Chapter 8
AVA
Ava heaved a sigh as she rubbed her forehead. No one would listen to her at the police station. She could only wait for Barry to show up and flex some legal muscle.
As she waited for him to arrive, her mind returned to the argument she’d had before she left.
Her eyelids fluttered shut, a heavy sigh escaping her lips as she leaned back against the cold, unforgiving wall. The once-promised bond between the two most important men in her life now felt like a fragile thread stretched to its breaking point.
She had hoped they’d become fast friends, but instead, they sniped at each other at every turn. But then Chris wasn’t putting his best foot forward. The only thing he was doing was sticking his foot in his mouth.
Even with her.
Had he always been like this?
She searched her memory for instances of this type of behavior with Chris in their relationship. He could be overbearing when stressed, but had he always been so mean-spirited?
She didn’t care for his treatment of Alex at all. Was it merely because he viewed him as a rival because of their marriage?
Her phone chimed, echoing against the concrete block walls in the otherwise eerily quiet jailhouse. She glanced down, wondering if it was an apology from Chris.
Instead, she found a rambling message from Alex. Hey, Avs, I did something really stupid. I’m sorry. I hate to bug you while you’re dealing with Simon. But…I accidentally let it slip that you asked to postpone the divorce. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to, and it just slipped out. Avs, I’m so sorry.
Ava’s stomach twisted into a knot at the words. “Oh, Alex,” she whispered, sliding her eyes closed and rubbing her temples.
When she’d asked him to postpone the divorce, she hadn’t considered how she’d explain it to Chris. In fact, she’d figured she wouldn’t. He didn’t need to know they weren’t working on it actively. It would just add to his misery.
She just needed to protect Alex. And a few extra days or a week married wouldn’t hurt anyone.
She studied the message again, noting the beseeching tone, the almost frantic sound.
He felt terrible. He was so concerned she’d be angry with him. That was more than she could say about Chris who barely apologized for his gaffe.
Her features softened, realizing Chris had probably annoyed Alex into letting it slip. She smiled softly as she typed a response letting him know it was okay.
With a comical plea for him not to kill Chris, she added a kissy face and sent it.
He answered in seconds, thanking her.
Before she could respond, Barry strode into the station. “Hi, Ava, I got here as soon as I could.”
She rose from her seat with an apologetic smile. “Sorry for the evening summons, but Simon sounded panicked. I didn’t know what else to do. They won’t let me see him.”
“And you say he thinks someone’s trying to kill him?” Barry asked as he adjusted his jacket.
“That’s what he said. He said he needed help. He thought someone was trying to kill him. I don’t know.”
“No hint of who is after him?”
“No,” Ava said with a shake of her head, “but Alex has received anonymous tips that there is this…entity called The Board that is calling the shots on this.”
“Do you know if Simon has had any mental problems in the past?”
“I don’t,” Ava said with a shake of her head. Was the man insane?
“Okay, I’ve got a call into a judge to see if we can get him another bail hearing.”
“What happened at his last one?”
Barry flicked a folder open and tapped a page. “Public defender failed to argue that he should be let out on bail due to the heinous nature of the murder.”
Ava heaved a sigh, crossing her arms. “Any chance we can see him?”
“This is well outside of normal visiting hours.”
“Yeah, but you can see him as his attorney, right? Maybe you can get some information from him. Tell him I’m here.”
“I’ll see what I can do.” He stepped around her toward the officer at the desk. “Sit tight.”
“Thanks,” she said as she lowered herself into her uncomfortable chair again.
Her fingers drummed against her thigh as Barry disappeared through a door further into the prison. Her stomach twisted into another knot. She considered texting Alex, but she had no new information to share. She hoped to have some soon.
Time passed slowly as she waited to hear back from Barry. He finally strode through the door twenty minutes later.
“Well?” Ava asked as she leapt from her seat.
“Well, he’s definitely scared.”
“Did he give you any details?” Ava asked.
