What I've Done (Morgan Dane #4)(31)

“But they weren’t entirely ignoring the case. In the meantime, they matched her fingerprints with those found on the weapon and expedited a DNA test of the blood that was all over Haley, confirming that it was Noah’s.” Lance thought the sheriff had handled the situation well, except for not taking Haley to the ER. “Haley never specifically told the sheriff that she didn’t remember the night before.”

“She wasn’t thinking straight.” Morgan tipped her head back and closed her eyes. “She was clearly confused, or ‘out of it,’ as the responding officer noted.”

“The prosecutor will spin it that she was merely avoiding questions and took that time to come up with a story.”

“Or that I suggested it when I met with her on Monday morning.” Morgan sighed. “That’s exactly how I would have spun it when I was an ADA.” She leaned forward and wrote on her legal pad. “I’ll prepare a motion to get her initial statements to the sheriff’s department disqualified due to her confused mental state brought about by her untreated Addison’s disease. I’ll need to get Haley’s doctor to testify that her medical condition made her disoriented and confused.”

The doorbell chimed.

“That’ll be the pizza.” Lance went to the front door, handed the delivery kid some cash, and brought the pizza back to Morgan’s office. He opened it on her desk. She ripped her attention from her notes long enough to inhale two slices. Lance ate four, then stowed the rest of the pizza in the refrigerator in the kitchen.

He returned to Morgan’s office. They watched the second video. Colgate read Haley’s Miranda rights a second time. Then he confronted her with the results of the DNA test and the fingerprint analysis.

Haley’s eyes were sunken, her posture exhausted, and her skin paler. She replied to every question with a small voice. “I want to call my mother.”

“I’ll arrange it.” Colgate gave up, and the video ended.

Morgan stood, crossed the room, and brewed a cup of coffee. When she turned around, a deep-in-thought line divided her eyebrows. “We need to start interviewing people.”

“It’s three o’clock.” Lance returned to his place in front of the whiteboard. He studied the list of names.

Morgan went back to her desk, sipped her coffee, and tapped on her keyboard. “Let’s start with Haley’s girlfriend Piper. She’ll be the least hostile. We can go to Beats tonight and interview employees, but the club doesn’t open until later. We also have to talk to Noah’s three friends: Isaac McGee, Chase Baker, and Justin O’Brien.”

The police reports included driver’s license photos of all the witnesses. Morgan printed them out, including pictures of Noah and Haley. She made multiple copies of each, one for the whiteboard and another for her own file. She also liked to have pictures on hand when doing interviews. A photo could jog the memory of a waitress or bartender.

“We’ll walk the crime scene tomorrow,” Lance added.

“I’ll email the prosecutor’s office now and request entry to Noah’s house. Then I’ll call Piper and see when she’ll be available.” Morgan typed a quick email. She pressed the “Enter” key and froze.

“What is it?” Lance asked.

“An email.” She turned the computer, so he could read the screen.

Counselor Dane,

Haley Powell brutally murdered Noah Carter. If you continue to represent her, you will be complicit in her crime, and you will be punished for your wickedness. Consider this your only warning.

“You’ve been carrying your handgun, right?” Lance asked.

Both sides of a criminal case often received nasty emails. Most of the time nothing came of them, but the tone of this one set off his creep meter. Morgan could handle herself, but Lance still wanted to play bodyguard.

“Yes,” Morgan said. “Except at court appearances, like today.”

“Until this is over, don’t leave home without it.”





Chapter Thirteen

Morgan reached for the doorbell of Piper Allen’s second-floor apartment door. Gray siding and neat white trim gave the newer complex a crisp, clean appearance.

The young woman who opened the door wore slim jeans and a body-hugging top with the shoulders cut out. Thick gray socks covered her feet. Royal-blue highlights in her jet-black hair made her pale skin and blue eyes pop. Whether she intended it or not, the effect was elfin.

“Piper Allen?” When the young woman nodded, Morgan handed over a business card and introduced herself. “This is my investigator, Lance Kruger. \Thank you for seeing us.”

“Come in.” Piper stepped back and opened the door wider. “I’ll do whatever I can to help Haley.”

They went into a tiny tiled foyer. Piper closed the door and led them back to a living room, which was open to a bright kitchen and eating area. Her modern furnishings looked like the type that came in a flat box to be assembled with a hex key.

“How is Haley?” Piper walked into the kitchen.

Morgan followed her. “She should be home soon.”

Lance crossed his arms and leaned against the wall.

“I can’t believe that she killed Noah, no matter what the police say.” Piper stopped in front of a cutting board loaded with onions, carrots, and celery. The rest of the apartment might have been furnished on a budget, but the kitchen appliances were all high-end. “You don’t mind if I continue chopping? I need to keep busy.”