Page 26 of Timeless Pages
“And then you say he pushed his way in, slamming the door into your head, and then began to assault you. Correct?”
“That’s correct,” Isa replied again.
I was beginning to feel uncomfortable about this interview. I looked at Daniel, and he nodded. He was feeling it, too. Something was up.
“Well, the problem we have here, Miss Wilcox, is that your father made a completely different statement of events,” Detective Greene announced.
“I’m sorry, Detective, you spoke to him?” Daniel asked.
“We did. Morris Wilcox came down to the station later that night to set the record straight,” he replied.
“So you had my client’s attacker in custody and didn’t arrest him for what he did to her or for violating the restraining order?” Daniel asked, raising his voice.
“Well, I don’t enjoy putting innocent men behind bars if I don’t have to,” Detective Greene replied.
“How much did he pay you?” Isa asked softly.
“What?” Greene replied.
“He had to have offered you something to cover for him,” she replied. “Usually, it’s money if he doesn’t think the lies will be enough. It doesn’t matter that he disregarded the restrainingorder by coming to my store. What matters is the sob story he gave with a promise to do something for you.”
“Are you calling me crooked?” Detective Greene asked. He dared to look and sound as though he were offended.
“If she isn’t, I am,” I growled.
Daniel touched my shoulder to prevent me from doing anything rash. He squeezed it once, then pulled out his phone and walked away.
“It doesn’t really matter what I’m calling you,” Isa replied calmly. “I’m sure my father was persuasive. He usually is. Out of curiosity, what did he say happened?”
“Well, the way he tells it, you attacked him because you were unhappy that the courts awarded him conservatorship over you. He said you’re a disturbed girl, and all those scars were self-inflicted. Said anything he did to you was in self-defense.”
“Self-defense?!” I erupted. “Does this fucking look like self-defense to you? He almost fucking strangled her to death if it weren’t for Dave! How could you look at her and believe his lies?” I was glad I had decided not to have Nate and Dom come up for this. One of them would have knocked his head off his shoulders, for sure.
“The word of a homeless drunk doesn’t hold much weight,” Detective Greene replied.
Isa’s hand slipped into mine and squeezed it reassuringly. I didn’t understand how she could be so calm until I realized she had done this song and dance before. This was how it always was for her, so it didn’t faze her anymore.
“Detective Greene, you’re off the case,” Daniel announced when he returned.
“You don’t have the authority to take me off this case,” he scoffed.
“No, I don’t,” Daniel replied smugly as Detective Greene’s phone rang. “But he does.”
“Detective Greene.”
“I called in a few favors with the Chief,” Daniel said quietly.
“I don’t want you to go through all this trouble for me,” Isa said apologetically.
“You’re worth it, and even if you weren’t, it is worth it to get him off the fucking force,” Daniel replied, watching Greene with glee.
Greene’s eyes widened as he sat straighter on the couch. “Yes, Chief. No, Chief. I understand, Sir. I’ll be right there. Yes, Sir.” He hung up the phone and glared at Daniel as he stood.
“I have to go. Another detective will be in touch, but don’t think your money will sweep this under the rug to protect a disturbed girl.”
“Detective?” Isa said, standing. He turned to scowl at her. “Not that you cared to investigate or ask, but I can prove what I said happened is true. I have surveillance cameras inside my store, and the feeds will prove me right. Too bad you’ll not see it with your own eyes. You bet on the wrong horse; I’m sorry for that. You were probably a stand-up guy before my Father started whispering in your ear. Unfortunately, there are consequences for your actions. Good luck.”
He looked as shell-shocked as Daniel and I were about her revelation. Not once has she mentioned that she got the assault on camera. I waited for the detective to leave before I asked her about it.
