Chapter One
Kelly gazed out thewindow as the police car carried her downtown to the station.The handcuffs bit into her wrists with each pothole and turn.When they reached the station, they drove inside the building parking and she looked at the closing gate behind the vehicle as the car stopped.
One of the officers yanked the back door open and grabbed her by the collar to pull her out.Kelly stumbled but the officer held her up, marching her to the door and into the station.
When they got inside, they took her into an interrogation room and her handcuffs were chained to a table.She was pushed down into the chair then left alone in the room.
A few minutes later a detective and a guard came inside.The detective sat down at the table and the guard stood by the door.“I’m Detective Ray Burrios.”He looked at Kelly with a frown.He then opened a file and read it for a few minutes before he looked at her and asked, “Do you know a Ty Regis?”
Kelly didn’t say a word, she just stared at him.After a few minutes, she finally spoke, “I want a lawyer.”
Detective Burrios sighed hard and then rubbed his forehead.“Mrs.Montross, you really aren’t doing anything to help yourself here.The longer you fight back the longer this is going to take.”
Kelly just sat there.“You came to my home, telling me you have a warrant for my arrest on a charge of murder.I have a right to have any attorney involved in questioning.I am just asking for an attorney before I speak to you.”
He just stared at her then his eyes grew cold.“Mrs.Montross, we have surveillance evidence of you being in Regis’ house and you leaving him on the floor of his own bedroom, laid out on the floor covered in blood.Then fifteen minutes later, you came back and slit his throat.A neighbor called 911 and that’s how the police found him twenty minutes after you left the second time.”
Kelly knew this to be false.She hadn’t gone back at all.Someone was setting her up.She didn’t nod or shake her head, instead she said, “I want my lawyer.”She folded her hands together and just stared at him.
Just then, a crisp knock sounded on the door and the detective got up to answer the door.
Kelly waited as if she felt unconcerned.She needed to stay quiet and not say a thing.
The detective opened the door.
A man stepped in and said, “I’m her lawyer and I demand that you cease this interview.”He walked over to where Kelly sat and put his briefcase on the table.Next, he hauled another chair closer.
Detective Burrios scowled at the attorney and asked, “Just who the hell are you?”
The attorney looked up at him and introduced himself, “My name is Tomas Hernandez.Mrs.Montross’ husband engaged me to represent her in this matter.”
The detective looked over at the other officer in the room.His expression reflected unspoken questions and just a hint of fear.
Tomas Hernandez was well known around the area and they knew he didn’t just dabble in law.No, he was a great attorney and could spin anything toward his client’s interests.“Now let’s get down to the facts, shall we?”Tomas asked.“You arrested my client on a charge of murder, what evidence pointed you to make those charges?”
“We got her on home surveillance.She beat the hell out of Ty Regis first then before she left his house, she went back into his room and slit his throat.”
“Hmmm...”Tomas steepled his fingers.“May we see the tape?”
Detective Burrios brought out his iPad and swiped through several files then he brought up the home surveillance from Ty Regis’ home.
Tomas and Kelly both watched the footage.It did show Kelly entering his room where they had the argument and her beating him with a bat.Then the video flipped ahead and it showed her again, the hood of her sweat jacket was up over her head this time as she went over to where Ty lay and knelt beside him.With a knife in her hand, she swiped his neck.Blood pooled around him as she again left the room.
Kelly slowly shook her head.She had no idea who the person with the knife was but she knew it wasn’t her.
Tomas stared at it then said, “I’ll need a copy of that for the defense, is she going to be detained tonight or is she free to go home?”
Detective Burrios leaned back in his chair and growled, “She’ll be detained tonight and see the judge in the morning.If bail is set, then she’ll have to arrange the paperwork.”
Tomas nodded.“Like I said, I’ll need a copy of that tape and I’ll need a conference room to speak to my client, one that isn’t being taped.”
“And I’ll need an officer inside with your client.”Detective Burrios crossed his arms over his chest.
“Oh, I think not,” Tomas stated.“You can have one standing outside but not inside the room.She’s not going to run and we have to be able to talk about her defense.You also know that client/attorney privilege is within the law.”
The door opened and the police captain walked in.He glared at Detective Burrios then he turned to Tomas.“Mr.Hernandez, you’ll have a private room to speak to your client and your client will be given a private holding cell tonight as well as a nine a.m.hearing.It seems Detective Burrios has already judged and convicted her but the trial hasn’t even been set on the court calendar yet.”
Detective Burrios looked insulted as he retorted, “I have not.I just watched the video and what she did to that man was way over the top.”
