Snow fell softly on the roof of Detective Leighton Preston’s shabby Ford as he pulled up to a shabby one-story house on the outskirts of Albany.
The gray December Friday morning seemed even bleeer because of the yellow police tape fencing off a small lot with a snow-covered lawn and an old pickup truck in the driveway.
Preston turned off the engine and looked at the file folder lying on the passenger seat.
Duivere Taiisha, 29 years old, guard at Albany State Prison, found dead in her own home.
The detective sighed, pulled on his gloves, and stepped out into the falling snow.
The uniformed police officer on duty at the tape nodded to him, and lifted the fence.
Good morning, detective.
Forensics is already inside.
Preston nodded silently and headed toward the house.
Inside, it smelled damp and something sweet.
a mixture of cheap perfume and beginning decomposition.
A light was on in the small living room and Preston saw the medical examiner bent over a body on the floor.
“What do we have, Dr.
Monroe?” the detective asked, pulling on latex gloves.
The elderly me with the graying beard straightened up, stretching his back.
“Ha, Preston, female, approximately 28 to 30 years old.
Death occurred about 36 to 48 hours ago.
Preliminary cause is strangulation.
see these pecti eye in the eyes and the marks on the neck.
Preston crouched down next to the body.
Taiisha Duivere was lying on her back, her dark eyes wide open and finger marks clearly visible on her neck.
She was wearing her home clothes, gray sweatpants and a white t-shirt that had blood stains on it.
Did she fight back? Definitely.
Monroe nodded.
There are traces of skin under her fingernails which we’ve already analyzed.
There are two broken nails on her right hand.
She was fighting for her life.
Preston looked around the room.
A small coffee table was overturned.
A broken mug was on the floor.
The couch had been moved.
Everything pointed to a struggle.
Who found the body? The victim’s girlfriend said one of the CSIs taking pictures of the evidence.
Immani Brousard also works at Albany State says she got worried when Duivere didn’t show up for her shift and didn’t answer her cell phone two days in a row.
the fab.
Where is she now? In the kitchen with Officer Johnson.
Preston nodded and after taking one last look at the body, headed for the kitchen.
There, a tall, thin woman with short dreadlocks sat at the table, her face was swollen with tears, her hands trembling as she brought a paper cup of water to her lips.
Miss Brousard, I’m Detective Leighton Preston.
I’m sorry for your loss.
The woman looked up at him with reened eyes.
Thank you, Detective.
Ya.
I still can’t believe Tesa’s dead.
Preston sat down across from her.
I know this is hard for you, but I need to ask you a few questions.
When was the last time you saw Miss Duivere alive? Imani took a deep breath trying to collect herself.
Tuesday.
At the end of her shift, about 22 hours.
We left the prison together, talked for a while in the parking lot, and went home.
What did you talk about? Nothing much.
About work? about.
She stammered.
Lately, Tesa had been kind of distant.
She talked less, often looked tired or worried.
I’d ask if everything was okay, but she’d always say she just didn’t get enough sleep.
How long ago did you notice these changes? Emani frowned as if trying to remember.
Maybe about 3 months ago.
Yeah, around then.
At first, I thought she was just stressed out from work.
It’s always stressful in prison.
What prompted you to go to her house today? She didn’t show up for work on Wednesday and Thursday.
Didn’t return calls or texts.
That’s not like her at all.
Tata never missed a shift unannounced.
I called her mother, but she said she hadn’t seen Tesa in weeks, so I decided to come here.
The door was unlocked.
Emani’s voice trembled, and I found her just like that.
Preston made a note in his notebook.
Do you know if Miss Duivere had any problems, conflicts with someone at work or in her personal life? Perhaps shook her head.
Taiisha was a very private person.
We were friends, but even I didn’t always know what was on her mind.
Lately, she had become even more secretive.
Was she in a relationship with anyone? I don’t think so.
At least she never told me.
After she broke up with her ex-boyfriend a year ago, she hasn’t dated anyone to my knowledge.
Preston noticed a second hesitation in Ammani’s voice.
You’re not sure? Ammani shrugged her shoulders.
Like I said, she’s changed in recent months.
Could have started seeing someone without telling me.
That would be weird, though.
We used to share things like that.
Preston asked a few more routine questions before thanking Ammani and returning to the living room where the forensics team was finishing up their work.
Did you find anything interesting? He asked the team leader.
Nothing much so far.
No signs of forced entry.
Looks like the victim let the killer in.
There’s a little mess in the bedroom, but it’s unclear if it’s related to the murder or just domestic.
This could be interesting.
He handed Preston a plastic bag with a piece of paper inside.
Found it in the trash can in the bathroom.
Preston took the bag.
