Life Sentences (32 page)

Max’s face reddened again as the two men tittered. Both followed Celeste to the door like bodyguards. Before she opened it, she turned to Max and Jim with hands on her hips. They retreated to their chairs and coffee. As she watched them go to their respective areas, she was curious how often they talked to each other. And when did they decide to be there together?

D
OTTIE
C
LARK WASN’T THE
kind of interviewer Celeste had expected to show up that morning. The beautiful African-American woman in a red suit bounded through the door trailed by a man with a camera. Her purposeful stride opened the slit on the right side of her straight skirt, exposing a long slender leg. “Hi,” she said as she offered her hand and introduced herself as the segment’s producer.

“Hi,” Celeste answered, caught off guard by the perfumed breeze Ms. Clark created when she passed and marched straight toward Max and Jim.

“And you two are?” she asked with enviable assuredness.

Jim and Max stood and introduced themselves by name only. Celeste jumped in. “Max is the warden at Hawk Haven Prison where my daughter Pilar worked. And where she met Tommy Johnson and Chad Wilbanks.” Celeste directed her attention to Jim. “Jim is a detective with the Southfield Police Department and the primary on Pilar’s murder case.”

“Umm,” Ms. Clark answered, “I spoke to you a few days ago, didn’t I, detective?”

“Yes, and we set up an appointment to meet later this week.”

“Yes, yes, but I didn’t expect the two of you today. Hopefully,” she said to Celeste as though Jim and Max weren’t in the room, “they won’t get in the way.”

“They’re concerned friends, Ms. Clark,” Celeste answered with some vinegar in her voice. “I convinced them to go along with this TV thing even though they prefer more conventional and less exploitive methods.”

Max cleared his throat and Jim rocked from one foot to the other as all three of them watched Dottie Clark’s caramel-colored complexion deepen. She appeared miffed that Celeste had more control than she at that moment.

“Shall we get this over, Ms. Clark?” Celeste again motioned for everyone to sit. “I have gathered several copies of pictures for you. They are of Pilar and Chad, and Pilar’s apartments. I hope they may be useful.”

Dottie Clark crossed her legs and took the photos. When the skirt fell to one side and revealed too much thigh, Max and Jim shifted. Celeste chuckled at their discomfort and Ms. Clark’s unabashed attitude.

As Dottie Clark rifled through the pictures, Celeste told her, “At the bottom of the stack are a few letters between Pilar and Chad that made references to Tommy Johnson and Jane Carson.” Celeste didn’t see the need to supply her with all the letters. Just enough to give the producer ideas to help locate the villains and not disclose anything more that might further damage Pilar’s reputation.

“Can you speak freely” Ms. Clark asked as she eyed Max and Jim.

“Certainly. They know more about Pilar and this case than anyone.” It pained her to admit once again that she knew less about Pilar’s life than a cop and Pilar’s former boss.

“I’m curious, though,” Celeste said. “What made you decide to do Pilar’s story?”

“Easy,” Clark said. “Her story is about a beautiful, young female doctor who falls for a convict who may have set her up to get killed for money. Great stuff.”

Celeste now was uncertain about the interview she faced. Ms. Clark lacked subtlety and had no concern that her factual and uncharitable rendition of Pilar’s death would wound Celeste. She suddenly felt used. Pilar’s story would get Dottie Clark kudos and make the studio money. Would it also catch Tommy and Jane?

Celeste needed to put her hurt feelings aside. Nothing could be as important as getting Carson and Johnson put away forever. So she answered Ms. Clark’s prying questions with calm dignity.

T
HREE HOURS AFTER THEIR
initial introductions, Dottie Clark and her male partner, sped out the door as unruffled as they had arrived. Celeste, on the other hand, felt shreddedinto tiny pieces and in need of a long hot bubble bath, her cure for almost everything.

Max and Jim went to the door with Celeste. All three watched the human whirlwind speed away in a cloud of dust. “Well?” Celeste asked as she closed the door and faced the two men whose mouths were agape.

Jim spoke first. “She’s a typical reporter type. She’s young, attractive, tough, and caustic.”

Something like Pilar, until she met Chad Wilbanks.

