Blood Ties Read online

  “He always does that!” Jared tried to explain.

  “He’s thorough and keeps detailed information!” I replied, noticing I was defending Aidan from a non-existing attack from Jared.

  “Why am I here, Detective Davies?” Kelly asked.

  “Mrs. Lair, are you aware that your sister, Samantha Pearson, suffered an attempt on her life?” Aidan replied, without even flinching.

  Kelly gasped and shook her head. She tried to speak but no words left her mouth. After a few seconds, she spoke. “Sammy? Is she okay? What happened?”

  “I’m not authorized to fully inform you about what’s happened; what I can disclose is that your fingerprint was found in a piece of plastic used in the device that harmed your sister.”

  “How can that be? Where’s Sammy? Is she okay, Detective Davies?”

  “Miss Pearson is okay, she’s safe and harm has been avoided, but one of our leads is you.”

  “What are you saying? Am I under investigation? Should I call my lawyer?”

  “I don’t know, Mrs. Lair, should you?”

  “First of all, call me Kelly; I haven’t been Mrs. Lair for some time now. And second, look Detective Davies, I have no idea as to how my fingerprint got onto something plastic, but I can assure you, I didn’t try to kill Sammy! She’s my sister!”

  “That doesn’t explain the presence of your fingerprint on this,” Aidan said, getting a transparent plastic bag with a small blue plastic piece in it. I could make out a black fingerprint on it.

  “What’s that?” Kelly asked.

  “Evidence of your involvement in your sister’s attempted assassination.”

  I could see Kelly was growing distressed by the second. She shook her head and once again, she became speechless. I looked through the mirror-glass and felt like hugging my younger sister. She’d never try to kill me, ever.

  Jared held me and I pressed my head against his chest. I couldn’t bear seeing my sister grow anxious.

  “Detective Davies, are there going to be any charges against me or can I leave?” Kelly asked; she was getting defensive because she was becoming too nervous and despaired.

  Aidan looked at Kelly impassive; it was simply impossible to read what was going on in his head, his face was completely inexpressive.

  “Yes.”

  “I want my lawyer,” Kelly stated, and Aidan nodded.

  “Follow me and I’ll get you a telephone.”

  “That’s okay, I’ll call him from my cell phone,” my sister replied, and Aidan left the room as she called her attorney.

  “She couldn’t have done it,” I whispered as Jared stroked my back.

  The door opened and I jumped away from Jared’s grasp as Aidan walked in. He seemed slightly pissed off. We stared quietly as Kelly called and explained what was going on, or as much as she understood of what was going on, to her lawyer.

  “Will you press charges?” Aidan asked me, and I shook my head. “Okay, but this is an open investigation, and if we do find her guilty, the city of Memphis will be pressing charges, understood?”

  I nodded but didn’t look at Aidan. If my sister had indeed tried to kill me…I couldn’t even ponder that possibility.

  “What will happen now?” I asked, afraid of the answer.

  “I’ll try to get a judge to sign a search warrant to go through Kelly’s house, and her computer particularly. If she did it, maybe there will be a research trail that can confirm her knowledge of home-made bombs,” Aidan replied.

  “And until then?”

  “Her attorney is good; he’ll manage to get her out of here; we won’t keep her because all we’ve got so far is circumstantial evidence; it’ll be lucky if we even manage to get a judge to sign the warrant order.”

  I nodded at Aidan, letting him know I understood what he’d said, and I sighed. We remained silent and watched Kelly fidget and pace around; she was nervous, but was she guilty?

  A knock was heard and Aidan opened the door; an officer let him know Kelly’s lawyer, Steven Tank, had arrived. Aidan left the room and led him to the place where Kelly waited.

  Before she had a chance to say anything, Steven motioned for her to remain quiet as Aidan explained what was going on. Steven said they had no grounds for holding Kelly there, and Aidan agreed, but added that she shouldn’t leave the state, just in case.

  Steven and Kelly walked out, and I could see she was still nervous. She whispered loud enough for everyone to hear, that she hadn’t done anything, but Steven ordered her to shut up.