Inside was a crumpled form from a medical lab.
A pregnancy test.
The detective frowned looking at the document.
Positive.
And the date? 2 weeks ago.
And one more thing.
The CSI held out a second bag.
found this in the nightstand by the bed.
Inside was a bottle of pills, anti-retroviral drugs used to treat HIV infection.
Interesting, Preston muttered.
Was she HIV positive or was she taking them prophylactically? We don’t know that, but the prescription was written only a month ago.
Preston tapped his fingers thoughtfully on the bag.
All right, finish up here.
I’m going to Albany State Prison.
Looks like I’ve got a lot to find out about Tesa Deiver’s life.
An hour later, Preston was already parked outside the gray concrete building of Albany State Prison.
The massive walls, barbed wire, and guard towers created an oppressive impression even on a snowy winter day.
After the standard screening and badge process, the detective was ushered into the warden’s office.
Codell Gaines was a large man with graying shortcropped hair and a heavy assessing gaze.
He shook Preston’s hand firmly, but without warmth.
Detective Preston, I presume, have a seat.
A terrible tragedy with Duivere.
She was a good employee.
How long had she worked at Albany State? Preston asked, pulling out a notebook.
A little over 3 years.
She came to us right out of college.
Quiet, efficient, no complaints.
At least not until recently.
Preston looked up from the notebook.
What’s changed lately? Gaines leaned back in his chair, interlocking his fingers on his stomach.
A few tardies, a couple of missed shifts without a good reason.
Nothing serious, but it was out of character for her.
I was going to talk to her about it soon.
Have you noticed any changes in her behavior? I don’t interact with rank and file guards that often, detective, but yes, she seemed more tense, less focused.
You know, in our line of work, that can be dangerous.
Preston nodded.
I’ll need to talk to her co-workers and take a look at her workspace.
Of course, I’ve already arranged for you to be given full access.
Officer Marcus will escort you out and help you with whatever you need.
Gaines pressed a button on his cell phone and summoned an assistant.
Detective, I hope this investigation isn’t uh let’s just say it won’t damage the reputation of our institution.
Preston looked at the warden carefully.
My job is to find Tesa Diver’s killer.
Everything else interests me only in the context of the investigation.
Gaines tensed faintly but nodded.
Of course, we are cooperating fully with the police.
Accompanied by Officer Marcus, Preston examined Tesa’s locker in the staff locker room.
Nothing of note, just a change of uniform, a few personal items, and a photograph with an older woman, probably her mother.
The detective then spent several hours interviewing Tesa’s co-workers.
Most had the same impression of her.
Quiet, kept to herself, did her job without talking too much.
No one had noticed anything unusual about her except a certain reticence in recent months.
It was like she was always worried about something, said one of the guards, a middle-aged man named Dwayne.
Sometimes I’d see her talking to herself or standing there staring at one point, you know, like a person who can’t make a decision.
Do you have any idea which of the prisoners she had the most contact with? Preston asked.
Dwayne shrugged.
In block B, she was on duty a lot, but it’s a regular assignment.
Nothing special.
By the end of the day, Preston didn’t feel much closer to a clue than he had in the morning.
He’d looked over Taiisha’s duty schedule for the last 6 months, trying to find any patterns, but nothing caught his eye.
As he was about to leave, the detective noticed a young woman in a security guard’s uniform smoking nervously at the service entrance.
She seemed agitated and kept looking around.
Officer Preston addressed her, showing his badge.
Can I ask you a few questions about Tisha Duivere? The woman flinched and quickly put out her cigarette.
Yep.
I already talked to the police today.
I’m Detective Preston in charge of the investigation.
Don’t worry, it’s just routine.
He tried to speak calmly, noticing the woman’s obvious nervousness.
What’s your name? Latoya.
Latoya Carter, she answered reluctantly, adjusting her uniform jacket.
Did you know Tesa well? Not really.
We worked different shifts most of the time.
But Preston sensed there was something she wasn’t telling him.
Latoya shifted from foot to foot, clearly hesitant.
Look, I don’t want to accuse anyone or spread rumors.
Miss Carter, if you know anything about the circumstances of Taiisha’s death, you have an obligation to report it.
The woman took a deep breath.
I saw her with one of the prisoners in a situation that went beyond the normal interactions between guard and prisoner.
Preston tensed, “What exactly did you see?” It was about 2 months ago.
I was coming back from the restroom at the end of my shift and I walked past the storage room.
The door was a jar and I saw Tesa with Jiren Tally.
Who’s Jiren Thally? Inmate from cellb block B.
He’s in for armed robbery.
Pretty well-known figure among the inmates.
Smart, charming.
A lot of the guards find him attractive, but uh she stopped talking.
