Chapter 37
"Isold it to Alexis," Megan finally admitted.
That enraged Stephanie. "How could you do that to me!?”
Through tears, Megan said, "I'm so sorry. She paid me a lot of money."
Like that was supposed to make it okay.
Stephanie huffed and rolled her eyes. "I thought we were friends.”
"We are friends," Megan said.
I don't think she was aware of the definition.
"Did you tell Alexis about Liam? About what he found?"
Megan's lips tightened, and tears spurted again. She nodded.
Stephanie glared at her, her jaw tight. "You’re pathetic.”
Megan just hung her head.
I had no doubt David had put Alexis up to it. All kinds of theories started to swirl in my mind.
“You’re going to call Alexis and get it back,” I said to Megan.
She hesitated for a moment, then said, “Okay.”
Jack released Megan’s handcuffs for a moment. She found her phone and dialed Alexis. She put it on speaker, and I recorded the call.
Alexis answered after a few rings. In an annoyed breath, she asked, “What?”
“I need the laptop back.”
“Tough shit. It’s not for sale.”
"Stephanie's freaking out."
"Look, you can have it back when I'm done with it.”
"When's that going to be?”
“I don't know," she snapped. "When I'm done with it.”
“I don't wanna get in trouble."
"You should have thought of that before you stole it.”
"You don't need to be such a bitch about it.”
Alexis laughed. "Honey, you have no idea what kind of bitch I can be.”
Alexis ended the call, and that was pretty much all I needed.
Jack called for a patrol unit, and we escorted Megan to the front of the school. We stuffed her into the back of a squad car when it arrived. It was just as school let out, and students flooded outside.
Everyone saw.
It must have mortified Megan.
She was taken down to the station, processed, printed, and put into an interrogation room.
We let her sweat it out for a bit, then went through everything again, this time for the cameras.
With Megan's confession and sworn statement, combined with the phone call, we were able to get a warrant for Alexis’s arrest.
Before long, we were banging on the door of the Duval residence.
“Coconut County!” I shouted. “We have a warrant!”
Mendoza and Robinson took the rear. Erickson and Faulkner hovered with us, waiting to break the door down.
Nobody seemed eager to answer the door.
I nodded to Erickson, and he smashed the ram against the door. Wood splintered and glass shattered. Shards danced on the tile. We flooded into the foyer, weapons drawn. It was overkill.
David emerged from the living room, glaring at us. “What the hell is going on!?”
“On the ground, now!” I shouted.
Aggressive barrels closed in on him.
David complied and ate the tile.
Alexis appeared at the top of the stairs with a panicked look on her face.
Twitchy barrels found her.
“Get on the ground!” Erickson shouted. "You're under arrest."
Her face wrinkled. "What for!?"
"Receiving stolen property."
"Are you, like, for real?”
"Walk down the steps and get on the ground! Face down!”
After a moment's hesitation, she complied.
I ratcheted the cuffs around her wrists, then helped her to her feet. "You’ve got the right to remain silent…"
“This is absolutely ridiculous," David said. He cautioned his daughter, "Don't say anything. I'll get a lawyer. Everything is going to be fine."
Tears streamed down Alexis's face as deputies escorted her out of the foyer and down the walkway to a patrol car.
By that time, Paris Delaney and her news crew were on the scene. Socialites getting arrested in Stingray Bay was always news.
I didn’t have probable cause to search for ethylene glycol, but I made sure to start my search for the laptop in the garage.
I didn’t find any anti-freeze.
We searched the house and found the laptop in a trashcan in the kitchen. It had been smashed with a sledgehammer. I snapped on a pair of nitrile gloves and pulled it from the bin. With any luck, the IT guys would be able to pull data from the hard drive inside, but I wasn't holding my breath.
No ethylene glycol in the house either.
Alexis was taken to the station, processed, and printed.
Of course, David denied any knowledge of the stolen laptop.
We didn't arrest him at that time, but he came down to the station and caused a ruckus, wanting to get his daughter out of jail as soon as possible.
I didn't mind telling him that she was going to have to spend the night in jail and would get out tomorrow after her arraignment.
David was used to getting his way. Not today. "I demand to see my daughter!"
"You can see her when she makes bail.”
"She has the right to council.”
“And she’ll get to exercise that right," I assured.
JD and I filled out reports, then paid a visit to Alexis. The pale green fluorescents didn’t do wonders for her complexion. She was an attractive brunette with azure eyes, fair skin, and plump lips. But under this light, with puffy eyes and a red nose, she wasn’t at her best.
"I had no idea that laptop was stolen," she said in the most innocent voice she could muster.
I smiled. "Care to explain this?" I said before playing her a copy of the phone call between her and Megan.
The smug look faded from her face.