Nothing But the Truth: A Ryan Morgan Series Book 1 [Now on Amazon]

Chapter Three: [Edited]

Chapter Three

Two months after Jacob and I began our new chapter together, around two in the morning, I received a very disturbing phone call from Andrew Bailor, one of the police officers downtown. He is fifty years old, and has lived in Fargo for almost thirty years. Officer Bailor is married, but has no kids.

It was still quite early in the morning, and still pitch black outside. I sleepily answered the phone. "Hey, Ryan, is that you?" he asked. I am very sorry to bother you this late, but Jacob is here at the station. Please come right away. I'll explain everything when you get here."

"Of course, I am on my way right now," I responded.

"Alright," Officer Bailor said, before hanging up the phone.

I immediately ran out of the house, after grabbing car keys, wallet, and anything else I thought I might need. I was really worried. For one thing, I didn't understand why Jacob was out of the house so early. I stopped at a traffic light, tapping my fingers on the steering wheel. I took a deep breath, sighed, and looked to see if any traffic was coming after the light turned green.

I leaned my left elbow on the driver's door. I began to panic. I asked myself, "Why would Jacob be out so early and why would he be at the police station?"As soon as I arrived, I ran out of the car and headed for the station.

I was thinking all sorts of crazy things. What if Jacob had gone off the deep end and seriously hurt someone? I couldn't stand the thoughts that were racing through my head.

Officer Bailor saw me coming into the police station, and I soon realized that Detective Sailor was in charge of the case. "Your brother is in the interrogation room three," Detective Sailor said to me. Detective Sailor was one of the detectives with whom I worked with almost every day.

After I walked into the interrogation room, Jacob got up and began to cry. "Jacob," I said, softly. I rushed to his side and he hugged me. We were both confused and worried. I sighed loudly and sat down. Jacob sat down beside me. "Jake, what's going on?" I asked. "Why are you here and why are you out of the house so early?" Jacob continued to cry, "I found Izza. She's dead," Jacob said, crying.

"What do you mean, you found her and she is dead?" Jacob sighed, and went silent for a moment. I asked Jacob once again what he meant when he said, "I found Izza. She's dead." Jacob looked down, sad and very fidgety. I took my hand and rubbed Jacob's arm in an attempt to calm him down.

"Hey, it's alright, just explain to me what happened,"

Eventually, Detective Sailor came into the interrogation room. He sighed, cleared his throat, and shut the interview room door behind him. He sat on a metal chair facing me and Jacob. He crossed his hands and asked Jacob to explain to him what had happened.

I turned my head facing Jacob who was looking very worried. Jacob took a deep breath, and sighed. He kept silent for a moment and then began to explain why he had left the house in the middle of the night.

Jacob said, "I left the house because Izza had texted me saying she wanted me to meet her at a certain place in the woods. I texted her back and asked her why. I waited about ten minutes but never heard back from her. I began to get worried so I texted her a second time. She still didn't answer," Jacob said, anxiously.

I then went to the place in the woods where she said to meet her and I found Izza laying there, dead." Detective Sailor took me aside and said he would talk with Jacob more later in the day, and that I should take him home to get some rest. It was about 3 AM when we left the station.

As soon as we got home, Jacob went right to bed and pulled the covers over his head. "Try to get some sleep," I said, before walking out of his bedroom.

  "Good night, Ryan," Jacob said, before falling asleep.

The next morning I left for work and Jacob went to school as usual. I was sure he was still very upset about what had happened to Izza, so I told him he didn't have to go to school if he didn't feel up to it. After all, I couldn't get my mind off what had happened last night, either.

Jacob had discovered a dead body. Not only was it a dead body, but it was the lifeless body of one of Jacob's best friends. I just couldn't wrap my head around it. Jacob insisted on going to school and said he would be okay. I reluctantly let him go.

Detective Sailor called me just as I had arrived at work. He said he would come over to the house this afternoon after Jacob came home from school. He told me he wanted to ask Jacob a few more questions.

I sat down in my office chair and knew it would be hard to concentrate today, because I was still too upset and worried about Jacob. I was hoping the detectives assigned to Izza's case would have some answers soon.

I had to go to court this morning as I was right in the middle of the sentencing portion of a trial. I knew I would have to try to forget about Izza long enough to get through the day.

The defendant, Hannah Rifle, was sitting next to her public defender. Sixteen year old Hannah had been convicted of killing her parents, James and Roberta Rifle. She had been tried as an adult.

Hannah seemed to be a nice enough young lady, but somehow had lost her way and became addicted to alcohol and drugs. She remained silent and showed no emotion during the entire trial which lasted just a few days more than a week.

Now it was time for the jury to decide Hannah's fate. She was looking at the death penalty for being convicted of two counts of first degree (or capital) murder. The only question was whether she would serve life in prison without possibility of parole or the death penalty. In North Dakota, no minor had ever been sentenced to death.

Even though I had been the prosecutor in her case, it was heartbreaking to see someone so young facing such a heavy penalty. However, because of pressure from my boss, I had to recommend the death penalty.

The killing of her parents was deliberate and very brutal. They had each been stabbed over fifty times with an unbelievable fury that the coroner said he had never seen before.

After hearing testimony from the prosecutor and the defender, Hannah was sentenced to death. I never thought I would see a death penalty case result in a teen-ager being sentenced to death. I couldn't help but feel sad!
I went home to meet Detective Sailor who came over as he said he would.

He asked Jacob a few more questions. Jacob wasn't able to give the detective any more information other than Izza had texted him telling him to meet her in the woods. He tried to call twice and then went to the place in the woods where Izza told him to meet her and came across her dead body. Somehow he immediately found his way to the police station.