Naive by Charles Royce (world best books to read .txt) 📕

is in the walnut-paneled kitchen, moving around the piles of mail, kitchen utensils, and vegetable remnants on the Carrara marble countertops. Taking a long lunch break from her sometimes brutally demanding psychotherapy practice has become a refuge of sorts. Fixing herself a fresh salad, usually paired with whatever protein was left over from dinner the night before, and watching whatever noon-hour programming is the most interesting has become her daily routine.

She finds her keys on the coffee table next to the remote, which she picks up and points at the television. Before she has a chance to turn the TV off, she sees her husband on the screen, approaching a host of microphones. She can’t make out where he is, but she is intrigued. She unmutes just in time to hear the very start of his press conference.

“Thank you all for coming today. Just a few short weeks ago, on August 17, I began representing Micah Breuer, an innocent man accused of allegedly murdering his husband, Lennox Holcomb, who worked in financial data analysis for Élan International here in New York City. It was a particularly brutal event on an extraordinary evening that saw two different Élan publishing employees murdered. And I’m sure New Yorkers want to know that everything possible is being pursued to keep this city safe.”

Haylee places her keys on the table and sits back down.

“Based on facts omitted or unknown by police during their initial press conference”—Shawn waves a brown folder for emphasis—“we have reason to believe that overwhelming evidence obtained in the condo of Micah Breuer and the late Lennox Holcomb points in several directions, none of which is linked to my client Micah Breuer.” Shawn waves the folder again, then sets the left heel of his hand on the podium, while still holding the folder halfway toward the camera.

Haylee thinks this is odd. Since she knows her husband quite well, she also knows he wouldn’t do something so awkward without a reason. It’s as if … Wait, what’s that?

Shawn continues. “Although the prosecuting attorney claims there is a confession, the presumption of innocence has been detrimentally and haphazardly …”

Haylee hears none of the rest. She pauses the television and squints at the folder. She notices a small sticky note with the ghost illustration on it. She walks closer to the television. Her eyes widen then squint in one singular motion.

She takes her phone out of her purse and begins to text.

“Honey, the stickie note. I think I’ve seen that logo thingie before.”

C h a p t e r   2 5

Astrid pauses the television. Shawn’s torso is frozen on the screen, with the folder in his hand.

Elaine and Wallace Holcomb are watching the press conference from Astrid’s office and have been waiting for an update on their son’s case. They are seated in front of Astrid, catty-cornered to the TV on top of the side console.

“See what we’re up against?” Elaine points to the television. “He plays dirty. He knows goddamn well that folder is showing everyone that stupid heroin emblem. What is he doing? Does he hope that somebody recognizes it and points us to some hoodlum that supposedly got my Lenny to take drugs again? Divert, divert, divert. Pure and simple evil.”

“Sweetie.” Wallace Holcomb tries to comfort his wife, laying his hand on top of hers.

“Don’t.” Elaine pulls her hand away.

“Elaine, I’m with you,” Astrid says. “It’s a red herring. But rest assured, we’ve got more than enough to put Micah away for good.”

“Then fill me in. I’m done with this sideshow.”

“Okay,” Astrid begins, wordsmithing as she goes. Elaine Holcomb is powerful and respected in this office, with devoted followers of the way she used to run the place, including her own boss. But Astrid also knows that even though this case involves the murder of Elaine’s son, she is under no obligation to divulge everything, nor should she. “Micah’s hard drive was clean. Too clean, if you ask my opinion. He’s either engineered it that way, or he’s like no other gay guy I’ve ever known.”

“Funny, but not helpful. What else?”

Astrid hates being cut off, or cut down as the case might be, especially when there’s more to share on the topic. She wants to pick her battles, and this is not one of them. “We have character witnesses aplenty. First, we have Josh Harrison, Lennox’s former boyfriend. Now, even though Josh’s testimony will show Lennox was unfaithful, I believe overall it will be a win for us to show motive: jealousy, resentment, et cetera. Josh will also testify that Micah has a snapping point.”

“Yep.”

“Micah has a melting point that registers on a psychopathic scale, which we will demonstrate with expert testimony.”

“Not sure how that will fly, but I like the thinking.”

“Thank you. Then we have the two sponsees, Frank Jabali and Talbot Lexington. Now, in a follow-up interview, Micah had said that perhaps Lennox was going to meet them that night, but Frank and Talbot’s testimony will reveal that they did not see Lennox that evening. Micah lied, tried to divert. Furthermore, they will confirm Micah’s jealousy. Apparently, he was outwardly jealous of the time Lennox spent with them.”

“See, what did I tell you?” Elaine says in the direction of her husband, placing her hand on his. He places his hand on top of hers.

“We also have Jenna Ancelet as a character witness. She has misgivings about Micah as well. She can also back up her best friend Josh’s account of the breakup, when Micah went off the rails. One caveat. She will also be a witness for the defense. She is loyal to them as a couple, even after she left the employ of Lennox to work for the competition. They were super close. We’re talking vacations, house parties, everything. We’re unsure of how this will play out, but I’m developing a strategy.”

“Don’t like that.”

“The video camera,” Astrid continues without missing a beat. “No one has been able to locate where the recordings went, or even if