Cassidy finally seemed to come alive. “Thank you, thank you, I promise!”
She leaned in to give Allison a hug, and Allison could smell the wine on her breath and in her glass. Cassidy always had something to drink when the three of them were together, but even for Cassidy, a water glass full of wine seemed a bit much. But they were all under so much stress from the Katie Converse case that maybe it was understandable.
Cassidy pulled back, a smile on her face. “Are you going to have him arrested right away?”
“I’d like to, but it’s probably not feasible.” Allison ticked off the reasons on her fingers. “One, Fairview is a public figure. Two, he’s shown no indication that he is likely to flee. Three, there aren’t any allegations that he’s a serial killer or in any way a danger to others. It’s not like we need to get him off the street before he kills again. I’ll take this to the grand jury first thing Wednesday and get him indicted.”
“Wednesday? Why not tonight?” Cassidy’s smile fell from her face like a plate from a shelf. “This man needs to be locked up. He killed a beautiful young girl.”
“The only way I could do it tonight would be to take it to a judge. And a judge’s standard is ‘beyond a reasonable doubt.’ Fairview knows all the judges in town—do you think any one of them is realistically going to say this tape is proof beyond a reasonable doubt? It doesn’t show him with Katie. There are no marks on his hands, no pine needles on his clothes. Nothing to connect him to what happened. Michael Stone will say that all it shows is that his client was late for a meeting or something. Stone could even argue that the date in the corner is wrong. We all know that half the time the date on a video camera isn’t right. But I can show the grand jury the tape, and it will establish his opportunity. Katie’s blogs establish his motive. And the medical examiner has told us the means—that blow to the throat. Once we get the indictment from the grand jury, a judge will have to sign off on it. By this time Wednesday, Fairview will be locked up.”
“And then they should throw away the key. That’s what Rick says.”
Allison said patiently, “Rick’s been around the block enough to know that even once Fairview’s arrested, he won’t stay in jail long. He’ll post bail.”
“But he killed that girl. We all know he did it. I thought this would finally be enough to prove it.” The glass slipped from Cassidy’s hand and shattered into a dozen pieces. She started to cry. “I can’t sleep. I can’t eat. I can’t think.”
Cassidy wasn’t a pretty crier. Her eyes immediately turned puffy, and snot leaked from her nose.
“Why?” Allison asked. “What’s wrong?”
Was it Allison’s imagination, or did Cassidy hesitate?
“Like I said, the station is pressuring me to step aside for Maddy. I’m making enemies, but if I don’t hold on to my turf, I’ll be nobody.” She bent down and started to pick up the pieces of glass that lay around her bare feet.
“Here, Cass, let me,” Allison said. “You’ll cut your feet.”
Together, Allison and Nicole picked up the biggest pieces of glass. In the kitchen, Allison opened the cabinet underneath the sink. Instead of table scraps, the garbage can was heaped with a half dozen silk bras and panties in shades of turquoise, silver, and pink.
Allison and Nicole exchanged a look. Allison set the pieces of glass on the counter and picked up a sky-blue bra. It had been sliced in several places.
Dear God, Allison prayed, something feels very, very wrong about this. Help me to find the right words to help Cassidy.
She took the bra out to the living room. Nicole followed after grabbing a broom and dustpan.
“Cassidy, what’s this?” Allison held out the cut-up bra. “Your garbage can is filled with your underwear.”
Cassidy bit her lip and looked away. “Oh, Rick says I dress too slutty. If I want to be taken seriously as a professional, he says I need to look more buttoned up. He says I’m insecure, and that’s why I’m always flaunting myself.”
There was more than a grain of truth to what Rick said. Still, wasn’t it up to Cassidy to determine that?
“So he cut them up?” Nicole demanded.
“Of course not! I did it! He said if I was serious, I would cut them up. Then he would know that I meant it.”
“But that’s the kind of thing you should decide for yourself,” Allison said.
“Rick loves me, and he doesn’t want anyone to see me as a whore.” Cassidy straightened up, although the bathrobe detracted from the effect. “I’m a professional broadcast reporter, not some little tart on an entertainment news program. I’m a serious journalist.”
“And serious journalists can’t wear pretty bras?” Nicole said with a deadpan expression.
“Not if they expect to be taken seriously.” Cassidy sounded like she was parroting Rick.