Lorelei jumped off the treadmill, hot and sweaty. She then moved through the spacious house up to the second floor, where she pulled off her athletic clothes and hit the shower. As she dressed in a simple, colorless sundress, she did what she hadn’t been able to stop doing for the last thirty-two hours or so. She thought of Tia Karson and the things she had learned about her. Having only seen her close-up, she never did see the ends of her long golden curls. She only knew that her hair wasn’t shorter than her behind and that she had a beautiful face as well. She didn’t know if she was innocent, but she knew she was gorgeous and rather unique-looking as well. She couldn’t wait to see what the girlfriend looked like, personally. Professionally, she couldn’t wait to hear what she had to say.
Not long afterward, she left her home in the upper-class section of Newcastle and headed for Auburn. Auburn, which was more rural than Newcastle, was a town of diversity. You could have a beautiful, well-kept mansion on one lot, while a dumpy old trailer sat on the adjoining lot. As she wound through the sprawling hillsides, she almost missed the driveway hidden in the trees. There were actually three easements. One led downhill and two led uphill. She looked at the numbers on the wooden posts and headed up the middle drive. It was a long drive with many twists and turns. Every now and then, a break in the trees provided a spectacular view of the hills and scattered homes in the valley below. Some were built on site, others were trailers that had been hauled in as people bought up the available parcels.
She eventually came to a fork in the drive and remembered that the mother lived uphill, the daughter downhill. Uphill she went. A golden retriever on a chain beside the house barked at her as she parked her SUV and looked around her. The house, built on site, seemed ordinary enough. A mid-size car was parked close to the entry door while an old pickup was parked at the back of the clearing. Lorelei parked behind the car and walked up to the house, dog still barking at her, straining on its chain.
“Hush, dog. Everything’s ok.”
The door opened before she had a chance to knock, and why not? Any vehicle close enough to be heard inside the house could only be visiting its occupants.
Lorelei studied the stout woman before her. She was about four inches shorter than herself and rather frumpy-looking. Her long, stringy hair was disheveled, and her baggy top and shorts looked decades old.
“Hello. Are you Morgan Cole?”
“Yes.”
The voice sounded deep and gruff.
“I’m Lorelei Connors, Miss Karson’s attorney.”
“Yes?”
“May I speak to you for a few minutes?”
After a moment’s hesitation, Morgan Cole opened the door. “Come on in.”
Lorelei stepped inside the country-like home. It looked like it had recently been scrubbed clean.
Morgan sized up the woman as she glanced around the room. She found her to be attractive in a simple kind of way. After a minute, she said, “I didn’t realize public defenders made house calls.”
“Oh, I’m not a public defender, Miss Cole. I’m a criminal defense attorney hired to defend Miss Karson.”
Morgan Cole’s eyes flashed with shock. “Oh, really? And how did she manage to pull that off? As far as we knew, the only money she made came from us.”
“I’m not at liberty to divulge that information, Miss Cole.”
“No need for formalities. Just Morgan will do. Can I get you something to drink?”
“No, thank you. I’ll only be a few minutes. I’d just like to know what you remember about the day of your late husband’s death.”
“You mean his murder. His cold-blooded murder.”
Lorelei said nothing.
“It’s simple. I caught Tia standing above Stanley’s fallen body with his own gun in her hands, and that’s when I quickly ran up behind her with the vase and smacked her on the head with it.”
“It was a vase?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Lorelei simply nodded, though she clearly remembered the police report saying she’d hit Tia with a candlestick holder. “And where was that?”
Morgan turned around. “Right here in this room.”
“I hate to bring such a horrible event back to mind, but could you please be a little more specific?”
“I already was specific in the statement I gave the police.”
“I understand that, Miss Cole – Morgan – but I’d like to have a record of my own.”
“What do you want to know?” Morgan asked, tone now taking a defensive stance. “How much more specific can I be? Your client killed the man I loved dearly and hadn’t even had the honor of being married to for a year.”
“I’m sorry, Morgan, but I’m rather interested in placement right now,” said Lorelei.
