“Call it women’s intuition.”
Wow. He’d become the object of my affection instead of being solidly planted in the hero status. There was no doubt by the wayhe was studying me with a sheer look of amusement that my face was blotchy from embarrassment.
He mimicked my actions, also leaning forward. With his long torso, he crossed the fifty percent line until our faces were only inches away, our lips dangerously close.
The sudden urge to kiss him was perhaps the strangest reaction I’d ever had to anyone. While his due diligence and refusal to give up on finding even one victim alive had likely saved my life, my reaction hadn’t been on my radar. The tension from before was different, now more sexual in nature.
My heartrate increased and I feared he’d caught the tiny audible shudder. His gaze slowly fell to my lips, which forced me to realize I was licking my bottom lip.
“Who’s stalking who again?” he asked in his deep, husky voice.
“You’d prefer if I wasn’t a fan?” We lingered in the same position for a little longer than necessary. Finally, I was the one to pull away, strangely affected by being lightheaded.
After easing back against the wooden seat, he swirled his drink. “What I’d prefer is for you to trust me enough to share why you believe Samuel Wells isn’t the Python Killer.”
“It’s just something I believe deep inside.” I was on the verge of telling him about the phone call. Even I would laugh at myself.
A single eyebrow arched as he frowned. “You’re an attorney so that means you’re well aware of the law. There isn’t a court of law in the land who will rely on feelings. As I mentioned before, the DNA was a ninety-six percent match, the evidence only tainted by the effects of the Everglades.”
“You don’t need to sugarcoat what happened to the other victims, Agent Callahan. Not a single other victim was found intact, only pieces and parts that hadn’t been consumed by the wildlife predators in the swamp.”
“I haven’t been an agent for a very long time, Alexia. Please call me Maverick. You came to me specifically with the need to share your thoughts on Samuel’s innocence, so I seriously doubt you did so based on your feelings. Not after all this time. I don’t know if you’re asking for my help in staying the execution or simply needing to connect the dots of a past I would think you’d wanted to forget. I don’t want this to sound rude as I always enjoy the company of a beautiful woman, but please help me with why you came to my book signing two days ago.”
“What that bastard did to me and the other girls was… unthinkable, acts so heinous that the horrors inflicted weren’t represented with any accuracy in the media.”
“So as not to taint the case or to force the families to live through the atrocities all over again. I’m no attorney, but I do know how the system works.”
“I was his victim, Maverick. I was his prisoner for almost four weeks. Four weeks of his almost daily torment. Verbally. Emotionally. Physically. He was in my face, touching me, watching me. Preparing me for God knows what. Like I was special to him. Such bullshit.” You bet I was flustered.
“Often his face was disguised by a mask. Isn’t that what you said at the time?”
“Yes, but not always. And his eyes were never covered. You never forget a man’s eyes. That’s not entirely true. Until the other day,I’d blocked out his eyes. The only facial feature I’d remembered was his mouth.”
“The upcoming execution jogged some memories.”
I fiddled with my cup. “Yes. Nothing I wanted to resurface, but I could see his eyes in my mind. Clearly as if he was standing in front of me. There is truth in that they are the windows to someone’s soul. Not that he had one. What I’m trying to tell you is that the man sitting in that jail is not the same as the one who slaughtered twelve innocent victims. The two men don’t have the same eyes or even exactly the same features. Close, but not the same. I’m positive I’m right.”
I was emotional, hating that I hadn’t pushed the issue before.
His features hardened as he also relived moments that had clearly affected us much in the same way. A devastating blow to our psyches.
“Alright. Let’s go on the assumption you are correct. Did you give your thoughts to your attorney thirteen years ago and was that presented in trial? Have you said anything to anyone involved in the case recently?”
Sighing, I shook my head. “You need to remember, I was in shock thirteen years ago. I didn’t lie, but it was easy to tell everyone what they wanted to hear. Visions of his face were blurry before. I also wasn’t required to testify, told there was enough evidence without needing me. That’s why I’m here. If I steered anyone in the wrong direction, I won’t be able to live with myself.”
“I’m aware of the horrors you endured. I paid very close attention to the case, Alexia, although I’m uncertain what I can do at this point. I certainly have no pull with the justicedepartment any longer. Plus, I can tell you with certainty there was enough evidence to convict Samuel Wells.” He seemed somewhat bitter about the fact. There was tremendous bad blood lingering from his experiences. “That being said, do you have anything concrete to back up what you’re suggesting?”
I had to think about his question. “One of the monster’s eyes was slightly different in color. The man depicted in the photograph on the morning news the other day did not have that difference.”
He arched both eyebrows, tapping his index finger on the table. “Alexia, after you were found, I combed every inch of the cabin used to hold you for evidence to ensure that bastard couldn’t get off on some technicality. The light inside was little more than a bulb in a crude fixture attached to the ceiling. Any decent attorney would tell you that lighting can augment or alter various colorations given shadows and the time of day. You know that.”
“I guess you’re right.” My frustration almost boiled over. He was being pragmatic, but I was positive I was right.
“But you still believe Samuel is innocent.”
“All I’m saying is what if he is? What if what I told you and the prosecuting attorney is the reason he’s put to death? I couldn’t live with myself if months or even years later I found out he was innocent.”
“Decent people will always question motives when playing a part in someone’s punishment. That doesn’t mean you should feel guilty. Samuel Wells is a guilty man.”
