Chapter 14
The plastic jug of sulfuric acid in Connor’s trunk was damning evidence.
I called dispatch for a patrol unit and stuffed the perp in the back when the squad car arrived.
Connor’s car was impounded, and we headed to the station.
JD and I filled out reports, and I called Isabella.
I asked her to look into Connor’s cell history, and she was able to tell me a few interesting things.
We paid the perp a visit in the interrogation room.
“Care to explain why you have acid in your trunk?”
Connor remained silent, staring at me with those narrow eyes as he contemplated his next move.
“Right now, you’re looking at aggravated battery. Second-degree felony. 15 years. That’s if you’re lucky. If the prosecutor wants to call sulphuric acid a deadly weapon, the charges get bumped up. You could be looking at attempted murder. 30 years to life.”
I let that sit there for a moment.
“You’re a reasonably young guy. Do you really want to spend the rest of your life behind bars?”
The wheels turned behind his eyes.
“This isn’t your first run-in with the law, either. Vandalism, petty theft, battery. The courts aren’t going to look kindly at you.”
After a few moments of uncomfortable silence, he spoke. "What's in it for me?"
"What do you mean?”
"If I talk to you, what's in it for me?"
"Depends on what you tell me."
He hesitated another moment. "I want some kind of a deal."
“I can’t give you a deal until I know what you’re going to tell me."
"See, that isn't going to work for me.”
“I’ve got news for you. Nothing is working for you at the moment.”
Connor frowned. “I need assurances. You get me some kinda deal, and I'll tell you who else is involved."
“Right now it looks like you’re the only one involved.” I shared a look with Jack, then said to him, "I need more details. Give me something."
"Look, I'm not admitting to anything. But if I did do something, it's because somebody else paid me."
"Who?"
"Do we have a deal, or don't we?"
I didn’t have the authority to give this guy a deal. I told him to hang tight for a minute. I stepped into the hallway and talked to the sheriff.
“Think this guy is full of shit?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. Let’s see where this goes.”
Daniels got in touch with the state’s attorney, and within half an hour, we had a tentative agreement.
When I returned to the interrogation room, I told Connor, “The prosecuting attorney is willing to drop the Aggravated Battery and give you Felony Battery instead, if your testimony leads to the conviction of said co-conspirator. That’s a maximum of five years, and you could get a lighter sentence.
If I were you, I would take that.“ Then I added, “If you’re pulling my leg, no mercy.”
Connor considered it for a moment, then said, "Okay. Vanessa paid me $50,000 to do it."
“Vanessa? Sebastian’s assistant?”
“Yeah.”
"Why?"
"She didn't say, and I didn't ask.”
"I hope you got the money in advance," I quipped.
"Half."
The motive was obvious to me, but I asked again anyway. "You don’t know why she wanted Ava out of the picture?"
"I think she's still in love with Sebastian. I think she thought she could get him back.”
“That’s a hell of a way to win someone’s affection,” Jack muttered.
"How do you know Vanessa?" I asked.
Connor shrugged. "We went to high school together. I hadn’t seen her in a couple of years, then she called me out of the blue.”
“And you just thought this would be a good idea?” I snarked.
Connor frowned. “I needed the money. What was I gonna do?”
“How about not throwing acid in somebody’s face?” Jack said, full of disdain. “How about that for a thought?”
Connor frowned.
We asked him a few more questions, then stepped out into the hallway.
I told the sheriff when he joined us, "I have it on good authority there are several calls and texts between Connor and Vanessa. I’ve got my people looking at bank records, crypto transactions, etc. Maybe we can find a paper trail."
"With his statement, I think we've got enough for a warrant. Go pick her up and see what kind of story she tells. I'll get a court order for the records.”
We filled out an application for a warrant. I would have liked to have been able to use the cell phone records to corroborate his story, but at that point, we hadn’t acquired them through legitimate means. Still, with Connor's statement, Judge Echols signed off on a warrant.
We had a tactical team at Vanessa's apartment in no time. I banged a heavy fist against the door and shouted, "Coconut County! We have a warrant!"
There was no response.
I nodded to Erickson, and he slammed the battering ram against the door. The metal jamb bent, and the door flung wide. We stormed into the high-rise apartment with weapons drawn. The team advanced down the foyer and hit the living room.
Vanessa stood there with wide eyes, looking mortified.
Frozen, she wasn’t sure what to do. Fight or flight had taken over.
She wanted to run, but there was nowhere to go.
The only other way out of the apartment was over the balcony.
I didn't think she wanted to go that route. It was 22 stories down.
She lived in the Trident Tower. It was a nice place. I figured Sebastian paid her well.
"Down on the ground!" I shouted. "Put your hands behind your head."
Vanessa complied.
I advanced, slapped the cuffs around her wrists, and pulled her to her feet. "You have the right to remain silent…"
I escorted her out of the apartment and down the hall to the elevator.
JD and the rest of the tactical team searched the apartment. Outside, I stuffed Vanessa into the back of a patrol car, then returned to the apartment.
She was taken down to the station, processed, and printed.
The team didn't find anything incriminating in the apartment.
We wrapped up, sealed the unit with crime scene tape, then returned to the station and filled out reports.
After Vanessa had enough time to stew in the interrogation room, JD and I paid her a visit.