A Vicious Balance: A Mystery Thriller by Jolyon Hallows

Author:Jolyon Hallows [Hallows, Jolyon]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: WCS Publishing
Published: 2021-08-17T22:00:00+00:00

20

The insurance company of Miller, Shouldice, and Warren was in a downtown office building designed to flaunt financial muscle. The furnishings in the lobby were mahogany, glass, and steel. The television monitor in the elevator displayed a banner showing currency exchange rates and stock quotes. The elevator deposited Travathan in front of a reception desk carved from teak and holding a display case of plaques awarded to the insurance company of the year. He asked the receptionist for Barbara Congee and allowed himself to be enveloped by a plush chair, its leather smooth and supple beneath his fingers.

He didn’t have long to wait. Barbara Congee, a woman in her thirties in a business suit and the gait of an executive on the way up, shook his hand in a firm grip and led him back to her office.

She smiled at him with the distance of customer service and asked, “What can I tell you about Sherry Galina?”

He smiled back. “I’m investigating the conditions surrounding her murder, so anything you can tell me about her background would be helpful.”

“Her murder has been solved. Has something changed?”

“You’re right. A man has been convicted, and the files are officially closed. But several questions have emerged that may affect its outcome.”

She frowned. “How would the outcome be affected? Surely her killer is in jail and will remain there for his sentence. What other kind of outcome is there?”

Travathan’s policy in an interview was to disclose as little as possible, to let the interviewee stumble into some slice of information that seemed off track but that would turn out to be valuable. But Congee was becoming suspicious.

“Ms. Congee, I’m working with the Brouer Foundation for the Wrongly Convicted. Have you heard of it?”

“Yes. There was an article in the paper about them.” She leaned back and crossed her arms. “Are you saying this boy who was convicted didn’t do it?”

“That’s what we’re investigating, and our research has produced some questions about Ms. Galina that may affect the case.”

Her eyes narrowed, her voice rising in volume and tone. “I get it. You’re trying some form of blame the victim. She was having an affair, so she deserved to be killed. Maybe we can even give the killer a reward for punishing her for her immoral behavior. Well, you’ve come to the wrong place.” She slammed her chair back and started to stand.

“My sister was raped.” His voice was hard, no longer the seeker after information. “I don’t appreciate you giving me lessons on blaming the victim.”

A flicker of confusion crossed her face. “I’m sorry. It’s just that— well, I’m a volunteer for a rape crisis center. We’re used to the kind of offensive attitude that says the victim must have done something to deserve it.”

“I know. Ms. Congee, I have some serious doubts about Jake Handley’s guilt—he’s the boy who was convicted. We’ve uncovered some other evidence that I’m not about to disclose, but that calls into question his conviction. Our purpose, my purpose here is

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