Dark rain clouds blanket the morning skies as Rachel pulls up to a two toned brick home at the end of Spring Road. The modest single-story house is enveloped by tall oaks, providing ample shade. Smaller trees line both sides of the dirt path that leads to the home. Tall dense shrubs sit on either end of the house. A colorful flower bed skirts the porch. Small decorative pots overflowing with colorful blooms dangle from sturdy pine rafters.
A large black dog darts out from the back to greet her as she's climbing out of the car. His bushy tail whips back and forth as he runs. "You're a handsome fellow, she says, lowering her hand for approval. The dog sniffs then licks. "Friendly too I see," she says, scratching the top of his head. Hearing footsteps, she looks up to find a burly man heading their way. "Great guard dog you get here:" she says, patting the dog's head.
"The only thing Duke is good at guarding is his food bowl."
"Rachel laughs. "I've had a few like that. Is your wife at home by chance? I'd like to ask her a few follow up questions about her abduction."
"She's in the house." He leads her across the yard. Opening the door, he motions her inside then explains. "She'll chew my ass if I come inside like this," he points to his muddy clothes. He glances down at the trail he left behind and adds. "She's already going to have a cow over the footprints I left." Sticking his head inside, he yells, "Someone is here to see you, honey"
Reaching the door, Grace glances outside, sighing, she says, "Look at what you've done."
"I'll clean it up."
"No, let me, before you make it any worse." She eyes his clothes then adds, "Don't you even think about coming into this house like that."
"Yes dear." Turning he heads to the yard.
"It was my fault ma'am."
"And you are?"
"Sergeant Bower, I'm with the Berryville PD and I'd like to ask you a few follow up questions about your abduction if you don't mind."
"You can ask all you want, but I'm afraid I still can't remember much of anything."
"So you don't know anymore than what you've told us at the hospital?" Rachel questions, taking a quick look around. Like her home, toys were shrewd across the front room floor. A few making their way to the couch. The joys of parenthood, Rachel thinks recalling a few toys she's stepped on.
Grace shakes her head. "Not much more than that I'm afraid."
"What do you remember?"
"The last thing I recall is telling my husband I'm going for a run."
"Is there anyone that would want to hurt you?"
"I can't think of anyone."
"A former client perhaps?" Rachel presses hoping to jog her mind.
"I haven't practiced law since Damon and Darren were born."
"Could it have been a client that was recently released?"
"I was in contract law, not criminal law. So I hardly doubt I upset anyone."
"Well, thank you for your time."
Rachel is heading to her car when her phone rings. "Sergeant Bower."
"Sergeant, it's Jerry. Defense attorney Shelby Atteberry was found unresponsive on the courtroom's bathroom floor."
"I'm on my way Jerr."
****
Rachel climbs the stairs of the two story white brick building and finds the bathrooms are taped off. Jerry is doing his best to hold the nosy bodies back. "What are we looking at here, Jerr?" she asks, taking a quick peek inside.
"Tracy Brennen, Judge Matheson's court clerk said she went to use the restroom and found Shelby unresponsive on the floor. Said she called 911 and started CPR. The medics took over when they arrived, but they couldn't bring her back."
"Did you check the security cameras?"
"There isn't any in the bathroom, but forensics is checking the ones in the hall." Gesturing towards the crowd he continues. "It might take some time to look through them since all the judges seemed to have recessed around the same time."
"Does the ME have a cause of death yet?"
"Sharon says she'll know more once she gets her to the lab."
Just like the others, Rachel thinks. "You said she was a defense Attorney?"
"She used to work for Whitman and Moore before hired by the state."
"I want to pull all her case files, see what we can find."
"Copy that, captain."
"Did you find out anything more on Kendra Fox?"
"All the clients she's prosecuted are still behind bars as far as I can tell."
"We need to go further back, maybe to when she first began. And we need to see if there's a connection between the three lawyers."
"I'll start working on that." Jeff volunteers, stepping up beside them.
"I'll go see if DFS is willing to help."
***
Rachel steps into the DFS office and looks around. It has cold sterile white walls and white tiled floors that appear to have been recently polished. The furniture consists of brown plastic chairs and a small play area for the kids. Rachel steps up to the receptionist's desk, flashes her badge and says, "I'm Sergeant Bower with the Berryville PD and I'd like a copy of people who were employed at this agency in 1994."
"Do you have a warrant?"
Rachel shakes her head. "I was hoping I wouldn't have to bother a judge with this seeing how it's court day and all."
"I'm sorry, sergeant, but I can't release any records without a warrant. It's against company policy, you know."
"Not even for employees from thirty years ago?"
"I'm sorry, sergeant but rules are rules."
"You may be saving someone's life by giving me the list." She pauses then adds, "Quite possibly your own." She doubted the woman was in danger since she didn't fit the killer's MO, but she didn't need to know that.
"By giving you the records I'll risk losing my job and my pension. And I've worked too long, and too hard to jeopardize either of those now." She winks then says, "I do hope you understand." She taps a few keys, and then hits print. Laying the page she'd just copied on her desk she says, "If you'll excuse me, I have other things I need to attend to." She scoots the paper closer to Rachel, taps it a few times, winks again and leaves.
I should've expected as much, Rachel thinks. She starts to turn when she notices1994 employees printed at the top of the page. That dear sweet woman, Rachel thinks, glancing around. Smiling the elderly woman, nods before heading further down the hall.
***
The normal commotion continues throughout the station as Rachel hustles through the crowd to their small area in the back. The new addition was the city's compromise to their remodeling request. It wasn't exactly what the detectives had asked for, but at least the new extension separated them from the chaos. She steps into the designated area to find her detectives working hard at their desks. We have a great squad, Rachel thinks, glancing around. Their department has one of the highest closing rates in the states thanks to their dedication, and team effort. "I have the DFS employee list," she says, pulling the folded piece of paper from her pocket.
"I hope that we can get a lead from it because none of us are finding anything."
"Maybe we should look into their clients' families instead of the clients themselves."
"Or maybe it's the victim wanting retaliation." Kirk suggests.
She looks over to find Jeff quietly pecking away at his keys "How are you doing on the connection between the victims?" He doesn't answer. "Jeff?" she says, kicking his chair leg.
The detective glances up. "Oh, hi, sergeant. I ah I didn't hear you come in."
"Did you find anything?" She asks again.
"Kendra Fox was the prosecutor in Marco Rossi's case and Shelly Atteberry was second chair. It seems that the two have worked on several cases together. And from what I can tell, they made an excellent team."
"Good, what else?"
"That's all I have so far."
"Keep working on it, see what else you can find. While you're working on that, I'm going to see what I can do with this list."
The sergeant and her detectives are busy at their desks when they hear heavy footsteps running their way. They look up to find the dispatcher darting across the room. "Sergeant, detectives, a call just came in. Becca Clark was found dead in her shop."