A Stranger on the Beach(98)

“Oh, come on,” Lisa said. “Aidan. Don’t do this. You’re innocent. Tell him that.”

Aidan didn’t like to ignore Lisa’s advice, but he had to. He would put Tommy first for once, the way Tommy had done for him his entire life.

“I heard that my brother is under investigation and suspended from his job because of something I did the night of the murder,” he said.

“That’s right. Because you broke into the Starks’ house. We have a witness who says she saw him let you go.”

“It wasn’t like that. I can explain what happened, and you’ll see my brother did nothing wrong.”

“Fine, but what does that have to do with your testimony against Mrs. Stark?”

“I want to make a deal. I’ll testify and say whatever you want. But my brother stays out of this. You drop his charges.”

Mays leaned forward. “Let me make one thing clear. Don’t ever tell me something because you think it’s what I want to hear. You need to tell the truth.”

“You said a minute ago that if I claim innocence, you’ll think I’m lying.”

“That’s right. Because a claim of innocence is not consistent with the evidence as we see it.”

“That’s what I thought. If I claim I’m innocent, you won’t make a deal with me.”

“Correct, because I won’t find you credible, and I can’t call a witness if I believe he’s lying.”

“All right, then. What would you think if I said I did it? If I said I helped Caroline kill Jason Stark and dispose of his body? Would you believe me then?”

“That is consistent with the evidence we have. So, yes. I would believe you.”

“What if I said I did it, and that I was willing to plead guilty, but only on the condition that you stop this investigation of my brother and drop his charges. What would you do then?”

“I would ask you to tell me truthfully exactly what Chief Callahan did that night.”

“I can tell you right now. Tommy caught me inside Caroline’s house. He was on his way to an emergency and didn’t have time to book me. I promised him I would go to the police station and wait for him there. But I lied. I didn’t go to the station. Instead, I went to Tom’s house and helped my sister-in-law prepare for the hurricane, because I wanted to make up to him for what I knew I was about to do later that night. Then I went back to the Starks’ house and helped Caroline kill her husband and dispose of his body.”

Beside him, Lisa was shaking her head in disbelief. Aidan ignored her and plowed forward.

“We left the body in the cave at Glenhampton Beach. That was my idea. I knew that place from way back. I took Caroline there. We were thinking we would come back later, when we had access to a boat, and dump him in the ocean. But the storm saved us the trouble. It washed him out to sea.”

The room was silent. He felt Lisa watching him and couldn’t turn his head. If he looked at her, he’d lose his nerve.

“What if I said all that?” Aidan asked. “What would the effect be on Tom’s case?”

“If you said all that?”

“Yes. Would it fly? I plead guilty like that, and the case against Tommy gets dropped?”

“I think so. Not as a quid pro quo, you understand. But because I would then view you as a credible witness, somebody who’s owned up to his guilt. Therefore, I would have no reason to disbelieve your testimony about your brother’s actions.”

“What would you do for his case?”

“Well. I could forward to the Internal Affairs people your account of the chief’s actions, along with my assessment that you’re credible and my recommendation that the investigation be discontinued.”

“Would you do that? Would you put it in writing?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, Mr. Mays. Then we have a deal.”





58


Three days later, at the crack of dawn, the guards came to take Aidan to court. This time, there was no private ride in Lieutenant Messina’s car. They put him in the windowless back of a prison van with five other guys who had hearings that day. Everyone looked pale and avoided eye contact. Nobody spoke. Maybe the others were going to plead guilty, too, and give up their freedom for months, for years, for life even. Aidan didn’t feel much like talking either. He might not be able to see out of this van, but he still understood how much he was about to lose.

He’d been waiting in the cold of the holding cell for an hour when they came for him. He didn’t know what to expect. Lisa Walters hadn’t been to see him since the day Aidan told the prosecutor he was guilty. Maybe she’d given upon him. He wouldn’t blame her. But they brought him to the attorney interview room, cuffed him to the chair, and locked him in. He sat there, thinking about how to explain to her. Then he realized he didn’t need to. Lisa understood what Aidan was doing, and why.

Finally, Lisa showed up, wearing a purple dress and glasses to match, which made him smile. She didn’t smile back. Her face was grim as she sat down across from him.

“Hi,” he said.

“Hi.”

“You look like you’re going to a funeral.”

“It is a funeral. Yours.”

“Mays says I’ll be out in eight to ten years.”