Rich Blood (Jason Rich #1)(72)

He drank a sip of Sun Drop and felt his pulse slowing. He’d gotten his money back and, despite the disrespect shown, he knew that Rich wasn’t stupid enough to go back on his word. Things are working.

Soon, Jana Waters would be convicted of the murder of her husband.

And the meth business on Sand Mountain would continue to boom.

As for handling the colonel, Tyson Cade was a patient man.





56


On Wednesday morning, Jason had his first therapy session with Celia Little, a psychologist recommended by Chase. It went pretty well, he thought, though it wasn’t humanly possible to get everything he had on his chest actually off his chest. But it was good to at least check that box. He’d been to an AA meeting. He had a therapist on board. He was moving in the right direction despite falling off the wagon. Still, he hadn’t been back to jail to see Jana and wasn’t sure when he would. There was much work to be done, and the trial date was pressing down on him like a runaway freight train. October 22 would be here before he knew it, and it was now September 5. Two days after Labor Day. Six weeks before they started picking a jury.

Shay Lankford, to her credit, had been an open book, turning over everything the state had gathered as evidence. Obviously, their proffer agreement with Waylon Pike and his confession were the two biggest pieces of evidence, and Jason had basically memorized every word of both. He knew the state’s case probably as well as or better than they did. What he didn’t know was what Jana’s case would be. He had Harry watching Colleen Maples twenty-four seven and was hoping to set up meetings with Braxton’s and Jana’s respective divorce lawyers, Braxton’s financial advisor, some friends from the First Methodist Church, and, finally, every single neighbor on Buck Island.

He still had a long way to go, but things were better now with Niecy home. He’d added five more officers in addition to the Tonidandel brothers. Chase had also given him some shooting lessons, and he’d gotten his gun permit. If Cade tried anything before trial, then he’d get what he wanted.

War.

As the Porsche hurtled down Highway 278 toward Cullman, Jason felt like he’d circled the wagons as well as he could. Thirty minutes later, when he sat down at the All Steak restaurant and put the first mouthwatering orange roll in his mouth, Ashley Sullivan smiled at him. “You look better, Jason.” She paused. “Are you?”

“I don’t know,” he said. “Ask me in about six weeks.”

“What happens then?”

He drank some tea and let out a deep breath. “My sister’s trial.”





PART SIX





57


On the Friday before the trial of Jana Waters, Judge Conrad called a hearing to go over pretrial motions. His Honor, who had driven in that morning from Tuscaloosa, had banned any press from being in the courtroom. Jason sat alone at the defense table. As this was a hearing only, there was no need for his sister to be present, though he planned to see her immediately afterward. The parties had agreed on most of the pretrial matters, but there was one rather significant motion left on the table.

Judge Conrad cleared his throat and spoke with a bit of a rasp. “Forgive my voice. I’m a little under the weather today.”

Even sick, the man was still loud enough that Jason figured if there had been anyone in the back of the courtroom, they would’ve had no trouble hearing. “As I understand it, the parties have stipulated to all matters set out in their respective pretrial motions other than the defendant’s motion to prohibit the introduction of evidence of any alleged extramarital affair on her behalf because it would be a violation of Rule 404 (b)’s ban on character evidence. That sound right?”

“Yes, Your Honor,” Shay said, standing.

“That’s correct, Your Honor,” Jason said, also standing.

“All right then, my initial inclination was to grant the motion, but, as I understand the state’s argument, they believe that evidence of Ms. Waters’s illicit relationships goes straight to her motive for committing the crime of murder. That sound right, Ms. Lankford?”

“Exactly, Your Honor. The state’s theory is that Ms. Waters was unhappy in her marriage as evidenced by her affairs with multiple men, including the killer of Dr. Waters, Waylon Pike. Evidence of Ms. Waters’s unfaithfulness is relevant to motive and should come in as an exception to 404 (b). I’d also add that the state plans to introduce evidence of the victim’s affair with a coworker, which also shows motive on the part of the defendant. The unfaithfulness on both sides of this relationship goes right to the heart of why Ms. Waters hired Mr. Pike to kill her husband.”

Judge Conrad ran a hand through his hair and looked Jason’s way. “And I’m guessing your argument is that it doesn’t matter. That the state is trying to introduce evidence of these affairs to demean her character and to make the jury think that since she was cheating on her husband, she had to have murdered him.”

“Yes, sir,” Jason said. “That’s pretty much it.”

“Well, I think I’m going to split the baby. I’m obviously going to allow any evidence of a relationship between Pike and the defendant, as that is materially relevant to the state’s claim that she hired Pike to kill Dr. Waters. I’m also going to allow evidence of Dr. Waters’s affair as well as any nonhearsay related to the parties’ separation and impending divorce. As to other affairs with additional suitors, Ms. Lankford, what’s the nature of that evidence?”