Chapter 14
FOURTEEN
“It was about as solid an ID as I’ve seen.” Deputy Renee McCallister of the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Department was waiting for us in the hallway. I was angry and trying not to show it. McCallister had conducted the lineup with Amy Pasko before we got there.
“Did you record it?” I asked. “Do you mind if I review the tape?” McCallister looked at Roy standing beside me.
“I’m sorry,” McCallister said. “Are you questioning my qualifications to run a lineup?”
“No,” Roy answered sharply. “She’s not.”
“What did she say?” I asked. “Exactly.”
Roy pulled on my sleeve. “One second, Renee.” Roy gave me a stern look as Detective McCallister excused herself.
Roy brought me into the observation room right next door.
The lineup had taken place on the other side of the one-way glass.
A few of the decoy suspects were still in there.
As soon as Corrine got here, they’d set it up again.
The real suspect had been shuffled off to a holding cell.
“What are you doing?” Roy asked.
“You said McCallister wouldn’t mind the extra help. You also said it was my job to make sure everything was being done by the book, so we don’t have any due process issues in court later on.”
“Help,” he said. “I said help. As in assistance. We’re not here to tell a seasoned detective how to do her job.”
There was a voice in my head telling me to shut up.
Amy Pasko had sat in my office and shown no sign of recognition at a photograph of Lock.
Now, she’d apparently made a positive ID on whoever they’d arrested in connection with Gretchen Small’s case.
I should be overjoyed. This had nothing to do with Lock.
And yet, I wanted to see Amy Pasko’s reaction for myself.
I needed to see it. I’d built it up in my mind that it would allow me to close the door on my suspicions once and for all.
“I’d just like to talk to her,” I said.
Roy grumbled. But before he could lecture me further, Amy herself walked right in front of us.
“I was hoping you’d get here before I left,” she said. She seemed shaken.
“Amy!” I said brightly. “I’m so sorry we didn’t get here in time.”
“Did she tell you?” Amy said. “That other detective?”
“She was just filling us in,” Roy said. “You did good work.”
“I was shaking the whole time. They told me those men wouldn’t be able to see behind the glass. But they seemed so close to me. I swear one of them was looking right at me.”
“There’s nothing to worry about,” Roy said.
“They want me to sign a statement,” she said.
“An affidavit,” I said. “I’m happy to look it over.”
“I just want to get out of here. They’re saying I’ll have to testify. That man will know who I am then, won’t he? He’ll be in the courtroom?”
“One foot in front of the other,” I said. “There’s a lot of things that have to happen before your sister’s case would go to trial. You shouldn’t let yourself get worked up. But you were certain today?”
“It’s him,” she said. “That monster was standing in the next room. I saw it in his eyes. He was smug too. He thought he could grow a beard. Cut his hair. But I know those eyes. I know who he is. I’m not afraid of him.
They told me he killed another girl here.
Lara wasn’t the only one. That detective said I did good though.
I hope I did. That’s all I wanted. I wanted her to be satisfied. I hope I did the right thing.”
Her voice rose as she spoke. She began to tremble with rage.
Her words didn’t sit well with me. She hoped she did good?
She wanted McCallister to be satisfied? If I were a defense attorney, those comments would give me pause.
Was she truly certain in her ID? Or had she just said what she thought Detective McCallister wanted to hear?
I should have been in the room. I would have been able to make sure McCallister didn’t give Amy any hidden cues.
Didn’t in some way signal to her who the real suspect was.
The stakes were just too high on this. We potentially had a serial killer on our hands.
Dammit, there should have been a prosecutor in the room.
If it wasn’t me, it should have at least been my counterpart here in Washtenaw County.
“You did just fine,” Roy said.
“Amy?” McCallister poked her head in. “If you’ll follow me, we’ll finish up and get you out of here.” Amy followed her. As the two of them headed down the hall, I heard Amy ask Renee once more whether she did a good job.
I turned to Roy, seething.
“Don’t say it,” he said. “I trust McCallister.”
“The problem is, I don’t trust Amy. If she says something like that on the stand, any half-decent defense attorney would rip her apart. She hopes she did good?”
“You’re reading too much into it. She’s upset.
Anyone would be in her shoes. Besides, we’ve got Corrine.
If Amy was positive, Corrine should be as well.
She spent twenty-four hours straight with the guy.
She’s not gonna forget his face. You can be in the room this time.
