Moment of Truth

By V. J. Chambers

After some recovery time for the Conviction Review Unit, Elke Lawrence is ready for a challenge.

But she gets more than she bargained for with this new case, involving a man convicted of killing his wife sixteen years before. There’s no body. No murder weapon. No physical evidence at all except two small drops of blood in his kitchen. The DNA of the blood doesn’t match anyone involved in the case.

There’s challenging, and then there’s impossible.

Elke is beginning to think this case is the latter.

• Language: English
• Publisher: V. J. Chambers
• Release date: Jun 19, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463235379

V. J. Chambers

USA Today bestselling author V. J. Chambers writes about obsession, addiction, and agonized attraction. She pens dark romance and thrillers in varied settings, from contemporary to futuristic to paranormal.She writes fantasy and sci fi under the name Val St. Crowe.She lives in Shepherdstown, WV, with her boyfriend Aaron, their new baby son, and their cat.

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

Elke Lawrence smiled at Nellie Prescott, who had made an appointment to come by her office today. Hope traffic wasn’t too bad this time of morning, Elke said.

Nellie shook her head. No, most of the morning commuters have cleared out by now. It was no problem at all.

Elke gestured for Nellie to enter her office. Well, come on in, and we’ll chat for a bit.

Nellie came in and sat down.

Elke closed the door behind her and went to her desk. Her office was fairly sparsely decorated. She had a few pictures of her parents and younger brother but nothing else. In the past, she would have had pictures of herself and her husband Felix everywhere, but Felix wasn’t her husband anymore. However, losing Felix had indirectly led to her getting this job as the head of the Conviction Review Unit in Haven Hills, and it was the best job she’d ever had, so she couldn’t be too bitter about the separation anymore.

Elke sat down. Now, you understand that I’m not making any promises by taking this meeting, right?

I do, said Nellie. That’s what you said on the phone. Obviously, I realize there are a lot of demands on your time, but I really do hope you’ll select Ethan’s case. He is innocent. I’m sure of it. And time is running out.

That sounded dire, but Elke didn’t know enough about Nellie to know if she was exaggerating or not. Time running out could mean anything.

The Conviction Review Unit was a group of lawyers and police officers that went back over old cases and freed the wrongly convicted. Since they’d been on the scene in Haven Hills, they’d overturned a number of wrongful convictions and freed innocent people. Now, everyone who was a prisoner in the Haven Hills system wanted the CRU to review their case. They were badgered by all sorts of requests.

The Unit didn’t need to solicit cases, because it was capable of finding them on its own.

That was the specialty of Frankie Hart, in fact, former defense attorney. She had a list of cases a mile long. They hadn’t worked through a fraction of them yet.

Back in the winter, when they first began, it was a mad circus. They were being chased and stalked. Their paralegal and administrative assistant, Amos Bradley, had been captured by a serial killer. Then Elke had gotten tangled up in issues relating to her ex-husband’s drug-dealing empire and had to shoot men to protect her brother. Everything had been crazy for while.

Over the past few months, things had settled down quite a bit. Now, in late summer, they’d had a string of downright boring cases, in which there had been nothing much to do other than to test DNA.

Elke had to admit she’d agreed to meet with Nellie because her brother’s case sounded interesting, and she could use a little intrigue in her life.

A little intrigue only, though. She didn’t need it cranked to eleven again. If they could get by without being in fear for their lives through Christmas, she’d count that as a win.

Well, we do have a lot of cases, said Elke, but if your brother’s seems promising, we will take it on. How about we start at the beginning? So, your brother was convicted of murdering his wife, you said?

Yes, said Nellie. Calla Lunt. He reported her missing and within two weeks, they had arrested him for her murder.

Right, said Elke, but you said there was no body found.

No, none, said Nellie, so there was no evidence against Ethan. They fabricated everything, from the murder to his motive. It was all a complete fantasy. You can’t imagine how helpless and angry we all felt.

Elke smiled sadly. Unfortunately, that’s a common feeling amongst people who are in these kinds of situations. There was no guarantee, of course, that Ethan Prescott really was innocent. A lack of a body made it harder to make a murder charge stick, but it wasn’t an insurmountable barrier. But knowing that Prescott had a support system that believed in him and had stuck by him through the years, it was a good sign. It didn’t prove anything, of course, because anything was possible. Prescott could be guilty as sin.

We wanted to do everything we could for him, but the trial broke us. It took every penny that Ethan had. He had to sell his house and liquidate all his assets to pay for it, and then my mother helped out too, and it was bad for her financially. I even shared some of the burden. We’ve tried to appeal, but we haven’t been granted anything on that front. You’re our only hope.

