The Perfect Liar (Last Stand #5)(19)
Author: Brenda Novak

"Well, before you shed too many tears, I’ve found more proof that Kalyna isn’t what you’d call an exemplary citizen."

Just what she needed. With a sigh, she returned to the table. "Proof in the form of what?"

"LexisNexis shows that she got a couple of Visa cards as soon as she turned eighteen, charged them to the limit the very first week and never bothered to pay."

Ava pulled the pictures from Kalyna’s file and studied her injuries again. This wasn’t head banging. She’d have to have punched and clawed herself. Could she have done that? "I guess she was under the mistaken impression that goods purchased with Visa are free?"

"They were free for her," he said. "But she won’t get that chance a second time. Not for a while, anyway."

"Okay, so she’s an irresponsible nymphomaniac who was a problem child. I think we’ve established that. But is she lying about the rape?"

"I can’t say. I can, however, tell you that Trussell’s credit is perfect.

Not one late payment."

"We’re not judging these people based on their credit scores, Jon."

"We check for a reason, babe."

Because it was a fairly accurate indicator of the way people lived their lives. He was right….

Ava eyed the files that represented her other clients–all of them credible victims. Was she wasting her time with Kalyna? This case was getting more convoluted by the second. But the memory of Bella wouldn’t allow her to let go until she was absolutely certain she wouldn’t be abandoning someone who desperately needed her. "Anything else?"

"Nothing. Zip. Nada. Weird, huh?"

She nibbled on a strawberry from a bowl of strawberries she’d rinsed earlier. "Why would that be weird?"

"It’s as if her life didn’t start until she joined the air force. Well, that’s not strictly true," he said, correcting himself. "I came up with proof that she and a twin sister were adopted out of Ukraine at six years old and then again–by new parents–three years later, but that’s it. There’s no record of either of them ever having attended school. They weren’t immunized as children. As far as I can tell, they never even visited a doctor."

"Their mother home-schooled them. And she considers doctors an unnecessary drain on the family coffers," Ava explained.

"Interesting take for a parent."

"My thoughts exactly." Bringing her laptop out of sleep mode, Ava looked up Harter Family Mortuary and watched as a picture of a yellow-and-white Victorian appeared on her screen. She knew she had the right place when she checked the address. It was located in Mesa and had the phone number she’d just called. "The Harters own a mortuary. Check it out," she said, and gave him the URL.

"Looks like a bed-and-breakfast," he said a few seconds later.

"Close–minus the breakfast part and the fact that the bed is permanent."

"Why are we looking at this? What does the family business in Arizona have to do with the alleged rape in California?"

"Maybe nothing, at least no more than Kalyna’s credit score. It’s just an interesting background, don’t you think? Especially when you put that together with such an uncaring mother?"

"Burying the dead is a dirty job, but someone’s got to do it," Jonathan replied. "What I want to know is whether or not you’re finally convinced Captain Trussell is innocent."

"I’m convinced he’s a good credit risk," she said. "But I’m not interested in giving him a loan."

"So you’re sticking with it? God, Ava. What’s it going to take?"

Once again her eyes shifted to the files littering her table. She had limited time and resources, and this case wasn’t going to be an easy one. If everything she knew about Kalyna came out, she suspected the prosecution wouldn’t take it to court. Certainly, a jury of military personnel wouldn’t be highly sympathetic to a woman who ran up Visa bil s, didn’t make a single payment, had a history of self-mutilation and slept around.

"Everything’s going against this girl," she said.

"That’s why you can’t let it go. She’s the underdog."

"What if she’s a hurt, confused woman who was abused by her parents, joined the air force as her only escape, reached out for love in al the wrong ways and ended up getting beaten and raped by a man who was so sure he could get away with it he didn’t bother to cover his tracks?" The mere thought enraged her. No human was expendable. If Captain Trussell had raped Kalyna, he should be brought to justice.

"I think you’re better off getting out of this one," Jonathan said.

And she hadn’t even told him about the tantrums.

"Look at the other side," he went on. "What if you help put an innocent man behind bars? How would you feel about that?"

"Terrible."

"And it’l hurt the charity, ruin our credibility, cost us everything we’ve worked so hard to build."

"You’re right," she said. "But I want to talk to my client one more time.

I feel I should give her a chance to address my concerns before I call it quits."

"Fair enough. Meanwhile, is there anything else you want me to do?"

"No, that’s it for now. Thanks."

"Is Geoffrey coming over tonight?" he asked before she could hang up.

"Is Zoe?" she countered.

"Zoe’s in L.A. She took her daughter down to visit her father."

"He stil clean and sober?"

"So far."

"Great news." She leaned down to retrieve the pen she’d dropped earlier. "When’s your wedding?"

"We’re thinking August, before Sam has to go back to school."

"I know Zoe’s a wonderful woman, but I stil can’t believe you’re going through with it."

"Why not?"

"Getting married is so… permanent."

"That’s the strange part," he said. "That’s how I used to feel, but with Zoe I like the idea of permanent. Permanent sounds good. It’s all about meeting the right person, Ava."

She found her pen but bumped her head on the way up. "Ow!"

"You okay?"

"Fine." She rubbed the sore spot. "How can you be so sure Zoe’s the right one, Jon?"

"Because I’d rather die than live without her."

For once he wasn’t joking; he’d made that statement as if it was the irrefutable truth. But Ava couldn’t imagine feeling that strongly about anyone, least of all Geoffrey. He couldn’t make or break her day, let alone her life. And she considered her ambivalence to be a blessing. Marriage required so many compromises, so many sacrifices. And for what? Most ended in divorce, which screwed over any kids who were involved.