with when I was in NYC. Isn’t she?”

Jasmine pulled her back. “Stop it, Dylan.”

“Admit it you asshole!”

Bruce looked into the hungry eyes of the others.  He could be back in prison for something he didn’t even do yet he still cared about Dylan’s broken heart.

“I…I love you, Dylan.”

She punched at air with Jasmine fighting to hold her. “You are a disgusting liar and I hate you!”

“I’ll explain it to you later. This just isn’t the time.”

“Don’t bother explaining.” She relaxed in Jasmine’s hold.  “Because from this point on I don’t give a damn what happens to you. I think you did kill them and I hope you rot in prison for the rest of your life.”

“You don’t mean that. No matter what I’ve done you’ve always been the most important thing in my life. I fucked up but I need you on my side right now, Dylan.  Please don’t cut me out of your life now. I don’t have anyone.”

 “I hid something from you too, Bruce. But I did it to spare your feelings. What a joke.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Bruce.” Swaggert moved from the others.  “You got anything in yo’ head that represents a brain?”

“Not now, Swag.”

“Why the hell you even care what this twat thinks of you?”

“That’s it, Swaggert!” Jasmine shoved him.

“Whoa.” Steven blocked her.  “Settle down, Jasmine!”

“You call my niece one more name and I’ll pound your ass into ground meat.”