“Placement?”
Lorelei nodded and said, “Could you tell me exactly where Stanley was lying?”
“He was about right here,” Morgan said, pointing to the spot.
“Has the aerial rug been cleaned since then?”
“Well, of course. You think I’d keep blood-soaked rugs in my house?”
“And where was Tia standing at the time?”
“Right above him.”
“You hit her with a candlestick, correct?”
“Yes, that is correct. Oh, wait! No, it was a vase.”
“Where was the vase when you picked it up?”
“Over there on the mantel,” said Morgan, gesturing again. “
“But that’s a few feet beyond where Stanley and Tia had been.”
“So? I don’t get your point.”
“Well, you would have had to rush past Tia. Wouldn’t that be a bit risky to do with someone who was holding a gun?”
“What else could I do?” Morgan said, again sounding defensive. “The thought crossed my mind to try to grab the gun from her, but that seemed a whole lot riskier than looking for something that was nearby enough to knock her out with. The last thing I wanted to do was waste time searching for a weapon.”
Lorelei glanced in the opposite direction, the one from which Morgan said she came running from and glanced at the wide array of knick-knacks and collectibles nearby. There were many other weighty items she could have used to hit Tia with.
“Where were you when you first heard the commotion?”
“In the kitchen. I came running from there on out into the living room to see what was going on.”
“If you heard gunshots, wouldn’t most people run away from the sound rather than right toward it?”
“If you knew what it was, I suppose, but I didn’t realize what the hell it was until I ran out here. All I knew was that the house was suddenly alive with these strange loud popping sounds, and instinctively I ran to see what it was.”
“But why cross the room and give Tia a chance to shoot you as well? Wouldn’t it have been simpler to just grab something closer? There are heavy figurines, bookends, and other items here…”
“Lady, you don’t know the true meaning of the words panic and confusion till you’ve been in a situation like mine. You’re caught off guard and so blown away by shock and fear you don’t know what the hell you’re doing. You don’t exactly stop and take the time to coordinate the best method of defense, you know?”
Lorelei nodded and gazed into Morgan Cole’s eyes. She saw fear in them.
“What was Stanley and Tia talking about right before the shots were fired? Could you make out any words?”
“No, none.”
“Did you ever know Stanley and Tia to have any problems with one another?”
“None at all. That’s why it came as such a shock. She seemed like such a little sweetie. My daughter was crazy for her. Didn’t know much about her, though. I tried to warn Courtney that she could be anybody, but when Courtney gets her mind set on something, so be it.”
“Just what do you know about her?”
“Nothing. She likes rats, she can sing, and she’s from Oregon, even though I always thought she sounded northeastern. You know, like how they talk in New England.”
So that much wasn’t my imagination, Lorelei thought to herself, then asked. “When was the last time you saw her before the shooting?”
“The day before, at the store.”
“Did you speak by phone at all on the day of the shooting?”
“As a matter of fact, we did. I called to let her know I had picked something up at a yard sale for her that I thought she’d like, and she was supposed to be on her way up to get it. Instead, she came up to kill my Stanley.”
“What was it you had for her?”
“A blouse.”
“A blouse? May I see that blouse, please?”
Morgan hesitated, surprised by the request. “I suppose I could go and fetch it for you. Wait here and I’ll be back in a sec.”
“Ok,” said Lorelei, flashing one of her famous business-like smiles.
The heavyset woman walked off and left Lorelei to wait a little longer than she felt she should have.
“I’m sorry,” said Morgan, hurrying back. “I totally forgot where I put it during all the grief and chaos of the last few days.”
“I understand. May I?” asked Lorelei, reaching for the garment.
Still appearing a bit reluctant, Morgan handed the blouse to Lorelei. “Sure.”
Lorelei unfolded the bright pink blouse and looked at the tag. “Wow, this sure seems awfully large for a petite little thing like Miss Karson.”
Anger flashed in Morgan’s eyes. “The nut liked baggy clothes. What can I say? And why are you interrogating me? I’m not the one on trial here.”
