Chapter 26
DNA
Erica could tell something was wrong when Rich walked in the door. His face was somber and when their eyes met he turned away.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
“We underestimated our adversary and got burned.”
“Which adversary?”
“Richmond or his client, Samantha Jones. I didn’t figure Lucius’s wife would be more cunning than he was.”
Rich explained to Erica what had happened.
“Well, you’ll recover from this. It’s going to be a pain dealing with it, but in the end you’ll still kick their ass.”
“I don’t know. They don’t play by the rules. That makes them doubly dangerous.”
“So, what are you going to do?”
“Matt is taking care of it for now. I left him at the office finishing up his response and putting together a motion for a rehearing. I just feel sorry for him. He’s blaming the whole thing on himself.”
“It doesn’t sound like it’s his fault.”
“It isn’t, but when you fall into someone’s trap it’s humiliating.”
“Maybe I should call him,” Erica said.
“No. That will just make it worse. He’ll be all right.”
There was a knock at the door.
“Who could that be?” Rich asked.
“Don’t you remember? You’re being interviewed by the Inquisitor tonight.”
“Oh, shit. Not tonight.”
“Yes, I’m afraid so.”
Erica went to the door and let Sylvia and her photographer in. “Good evening,” Erica said evenly.
“Hello,” Sylvia said as she stepped inside and looked around. “You have a nice home.”
“Thanks,” Erica replied.
“Where are we doing this?” Sylvia asked.
“In the study, I think,” Erica replied. “It’s the most suitable place.”
“All right. Lead the way.”
Erica led Sylvia and her photographer into their elegant study. She pointed to two big brown leather chairs at one end of the room. “Will this work?” Erica asked.
Sylvia nodded. “Yes. Quite nicely.”
The doorbell rang.
“Who could that be?” Rich asked for the second time that evening.
“That’s probably Amanda,” Sylvia said. “She insisted she be present for the interview.”
Rich nodded. “Good idea. I’ll get it.”
Rich left the room and a minute later came back with Amanda and Ryan. Erica’s eyes brightened at seeing Ryan, and they immediately embraced.
“How are you, honey?” Erica asked. “I heard you didn’t have such a great day.”
“No. We didn’t.”
“Don’t worry. These things happen. You’ll get through it.”
“What happened?” Sylvia asked.
Erica’s face stiffened. “Oh, nothing. Just personal stuff. Nothing you’d be interested in.”
Sylvia nodded skeptically. “Well, I’m ready when you are.”
The doorbell rang again and Erica sighed. “Who could that be?”
Erica looked at Amanda, who just shrugged. “Would you see who it is, Amanda?”
“Sure,” Amanda said and left the room.
There was the sound of a scuffle at the front door and heavy feet approaching. A nicely dressed woman and a man in a suit entered the study followed by several uniformed police officers. The woman flashed her badge.
“Detective Longoria, Dallas Police Department,” she advised, looking at Rich.
“What’s the meaning of this?” Erica protested.
“We’re here to arrest your husband,” Longoria said.
Erica gasped.
“Richard Coleman. You are under arrest for the murder of Martha Collins. You have the right to remain silent; anything you say will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney; if you cannot afford an attorney one may be provided to you by the court.”
The male detective swung Rich around and cuffed him while the photographer snapped several pictures of the arrest. Erica threw herself at Rich and wrapped her arms around his neck. Longoria gingerly pulled her away.
“You can’t do this,” Erica protested. “I killed Aunt Martha. I’ve already been tried for it.”
“You may have, but your husband helped you. He’s as guilty as you were, and I doubt a temporary insanity plea will cut in this trial,” Longoria spat.
“What possible evidence could you have to justify this arrest?” Ryan protested. “It’s been twenty-five years and there are no witnesses.”
Detective Longoria smiled. “Well, Mr. Coleman. In the last twenty-five years there have been great advances in medical science, particularly in the area of DNA evidence. Back when the murder took place we couldn’t put your father at the scene of the crime, but today we can. You see, his DNA has been on the lamp in the motel room all this time, and had we not reopened the case he would have gotten away with murder.”
Amanda gasped and started to wobble. Ryan grabbed her and set her down in a chair. Erica just starred at Longoria in shock. Rich closed his eyes and took a deep breath. The photographer kept flashing pictures of the scene while Sylvia smiled broadly. Finally, Longoria nodded and the arrest team quickly escorted Rich out to a squad car.
“Call Bruce,” Erica barked. “He’ll have to work quickly to get bond posted so Rich won’t have to spend the night in jail.”
“There is no way to get him out of jail tonight,” Ryan said. “That’s why they waited until tonight to arrest him. They wanted to be sure he’d have to spend the night behind bars.”
“Why?” Erica complained. “Rich gets people out of jail at night all the time.”