  “What do we do now?” I asked once Aidan had returned.

  “You two carry on with your lives. Actually, it would be good if Jared could go over your correspondence with Kelly, I know you’ll consider it invasion of property, but Miss Pearson, it’ll be significant in our investigation.”

  “Call me Sam, Aidan. I’m done with last names. And you know, screw it…If it’ll help clear Kelly, I’ll do it. I assume it’s to remain private?”

  “Unless there’s something incriminating in them; otherwise, only Jared and I will know about the content.”

  I nodded and shrugged. Sure, there were plenty intimate details I wouldn’t like the Davies brothers—or anyone, for that matter—to know about me, but I was convinced of Kelly’s innocence, and if I could help, I’d do it.

  “It would also be useful if you could tell Jared about your relationship with your sister. He’ll fill me in later. Anything you can recall, any incident or cause for a grudge, any aspect of your relationship that you consider relevant, and things you consider irrelevant as well, okay? The Captain will meet you another day; he’s caught up in a meeting now.”

  I nodded and sighed. I looked at Aidan expectantly, in case he had anything further to add, but he just looked at Jared and, after slightly bowing his head at me, Aidan left.

  Jared moved towards me and whispered he was sorry my sister was a suspect, and I nodded reluctantly. I didn’t know if I wanted to punch Aidan or Jared, cry, or scream. But I didn’t do any of those things.

  I let Jared guide me to my car and drive us home. I told him I needed a bubble bath to relax, and even if I saw a twinkle in his eyes, I decided to ignore it. I set up the bathtub, put on some relaxing music, and allowed my mind to wander freely, without thinking about Susie, Kelly, a home-made bomb or hot detectives even once. And it felt great.

  5

  I sat on one side of the couch in my living-room and wrapped myself with a blanket, just because it felt comfy. I raised my knees and pressed them against my chest. Being mid-afternoon in winter in Memphis, lights were on. Jared sat on the rug in front of me. I hated looking down on him, but he preferred it there than on a sofa. We both had mugs of steaming coffee in our hands, and plates with cheese sandwiches on them.

  After my bubble bath, I’d put on some lotion and changed into a shirt and slacks. Jared had already been waiting for me with the food, and I couldn’t refuse it—the sandwich smelled delicious and looked tasty.

  “We aren’t really close to our brother,” I started, as if telling a story; “he is older and has enough problems of his own. My parents, and after my dad died, Rod, were good throughout our childhoods, but they worked a lot. My mom was a bit overbearing and used to hover around Noel at first, until Kelly and I came along; then, she focused on Kelly. Throughout my teenage years they went out a lot with friends or stayed late working, so they were a bit absent; Noel just lived his own life and shut us all out. Today we stay in touch because he doesn’t have a family and I help him when he’s wasted.”

  “Why do you do that?”

  “He’s my brother; I can’t just turn my back on him.”

  “But he did that to you. Besides, for how long has he been an alcoholic?”

  “The first phone call came six years ago, on my dad’s passing-away anniversary.”

  “You’ve picked up every call you’ve received from your brother over the past six years? That’s a lot Sam. You shouldn’t have to endure it by yourself.”
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  “Susie was by my side many times. Of course, I’m fed up by it, Jared; and it certainly pisses me off, but my point was that Kelly has been shielded from this. She knows Noel’s got issues, but ignores the extent.”

  “What about her marriage to Maxwell?”

  “They met through friends at a party; Kelly was twenty-one, Max was twenty-eight. They hit it off and went for breakfast following the party. Then they went for lunch, they saw a movie, enjoyed dinner, had a sleepover…Basically, they became inseparable.”

  “They eloped?”

  “Yes, after a week. Kelly didn’t even know Max was wealthy; she found out when he took her to his house. They were pretty happy at first, but when Max’s work took a turn for the worse, he became violent. At first, psychologically, but then physically. They lasted a year before she left. The day after packing her bags and moving in temporarily with me, she hired Susie to represent her.”