“Not really. He wanted to talk to you.”
She glanced at the officer behind the desk. “Can I see him?”
“No, they won’t let you. I tried to explain that to him, but he didn’t seem to be getting it. How did he seem when he talked to you last?”
“Scared,” she admitted, “but not frightened, you know? Like…afraid of what could happen to him if this goes wrong. And insistent on his innocence.”
“Anything else?”
Ava shook her head. “Not really. Why?”
“He’s definitely agitated. Nervous, fidgeting. Almost like he’s on something.”
“He wasn’t like that when I met with him. He was scared, like I said, and pleading. But…not agitated. Is there anything we can do tonight?”
“My judge came through. He’ll hear the revisiting of the bail. We need to get to the courthouse.”
Ava’s heart lifted.
“I assume Alex will be covering this if it comes through?”
“Yes, we’ll post bail,” she said with a nod as he motioned toward the door.
She followed him toward it. “Do you think he has a chance?”
“We’ll see. Let’s keep our fingers crossed.”
They pushed into the evening air and the stark lighting of the parking lot. “Oh, by the way, while we’re walking, Alex may not have had the chance to tell you, but please hold off on the divorce papers.”
He froze, his graying eyebrows pinching. “Divorce papers?”
Ava cocked her head, her brows knitting. Alex had mentioned their divorce being tricky. He had to have gotten that information from Barry. Why did the man seem like he didn’t know anything about it?
She forced a smile onto her face. “Well, if you don’t know about them, then that’s perfect. Because there’s no need for them.”
He offered her a smile. “See you at the courthouse.”
Ava nodded as she pressed the keyfob to unlock her car. “I’ll follow you.”
She slid behind the wheel, her mind still reeling from the conversation as she fired the engine and pulled from her spot.
As she navigated the streets behind Barry’s Mercedes, she tried to pick apart his statement. Why hadn’t he known about the divorce at all?
She’d have to ask Alex at some point once they’d settled this situation with Simon. They arrived at the courthouse and headed in to wait for the judge to arrive.
Simon shuffled into the courtroom in handcuffs and leg cuffs. His eyes went wide as he spotted Ava.
“Ava,” he hissed, hurrying closer to her.
“Easy, pal,” the bailiff warned.
“Simon, what happened?” she whispered.
“Someone’s after me. I got a note. It said I wouldn’t last the day.”
Her pulse quickened at the development. “Do you have the note? Did you show Barry?”
“No, I…it’s gone. I hid it under my mattress, but when I looked for it now, it was gone.”
Ava huffed out a breath. “Did anyone else see the note?”
He shook his head. “Please say you can get me out of here, though.”
“You’ll need to cooperate with Barry, okay? Do whatever he says. He’ll take good care of you.”
The man nodded, fear still etched into his features.
The bailiff made the announcement that the judge was entering.
They all rose from their seats as the judge strode inside, slamming a folder onto the bench before she plopped into her seat and slid on her glasses.
“Does someone want to tell me why my dinner was interrupted to hear a bail hearing that has already been decided?”
Barry rose, buttoning his jacket. “Your Honor, we have new information about this case that is relevant to the proceedings.”
“Your Honor,” the DA’s representative shot back, “this is just another way for the defense to try to overturn another judge’s ruling. Mr. Blackburn has lawyered up–to the extreme–Mr. Thompson is Alex Stone’s head legal counsel.”
“Who I represent in other cases is not a matter for these proceedings.”
“It is when it’s Mr. Stone’s company that Mr. Blackburn is accused of robbing blind.”
The judge flicked her dark eyes back and forth between them.
“Your Honor, that’s irrelevant.”
“Is it, counselor? You don’t find this a conflict of interest?”
“No, Your Honor,” Barry answered, “Mr. Stone himself asked me to represent Mr. Blackburn.”