If you promise to behave and not say a word. ”
I didn’t get a chance to retort. A deputy walked Corrine Egan into the room.
She looked terrified. Small. She wore the same blouse and skirt she had when we first met her with the rest of the task force.
Like that day, she held her purse in front of her like a shield.
When she saw me, her face filled with relief.
“I’m so glad you’re here, Ms. Sobel. I almost didn’t come.”
“I’m glad you did,” I said. “Why don’t you have a seat. I can explain what’s going to happen. There’s nothing for you to worry about.”
Roy excused himself. I imagined he planned to hunt down McCallister and apologize to her for my attitude.
I didn’t want to offend the woman, but I had legitimate concerns.
This case had to be rock solid. Even though I wouldn’t be the one trying Gretchen Small’s murder, I had a vested interest in making sure this lineup was conducted properly.
I would not let a single mistake happen during Corrine’s ID.
“He’ll be here?” Corrine asked. “Right over there?” She pointed to the window behind us.
“The suspects will be there,” I said, careful with my words. “Don’t let anyone pressure you, okay? You take your time.”
Corrine nodded. “I never thought things would get this far. I’d pretty much lost all hope, you know?”
“It’s okay,” I said. “You’ve been very brave.”
“What if it is him? Matt.”
I hoped it was. I think I wanted it more than Corrine did.
Let this be the end of it. Let Matt Woodson walk in and stand against that wall.
Then this could be over. I could laugh at myself for thinking such ridiculous things and letting my imagination get the best of me.
For weeks, it had come between Lock and me.
This secret. This Great Thing I couldn’t tell him.
It would be over. Today. I had to be very careful not to let any of that show on my face.
Otherwise, I might risk doing the very thing I’d just accused Detective McCallister of.
“You ready in here?” McCallister poked her head in. Roy scooted past her and said a quick hello to Corrine.
“I want to just get it over with,” she said.
“Good enough,” McCallister said. She looked over her shoulder and signaled to someone down the hall. Then she stepped into the room with us and closed the door.
McCallister closed a blackout curtain in front of the window while her colleague set things up on the other side. Corrine stood close to me. Beads of sweat dotted her brow. She trembled.
McCallister looked at her. “Tell me when you’re ready.”
Corrine nodded. “Could I get a glass of water?”
McCallister stepped out. A moment later, she came back and handed Corrine a small water bottle. Corrine didn’t drink it. She just gripped it.
“You’re sure they can’t see me?” Corrine asked. A valid and common question for witnesses in her shoes. That one-way glass could feel very thin between a victim and the suspect who may have committed unspeakable violence against them.
“We’re sure,” I said. “It’s opaque on the other side, plus they’ll have bright lights directly in their eyes. They can only hear the deputy in the booth in front of them. You’re safe.”
“What if I can’t be sure?” she said.
“There’s nothing wrong with that either,” I said. “Just take your time.”
“Are you ready?” McCallister asked.
Corrine grabbed my arm. I put a gentle hand over hers, reassuring her. “This is a safe space, Corrine. Promise. It’s okay, Corrine. I’m right here.”
“I’m okay,” she said. “I can do this.”
McCallister gave her a tight smile, then reopened the blackout curtain.
Five men walked in. I later learned two were other deputies in plain clothes.
One was the sheriff himself as he fit the height and general description Amy gave to the sketch artist. Another man worked as a civilian clerk downstairs.
The fifth man was the actual suspect. Roy told me just before we arrived, his name was Daniel Palicki.
They didn’t look how I expected. Every one of them had a closely cropped buzz cut.
They all had beards and muscular physiques.
Each one was handsome with piercing eyes that seemed to cut right through the glass.
If any of these men were Corrine’s Matt Woodson, or Lara Pasko’s mystery date, he had changed his appearance.
I tried to imagine Amy Pasko’s police sketch.
The faces in front of me had definite similarities.
Strong jaws. A cleft in the chin. Amy had wanted us to believe she was so sure of her ID.
I don’t know if I could be. I now realized how critical it was for Corrine to be able to make a positive ID.
It would be a long shot for Amy’s ID to hold up in court.
She’d seen this man briefly. Corrine was now the key.
The five men stood against the wall, squinting against the harsh lighting. The deputy at the microphone admonished two of the men to take their hands away from their eyes.
Seconds ticked by. Corrine stood mute beside me. Her hand on my sleeve growing clammy. She kept her head down, afraid to look up. Then, she slowly lifted her chin, letting her eyes scan the men one by one.