“My mom died in November,” Eric said. “He was probably visiting his sister’s grave.”
“His sister?”
“Aunt Monica. She died of cancer seven years ago today.”
“Was he attached to his sister or distraught over her death?”
“I always thought he was more upset about Aunt Monica dying than my mother, but maybe just because I was more upset about Mom than he was.” Eric shook his head. “Dad kept his emotions buried. For a therapist who told everyone they needed to talk about their fears and anger, he never talked about his own.”
Julia and Connor were in her home office. She was looking at contributor reports online and trying to make a connection between Montgomery and Small, other than their apparent friendship. She had all the files and articles stacked and sorted and went through them meticulously.
“Okay,” she said to Connor. “Let’s go through this step-by-step. Open up that cabinet. Over there, in the bookshelf.”
He did, revealing a white board. She tossed him a marker.
“Here’s what we know,” she began. “Jason Ridge was arrested for rape, pled no contest, and was given a DEJ a few months later. This was nearly two years ago.”
Connor made a notation. Then Julia’s house phone rang. She picked it up.
“Hello.”
“This is Tom Chase. Is Julia Chandler there?”
“Speaking, Mr. Chase. Thank you for returning my call.”
He grunted. “What do you want?”
“I’m doing some follow-up on Jason Ridge’s death and-”
“Who are you with?”
“The District Attorney’s Office.”
“And you have the audacity to call me about him?”
“I’m sorry, I-”
“Your office fucked up the investigation, gave the punk a clean slate, and because of that, my daughter killed herself. My daughter is dead and all you care about is this rapist? God, I can’t believe you people.”
Julia’s face flushed. “I’m sorry for your loss, Mr. Chase, I’m trying to get to the bottom of something.” She lied off the top of her head. “I’m doing an internal investigation on corruption in the judiciary and I believe the judge who let Jason Ridge off was bribed.”
“Of course he was! But no one would believe me at the time. And after Shannon killed herself, I didn’t have the will to fight. I had to take care of my family. My wife.” His voice cracked.
“Anything you can tell me about Jason’s case will help me.”
“It no longer matters.”
“It matters to me.” She took a deep breath. “My niece was raped and I think there’s a connection.”
He didn’t say anything for a long minute. “Jason Ridge raped my daughter. The boy I took into my own home for meals, who I thought was a good kid from a good home, the monster raped my little girl on the football field. She was so brave-pressed charges. She was ostracized at school. Humiliated by her friends. It was supposed to be secret, right? No one was supposed to know. But someone
“Shannon was so upset and became depressed. We were with her all the time. But-If I had known she was suicidal, I would have done something. Anything to save my baby girl.”
“Is Mrs. Chase there?”
“I don’t know where Laura is. She divorced me.”
“I haven’t been able to find her in San Diego. Do you know where she’s living?”
It was as if Tom Chase no longer heard Julia. “You don’t know. You don’t know what it’s like to lose a daughter. A beautiful, smart, sweet baby girl who had everything ahead of her. Because one evil creep wanted to get laid. She said
“Do you know where Michelle O’Dell is? She hasn’t returned my calls.”
“No. And I don’t care. She knew what Jason did to Shannon and she still went to his funeral. She’s a Judas as far as I’m concerned.”
“And you don’t know where I can find your ex-wife?”
“I already said no! I don’t want to talk about this anymore.” His voice was thick with emotion. “Don’t call me again.” He hung up.
Connor walked over to her desk. “You okay?”
“The system failed Shannon,” she said.
“It’s not perfect, but it’s the best we have.”
“Tell that to Tom Chase.”
Her doorbell rang and she frowned. “Who’s that?”
“Probably my brother.”
“Dillon? I thought you said he was out with Will.”
“No, Patrick. You need to beef up your security here.”
Connor let Patrick in. “Thanks for coming.”
“No problem. Thought you might want to know what I just learned. You know that e-mail sent to Emily that asked what she would do to the person who hurt her?”
“What about it?”
“Bowen didn’t send it.”
“Are you positive?” Connor asked.
“Absolutely. I’ve been through every message he posted to the group and he didn’t send it.”
Tom Chase couldn’t imagine that after nearly two years anyone would care about his dead daughter or the kid who destroyed her. He’d tried to figure out how a judge could do something like that-just let the rapist go-and when he learned how the system worked, he just walked away. He had no wife left-Laura had turned in to herself and was inconsolable. He couldn’t concentrate on work. He could barely get out of bed in the morning.
Laura had been through so much he couldn’t stand the thought of an insensitive government bureaucrat dredging all this up again. He’d lied, he knew exactly where Laura was. She was getting on with her life and he loved her too much to stand in the way.
He dialed her cell phone.
Her voice was incredulous.
“How are you, Laura?”
“I’m fine. Why are you calling me? I thought I told you never to call.”
She had.
“Some attorney called me and was asking about Shannon. And asking about Jason.” He could barely say the boy’s name without red rage blinding him.
Silence. “Who?”
“Chandler. Julia Chandler. I think she said she’s with the District Attorney’s Office.”
“I have to go,” Laura said.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” he asked. “Do you need money?”
“I’m fine.” She hung up before he could ask any more questions.
Of course she didn’t need any money. She had half the money from the sale of his construction company and the house they’d shared for nearly twenty years. He had the other half collecting interest in the bank. He didn’t need anything. He didn’t want anything.
But he’d give every last cent for his old life back, to have Shannon alive and Laura happy. Together as a family. It wasn’t going to happen.
