involved, this is already bigger than you and me, Paige.’
‘Well, cops are involved on some level – assuming they were chasing Elena this morning. Then Morton, who worked on the Crystal Jones murder, comes in as a pinch hitter. This does not bode well. I have no idea where to turn.’
‘I can call the cop I mentioned before. I think we can trust her.’
‘How do you know her?’
‘She worked Nicki’s homicide.’
‘So she works with Morton. Look, even if Morton hadn’t been the one to investigate Ramon’s murder, she has a vendetta for you, Clay. And I promised Elena I wouldn’t take this to the cops. Call me superstitious, but I don’t like to renege on a deathbed promise.’ Paige rubbed her aching forehead. ‘So where do I go to do the right thing?’
Clay shrugged. ‘What about a defense attorney?’
‘Elena contacted one of those innocence organizations that help wrongly convicted prisoners. They said she was so far back in line that it could be ten years before they even got to Ramon’s case. They told her that she needed new evidence. And so did I.’
‘You can’t blame yourself, Paige. Besides, you have that evidence. A defense attorney will listen to you now. Maybe the innocence organization would move Ramon up in line so he wouldn’t have to wait ten years.’
‘Ten minutes is too long for Ramon to stay in jail.’ Peabody laid his head on Paige’s knee and she scratched behind his ears. ‘I could talk to the defense attorneys, but if dirty cops are involved . . . Someone in law enforcement needs to know.’
‘We could try the state’s attorney’s office.’
‘ASA Grayson Smith.’ Paige considered the trial transcript she’d spent the last few weeks poring over. ‘He ran a clean trial. Cut and dried.’
‘Any indication he could have been corrupt?’
‘Not to my knowledge. He only used the evidence that Morton and her old partner collected. Maria said that he tried to get Ramon to take a deal but Ramon refused. When the case came to court Smith was harsh with Ramon, but kind and respectful to Maria. Compassionate, even. She and Elena wanted to hate him, but couldn’t. Elena was even considering visiting him, asking for his help.’ She bit her lip. ‘I’m going to have to trust someone. I’ve got enough ghosts haunting my mind. I don’t need someone dying because I held back.’ She swiveled in the chair and opened her everyday laptop.
‘What are you doing?’
‘Pulling up my file on Grayson Smith.’ The most recent photo she’d found had been taken on the courthouse steps the previous winter. He was a very handsome man, tall and linebacker-big. His double-breasted wool coat hung from his broad shoulders like it was custom-made for him. His hair was dark, his skin golden. ‘He doesn’t look like a Grayson. Or a Smith.’
Clay looked over her shoulder. ‘What does it matter?’
She lifted a shoulder. ‘It doesn’t. It’s a game I play. Just trying to figure out where people come from. Probably due to the fact that I was the only one with black hair and black eyes in a family of blond, blue-eyed Norwegians.’
‘Are you adopted?’ Clay asked, interest in his tone.
‘No.’ Although there had been a hell of a lot of days growing up that she wished she had been. ‘But I never knew my father, who I have to assume was not a blond, blue-eyed Norwegian. I think I’ll take a shower, then go meet Mr Smith.’
‘What, you’re going to look into his eyes and see if he’s trustworthy?’
‘Something like that.’
‘Has it ever worked before?’
Paige thought of the failed relationships that littered her life. ‘I wish. I would have run from about ninety per cent of my old boyfriends.’
‘Then why even bother?’
She considered her answer. ‘Because I don’t know what else to do.’
‘You want me to come with you?’
‘It would be better if you went to check on Maria. I’m worried about her. If anyone thinks she knows what Elena was
‘Well, cops are involved on some level – assuming they were chasing Elena this morning. Then Morton, who worked on the Crystal Jones murder, comes in as a pinch hitter. This does not bode well. I have no idea where to turn.’
‘I can call the cop I mentioned before. I think we can trust her.’
‘How do you know her?’
‘She worked Nicki’s homicide.’
‘So she works with Morton. Look, even if Morton hadn’t been the one to investigate Ramon’s murder, she has a vendetta for you, Clay. And I promised Elena I wouldn’t take this to the cops. Call me superstitious, but I don’t like to renege on a deathbed promise.’ Paige rubbed her aching forehead. ‘So where do I go to do the right thing?’
Clay shrugged. ‘What about a defense attorney?’
‘Elena contacted one of those innocence organizations that help wrongly convicted prisoners. They said she was so far back in line that it could be ten years before they even got to Ramon’s case. They told her that she needed new evidence. And so did I.’
‘You can’t blame yourself, Paige. Besides, you have that evidence. A defense attorney will listen to you now. Maybe the innocence organization would move Ramon up in line so he wouldn’t have to wait ten years.’
‘Ten minutes is too long for Ramon to stay in jail.’ Peabody laid his head on Paige’s knee and she scratched behind his ears. ‘I could talk to the defense attorneys, but if dirty cops are involved . . . Someone in law enforcement needs to know.’
‘We could try the state’s attorney’s office.’
‘ASA Grayson Smith.’ Paige considered the trial transcript she’d spent the last few weeks poring over. ‘He ran a clean trial. Cut and dried.’
‘Any indication he could have been corrupt?’
‘Not to my knowledge. He only used the evidence that Morton and her old partner collected. Maria said that he tried to get Ramon to take a deal but Ramon refused. When the case came to court Smith was harsh with Ramon, but kind and respectful to Maria. Compassionate, even. She and Elena wanted to hate him, but couldn’t. Elena was even considering visiting him, asking for his help.’ She bit her lip. ‘I’m going to have to trust someone. I’ve got enough ghosts haunting my mind. I don’t need someone dying because I held back.’ She swiveled in the chair and opened her everyday laptop.
‘What are you doing?’
‘Pulling up my file on Grayson Smith.’ The most recent photo she’d found had been taken on the courthouse steps the previous winter. He was a very handsome man, tall and linebacker-big. His double-breasted wool coat hung from his broad shoulders like it was custom-made for him. His hair was dark, his skin golden. ‘He doesn’t look like a Grayson. Or a Smith.’
Clay looked over her shoulder. ‘What does it matter?’
She lifted a shoulder. ‘It doesn’t. It’s a game I play. Just trying to figure out where people come from. Probably due to the fact that I was the only one with black hair and black eyes in a family of blond, blue-eyed Norwegians.’
‘Are you adopted?’ Clay asked, interest in his tone.
‘No.’ Although there had been a hell of a lot of days growing up that she wished she had been. ‘But I never knew my father, who I have to assume was not a blond, blue-eyed Norwegian. I think I’ll take a shower, then go meet Mr Smith.’
‘What, you’re going to look into his eyes and see if he’s trustworthy?’
‘Something like that.’
‘Has it ever worked before?’
Paige thought of the failed relationships that littered her life. ‘I wish. I would have run from about ninety per cent of my old boyfriends.’
‘Then why even bother?’
She considered her answer. ‘Because I don’t know what else to do.’
‘You want me to come with you?’
‘It would be better if you went to check on Maria. I’m worried about her. If anyone thinks she knows what Elena was
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