Page 62 of Jon's Helter Skelter Cold Case

Craig’s laugh was on the ugly side. “Trust me, with his superior and a police captain testifying against him? With this public of a trial? Man won’t be hired to clean up dog shit by the time I’m done with him.”

Now that I liked the sound of. Let him rot in prison somewhere, and barring that, he could turn criminal to make ends meet and still end up rotting in jail. It was a nice mental image I could get behind.

Jon released a breath, the tension in his shoulders dropping. Those clear blue eyes were no longer clouded with worry. “Good. Thank you.”

“I’m still mad you didn’t tell me,” I warned him.

“I know. But I didn’t want you behind bars for attacking a cop, and with your protective instincts…”

He was right to worry. I couldn’t fault him there. And if that was the worst secret he kept from me, we’d be fine. Still. It really grated he’d not told me.

Olivia rose and put an arm around my back, her eyes on the floor. Comforting me but embarrassed at the same time. “I’m so sorry. I wish I could have done something. I wasn’t police captain when that happened. I was promoted shortly after, and by then, my hands were tied. It grated on all of us, what happened. The best we could do was transfer Jon’s case to Borrowman, as he took it seriously.”

I’d wondered. This explanation made sense. Still…it brought up another question. “Just who is he sleeping with that he gets by with so much?”

“Oh, no. He’s related to the mayor,” Craig said. “Illegitimate son.”

The room went dead silent.

I gaped at the man like he’d just announced he’d met an alien the other day. “I beg your fucking pardon?”

Jon also looked intrigued, like this was something he’d seen hints of. Which, knowing his eyes, was likely the case. He also resumed his seat, tucking both legs up under him on the couch, showcasing his knees since he wore shorts. Why were his knees sexy? Or maybe just everything about Jon was sexy.

“I’d suspected he was an affair child, but I didn’t know he was the mayor’s,” Jon said.

“How do you know?” Olivia demanded.

“My dad. I’m a second-generation attorney, and my dad was hired by the mayor’s first wife to represent her in the divorce. It was Solomon’s birth that triggered it. Part of their settlement was she wouldn’t talk about the kid or tell people he cheated on her, as an affair would affect his image. As long as she didn’t talk, she got set alimony for the rest of her life.”

Oh my god. It kind of all made sense now, though. That was exactly how Solomon acted. A rich man’s bastard who was mostly ignored while growing up, except when he got into trouble. Daddy would swoop in and take care of it, mostly to protect himself, and then disappear again. Solomon learned nothing from the experience and continued to act out. It was an age-old vicious cycle. I certainly wasn’t excusing him. Man was old enough to have learned better at his age.

Craig waggled his eyebrows mischievously. “I inherited all of my dad’s old files when he retired. Made for some delicious reading.”

I bet they did.

“Dad, you’re such a drama llama.” Abby sighed.

“Guilty. Anyway, that’s why he’s been able to get by with so much.”

“I knew he had backing,” Olivia grumbled, now glaring at the floor like it had somehow offended her. “But I didn’t know how or who. Good to know. I’d been prepping to take him down, but honestly, I wasn’t sure if it would really stick. Just disciplining him usually causes me trouble. I don’t want him fired. I want him unable to work as a detective ever again. It’s the other reason I wanted to join in with you. Your appeal for Dwayne will be nationally covered. What better way to show the world just how inept Solomon is?”

“Couldn’t agree more.” It was all logical and well thought out, which meant I hoped it would pan out that way.

“Generally speaking”—Craig ticked things off on his fingers as he spoke—“you can get a detective fired if he’s doing unauthorized exercising of power, not doing his official duty, violating a law, and engaging in bribes. Olivia, how much of that can you prove?”

“All of it,” she stated confidently.

I did something of a double take. Whoa, really? I’d suspected most of those, but… “Bribes too?”

“Bribes too. Not in cash. Instead, he has people who do him ‘favors,’ but they’re bribes. I’ve got video footage and even one email chain—thanks to Sho—proving it.”

Sho had his mouth full, but he looked wickedly smug.

Of course Sho found all that. Of course he had. No one was surprised.

“Well, damn. I expected a lot of witness testimony, not this.” Craig perked right up. “Awesome. Makes all of our lives easier. Olivia, do you have it with you?”

“I don’t, but Sho brought a copy.”

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