Secret Deception (Jonathan Black's Love Story)

Chapter 17: Getting Away Clean

I arrived home late Monday night finding a newspaper clipping attached to my front door. Had it not been such a long day I may have found it odd. My rollercoaster day began with my appeal hearing for Jonathan.
"The judge ruled that the prosecution needs to authenticate the video through their own investigation and a evidence review hearing is scheduled for two weeks from tomorrow." I told Jonny walking into the private visiting room.
"So they're really looking into it?"
"The judge ordered they have to. If they don't provide evidence that it's inauthentic at the hearing the video will be submitted into evidence and they'll give us one last hearing date to present the video to an unbiased judge along with the evidence used to convict you and the judge will decide if you deserve to be in prison or if the video is enough to overturn the verdict the jury gave you."
"And you think the judge will overturn it?"
"The video speaks for itself. If the woman that was in your vehicle got up and walked out while another woman was placed in the street then the prosecutor has no case for murder, manslaughter, involuntary manslaughter. Nothing. I think you'll be released with an apology from the state of New York."
He sighed, sitting back in his chair.
"We're so close Jonny. Bare with me, okay?"
He nodded.
"Jonny. Look at me."
He raised his eyes to mine.
"Baby. I'm giving you my all. Everything I have. Everything I am. Please, Jonathan. I need 4 weeks. Give me 4 weeks."
"I know how hard you're trying. I can make it 4 weeks."
"Baby. I love you so much. I'm going to bring you home to me."
"I love you too."
*Beep Beep*
I glanced down at my phone to a text from Derek.
'Found a body near the Archive tied to a lamp post. There's a message written in the palm of his hands. You need to see this.'
I sighed.
"Jonny. I need to go. There's been a murder near the Archive."
His eyes met mine in concern.
"I talked to Cam on the way over here, he's fine. I think it's a message. I'll call you if I find anything."
I leaned over and kissed him.
"I love you."
I drove out to the Archive and found a large group of bystanders and law enforcement. It always bothered me how much murder and death drew a crowd. As I walked up to the yellow police tape a uniform officer lifted the tape for me. I saw a man tied to the base of the lamppost with long black hair and bronze skin.
"Dammit." I sighed walking towards the body.
"Connor Warner." Derek told me.
"Do you know him?"
"Yes. I do."
"How well?"
"He was almost like a CI."
"On the books?"
"No. Why?"
"Where were you this morning?"
"You know I had court this morning."
"I just had to make sure."
"Of course you did. My father is a serial killer after all. It's in my blood" I scoffed.
"That's not what I meant."
"Just show me the messages."
On Connor's right hand his killer wrote, 'You're next, Carter" and on his left hand they wrote, 'Jonathan can't protect you.'
I sighed.
"We have to give you a protective detail." Derek told me.
"I don't want a protective detail."
"I know you don't but whoever this is they know about Jonathan. They've done their research on you."
"You can't find anything about Jonny by doing research. Their father made sure of that."
"Maybe. But someone knows and wants to do you harm."
"I can handle it. I need to go call Jonny."
I sat in my office staring at the wall. I had no idea how to tell Jonathan that someone was threatening my life while he was behind bars and after I'd already been nearly blown up once.
"Attica Correctional Facility. How may I direct your call?"
"Alexia Carter for Jonathan Black."
"One moment please."
"Hey, beautiful."
"Jonathan." I forced his name out.
"What's wrong?"
"The body today near the Archive was Connor Warner. He's the guy that got me the video."
"Are you okay?"
"That's not all. The killer wrote messages to me on his palms."
"To you specifically?"
"Yeah. The right hand said, 'You're next, Carter.' And the left said, 'Jonathan can't protect you."
Jonny was silent.
"Jonathan?"
"I'm here, Lexa. Could this be her?"
"Yeah. It could."
"Can I see you?"
"I think that's a good idea. I'll be there soon."
"You know, I met your father in 1974 when we were both 21. We worked together for multiple years until 1987 when Jonathan and Cameron were born. He picked up and moved to Texas where he met your mother and 4 years later you were born. He called me on September 17th in tears telling me your mother died the day before giving birth to you." Sebastian Black told a ten year old me one night after drinking heavily.
I was up getting water for Jonathan after Sebastian broke his ribs but refused to take him to the hospital when he stopped me. At ten years old I was terrified of him.
"When the FBI called to tell me they couldn't get you out of the air vent, I rushed over with Jonathan, who was with me at the time. If it wasn't for us you'd probably have died in there.
"You know, I knew he was killing those women. I knew he was filled with grief and hatred; resentment towards you. He thought you tore his wife away from him. I understand that."
He grabbed me roughly by the back of my neck and pulled me closer to him. I could smell the whiskey on his breath.
"If you were my kid I'd have killed you." He hissed at me.
I felt fingers force their way between his hand and my neck.
"Let her go." Jonathan's voice rose over my shoulder as he ripped his father's hand away from me.
"You don't touch her. Ever."
He touched my arm and lead me away.
"I'll never understand why your mother gave you her last name." Sebastian called after us.
"Hey. What are you thinking about?" Jonathan asked pressing his lips to my cheek.
Jonathan rested down on the floor of the private visiting room with his back against the north wall. I laid in between his legs with my back against his chest, my head on his shoulder, his arms around me.
"Something your father told me."
"My father never said anything positive and certainly nothing that deserves any of your time."
"He knew what my father was doing."
"That doesn't surprise me, baby. He wasn't a good guy. Neither of them were."
"The anniversary is coming up."
"I know, babe."
"Director Carter. It's getting late." The guard said.
I nodded.
I turned to sit on my knees in front of Jonny.
"I'll call you in the morning, okay?"
"I'd rather you call when you get home."
"Okay, baby. I'll call when I get home."
He smiled. I placed my hands on his face and kissed him. I stood up.
"I love you."
"I love you too."
Now, as I carried the newspaper article into the house, barely glancing at it until the title caught my eye.
Monster of Mount Pleasant: 17 Years Later
Wednesday May 17th will mark 17 years since the Monster of Mount Pleasant's reign of terror came to an end. Eric Dorian continues to sit on death row for kidnapping, raping, torturing and murdering 9 woman from 1992 to 2001 when he was apprehended by FBI agents in Mount Pleasant, Texas. Also found in the house was his 8 year old daughter who was severely abused and neglected. The child who's name has been redacted but was known to have been taken in by a family friend with two children.
In perfect, classy script beneath the article:
Let's Take A Walk Down Memory Lane, Director.
"Carter." I answered my phone in a daze.
"Alexia. Someone's been murdered and everyone here thinks I did it." Jonathan said ripping me out of my daze.