Deadly Dozen: 12 Mysteries/Thrillers (151 page)

CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE

THE DNA FROM THE basement where we’d found Angela was not a match for Glen Williams, and his case began to fall apart just as fast as the one against Hank Williams had. I cursed the judge and Dan almost fired me for embarrassing him. Our DNA evidence was thrown out because of how long it sat in the barn, but it really didn’t matter because nothing matched Glen anyway.

I spent the better part of a week obsessed and pored over all the notes and video of the Hank Williams trial, trying to find the connection. The DA’s office was a hellhole. Dan was angry, but I guessed it was because I wouldn’t respond to his advances and our case was falling apart and making him look bad.

“I just don’t get it.” I hit the fast-forward button on the remote and groaned.

Joshua nodded and looked at me from behind a stack of boxes. We were putting in long days again in what seemed to be a repeat of the Hank Williams trial.

“It has to be something stupid.” Joshua smiled and went back to work.

I was watching myself on video giving the opening on the Hank Williams case. The camera panned to Hank and it hit me. “No way.”

Joshua looked up at me and blinked. “What?”

I skipped forward to another scene and watched Hank. Then without saying a word, I ejected the DVD and put in one from Glen’s trial earlier that week. My mind raced. And then the camera showed Glen sitting at the defense table, and I gasped.

“I gotta go.”

“Sarah, where—what did you see?” Joshua stuttered. I didn’t wait—I couldn’t because I had just figured out why nothing fit.

CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX

AN HOUR LATER, I was sitting in the visiting area waiting to see Glen Williams. He was being held at the state penitentiary, but in a posh cell. After cussing out the judge, I was not the acting lead on his case, so I got in without his lawyers present.

Glen shuffled in and sat down across from me, with just a piece of security glass between us. I picked up the phone and he smiled at me. I hated that smile. But this time I had him—he just didn’t know it yet.

“Miss Steele, how nice of you to come visit me. How is the case going?” He was jeering at me.

“Not good, really. You seem to be one step ahead of everyone.”

“It’s easy when I’m innocent. The guilty are the only ones who need to hide.”

I held back a gag. “I know who you are. I know why the DNA isn’t a match, and I wanted to come down here and see the look in your eyes when this weak woman puts you away for life.”

Glen’s eyes darkened and he put on a fake smile. “You are a spunky one. I like the spunky ones. Maybe when I’m out, we can play again.”

This time I didn’t hesitate.

“Oh, don’t worry. The game is over, and you lost.” I paused. “Hank.”

Hank’s eyes darted back and forth, but he regained his composure and snarled. “How?”

It was my turn to smile. “Now, now, Hank, that would be too easy. I like it better this way. It is a game, after all. You figure it out.”

With that, I hung up the phone and called for the guard. Hank glared at me and slammed the phone down with his left hand.

CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN

BY THE END OF the week, everything changed. Hank was tested and his DNA matched the DNA in the basement where Angela was held. What I saw in the video was Hank Williams writing on a piece of paper with his left hand. But when I killed him, or thought I did, he used his right hand to hold the knife.

The video of the Glen Williams arraignment showed a man writing with his left hand, proving that it was Hank, and Glen was the man I shot at Mandy’s house. Hank let his brother take the fall for him as he tried to get away. But he knew that even if he got caught, he could get off again because the DNA would not match, and his brother was dead.

Dan spun the Williams case well and the media ate it up. Dan told them, “Someone tried to force the ADA to throw a case, but no matter what, the DA’s office would not be bullied. Truth and justice will always prevail.”

I felt like the hero, but it was short-lived. Hank Williams was killed three weeks later by another inmate, shanked in the back with a toothbrush. I didn’t know if Hannah sent the hit out on him, but I wouldn’t put it past her. There was a lot of money riding on his silence. I wondered what her part was in all this, but I was not going to find out. It was not perfect justice, but it was better than nothing.

After a few more lessons at the target range, Solomon finally asked me out on a date. Besides his looks and charm, there was a mystery about him that drew me in. He held me at arm’s length, which was perfectly fine with me. But one day, I wanted to see what lay behind the mask.

I felt on top of the world, as if the sun was a little brighter and the smells of summer were all there in full bloom, just for me. I had some of my life back, something to hold on to, and a weight had been lifted from my shoulders.

I wanted to believe in justice, in the system, but my faith faltered. It was used and abused every day. Greed. Jealousy. Revenge. Hatred. All battled within the court system until I didn’t know which side was right. Was it all just a big game?

I did know one thing. I would not be a pawn anymore. I was going to stand up and fight, no matter what that meant.

THE END

#

Don’t miss the next book in the Sarah Steele Thriller series:

TWISTING STEELE

About the Authors

AARON PATTERSON

Aaron is the father of three kids: Soleil, Kale, and Klayton. He is the author of the bestselling
Mark Appleton
thriller series,
The Airel Saga,
and
The Sarah Steele
thriller series. Aaron worked in the construction field for 11 years and is now a full-time writer. Aaron was home-schooled and has a bachelor’s degree in theology. He loves to hike, snowboard, camp, and drink coconut lattes. He is also the founder of StoneHouse Ink and co-founder of StoneHouse University. He speaks all over the country on the subject of eBooks, writing and the changing publishing world.

Connect with Aaron at his blog:
http://theworstbookever.blogspot.com

Friend him on Facebook:
www.facebook.com/aaronpatterson

And Twitter:
@mstersmith

Aaron also has a newsletter and you can get updates on his new books and way cool deals. You can sign up here:
http://eepurl.com/tQWHb

Also by Aaron Patterson

Sweet Dreams (Book 1)

Dream On (Book 2)

In your Dreams (Book 3)

Airel (Book 1)

Michael (Book 2)

Uriel (Book 3 Coming Soon)

19 (Digital Short)

The Craigslist Killer (Digital Short)

Elena’s Secret: A Vampire Dairies’ Story

Breaking Steele

Twisting Steele

Melting Steele (Coming Soon)

#

ELLIE ANN:

I was born in the jungles of Thailand, was raised in a small farming village in Iowa, lived in the middle of a Texan desert, and now abide in the Ozarks. I get nerd points for being home-schooled. I get nerd points revoked for being a basketball jock in high school. I get nerd points again for dressing as Aragorn for LOTR midnight showings. I’m trying to become a world-renowned geek.

I like writing fairy tales, tall tales, thrillers, cyberpunk, and am seriously interested in transmedia storytelling. I like reading and watching well-written adventures. My favorite book?
The Wonder Clock
by Howard Pyle. My favorite movie?
TheReturnoftheKingPan’sLabyrinthIronManSilveradoSneakersStardust
(see that? I cheated there).

I’m married to the best man there is. I’m mama to three adorable children.

I’m an editor for StoneHouse Ink. And I’m a producer/writer/director of interactive books at Noble Beast.

Check out my first solo novel,
The Silver Sickle
, a YA cyberpunk published by StoneHouse Ink.

email:
[email protected]

twitter:
@elliesoderstrom

Facebook:
Ellie Ann

MOONLIGHT SONATA

A DICK MOONLIGHT THRILLER

VINCENT ANDRI

Vincent Zandri © copyright 2013

StoneGate Ink

an imprint of StoneHouse Ink

Boise ID 83713

http://www.stonegateink.com

www.vincentzandri.com

For Lola, wherever you are…

“I used to look forward to the day when I got too old to give a damn about women.”

—
James Crumley,
The Last Good Kiss

PROLOGUE