He nodded. “I’m sorry about last night. I didn’t mean to bite your head off about the key.”
She reached over and took his hand. “I understood. I’m not sure I’m ready to go there either. A murder that old isn’t high on our list to solve. It was more for distraction than anything. I don’t even know if Gabriel is still in town.”
“He’s still in town. Alfie saw smoke from campfires out there. I’ve wondered if Gabriel is behind this. He hates me and your mother.”
“But this?” She shook her head. “Seems extreme, even for him. He’s been waiting to hear if I spoke to my mom.”
“But maybe he wanted to give us extra incentive to deliver what he wants.”
Her heart twisted in her chest. “What our boy is facing . . . It’s awful, Reid.”
He held out his arms. “Come here, honey.”
She moved over to his lap and put her head against his chest. He wanted to reassure her, to comfort her. He was a strong guy, but even his strength couldn’t hold back the forces marshaling against their son.
* * *
Jane had been in the courtroom in Bay Minette many times before, but never with so much at stake. It was the first time she’d noticed its true odor—one of fear and despair. She held Reid’s hand at the back of the room and scanned the front tables for their son.
“There he is,” Reid said as Will twisted around at the defendant’s table to stare at them. Reid gave a little wave, and Will nodded in their direction.
He seemed smaller today, younger. The poor kid, dressed in an orange jumpsuit, looked scared and near tears. She knew his night hadn’t been pleasant, but they’d bring him home today, and she’d bake chocolate chip cookies for him. He’d forget all about the past eighteen hours.
They slid into the front row right behind Will. Jane gave him an encouraging smile and leaned forward to whisper to him. “This will be over soon, Will. Stay strong.”
“Sure, Mom.” His wobbly voice was soft, and he swallowed hard before he turned back around.
A movement to her left caught her attention. Megan helped Olivia slide into the seat beside Reid. Jane’s father was with them. Their support here was like a balm to her hurting heart. Her dad hadn’t said much when she dropped Parker off to run in the woods while she was busy today.
Thank you, she mouthed. Jane glanced over at the prosecutor’s table and bit back a gasp. The district attorney was here. Why would Wendy Chan bother with a juvenile case like this?
Jane clutched Reid’s hand and leaned over to whisper in his ear. “I don’t like that the DA is here. They usually send an assistant.” She glanced around for Augusta, but the detective wasn’t present.
If only Jane had her phone . . . but none were allowed in the courtroom. Maybe Wendy was there because of the high-profile nature of the case, with the accused being the teenage son of the Pelican Harbor chief of police. Media would be hungry for the salacious story.
“All rise,” the bailiff announced. “Judge Glen Cole presiding.”
They rose as the tall, lanky judge entered the courtroom. He’d always reminded Jane of Morgan Freeman, right down to his kindly manner. He was a true gentleman, and she was glad he was adjudicating. Fair and impartial, he always seemed to see directly into the heart of every case. There’d been rumors he planned to retire this year, but she didn’t see him ever leaving the bench.
He settled behind the bench and addressed the DA. “What do you have for me this morning, Ms. Chan? I’m a bit surprised to see you here.”
Wendy rose and came around the end of the table. “This case is complex, Your Honor. And new information emerged this morning. The state is charging Will Dixon with murder as an adult based on this new evidence.”
Jane gasped and half rose, but Reid grabbed her forearm and kept her in her seat. She reached out and grasped the rail in front of her. What was going on?
“Will Dixon wantonly and with malice aforethought took the life of his mother, Lauren Dixon.”
“She’s not my mother!” Will started to rise, but Scott grabbed him and kept him in his seat.
Jane closed her eyes and gulped. Will’s anger would testify against him.
The judge glared at the defendant’s table. “Control your client, Mr. Foster.”
“Yes, Your Honor.”
“Proceed, Ms. Chan.”
“The police discovered clothing covered with Mrs. Dixon’s blood at the accused’s property. There’s also blood spatter and a pool of blood inside the outbuilding, which identifies it as the murder location and not the water as the defendant claimed. This elevates the crime beyond manslaughter to first-degree murder, which is what the state charges this morning. May I approach the bench?”
The judge motioned to her, and she brought documents to the bench, then handed a copy of the same papers to Scott. Jane felt faint. This couldn’t be happening. The judge wouldn’t release Will with a first-degree murder charge. Will would stay incarcerated until trial. Even worse, he’d be remanded to the adult jail unless Scott was able to get a stay on that because of his age.
The judge perused the documents and looked at Scott. “What do you have to say, Mr. Foster?”
He cleared his throat. “This is a gross miscarriage of justice, Your Honor. My client was attacked by the deceased, and in defending himself, Mrs. Dixon fell into the water. When he tried to help her, she ordered him away. He’s just a kid, only fifteen, so he did as she directed. He didn’t strike her with anything. There’s no evidence he hit her. He left his tackle box and fishing pole at the river, where anyone could have taken it and attacked her. Further investigation will prove someone is trying to implicate an innocent child. We are asking for his release into the custody of his parents.”
“A hidden tackle box was found in his closet with her hair and blood on it. And his fingerprints,” the judge pointed out. He stared for a long moment at Will before he sighed and turned to his bailiff. “Request granted, Ms. Chan. Bailiff, please transfer Mr. Dixon accordingly.”
Jane gasped and leaped to her feet. “Your Honor, please! This is not right.”
Judge Cole’s expression was kind. “I understand your dismay, Chief Hardy, so I won’t sanction you for your outburst. You must let justice play out in this case, and I have to protect the community.”
Scott splayed his hands at his sides. “Your Honor, I beg the court to allow the lad to stay at juvenile hall in light of his very young years. He just turned fifteen. An adult jail would be beyond harmful to him. You know this, sir.”
The judge pressed his lips together and glanced from Will to Scott, then back to Will. He finally nodded. “I’ll grant that request. Juvenile court can retain custody.” He exited the bench and vanished through the back door.
Will turned toward Jane. “Mom, what’s happening?” His eyes were filled with horror and fear.
Ignoring protocol, Jane went past the railing and embraced him. He quivered like a frightened puppy, and she had to use all of her strength to keep from sobbing against him.
She patted his back. “We’re going to get you out, Will. Your dad and I will spend every minute finding out who did this. Stay strong.”
“Yes, we will,” Reid vowed at her side.