"Ashlyn, what do you want this time?" Michaela answered, not exactly sounding like she had been waiting for Ashlyn to call. 'I really don't have time, you know, the other murder case I told you about.'
"Okay, I understand. But please, just a quick word. So, I've decided to continue working on the case. On the light side again, like before I left the DA's office. Tim Garner is devastated, and I've spoken to Dominic; we'll try to get to the bottom. And you know what, my mom knows Justin Booker too."
"Maggie knows Justin Booker? How come?" Micaela pricked up her ears.
"The Granther experiment. The abuse story. She's active in child protection, and the story was apparently the subject of a lecture she attended fifteen years ago. Anyway, it could be that the two are connected. I mean it. It can't be a coincidence. Payne wants to report on the story in the Boston Observer, and shortly afterward, one of the two men who want to tell their story is killed. There could really be something behind it."
"And what exactly can I do for you now? I thought I told you the dead man hasn't been identified yet."
"Yes, that's right. But that's just a formality. And then this will become an issue for you! So, I wanted to ask if you can access the old files. We talked about this the other day. There was an investigation into the abuse."
"Well, of course, I'll look into it. I have to, as you know. And the abuse plays a role in that, of course." Micaela's tone was brusque and matter-of-fact. Ashlyn wondered if this was her fault and if it had something to do with their somewhat unsuccessful meeting or if Micaela was too busy.
"Well," the ADA continued, 'as soon as I get the information from Maggie and the dead man has been positively identified, I'll take action, of course. But we're not there yet.'
"And when will you be ready?" Ashlyn continued, frowning because she didn't feel like being brushed off so easily.
But instead of an answer, she only heard a rustling of papers at the other end of the line, as if Micaela Barboza was looking for something or sorting through files.
"I'm guessing," the ADA resumed, 'that I'll have feedback from Maggie by Thursday. So why don't you get back to me at the end of the week?'
There you go, Ashlyn thought, that's better. She said goodbye in her most conciliatory tone. The fact that Micaela was working on the case could be an advantage. Even though something seemed to be standing in the way between them, which she was not entirely innocent of, Micaela was still an excellent investigator. And Ashlyn trusted her one hundred percent. And her mother, Maggie, also seemed to be interested in the case. A good team. If something big was behind it, they would find out.
xxx
When Micaela Barboza became a Major Crimes Division member, her boss told her that she had been promoted to the Champions League. And that was no exaggeration. Alongside the ever-expanding clan crime, murder and manslaughter dominated the headlines of the Boston tabloids more than anything else. This was also due to the charismatic and committed head of the department, DA Adrian Saunters, who never seemed at a loss for an interview.
After the detectives of the BPD Homicide Division had arrested Micaela's murderer yesterday and after Maggie Ross had positively identified the body found in the water on Thursday afternoon as Justin Booker, the case took on a whole new meaning. Not only did she now have a little more time to devote to it, but she had also received a call from Tracy Payne, the journalist from the Boston Observer, yesterday morning. Payne had discussed it with Ashlyn, and the former ADA had asked Payne to pass on any information they had to Micaela. According to Payne, there was a connection between Booker's death and her research on the Granther experiment. At least, Payne thought it was very likely. The journalist had informed Micaela that she intended to publish the first part of the story about Garner and Booker in the coming week.
Micaela knew about the power of the media—for better or for worse. In this case, the public would probably help more than harm. That also meant that the Booker case had taken on a significant position on her list of priorities. Cases that went through the media quickly led to questions, and Micaela Barboza hated it when she couldn't find answers.
She went over all the documents she had collected on the case again. She would have to consult with Adrian Saunters on proceeding with the case. And she wondered to what extent she should talk to Ashlyn. To what extent was she allowed to speak to the former ADA? Ashlyn!
From one moment to the next, her old college friend had reappeared in her life. She couldn't help but admit that she was secretly happy about it. Ashlyn was undoubtedly unique, even after all these years. But really, Micaela didn't have the time or inclination to think about it right now. Her job barely left her time for a personal life. And that was in ruins anyway.
xxx
"Steak or burger?"
"Burger. Definitely," Ashlyn replied, holding her plate out to Dominic. After a sweltering day in early fall in Boston, Ashlyn and Dominic had arranged to have a barbecue that evening. It was long overdue for one thing and another because Ashlyn hoped to develop a few good ideas regarding the Tim Garner case. She felt it was sometimes easier to be out of her office.