  “But, as far as I’m concerned, Maxwell Lair is synonym with success in the financial world.”

  “Yes, his setbacks were regarding some accounts he lost due to stock investment, but he’s still a millionaire; he became distraught over the bad investments he’d made, even if he kept most of his fortune intact. It was a matter of having made bad choices that drew him to seek solace in alcohol and drugs.”

  “I see. Has Kelly always been so bubbly and expressive and…”

  “Shallow? Kelly has been pretty superficial since she was young, but once she got divorced, all the money got to her head and now she’s barely got morals, it’s awful. Kelly lives for fashion and the public eye, but she’s much more interested in meeting famous people than in studying and making something for herself. Her priorities are messed up, big time.”

  “Does that include murder?”

  “Hardly, Jared. It’s one thing to choose to ignore Darfur and to live in the fast lane, but another is to actually attempt to kill a sister. You do see the difference, don’t you?”

  “I do, but I also know there’s evidence.”

  “A piece of plastic!”

  “So far…”

  I sighed and remained silent. I had no idea of what else I could add regarding my relationship with Kelly. Jared looked at me skeptically; I guess he thought I was holding back or something.

  “Any big fights?” Jared asked, trying to find out more about Kelly and me.

  I thought about it and shook my head.

  “We argued over dumb things; clothes, the car, who got to use the computer...But because of my relationship with Caleb, I left home when I was twenty-two, so we didn’t really share that much. Besides, because of the almost six year gap between us, plus our diverse personalities, we’ve been through different stages, caring about different things. I’ve always been a bit protective over her, but not to the point of being domineering.”

  Jared nodded and sighed. There was no motive for Kelly to kill me.

  “No fighting over men? Money issues? No problems with your dad’s inheritance?” Jared continued probing.

  I thought about it but shook my head steadily. My sister had no reason whatsoever to kill me. I shrugged and Jared seemed to give up. He devoured his sandwich in four pieces and I enjoyed mine in smaller bites.

  “If I can think of any further questions, I’ll ask them Sam, okay?”

  I nodded but didn’t reply due to a piece of cheese and bread floating in my mouth.

  “What about your relationship with Aidan?” I enquired after I’d finished my sandwich.

  “He took care of me. After our parents died, I went through a slightly rebellious phase, going out every night, treating women like crap, I was skipping school and almost dropped out. But Aidan did what any older, more responsible and wiser brother would do.”

  “He talked to you? Took you to a psychologist?”

  “He beat the crap out of me and promised to keep on doing it unless I straightened out and acted in a more mature way.”

  I smiled, thinking Aidan’s course of action was very effective, even if it was a bit extreme. Jared spoke warmly and full of respect when talking about his brother.

  “Aidan managed to go to college, work, and keep me grounded. Sure, I also took a part-time job once I became stable by Aidan’s standards, and we had our mom’s insurance money, but he was simply amazing to me. He cared for me economically but never dismissed the emotional side.”

  There, I had to raise my eyebrows. Aidan, emotional? That was certainly shocking.

  “Don’t look so surprised, Sam. He may act tough and detached, but that’s only because he’s suffered a lot and he’s used to being the shoulder one leans on, instead of being the one doing the leaning, if you get what I mean.”

  I nodded slowly, taken aback at discovering this new side of Aidan’s, but I was glad because it made me understand more of his character.

  “And did you two grow up here, in New York, or where?” I asked.

  “Actually, we lived our whole lives here. I had started out as a policeman here, but relocated to New York when I was fresh out of college because I needed a change of scenery. Aidan was already a rising star here, and the move would imply a professional setback for him, so he stayed here. We’ve kept in touch and visited over holidays, so our relationship managed to make it. Aidan never outgrew the sense of responsibility he felt over me, so he’s always checking up on me; plus, I know he speaks to my superiors from time to time to get further details of my career.”

  “He really cares about you,” I said shyly, talking more to myself than to Jared.

  He smiled broadly, amused by my articulation. I grinned sheepishly and finished the coffee.

