Blind Conviction by Michael Stagg

Author:Michael Stagg [Stagg, Michael]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-10-22T16:00:00+00:00

31

Cade Brickson was a huge man with a huge caloric intake. To keep two hundred and sixty good pounds on that frame of his, he usually ate five meals a day and none of it was bad food. My dad used to say that Cade ate a barn-full of chickens and a pond-full of fish every day, and, as far as I could see, that process hadn’t stopped.

I went to his house for dinner with him and Olivia after my meeting with Abby and call with Stritch. I had asked to meet with them and, because of the time, Cade had insisted that we meet over dinner. His dinner. Still, it was one less meal I had to make, so I didn't really mind.

His house boasted a double fridge, a double oven, and a large stovetop and he had used all of it to serve Olivia and I some sort of Mediterranean chicken dish accompanied by greens that were half delicious and half an acquired taste. He even took the time to dole the dishes out on the plates for us, saying he had to get the presentation and mix of sauces just right. It smelled great.

I told them about the developments of the last few days over dinner. As Olivia stabbed some leafy green thing, she said, “So who did it?”

“I’m not sure yet. But the most important thing is that I can put other people there at the time of the attack.”

Olivia munched. “You need to figure it out.”

“What I need to do create reasonable doubt and get Archie acquitted.”

“Abby deserves justice.”

“Abby deserves a lot of things.”

Olivia put down her fork. “Shep, that’s why I sent the Macks to you in the first place.”

“I thought it was because Archie didn’t do it?”

“And because you’d get to the bottom of it.”

“I’m working on it. We’re working on it.”

Olivia picked her fork back up and her vegetables seemed to be paying the price for her irritation. “Just make sure you don’t stop.”

I nodded and I watched her for a minute, then said, “My mom asked about you the other day.”

“Yeah?”

“Said you used to go to her reading group?”

She smiled. “Sometimes. I don’t have much time anymore.”

“That’s what I told her.” I took a bite. “Have you been taking any time off?”

“What’s that?”

As I finished my piece of chicken, Cade stood, grabbed the serving plate, and said, “We have two breasts and a quarter left.”

I groaned. “He’s going to kill us. So no?”

“No what?”

“No time-off.”

Olivia shook her head. “I’m not built that way, you know that.”

“Couldn’t hurt.”

She put her lenses on me. “What do you mean?”

“Nothing. Oh, and my dad said he’d be by to mount your tv.”

She smiled. “Yeah. When?”

“Thurs…was that yesterday?”

“And I need the time off.”

“Sorry about that.”

She shrugged. “Pops was always more reliable than you. We’re all used to it.”

I shook my head. “Did you get a new one or something?”

“Yeah, got some more smart features. I was a little behind the times so I needed the upgrade.”

“How’s it look?”

“Still tinkering with the settings but pretty good.

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