Lorelei handed the blouse back to Morgan and simply gazed at her silently, an effect that could sometimes make a suspect feel awkward and want to divulge more information to try to defend themselves.
“Will that be all?”
“For now, Miss Cole, and thank you for your time.”
Lorelei turned to leave, and Morgan took a step toward her. “Uh, you’re not planning on bothering Courtney now, are you?”
“Actually, I would like to talk to her, yes.”
“Well, we’re not the guilty ones here, so I would appreciate it if you’d just let us mourn in peace and get on with our lives.”
“I understand your need to move on, so don’t worry, I won’t be long at all.”
Lorelei stalked off briskly and got into her jeep. Then she swung on down to the trailer and parked beside a sporty compact car.
Courtney looked up from the porch swing as the SUV dropped down into the clearing before her. She rose and placed her can of soda on the porch railing. A plain-looking woman then approached the porch steps. She was easily six feet tall. She was slim but strong-looking.
The closer she got, the less plain-looking she seemed. She was actually kind of elegant-looking.
Lorelei gazed up at the girl before her. She looked nothing like her mother. You could tell the girl was gay, too. That’s how it usually worked. One was curvier, more feminine, and had longer hair. The other tended to have a more boyish appearance. Despite her lack of femininity, the girl was pleasant-looking. She had shiny black hair and sad dark eyes that were framed by lush dark lashes.
“Courtney Cole?”
“Yeah.”
Lorelei extended a hand. “I’m Lorelei Connors. I was hired to defend Tia Karson.”
Courtney’s eyes bulged. “Really? You’re kidding.”
“No, ma’am. I’m not.”
“Wow.”
“Can we go and talk inside where it’s a little cooler?” asked Lorelei, who really only wanted an opportunity to see the inside of the trailer.
“Uh, sure,” said Courtney, still surprised by her visitor.
They stepped inside, and Courtney asked, “Mind if I ask who hired you?”
“Actually, I do,” Lorelei said, smiling politely. “I’m not authorized to give out that kind of information.” She glanced around the long trailer. It looked a little more lived-in than the house on the hill, but clean enough. She looked back at the girl, half the size of her mother. “So you’re Tia’s girlfriend? And you don’t need to hold back in any way. I’m a very open-minded individual.”
“Oh? Are you a lesbian, too?”
Now it was Lorelei’s turn to be caught off guard.
“I don’t mean to offend you or put you on the spot. I just – well – I was just curious, is all.”
Lorelei chuckled and said, “For whatever it’s worth, yes, I am.”
Courtney loosened up a bit and chuckled as well. “Guess it takes one to know one.” Courtney’s expression then turned serious. “You don’t really think Tia did this, do you?”
“What do you think?”
“I think my mother may very well be mistaken. She’s got to be. Yet she keeps saying that love is blind, and while I know I didn’t know Tia very long, I’m usually very good with people. I just can’t believe that Tia, for no apparent reason at all, would suddenly up and shoot someone. She was the sweetest girl I’ve ever known. The whole ordeal has me so heartbroken.”
“I can understand that,” said Lorelei, suddenly feeling an unwanted twinge of pity for the girl.
“You don’t think Tia did it either, do you?”
Lorelei simply shrugged, although she was coming to have doubts. “What do you think happened, Miss Cole?”
“I don’t have a clue. I’ve been trying to figure that out ever since. I’ve asked mother over and over again if someone else could’ve shot Stan, but all she says is, ‘Then why would she be holding the gun like she was?’”
Lorelei nodded. “So she was home that day. And where were you?”
“At the store. Mom owns a pet store here in town. Did you talk to her?”
“Yes, I did. Any idea what Tia was doing prior to the shooting?”
“Mom said she called her up to get something she bought for her.”
“And do you know what that was?”
“Something from Wal-Mart. A sundress, I think it was.”
Courtney shrugged and said, “Before that, Tia was doing whatever it is she usually does when she’s home alone. Cooking, cleaning, that sort of thing. She did stuff on the computer, too.”
“Oh, yeah? Did she seem really into that or just so-so?”