“She won’t let anything stand in her way of a good story,” Max added. “I’ve dealt with a lot like her through the years.”

“Me too,” Jim agreed. “I usually don’t trust them and don’t like them.”

“What I’m really asking you two is whether you think there is any chance Tommy and Jane will be turned in by a viewer?”

“Oh. Hard to say,” Jim said.

“Don’t know,” Max shrugged.

They remained huddled in the foyer for a few more moments until Celeste announced, “This conversation doesn’t leave me with much enthusiasm about what I just did.”

Max hugged her shoulders and quickly released his grip when his eyes settled on Jim. “It’s the way the reporters and others in that business are trained to do their jobs,” Max said. “They can’t let their true emotions get in the way or make them biased.”

“Like the police,” Jim reminded Celeste.

“I suppose.” Celeste held the door handle. “I’m glad now that you two were here. I needed to believe someone was on my side and sharing my pain.” She smiled, lips quivering. “Thanks.” She kissed both on the cheek. “Now, I need to relax by myself for a while so I can breathe freely again. After what I went through today, I know I have to deal with my anxiety about what’s ahead for me.”

“Sure,” Jim said. “Take care of yourself.” He left first as though he knew Max wanted a few moments alone with Celeste.

“May I call you later to see how you’re doing?” Max asked. “I swear I won’t bug you.” He held up his right hand as if taking an oath.

“Oh, Max,” Celeste clasped his arm, “you can never be anything but a pleasure to have around. Anyway, I should be ready for some wholesome and fun dinner conversation.”

His eyes brightened as a huge smile invaded his face. “Great! I’ll call later and we can figure out where we’ll go for dinner.”

“We’ll eat here. I don’t want to leave the comfort of my home right now. Don’t bother to call. Just come around seven.”

“Right. I’ll bring the wine.” He kissed her lightly on the forehead. “See you later then.” He almost skipped to elevator.

Leaning against the closed door, Celeste doubted she could overcome her exhaustion even to take that bath. Finally, she pushed away and headed for the tub. A short nap, too. Then she’d fix an easy but tasty dinner. Perhaps pasta in tomato basil sauce with shrimp, a salad, and a baguette. Hopefully, later she could laugh a lot over silly things with that wonderful man.

NURSE AND PRISON ESCAPEE ARRESTED IN DEATH OF PRISON DOCTOR
.

The
Detroit Free Press
headline punched Celeste between the eyes. Coming face to face with those two villains, Tommy Johnson and Jane Carson, could easily turn Celeste into a murderer like them. What mother wouldn’t feel that way? Despite that vengeful bent, Celeste was anxious for the whole nightmare to be finally over. Then she could get on with her own life, such as it was without Pilar.

Celeste reread the paragraph that fascinated her the most:

Celeste cut out the article and glued it into an album along with all the others she had saved. It might seem a grisly keepsake, but Celeste had no intention of forgetting one moment of the whole morbid affair surrounding Pilar’s murder. It was one way to preserve her whole memory of Pilar. As she pasted the latest information in place, she again went over what possible reason persuaded Jane Carson to turn on Tommy.

Celeste picked up the newspaper and stared at the hole where the article had been. Perhaps the police offered Jane leniency. More likely they told Jane she would be solely charged with Pilar’s murder if she didn’t reveal Tommy’s location. Whatever it was, Jane Carson informed on her partner quickly.

Dan Oliver, the Oakland County prosecutor, called earlier that morning to let Celeste know that the extradition order was signed and the two fugitives would be back in Michigan within a week. Celeste envisioned Tommy and Jane, wearing orange jump suits, chained separately to an airplane seat along with several other offenders.

It was hard to believe it had been almost a year to the day of Pilar’s murder.

The store clerk not only caught Jane Carson red handed, he recognized her from “America’s Most Wanted”. Celeste was thrilled Jane was nabbed and that no more family skeletons would be hauled out of the closet and shown to millions of viewers in follow-up shows.

Jane foolishly told the police her name was Jane Johnson. That, along with her finger prints, the TV show, and picture nailed her. Was she too tired to come up with a more creative alias, or did she want the chase over? What kind of life could it have been if she had to resort to shoplifting? Had she given up to protect her children from Tommy? Had she known the game was over once their crimes aired on nationwide TV?

