Page 5 of Kevin's Destiny

“Okay, what type of snag.”

“Karen won’t talk. She was read her rights, but instead of invoking a lawyer, all she said was Kevin Lassiter. That’s it. She hasn’t said a word for the last three hours.”

“Why are you telling me this now?”

“Because we had to talk to the DA to see if it was allowed that you, her ex-husband, should be involved. I know you won’t go there as a concerned ex, and I wanted to know what would happen if you went there as Detective Lassiter.”

“Ah, if she’s asking for me, then she might think she can get out of the murder charges. She will use me like she did when we were married, throw her weight around because I’m a cop.”

“Yes, Brooks was in court,” Boggs said as he referred to the District Attorney. “I wanted to talk to him directly before talking to you.”

Kevin jumped to his feet to pace, shaking his head, unable to comprehend the information he had just heard. He turned back to his boss and asked incredulously, “You’re telling me that my ex-wife murdered someone? Karen? The woman that would cause World War X if she broke a nail?”

“Yes, it’s clear as day on their video.”

“Did she admit to it?”

“No, the only two words she’s spoken since she was apprehended was your name. That’s it.”

“Where is she now?”

“Solitary confinement, under heavy guard. Once she clammed up after saying your name, Bennett and Drake took statements from the other inmates. They went back to her three times, but she refused to speak.”

“What am I supposed to do?”

“Brooks is on his way here, the two of you will drive out to the prison. The four of you, Brooks, Drake, Bennett, and yourself, will question Karen.” He paused then shook his head as he looked directly at Kevin this time. “I’m sure you know the implications of this.”

“I probably do, but I’m too stunned to think right now, what are they?”

They both looked up when the door opened and District Attorney Antonio Brooks walked in.

“Since she’s already serving eighteen to twenty for her last attempted murder charge, it’s a strong possibility that she will get life, without the possibility of parole. That’s what I’m going to go in there with, but I’m also going to go with you so I can hear her confession, and make sure you don’t say anything that her lawyer might think can get her off.”

Kevin stared at him with a frown, then sighed heavily. “Karen can be stubborn. What if she doesn’t want a lawyer?”

“Okay, then one will be appointed to her from the court. However, what if she’s asking for you so she can convince you to pay for a lawyer. Or get a high powered one to get her off? What if she’s requesting you to twist your heart strings because of your past together?”

“Not going to happen,” Kevin said so fast and hard, the other two men nodded.

“I don’t know the entire situation, but it’s my understanding that you have a child together?”

“We do, but that child is living in a different state, and is twenty-six years old.”

“Ah, okay, so if she’s sentenced to life, then she won’t be leaving a motherless child behind?”

Kevin snorted a laugh. “She should have thought about that twenty-five years ago. Oh, she was never neglectful. Caleb wasfed, clothed, and taken to his sports. Karen was just never there emotionally for him.”

“Ah, got it. Well, we better get going, it’s an hour’s drive to Gig Harbor.”

“Are we riding together?”

“Yes.” His tone brooked no argument, and Kevin was actually glad that he didn’t have to clear his head enough to drive himself to the women’s prison. He knew if he made the drive alone, he would either wreck, or never make it with his head trying to grasp the severity of what he had just been told.

When Brooks parked in the visitor parking lot at the women’s prison, Kevin shook his head, scrubbed his face, and looked over at the DA.

“Jesus,” he said as he looked around. “I was going to come here in a few weeks to talk to Karen one last time.”

“What’s that mean?” Brooks looked at him with a furrowed brow.