"We wouldn’t be in this situation if it weren't for you," David continued.
"Maybe if you would have taken care of business at home, I wouldn't have had to look elsewhere.”
"Mom! I don't need to hear this.”
"Sorry, dear. But it's true. Your father doesn't quite measure up.”
Now it was David's turn to glare at Blair.
"You two bitching at each other is not going to help me get out of here," Alexis said.
"I've called Ed Van Austen," David said. "He's going to meet you at your arraignment tomorrow. This is nothing more than a petty theft case. You'll be out with little more than a blemish on your record, and I'm sure Ed can make that go away. He plays golf with Judge Echols for crissakes.”
Blair smiled and took her daughter's hand. "You know we both love you, and we're with you no matter what.”
"You’re not with me in a jail cell.”
Blair sighed. "You know what I mean. We're with you in spirit. Now keep your chin up. Don't be a crybaby. And keep your dumb mouth shut."
Alexis glared at her as she pushed away from the table and stood up.
David followed, and Blair knocked on the door. "Can somebody let us out of here!”
A guard buzzed them out. They stepped into the hallway and marched away.
JD and I shared a look with the sheriff. It wasn't enough for a warrant, but it didn't make Blair and David look like saints.
I pulled on a pair of nitrile gloves, stepped back into the interrogation room, and took the bottles of water.
Alexis complained. "Hey, I wasn't finished with that.”
I stepped back into the hallway and headed to the property department to log them into evidence. It wouldn't take long for the lab to pull prints and collect DNA.
39
We were back at the Duval residence with the tactical team in no time. Blair's prints were a match for the female set on Liam’s thermos. Judge Echols signed off on the warrant, despite the fact that he was golfing buddies with Duval’s attorney.
We stormed into the house, no battering ram necessary. The door was already demolished. Shards of glass still littered the tile.
"Coconut County!" I shouted. "We have a warrant!"
We flooded into the house, clearing the corners. We caught up with the couple in the kitchen.
Blair had poured herself a glass of wine and was hoping to unwind for the evening. She sneered at us as we surrounded her. "What do you want now?”
"You're under arrest for the murder of Liam Prescott," I said.
She laughed. "That's ridiculous. John Wescott killed him. Everybody knows that.”
"Turnaround and put your hands behind your back," I commanded.
"You can't be serious.”
"Ma'am, I'm going to ask you one more time to comply."
Blair gave an annoyed look to her husband.
"Do what they say,” David advised. “I'll get you out of this."
