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But I did have Fox and he wasn’t nothing. I pulled out my phone and texted my Montgomery brother.
“Fox, it’s Elle. I’m tired and dizzy and I think I need to eat something. Can you pick me up?” It was only eleven thirty, but I wanted to go home.
“Already in the car, lil sis. Be there in a heartbeat.”
Chapter 30
CALVIN
The state paid for my lawyer, my mom didn’t have that kind of money. And the club wasn’t going to foot the bill for a Montgomery, unless it was the right Montgomery, and that wasn’t me.
I’d been transferred to county jail and it wasn’t pretty, sharing a cell with two other guys, who, for the most part, steered clear of me. I guess a Montgomery’s reputation precedes them. I wasn’t even sure if they knew what I was in for, but I wouldn’t be the one to tell them. My lawyer showed up to introduce himself to me which seemed above and beyond the call of duty. The guards let us talk in the common area during lockdown. The guy had round, wire-framed glasses and not a single hair to speak of on his shiny bald head. Looked to be around sixty or so, and his suit had seen better days.
“Calvin, been looking forward to talking with you.” After setting down his files, he reached across the table and shook my hand vigorously.
“Krenshaw’s the name. I went over your statement and your mother’s as well. I can say with absolute confidence that we can avoid the death penalty in this case. However, as far as pleading self-defense, the coroner’s report will have a lot to do with how the defense takes shape. If we proceed with third degree murder, we might be able to get a short sentence.”
The man looked familiar, something about his mannerisms rang a bell, but maybe I’d watched too much Law and Order and these guys all had a similar way about them.
“What about my dad’s criminal record? It’s pretty extensive. Will that affect the outcome or is all that now dealt and buried along with him?” I asked dryly. The man might have thought I was a psychopath with the complete lack of remorse I showed for killing my father.
And it was true, I felt nothing—nothing but relief. I’d wished my father dead and gone on every birthday cake candle. Since elementary school, I’d longed to go to bed at night and know me, my mom, and Fox were safe for the night. That none of us would wake up with bruises or black eyes and have to tiptoe around his temper so he wouldn’t hit us again for bruising and threatening his reputation. Monty was a monster and we were better off without him.
“Your father’s connections in this town go wide and deep. He was cozied up to the DA, the mayor of South Vale, even the governor of the state. There wasn’t a prosecutor for miles around who would stand up to your father. But now that he’s dead, that might change. We’ll just have to sit patiently and wait.”
“Kissed his ass in life, but they might show up to piss on his grave, is what you’re saying?”
“One can only hope, son. Montgomery had a lot of connections, but he stepped on a lot of backs to get where he was.”
I nodded and sized the man up. Something told me he had a personal bone to pick with my father. I didn’t need a lawyer to explain to me why no one wanted to touch my case with a five-foot pole, but if this guy was going out on a limb to do so, I wondered what exactly his take on old man Montgomery was.
I cracked my gum and put my feet up on the extra chair at the table.
“You knew him?” I asked, raising one eyebrow.
Krenshaw took out his handkerchief and mopped the sweat off his forehead and upper lip. They couldn’t spring for air in county jail and as a result the place stunk and felt even more claustrophobic.
“Meghan and I went to senior prom together, Calvin. Your brother Fox is my biological son.”
That night after seeing Krenshaw was the first I’d slept since I arrived. I knew he’d go to bat for me and that he took this case personally, which could only work in my favor.
Though I was somewhat shocked about what he told me regarding Fox, I was happy to know that my mom had happiness at one point in her life, and that someone had loved her for who she was and likely treated her with the respect she deserved. But it was a trip to consider that Fox and I might not be biologically related. Of course the only person I wanted to share all of this new information with was Ellison. She was the only one who’d care and who’d know exactly what to say to me.