"Here you go," Dominic said, putting a burger on Ashlyn's plate.
After the two of them had sat down at the wobbly little garden table and started on their dinner, Dominic was the first to speak.
"And what do you think of our unusual case?"
"Hm --," Ashlyn replied with her mouth full. 'I think we have to dig a little in the past, and I think it all starts with the Granther experiment. Who was responsible for that anyway, and what is it all about? I think the key to everything is hidden there.'
"Yes, that's right," Dominic replied. "And I think you should meet with Garner and Payne again. I have a feeling that Garner, in particular, still needs some time to talk about all the things that happened to him during his childhood. I can imagine that it's really not easy."
Ashlyn took another satisfying bite of her burger and frowned a little. 'I agree,' she agreed. "So far, he's told relatively little, and most of our information comes from Payne. It seems as if Tim Garner is entirely overwhelmed by the whole thing. But in the end, he has the most information."
"And how blatant is that when it relates to the abuse? I still can't believe that the whole thing is entirely unknown. I mean, that can't be right. Someone has to keep a lid on it. And if that's the case, then the question arises as to who doesn't want this to come to light and, with that, who is responsible for the whole thing," Dominic replied, washing down a bite of his burger with a gulp of beer.
"Probably someone with considerable influence," Ashlyn replied.
Dominic nodded slowly and frowned a little. "Still, it's weird. As bad as all this is, it would take a lot for someone to be willing to kill Booker."
"I don't know," Ashlyn said, wiping her mouth and hands with a paper napkin after she pushed her plate with the burger aside and reached for her vibrating cell phone. She looked at the display and frowned a little. "Tracy Payne," she said, answering the call. "What?" she exclaimed shortly after that, rising from her chair. 'At the hospital? Why would that be?' She looked at Dominic, wide-eyed with horror. 'Of course, we'll be on our way immediately.'
After she ended the call, she ran a hand through her hair. 'Tim Garner is at Beth Israel. Payne says someone pushed him in front of a bus.'
xxx
Marcus Cantu pushed the documents from the last committee meeting onto the large stack of files he wanted to take care of tomorrow. Or whenever. This would have to wait. Other things were more urgent. There was only one goal to which he now subordinated everything. And that was the election campaign. He had no intention of carelessly jeopardizing the last few years' work over this trivial matter. He hadn't fought that hard for it. Politics was a dirty business. At least in the league he had been playing in for ten years. He didn't like that because, at heart, he wasn't a bad guy. At least he was convinced of that. Sure, he had made a lot of mistakes, too. But that was part of it. You can only make an omelet with breaking eggs. No matter what industry you're in. He was now on the home straight. The poll numbers improved from week to week. And he would not let his victory be taken away. But it was about the big picture. And sometimes sacrifices had to be made for that. He was sure that he would make a difference in the city. School policy. That was important. And housing policy. What the current government had done was ridiculous. He would change that.
Affordable housing was essential for all Bostonians. Yes, it was. And what did the fate of a single person matter if it fell by the wayside? He would take care of the citizens of this city. One city against one person. Or two. He had nothing to reproach himself for if he saw it that way. Politics was a dirty business. But in the end, the big picture was what mattered.
xxx
"The cops are with him right now," Tracy Payne explained as she approached Ashlyn and Dominic in the entrance area of the Beth Israel emergency room. She seemed deeply shaken and was obviously struggling to maintain her composure.
"The cops?" Ashlyn asked, frowning. "What exactly happened? And most importantly, how is Tim?"
"As it stands, he was damn lucky," the journalist reported. "As far as I know, someone pushed him in front of a bus in North End about an hour ago. Tim was able to save himself at the last moment by jumping forward. Otherwise, he would probably have been run over by the bus."
Dominic shifted his weight from one foot to the other and furrowed his brow. "And then?"
"The bus driver called an ambulance, which brought him here immediately," Payne replied.
"And who informed you?" Ashlyn wanted to know.
"He called me himself. From the ambulance."
"And now the police are with him," Ashlyn stated rather than asked. "Where exactly are they?"
"In a treatment room, I don't know which one. The nurse didn't tell me," Payne replied, pointing to the resolute middle-aged woman approaching them.
"I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to clear the area and take a seat in the waiting area," the nurse said in a tone that brooked no contradiction.
Ashlyn licked her lips and smiled in a way that usually convinced everyone. 'One moment, please,' she said. "I'm Mr. Garner's attorney and want to see my client."
