Page 37 of Dead Air
Monica's distinctive handwriting. The implication crashed through Lawson's careful compartmentalization. Monica hadn't kept her corruption investigation secret out of distrust. She'd done it for protection. Knowledge meant danger. Ignorance offered Lawson deniability if everything collapsed.
The rain intensified, drumming against the metal roof. Lawson sorted through more surveillance photos. The consistency suggested multiple photographers working in coordination. Resources beyond individual capacity. Organized surveillance authorized by someone with authority.
The final photo in the stack showed Monica and Lawson together. Standing in the threshold of Lawson's apartment door. Monica leaning in, their silhouettes merging in what was clearly an intimate moment. Proof of their relationship captured from across the street.
Lawson flipped the photo over. Monica's handwriting again:Insurance policy in our place.
Our place.
Three possible locations flashed through her mind. The bench at Forsyth Park fountain, where they'd first discussed moving beyond partnership. The waterfront bar where they'd celebrated their first year working together. The hotel room they'd booked for weekend getaways when they needed privacy from colleagues.
The fountain made the most sense. Public. Accessible 24/7. Unlikely to change or disappear over time. Monica would have chosen somewhere Lawson could access without drawing attention.
Lawson extracted several key folders, then she replaced the remaining documents in the lockbox. The combination clicked back into place. Everything returned to the plasticbin, Christmas lights arranged over the top exactly as she'd found them. The bin went back beneath the others, appearing undisturbed.
Outside, the rain had stopped. Wet pavement reflected security lights in fractured patterns. Lawson locked the storage unit and walked to her car. Water squelched in her shoes with each step, the weight of Monica's documents heavy against her chest.
Forsyth Park waited across town. The fountain. East side bench. Insurance policy hidden five years ago, undisturbed while Monica's murder went unsolved.
dead air episode 4:
"The Other Relationship"
[Electronic theme music fades in, then quiets under narration]
LEAH BLACKWELL:Welcome back to Dead Air. I'm Leah Blackwell.
In previous episodes, we explored Detective Monica Landry's murder, her partner Detective Erin Lawson's conflicting statements, and the mysteriously powered floodlight that shouldn't have worked. Today, we turn to a relationship that remained hidden until now—one that adds another layer to this increasingly complex case.
[Brief pause]
LEAH:I'm speaking with Detective Ray Hutchinson of the Savannah Police Department's Narcotics Division. Detective Hutchinson worked alongside Monica Landry on the Rafferty case in the months before her death. But according to multiple sources, their relationship extended beyond professional boundaries.
[Audio clip from interview]HUTCHINSON:Monica understood the Rafferty operation better than anyone. I provided background from Narcotics. She connected financial patterns. Working together created a bond. Late nights. Shared purpose. It became more than professional.
LEAH:Detective Hutchinson has agreed to speak publicly about their relationship for the first time:
HUTCHINSON:We started seeing each other. Nothing dramatic. Dinner after reviewing case files. Drinks when we made progress. My place or hers when we needed privacy.
LEAH:When did this relationship begin?
HUTCHINSON:Six months before she died. Monica suggested keeping it quiet. Department politics, you know. Partners dating other officers complicates things.
LEAH:Did anyone know about your relationship?
HUTCHINSON:We were careful. Professional at work. No public displays. Separate cars to restaurants outside Savannah. Monica insisted on discretion.
[Music shifts slightly]
LEAH:I asked Detective Hutchinson to describe the nature of their relationship:
HUTCHINSON:Intense. Intellectually and physically. She kept a toothbrush at my place. Left clothes in my drawer. We talked about vacation plans for when the Rafferty case closed.
LEAH:Did Detective Lawson know about this relationship?
HUTCHINSON:Monica said her partner wouldn't understand. Lawson was protective. Territorial about their partnership. Monica avoided the potential drama.
[Brief pause]
