Rich Blood (Jason Rich #1)(91)

“Why?”

After he filled her in, she let out a whistle. “Jason motherfucking Rich . . . I think you may have a future in criminal defense.”

“Thanks, but there’s a long way to go, and I still have one more bridge to cross.”

Now, squatting next to his sister, he was about to cross it. He spoke in a low, calm voice. “Jana, you said you lied to me about something after the state rested its case. What did you lie about?”

She spoke with no hesitation. “I didn’t pay the fifteen thousand to one of Cade’s goons.”

“What? But Jana, you said you recognized the guy as one of Tyson’s men.”

“I lied. Jason, I took that money out for myself. I thought Braxton was about to cut me off. Put a hold on our bank accounts and cancel my credit cards. He’d told the kids he was going to sue for custody. I needed cash and I needed it quick.”

“For what?” Jason asked, realizing that this was what she’d told him in their first meeting. Then, later, she said she’d paid Cade the fifteen grand. Now, she was back to this again. He wasn’t sure what to believe.

“I had some credit card bills that were past due.” She hesitated. “Some pretty big ones.”

“Are you telling me the truth?”

“Now I am. I swear it.”

“Jana, that’s exactly what you told me in our first encounter. Why’d you change your story into paying Cade with the money?”

“I thought saying that I paid Cade would be the best out. To admit my drug problem. But then, after I told you that story, you said Cade made you promise I wouldn’t testify because he was worried I’d implicate him.” She wrung her hands. “I didn’t want to admit that I lied to you.”

“Why now?”

“Because I have to testify. I have to tell the jury that I didn’t pay Pike.”

“What if Shay asks you if you bought drugs from Tyson Cade? Cade isn’t a man who makes idle threats. Jana, this is Nola and Niecy’s lives we are talking about.”

“Can’t I take the Fifth Amendment to those questions? I don’t have to admit I committed a crime.”

Jason slapped his hands together. Now that paying Cade the fifteen grand wasn’t part of the story, she could take the Fifth Amendment. She didn’t have to incriminate herself.

Or Cade . . .

“Jana, what happened to the money?”

“I think it was in the glove compartment of my car. For all I know, Burns could have stolen it. Or maybe an officer took it.”

“Jana, come on.”

“Look, I don’t know. I was on coke. I’m just telling you where I think I put it.”

Jason gazed at her. He knew he couldn’t suborn perjury, but he wasn’t sure what the truth was anymore. He wondered if Jana could even tell the difference.

Jason stood and walked to the door before knocking three times.

“What are we going to do?” Jana asked.

Jason let out a ragged breath. “You’re going to take the stand.”





77


At 8:30 a.m. the following day, Jason met Izzy and Harry in the courtroom. With thirty minutes to spare, the room was empty, but in a half hour, it would be full to capacity. Everyone expected this to be the last day of the trial.

Jason filled Izzy and Harry in on his plan.

“How do you think Cade’s going to react?” Harry asked.

“Chase has the girls at Mill Creek,” Jason said. “The front and back of the place are being watched by security. I have officers surrounding the courthouse, and the by God Tonidandel brothers will all be in the courthouse. Have you met them yet?”

“Just heard the stories,” Izzy said.

“They’re all true.”

“I hope so,” Harry added, “because the stories about Cade are also true.”

Jason put his hands on their respective shoulders. “Jana isn’t stupid. She won’t implicate him.”

“If you say so,” Izzy said.

“Keep your eyes and ears open, partner,” Jason said. “We’re about to get on the roller coaster.”





78


“Mr. Rich, call your next witness,” Judge Conrad announced.

“The defense recalls Ms. Beverly Thacker.”

The elderly nurse trudged into the courtroom and took her seat on the witness stand. After she was sworn in, Jason got right to it.

“Ms. Thacker, you told the jury yesterday about witnessing Dr. Waters having sexual contact with his CRNA, Colleen Maples.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Did you ever witness Dr. Waters have an affair with any other woman?”

“Yes, sir, I did.”

“And who was that?”

“Well, for the longest time, I couldn’t remember her name, but when I saw the car dealer yesterday, it clicked. I saw Dr. Waters making out with Mr. Burns’s wife on a Friday after work. I was working late and went into his office to file something, and I saw them on his desk. Her shirt was off, and they were kissing and grinding on each other.”

Murmurs filled the courtroom, and Judge Conrad banged his gavel.

“Who exactly are you talking about, Ms. Thacker?”