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“An independent resource center.”
“Resources for who?”
Cypher glanced up. “Ex-cons.”
Jekyll stilled, his blood shifting to ice. The last place that woman needed to be was around former inmates. At least in the prison there was some semblance of safety. On the outside, there isn’t.
Fuck!
He pulled out the folding chair near Cypher’s desk and sat, looking at the computer screen.
“So, she moves here out of state, works part-time making little cash, living in a shitty motel, and for what? Why the fuck would she leave her whole world behind to move to Lawry?”
Cypher held up his hands and shrugged. “I can tell you the where but not the why, Jek.”
He dragged his hand down his beard. “She got any ties in Lawry?”
Cypher looked down at the screen. “Still working on intel, but as far as I know right now” —he paused, glancing up— “No. Only child. Her mom died when she was really young. Looks like she lived with her dad for a little bit, but when she was about ten, her maternal grandparents became her guardians. Lived with them on a farm in the country. Went to college in state, and the summer after her first year, they died. One right after the other.”
Jekyll pushed up from the chair and paced around the room. He’d never given much thought to her childhood but had assumed it was cookie cutter. It turned out to be the opposite.
“Was she removed from her dad’s custody and sent to her grandparents?”
Cypher shook his head. “Not that I can see. He was a long-haul trucker. That’s not a great job for a single parent.”
“Yeah,” he muttered.
“Something I did find interesting. When her grandparents died, she was sole beneficiary of their estate. Wasn’t a crazy amount but left her in a really good position financially. And she kept the house for a few years.” Cypher clasped his hands, resting his elbows on the desk. “Imogene finished college and then worked as a teacher for a while. She didn’t sell her grandparents’ house until her father got charged. My guess? To cover the lawyers and his trial.”
“The motherfucker doesn’t even raise her, and she’s willing to throw her entire inheritance behind his defense?” His tone was raw, rage inching toward the surface.
“Looks like it. And it’s not just the money. She left teaching at the same time.” Cypher shrugged. “Then again, your dad’s got a murder charge hanging over him. She probably got a shit ton of backlash for that. Especially since she was his biggest advocate.”
He drew in a breath, circling the desk. It was hard to piece all of this together. But Jekyll was going to try. For some unexplainable reason, he had to know everything.
“He goes to trial, gets convicted, sentenced to life. End of fucking story.” Jekyll furrowed his brows. “So how the fuck did he even get a second trial?”
Cypher inhaled a breath and settled in his seat. “Happens all the time. There’s hundreds of reasons, most of them fucking stupid, that a conviction can be overturned and retried. For murder? It’s rare but not unheard of. I mean, you know not everyone inside deserves to be there.”
Yeah.
“From what I got, her dad was arrested, plead not guilty, tried, and convicted by a jury. Spent a few years inside maintaining his innocence. Then hooks up with some innocence project who looked over his case and allegedly found grounds for a new trial during the appeal. From what I see, the jury got it right the first time but I’m no lawyer.” Cypher sighed. “I only got the basics. You want more, I’m gonna need some time.”
What did it matter? He had no skin in this game.
“I want more.”
“You got it.” He stood and folded his arms. “Gonna be transparent here. I can keep this between you and I unless it becomes a problem for the club.”
Jekyll gave a curt nod. He’d never allow anything to put the club in danger. Though he couldn’t see that being an issue with Imogene. Aside from her father, which she had nothing to do with, her record and background were clean.
Chapter Six
Two days and she was still alive.
It’s a freaking miracle.
Imogene slowly walked out of her bedroom, shifting her gaze down the short hallway. She angled her head, peeking into the bathroom. She’d gotten a nightlight after the first incident. Even in the dark, she’d be able to make out his shadow in the soft glow. There was no movement, and she started to the living room. She stopped in the doorframe, scanning the room.
