Page 3 of Girl, Undone
‘Disappeared.From my purse.I definitely had the hairbrush in the courtroom because I used it just before I went to the witness box.I didn’t realize I’d lost them until I’d gotten back to D.C.’
‘Okay, and then?’
‘A month later, Director Edis called me into the meeting room and said local PD were investigating two deaths.Julianne Cooper and Jenna Bradbury.Both had been stabbed and had their lips stitched shut with hair.My hair.’
‘And you were initially a suspect, yes?’
Ella nodded.The memory still hurts.
‘And you were cleared, how?’
‘What?Don’t tell me we’re going there again.’
‘No, not at all.I just need to be clear.’
‘I was in other states at the times of both murders.’
‘Good.And then the third murder – Ben Carter.What about that?’
Death was the great equalizer, but this one stung just that little bit more than the others.‘You probably know more than me.Ben was my ex-boyfriend.We were together for nine months, and then he moved to California.’
‘You mentioned his funeral before.’
‘Yes, I attended his funeral, and someone had sent a tribute card with a picture of me and Ben on the front.I didnotsend that card.The card is with your team.’
‘It is.The picture on the front of the card – do you know where it originated?’
‘Ben took it with his phone.’
‘And sent it to you?’
Ella had asked herself that question, and the circumstantial evidence pointed to yes.‘I’m not one hundred percent sure, but yes, probably.’
‘Right.And then you met Creed in person, is that right?’
‘Yes I did, and I’m sorry if that messes with your investigation, but I needed to see him.’
Dever stopped writing and closed his file.‘Yes, it caused a few hiccups to say the least.How did you even arrange that?With the prison staff?’
‘No.Director Edis gave me a signed affidavit, and he was well within his rights to do so.’
‘Yes he was.I’m just confused as to why he gave it to you and not the team in charge of this case.’
Ella could have been honest, but figured there were certain things people didn't need to know.Edis was three weeks into retirement now, so she doubted there'd be any legal repercussions for him.But still, it didn’t feel right to tell Dever that Edis suggested she go into Creed’s cell and put a bullet in his head.‘Because we had one chance, and he figured I’d be more useful, given my history with him.’
‘I suppose.And yes it was our last chance, because since Creed’s legal counsel heard about your meeting, they’ve gone even heavier with the red tape.He’s completely sealed off from contact, and only his defense lawyer has access to him now.However, we’ve cleared out the contents of his cell, and we’re working on getting him transferred.’
A violent shiver wracked her frame.‘Transferred?Where?’
‘Here.D.C.’
Ella’s stomach dropped, and she was suddenly glad she skipped breakfast.‘Here?Closer to me?Why?’
‘So we can keep a closer eye on him, and it might just help us access him a little easier.’
‘But we don’t have a death row in D.C.How would that work?’
‘Doesn’t matter.Under federal law we can still execute him despite him being somewhere without capital punishment.When his time comes, we’ll summon the firing squad.And the date can’t come quick enough, because we’re up to our necks in this.’Dever grabbed his folder and stood up, and Ella joined him in haste.
