Behind His Eyes - Convicted: The Missing Years (30 page)

Brent shrugged. “They haven’t released any more information, only that there was sufficient evidence to press charges.”

“What’s happening to SiJo?” Tony asked.

“I really don’t know.”

“Tell Tim to look into it immediately. As you know, this kind of shit makes it vulnerable.”

“What? Do you want to buy it? It could go under the Shedis-tics umbrella—”

“No,” Tony interrupted. “I want to help it. No matter how Amber and Harry lied to Claire, Claire cared about Simon and that company. Find out what they need.”

Courtney smiled.

“I’ll call Tim as soon as we leave,” Brent assured him.

My family is my strength and my weakness.

—Aishwarya Rai Bachchan

Harry watched from behind the glass, unseen by his sister or the officer from the California Bureau of Investigation. It was the same division where Harry had gotten his start in law enforcement—the same bureau that fueled his desire for justice. It was the same bureau that was now questioning his very own sister in regard to the senseless death of Simon Johnson.

SAC Williams patted Harry on the back. “I’m sorry, son. I’m sorry it all came to this.”

Harry nodded. Words weren’t forming without emotion. He was a damn FBI agent; crying wasn’t part of the job.

“You did the right thing. I know it may not seem like it at this moment, but the truth, the law, is always right.”

Inhaling deeply, Harry managed to say, “You’re right. It sure doesn’t feel like it at this moment.”

“Have you talked to her?”

“No. I have about a thousand texts and voicemails from Liz. She’s out in the waiting room going crazy. She doesn’t know I’m here.” He turned his sad blue eyes to his supervisor. “SAC? I don’t know how to do this. Do I come clean and tell her that I’m the one who…” He couldn’t finish the sentence.

Williams reached for his arm. In the midst of turmoil, the point of contact was comforting. The older man had been as much of a father to Harry as his stepfather, and more of a father than the man who helped to create him. “That’s your call. I know that you’ll know what to say, if you do let her know you’re in on it. But remember, you weren’t the one who followed the phone trail. You didn’t dig up the text records or question the witnesses. You can’t take all the blame.”

Harry sighed. “I’m the one who put her on your radar. Without me, she would never have been discovered.”

“Think about your friend. Think about Mr. Johnson. Would that have been right for him? For his family?”

Harry had lain awake at night thinking about exactly that. “I can’t imagine the Johnsons. I mean, they still think of Amber like a daughter. They’re going to be devastated.”

“One fire at a time, son.”

Harry turned toward the window and wiped his eyes. He couldn’t hear what they were saying because he’d turned off the sound but he could tell by his sister’s expression that she was pleading her innocence. “She needs to shut up. I know we have the evidence, but she just needs to shut up!”

“Then go be a brother: a brother who’s also an agent. Tell her what she can do to make it better.”

Harry turned on his heels. “Nothing! She can’t do a damn thing to make it better. She killed Simon Johnson…” He shook his head. “…and it goes back to Claire. How does every damn thing go back to Claire? Simon’s obsession was what pissed Amber off so much. How could I be right here in San Francisco and hang out with them and not know?”

“Simon never mentioned Mrs. Rawlings?”

“He did, but not a lot. It was one of those things you say in passing. I’d get pissed at Liz about something and mention Ilona. He’d be pissed at Amber and mention Claire. She was his girlfriend in college—freshman year! That was forever ago. I remember thinking that it was weird that he’d gone so long without someone serious in his life. He chalked it up to devoting his energy to his work. That’s why he and Amber were so perfect. They met at Shedis-tics and she followed him to help with SiJo. They were friends before they became an item. I’m not sure Simon even saw her as girlfriend potential… for a while.” Harry shrugged. “I can’t testify to any of that. It’s what he said and she said. That was all before I moved back to California. Once I got here, they were definitely together. Other than a mention here and there of Claire to me, he seemed totally devoted to Amber.”

“So you didn’t know that he’d gone around the country to see her?”

Harry shook his head.

“Ms. Matherly knew.”

“We never talked about it.” Harry’s eyes widened. “What else does Liz know?”

“If you’re asking if we think she knew that your sister allegedly poisoned Mr. Johnson, we don’t. There’s no evidence—at this time—to suggest that. In an interview with the CBI, she mentioned that Mr. Johnson had an obsession with a person from his past and that upset Ms. McCoy. She claimed that his preoccupation was the only source of contention she’d ever witnessed between the two of them.”

Harry’s head shook slightly from side to side, allowing his too-long blonde hair to fall across his eyes. Pushing the unruly curls away, he said, “They
all
need to shut up.” He turned back to the window, just in time to see the officer exit the room, leaving Amber alone at the metal table.

Harry handed SAC Williams his phone. “Here, the damn thing’s going to explode if I get another message from Liz. Can you hold it for me while I go in there?”

Williams’ lips twitched into a slight smile. “You want me to hold your
exploding
phone?”

Harry grinned. “Yeah, thanks.”

When Harry opened the door, Amber’s head popped upward, and her tear-filled eyes looked directly at him. Instantaneously, her expression morphed to need. “Oh, thank God, Harry. You need to help me. They’re saying things that don’t make sense. They’re saying that I was involved in Simon’s death and that attack on you. Please… please…” she reached out to him “…tell me that you know I wouldn’t do that.”

Walking toward his sister, she stood. Harry wrapped his arms around her, hugging her shuddering shoulders. He fought his own emotions as her tears dampened the cotton of his shirt. After a moment, he helped her to sit again and sat across from her. “Amber, they read you your Miranda rights, didn’t they?”