“Not for murder. There will have to be an arraignment and a bond set. Unless Bruce can get a judge to set bond tonight, he’ll have to wait until morning.”
“Maybe he can. Call him.”
“I will,” Ryan said, “but don’t get your hopes up.”
Ryan got out his cell phone and called Bruce Pierson at his home. They talked for a minute and then Ryan hung up.
“Okay. He’s on his way to police headquarters.”
Erica nodded, tears streaming down her cheeks. “How could this have happened? After all these years how could Richard be charged with murder?”
Erica then turned around abruptly and pointed at Amanda. “This is all your fault! You caused this, you goddamn bitch! You couldn’t take no for an answer. All you cared about was your fucking career! I told you we didn’t want the manuscript published. Why in the hell did you read it anyway? It was private. You’re not part of this family. You had no right!” Erica wailed. “You had no right!”
Ryan put his arms around Erica and held her tightly. “It will be okay, Mom. Calm down. It’s not Amanda’s fault.”
Amanda fell into one of the stuffed chairs and began to sob. The photographer kept taking pictures. Ryan turned to Sylvia and the photographer. “Get the hell out of here. The show’s over.”
Sylvia nodded to the photographer, and they gathered their things and left.
“Why don’t you go lie down, Mom,” Ryan suggested.
Erica shook her head. “No. I’m going to the police station.”
“No,” Ryan protested. “That’s not a good idea. I’ll call Matt and send him over there. Amanda and I will stay here with you.”
“No!” Erica screamed, turning to Amanda. “Get that woman out of my house. I never want to see her face again.”
Amanda got up and hurried out of the room. Ryan watched her leave, obviously torn as to what to do. “Okay, I’ll send Amanda home. But you need to go lie down. I’ll call Matt right now.”
Ryan took out his cell phone and called Matt. After a minute he hung up. “Okay. Matt’s on his way to the police station. Come on. Let’s get you to bed.”
“No!” Erica exclaimed, pulling herself away from him. “Drive me to the police station or I’ll drive mys
elf.”
Ryan sighed in frustration. “All right, I’ll drive you.”
Ryan went to find Amanda, and Erica followed, afraid he’d leave without her. When they couldn’t find her in the house they went outside. Just as they stepped onto the porch they saw her driving away in Ryan’s car.
“Shit!” Ryan spat. “I guess we’ll take your car.”
Erica nodded and they went back through the house to the garage and got took Erica’s car to the police station. Matt and Bruce Pierson were already there when they walked into the waiting room. Also, standing on the other side of waiting room was Sylvia and her photographer. Erica dreaded to think of what would be in the next issue of the Inquisitor. They went over to Pierson.
“What’s happening?” Erica asked.
“They’re booking him now. I’ve already got my bondsman running a writ, but the trick is going to be getting a judge to set bond. The ADA on the case has already said he wants a full hearing in the morning. I don’t know what I can do about that. This is a high-profile case, and no judge is going to do anything to compromise it.”
Erica sighed. “Will they keep him separated from the general population? I’ve had some experience in the Dallas County Jail, and it wasn’t pleasant.”
“The ADA said they would as long as he is here at the police station, but there are no guarantees once he goes to the county jail. That’s up to the sheriff.”
They waited impatiently while Pierson made phone calls and finally talked to Detective Longoria. When he was done he came back over with a somber face.
“I couldn’t talk the judge into doing anything tonight, and Longoria says the ADA won’t budge on waiting until tomorrow.”
As they were talking a TV news crew came into the waiting room. Erica winced at seeing them.
“Who’s the ADA?” Ryan asked.
“Frank Baldwin,” Pierson replied. “He’s their number-one prosecutor.”
“That figures,” Erica moaned. “Okay, let’s get out of here before every media crew in the county gets here.”
Ryan nodded and took Erica’s elbow. Matt scrambled to get ahead of them and help forge a path through the growing crowd of reporters and TV news crews.
“Mrs. Coleman? What do you think of your husband’s arrest for Martha Collins’s murder?”
“No comment,” Erica said, glaring at the reporter.
“Mrs. Coleman. Did you anticipate this new DNA evidence?”
“She has no comment,” Matt spat, pushing a reporter aside and opening the door for Erica.
They walked briskly down the long flight of stairs to the street and across to the parking lot. The press followed them and tried to cut them off as they crossed the street, but Matt angled away from them and managed to get Erica to her car before the crowd cut them off. Ryan got in the driver’s seat while Matt put Erica in the shotgun seat and closed the door.
“Back off or you’re going to get run over,” Matt warned.
The crowd reluctantly backed up as Ryan gunned the engine. When they were clear Ryan eased out and away from the curb. Erica looked back at the mob and shook her head in despair. How could this have happened? I thought this chapter of my life was over. That goddamned Amanda. I’d like to kill that little bitch.