Pregnant By The Mysterious Billionaire

The Simpson children; Caleb 7, Daphne 5, Brie 3 and Jason 1 were found strangled in their home in Cheviot Hills. Caleb on the kitchen floor amidst a shower of cereal, Daphne on the living room sofa her iPad still playing the YouTube video she’d been watching, Brie in her bedroom dragged from under her bed and Jason in his crib the wire used to strangle his siblings almost beheading him.

The pictures were too graphic for so early in the morning.

The husband, a Frank Simpson, had come home to find his children dead and his wife sitting by the pool, her feet dangling in the water, an ice tea in her hands.

Regina made a few notes till the clock struck nine and two women who could have been twins walked in. They were dressed immaculately, both had blue eyes and a shock of blonde hair they cut kept in a pixie cut.

“Hello,” the one in the blue dress said, “I’m Diana, Dakota’s sister.”

Regina shook hands with them and motioned them to take a seat. Dakota had a prettier face than Diana’s, her eyes slightly wider and her lips bigger. Dakota also had the thin scar running down her temple. A tribute from her husband who had struck her on the head with a baseball bat after he’d found his dead children.

“You must have read the case file,” Diana said.

“I have and I’m very curious about your insistence to plead not guilty,” Regina said.

“Well she didn’t do it,” Diana said matter-of-factly.

“Did you Ms. Simpson?” Regina asked Dakota.

“I’m not sure its Simpson anymore,” her smile was watery, diluted, as if viewed from the bottom of a pond. “Frank wants a divorce.”

“Naturally,” Diana said.

Regina didn’t say anything. She found if she stayed quiet long enough the client would spill their deepest darkest secrets. That’s what they came to her for, to reveal their worst so she could make it all go away.

“It’s true,” Dakota said finally, sighing deeply, “I didn’t do it.”

The door opened and Jeffry brought in coffee for Dakota and Diana.

“Did you tell the police that?” Regina asked.

“I did,” Dakota nodded.

“But they took no notice of that,” Diana interrupted. Regina found her screechy and unnecessary.

“Why is that Ms. Murray?” Regina asked.

“They needed a scape goat didn’t they?” Diana said throwing her hands in the air, “You can’t have an unsolved crime like this. Four children murdered in their home with no evidence of a break in. It’s just convenient to pin it on the mother than do any police investigation.”

It was clear to Regina that Diana had been watching far too many cop shows on TV.

“Ms. Murray,” Regina said in as calm a voice as she could. “They found no strange finger prints, no sign of a forced entry. The children were in various rooms doing ordinary things when they were murdered. Brie is the only one who showed any sign of struggle meaning Caleb and Daphne didn’t think the murderer was a threat; it was obviously someone they trusted with their safety.”

“She likes crayons,” Dakota chimed in and Regina found her bleak smile and her blue eyes disconcerting as if Dakota wasn’t really there at all.

“Indeed,” Regina said. “And you will not plead guilty?”

“That is out of the question!” Diana said.

“And how do you feel about that Mrs. Simpson?” Regina asked. Dakota looked at Regina as if she had just seen her for the first time.

“I didn’t kill them,” Dakota whimpered emphatically. “I didn’t want them either, but once they were there I didn’t kill them.”

Regina found the woman appalling but they came from a decent background and had enough money to spare to stretch this case for as long as they wanted to. James, Hudson and Colt would make a fine profit over the proceedings but Regina’s morality found it revolting. Regina sighed. She tapped the legal pad she was working on then got up.

“We’ll be honored to represent you Mrs. Simpson,” Regina said. Her hand felt physically repulsed when Dakota took her hand; cold and clammy, Dakota’s hand felt like dead flesh in Regina’s.