  “Did you ever lose a friend?” I asked after a moment’s hesitation.

  Jared looked down for a second and then back up at me. Immediately I knew the answer to be affirmative.

  “Duncan was the first friend I made when I arrived in New York. He was a police officer who owned his own place; he rented me a room and showed me around Manhattan; he basically guided me. Being two years older than me, we became very close and got to share a lot. I was the first to know he’d gotten engaged to his girlfriend, Philippa. We were roommates for three and a half years before he was gunned down when we tried to pull off a mass arrest following an undercover operation.”

  “What happened then?”

  “I moved out and rented my own place; his apartment was left for his then five-year-old son from a previous relationship, and Pip, Philippa, became depressed. I spoke with her before coming here, letting her know I’d be leaving Manhattan in case she ever wanted to contact me, but she was terribly groggy and distant due to anti-depressants, I’m not really sure she was fully aware of the situation.”

  “That’s so sad,” I whispered, realizing I’d been lucky enough to have the support and love from friends and family to move on after Caleb’s death.

  Jared nodded sorrowfully and his eyes left mine, wandering around the room. He was trying to recompose himself, I guess, following the touchy subject.

  “What about Aidan?” I asked naively.

  “What about Aidan?” Jared replied, and I thought I saw a flash of suspicion in his eyes, but it quickly dissipated and they filled with insipidness.

  “Any close friends he’s lost?”

  “Aidan hasn’t allowed many people to get close to him. The mere fact that he’s on a first-name basis with you, considering you’re a case to him, is significant.”

  “Okay, so Aidan keeps his distance from other human beings; that’s a very clear sign of a defense mechanism; if he’s detached, he won’t lose anyone close to him.”

  “So you’re a psychologist now?” Jared asked with a sly smile on his face; I rolled my eyes.

  “I learned that in Psychology 101 in high school; plus, I’m incredibly smart and have an amazing sense of perception, and my intuition is beyond comparison, so that explains it all,” I replied, grinning mischievously.

  Jared laughed and it was his turn to roll his eyes.
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  “You didn’t really answer my question,” I said after a few seconds of silence.

  “I’ve met friends of his, but very few. He’s very respectful towards the people he works with. Aidan’s best friend is a guy he met in college, Tim Logan. They’re really close, and as he comes from a fucked up family, having emancipated when he was seventeen and caring for his younger sister, they get each other.”

  “What happened to his parents?”

  “They are both crack-addicts who never got their lives in order. Tim’s sister, Allie, is five years younger than me, so he pretty much raised her. They had financial help from their grandparents, but as they were old, they couldn’t do much more for them.”

  “That sucks,” I said, unsure as to what to say.

  Jared smiled tightly. “That’s life,” he replied, shrugging. “We’ve all got a past; there are no fairy tale lives; everyone I know has skeletons, and there’s nothing wrong with that. I think that whatever bad situations may take place, they build character and eventually have positive outcomes. Not all people are the same, of course. Some get bitch-slapped by life and they mature and grow stronger. Others decided to turn to drugs, alcohol or crimes because they can’t face what they’ve been through.”

  “I guess that would make us survivors of sorts, right?”

  “Exactly.”

  “What are your top five moments of your life?” I asked out of the blue.

  Jared, surprised by my question, hesitated and thought about his answer before talking.

  “Let’s see…The day I received my badge was certainly memorable and emotional. The day I was given my gerbil was pretty nice, too. When the New York Giants won the XLII Super Bowl, and I was in the stadium, enjoying every second of it, I was euphoric. The first time I solved a case; I felt worthy, adequate, sharp…And the first time I slept with Isobel. Don’t get me wrong, it ended up badly, but that first time, we’d gone on a very nice date and she looked absolutely beautiful.”

  “Still carrying a torch for her, are we?”

  “Not really, but I’ve learned that my relationship with Isobel should not be remembered under a negative light just because she cheated. We’d had a wonderful thing until it went downhill, but I won’t give up the good memories just because the end hurt a lot.”