But what? Preston nudged her.
He’s HIV positive.
Everyone knows that.
The detective felt the pieces of the puzzle begin to fit together.
What exactly did you see in that room? Latoya lowered her eyes.
They were kissing and it wasn’t the first time judging by their behavior.
I left quickly.
They didn’t see me.
Did you report it to your superiors? No.
Latoya shook her head.
I was going to talk to Taiisha personally, but I kept putting it off.
And then I didn’t want to ruin her life, you know, but now I wish I hadn’t.
Maybe if I’d said something sooner.
You couldn’t have known this would happen.
Preston reassured her.
Could anyone else have known about their relationship? I’m not sure.
Maybe Ammani.
She and Taiisha were close.
Although, uh, you know, now that I think about it, they’ve been less in touch lately.
I’ve noticed some tension between them.
Preston made a note in his notebook.
Miss Carter, I’m going to need to take a formal statement from you, and I need to talk to this Jiren Tally.
Don’t tell me the information is from me, Latoya said nervously.
They don’t like snitches around here, prisoners or guards.
Don’t worry, I’ll be careful, Preston assured her.
Thank you for your cander.
When Latoya left, the detective remained standing at the service entrance, watching the snowflakes slowly fall to the ground.
So, Tesa had a relationship with an inmate who was HIV positive.
She got pregnant and probably found out about his status, started taking anti-retrovirals, and now she’s dead.
Too many coincidences for this to be a coincidence.
Preston headed back to the prison building.
He needed to talk to Jiren Tally and checked the security tapes, but already he felt he’d picked up the first thread leading to a clue.
One of the officers caught up with him in the hallway.
Detective Preston, you got a call from the precinct.
Said they just got an anonymous tip.
Somebody claims Duivere was having intimate relations with an inmate.
Preston nodded.
Yeah, I already know that.
I need to talk to an inmate named Jiren Tally, and I want to see all the surveillance footage from the last 3 months.
The officer was visibly nervous.
Uh, about the cameras.
There might be a problem.
We’ve had technical problems with the surveillance system.
Some of the footage may not have survived.
Preston gave the officer a hard look.
Trouble, huh? Well, let’s see what’s left.
Now, take me to Tally.
Saturday morning greeted Leighton Preston with a piercing cold.
The snow had stopped, but the frosty air burned his lungs.
The detective lifted the collar of his coat and quickened his step, heading toward the administration building of the Albany State Prison.
He hadn’t been able to talk to Jiren Tally the day before.
The prisoner had been on mandatory labor, and then it was time to break.
Warden Gaines had insisted that the regime be observed, and Preston had to postpone the interrogation until the morning.
But he’d had time to request access to the surveillance tapes from the last 3 months, and now he was on his way to review them.
Good morning, detective.
The officer greeted him at the entrance.
They’re already waiting for you in the surveillance room.
Preston nodded and followed his escort down the long corridors of the prison.
In the room with the monitors, he was met by a technician, a short, nervous man with balding hair.
“Good morning.
I’m Clyde Harris, in charge of the video surveillance system.
” He introduced himself, holding out a moist palm.
I was told you wanted to see the footage.
Yes, I’m interested in the last 3 months, especially the places where Duivere’s guard and Tally’s prisoner might have crossed paths.
Harris hesitated.
You see, detective, we’re having some uh technical problems with the data archiving.
You mentioned these technical problems to me yesterday.
What exactly happened? The tech rubbed his hands together nervously.
About 2 months ago, there was a glitch in the data storage system.
We lost some of the recordings.
The cameras in block B and the surrounding areas were particularly affected.
How convenient, Preston said dryly.
And there are no backups.
Of course, there are, but Harris lowered his eyes.
Backups were affected, too.
Preston gave the technician a hard look.
Mr.
Harris, do you understand that there is a murder investigation going on right now? Withholding or destroying evidence is a serious offense.
I never would, Harris exclaimed.
I swear it really was a technical glitch.
Here, see for yourself.
He showed Preston the system error log.
Indeed, there had been a massive failure 2 months ago.
Although, of course, logs like that can be faked.
All right, show me what you’ve got.
Preston spent the next 3 hours going through the available logs.
Taiisha Duivere appeared on them regularly, performing her duties, going around the cells, chatting with co-workers.
Nothing out of the ordinary.
Jiren Thally had also appeared on various tapes in the mess hall on a walk during work.
A tall, well-built man with confident movements and a calm gaze.
But the most interesting thing Preston noticed was watching the footage from the cameras in the hallways.
Several of them showed Taiisha and Jeron in the frame at the same time.
And though everything looked decent on the surface, the detective, who had 15 years of experience, could easily read the underlying tension between the two of them.
