Page 45 of Defenseless
Sabina inclined her head. “With our current calendar, April is diamonds. Historically, though, it was sapphires. With my mom’s interests, it shouldn’t be a surprise she preferred those. But the diamond in the middle is a nod to the modern take.”
Ava frowned. “I didn’t know birthstones had changed over time.”
“And by region and by whether you go by the Gregorian calendar or zodiac calendar. Or even Western versus Eastern traditions,” Sabina said.
“Look at us both learning new things today,” Ava said with a chuckle. Then she sobered. “You do see the oddity, though?”
Sabina nodded. “I do. Why was a piece of jewelry that she kept in a box in her room found with the dead man when the three pieces she was wearing the night she was killed were worth so much more? I assume you have a theory?”
“It’s a theory, but yeah.”
“Shoot.”
“I think when Jacobs realized what you and Kara had seen, his only thought was to get through the night. I think the crime scene techs came and did what they do, including taking pictures—”
“Pictures of her that included the jewelry,” Sabina said, taking up the thread. “And when he finally settled on framing the vagrant, he couldn’t plant the pieces she usually wore because they were in the pictures taken after he killed her.”
Ava nodded. “My guess is that he went back, found something easy but valuable to grab, and plantedthatwith the vagrant. Or had whoever killed him plant it with the man.”
Sabina leaned back in her chair and gave it some thought. “You’re right. It’s not a smoking gun, but it’s certainly something to cast doubt on the theory Jacobs put forward about the vagrant. Is the ring still in custody?”
“It is. It was put into storage when neither you nor your sister came forward to claim it.”
“Is the chain of custody legit?” she asked.
Ava nodded. “As legit as anything George Jacobs did was. It is cataloged correctly.”
“I want all that evidence released and sent to HICC headquarters,” Sabina said, sitting forward and starting an email to Stella. She’d call Kara before she sent it, but she knew her sister would be on board.
“You’ll have to come forward, publicly, as her daughter,” Ava pointed out.
“I know,” she replied. “And I think it’s about time.”
CHAPTEREIGHTEEN
Chad lookedat the two women curled up together on Colton’s couch. It was well past midnight, and they each held a teacup. Their heads were together, and they looked to be enjoying the luxury of time. Something they hadn’t been able to share for half their lives. Chad hadn’t always lived near his brothers or cousins. But he’d been able to see them when he wanted. Or be there when needed. Watching the sisters, he realized it was a gift he wouldn’t take for granted ever again.
“You ready for tomorrow?” Colton asked him.
Chad tore his eyes from the pair and looked at his colleague. “As we’ll ever be, I suppose,” he answered. He’d done a lot of interesting things in his life, and as much as he liked to plan, many of those things had required him to improvise. But how did one prepare for the consequences of Sabina and Kara stepping forward after eighteen years of being presumed missing or dead? Because that was exactly what they’d decided to do.
When he’d returned to HICC from a fruitless visit to the hospital—the man Ethan had shot wasn’t talking—Sabina had laid out her plan to him. His first reaction had been a vehement “No,” but he held his tongue and let his emotions simmer down before responding. Once he managed to control his own fear, he acknowledged the plan was a good one. Not only was it not practical for her to stay hidden away forever, there was no point to it. Jacobs already knew who she was and where she lived.
And Kara, too, based on the information Leo and Collin had discovered about the man from the conference. Andy Jameson was a sketchy PI from DC.Howhe’d found Kara, they didn’t yet know. But Leo had dug into his financials and found a lovely little offshore account with just under a million dollars in it. An account that received regular deposits from a shell company that Collin traced to Jacobs.
Given that Jacobs knew the women were alive, Sabina was right. It was time for them to go on the offense. And not surprising, Kara had agreed with her sister. As had Stella and Hunter, who’d offered whatever resources needed to both protect Sabina and Kara and bring Jacobs down.
Chad had no doubt that the couple’s decision had everything to do with their being the good people they were. But if they were successful, running for president against Stella’s brother in the next election would no longer be an option for Jacobs. An added bonus.
HICC would take some heat for its role in the coming scandal. Some might even claim their involvement was politically motivated. But neither Stella nor Hunter cared. Nor did Cal, who wholeheartedly endorsed their activities.
“Did the lawyer get everything she needed?” Colton asked.
Chad nodded. At eleven o’clock tomorrow morning, the Lexington Police Department was going to get a surprise visit. On behalf of Emer Houseman’s daughters, Tess Jackson, an HICC lawyer, would be requesting access to all the evidence related to the murder. She’d also be requesting the release of any personal belongings, including the ring found on the vagrant. No one thought they’d find anything in the reports or evidence. But they were counting on the request to shake things up a bit. And they were especially interested in how George Jacobs, Kevin’s brother, responded. He’d been chief of police at the time, and in charge of the investigation. But there was a lot more on the line for him now as he was currently serving as the head of the Kentucky State Police.
Sabina’s phone rang, and Chad’s eyes went to the clock sitting above the fireplace. It was now close to one in the morning. Who would be calling at this hour?
“Collin,” Sabina answered, shrugging in response to the three sets of questioning gazes that had landed on her. Everyone was bunking on HICC property for the night. But they were supposed to be doing just that by now…bunking. Meaning sleeping. They had a long day ahead of them tomorrow, including going through the truckload of Uncle Mike’s belongings that Kara had brought back.
