Silent Justice (27 page)
Authors: Rayven T. Hill
Tags: #Fiction, #Mystery & Detective, #Retail, #Thriller
“I’m curious about the name, “Adam Thor,” written in blood at Nina White’s murder,” Jake said. “Was that done by Nina, or Virginia?”
Hank chuckled. “I think Virginia has watched too many horror movies. She was the one who wrote it, trying to lead us to Adam.”
“So Virginia convinced Adam he was responsible, and he believed it because of his blackout spells.”
“Exactly,” Hank said. “And when Adam ran, it made him appear guilty.”
“What about all the evidence against Adam?” Annie asked.
“She manufactured a lot of evidence against him at both scenes. It led us straight to Adam, but it was all circumstantial. Like the size eleven shoe prints at the Ronson murder. The prints were from Adam’s shoes, but she wore them at the time.”
“I’m concerned about Adam,” Annie said. “What caused him to have so many blackouts and hallucinations?”
“Along with his regular antipsychotic medication to treat his schizophrenia, the doctor tried a variety of combinations before finally adding ketamine to the mix. It has anesthetic properties and can cause confusion and a lot of other problems if taken improperly. The plan was to make Adam violent and delusional so he could easily be blamed.”
“And the whole thing was concocted to get rid of him?” Jake asked.
“It actually started off simply. Kill one person, frame Adam, and get rid of him. But it soon escalated out of control and they had to see it through. There was too much money at stake. Well over a million dollars.”
“So after finding the right mix of drugs, they thought they had the perfect crime,” Jake said.
“Exactly. Adam trusted the doctor and his stepmother, and it almost destroyed him. His hallucinations were increasing to the point where he often didn’t know reality from delusion. He was convinced he killed four people. And since the last two took place only in his mind, he could remember them. Or thought he did.”
“Hank, why were you not aware of the trust fund?” Jake asked.
“The fund, with strict limitations, had been set up in Virginia Thorburn’s name, and she wasn’t under any suspicion. To dig that deeply into her financial records would have required a warrant. A warrant we would have been unable to obtain without any real evidence against her.”
Annie leaned forward. “What’ll happen to Adam?”
“He’s in the hospital right now. They’ve done blood tests to find out exactly what’s in his system. He’s being watched, more for his own protection than anything else. The police psychologist talked with him extensively, and he’s of the opinion that not only will Adam recover, but his schizophrenia can be totally controlled.”
“That’s good news,” Annie said. “But how is he emotionally?”
Hank shrugged. “He was devastated when he found out the truth, naturally. It’s not easy to find out you’ve been betrayed by two people you trusted. And I dropped in to see him this morning. He can’t seem to wrap his head around the fact he’s going to be fine. He’s on an emotional roller coaster, that’s for sure, but he’s in a much better mood now. Though he’s confused about one thing.”
“What’s that?” Jake asked.
Hank laughed. “He doesn’t understand why everyone is being so kind to him.”
Annie smiled. “That young man is going to need a lot of love. He’s been through so much.”
Hank nodded. “He’s going to get it, I’ll bet. He’s actually a likeable guy. With some counseling and a lot of emotional support, I’m betting he’ll recover completely.”
“What about criminal charges?” Jake asked. “I realize he broke the law, but I hope you’re not going to lock him up.”
Hank looked at Annie. “I assume you’re not going to pursue kidnapping charges against him?”
“Not a chance.”
Hank shrugged. “The only other thing is illegal possession of a firearm. I’m thankful he didn’t hurt anyone. He didn’t even fire it, and given the circumstances, I’m sure the crown won’t prosecute.”
“They won’t,” Annie said. “Once all this hits the press, the crown wouldn’t take a chance on it. It would only make them look bad.”
“Adam asked about you two,” Hank said. “Even with all his problems, he felt concerned, especially about you, Annie. He wanted to know if you were okay.”
“He’ll find out this afternoon,” Annie said. “I’ve got a big hug for him, and I plan on delivering it personally.”
Jake grinned. “I think I’ll go with her. I’d like to get to know the new Adam Thorburn.”
“If you don’t mind,” Hank said. “I just might join you.”
###
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Blood and Justice
The First Book in the Series
When sixteen-year-old Jenny James goes missing, and the local police are unable to find her, the girl’s frantic mother hires private investigators Jake and Annie Lincoln to search for her daughter.
When the body of Jenny’s boyfriend is discovered, the mystery of her disappearance deepens. Shaken out of their comfort zone of Internet searches and poring over public records, the couple soon find themselves facing the frightening possibility they are looking for the latest victim of a serial killer.
As more bodies pile up, the town is gripped with fear. It seems no one is safe, and the Lincolns race to solve an impossible puzzle before they become the killer’s next victims.
Cold Justice
The Second Book in the Series
Late one night an emotionally disturbed woman, Abigail Macy, witnesses a murder. She reports what she saw to the police, but out of fear that the killer will return to eliminate her as a witness, she keeps quiet about his identity. When the police investigate her claim, they find no evidence of a crime, and influenced by her psychiatrist’s diagnosis that she was delusional, the case is closed.
Abigail’s condition deteriorates, and she shuts herself away, withdrawn and distraught, refusing to speak to anyone except the occasional word to her husband. To ease her tormented mind, he hires private investigators Jake and Annie Lincoln to find a supposed killer, with no proof that one exists.
When Abigail is found dead two days later, the coroner concludes that she had committed suicide, however the Lincolns aren’t convinced of the verdict. Now, with the only witness dead, the challenge to unravel the truth and find a murderer becomes more baffling.
The Lincolns find themselves in danger of being the killer’s next victims as they are drawn into a perilous web of lies, deceit and cover-ups.
Justice for Hire
The Third Book in the Series
A young girl who has been missing for eight months, suddenly reappears and commits a heinous murder. She claims not to know why she did it, or where she had been for the last few months. The girl’s desperate parents hire private investigators Jake and Annie Lincoln to find the truth behind their daughter’s disappearance, and why she would return and kill a stranger in cold blood.
An ex-con, who had seemingly turned his life around, becomes the next victim when a young boy shoots him, and then casually holds the gun to his own head, and pulls the trigger. An aspiring city councilor is executed in the same manner. None of the deadly murderers seem to be aware of their actions.
As the Lincolns race to solve the puzzle of why young killers are casually murdering without remorse, they are drawn into a dangerous conspiracy and become targets of a merciless assassin.
Captive Justice
The Fourth Book in the Series
When a woman is abducted and the self-proclaimed “Merchant of Life” demands strict adherence to his impossible terms, the police are perplexed.
Private investigators Jake & Annie Lincoln are drawn into peril when the kidnapper demands Jake deliver the ransom money. The exchange takes place as planned, but when the abducted woman’s body is discovered brutally murdered, the search for an unpredictable madman begins.
As the kidnappings continue, the Lincolns own lives are put in jeopardy as they scramble to unweave this baffling puzzle before the treacherous murderer can claim more victims, among whom may be the Lincolns themselves.
Justice Overdue
The Fifth Book in the Series
Private investigators Jake & Annie Lincoln make plans to take a break away from their hectic schedule and relax. The family’s goal of a peaceful weekend spirals into chaos when an escaped convict creates havoc and threatens the lives of everyone around him.