After waiting for Wolfe and Webber to arrive, they searched Dr. Turner’s home and found nothing of interest. It seemed all his case files were held in the locked filing cabinet at the school and in his office in his home. The appointment book on his desk, did not make any references to any local patients for the entire year, although the number 124 was added to match the appointments at the school. Apart from the appointment book, they found zip, no trophies from the murders or pompoms. In fact, the doctor had made sure no trace of his daughter or wife remained. No photographs and Laurie’s bedroom was stripped bare, it was as if his wife and daughter had never existed.
As Jenna locked up the house, Wolfe’s phone buzzed and she stared at him. Emily would call if the DNA sequencer had pulled up a match. Heart pounding in expectation, she moved to his side as he disconnected. “Was that Emily with the results?”
“Yeah.” Wolfe turned to her with a puzzled expression. “I have good and surprising news. The DNA found on Turner’s ring is a match for Jeanette, but her cause of death was from a coronary. I’ll go over Emily’s findings but she knows her stuff and it isn’t unusual for someone fighting for their lives and suffering strangulation to have a heart attack.” He rubbed his chin. “It’s not unusual to find a different COD after we open them up and Em had concerns and ran a few tests. The blood samples indicate an increased level of troponin, which would back her diagnosis. It’s indicative of a heart attack.” He sighed. “She’s sending you the files now.”
Imagining the terror Jeanette Turner went through the moments before her death, Jenna nodded slowly. “I’ll go straight to the DA with our evidence and get an arrest warrant for Turner. We’ll officially charge him and then I guess I’d better call Sam Cross.” She looked at Kane. “I can’t see him getting Turner off with the evidence we have against him. The DNA is the clincher.”
“I’ll drop you at the office and go and speak to the DA.” Kane led the way to his truck. “Unless you want me to speak to Sam Cross?”
Jenna flung open the door to the Beast. “No, I don’t want him to think I’m afraid of him.” She patted Duke before buckling up. “He is a damn fine lawyer, which makes us more thorough, so although he’s a thorn in my side, it can’t be a bad thing.”
“Uh-huh.” Kane gave Wolfe a wave and headed back to town. “I still figure he’s an arrogant ass.”
An hour later, after Samuel J Cross had breezed into her office like a tornado, she waited with Kane and Jo outside interview room one. After discussing with Jo the possibility that Turner’s attitude toward women might lead to his downfall in an interview, Kane elected to remain outside. The discussion between client and lawy
er had concluded and Jenna led Jo into the room. Jenna turned on the recording devices and took a seat. After introducing themselves to record who was present at the interview, Jenna took the lead. “Dr. Turner, you have been read your rights. I would like to take you back to last night. Where were you between the hours of eight and ten?”
“At home, I had a session with one of my patients.” Turner leaned back in his seat with his small smug smile ever present. “It is a particularly difficult case and I needed more time, so I conducted the sessions at home.”
Jenna raised an eyebrow. “Without the consent of his parents?”
“My dear, you should really understand the way of things.” Turner rolled his eyes. “The parents of all the students sign a waiver that allows any student counseling if required. It’s something Black Rock Falls High School offers without charge.”
Although the receptionist at the school had said this was unusual, if she needed to use the evidence in court, she would follow up with the school to find out if they did actually pay for counseling outside of school hours and how frequently. Deep down, she sensed he was lying. “Okay.” Jenna pushed a photograph of Laurie’s 1950 red pickup across the table. “This is Laurie’s vehicle, or your pickup now, I believe?”
“Yes, it looks the same.” Turner frowned. “Why?”
“It’s a very distinctive vehicle and after checking the MVD files we found it is the only one of its kind in these parts. Can you account for it being parked across the road to Jeanette’s apartment on the night she died?”
“What proof do you have it was Dr. Turner’s pickup? The town is teaming with tourists from all over.” Sam Cross tipped back his Stetson. The untidy cowboy lawyer complete with ponytail was astute. “Do you have a photograph, CCTV footage, a license plate number, perhaps, or only the dubious account of someone who’d been out for a good time at the festival?”
Jenna met his gaze without hesitation. “The witness wasn’t intoxicated and we have a signed statement.”
“It’s not worth the paper it’s written on.” Cross smiled at her. “Do go on.”
Turning her attention back to Turner, Jenna kept her voice steady under Cross’s hawk-like stare. “After the discovery of the body, the medical examiner conducted a forensics sweep of the apartment and found your fingerprints.” She picked up a statement and waved it in front of him. “When we interviewed you after Laurie’s murder, you stated that you’d hadn’t seen your wife for over six years and you didn’t know where she lived. Is that correct?”
“Yes, at the time of the statement it was correct.” Turner smiled at her. “Not after the statement. I went to see my wife to comfort her after our daughter’s death.”
Anger rising, Jenna glared at the self-righteous man before her. “You told me you hated her for leaving you.”
“That’s hearsay, Sheriff and you know it.” Cross leaned back in his chair. “You’re two strikes down, let’s go for three, huh. I’d like to be home for dinner and the judge will only hold a bail hearing before five.”
Sure she could hit the home run, she took out a copy of the DNA report and slid it across the table to Sam Cross. “During Jeanette Turner’s autopsy, a mark consistent to a backhanded slap from a hand wearing a ring was detected. If you’ll look at the images? After executing a search warrant, Dr. Turner’s ring was swabbed for DNA evidence and tissue was detected. Subsequent DNA tests revealed a match for Jeanette Turner. Our evidence puts Dr. Turner at the crime scene at the time of the murder and the victim’s DNA was found on his ring. We have a strong case.”
“You don’t.” Turner gave her a smug smile. “I hit her all the time, that’s why she left me. That blood could have been there for six years. I take off the ring when I wash my hands. You have nothing. I was with a patient and it will take a court order for you to discover his name. If you do, he will confirm my whereabouts.”
“I think that’s strike three.” Sam Cross went to rise. “The judge is waiting for us for a bail hearing but you have nothing for the DA to take this to court.”
“We will be presenting more evidence as it comes to hand for his trial—and he will go to trial.” Jo’s voice sounded strong and confident. “DNA degrades after time and Dr. Wolfe will be able to verify if the blood sample was fresh. The DA will be more than willing to make a deal with the young person you have tried to hoodwink into protecting you. I’m sure with my report and Dr. Wolfe’s evidence, the DA will proceed.”
“Honestly, Sheriff, you need to come up with something better than that nonsense.” Turner spread his hands wide. “Only I know the names of the people who come to my sessions and the young man in question wouldn’t speak to you anyway. I’m not giving you his name and you don’t have enough evidence against me to obtain a court order to open my files.”
“The FBI have ways of finding people, Mr. Cross, and trust me my team doesn’t fail.” Jo’s lips flattened. “And as smart as you believe you are, Dr. Turner, you can’t fool me. Trust me many have tried but in the end I’m always right.”
Nodding in agreement, Jenna stood. “We will escort the prisoner to the hearing and I will be opposing bail.”
“Good luck with that.” Cross chuckled. “Dr. Turner is a pillar of the community and not a flight risk, Jenna. Why do you bother when you know you can’t win against me?”