The Trophy Exchange (35 page)

“
Hey, Lieutenant! What did happen to your face?
”
Tammy hollered out.

Lucinda just kept walking.

Lucinda drove back to the station, her mind in an uproar. Every time she tried to shut off her frustration at the implications raised by the faulty ID, thoughts about her face and what, if anything, she should do about it, rose up and increased her agitation.

District Attorney Reed rushed to her side as she entered the work area, calling for Ted as he did.
“
What did she say?
”
he asked.

T
alking
over
his words Lucinda asked,
“
Is Spencer still here?
”

“
Yes. They
’
re still here, but Theismann
’
s been pacing for the last
thirty
minutes. Spencer
’
s just looking miserable. I think Theismann is getting on his nerves. What did Tammy Johnson say?
”

“
She ID
’
d Evan Spencer.
”

“
Damn! I hate eyewitnesses. I
’
ve got to cut Spencer loose.
”

“
Why?
”
Lucinda asked.
“
Why can
’
t you hold him overnight?
”

“
Because he couldn
’
t have attacked Johnson since we had him in custody at the time. If he didn
’
t do her, we have no solid evidence he did the triple. Without the triple, we
’
ve got no motive for his wife.
”

“
What about the computers seized from his home?
”

“
They haven
’
t had time to clone the hard drives yet. Right now, it doesn
’
t look like Spencer
’
s anything more than a victim. And we look like we
’
re victimizing him more. The media
’
s gonna love that. TV news is already reporting an arrest but Spencer
’
s name has not leaked out yet. It
’
s time for damage control, Lieutenant. I
’
m dropping the charges.
”

“
Reed, you can
’
t let him leave the country until the DNA test results are in. We have to be sure he
’
s not responsible. With a positive ID from the triple, we can
’
t let him walk away until we can eliminate him without a doubt.
”

“
O
kay
, Pierce, let
’
s go in and see if we can have it both ways.
”

As they entered the interrogation room, Lucinda noticed that all the photos were piled in one upside
-
down stack and shoved to the far corner of the table.

Theismann immediately launched an offensive.
“
It
’
s about time you returned. I am outraged, Reed. Outraged. Leaving us to sit in here all this time is a totally unprofessional disregard for another attorney and demonstrates a lack of respect for my client
’
s standing in this community. I demand that you lock him up and we go talk to a magistrate about bail right now or you let him go and let him get back to his life.
”

“
Can it, Theismann,
”
Reed said.
“
You love racking up these billable hours, and we both know it.
”

“
That was uncalled for, Reed. I
’
ve half a mind to file a complaint with the
B
ar.
”

Lucinda squirmed. The urge to snap back with an insult about his half mind almost got the be
tter
of her.

Reed turned to Evan.
“
Dr Spencer, if we let you go home tonight, what would you do?
”

“
Get some sleep
–
as much as I can anyway. I
’
ve got an early flight in the morning,
”
Evan said.

“
So, despite the mess you
’
re in right now, you
’
re still planning on leaving the countr
y in the morning?
”

“
There are people in Rwanda who need me, who need the services I can provide. Their problems are serious. Their needs are important. My problems are secondary.
”

“
Doctor, this puts us in a real quandary. We
’
d like to drop the charges
―”

“
Reed, if you have no reason to hold my client
―”
Theismann began.

“
As I was saying,
”
Reed continued,
“
I
’
d like to drop the charges on a temporary basis only, and let you go home to your children. They need you more than we need to raise the occupancy rate i
n the jail. But if you
’
re determined to leave the country
. . .?”

“
I made a commitment, and I always keep my commitments,
”
Evan said.

“
Fine. Lieutenant, do you have your handcuffs?
”

“
Sure do,
s
ir,
”
she said whipping them out and dangling them in the air.

“
Wait!
”
Theismann said.
“
Can I have a few minutes alone with my client?
”

Lucinda and Reed exchanged a glance.
“
Five minutes, Theismann,
”
Reed said.
“
We
’
re tired. We want to go home. Five minutes. No more.
”

Lucinda pulled the door to the interrogation room shut behind them.
“
You wouldn
’
t really have let me cuff him, would you?
”

“
I
’
ll never tell,
”
Reed said with a grin.

Reed and Lucinda waited side
by
side, arms folded across their chests, eyes focused on the floor. At exactly the five-minute mark, the door opened.

“
Dr Spencer will not leave the country tomorrow morning,
”
Theismann said.

“
Doctor?
”
Reed asked.

“
I am not at all happy about this,
Mr.
Reed. But I will cancel my flight.
”

Reed turned to Theismann.
“
Can you offer me assurance your client will not leave the country unless it
’
s cleared by me?
”

“
Yes, Reed. I can guarantee my client will not leave the United States without your express approval.
”

“
I
’
d be even happier if you
’
d keep him in town, Counselor.
”

“
He may wish to visit his mother,
Mr.
Reed.
”

“
That
’
s fine. Just make sure he stays this side of the state line.
”

Theismann looked at Spencer who nodded in agreement.
“
There you have it,
Mr.
Reed. Is my client free to go now?
”

“
Yes, no problem.
”

Lucinda and Reed watched as they exited the department. They liste
ned to
the
elevator doors open and close without a word. Lucinda broke the silence.
“
What are the odds he
’
ll stick around?
”

“
Pretty good, I think. But part of me would love for him to run
–
not only would his flight trump the mistaken eyewitness IDs, it would also put Theismann
’
s ass in a sling. And I can
’
t say that would bother me one little bit.
”

Forty-Two

He sat upright on his bed. His back pushed against the headboard, his knees pulled up to his chest, his arms wrapped around them holding
them
tight. Calling the girl
had
made
him
feel a little better but it wasn
’
t the solution to
the
problem.

I’m losing control. Why?
he wondered.
What am I doing wrong? Everything was perfect until these last three. No flaws. No screw ups. No surprises
. He knew his future success was tied to his ability to make an objective analysis of his failure. He focused on the two incidents and re-ran the mental images through his head.

Thinking about the last three botched executions, he realized his mistake in
t
he first one. He
’d
spent too much time savoring the anticipation of the moment. That was careless and indulgent. He should
’
ve taken her in the shower. If he had, he would
’
ve been gone by the time the others returned. He rubbed at the scratch on the back of his hand.
Did they have my DNA now? I should have scraped her fingernails before I left. Sloppy. Sloppy. Sloppy.

He knew who to blame for the second screw
up
–
Lieutenant Pierce.
Damn her. I’ll frighten her. I’ll scare her so she can’t think straight. She won’t be able to keep up with me then.

But where did I go wrong tonight? How did that woman get the be
tter
of me? Why wasn’t she scared
–
too frightened to think?
The answers to that night
’
s mistakes eluded him.

He walked into the bathroom and looked at the puffy redness of his face. He gingerly touched it and winced. He curled back his lips and saw a chipped tooth. He put a finger on it and it wiggled. It was loose.
I can’t lose my tooth.

Anger rose hot and fierce, swallowing all the remnants of self-pity and doubt.
First, I’ll pay back Pierce. Then I’ll go out again
, he thought.
And this time, I will do it right.