December 16, 2010. 11:32 PM. Spotted suspect vehicle near mile marker 16/Findlay Rd. Driver identified as Shane Marcus Russell, 28 yo male; 5’9”/lt brn hair/brn eyes/185lbs. Search of vehicle revealed four clear plastic bags located in center console containing approx. 200 tabs 80mg OxyContin. Suspect was advised of his Miranda rights. Suspect claimed drugs did not belong to him. When pressed for a name, Suspect refused to respond and requested a lawyer. Questioning was ceased. Suspect was placed under arrest and transported to Clifton County Jail. PC: erratic driving, fleeing area with high volume of short-stay traffic per AV/CPD.
Her gaze could not move off the last line.
Allison Vickery. Clayville Police Department.
According to Emmy’s own notes, Allison had provided probable cause to pull over a vehicle that had been spotted leaving an area known for drug deals.
Emmy found herself without the ability to speak. She passed the file to Jude. Watched her read the report. Jude flipped the page back to the front. Her finger tapped the mugshot.
She said, “I saw this man at the library. He works at the hardware store.”
Emmy’s mouth had trouble forming words. “Did he speak to you?”
Jude’s body stiffened. “He told me he hopes you catch the guy who shot that lady and her daughter soon.”
Emmy dialed Sonny Singh’s phone number. Listened to it ring through to voicemail. “Sonny, it’s Emmy Clifton. I need you to give me a call tonight. It’s urgent.”
“Boss?” Levi was reading the arrest report. “Who is this guy?”
“He’s our number one person of interest in the Vickery shooting. Put out an APB—wanted for questioning, history of violence, do not approach, locate and notify.”
Emmy dialed Louis Singh’s home number. He didn’t answer. She looked at her watch. It was almost six. “Levi, Sonny Singh’s either at home or at the Biergarten. Tell dispatch to locate. We need Shane Russell’s employment records and home address.”
Jude said, “At the store, his name tag said Carl.”
“Sonny’s been paying people under the table for years. His dad doesn’t know.”
Emmy texted Russell’s photo to Brett. Told him to show it to everyone in the hospital in case Russell tried to finish the job with Mandy.
“Emmy?” Jude nodded toward the lobby.
At first, Emmy had no idea why Valerie Wilkinson and her daughter were here. Then she remembered the scheduled interview.
Jude said, “I’ll say goodbye before I leave.”
Emmy pretended that sticking her phone in her pocket required the entirety of her concentration. She had a thousand things running through her head right now, but she had to silence it all to focus on what mattered. Talia Wilkinson didn’t care about APBs and manhunts and Jude Archer abandoning her family again. She was a sixteen-year-old girl whose best friend had been the victim of a violent crime.
And she might have information about Shane Marcus Russell. “Talia. Valerie. Thank you for coming.” Emmy walked over to greet them. “I spoke to one of Mandy’s doctors today. She’s still in critical condition, but he’s hopeful.”
“Oh, thank God,” Valerie mumbled.
Talia looked like she was going to start crying.
Emmy escorted them to her office. “Talia, I promise I’ll make this as easy as I can. I know you’d rather be home right now.” Talia didn’t respond. She slumped into her mother on the couch. Her eyes were still bloodshot, but she appeared to be more lucid than yesterday. Dark circles ringed her eyes. Her hair looked unwashed. She was having trouble looking Emmy in the eye. Emmy assumed she knew that Skylar had provided Emmy with some details that Talia had left out.
Emmy shut the door. Sat down in one of the hard wooden chairs. “Talia, I want to start by telling you that based on myinvestigation, I still haven’t seen anything that indicates if you had told someone about Mandy’s abuse, it would’ve changed what happened in that house yesterday. None of it was your fault.”
Talia looked up, eyes desperately searching for any sign that Emmy was lying.
She whispered, “Really?”
“Really.” Emmy knew that people who lied tended to lie again to assuage their guilt. Taking away the blame might help her open up. “I know you love Mandy, and you want to protect her, but that’s my job. Understood?”
Talia slowly nodded.
“Good. Let’s get started.” Emmy held up her phone, showing the photo of Shane Marcus Russell. “Do you recognize this man?”
Talia wiped her eyes. “No, ma’am.”