“Oh, Your Honor, what kind of trick is this? Mr. Stone called the police with proof against Mr. Blackburn. He was arrested and now–”
“Mr. Stone now believes there is more to the story and–”
“That doesn’t matter, Your Honor, this court is not here to entertain Alex Stone’s whims.”
Ava sucked in a breath, her muscles stiff as she watched the sparring back and forth before the judge put a stop to it.
“Enough. I’m still not convinced it’s a conflict of interest, but that’s beside the point of tonight’s hearing.
The bail issue has been decided by Judge Mallorca.
I’m not someone who wants to overturn someone else’s ruling on a whim. ”
“Which is exactly what is being asked of you, Your Honor. Alex Stone thinks his money can talk in this courtroom and it shouldn’t. Mr. Thompson should be held in contempt of court for even attempting this.”
“Let’s not push things too far, counselor,” the judge said, holding a hand in the air. “Mr. Thompson, can you explain outside of Mr. Stone’s sudden belief in Mr. Blackburn, why we’re here?”
“I can, Your Honor. And I have put it all in my request.” Barry waved a folder in the air. “Permission to approach the bench.”
Ava shifted in her seat as the judge waved him forward. He strode toward her and handed off the folder. She adjusted her glasses as she perused it.
“This says Mr. Blackburns’s life is under threat. Do you have proof of that?”
Barry leaned closer to Simon before he nodded and straightened again. “Your Honor, my client received a note threatening his life.”
“Do you have the note?”
“He does not, Your Honor. He hid it under his mattress, but it is now gone.”
“I see.”
“Your Honor, please. This is trickery on the part of the defense to try to get a sympathetic judge to overturn a ruling made already.”
Ava’s gaze bore into the DA, her lips pressed into a thin line as her words cut through the tension in the courtroom like a knife. She fought the urge to interrupt, her clenched fists betraying the anger simmering beneath the surface.
The judge continued to peruse the paper before she snapped the folder closed. “Without proof of the threat, I cannot overturn the bail ruling in good conscience. I’m sorry, counselor, your motion is denied.”
She banged the gavel before Barry could speak again. Ava’s shoulders slumped at the words as the judge strode from the room.
Simon’s eyes flickered with fear as he stared up at Barry. “What? What happened? Does that mean I can’t get out?”
“Sorry,” Barry answered as he slammed his briefcase closed. “There’s nothing we can do. If you receive another note, don’t let it out of your sight and call me immediately. That’s the only thing that’s going to change this.”
“No!” Simon shouted, shooting Ava a pleading glance.
“I’m sorry, Simon. We’re still working on our end. Try to hang in there,” Ava said as she reached for his hand while the bailiff approached to handcuff him again.
“No!” Simon yelled again. “No, you don’t understand. I can’t go back there.”
The bailiff tightened the handcuffs on him before dragging him away as he continued to carry on.
Ava blew out a long sigh as Barry hesitated in front of her.
“I’m sorry, Ava. I’ll continue to work on his defense. Get me anything you can about this Board or whatever it was. Anything to cast reasonable doubt.”
“I will. Thanks, Barry. Take care.”
“Good night.”
As Barry’s departing footsteps echoed in the empty courtroom, Ava sank into her chair with a heavy heart. Each breath felt like a battle won against the suffocating weight of uncertainty, her determination to uncover the truth burning brighter than ever.
She’d fill Alex in when she arrived at home. With her keys in hand, she left the courthouse behind and slid behind the wheel to return home.
She wondered if both men were still alive as she fired the engine and pulled from the parking lot. She threaded through the streets toward the beach villa, slowing to a stop at a stop sign.
The intersection blurred before her eyes as a metallic beast hurtled toward her, its headlights piercing the darkness like twin daggers.
Her pulse raced in time with the erratic beat of her heart, the moment of terror robbing her of her breath as glass exploded around her.
The deafening screech of tires and the sickening sound of metal against metal filled her ears, drowning out the frantic pounding of her heart as the collision sent her world spinning into chaos.