A special look, a barely perceptible touch when handing over documents, an extra second of delay at the prisoner’s cell.
Where are the tapes from the cameras in the storage rooms? Preston asked.
I’m particularly interested in the warehouse in block B.
They’re almost non-existent, Harris replied.
Those cameras were the first to go down when the system malfunctioned.
When was the system restored? About a month ago.
But some of the cameras are still malfunctioning.
Preston’s leaning back in his chair.
I want all the footage of Duivere and Tally copied to an external drive.
And I want to talk to the system administrator who handled the data recovery after the crash.
He’s on vacation, Harris answered quickly.
He’s in Georgia for the holidays with relatives.
Then have him call me on the phone.
Preston held out his business card.
Later today, leaving the technician to copy the notes, the detective headed to BB block to meet with Jiren Tally.
On the way, he pondered the oddities with the security cameras.
An all too convenient glitch affecting the exact areas where Taiisha and Jiren could meet.
It looked like someone was helping to cover up their relationship.
In the interrogation room, Jiren Tally looked calm and collected.
He sat with his handcuffed hands on the table and watched the incoming detective with interest.
Mr.
Tally, I’m Detective Leighton Preston.
I’m investigating the murder of Tesa Duivere.
The prisoner’s face remained impassive.
Heard about it? It’s a sad story.
Did you know Miss Duivere well? Jiren shrugged.
Like any prisoner knows a guard.
She worked in our cell block.
Strict but fair.
Not the type to pick on prisoners just because she can.
Just a working relationship, then? Preston watched Tally’s reaction carefully.
Exactly.
The prisoner nodded, meeting the detective’s gaze without hesitation.
That’s odd.
I have a witness who saw you and Duivere in a situation that goes far beyond a working relationship.
Jiren tensed slightly, but his voice remained calm.
Your witness is mistaken or lying.
Are the security cameras lying, too? Preston was bluffing.
If you had footage that showed something reprehensible, you wouldn’t be trying to get a confession out of me, detective.
Tally smiled.
You’d be charging me with accessory after the fact.
Preston noted to himself that the prisoner was not only handsome, but smart, a dangerous combination.
Mr.
Tally, Taiisha Duivere was pregnant at the time of her death.
We have the test results.
That statement finally broke Jiren’s composure.
His eyes widened and his fingers clenched into fists.
“What?” and she started taking anti-retrovirals.
Preston continued.
“Apparently, she found out about your HIV status.
” Jiren lowered his eyes and was silent for a long moment.
When he looked up again, his gaze was a mixture of sadness and determination.
I didn’t kill Taiisha.
I loved her.
So, you admit you were in a relationship.
What difference does it make now? She’s dead, Tally said bitterly.
Yes, we had a relationship.
It started about 6 months ago.
First, it was just talk, then more.
Did she know about your status? Jiren nodded.
From the very beginning, I told her back when we first started getting close, she said it wasn’t a problem that there were defenses, medications.
He stopped talking, catching his breath.
Taiisha was special.
She saw me as a person, not just a prisoner or a walking threat because of the virus.
When was the last time you saw her? Tuesday.
She was on shift in our cell block.
We met briefly in an empty hallway while the other guards were busy.
She was weird, nervous.
Did she tell you about the pregnancy? Jiren shook his head.
No, nothing like that.
I thought she was just afraid we’d be found out.
She’d been very tense the last few weeks.
Did anyone know about your relationship? We’ve been very discreet.
But Tally hesitated.
I’m pretty sure that guard Imani suspected something.
She often looked at Taiisha strangely when she was around me and once I heard them arguing in the hallway.
Taiisha said afterward that she was fine, but she looked upset.
Preston made a note in his notebook.
Am I Bro was popping up again in his investigation.
How did you manage to date when there are cameras everywhere in the prison? Jiren smiled slightly.
Detective, there are blind spots in any system, especially if you know how to find them.
And someone helped you find those blind spots.
I’m not going to set anybody up.
I’ve got 8 years left on my sentence.
If you don’t help the investigation, Mr.
Tally, I could consider it accessory to murder.
Jiren tensed up.
I didn’t kill Tata.
I loved her.
We were planning a future.
She wanted to wait for my release.
said she’d find another job away from prison to avoid scandal.
His voice trembled.
Whoever did this to her, I want him to answer.
Preston studied the prisoner’s face.
Jiren seemed sincere in his grief.
Of course, he could have been a good actor, but the detective was inclined to believe the man was telling the truth.
“What can you tell me about Brousar?” Jiren frowned.
She and Tesa had been close, longtime friends even before working here.
But something had changed recently.
