Chapter 20 #2
“Again, the warrant came through, they did exhume her body, ran more tests, and found what she had written in the journal to be true. She had been slowly poisoned over three years. It started around the time Mark started his affair with Mosher.” Ilsa saw Myrna slump in relief.
“Mark is also in jail, and because of the results of the new autopsy, he’s in even more trouble than what he thought. ”
“How so?” Pedro asked as he put his arm across the back of Myrna’s chair and rubbed her shoulder.
“It turns out that the life insurance company took exception to being told she died of natural causes, then learned it was foul play. They are suing him for the five-million-dollar policy he had taken out on her seven months before her death.”
“Shit, so he knew she was dying, and he cashed in on it, even though he was the one poisoning her.”
“Correct.”
The four of them sat there in silence, letting Myrna wrap her head around what had been going on for the last two months, and she finally let out a gigantic sigh, slumped back in her chair, and looked at the two across from her.
“Damn.” She couldn’t think of anything else to say after that, and continued to shake her head.
“What is it?”
Before she could answer, a phone went off, and Jason frowned when he saw the number. He stood, excused himself, and stepped outside. He was back in under five minutes, and looked like he had seen a ghost.
“What’s wrong?” Ilsa asked.
“That was Agent Wilson.” He shook his head, helped himself to more lemonade from the pitcher on the table and downed it in three swallows. He sighed heavily as he set the glass down, then sat in the chair he had vacated before taking the phone call.
“They found your trailer,” Jason began, and shook his head. “They’re going over it now, and they have a lot of questions for the people already arrested. It doesn’t look good for them.”
“What? Why? Please, tell me what’s going on.”
Jason scrubbed his face, drew in a deep breath, let it out in a rush, and stared directly at Myrna.
“In Mosher’s home, they found a journal, I didn’t know about this until now with the phone call I took.
In that notebook were several passages that if Mosher couldn’t have the horse, then no one would.
Agent Wilson is under the impression that your horse trailer was stolen to make sure that happened. ”
“How?” Pedro said, and his fingers were clenched so tightly all his knuckles were white.
“The notebook had detailed drawings and worded texts as to how she was going to rig a bomb on the trailer so that when Sally, or anyone who stepped on one of the pressure plates, they would blow when they stepped off.”
“Are you telling me that if I would have stepped in first, then I could have been killed?”
“Yes, if she had been able to return the trailer to you. However, you went back home to pack up your life before it could be returned. They found it, and sure as shit, there were six pressures plates. According to Agent Wilson, there were enough explosives that it would have taken out you, Sally, the barn, and the house.”
Myrna held up her hand, jumped to her feet to run down the hall.
Pedro found her leaned over the toilet, losing her lunch from hours earlier.
He held her hair, wet a washcloth and handed it to her when she finished.
When she had herself under control, washed her face, and brushed her teeth, he gathered her to him and wouldn’t stop holding her until she stopped shaking.
“I’m okay,” she said after about ten minutes, and he took her chin in his hands and studied her intently. He kissed the tip of her nose and nodded. They went back out to the kitchen, and the first person to speak was Ilsa.
“Don’t say anything, you have every right to be upset. I probably would have done the same thing.”
“Thank you.” She shook her head, and played with the beads of condensation on the outside of her glass. “I know I’ve been asking this since all this shit happened, but what happens next?”
Jason leaned forward with a nod. “Wilson and her team will wrap up everything they have, give or take a couple of weeks. The DA will review it, and depending on what else they uncover, more charges may be added. When he’s ready, he’ll reach out and ask for your statement.
” When he saw her expression, he shook his head gently.
“No, you won’t have to go to his office.
He can come here, or we can meet over at our office at Erin’s Way. ”
“Why not go to his office?” Pedro asked.
“Because we don’t know who might be friends with Mosher and get information to her.
We’re going to play this one close to the vest. However, once this goes to trial, you’re going to have to testify.
You’ll be the key witness in the automotive parts theft, how you came into possession of Sally, how she was stolen from you, why you didn’t report it. ”
“But I did.”
“You know that, and I know that, but their lawyer might question as to why you didn’t go to the local authorities.”
“Because, I didn’t get any help when I went there the first time something happened.”
“State it exactly like that. But you did report it to the Feds when you arrived here and we all questioned you. You weren’t trying to stay silent, you just needed to get someone to listen to you.”
“Thank you. Do you have any idea how long it might be before it goes to trial?”
“No, I do know that this week, the attempted murder charges will be added, and they will have to go before a judge. I do know that the three Godwin’s have been denied bail.
They will be in jail until their trial. It could take up to a year or more, depends on how much more evidence is gathered and if anyone else would be willing to come forward and testify. ”
“Thank you,” Myrna said after several minutes of silence, then sat back with a heavy sigh. “It’s a lot to think about.”
“I know I shouldn’t ask this,” Jason said quietly. “But do you think you’ll back out of testifying?”
“Pardon my language, but fuck no! They killed my best friend, and I’m just sorry it took me this long to find what she had left for me. Then, they tried to take our horse. I still think of Sally as Mary’s at times, so she is our horse. Oh, crap,” she said, and looked at him with wide eyes.
“What?” the other three asked in concern at her expression.
“Gus stole my horse, that’s a major offense in the state of Colorado. I went and got her back. Could I be arrested for stealing my own horse back from the thief?”
“No,” Jason said. “Even if they tried to arrest you, you’d be out on bail before the gavel even hit down. You were retrieving your property, and it clearly showed where Gus broke into your barn and walked Sally out.”
“Thank you.” She nodded and when there wasn’t anything else to say, Ilsa gathered her notes, and they stood to leave.
“I will contact you when I have more about you giving your deposition. Rest assured, I will be present during it, since I am representing you.”
“Thank you.”
They left, and when Myrna turned around, she sobbed and laughed at the same time as she threw herself into Pedro’s outstretched arms.