Well, why don’t you tell me a little about your brother’s wife? Did she have any other enemies or—

"You don’t touch a hair on his head! The voice came from another room, screeching and cutting through the walls of the office. If you hurt him, I will kill you!"

That was Frankie’s voice.

Elke leapt to her feet, going around her desk and heading out of the office as quickly as she could. What the hell was going on?

* * *

Only a few minutes ago, the phone had been ringing in Frankie’s office. She’d picked it up without much of a thought. Frankie Hart, she said absently. Can I help you?

Hi, there, Frankie, said a voice on the other end of the phone. It was male, a little rasping, and there was menace all through it, coming through the phone’s receiver in waves.

Frankie sat up straight. Who is this?

This is Everett Walkden.

Frankie clutched the phone. Okay. Am I supposed to know who you are?

You don’t even remember me? Well, that’s rich. How can I be surprised about that, though? That’s just the kind of woman you are.

Should I remember you? Who are you? What do you want?

Five years ago, I came by your office. I wanted you to represent me, but you turned me down.

Frankie squared her shoulders. Okay, great, this wasn’t good. There were a few reasons that she had turned down potential clients back in her days as a defense lawyer. Sometimes she didn’t feel as though she would work well with the person. Sometimes she didn’t think she was the most qualified lawyer for the job they wanted her to do, and she would recommend a colleague instead, because she wouldn’t have felt comfortable trying the case on her own. But most of the time, when she turned someone down, it was because she didn’t think that the person was actually innocent, and Frankie had made a rule for herself never to defend the guilty. It was a moral thing for her.

So, this guy was probably a hardened criminal who’d wanted her to represent him because of her really great track record. What he didn’t understand was that she had a great track record because she defended innocent people, and she didn’t have to twist the facts of a case to make a guilty person look innocent. Even if she had taken his case, she would have had no idea how to defend him.

I don’t take well to rejection, said Walkden. You were the best, and I wanted the best. But you turned me down, and I lost my case, and I’ve been in prison ever since.

Frankie winced. Let me guess, you’re out now, on parole, but you’ve been planning your revenge against me for all the years you were locked up.

You’re a quick study, said Walkden. I guess that’s why you’re the best.

Listen, I’m sorry that things went badly for you, but I can’t accept the blame, said Frankie. I’m going to hang up now.

Wait, wait, don’t do that, said Walkden. I think if you do that, little Thad here might not be too pleased about how I react.

What? Frankie’s heart leaped into her throat. His man had Thad, her son? No, no, no, no, no. Her heart started to beat wildly. This was her worst nightmare, the kind of thing that she assured herself would never happen, and now it was actually happening.

You want me to repeat it? I’ve got your son, so you’d better do whatever it is that I say, got it?

Frankie screamed into the phone as loud as she could. "You don’t touch a hair on his head! If you hurt him, I will kill you!"

On the other end of the phone, Walkden chuckled. Oh, so now I’ve got your attention, do I?

Frankie was shaking all over. Her breath was coming in harsh gusts. She was sweating at the nape of her neck. She didn’t think she’d ever been so frightened in her entire life.

Here’s what’s going to happen, said Walkden. You’re going to get in your car and come to Juniper Valley Park. The back side, by the duck ponds. I’ll be waiting for you there. You’re not going to tell anyone that you’re coming or that I called you. Because if you do, I will put a bullet in your precious Thad’s skull, and you’ll never see him alive again.

Frankie whimpered.

The door to her office opened and Elke, her boss, was there. Elke’s eyes were wide.

Do you understand? said Walkden.

Frankie licked her lips. Yes, she whispered.

Good, said Walkden. I’ll see you soon, then.

Elke was joined in the doorway by Iain Hudson and Amos Bradley. They all looked worried.

Frankie couldn’t meet their eyes.

Bye, then, said Walkden, and the line went dead.

With trembling hands, Frankie hung up the phone. Oh, God, what was she going to do?

He told you what to do, said a voice in her head, an oddly calm voice. Leave and go to the park and tell no one. You better do as he says.

Yes. Yes, of course. She knew what to do. This was about Thad, after all, her sweet little boy, who she loved more than oxygen, and she couldn’t even conceive of the idea of his being hurt like that. Her mind shut down when thoughts of his being harmed began forming.

No, she wouldn’t think of that. She would go to the park. She would go now.

Frankie fumbled in her desk drawer for the keys to her car and her purse.

Frankie, what’s going on? said Elke.