Tesa said that Ammani had become too possessive, always wanting to know where Taiisha was, who she was with, why she was late.
Did Tesa think Ammani knew about your relationship? She was afraid of it, but she wasn’t sure.
Said Emani would never forgive her for being involved with a prisoner.
They even stopped having lunch together, even though they’d been inseparable before.
After the interview was over, Preston went to the police station where the autopsy and toxicology results awaited him.
The pathologist confirmed that Taiisha was in the early stages of pregnancy, about 6 weeks pregnant.
The tests also showed the presence of anti-retroviral drugs in her system, which supported the theory that she was linked to the HIV positive Jiren.
Preston requested call details from Tesa’s cell phone.
Looking through the list, he noticed frequent calls to the same number in recent months.
The number belonged to Immani Brousard.
But what caught the detectives attention was the sharp drop in calls in recent weeks.
Whereas the friends used to call each other almost daily.
In the last month, there were only three short calls.
Even more interesting were the duty schedules.
Reviewing them, Preston discovered a pattern.
Immani often switched shifts with Tesa, especially when she was supposed to be on duty in block B.
But after checking the shift logs, it turned out that such substitutions had not been formalized.
Immani would just take Taiisha’s place and Taiisha would show up at a different time.
They were covering for each other, Preston muttered as he studied the paperwork.
But why would Ammani help Tesa date a prisoner if, according to Jiren, she was against their relationship? To sort out the contradiction, the detective decided to talk to Ammani Brousard again.
He found her at home in a small apartment in a high-rise building not far from the prison.
Detective Preston? She was surprised when she opened the door.
Is something wrong? I have some new questions, Miss Brousard.
May I come in? Immani reluctantly stepped aside, allowing the detective into the apartment.
The small living room was neat and tidy.
Photographs hung on the walls, many of them depicting Ammani with Tesa, smiling, young women embracing each other.
“You often substituted for Tesa on duty in block B.
” Preston said, “There was no official record of these substitutions.
Why?” Immani tensed.
Sometimes it’s easier, less paperwork, but it’s a violation of prison rules and you both risked your jobs.
There had to be a good reason.
Tesa asked me said she had some personal business to take care of.
I helped because we were friends.
Did you know she was having an affair with the prisoner Jiren Thally? Immani turned sharply pale and sank to the couch.
What? Don’t pretend, Miss Brousard.
Jaron has already admitted to their relationship and said you probably knew.
Yeah, I suspected.
Ammani said quietly.
I saw the way she looked at him, the way they energized by each other when they were near each other, but I wasn’t sure until she hesitated.
Until what? Until the day I found messages on her phone.
Tesa had left it on the table in the break room and it rang.
I wanted to give it to her, but I saw the notification.
It was from an unknown number, but I knew it was from him.
What was in the message? Something like, “Miss you.
See you at our place tonight.
” And she replied, “I miss you, too.
I will.
” I knew right away.
And when she came back, I asked her directly.
What did she say? At first, she denied it.
Then, when I showed her the messages, she admitted it.
She said she loved him, that he wasn’t what everyone thought he was.
Immani grinned bitterly.
Typical story.
A woman falls in love with a criminal thinking she can fix him.
And you continued to cover for her after that.
Emani looked away.
I hoped it would pass, that she would come to her senses.
I tried to convince her that she was risking everything, her job, her reputation, her health.
I mean, he’s HIV positive, but she wouldn’t listen.
She said they were being careful that she was taking prophylactics.
And when did she find out she was pregnant? Ammani flinched.
What? Taiisha was pregnant? Yes.
About 6 weeks at the time of her death.
You didn’t know? No.
Immani shook her head and her voice trembled.
My god, she didn’t tell me.
She must have been afraid of my reaction.
Or didn’t trust you.
Preston suggested.
You haven’t talked much lately.
Why? We had a fight.
I told her I couldn’t cover for her anymore, that she was ruining her life.
She accused me of not understanding what true love was.
Ammani fell silent, looking at the picture of her and Taiisha laughing with their arms around each other.
Maybe she was right.
Preston watched Amani carefully.
She seemed genuinely shocked by the news of the pregnancy, but something in her demeanor still alarmed the detective.
Miss Brousard, where were you Monday night and Tuesday morning? What? She looked at him in surprise.
Do you think I That’s ridiculous.
I was at home alone.
Can anyone confirm that? No, but uh look, I loved Tesa.
She was my best friend, almost a sister.
Even if we had a fight, I would never hurt her.
Preston nodded, not commenting on her words.
Thank you for your cooperation, Miss Brousard.
I may have more questions.
When the detective returned to the jail, he was summoned to his office by warden Gaines.
The man looked concerned and annoyed.
