Total pages in book: 117
Estimated words: 108342 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 542(@200wpm)___ 433(@250wpm)___ 361(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 108342 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 542(@200wpm)___ 433(@250wpm)___ 361(@300wpm)
“If the man dies, he’ll be charged with murder.”
“And what if that man makes a full recovery? What if they find out, or even allege, causing reasonable doubt, that he broke into Nikolai’s house, or something like that? Even if he didn’t, throwing that out as a scenario will kill your case against him, unless you’ve got the right shit to back your claims up. He’ll garner sympathy from a jury of his peers because people are fed up with rising crime in this country! No jury will be impartible to that. Nikolai Raven is a loner, not unlikable. That’s a fact. Most of the people I interviewed about that man are actually fond of him, or at least respect him. That won’t get you a conviction. The jury will probably feel the same way. Then what?!”
“There was a box of evidence that—”
“And what if Nikolai’s attorney says that man he had tied up down there was an intruder, and that that box belonged to the burglar?! What if they say he tied up this fella for busting in his home, and called for the police to come arrest the guy? What if Nikolai accuses him of being a tweaker, on top of being an intruder in his home? Nik keeps a lot of money in a safe in his house… what if that information got out to the wrong person, huh? See? I know a lot of shit that you don’t. I have information you couldn’t possibly get because you weren’t fucking him. I was. Not such a bad thing now, is it? I am always on the job… Nikolai has a lot of dough. He is frugal, so he can afford practically any attorney he wants. He saves for a rainy day, and he is always thinking ahead. Y’all have no idea what you’re up against.”
“He can’t lie against the facts, Porsche.”
“Facts don’t mean as much when emotions are involved. That’s why media propaganda and educational misinformation in politics and spiritual philosophies works so well. Perhaps, to add more fuel to the fire, what if he were to say that the intruder was the same tweaker that attacked his mother who died from cancer? All he has to do is say he was! There’s still a police report on file about his mother’s incident. Ohhh, that is a heartbreaker story, if there ever was one!
“One that a jury will eat up like cake. Hard working upper middle-class White man, clean record, pulled himself up by the bootstraps. Great grandparents were hard working immigrants from a European country… Came from a two-parent family, keeps to himself… minds his business… tall, good lookin’, and owns his own home. Pays taxes. Business owner. Blacksmith, one of America’s oldest and most respected professions. He has absolutely no history of mental illness, or domestic violence against women or children. Loved his mama to death. Has an American flag in his yard, and a bible in his nightstand. Takes care of his ailing father and feeds the homeless on Christmas, too. He is the absolute worst person you could try to put on a stand and prosecute. He is the golden boy! Y’ALL ARE SCREWED!”
Officer White cleared his throat and muttered something incoherent.
“Yeah… the wheels are turning in your head now, aren’t they? He’ll be on his merry way with no further jail or prison time served, telling each and every one of y’all to kiss his ass. If he really is the killer, you would have helped him get away. Scot free. There can be no do-overs. No double jeopardy. And it would all be because of you and your department jumping the gun. Just like the chief did with Ethan. But you go ahead and take your chances, mmmkay? I was never that great at gambling, but I can promise you the odds are not in your favor.”
She was met with silence, and reveled in it. Time stretched as they remained quiet, ruminating.
“Let’s say that you’re right.”
“Let’s not say that I’m right. I am right.”
“Fine… if I allow it, what do you plan to do?”
“If he’s the killer, Captain, I will prove it and take him down! I mean that. I will present him to you with a bow on his head. I am the only one he trusts. I am the only one who, at this point, can get the truth from him. You need a confession, or strong proof of who really did it. But if he is not our guy, and you give a damn about your impartiality and your reputation, I need you to help me find out what the hell is going on, and quickly. Now, we’re racing against the clock. I’m on the chess board. I am the Queen… y’all are just pawns.”
“The insults are no longer necessary, Porsche. You’ve made your points.”