"His lawyer? What does he need a lawyer for?" the nurse replied in astonishment.
"I'm afraid I can't tell you that, my dear. But if the cops are with him right now, it shouldn't be a problem."
The nurse shrugged and pointed down the corridor. "It's at the front, room five." Then she turned around and disappeared in the opposite direction in the next moment.
Ashlyn nodded at Dominic, and they headed towards the treatment room. Tracy Payne seemed undecided for a moment but then followed them.
In the treatment room, two officers and a doctor were standing in front of a bed on which Garner was lying. His clothes were in a plastic bag at the foot of the bed. Garner himself was only wearing a hospital gown. He had bandages on both arms, and the left side of his face showed numerous abrasions treated with an orange tincture.
Shortly after Ashlyn identified herself as Garner's attorney, she asked the officers if she could speak to them outside afterward. The two nodded, said they were done with their questioning anyway and left the treatment room.
The doctor looked at the blonde with raised eyebrows.
"What is the situation with Mr. Garner? How serious is it?" Ashlyn asked after a few seconds.
The doctor looked at Garner to ensure he could give Ashlyn the information. Garner nodded briefly. "It looks like he was lucky. I want to keep him overnight but think he can go home tomorrow."
"Good," the lawyer replied and thanked him.
After the doctor had also left the room, they were alone with Garner.
"How are you? It seems you got off relatively lightly, fortunately."
Garner looked at Ashlyn with empty eyes but didn't say anything.
"By the way, this is Dominic Burke, a colleague of mine helping us with the investigation," Ashlyn introduced her friend and looked confidently at Garner. 'And now tell me what happened?' Ashlyn hoped to get more information from Garner than they had heard from Payne.
Garner closed his eyes and breathed heavily. "I don't know exactly," he began uncertainly. "I was standing at the bus stop, and just as the bus pulled in, someone pushed me from behind."
"What do you mean, pushed?" Ashlyn asked when Garner didn't seem to be trying to describe the incident further.
"From behind, against my back. Short and hard."
"And then?"
"I fell right in front of the bus, but somehow, I was able to roll just enough so that it didn't hit me fully before I hit the street. And then the bus was still able to brake."
"And did you notice anyone at the bus stop before that? Anyone behaving suspiciously?" Dominic asked with a furrowed brow.
Garner looked at him suspiciously. "Can I trust him?" he asked Ashlyn.
"Absolutely. Mr. Burke and I have been working together for many years. He can know everything you tell me. And he is bound to secrecy just like I am."
Dominic nodded at Garner with a friendly smile, but Garner quickly looked away.
"No, I didn't see anyone," Garner turned back to Ashlyn. "It all happened way too fast. And the next moment, someone had already helped me up. I don't even remember who it was. The bus driver, maybe? Shortly after that, the ambulance arrived. I was sitting on the curb. And the paramedics took care of me and brought me here."
"And the police?" Ashlyn asked, frowning.
"They showed up here shortly afterward."
"And what did you tell the officers?"
"The same thing I told you."
"Did you mention Justin Booker?" Dominic asked, crossing his arms over his chest.
Garner shook his head. "No, why?"
Dominic and Ashlyn looked at each other in disbelief. Ashlyn thought Garner obviously hadn't connected the possible attack on Booker to the bus incident. Not yet.
"Okay, all right," she said. 'As it stands, you're in good hands here and staying overnight.' She paused and thought. "Do you have someone who can pick you up tomorrow?"
"No, why?"
Ashlyn was slowly getting a little perplexed. She couldn't believe Garner obviously had no idea what was happening. "Mr. Garner, I just want you to be okay. To keep you safe. It might not have been an accident if someone pushed you in front of the bus. It could be that someone is targeting you. That would be pretty possible after what happened to your friend. And we should do everything we can to ensure that doesn't happen again. Do you understand what I mean?"
Garner looked at the blonde, irritated. 'Do you think I'm in danger?'
Yes, damn it, I do, Ashlyn thought, trying hard to maintain her composure. Was Garner really that naive?
She continued calmly, "I suggest that I talk to the two officers right away, and we'll make sure that someone keeps an eye on you."
Garner's expression changed from uncertainty to rejection within seconds. "The BPD, no. Absolutely not!"
Before Ashlyn could say anything, Payne intervened. "You have to understand, Ms. O'Laighin, Mr. Garner has not had a good experience with the state authorities. He has lost all trust."