Detective, it’s come to my attention that you’ve unearthed some story about an affair between Duivere and inmate Tally.
Is that true? The investigation is ongoing, Mr.
Gaines.
I can’t comment on the details.
Look, Gaines lowered his voice.
If this story gets out, the prison’s reputation will take a serious hit.
We’ve never had a scandal like this before.
Maybe we could uh focus on other leads.
Domestic dispute, robbery.
Preston looked coldly at the warden.
Mr.
Gaines, I’m investigating a murder and I will follow where the evidence leads, no matter what damage it does to your institution’s reputation.
Gaines sighed.
I understand.
Just think of the consequences.
Stories like this get too much media attention.
There’s scrutiny, investigations.
It’s not good for anyone.
Taiisha Duivere is certainly not going to be better off, Preston said stiffly.
I’ll do my job, Mr.
Gaines.
I suggest you stay out of my way.
The detective left the chief’s office and headed for BB block to take another look at the places where Tesa and Jiren might have met.
One of the guards caught up with him in the hallway.
Detective, uh, hold on.
I think you should see this.
The guard led Preston into a maintenance room next to the warehouse.
We were doing a routine inspection and found this.
He pointed to a small space behind the heating pipes.
Someone had hidden a cell phone.
Preston put on gloves and carefully removed the smartphone from the hiding place.
Was it on? No, the battery’s dead, but there’s no password on it.
We checked.
There’s correspondence with some outside number.
It looks like the same phone that was used to communicate.
The detective nodded, examining the find.
Nice work.
I’m taking this as evidence.
I’ll need to check the number in the messages.
Back at the station, technicians quickly recovered the data from the phone.
As expected, it contained correspondence between Tesa and Jiren.
Hundreds of messages over the last 6 months.
A love story that started with cautious phrases and gradually evolved into frank confessions.
But what really caught Preston’s attention were the latest messages dated the day Tesa was killed.
We need to have a serious talk.
I’m pregnant and I’m scared.
I’ll be with you no matter what happens.
I love you.
Immani suspects something.
She’s asking too many questions.
I’m afraid she might tell Gaines.
Don’t worry about her.
We’ll talk tonight.
I’ll expect you home at 8.
Preston reread the last message.
It hadn’t been sent from Jiren’s number, but from an unknown number.
And the time, 8:00 Tuesday night, matched the estimated time of the murder.
Sunday morning was surprisingly clear.
The sun reflected in a blanket of snow, turning the world outside the window into a glowing white canvas.
Leighton Preston stood at the window of his apartment, clutching his coffee cup and pondering the Taiisha Duivere case.
Something was bugging him, some detail escaping his attention.
The phone found in the prison had given the investigation a new impetus.
Technicians continued to analyze its contents, trying to determine who owned the unknown number from which the last message had been sent.
but so far to no avail.
The phone turned out to be a disposable one purchased with cash.
Setting his cup aside, Preston picked up a folder of documents.
Among them was a print out of all correspondence between Tesa and Jiren.
Reading their messages, the detective could feel the story of true love, forbidden, dangerous, but sincere, emerging behind the lines.
What caught his attention were messages dated about a month earlier.
Taiisha wrote, “I can’t work like this anymore.
Gaines and his buddies think they can get away with it.
I have to tell someone.
” Jiren replied, “Be careful.
These people are dangerous.
Wait until you have all the evidence.
” What kind of corruption could Tesa know about? And who are Gain’s buddies? Preston decided to visit Tesa’s mother.
Perhaps her daughter shared her worries with her.
Shirley Duivere lived in a neat little house on the other side of town.
The old woman bore her grief with dignity, but there were deep shadows under her eyes, and her hands clutching her teacup trembled slightly.
“Taiisha has been so secretive lately,” she said, looking at the photograph of her daughter on the mantelpiece.
“We used to talk about everything, but for the last 6 months, it’s like she’s been distant.
I thought maybe she’d gotten someone, a man, but she never said anything.
” “Did she ever mention any problems at work?” Preston asked.
maybe complained about her bosses.
Shirley hesitated.
Not that she complained, but she did say she was going to quit.
Said she couldn’t be part of the system anymore.
I asked her what happened, but she said she’d tell me later when it was resolved.
When was this? About 2 weeks before.
The woman couldn’t say the word murder before it happened.
She seemed very determined.
Had she ever mentioned the name Jarn Tally? Shirley shook her head.
No, never.
But she rarely spoke of prisoners by name.
It was just a job to her.
What about Immani Broer? Were they close? The older woman’s face brightened.
Oh, Imani.
Of course they were.
They’d been friends since high school.
Such a nice girl.
Always taking care of Taiisha.
Lately, she’s been calling me a lot, asking about Taiisha.
