AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“We believe it was a guy named Randy Bryant.”
“Who’s that?”
“We’re still figuring out who he is and how they connected. She recently wrote a ten-thousand-dollar check to him as well as other smaller payments over the last few months. We believe she might’ve been paying him to keep eyes on you and Rachel.”
He dropped his head into his hands again. “How could I have known this person for all these years and not known she was capable of such a thing?”
Gonzo had no idea what to say to him.
“My parents always said she was a spoiled rich girl, but I didn’t think that was true. She was oblivious sometimes, but never unkind.” He looked over at Gonzo again. “Will she go to prison?”
“She’ll stand trial on solicitation of murder charges.”
“I just can’t believe this.”
Freddie came to the office door. “Uh, Sarge… Tori Stevens’s parents are here.”
Gonzo and Gordon stood and turned toward the doorway.
Tori’s mother let out a sharp cry and surged toward Gordon. “This is all your fault! You drove her to this!”
Gonzo quickly got between them and stopped her from striking Gordon. He walked her backward out of the office as Cruz restrained the father. “Unless you want to be charged, I’d recommend you get control of yourselves.”
“He did this to her!” the father cried. “He jerked her around and made promises he didn’t keep. How could you do that to her?”
“Gordon, go on home.” Gonzo continued to restrain Tori’s mother. “We’ll be in touch.”
Gordon hesitated. “I never promised her anything. I was eighteen years old. I wasn’t ready to commit to forever with anyone.”
“Go, Gordon,” Gonzo said again, more firmly this time.
After Gordon walked away, he loosened his hold on Mrs. Stevens. “Are you two able to comport yourselves properly, or do I need to take you into custody?”
The two of them adjusted their expensive-looking clothing.
“This is all his fault.” Mr. Stevens was tall, with salt-and-pepper hair and a tanned, youthful face. “If you knew the games he’s played with our daughter…”
“It’s been a nightmare for her and us.” Mrs. Stevens was a bottle blonde with the same eyes as her daughter. Every inch of her was ruthlessly polished.
“You know what’s been a nightmare?” Gonzo asked. “Rachel Fortier having to change her phone number because your daughter was harassing her so badly. Rachel Fortier had nothing to do with Gordon’s relationship with Tori, and yet, she’s the one who’s dead. We have evidence that your daughter paid someone to kill Rachel and eliminate the competition.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Mr. Stevens said with a mean-looking sneer. “She’s a college student. What in the world does she know about murder? There’s no way you can prove this.”
A uniformed officer came into the pit with a printout he handed to Gonzo. “The prints on the pizza boxes are a match for Bryant.”
“What does that mean?” Mr. Stevens asked.
“It means the man that Tori paid ten thousand dollars to can be tied to Rachel’s murder. We’re going to talk to him now. I won’t be surprised if he gives up Tori as the mastermind of the whole plan. I mean, if it’s a choice between spending the rest of his life in jail or turning on her, what do you think he’ll choose?”
“You can’t pin this on her,” Mr. Stevens said, seething. “This is a screw job.”
“The evidence doesn’t lie, sir.”
“Are you expecting us to believe a department that harbored a murderer in its ranks foryearsis capable of pinning a murder on our daughter?” he asked.
“Believe whatever you want, but your daughter will be charged with accessory to murder and solicitation of murder. And if I were you, I’d get her a better lawyer than that schmuck Kerr. He doesn’t know his ass from his elbow.” To Cruz, he said, “Let’s go talk to Bryant.”
“Wait!”