"But --" Dominic interjected, but Garner cut him off.
"Definitely not the cops. I don't trust them." His voice cracked, and the monitor connected to him showed his heartbeat skyrocketing.
Ashlyn raised her hands placatingly and then spoke soothingly to Garner: "Okay, here's what we're going to do: I'll make sure someone picks you up and takes you home tomorrow. Just call me when you're released, and then wait, okay?"
Garner nodded slowly, and he was much more comfortable with this suggestion. He slowly calmed down, only to close his eyes. The next moment, he collapsed into his bed.
Ashlyn felt thoroughly exhausted and decided that it was probably best to leave Garner alone now. At least at Beth Israel, Garner was safe for the time being. And if he didn't want police protection, she wouldn't be able to force him to accept it.
What on earth have you been through, Ashlyn wondered, that you're so afraid of the authorities?
But now was neither the time nor the place to pursue that question. Ashlyn nodded to Payne and Dominic, said goodbye to Garner, and they left the treatment room together.
The two officers were waiting outside the door.
"Ms. O'Laighin, right?" the senior officer asked.
Ashlyn nodded slowly and took a deep breath. "Yes, that's me. Thank you for waiting."
"What exactly can we do for you?"
"I just wanted to know how you view the whole situation," Ashlyn said, contrary to her original intention of asking the two for police protection. She respected her client's decision, although that would not make her job any easier.
"It's hard to say," the officer replied. 'Unfortunately, it always happens that some idiots push someone in front of the bus. None of the witnesses our colleagues spoke to at the bus stop saw anything. So it remains a further police investigation against unknown persons.'
"And that will probably come to nothing," Ashlyn continued.
"Probably. Unfortunately. I don't expect much to come of it."
Ashlyn nodded slowly. No wonder you only know a fraction of the story. 'All right, I agree.' She got the investigation file number and then said goodbye to the two officers. Afterward, she went with Payne and Dominic towards the emergency room headquarters.
"Excuse me," she said to the nurse they had met before. "My name is Ashlyn O'Laighin. Here is my business card. Please do me a favor and call me first thing tomorrow morning when my client is discharged. I will then arrange for his transportation home."
The nurse put her business card on the desk next to her. "All right," she said and then returned to work.
Ashlyn turned to Dominic and Payne. "Please let us discuss this outside for a moment. I have a feeling that things are getting out of hand here."
"Was it really an attack on Tim?" Tracy Payne asked, looking at Ashlyn and Dominic with horror and disbelief.
"Well, I'm no psychic," Dominic replied with a slightly cynical undertone, "but after what happened to Justin Booker, it would be a pretty big coincidence, wouldn't it?"
Ashlyn took a deep breath and nodded slowly. "I don't know what's going on, but it's starting to take on unpleasant dimensions." She turned to Payne and continued, "I think we have to assume that both Booker and Garner have been victims of an attack related to your story."
Payne agreed with the lawyer. "I agree. There is no other way to interpret it anymore." She looked at the floor and then back and forth between Ashlyn and Dominic. "I never intended to endanger anyone."
"Careful," Ashlyn said immediately, raising her eyebrows because she didn't want Payne to incur guilt that the journalist would have to bear. "You must not mix up the responsibilities. Not you, but whoever is behind it is responsible for the attacks. And it wasn't you who approached Garner and Booker, but the two of them who approached you. So please don't blame yourself. That makes no sense and doesn't help anyone."
Payne nodded slowly and looked at the blonde in detail. "You're probably right. But now, no one will be left to stop me from publishing. Even if it puts me in danger myself."
Now, it was Dominic who spoke up. 'I don't think you have to worry. In the end, the story stands or falls with Garner and Booker. It will be hard if the two of them are no longer around.'
Payne looked at him thoughtfully.
"Just suppose," Dominic continued, 'someone really wanted to prevent you from continuing to report on the case, then the story at the Boston Observer would attract even more attention. Wouldn't they be sure to stick with the story in any case, and they couldn't prevent the article from being created?
Payne seemed to be thinking. Then she agreed with Dominic. "You're right; stopping an entire newspaper is impossible. But why are they doing it if they can't stop the story? That doesn't make any sense."
Dominic and Ashlyn looked at each other before he replied, 'That's basically true, but a story without a source is only half as good as a story with a source."
Tracy Payne nodded slowly. 'Then the next question is how we can best protect Tim!"