Just Take My Heart - Mary Higgins Clark [105]
Just Take My Heart
73
On Tuesday morning, a nine o'clock meeting took place in Pros?ecutor Ted Wesley's office. Richard and Cole Moore had brought along Sal and Belle Garcia to repeat their story. Richard had pre?sented the receipt and the phone book to Wesley and Emily.
“We will also obtain the sworn affidavits of a couple who live in Yonkers, Rudy and Reeney Sling,” Richard Moore said. “When Jimmy Easton was helping to move them into their residence in Yonkers nearly three years ago, Mrs. Sling found him going through the dresser drawers, obviously looking for something to steal.”
The people on the panel at Courtside last night had been so kind, Belle thought, but it had been a shock to learn that Reeney had tried to cash in on the fact they knew Jimmy Easton worked for Sal. Some friends! she sniffed. When I think of how Sal moved them for free when they had to get out of their apartment and couldn't afford to pay him! And Mike told me Reeney will get some of the reward be?cause it's important that Jimmy Easton tried to steal from them. He said that it shows a pattern.
Emily Wallace was even prettier in person than on television, Belle decided. When you think of all the trouble she's had, poor thing. Being a war widow. The heart transplant. Living next door to a serial killer who was spying on her. She must be very strong. I hope she gets a break. It's not her fault she worked so hard to convict Gregg. That was her job. And she's been so nice to us. Someone else would be furious that all that work she did at the trial was wasted.
But someone is furious about it, she decided: the prosecutor. She didn't like him at all. He'd hardly even acknowledged Sal and me when we got here. You'd think we were the criminals. She'd heard that he was going to be appointed attorney general of the whole country. Now he was glaring at Emily when she said she wanted his okay to go to Judge Stevens and get Gregg Aldrich released on bail.
I'd love to meet Gregg, Belle thought. But he'd probably be mad at us, even though we finally spoke up. Maybe I should write him a letter of apology? Or send him one of those nice “Thinking of You” cards?
Prosecutor Wesley was saying, “We will consent to having bail reinstated. However, Richard, even if Jimmy Easton lied about hav?ing access to the Aldrich apartment, it doesn't mean that Gregg Al?drich did not solicit him to kill Natalie Raines.”
That's ridiculous, Belle thought. She could see that remark made Richard Moore really angry because his face got all red. Then Moore said, “I doubt any thinking person would believe that Jimmy Easton delivered a lamp to the Aldrich apartment at three p.m. and was back an hour later to get a down payment on a murder contract.”
“Maybe not,” Ted Wesley snapped. “But don't forget that before Easton came forward, Gregg Aldrich was the only suspect in this case, and for my money he still is the only suspect, and the right one.”
He's not going to admit how wrong he's been, Belle decided, then watched as Emily Wallace stood up. She's so graceful, Belle thought. That red jacket is so nice with her dark hair. She's wearing a turtle-neck under it. I wonder if the heart surgery left a big scar?
Emily looked at Belle and Sal. “I know it took courage for you to come forward. I'm very glad you did.”
She turned to Richard. “I'm sure Judge Stevens is in. We can walk down to his chambers and talk to him. I'll call the jail and tell them to bring Mr. Aldrich right over. Then we can go on the record about the bail.”
Her tone changed as she addressed the prosecutor. “As you know, I'm taking a couple of days off. I'll be home most of the time if you need to contact me. Or you can always call my cell phone.”
Belle noticed that the prosecutor acted as though he hadn't heard her.
Boy, I'd hate to work for him, she thought.
Just Take My Heart
74
At ten thirty a.m., Judge Stevens reinstated bail for Gregg Al?drich.
Forty-five minutes later, after phoning Alice and Katie, Gregg was having coffee with Richard Moore in a diner