Frankie turned to her and her voice came out steady. I have to leave the office for a while, now. I’m sorry about the short notice. And then she pushed between Elke and Iain and hurried down the hallway, heading out of the office and to her car to save her little boy.

CHAPTER TWO

Elke yelled after Frankie. Hey, where are you going?

If the other woman heard her, she didn’t show any sign.

Elke turned to Iain. What the hell, Hudson?

Iain tapped his chin. It’s about Thad.

How can you know that? said Elke.

Because she said that she would kill whoever it was on the phone if they harmed a hair on his head. She’d only have a violent reaction like that if it involved her child.

Well, maybe her husband? said Elke.

Maybe, said Iain, but I think it’s most likely Thad. If someone wanted to get to her, they’d be more likely to try threatening a kid than a grown man.

Elke’s stomach turned over. How could Iain think so rationally at a time like this? When she thought of a small boy like Thad in danger, it made it hard for her to concentrate. The sheer horror of it interfered.

Someone’s threatened her son, and she’s likely in danger, said Iain. She didn’t tell us what was happening probably because whoever it was on the phone said that he would hurt Thad if she didn’t follow his instructions.

Oh, God, Hudson, you think Thad has been kidnapped? Elke’s mouth was dry. Would a person issue a ransom request over the phone?

It’s likely something more personal, said Iain. They wanted to emotionally rattle her. But it’s possible it’s all bluster.

What do you mean?

Maybe this person doesn’t even have Thad, said Iain.

Elke’s eyes widened. Amos. She pointed at their administrative assistant. You get on the phone with Thad’s school. Find out if he’s there.

Got it, said Amos.

Elke turned to Iain. She needs help. She needs the police.

We don’t know where she went, said Iain.

Elke bit down on her thumbnail. We have access to the CCTV feed in town here. It’s on the network. I can find her car. You get out there and drive, and I’ll tell you where she’s going. You can follow her, and we’ll tell the police her location.

Yes, good, said Iain, and he turned and sprinted back to his office. Coming back with his keys, he was out the door as quickly as he could manage.

Elke didn’t bother to go back to her computer. Instead, she sat down at Frankie’s desk and logged into the police feed of the CCTV cameras in the city. It was a new initiative in Haven Hills. There were cameras at all the major intersections. They’d been installed for traffic violations, but the police had come to realize how useful they could be in recording other crimes.

In this case, hopefully they’d help prevent one.

Elke scanned through the cameras nearby. Come on, come on, she whispered under her breath. Where was Frankie’s little blue car?

Was it that one?

No, that was a four-door sedan and Frankie’s was—

There.

She got out her phone and dialed Iain.

Hudson, he answered.

She’s at White Ave and Thorston, said Elke. Stopped at the red light.

Well, I’m still on my way to my car, said Iain, and she could hear that he was huffing a little from exertion. He was running. I’m parked back at the apartment complex.

She and Iain both lived in a nearby apartment complex, a short walk from their office. They both tended to walk to work. It wasn’t worth it otherwise. The air conditioning didn’t even get warmed up in the time it took to drive, so it wasn’t any easier.

Damn it, Hudson, the light’s going green.

Keep your eye on her. I’ll get there as quickly as I can, he said, and hung up.

Elke watched as Frankie’s car disappeared out of the camera’s view. She pulled up the next camera. No Frankie.

Wait, there she was. Her car was pulling to a stop at the next light.

Why had Iain hung up? She needed to tell him what was going on. If Frankie went straight through all these lights, it was fine, but if she turned, Elke was going to have to remember what she’d done.

She glanced away from the monitor and the traffic to look for paper and a pen.

There was a stack of post-it notes. Elke snatched those up. But a pen…?

She didn’t see one.

She gave her attention back to the screen.

Oh, crap, she didn’t see Frankie’s car anymore. All the traffic was moving and they were streaming through the light, and… damn it.

Maybe Frankie was at the next light? Elke pulled up that camera’s view. She breathed a sigh of relief. There was Frankie.

Her phone rang.

It was Iain.

What the hell, Hudson? she said by way of greeting. Don’t hang up on me again.

* * *

Iain Hudson was out of breath as he backed his car out of the parking lot outside of his apartment complex. He had his phone plugged into a headset and attached to a car mount that hooked into his air vents. He puffed into the microphone. I was running, Lawrence. It’s not as if you would have heard anything from me except heavy breathing.

Well, stay on the line with me now, said Elke. What are you doing? Are you in your car?

Yeah, I’m pulling out onto the street. Where’s Hart?

She’s at the intersection of North and Main now.