“Yes, but why? Why would they even think that I would—”

Harry interrupted, “You need to get a lawyer. Stop talking to them or even to me… I’m an agent—”

“I know what you are! You can help me. Find out who’s saying these vile things. Make this all stop. I loved Simon. I love you! I would never do anything to hurt…” her words faded into tears. Suddenly, her eyes opened wide. “I bet it’s that bitch. Claire Nichols! She’s the one saying these things about me! It’s not enough for her to have her billionaire jailbird and
you
, but she wouldn’t let Simon go either. She tried to kill Rawlings. I bet she found out that Simon and I were engaged and she tried to…” Her anger turned to sadness. “…no, she didn’t
try
. She succeeded in killing him.”

“She isn’t telling anyone anything. You sound delusional.”

“No!” She stood. “You don’t know. You don’t know what it’s like to have someone who you love willing to travel all over the damn country to get one last chance with a woman he hadn’t even talked to in years! Years!”

“Stop,” Harry said calmly.

“No! I’m not stopping. You need to know what she’s capable of doing. Hell, you know, don’t you? She has some kind of power over men. I don’t understand it. I mean it’s not her looks and definitely not her brains.” Her eyes widened. “Emily said she’s having issues. Well, she’s crazy if she thinks she can tell the world lies about me!”

“Amber, stop talking. Everything you say can be used against you—”

Her eyes narrowed. “Why, Harry? Are you going to tell them what I say?” She looked around, turning until she faced the window. “Or are they watching?” She walked to the darkened glass and turned back. “Are you in here as my
brother
or an
agent
?”

“I’m both, but I’m in here right now as your brother. I’m telling you to stop talking and get a lawyer.”

“I have lawyers,” she said smugly. “I have lawyers, assistants, accountants. I have a whole damn company at my disposal. The stupid bureau will never get any of this to stick. I’m innocent. Sure, I was pissed when I found out that Simon was going all over the damn country trying to get his wimpy nerve up to talk to that bitch. Wouldn’t you be upset? I mean, who goes to multiple events and then doesn’t even talk to her? Ha! I loved reading that stupid book. I hope that after Simon talked to her, Rawlings beat the sh—”

Harry stood. “Stop it! Now! Shut the fuck up and listen to yourself. Are you really that stupid? You’re in a damn interrogation room. Shut up! I’m getting Liz and getting one of your many attorneys over here. And I’ll call Mom and Mrs. Johnson. You don’t want either one of them hearing about this from some news report. In the meantime,
shut up
!”

Amber crossed her arms over her chest, pressed her lips together, and continued to glare as Harry walked from the room. Instead of heading out to Liz, Harry knocked on the door to the observation room. Williams opened it, and Harry entered, falling into one of the empty chairs. Williams sat next to him where they stayed—silent—for minutes upon minutes. Finally, Harry turned and said, “I need to get her that attorney.”

Williams nodded. “You gave her good advice, son. You can’t make her take it.” Williams handed Harry his vibrating phone.

Taking a deep breath he walked through the crowded hallways toward the waiting area, avoiding eye contact with everyone he passed. Once there, he stood and watched as Liz paced a small area near the corner of the room. She was holding her phone with one hand, willing it to ring, and had the other arm wrapped around her stomach. “Liz?” he asked.

Her anguish imploded as she ran towards Harry. Flinging herself against his hard chest, she sobbed. Finally, she asked, “What’s happening? I’m so glad you’re finally here.”

He wrapped her in his arms and whispered into her hair, “I’ve been here. I didn’t have my phone on me. I’m sorry I didn’t let you know.”

She looked up. “You’ve been here? Why? How long? What’s happening?”

“Amber needs an attorney—”

“No! That’s ridiculous.” Her indignation came forth with each word. “They can’t charge her with anything. She would never—”

“They already did,” Harry said, as Liz’s head shook back and forth. Taking her face in his hands, he closed the gap. “Liz, Amber needs you to be strong. Please, call SiJo. Get someone from legal over here right away. Call public relations and get them to run some kind of defensive maneuver. This won’t be good for SiJo.”

Liz lifted her phone, but looked back up. “SiJo? You’re worried about SiJo? What about Amber? You’re an FBI agent—do something to help her.”

“I am, and so are you. She needs legal representation before she says something that she can’t retract.”

Liz lifted one finger as she spoke into her phone. When she was done, she looked back at Harry. “They’re on their way. Can I see her? Have you seen her?”

“I’ve seen her, but you can’t.”

“You don’t want me to see her or I can’t?”

“Both. We can’t do any more here. Let’s go home.”

She planted her feet. “Home? I can’t leave her. She’s my best friend, and she’s my boss. I won’t just leave her.”

Harry forced a grin and placed a kiss on her forehead. “I love your stubborn streak, but now isn’t the time. Fine, we can wait until legal arrives, but then we’re leaving.”

“Harry, you know that Amber wouldn’t do what they’re saying…”

He placed his finger over her lips. “Stop talking about it. We’re in a police station. Both you and Amber need to just stop talking.”

As they sat in the plastic chairs and waited, exhaustion as Harry had never felt before filled his being. His temples throbbed at the thoughts going through his head. He needed to call his mother. He needed to call Simon’s mother. He needed to file a report about his non-interrogation. None of that, though, was what he wanted to do. Harry wanted to climb into his bed and not come out for days. He wanted to pretend that everything was all right. He wanted to go back in time to when Simon was alive… no, farther back than that, back to when Ilona told him she was pregnant.

Harry closed his eyes and squeezed Liz’s shoulder. She had her head resting against him. It would be so easy to lay his head on hers… and try to forget.