The Perfect Liar Read Online Free Page A
build its case. From what I've seen, they're absolutely dogged once they have someone in their sights. They could even drag the local police into this, a possibility that brings the potential for a second trial."
Great. Kalyna winding up pregnant wasn't the only way his situation could get worse. "How do we stop them from getting involved?"
"I don't know that we can."
"But I'm innocent."
He'd muttered those words to himself, but apparently Mr. McCreedy heard him. "Al my clients are innocent, Captain Trussell."
Yeah, right. McCreedy believed Luke was innocent because he was being paid to believe it. He looked no further. And why would he? Not all 27
his clients could be innocent. Believing any of them to be guilty as charged would risk a conflict of conscience. Provided he had a conscience. "What is it Kalyna Harter wants?" Luke asked. "My head on a platter?"
"I don't know, but if you can come up with her motivation, I'm all ears.
We have to provide a plausible reason she'd lie--something we can prove--
or we won't have much of a case. It'l be your word against hers, and all she has to do is break into tears to appear authentic."
"I don't know why she hates me," Luke said. "I didn't stay as long as she wanted me to and it pissed her off. That's all I can guess." He also hadn't been able to repeat to her what she'd said to him before he got out of bed. I love you... He'd assumed she was joking. They worked together, but there was no love involved. "So what can we do about Ava Bixby?" he asked.
"Pray she runs low on funds and has to close her doors. Soon."
Luke shook his head. Now he had a victims' charity after him, hoping to see him swing for a crime he didn't commit. "Would it help if I talked to her?"
"Definitely not! That's why I'm calling. She may try to get in touch with you, but don't speak to her. She's on their side."
Luke massaged his left temple. He wanted to declare his innocence to anyone who'd listen, which made it difficult not to talk. But ever since base security had banged on his door, he'd found himself standing in a legal minefield. It was best to listen to someone who knew how to navigate it.
Or he might not make it through.
28
Chapter 3
"M s. Harter, can you please state your full name?"
Kalyna smiled calmly at the female lawyer, a major from the Office of Special Investigations, who'd been assigned to prosecute Luke Trussell.
She'd spoken to Rani Ogitani on the phone a few times, but this was their first face-to-face meeting. The woman seemed brisk and efficient--
emotionally distant but certainly capable.
"Kalyna Boyka Harter."
Major Ogitani typed the date--Tuesday, June 30--and Kalyna's name into her laptop, which rested on the large rectangular table fil ing most of the on-base conference room. "Thank you. And your birth date?"
"May 18, 1983," she said, going through the details as she had in an earlier meeting with Ava Bixby. Kalyna wished Ava could just send major Ogitani a copy of the whole account, but she knew it didn't work that way.
She had to explain it all again.
The prosecutor shifted her attention from her computer screen. "So you're twenty-six years old."
"That's correct."
"And were you born in the United States?"
"No, in Ukraine. My twin sister, Tati, and I were adopted by an American couple living in Phoenix when we were six-years-old. Their marriage fell apart shortly after--within months--and neither one of them wanted to keep us. So we were passed off to the neighbors."
"The neighbors."
"That's right. A mortician and his wife."
The clacking of the keyboard again. Despite what Kalyna had told Ava Bixby at The Last Stand during their initial conference, Major Ogitani seemed eager to do a thorough job. But even with a competent prosecutor, it wouldn't be easy to get a conviction against Captain Trussell. He had an impeccable service record, or so she'd been told since lodging her complaint.
29
"This was done legally?"
"Yes, but at first we were just
Great. Kalyna winding up pregnant wasn't the only way his situation could get worse. "How do we stop them from getting involved?"
"I don't know that we can."
"But I'm innocent."
He'd muttered those words to himself, but apparently Mr. McCreedy heard him. "Al my clients are innocent, Captain Trussell."
Yeah, right. McCreedy believed Luke was innocent because he was being paid to believe it. He looked no further. And why would he? Not all 27
his clients could be innocent. Believing any of them to be guilty as charged would risk a conflict of conscience. Provided he had a conscience. "What is it Kalyna Harter wants?" Luke asked. "My head on a platter?"
"I don't know, but if you can come up with her motivation, I'm all ears.
We have to provide a plausible reason she'd lie--something we can prove--
or we won't have much of a case. It'l be your word against hers, and all she has to do is break into tears to appear authentic."
"I don't know why she hates me," Luke said. "I didn't stay as long as she wanted me to and it pissed her off. That's all I can guess." He also hadn't been able to repeat to her what she'd said to him before he got out of bed. I love you... He'd assumed she was joking. They worked together, but there was no love involved. "So what can we do about Ava Bixby?" he asked.
"Pray she runs low on funds and has to close her doors. Soon."
Luke shook his head. Now he had a victims' charity after him, hoping to see him swing for a crime he didn't commit. "Would it help if I talked to her?"
"Definitely not! That's why I'm calling. She may try to get in touch with you, but don't speak to her. She's on their side."
Luke massaged his left temple. He wanted to declare his innocence to anyone who'd listen, which made it difficult not to talk. But ever since base security had banged on his door, he'd found himself standing in a legal minefield. It was best to listen to someone who knew how to navigate it.
Or he might not make it through.
28
Chapter 3
"M s. Harter, can you please state your full name?"
Kalyna smiled calmly at the female lawyer, a major from the Office of Special Investigations, who'd been assigned to prosecute Luke Trussell.
She'd spoken to Rani Ogitani on the phone a few times, but this was their first face-to-face meeting. The woman seemed brisk and efficient--
emotionally distant but certainly capable.
"Kalyna Boyka Harter."
Major Ogitani typed the date--Tuesday, June 30--and Kalyna's name into her laptop, which rested on the large rectangular table fil ing most of the on-base conference room. "Thank you. And your birth date?"
"May 18, 1983," she said, going through the details as she had in an earlier meeting with Ava Bixby. Kalyna wished Ava could just send major Ogitani a copy of the whole account, but she knew it didn't work that way.
She had to explain it all again.
The prosecutor shifted her attention from her computer screen. "So you're twenty-six years old."
"That's correct."
"And were you born in the United States?"
"No, in Ukraine. My twin sister, Tati, and I were adopted by an American couple living in Phoenix when we were six-years-old. Their marriage fell apart shortly after--within months--and neither one of them wanted to keep us. So we were passed off to the neighbors."
"The neighbors."
"That's right. A mortician and his wife."
The clacking of the keyboard again. Despite what Kalyna had told Ava Bixby at The Last Stand during their initial conference, Major Ogitani seemed eager to do a thorough job. But even with a competent prosecutor, it wouldn't be easy to get a conviction against Captain Trussell. He had an impeccable service record, or so she'd been told since lodging her complaint.
29
"This was done legally?"
"Yes, but at first we were just
Readers choose
Derek Fee
Hilary Thomson
Sydney Logan
Ruby Laska
B.R. Nicholson
Jeffery Deaver
Christopher Brookmyre
Carola Dunn
William David