فصل 26

Chapter 26: The Same Three Questions

Ada County Jail Boise, Idaho

Julie Ridley stared back at her husband from behind the glass partition of the jail’s visiting room. Her usual meticulously styled blond hair was disheveled and slightly matted, and instead of a carefully accessorized outfit, she was wearing an orangish-red jumpsuit that hung formlessly on her frail frame. In just three days she had already lost almost five pounds, and her face looked pale and gaunt. Her eyes were puffy from lack of sleep. She didn’t have to sleep to have nightmares. She was living one.

The Boise police had arrested her as she’d walked from her car to her home. They had searched her, handcuffed her, and then driven her to jail while detectives and a forensic team combed over her car and residence. Their search bore fruit—they found a large quantity of drugs, and traces of her daughter’s blood.

It took two days for her arraignment and the judge to set bail. Because she was considered a flight risk, and in consideration of the quantity of drugs they had found in her possession, the bail was set high, at a quarter million dollars—almost enough to guarantee that she wouldn’t get out.

During her time in jail she had been kept mostly isolated and was interrogated repeatedly by detectives who asked the same three questions a thousand different ways: Where did you get the drugs? Where is your daughter? Why did you go to Mexico?

Today was the first visit she’d been allowed since her incarceration, and her husband, Charles, sat on the other side of the thick, bulletproof glass window of a visitation booth, holding a telephone. He also looked like he hadn’t slept in days. Over his career he had put more people in this jail than he could remember, but he had never expected to be visiting his wife here.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“I’m in jail, Chuck.”

“Dumb question,” he said. “Sorry.”

She didn’t respond.

“Julie, you’ve got to tell me what’s going on.” “I wish I could.”

“What’s stopping you? You’re going to have to talk sometime. Do you have any idea what kind of trouble you’re in?” “I know exactly what kind of trouble I’m in. More than you do.” “What does that mean?”

She just breathed out slowly. “It doesn’t matter.” “Yes, it matters!” Charles said. He leaned up to the glass. “Julie, you need to give me some answers, here. You owe me that.” Julie looked at him angrily. “I owe you?”

“I’m sorry. Please. I want to help.”

“What do you want to know?”

“To begin with, why were you in Mexico?”

She slowly shook her head. “I can’t tell you.” Charles groaned with frustration. He looked into her eyes. “Were you there to buy drugs?” Julie’s eyes narrowed. “We’ve been married for twenty-six years and you ask me if I’m a drug dealer? Who do you think I am?” “Honestly, these days, I don’t know, Julie. You tell me you’re going to Scottsdale, and then you secretly fly off to some stronghold for drug cartels in Mexico and then won’t tell me why. The police find a half million dollars of heroin in your car. . . .” His eyes welled up. “Then they find traces of Taylor’s blood. . . .” He raked a hand back through his hair. “I don’t know who you are anymore. I wish you would tell me.” “I wish I could,” she said. “But the less you know, the better.” “No, the less I know, the less I can do to help.” “You can’t help me, Chuck. No one can. They’re just using me. And after they get what they want, they’ll kill me.” “What are you talking about? No one’s going to kill you. Who do you think is using you?” “The people trying to get Taylor.”

“Taylor is gone, honey.”

Julie didn’t speak.

“You need to tell me something. Do you know where Taylor is?” She shook her head. “No.”

“Did you do something to her?”

Julie slammed her hand against the glass. “How dare you!” The police officer standing against the wall behind her yelled, “Control yourself, Ridley. Or I’ll terminate your visit.” “Sorry,” she said. She turned back and took a deep breath, then looked up at her husband. “How dare you ask me that?” “They found traces of her blood in your car. What am I supposed to think?” “You’re supposed to think that I love my daughter, because you know I do. You know her blood was planted.” “Planted by whom? Who would do this? Why would they do this?” “Bad people,” she said. “It’s a conspiracy.” Charles sighed. “Julie, when you say that, you sound . . .” “Crazy? Paranoid?”

“I didn’t say that.”

“But you almost did.” She breathed out. “Chuck, you know me. I’m not crazy. And I’m not lying to you. Have I ever lied to you before?” Charles was quiet for a moment, then said, “Not until now.” “You know I’ve been framed.”

“By whom? The same person who’s leaving drugs in your car?” “Yes.”

“Then tell me who they are. Give me something to go on here.” Julie just put her head against the glass. “I can’t. You wouldn’t believe me if I did.” “You’re telling me that someone just randomly picked some woman in Meridian, Idaho, to frame? Why would they willingly lose a half million dollars to frame you? It makes no sense.” Julie breathed out slowly in resignation, covering her eyes with her hands. “You’re right. It makes no sense. Nothing makes sense anymore.” Charles just stared at her for a moment, then said, “You need to start giving them some answers, or things aren’t going to go well for you. You could be in real trouble. We both could.” Julie slowly looked up at her husband. Her eyes were strong and cold. “My dear Charles, you have no idea what kind of trouble we’re really in.”