Okay, I’ll go through the alley behind the courthouse. I’ll catch up with her in no time.

Elke didn’t say anything.

He struggled to get his breathing back under control. He wasn’t in the best of shape these days. He used to work out daily, but he hadn’t been making it to the gym lately. He kept getting caught up in things for work and not making it out before the gym closed. Iain had a tendency to get very focused on his work.

He made the turn onto the alley.

Hudson? came Elke’s voice through his headphones.

Hmm? He didn’t seem to be breathing nearly as hard now. Maybe he wasn’t in as bad of shape as he’d thought.

What alley are you talking about?

I just pulled onto it now, he said. The one behind the courthouse.

Yeah, I’m looking at the camera for that alley, and there’s a big truck delivering supplies to the donut shop over there.

Why are you looking at that and not Hart? Get her car back on the screen.

I have a split screen, she said. I just figured out how to do that. You can have up to six different cameras up at once, but I’ve only got two. Anyway, she’s still at the light at Main Street. It’s a long one. But you’re going to need to go around that truck. It’s blocking the whole alley.

Iain could actually see what she was talking about now. The delivery truck had come into view, and it was true. There was no way he was going to make it around that thing. Swearing under his breath, he made a hard right turn onto another alley. This one went behind the jail in town.

Oh! said Elke. I see you.

Great, he said. How about Hart?

Light’s turned green. She’s not moving yet. It’s taking a while for the cars to get going.

Iain reached the end of the alley and stopped. Ahead of him was Main Street, but he wasn’t going to be able to pull out here. It was way too close to the light at Main and Center Ave. All the cars were stopped here, and they weren’t going to let him out.

He wished he still had a dashboard flasher for his car, but the captain had asked for it back after Iain had started working for the CRU, saying that there was no reason that Iain was going to have to be in pursuit in his car. Little did that guy know.

Okay, technically pursuing Frankie was not official CRU business, but it was important.

Iain nudged his car out on the road, pushing his bumper in between the two cars that were stopped in front of him.

The car who he was jumping in front of laid on the horn, annoyed.

Iain didn’t even look at him. Guy could be pissed if he wanted. Iain needed to get to Frankie.

Hudson? Elke was saying.

Yeah? he said. The light had just turned green and he was flooring it to get in front of this asshole, who didn’t want to let him do it.

I’m going to hang up with you and call the police so they can get out there and back you up, said Elke.

No, wait, he said. Wait until I have eyes on Hart, okay? You just told me not to hang up with you.

I know, but we don’t know where she’s going or what’s going to happen when she gets there. You’re going to need help.

Yes, and you can call it in, but in a minute, he said, slamming on his brakes to keep from ramming into the car in front of him, which hadn’t accelerated nearly as fast as he had. I’m on Main now. Where’s Hart?

Still on Main, said Elke. She’s at the light at the intersection of Main and Fifth. I think she’s heading right out of town.

Iain put on his blinker and aggressively switched lanes, weaving in and out of traffic to get ahead. Okay, hold on, Lawrence, I’m going to catch her.

Where are you?

He didn’t answer. He was gritting his teeth as he sailed through an intersection just as a yellow light turned red. Hell, a flasher would really be a help right now. Then everyone would move out of his damned way.

But he kept going, threading his car in and out of the others in traffic, essentially leap-frogging himself through the snarls of cars.

Hudson, she’s going past the last CCTV camera, said Elke. She’s going out of town. I have to call it in now.

I’ll be there in a minute, said Iain. I’ve got eyes on that light. And it was yellow, turning red. He sped up, going as fast as he could to get through that light.

Red.

Shit. He was going anyway. He pressed the gas pedal to the floor and shot through seconds after the change.

Hudson, what the hell? said Elke. What are you doing? You could have caused an accident.

Did I? he said, suddenly worried.

No, but still, be careful.

I’m always careful, Lawrence, he muttered, keeping up his speed as he hurtled forward. There wouldn’t be another light for some time out here beyond the city limits. He had a good stretch to make up speed and—

Aha!

I can see her. I’ve got eyes on Hart’s car. She’s turning onto Sycamore Drive.

There’s nothing down there except the back entrance to Juniper Valley Park.

Then there’s a good chance that’s where she’s headed. Call it in, Lawrence.

* * *

Frankie was close now. Her heart was pounding, her palms were sweating, and every part of her body was on high alert for something to happen. She had considered calling her husband Rufus. She had her phone here, and she thought Rufus would want to know.

But Walkden had said not to contact anyone, and if she did tell Rufus, that could be the reason that Thad was hurt.

She’d never forgive herself if she was the cause of