Worrying.
Said Taiisha was acting strange, but wouldn’t tell me what was wrong.
Did you notice any tension between them? Well, Shirley frowned.
Maybe at my birthday party a month or two ago, they both showed up but barely spoke to each other.
I thought at the time that they were fighting about something.
That happens between friends sometimes.
After talking to Tesa’s mother, Preston decided to meet with Jiren Tally again.
This time, the prisoner looked more drained and tired.
Mr.
Tally, the detective began.
I’ve read your correspondence with Tesa.
Jiren sighed.
I figured you’d find the phone.
We tried to be careful, but he spread his hands.
Your reports have mentioned some kind of corruption in the prison.
What do you know about that? The prisoner looked around as if to see if anyone was listening.
Look, detective, this is a dangerous subject, especially for someone behind bars.
I can provide you with protection if your information can help find Taiisha’s killer.
Jiren was silent for a long time, weighing the risks, then leaned closer.
About 3 months ago, Taiisha started noticing strange things.
Officers carrying packages into the prison without inspection.
Frequent visits by people to gains after official hours.
Transmissions between guards and some inmates.
Uh, drugs.
Yeah.
And more.
Money, privileges, information.
Gains built a whole system.
Some guards participate, others turn a blind eye.
Tesa discovered it by accident and started collecting evidence.
What kind of evidence? She wrote down dates, names, noticed patterns in the shipments.
Once she even photographed a money transfer between a guard and some outside person in a parking lot.
She was going to go to the Department of Corrections, but she wanted hard evidence.
Did Gaines know she suspected something? Tesa thought she didn’t, but the last few weeks she’d been getting nervous.
Said she felt followed.
And then Jiren stopped talking, clenching his fists.
Then what happened? She found out she was pregnant.
She panicked.
She was afraid it would interfere with her investigation, that she’d be fired if they found out.
And then he lowered his eyes.
She was afraid for the baby because of my HIV status.
Even though the doctors told her that with proper treatment, the risk of transmission to the baby was minimal.
So, she decided to quit.
Yes, she wanted to provide all the evidence first, then quit and leave.
We planned that she would wait for my release.
I should be out in 8 years, but with parole, it could be sooner.
Jiren grinned bitterly.
Sounds naive, doesn’t it? But we really believed we could have a future.
Preston tapped his pencil thoughtfully on his notebook.
Where did Taiisha keep the evidence she’d collected? I’m not sure.
She said she hid it somewhere safe.
Probably in her home or someone she trusted.
Immani.
Jiren shook his head.
It was unlikely.
She hadn’t trusted Ammani lately.
Said she was too nosy and asked uncomfortable questions.
Leaving the prison, Preston headed back to Taiishi’s house.
The forensics team had already finished their work and the sealed tape had been removed.
The detective once again thoroughly searched each room, looking for a possible stash of evidence.
In the bedroom, examining a bookshelf, he noticed a tattered book of poetry.
A flash drive was tucked between the pages.
Preston’s heart beat faster.
He immediately went to the station to check the contents of the find.
The flash drive was exactly what Jiren had said it was.
photos, notes, lists of names, and dates.
Taiisha methodically documented all the suspicious activity.
Some of the pictures showed Gaines himself handing an envelope to an unknown man.
Others showed guards carrying packages into the prison and handing them to specific inmates.
And most interestingly, among the guards involved was Ammani Brousard.
Preston immediately requested a search warrant for Ammani’s apartment.
While he waited for it to be issued, he decided to doublech checkck the suspect’s alibi for the night of the murder.
After interviewing Ammani’s neighbors, he discovered that her car was missing from its usual parking spot that evening.
One neighbor even recalled seeing her return late that evening around 23:00, about an hour after the alleged time of the murder.
With a warrant in hand, Preston and two police officers arrived at Ammani’s apartment.
She looked frightened but tried to remain calm.
Detective, what’s going on? We have a warrant to search your apartment, Miss Broar, Preston replied, holding out the document.
Please stay here with Officer Marty while we conduct the search.
Emani turned pale but nodded, sinking down onto the couch.
The search took about 2 hours.
In the bedroom, under the mattress, the officers found an envelope with $5,000 in cash.
In the closet, a box of expensive men’s watches and a gold ring.
And in a desk drawer was a diary.
Preston opened it carefully and began to read.
The first pages were filled with ordinary entries about everyday life.
But the further in, the more disturbing the tone became.
Emani wrote about her feelings for Taiisha first as a best friend, then increasingly obsessively with notes of possessiveness and jealousy.
She doesn’t even notice me looking at her.
10 years I’ve been around.
10 years of love she doesn’t see.
Today she was talking again about that guy she dated in college.
