Chapter 12
The day was spent trying to find Ashley's whereabouts by Tim, Nolan, and Thorsen. Thorsen rode with Tim because he needed an officer qualified to be a TO. Angela and Lucy were diving more into the part played by the DA's office. Del Monte was in the thick of things. He had been the one to make a deal with Rosalind years ago. Was there a connection or was it a coincidence?
Tim hated talking to Mr. McGrady about Ashley. Mr. McGrady was a retired police officer. Tim and he had formed a quick friendship. However, it needed to be done. When the questioning began, it was Mrs. McGrady that filled in the gaps.
"I'm sorry." Tim explained. He'd leave out the part that she might be working with Rosalind Dyer. After all, they were good people and couldn't add to that information. "But it seems Ashley has been breaking into my house. We think she beat my dog."
Mrs. McGrady looked at her husband. "No, Tim. We are sorry."
Retired Officer McGrady squeezed his wife's hand. "Tell him. They need to know."
Tim and Nolan looked at each other puzzled. Then they gave the McGrady's all their attention.
"Ashley is our only child for a reason." Mrs. McGrady continued. "When she was eight years old, I had this cat I absolutely loved. Ashley got jealous. We found the cat hanging in Ashley's room. It was tied to her canopy bed. Luckily, the cat survived. We surrendered the cat to the animal shelter. Ashley claims she was only playing with the cat. We took her for counseling. The doctor felt it was probably a child not knowing the consequences to her actions. The counseling brought out that Ashley has a narcissistic personality. When it comes to getting attention from those she cares about, she wants to be the center of attention. She wants everything to be about her and what she wants. We always worried. We decided Ashley would be our only child. We couldn't chance having another. Ashley was doted on. When she dated, it was always her idea to end things. I don't think she has ever been rejected. Everything she tried from sports to pageants, she placed first in or quit."
"If it looked like she would be second in something or to someone, Ashley lost interest. She had wanted to be a marine biologist at one time. She signed up for college courses. She made good grades but discovered other students excelled beyond her. She dropped out of college at that point. When you broke it off with her, she wouldn't get out of bed for days." Mr. McGrady explained what his wife was referring to. "She kept saying it wasn't fair that you'd choose Lucy. She deserved you and Lucy didn't even look at you like a person for romance. I tried to tell her that you two had been through a lot together. It didn't have to be romantic to have a deep connection. It only made her angrier."
"There is nothing between Lucy and I." Tim assured them. "Ashley and I weren't compatible. Her interests and mine didn't match up."
"You don't have to explain, Tim." Mrs. McGrady felt tears welling up in her eyes. "You two hadn't even dated long. However, she seemed to become obsessed with you when you broke off the relationship. She couldn't handle someone not choosing her. However, we never expected her to have a mental break. When she got out of bed and seemed to be going on with life, we were happy. We should've known she changed her mood drastically and too quickly."
"Do you have any idea where she may be?" Tim knew they needed to bring her in. The fact that Ashley beat Kojo meant she was unhinged.
"No." Mr. McGrady stated sadly. "We've tried to reach her. She isn't answering her phone. She called an hour before you questioned us the first time on the phone. We barely spoke but she seemed so upbeat and happy."
"Please, Tim." Mrs. McGrady took Tim's hand in hers. "Promise you'll bring her home safely. She needs help."
"I'll try." Tim couldn't promise that. He would try his best though. That was a promise he could keep.
Mr. McGrady understood. He knew that his daughter's best hope in surviving was Tim Bradford.
Angela was also connecting the dots about Ashley with Del Monte. The DA was called into the station for questioning.
Angela pushed the file on Bradley Salmons towards Del Monte. "Did you authorize this?"
"Yes." Del Monte crossed his arms over his chest after looking through the file. "It isn't unusual to make deals in our office, Detective Lopez. You should know that by now, especially considering who you're married to."
"I understand that." Angela leaned in as she spoke. She let Del Monte know he couldn't intimidate her. "However, even the best defense lawyers don't get deals like this for their clients."
"There is also no one known as the drug dealer Bradley Salmons mentioned." Angela kept a monotone voice. "Reja Valentino is a fake name."
Del Monte swallowed nervously. "Why are you so interested in this no name robber? He was found dead two days ago."
"There is a connection to Rosalind Dyer." Lucy added. Both Angela and Lucy caught the look of shock on Del Monte's face. "We already know this is connected to Rosalind Dyer. You are also the one to try to make her a deal before. I was buried alive because you were making deals with Rosalind Dyer." Lucy's eyes revealed the anger she was feeling. However, she didn't snap out her words.
"You didn't know that." Angela surmised. "You knew there was no Reja Valentino but you had no idea Rosalind was a part of this deal."
Del Monte shook his head. "She's a monster. I'd never make a deal to help her unless it helped the families of her victims. How?"
"We thought it was as simple as getting contraband for her. After all, Officer Bradford put her first supplier in prison after things died down with Lucy's kidnapping. However, somehow, some way it all leads to Rosalind's escape." Angela pulled the folder back towards her.
"I had no idea. I'd never help Rosalind Dyer." Del Monte wanted them to know that. "Like I said, she's a monster."
"Then who? Who were you helping with this request? I'm sure it's not Bradley Salmons or Andrew Salmons." Lucy wanted to punch a wall or something. Things weren't adding up.
Del Monte rubbed the back of his neck. He swallowed. He knew his days as DA were over now. However, he'd never let a monster like Rosalind be out and free. He messed up big time. His career was over but his conscience was still intact.
"Listen. As far as I knew, Bradley Salmons was the low man on the totem pole. Yes. I knew there was no drug dealer named Reja Valentino. However, the person that requested me to make a deal said it was because they owed Bradley a huge favor. I understood that kind of favor. So, I worked it out." Del Monte explained.
"Who? How?" Angela tapped her finger on the desk. "We need the answers now."
Del Monte sniffed before continuing. "Angela McGrady came to me asking a favor. She said Bradley had been a confident informant for her father years ago. She said he saved her father's life. She wanted me to make a deal and use a fake name. She didn't want Bradley to be known as an informant."
"Did you even ask about this information?" Angela looked confused.
"No. Ashley and I have a past. We dated a few years ago. She broke up with me." Del Monte could feel the embarrassment settling over him. "I was going to propose to her when we dated. She broke it off before I could."
"So you wanted to impress her?" Lucy shook her head disgustedly.
"Yes. I heard she broke up with Officer Bradford. I was hoping she and I could have another chance. I had no reason to believe her story was false." Del Monte put his head in his hands as he leaned on the table. "I'd never have inadvertently helped Rosalind Dyer."
"I believe you. However, you ruined your career by not checking into the facts as well as falsifying information." Angela glanced at Lucy. She could tell she was shaken up by the information she had learned.
"We may need further questions later. Right now, we need to find Ashley to see if she is mixed up with Rosalind." Lucy could feel a heavy weight on her shoulders. How would Tim take this information?
Tim and Thorsen walked into the station ready to let Angela know about what they had discovered. They were met by a worried looking Lucy.
"What's wrong?" Tim placed his hands on Lucy's shoulders. "Are you okay?"
"Yes. But Ashley is neck deep in this." Lucy didn't want to upset Tim. However, she wanted him to know what was happening.
"I know." Before Tim could explain. They all heard a ruckus spread over the station.
Smitty came into the room with a handcuffed person of interest. Grey ran out of his office to meet Smitty. Tim, Angela, Thorsen and Lucy drew their guns quickly. This had to be a trick.
Rosalind smirked as Smitty shrugged his shoulders. "She walked up to my shop and gave herself up."
