Page 10 of Rough Ride

“Excuse me?”

“You talk like everything is black and white, and it’s not.”

“The law is pretty clear…”

“The law is open to interpretation; that’s how you have a job,” Grier interrupted. “Not everything is right or wrong. There can be a wrong way to do the right thing and a right way to do the wrong thing. We live in a world of gray areas. Sooner you see that the better off you’ll be.”

“Like these two murdering that man in an alley?” Eliana asked, holding up the file with the mugshots.

“Maybe he had it coming,” Grier offered.

“Maybe he did, but what about the seven people caught in the crossfire during the police shootout? Three of them died, one is paralyzed, and one of them is brain dead. Did they have it coming?”

“Probably not,” Grier said, shrugging again. “The cops shot too. Their bullets do damage just like anyone else’s.”

“You’ll find a reason to justify anything with that attitude,” Eliana argued, and Grier smiled.

“Exactly, it’s how I manage to walk through life guilt-free.” Sighing in frustration, she looked away from him. She wasn’t going to argue morality with someone who clearly didn’t have a conscience.

“Any progress?” Kye asked as he entered the room. Eliana placed her hands on her hips, eyes narrowed.

“No,” she said shortly. He could still feel her anger. She’d been wearing it like a second skin since she’d arrived. Keeping her sentences short and sure to never stand within his arm’s reach, she was seething with contempt. “I can’t think in here anymore,” she complained, running a hand through her hair. “If I’m going to find anything, it isn’t in here,” she said, gesturing to the paperwork. “I need to go to the crime scene.”

“In Portland?”

“It’s only two hours away,” she defended. “Is my prison bracelet going to electrocute me if we go for a drive?”

“I’ll make a call,” Kye said and grabbed his cut off the back of the chair he’d draped it on.

“I can drive you two,” Grier offered and downed the rest of his beer.

“No thanks,” Eliana said, reaching for her coat. “I’m trying to get two people off for murder; I’m not up for defending a DUI while I’m at it.” Kye laughed, and Grier glared at her as the two exited the house through the front door. Tossing his bottle angrily into the kitchen, it shattered against the cabinet, and he cursed.

* * *

“What are we looking for?” Kye asked as he sat on the hood of his car and watched Eliana pacing the alley between brick buildings. She’d been mostly silent the entire car ride, and he was struggling to find a way to get her to talk. He could tell her mind was singularly focused on the case, and he couldn’t blame her. Any way they painted the picture, someone’s life was in danger.

“I don’t know,” Eliana admitted as she came to a stop next to one of the dumpsters. She was comparing the alley with a photograph of the crime scene in her hand. “I’ve got an airtight case why these men are guilty and no way to refute the evidence.”

“You’ll find something,” Kye encouraged as he lit a cigarette. He saw Eliana’s posture go rigid, and she dropped her arms to her sides. “What is it?”

“I won’t, Kye,” she said so quietly he almost didn’t hear her. “I’m not going to find what isn’t here,” she said, turning slowly to face him. Her eyes were filling with tears, and he pushed himself off his car to walk toward her.

“Hey, come on, we’ll think of something.”

“There isn’t anything, don’t you get it?” she asked angrily. “I’ve been handed an airtight case. These two have exhausted all of their appeals, been sentenced twice, and have spent the last thirteen months on death row. The taxpayers aren’t going to fund any more trials. The district attorney personally oversaw this case. Two officers were killed during the shootout. People are out for blood. At best, I can petition the mayor for a stay-of-execution, but without any new evidence, they don’t stand a chance of even being considered for a lesser sentence let alone having the charges dropped.”

“Can we refute any of the evidence?” Kye asked.

“There’s testimony from ten witnesses that these men were causing a scene in the bar and got into a verbal and physical altercation with the victim before they chased him into the alley and shot him. Then, rather than surrendering when they were caught, they engaged in a shootout in a public location. The list of charges is longer than the city census. I’m fucked!” Eliana yelled and threw the papers in her hands.

“Come here,” Kye said, taking her by the shoulders and pulling her into a hug. She didn’t return the gesture, but she didn’t pull away either.

“He’s going to kill me,” Eliana choked out, and Kye gripped her tighter.

“You let me worry about Max,” Kye said, and his mind was already churning, trying to think of anything that might help.

“Let’s just go,” Eliana said, pulling back to look up at him. “Let’s get in the car and drive away.”