The Night Calls by Paul Seiple

Author:Paul Seiple [Seiple, Paul]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Dangerhouse Media
Published: 2020-02-13T16:00:00+00:00

Eighteen

Kim peered through the small, dirty window, waiting for the corrections officer to return.

“You wouldn’t think it would take this long to get clearance to visit Marion. Maybe Haynsworth is his lawyer too.”

“Maybe Marion doesn’t want to see anyone. He’s been in here for a while and lost his appeal. Maybe he’s accepted his fate,” Terrence said.

John Marion was a young financial advisor at one of the most sought-after institutions in Charlotte’s banking district, and then he answered a personal ad for a “little company on a cold, rainy night.” The next morning, Marion was behind bars after a security camera caught him on leaving an uptown bar with an unidentified woman who was found with her throat slashed near a dumpster not far from where Sam's Jane Doe was found.

Marion proclaimed his innocence, but the security footage and his fingerprints on the victim were enough to land him a life sentence. The victim remained a Jane Doe.

Kim was working patrol at the time. She knew of the case but never gave it much thought when she was promoted to detective. Terrence was still in Alabama working as a patrol officer.

“There’s a good chance Marion is innocent,” Kim said, bracing against the window.

“Yeah, I know. But how are we going to convince anyone of that?” Terrence asked.

Kim shrugged her shoulders. A metal door swung open, nearly hitting her.

“Oh… I’m so sorry, detective. Forgive me, but there has been an incident. Unfortunately, you’re not going to be able to talk with Marion today,” a corrections officer said.

“And why is that? We have every right to speak with him if we think it has ties to a case we are currently working,” Kim said.

“Yes, you do. But Marion is going to be of no use to you. He hanged himself in his cell less than an hour ago.”

“What? That’s not possible. He was alive when I called to confirm the visit,” Kim said.

“Yes, he was alive. Your call came at 1:47. We checked on Marion. He was in his cell laughing while reading the newspaper.”

“Laughing? And you’re telling me he killed himself right after that?” Kim asked.

“The news is depressing these days,” the corrections officer said. He started to laugh but covered his mouth when neither Kim nor Terrence thought his joke was funny. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. Marion never displayed suicidal tendencies. Sure, he didn’t want to be in here and claimed his innocence daily, but he wasn’t the type to…”

Kim cut him off. “Can we see the body?”

“I’m sorry. It’s an active crime scene at the moment. The prison is on lockdown.”

Terrence pulled his blue plaid blazer to the side to show his badge attached to his belt.

“Right. I know you’re detectives, but this is Warden Naughton’s prison. I’ll have to check with him before I can let you go back.”

The corrections officer left without waiting for a response. He waddled down the hallway and out of sight.

“Tell me this isn’t related to the Jeffries case. Tell me this isn’t demonic,” Terrence said.

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