“Yeah.”
Lucas waited for Miles to finish the paragraph he was writing and then pulled out some of the pictures from Sydney’s crime scene. He set them in front of Miles.
“You see these marks here? On your sister’s neck?” Lucas asked. “They’re marks from someone who’s left-handed strangling her.”
Miles shrugged. “I bet that gang guy is left-handed.”
“See, that’s the thing,” Lucas said. “He’s not. Neither is your mom or dad. Just you. And you proved it when you wrote your statement.”
“I’m left-handed, so what? I’m sure my sister sold drugs to some other person who was left-handed and they could have killed her.”
“Yeah—” Lucas leaned forward “—that’s true, but the thing is, anyone else who did that would have fled the scene. You stayed.”
“You don’t know anything. I wasn’t there.”
Lucas pulled out some more of Josh’s pictures and slid them in front of Miles. “I believe you actually were.”
Miles didn’t answer.
Maya noticed a change in him. “You see that? I think his lower lip is quivering. I wonder if he’s just now realizing what he did. I bet seeing the actual crime scene and his sister lying there deceased changes things for him.”
“I agree,” Josh said. “You never know how someone is going to react, but unless they’re a complete sociopath, there’s always some emotion.”
“Maybe this will make him break. He’s been tough up until now,” Elena added. “I was certain Laura had done it.”
“I was certain Dale had killed Sydney,” Maya said. “We were all wrong.”
Miles started crying. After a minute, he continued. “I didn’t mean to… I grabbed her. I wanted to make her listen. I didn’t know I was strangling her. And then she wasn’t breathing and I didn’t know what to do… When I realized what I had done, I called my mom. She said to leave. She’d take care of everything. I don’t know how much my dad knows, but I’m sure he knows something.
“My mom told me to never say a word. She didn’t want to lose another child. If I went to prison, she said I’d never see them again. I didn’t want that either at the time, but I didn’t realize she was going to frame someone.”
“How did you think she was going to take care of things?” Lucas asked.
“I don’t know. Maybe just get rid of Sydney’s body or something? But she had become friends with the lady who led the Dark Angels. They worked together with Dad’s campaigns and somehow Mom paid her off. I’ve been trying to stay quiet all these years, but I can’t anymore.”
Maya turned to Elena. “I think all the pieces of your case are starting to come together. I can’t listen to more of this. It’s too awful and I’m tired. Do you need a ride to a hotel or do you want to stay with us for the night?”
“No, it’s okay,” Elena said. “I made a reservation at the hotel, and since I wanted to stay and hear everything, Miranda or Lucas said they’d give me a ride.”
“Take care,” Maya said, thinking there had to be something better to say, but she was too tired to come up with it. Pops and Josh followed her.
“You okay?” Josh asked.
“Yes and no. I’m glad we caught the right person, but how tragic is it that two young lives are over?”
“I agree,” Pops said. “That’s the hard part about this job.”
“Maybe the Bradfords can have a family cell,” Josh said. “That might be a good start to punishing them. I feel for Sydney. No wonder she was so messed up.”
“No kidding,” Maya said. “I hope Miles and his parents get what they deserve. I’m sure they’ll hire the best defense attorneys, but they all need to go serve time for what they’ve done.”
Josh gave a small laugh. “And that’s why we’re in law enforcement and not a judge or lawyer.”
“I agree,” Maya said. “Let’s check in with Lucas and Agent Kessler, but if they have everything, agree you’re not a flight risk and don’t need us, I’m ready to get home.”
“Me too,” Josh said. “Let’s go.”
The next week…
