Chapter 3 - THE MAN WHO LIED
Ethan stared at the photograph so long that the room seemed to disappear around him.
“That’s impossible.”
The older man in the suit leaned forward.
“My name is Special Investigator Aaron Miles.”
Ethan looked up.
“Special investigator for who?”
“The county conviction integrity unit.”
Ethan laughed bitterly.
“Took you three years.”
Miles didn’t react.
“The photograph came from a security camera outside a closed hardware store approximately eighteen minutes before Marcus Reed was shot.”
Ethan looked back at the picture.
Ray was holding the handgun.
Not Marcus.
Not Ethan.
Ray.
The younger investigator placed another image beside it.
Ray handing the weapon to Marcus.
Ethan’s hands started shaking.
“I told them.”
Nobody spoke.
“I told every damn person who would listen.”
His voice rose.
“I told the detective. I told my lawyer. I told the jury. Marcus brought the gun.”
Warden Briggs folded his arms.
“Keep your voice down.”
Ethan snapped his head toward him.
“Keep my voice down?”
Officer Knox shifted near the door.
Ethan stood.
“You put me in a cage for three years and now somebody walks in with a damn picture proving I told the truth, and you want me to keep my voice down?”
“Sit down, Cole.”
“Where was this?”
Miles spoke calmly.
“The footage was never entered into evidence.”
“Why?”
“That’s what we’re investigating.”
Ethan slowly sat.
His anger turned colder.
More dangerous.
“What does this mean?”
“It means your attorney filed an emergency motion this morning.”
“My attorney?”
“You have new representation.”
“Who?”
Miles hesitated.
“Your wife hired someone.”
Ethan closed his eyes.
Of course she did.
Claire never stopped.
Even when he begged her to.
Even when every appeal cost money they didn’t have.
Even when she was pregnant.
Even when Rosie was born.
Claire fought.
“What happens now?”
“A judge reviews the evidence.”
“When?”
“Today.”
Ethan looked toward the door.
“My wife’s still in visitation.”
“We know.”
“And my daughter.”
Miles nodded.
Ethan pointed toward the hall.
“Then why am I sitting here?”
“Because there’s another problem.”
Of course there was.
There was always another problem.
Miles pulled out a phone.
He placed it on the table and pressed play.
A man’s voice filled the room.
Low.
Nervous.
Familiar.
Ray.
“If Ethan gets another hearing, everybody’s gonna start asking questions.”
Another voice answered.
“So?”
“So make sure he doesn’t get one.”
The recording ended.
Ethan stared at the phone.
Miles said, “That call was made yesterday.”
“To who?”
“We don’t know yet.”
Ethan felt something crawl up his spine.
“You think somebody in here is working for Ray?”
“I think somebody wants your case buried.”
Warden Briggs frowned.
“There are five hundred inmates in this facility.”
“And more than two hundred staff members,” Miles replied.
Knox’s jaw tightened.
Ethan noticed.
He noticed everything now.
“What do you want from me?”
Miles leaned closer.
“You don’t tell anyone about the photograph.”
“Not even Claire?”
“Especially not your wife until we secure the rest of the evidence.”
Ethan shook his head.
“No.”
“Mr. Cole—”
“She has spent three years believing she might be forty years old before I come home. I’m not keeping this from her.”
Miles lowered his voice.
“If Ray Damon believes you’re about to walk out of here, he may run.”
“Let him.”
“Or he may do something worse.”
Ethan stopped.
Miles looked straight at him.
“Your wife went looking for the hardware store owner yesterday.”
Ethan’s face drained.
“How do you know that?”
“Because so did Ray.”
For the first time since walking into the room, Officer Knox spoke.
“We need to move your family.”
Ethan jumped to his feet.
“Move them where?”
Knox opened the door.
But before anyone could answer, an alarm exploded through the prison.
Red lights flashed.
A computerized voice filled the corridor.
“SECURITY BREACH. ALL UNITS LOCK DOWN.”
Knox reached for his radio.
Then froze.
A message crackled through the speaker.
“Inmate Cole is to be secured immediately.”
Ethan stared at him.
Knox stared back.
May you like
And very quietly, so the others couldn’t hear, Knox whispered:
“Do not let them take you back to your cell.”
