I ratcheted the cuffs around her wrists, then helped her to her feet. "You’ve got the right to remain silent…"
“This is absolutely ridiculous," David said. He cautioned his daughter, "Don't say anything. I'll get a lawyer. Everything is going to be fine."
Tears streamed down Alexis's face as deputies escorted her out of the foyer and down the walkway to a patrol car.
By that time, Paris Delaney and her news crew were on the scene. Socialites getting arrested in Stingray Bay was always news.
I didn’t have probable cause to search for ethylene glycol, but I made sure to start my search for the laptop in the garage.
I didn’t find any anti-freeze.
We searched the house and found the laptop in a trashcan in the kitchen. It had been smashed with a sledgehammer. I snapped on a pair of nitrile gloves and pulled it from the bin. With any luck, the IT guys would be able to pull data from the hard drive inside, but I wasn't holding my breath.
No ethylene glycol in the house either.
Alexis was taken to the station, processed, and printed.
Of course, David denied any knowledge of the stolen laptop. We didn't arrest him at that time, but he came down to the station and caused a ruckus, wanting to get his daughter out of jail as soon as possible. I didn't mind telling him that she was going to have to spend the night in jail and would get out tomorrow after her arraignment.
David was used to getting his way. Not today. "I demand to see my daughter!"
"You can see her when she makes bail.”
"She has the right to council.”
“And she’ll get to exercise that right," I assured.
JD and I filled out reports, then paid a visit to Alexis. The pale green fluorescents didn’t do wonders for her complexion. She was an attractive brunette with azure eyes, fair skin, and plump lips. But under this light, with puffy eyes and a red nose, she wasn’t at her best.
"I had no idea that laptop was stolen," she said in the most innocent voice she could muster.
I smiled. "Care to explain this?" I said before playing her a copy of the phone call between her and Megan.
The smug look faded from her face.
38
“Look,” I said to Alexis. “You’re 18 now. You’re going to get charged as an adult. This isn’t going to go away. It doesn’t matter how good your father’s lawyer is.”
Alexis panicked. It was something she hadn’t fully considered.
“I know your father put you up to this. It’s totally natural to want to cover for him. Hell, I’d do the same thing,” I said, trying to sound sympathetic. “I don’t know if you even know what was on that laptop.”
She shook her head.
“Who smashed it with a hammer?”
“Not me.”
I gave her a flat look. “Well, it was somebody.”
Alexis hesitated for a long moment. “I’m not saying anything else. I want an attorney.”
That was the end of the interview.
We pushed away from the table, and a guard buzzed us out. Sheriff Daniels joined us in the hallway.
“Just FYI, her prints don’t match Liam’s thermos,” Daniels said. “Blair is in the lobby raising hell. She wants to see her daughter.”
