Chapter 20: Arrest

Candice made her way into the office loft after a quick knock knowing Beth was expecting her. They both looked up as she entered and shut the door behind herself. "Hey sorry to be so brief on the phone but I would rather discuss this in person."

Beth nodded, "We're working on that case for Jean but we can take a break for a few minutes."

Candice moved to sit on the large comfy couch on Beth's side of the office and looked over at Mick who was making his way towards them. "This is about Grace actually. Josef has me working on a defense for her. He wants to be prepared."

Mick nodded, "That makes sense and sounds like Josef."

"What can we do to help?" Beth moved to sit on the couch with Candice.

"I got her statement but I need to know what you have. Josef said you're working with the police so what they have would be helpful as well."

Mick and Beth fill Candice in on everything they know and where they are on the case. "Just before you got here I found where some of the money went. There's about two million dollars in a hidden account. I called in a couple favors and found the weirdest part is it has Graces name on it as well. She had no idea about the account, he didn't even let her have access to his account at home but a couple months ago he puts her name on a hidden account." Beth sigh, "I'm still trying to figure out where the rest of the money went."

"Then this isn't going to help." Candice pulled out a folder and handed it to Beth, "Nolan's will. It names Grace the sole beneficiary since they had no children. She stands to gain control of all his assets and his accounts. His assets alone totaled around 5 million dollars."

Mick took the folder as Beth handed it to him, "This looks like motive."

Candice nodded, "It doesn't look good. I don't think she did it everything is too fishy but unfortunately we can't really say that you vamp sniffed the scene and saw two tattooed men carrying her unconscious body from the house. Right now as it stands she had boat loads of motive; he was abusive and suppressive, and she stands to inherit everything with him gone."

Beth sighed, "This just doesn't add up. Why would she go through all the trouble of getting rid of the body but leaving all that blood. Let alone leaving herself in that and calling it in when she had to know she'd look like a suspect."

"Yes but I can see how the prosecution can argue their case. We have to get something to help out. Where are we with the drugs from her system?"

Mick stood up and went to his desk as he spoke, "Carl sent us this." He picked up a paper and brought it over, "The usual tox results came back clean. Either whatever was given to her was out of her system by the time they drew her blood or it didn't show up on the test."

Candice looked over the test results, "Have they started running more specialized tests?"

"Carl would like too. Right now the lab is backed up and they don't have the resources to keep testing for every drug without a more specific drug to look for."

Looking over the paper Candice looked at Mick and Beth for a moment as the wheels spun in her head. "Call Carl and tell him Grace will take on the cost of the testing. That will get them back in line for that. There's nothing we can do about the lab being back up that wouldn't jeopardize the chain of evidence for all open cases so we'll have to wait on that."

"They can do that?" Mick asked never hearing of it before.

Candice smiled, "Yeah more often than not you hear cases when a case was ruled natural death with no autopsy but then a loved one wants one done claiming there must have been a cause so they have to pay for it themselves. Basically assuming the fiscal liability for the tests takes some of the strain off with the cutbacks and stuff."

"That's a good idea," Beth had her cell phone ready to call Carl when they finished.

They went over a few more things trying to come up with a lead. Mick told Candice he was still hadn't heard back from the house keeper and he'd find her in person if she won't answer the phone. As they strategized Beth's phone began to ring and it had Carl's number on it. "Hey Carl I was just going to call you."

"Tell me you have something that clears her," he said quickly.

"Not yet we're still working. What's happened?"

"I just got ordered to go and arrest her for murder," he sounded upset. "I was hoping you'd have something."

Beth looked at Candice anxiously. Candice was already putting her stuff away and heading towards the door saying in sub tones, "I'm on my way."

"This is ridiculous Carl. Ben can't really think she did this? They haven't even found the body? Why is he is such a hurry?"

"Ben's not here Beth. He's taken a leave of absence and the acting DA is bound and determined to bring her in and charge her. He's trying the case himself."

"Who is he?" Beth looked at Mick her eyes flashing briefly at her outrage.

"Blake Wilkerson. For what it's worth I don't agree with this Beth. I have to do as I'm commanded though but I'll keep digging as best as I can."

"Thanks, hey I was going to call you and tell you that we'd pay for the lab costs to run her blood for the different drugs."

"Okay they're still backed up but I'll file the paperwork and send it through. I'll fax you the papers you need to sign."

"Okay and we've found some more information, nothing concrete just raises some questions. I'll email it to you."

"Beth," he lowered his voice as he spoke. "Do you think you could do me a favor and call your friend Mrs. Kostan. I have to arrest Grace but she was able to calm her down before it'd be great if she was there."

Beth smiled, "I'll let her know. Thanks for letting us know Carl." The disconnected the line and Beth quickly called Jean at the office.

"Hi Beth," she sounded at ease. "Grace helped me wrap Kayla's birthday present last night. It was something to make things a bit more normal for her."

Beth sighed, "Jean I'm sorry Carl just called. The acting DA is pushing for her arrest. Carl is headed there now and asked if you could be there to keep her calm."

"They can't arrest her," Jean breathed.

"He doesn't want to but he has to follow orders. We're still working on this, we're going to do everything we can to clear her name. Candice is working on things too."

Jean quickly got up from her desk and headed for the door. Beth heard Jean apologizing to some of the staff saying an emergency came up and she had to leave. "I'm on my way home. Thank you Beth."

Beth set her phone down and looked at Mick, "We have to find something."

To Be Continued…

Evilous