Page 111 of The Accomplice
‘FBI forensic support are at that scene right now. They will, in time, confirm it is Daniel Miller, and that he died from a knife wound to the throat – not electric shock, not a stroke or cardiac arrest from the taser, and not a blow to the head. Anything you’d like to say about that ?’
He said nothing.
‘The other important factor from these photographs is in photo three. See here, Daniel Miller is missing his right thumb. Professor Johnson has already testified that the fingerprint lifted from Stacy Nielsen’s body came from Miller’s right thumb—’
He interrupted me, said, ‘I don’t know what any of this has to do with me.’
‘The Nielsens’ bodies were discovered just after seven a.m. by two patrolmen, not one a.m. when you called Carrie Miller and told her they were dead. At that time, the family were very much alive. You knew Daniel Miller was going home to see his wife. You scared Carrie half to death – told her to pick up the high-voltage taser you had given to her. You set up that whole thing so you could kill Daniel and frame him as the Sandman. You cut off Miller’s thumb, then murdered Tobias and Stacy Nielsen and planted his thumbprint at the scene. You wanted to frame Daniel Miller foryourcrimes, Mr. Peltier, becauseyouare the Sandman.’
DA White was on his feet and objecting, but Stoker waved him down.
‘That’s ridiculous,’ said Otto.
‘The Sandman is alive and active, Mr. Peltier. He’s already murdered two witnesses in this case, sent a note to the FBI and killed two of their agents. But you already know about that.’
‘I don’t know anything about this. And I’ve never seen that freezer before in my life.’
‘And yet your firm registered the paperwork for that company,’ I said. ‘It’s stamped on the original document filed at companies register. You knew that address, and it’s not like Daniel Miller or anyone else is using that property.’
‘That was Daniel Miller’s company.’
‘He’s not in a position to kill anyone. But there’s still so much we don’t know. Why did you frame Miller for your crimes and then stop ? What happened ? What changed you ?’
His gaze flicked to Carrie, and then back to me.
‘Soon as the Sandman became active, Carrie’s world imploded all over again and she ran. She knew then her husband was not a killer. That you planted the evidence in his car that night when you got to her house, didn’t you ?’
‘No, of course not.’
‘You had already taken steps to distance yourself from ownership records for the van you used in your crimes. It’s registered to a company owned by Daniel Miller. That company hasn’t traded in years, hasn’t filed any accounts either. It’s a front.’
‘No, I have nothing to do with that company. The van belongs to Daniel Miller.’
‘It sure does, but your firm filed all the company paperwork and you are the company secretary. Would you like to see the paperwork ?’
‘Your Honor,’ said Otto, ‘I won’t stand for this spurious attack—’
‘You’ll answer Mr. Flynn’s questions,’ said Judge Stoker.
‘This was your perfect opportunity to frame someone for your crimes, make Carrie believe she had killed her husband and cover the whole thing up. Then, you could get what you really wanted. You wanted Carrie all along, didn’t you ? You wanted her from the first moment Daniel brought her into your office. And you framed him for your crimes so you could have her.’
His jaw muscles flexed as he bit down. His expression changed. A flare of anger. Of pure rage. He ran a hand across his face, perhaps aware his emotions were showing, wiping his face into a neutral stare.
‘Lies, Mr. Flynn.’
‘In the diary entry we just read, Carrie doesn’t mention seeing the black pearl necklace in her husband’s car, does she ?’
‘No, but—’
‘She doesn’t mention it being there, because it wasn’t there at the time, was it ?’
‘I don’t know what she saw.’
‘It wasn’t there at the time, but it found its way into that bag later, didn’t it ? After you took it from Stacy Nielsen’s house ?’
‘Lies.’
‘You knew Stacy Nielsen ?’
