“Then we’re in luck,” I tell her and then wince. “Sorry. That’s not what I meant. I mean, there’s a five-year statute of limitations. Do you think you could remember the name of the doctor you saw?”
“Maybe if I see it again.” She grabs her phone again and starts typing on it, and then she scrolls for several tense minutes. “Nothing is ringing a bell.”
“Let’s try the medical board of North Carolina. If he was that shady, then maybe he lost his license at some point in the last few years.”
“Good idea,” Hannah says.
Half an hour of searching and she says, “This is him. I found him! His name is Dr. Lionel Blackstock. He had an office in Lumberton, North Carolina before his license was suspended two years ago!”
“Thank goodness you remembered,” I tell her.
“So now can you explain how this will help Conrad and Cannon?”
“It’s the beginning of a potential plan, but don’t get your hopes up,” I warn her. “We know that the local cops won’t go against the former chief, and there are probably no state cops that will either. But the feds might.”
“The feds?”
I nod. “Bailey took you, a minor, across state lines for the pills to terminate your pregnancy without your knowledge. He committed murder – premeditated murder and crossing state lines make it fall under the federal jurisdiction. I have an associate from law school who is a new Assistant United States Attorney in Raleigh. I’ll talk to him tomorrow and see what he thinks, you know, if they would prosecute a corrupt cop or not. We may not be able to prove that he sent two men after me or ruined the Kings’ businesses on purpose, but you and others know that you were pregnant and that he gave you the pills.”
“If he’s arrested, would we be able to get Conrad and Cannon out of jail on Monday?”
“I think we’ll have a good shot, yes. Not to mention, he’ll have to drop out of the race for mayor, although, I wish I could beat him fair and square first.”
“Oh my god, Hannah! You’re a genius!”
She throws her arms around me with more strength than I was expecting from a pregnant woman.
I really hope I don’t let her down, because Hannah’s quickly becoming more to me than just a friend. She’s almost like a sister. It’s nice to finally have something close to family, so I’ll do whatever it takes to try and see this plan through.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Cannon
By Monday morning, I’m more depressed than I’ve ever been in my life. I thought Conrad would feel the same way, but he seems so…hopeful because he has someone to go home to if we get released on bail today.
He’s been talking to Hannah most nights on the phone, but we only get one call, so I use it to let our parents know that we’re still alive. Madison hasn’t been to visit me, and I haven’t talked to her. Part of me is glad because I’m sure she’s mad as hell about what I did on camera during the debate. Still, it would’ve been nice to see her face for a few minutes.
Thankfully, Conrad and I haven’t had any other beatings. Most of our bruises are turning a yellowish-green and healing, but we still look like shit. I’d like to think we gave as good as we got, and that the dirty uniforms who attacked us have decided we’re tougher meat than they’re used to chewing up.
The transport bus to the courthouse is quiet that morning. And when we get to the holding cell outside the courtroom, there are two suits complete with a bag of dress shoes hanging up waiting for us, along with our criminal defense attorney.
“The suits are probably overkill since there probably won’t even be a hearing,” Jeffries tells us after he convinces the guards to uncuff our hands and feet since we’re in a secure room and need to change. “At least you’ll look like nice, decent boys in them.”
“What do you mean there won’t be a hearing?” Conrad asks. “I have to get out of here!”
“Calm down,” the attorney says, eyeing the guards in the holding cell with us. “You hopefully won’t need a hearing, because I’m going to try my best to get the charges dropped altogether.”
“What makes you think you can do that?” I ask skeptically. “We both did what we’re charged with and there were witnesses both times.”
Jeffries opens his brown, leather portfolio and carefully removes a letter that has a yellow “Exhibit A” sticker on the top right corner. It’s on a raised US Attorney letterhead. “What is it?” I ask since I can’t read it upside down.
“It says that Franklin Bailey is under federal investigation for a multitude of crimes, the worst of which is the murder of an unborn child, his own grandchild.”
“Holy shit!” Conrad says. “How did this happen? Did Hannah go to the feds?”
Jeffries shakes his head. “I believe it was Madison Monroe who realized that Hannah could have a federal case since the pills used in the commission of the crime came from North Carolina.”
“Wow,” I say in surprise, because I thought Madison would’ve left us here to rot. Maybe she doesn’t hate me after all.
“We’ll talk more later. I better get back to the courtroom before the judge opens court,” Jeffries says.
“Thank you,” Conrad and I both tell him at the same time before the guard opens the door and lets him leave.
“I can’t believe it,” Conrad says to me as we both stand there frozen in shock. “I thought I would have to plead guilty and miss everything with the baby.” There’s a sheen to his eyes when he turns away and busies himself with getting his suit on.
Not only did Madison save us, but she also gave my brother back something priceless – time with Hannah and the baby.
Fuck, I love that woman.
There, I can admit it
