Esposito gave her a patient look. “They lied and told Noah that they didn’t know what drugs Adele might have taken.”
“Right.” Morgan sighed. “And that detail wasn’t made public, so Noah wouldn’t have known.”
“Yes. As for our recent cases, they were at Beats the week before Noah’s murder. They ran into Shannon. Justin remembered her from the inn. They’d talked for a few minutes, apparently. She’d asked him for the names of the local hot spots, and he’d directed her to Beats.”
“Then it wasn’t a coincidence that she was there,” Morgan said.
“No.” Esposito shook his head. “Adam was at the club that night too. He’d had too much to drink, so Noah left early to drive him home. Isaac, Justin, and Chase were in the parking lot after the fire alarm went off. They found Shannon wandering around. She couldn’t find her car. They thought they’d gotten away with it once before, so why not do it again? They repeated the ploy, taking her out into the woods, giving her alcohol. This time they only slipped one pill into her drink. But she woke up while Isaac was raping her and screamed. He strangled her. Again, they thought they couldn’t be tied to her murder. Except when Noah heard about her disappearance, he started looking at them funny. Then he started asking questions about what they’d done that night after he’d left the club.”
“So they killed him.”
Esposito nodded. “Justin said Noah let them in that night. He was irritated that Haley had passed out on him right after they’d had sex. The three men had previously agreed to each stab him once so that they were all equally culpable. Justin had slipped Haley two sleeping pills at the club. They’d planned on framing her all along, but after they’d stabbed Noah, she was standing there. At first, they thought she was watching, until Isaac figured out she was sleepwalking. They put the knife in her hand and pushed her into the puddle of blood. She slid and fell. She scrambled and ended up covered in blood. Justin said it couldn’t have been easier.”
“They killed their friend to cover up their own crimes,” Morgan said.
“When Haley was arrested for Noah’s murder, they thought they were home free.” Esposito gestured from Morgan to Lance. “Until you two started asking questions. They were particularly concerned when you”—the ADA pointed at Lance—“told them she remembered parts of the night. They didn’t like the questions or the direction of the investigation, which is why they set Lance’s house on fire. They thought if Morgan and the PI firm were out of the picture, they’d be safe.”
“How did they start this fire, tonight?” Morgan asked.
“The arson investigator thinks Isaac shot a hole in the propane tank,” Esposito said. “The initial explosion is probably what killed the bodyguard.”
“Why did they decide to kill Haley?” Lance asked. “She was taking the fall for their crimes.”
“Yes. At first, Isaac thought they could make her seem crazy,” Esposito explained. “He hacked into the router and whispered nasty things to her through her game console. But Isaac and Chase must have decided they needed a clean slate. Justin was losing his shit. He’d become a risk. Haley might have been remembering that night. If Haley and Justin were both dead, there would be no witnesses.”
“But Justin wasn’t dead,” Morgan said.
“They didn’t know that,” Esposito said. “As for incriminating evidence, Justin said their clothes only had a little bit of Noah’s blood on them. Isaac’s final stab wound was the only one that had bled heavily. They’d managed to keep their shoes out of it. They’d disposed of their clothes and gloves by burning them in a barrel behind Isaac’s house. The black dog hair you pointed out on the forensics report belongs to a coonhound. Chase’s father happens to own several, including a black-and-tan dog that he uses for hunting. And we found Haley’s medical alert bracelet in Isaac’s house. He’d kept an earring that belonged to Adele and a scarf that belonged to Shannon. Trophies of his crimes, I guess.” The ADA shrugged. “We’re hoping he starts talking once he learns that Justin has turned on him.”
“Who shot Justin?” Morgan asked.
“Chase,” Esposito said. “He and Isaac knew Justin was near the breaking point. Justin had talked on the phone to Chase a half hour before you showed up at his door. He admits he was freaking out and telling them he couldn’t keep lying. The guilt was too much for him.”
“But not for Isaac and Chase.” Lance tossed his empty cup into the trash can.
“No.” Esposito’s phone beeped. He pulled it out of his pocket and checked the display. “They had no remorse. Isaac still doesn’t.”
“Psychopaths.” Lance glanced at Sharp, then turned back to Esposito. “Have the police found Adam?”
“Actually, yes.” Esposito’s phone beeped again. “He was hiding out in the woods about two miles from Eliza’s house. A friend had fixed him up with a tent and camping gear. But he didn’t have a computer, so that’s why he hadn’t sent any more threatening emails. He has some emotional issues. He admitted to making that GIF of Morgan being hit by McFarland and throwing the rock through your windshield. He will be spending some time in jail.”
“Good to know.” Lance nodded.
“Have the charges against Haley been dropped?” Morgan asked. Eliza and Haley were sharing a room on the third floor of the hospital. Eliza was being treated for smoke inhalation. Haley had several deep cuts on the bottoms of her feet. But they would both recover—physically, anyway. Haley would no doubt have lingering emotional issues.
“Yes.” Esposito nodded. “She is free to go.”
The knot in Morgan’s belly finally unraveled. Haley was not going to prison. Morgan and Lance were all right. Hopefully, Sharp would recover from his wounds.
Morgan would have questions about the case for Esposito in a day or two. But she’d heard enough for now. She couldn’t take in any more information.
“You’re not going to admit that Morgan proved your case wrong?” Lance asked.
Esposito shrugged. “Since we didn’t go to court, no one won or lost. I’ll still get credit for Isaac’s and Justin’s convictions. I’ll let you know if I need any paperwork signed.” Esposito turned and left.
Lance watched him leave. “I guess it’s too much to ask that he acknowledge that you kept another innocent person out of prison when he was happy to railroad her into it.”
“I don’t expect acknowledgment or accolades.” Morgan ate another cookie. “And at least we now know that he’s not evil.”
“No. Not evil. But he’s still an asshole.”
“He went into a burning building with you,” she said in a really? tone.
“I still don’t like him. All he cares about is his reputation, not seeing justice done.” Lance wrapped a hand around the back of his neck. “Speaking of people I don’t like and justice not being served, remind me to have a bonfire with Kieran Hart’s photos tomorrow. I wish there was something we could do to him.”
“He hasn’t broken any laws, just the trust of the women he dated. Think of it this way. Even with all his money, women see through him, and he is still alone.” She offered him a cookie. This time he took one and crunched it down in three bites. “Does that make you feel better?”
“A little.” He reached for another cookie and froze. “Sharp’s waking up.”
Morgan turned to see Sharp’s body shifting ever so slightly on the bed. His eyelids fluttered.
Calling for the nurse, Lance bolted into the room.
Chapter Forty-Six
Sharp cracked an eyelid. Bright light stabbed his eyeballs, and he squeezed his lids shut again. Was he dead? If he was, then the bright light and tunnel weren’t all bullshit.
But if he was dead, why did his stomach feel like someone had parked a train on it?
Maybe he hadn’t gone to heaven.
He squirmed, sending bolts of pain through him that made him think about letting the darkness suck him under again.
A familiar voice broke through the haze of agony. “Sharp.”