Judge, Jury, & Executioner

Chapter 14

Reaves pondered the case. Reviewing each piece of evidence they had gathered. The bank account, and phone number. He leaned his head forward as he realized how little evidence they had. With no proof other than the glimpse at the text Reaves had seen, there wasn't much physical evidence, besides the bank transfer. And with computer hackers as good as they are, it would be an easy argument to say he didn't transfer the money in the first place. Wow our case sucks. How am I supposed to solve it before Maddox? We didn't account for neither of us solving it.

It was then he felt his phone buzzing. He pulled it out and saw Megan's picture. Maddox looked at him briefly and then returned her attention to the road. They were on their way to Greg Nickels house to question him about the bank transfer. Which, if he was smart, and most billionaires are, he'd lawyer up before saying anything.

Reaves answered his phone, and Maddox pulled into the Nickels drive way.

"Megan-"

"DAD!" She exclaimed so loud, Reaves had to hold the phone away from his ear.

Maddox turned and looked at him, because even she heard Megan.

"Dad can you hear me?" She asked.

"I'm pretty sure the whole city of New York could hear you, Megan," Reaves replied.

Maddox spoke through the intercom explaining who she was.

"It's all over the news about the juror who died! You had jury duty today dad!" Megan said, finally explaining the frantic phone call.

"Yeah, listen hon, I'm okay. Don't worry about me. And why don't you call Allison to take you home from school today?" Reaves suggested.

He could tell Megan wanted him to come home, but winning the bet seemed a bit more important. Megan told him to be safe and he hung up. The gate opened to a fancy front yard. A private fountain with bushes that were still green despite the snowy conditions.

"Sorry, Megan called worried about me," He said. A smile formed on Maddox's face and he turned to face her. "What?"

"Nothing. It's just funny to see you act like an adult for once, you know, instead of a five year old," Maddox replied.

"Makes me cuter doesn't it?"

"And there's the five year old again."

Reaves laughed at his remark and then he stopped when he saw the large man open his car door. He nearly screamed as the six foot nine man reached his hand out to help Reaves up. Maddox put the car in park and climbed out. Reaves took a moment to calm down and then he climbed out as well. The tall man led them into the large mansion.

Portraits of men and women were in every room. They all looked related. Which made sense, as the tall man pointed out they were all Nickels. He took them through the large living room into the dining room where Greg Nickels sat at the head of the table.

He wasn't what Reaves had expected of the head of a billion dollar family. He wore a t-shirt and slacks. His hair combed into a business cut and clean shaven. He stood up with a large smile. Greg shook Maddox's hand and then Reaves'.

"How may I help you Detectives?" Greg asked.

His voice, it was so soothing. It was creepy.

"We need to ask you about the suspicious death that occurred at the court house, as well as another murder that came to our attention," Maddox explained.

And for once she doesn't correct them about me not being a Detective.

"It was one of the jurors on my son's case, right?" He asked. Maddox nodded in reply and then Greg folded his arms. "You think we're trying to get the case thrown out?"

"Pretty much," Reaves answered.

"Care to comment?" Maddox asked.

Greg looked them both over. His eyes peering into everything.

"My son Dominic is innocent. But I'm not going to mess with this trial to risk making him look guilty," Greg explained.

"Then why did you transfer money into both victims accounts?" Maddox Countered

"What?"

"Wow, you almost sounded surprised," Reaves added.

"I don't know anything about a money transfer and I'm beginning to think should have a lawyer present."

Maddox folded her arms and stepped forward towards Greg.

"Go ahead, lawyer up. How do you think the public will view your son being on trial and you being questioned by the police?" She asked.

"Probably about as much as one of the jurors off my sons case helping the cops build a case against his father. What? Didn't think I wouldn't recognize him?"

Reaves scoffed and then Maddox backed off. She actually looked concerned.

"Mr. Nickels, your under arrest," She said before pulling her hand cuffs out.

"For what?" He barked.

"Murder, and anything else we might think of, Reaves answered.

Maddox shot him a look, and Reaves stopped. They escorted him out in front of his family, including Dominic. He yelled for a lawyer as they put him in her cruiser and Reaves saw a blacked out SUV pull up to the house. Maddox stopped before climbing into her car, as two men in suits stepped out.

Reaves recognized them from the brief couple days they were dealing with the FBI. They were special agents. And they didn't looked happy. Maddox closed her car door and walked up to greet them. The agents came up to them and the one with the least amount of hair stepped forward.

"FBI special agent Howard Mull. Why are you arresting Nickels?"

Maddox explained the situation to them and they looked annoyed. Reaves folded his arms and waited for their response.

"Why are you here?" Maddox finally asked.

"Because, that's our federal witness in there," Mull answered.

"Federal Witness?" Reaves repeated.

"Yep, Greg Nickels is gonna give us the Clovers on a silver platter."

Clovers?

"The mob?" Maddox added.

"Yep."

Well this just got a whole lot more interesting. Maybe we'll solve it after all.