Say That To Me by Abby Knox

Author:Abby Knox [Knox, Abby]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Author Abby Knox, LLC
Published: 2023-02-10T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

Franny

My head still in a daze, I head back to my cubicle. One of the public defenders with whom I’ve left messages calls me back.

It takes me a minute to get into work mode.

An irrational part of me wonders if this person on the phone can tell what I was up to just a minute ago.

“Oh! Hi! I mean, hello,” I breathe, smoothing my hair down. Get it together, dummy. “I was calling about the case against Mr. Simms. Last night the county attorney indicated that the initial hearing was pushed back because the investigation was ongoing. Do you have a response to that?”

“A response?” she repeats back to me. Ms. Stone is one of the few public defenders in the city who occasionally takes cases in our far-flung mountain town, so I know I only have a few seconds of her time.

“I just wonder if there’s something strange going on. The pills in the photo are not what is listed in the charges. It’s also odd that it’s exactly one ounce over the amount to warrant a charge of trafficking. The police aren’t talking either.”

The public defender pauses and then says tersely. “Obviously, I can’t talk about the case details outside of the fact that my client has a clean record and the charges are unfounded.”

My brain is screaming at me to come up with a good question. The kind of question that gets an interesting answer.

“If Mr. Simms wasn’t transporting pills with the intent to sell, then where was he taking them?”

It’s the kind of question meant to trip someone up into admitting something, but it doesn’t work.

She laughs. “Nice try.”

“Hey, I’m desperate,” I say with a smile.

Ms. Stone sighs into the phone, and I can almost see her pinching the bridge of her nose. “All right, look. Off the record? That same bag of pills has been around the block several times.”

Uh, what? Did I hear that right?

“Are you implying that the cops planted an old bag of pills in Mr. Simms’ truck?”

She pauses, then says carefully, “I didn’t say anything about the police. Just so we’re clear. I’m saying his HVAC truck is parked outside his house every night and is pretty recognizable. I’m also saying that everyone has a Ring camera these days.”

I am salivating now. “Are you saying you subpoenaed the Ring camera footage from everywhere he goes?”

“That’s not what I’m saying because the investigation is ongoing. Gotta run.”

Click.

What. The. Fuck.

I hang up the phone, my brain scrambling for what to do next. Call the police chief for a response to this? All he does is refer everything to the attorney’s office.

I have to talk to Simms directly. But obviously, he’s not returning my calls either. At least no one at his house is.

Donna’s gravelly voice behind me has me dropping the phone receiver as I’m about to try calling someone else. “Franny, can I see you in my office, please?”

My heart leaps into my throat, and I set down the phone receiver.

I never get called into Donna’s office.

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