“She seemed pretty computer savvy to me, but for someone who doesn’t know much about them, I guess anyone would.”
“Did she go online much?”
The girl nodded. “Sure.”
“Is there any way I could see the computer she used?”
“Yeah, it’s over here.” Courtney Cole stepped into the adjoining living room and pulled a small laptop off the shelf that was behind the kitchen counter. She handed it to Morgan.
“Since I don’t have a warrant at this time that authorizes me to take this into my possession, would you mind if I fired it up and had a look at it right here?”
Courtney shrugged. “I guess not. You can set it up on the kitchen table if you want.”
Lorelei placed it on the table.
“There’s a plug over there,” Courtney pointed.
Lorelei plugged it in and booted it up. A moment later, Tia’s desktop appeared. There were only a few icons against a flowery background. “Lovely picture.”
“Yeah, that’s one thing she was into. Downloading pictures and music. She’d swap emails with a friend of hers back up in Oregon. Madita, I believe her name is. She called here right after they took Tia away, and she too, was blown away by shock when I broke the news to her.”
“How well did they know each other?”
“I’m not really sure. I always thought something bad may have happened to Tia at some point in her life, and that’s why she didn’t have many friends. I would think she’d make friends easily otherwise. Were you able to find anything out about her?”
“What I have learned, I’m not at liberty to share. Did your mom have any problems with her husband?”
“No. Nothing more than the usual disagreements.”
“How long had they been together?”
“About ten months.”
Lorelei browsed through Tia’s internet history.
“I take it you must know computers and the internet well, being a lawyer and all that.”
“Yes, fairly well. Did she ever mention being a member of any social network?” Lorelei asked, pulling a pen and pad from her satchel.
“Just vaguely, but not in detail. Something about Blogs. She’d read Blogs about different subjects and sometimes she’d respond to them with comments or questions. As far as I know, though, she mostly used the internet for games, music, photos and email. She did enter a few sweepstakes every now and then, too.”
“Do you use this laptop?”
“No. I mostly prefer to watch movies or play my guitar in my free time.”
Lorelei jotted notes down as Courtney paced back and forth, biting her nails, wondering if she was helping or hurting Tia by allowing this woman access to her laptop.
“You’re nervous,” Lorelei noted aloud.
“More like terrified. Tia’s small, you know. And of all the movies I’ve seen…”
Lorelei turned, looked up and smiled at Courtney. “Relax. She’s fine. She’s been segregated. Besides, you can’t always believe what you read or see on TV. That’s just not usually the real world.”
“Is there going to be some sort of trial?”
“There might be eventually.”
“When?”
“It’s too soon to say.”
“Why can’t she remain free in the meantime? Others who have been accused of murder don’t always stay in jail until their trial.”
“In Tia’s case, the judge wouldn’t allow any bail to be set.”
“But why not?”
Lorelei shrugged. “That’s just what this particular judge decided.” She finished jotting down notes and then replaced her pen and notepad back in her satchel. “Thank you for your time, Miss Cole.”
“I want to go see Tia so bad, but mom insists that I don’t.”
Lorelei turned off the laptop and then rose from the chair she’d been sitting in and said, “I can see that you care about Tia. In which case, I would suggest that you don’t visit her at the jail at all. It may complicate things. However, I’ll be sure to pass along any message you have for her.”
Courtney Cole looked desperately at the tall woman before her. “Please tell her I love her. Please tell her I know she didn’t do it and that we’ll figure it all out somehow.”
Lorelei smiled. “Will do. In the meantime, I’m leaving my card with you. If you think of anything, even if it doesn’t seem that important, don’t hesitate to call, ok?”
“Ok. Do you think you can help Tia, Miss Connors?”
“I’m going to do my absolute best to help Tia clear her name if she is indeed innocent. And if she is, someone else may be very determined to see to it that whoever is responsible is brought to justice.
Courtney nodded, a forlorn expression in her dark eyes. “Thank you.”
Lorelei left, pretty sure she knew who had killed Stanley Hagan.
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