Maybe Jane was weary of looking over her shoulder and living a lie, especially running with the children she claimed she loved so much. Celeste imagined it took repetitive tutoring to train the children to accept their new identity. Once reunited with their father they would have to learn who they were all over again. Those poor confused children suffered the most.

Celeste regretted she would never know the answers to her questions or understand a woman like Jane.

It wasn’t just Jane’s negligence that got them caught. Tommy Johnson followed almost the identical escape route he took with Agnes Trudeau five years before through Florida, Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, and Arizona. What did you expect from a convict who escaped within six months of parole and one year of his final discharge? “Tommy’s not a rocket scientist, is he, Phoenix?” The cat stretched and ignored her as he settled into a methodic licking of his paw that he wiped across his whiskers. Or, could the escape have been all Jane’s idea, because she couldn’t visit Tommy?

On the other hand, knowing Johnson, the whole escape could just be another vile game for him. He left enough clues to keep the police trackers busy and yet stayed ahead of them. Celeste fantasized Tommy watching the evening news in a white T-shirt with sleeves rolled up to show off his tattoos like James Dean or Marlon Brando in their movie heyday. Tommy chugged beer and laughed at the police as they bungled their way along the same escape route.

Unlike his last run across country, Tommy had continued to California and not returned to Michigan since that officer spotted him at that Southfield Mall. But, Tommy kept one too many clues with him, like trophies. When he was arrested, Johnson was still in possession of the dead backpacker’s hiking boots and hunting knife. The hiker’s name had been etched in both.

Black newsprint ink filled the creases of Celeste’s palms and fingers. She put the remainder of the paper on the table and massaged her sore hands. The wall clock struck 10:00. She’d been adrift in events of the past year for over an hour. From the way her hands ached, she must have tried to squeeze the life out of Tommy and Jane via the newspaper.

C
ELESTE AND
M
AX ENTERED
the Oakland County Court House just before the start of Tommy Johnson’s sentencing. It took five long months from the day she was told the extradition papers had been signed to that December morning. She was surprised and pleased when Max asked if he could come along. Celeste needed someone to lean on for Tommy Johnson’s day in court. After he pled guilty and exonerated Jane, there was no trial. She didn’t know if she could handle any more surprises like that on her own. Hopefully, with no testimony or courtroom drama there would be little reason for media to be around. Most of the sensational part of the story — the soap opera love affairs, Pilar’s murder, the children, the will — had already been covered on TV, radio, and in print.

To Celeste’s dismay, Dan Oliver told her shortly after Jane Carson returned to Michigan there was no solid evidence she had anything to do with Pilar’s murder. But Tommy Johnson’s attorney, Lincoln McPhearson, told the media otherwise. McPhearson stunned Celeste and other readers when he reported without any hesitancy, “Johnson confessed to the murder of Doctor Brookstone to protect his girlfriend, Jane Carson.”

When pressed for details McPhearson stated, “There are many reasons why Johnson confessed to both the Colorado and Brookstone murders. Most of all, he wants to protect the girl.”

That day, as when she first read the lawyer’s statement, Celeste sneered at the attorney’s sexist use of the label “girl”, though she had no desire to defend the person to whom he attached the title. The bottom line was, Jane Carson got away with murder because Tommy Johnson struck a plea bargain with Oliver. He’d only plead guilty to first degree murder if the prosecutor agreed not to charge Jane as an accomplice. Oliver agreed.

Even more sad, there had never been any mention of the role Chad Wilbanks played in the whole thing except as Pilar’s lover. Chad must have pledged a portion of his inheritance, Pilar’s money, to Tommy and Jane to keep them quiet. But as with Jane, police couldn’t find any firm corroboration of Chad’s role in the scam and Pilar’s murder.

T
HOUGH PART OF
C
ELESTE
welcomed the idea of no dramatic and lengthy trial, the curious mother in her wanted to know what made Tommy and Jane tick. Without prosecutors digging into their psyche, and the daily analysis of the trial and characters in the news, Celeste believed she would never find out who those two really were. She needed to know why they felt Pilar’s life was expendable. She wanted someone to tell her Tommy and Jane did what they did for more than just the money.