How can she not realize that I would give her so much more love than any man? Something’s going on.
Tesa is getting distant.
She has someone.
I can feel it.
She’s never been good at lying to me.
The last entries were filled with anger and pain.
It’s horrible.
She got involved with a prisoner with Tally.
How could she fall so low? He’s a criminal and a carrier of HIV.
She’s risking everything.
Her career, her reputation, her health for what? I’ve tried to talk some sense into her, but she won’t listen.
She says she loves him.
Loves him.
And 10 years of my devotion means nothing.
Today, I saw them looking at each other in the hallway.
There was something in her eyes that I’ve never seen her look at me before.
I can’t stand it.
The last entry was dated the day of the murder.
She’s pregnant.
Pregnant by him.
When I happened to see the test results in her bag, I thought the world had collapsed.
It was over.
She would never be mine.
We’ll never see how much I love her.
I can’t go on living like this.
Preston closed the journal and looked at Ammani, who was sitting on the couch with her head down.
Miss Broard, I’m arresting you on suspicion of the murder of Tesa Duivere.
Immani raised her eyes full of tears.
You found the diary, didn’t you? she asked quietly.
I had to get rid of it.
In the interrogation room, Immani looked devastated.
It was as if all her strength had left her, leaving only a shell.
“I loved her,” she said, staring at the wall behind Preston.
“All my conscious life, I met her in sixth grade.
She protected me from bullies, became my guardian angel, and then then I realized that my feelings for her went much deeper than just friendship.
But you never told her that?” Preston asked.
“I tried once, 3 years ago.
We were at a party.
We’d been drinking.
I plucked up the courage to come clean.
She uh she was very kind.
Said she loved me like a sister, but not in a romantic way.
That nothing would change between us.
” Immani grinned bitterly.
And nothing did change.
We remained best friends.
I swallowed my pain and pretended everything was fine.
I hoped that one day she’d see me in a different light.
But then Jiren Tally showed up.
Yeah.
At first, I didn’t know what was going on.
I just saw that she was different.
She became distant, secretive, often asked me to cover her shift in cell block B.
I did it without asking questions.
And then uh then I saw the way they looked at each other and I knew.
What happened that night, Imani? She took a deep breath as if gathering her strength.
I found out she was pregnant.
I saw the test results in her bag when we were in the locker room.
I couldn’t believe she was so reckless.
I mean, Tally’s HIV positive.
I tried to talk to her, but she waved it off saying she had it under control.
Ammani clenched her fists.
And then I found out she was going to quit to go away with him when he was free.
build a family with this criminal while I sacrificed everything for her, covering for her, risking my career, participating in Gain’s corruption schemes to have extra money for us.
Did Tesa know about your involvement in Gaines schemes? She had a hunch, but she didn’t know for sure.
Not until she started her little investigation.
Immani shook her head.
She’d been so naive.
Thought she could expose a system that had been in place for years.
Gaines found out she was digging for him.
He ordered me to find out what she knew.
And you went to her house that night? Yeah.
I used Tally’s cell phone to text her.
We sometimes exchanged messages with him.
I’d pass on information from Tasa when she needed it.
I had access to his phone.
Immani swallowed.
I went to her house.
We started talking.
I begged her to come to her senses not to ruin her life.
I told her that Tally would never give her what a man who truly loved her could give her.
you,” Preston clarified.
“Yes, I asked her to get together, said I’d help with the baby, that we could be a family.
” Immani covered her face with her hands.
She laughed, said I was crazy, that she would never look at me the way she looked at Jiren, that I should finally accept it and live my life.
And you couldn’t take it.
I don’t remember exactly what happened next.
Some kind of haze over my eyes.
We were yelling at each other.
She pushed me away.
I grabbed her.
Her shoulders first, then her neck.
Her neck.
I wanted her to just stop talking, to stop saying those horrible things.
And then then she stopped resisting.
Ammani looked up at the detective.
There were tears in her eyes, but her voice was steady.
I didn’t want to kill her.
I just couldn’t bear the thought of her being with him, that she’d have his baby, that they would have what we could never have.
She was quiet.
You know what the worst part was? When I realized she was dead, I felt relieved, like I was finally free of the pain that had plagued me for years.
Preston stared at the woman in front of him in silence.
Immani looked small and lost, but there was humility in her eyes.
She was no longer running from the truth.
I’m ready to sign the confession, she said quietly.
I have nothing more to lose.
A week after Immani Broard’s arrest, Detective Leighton Preston stood in the cemetery watching the funeral of Tesa Duivere.
Family, friends, co-workers all gathered to see the young woman off on her final journey.
He spotted Jiren Tally among those present.
The prisoner had been allowed to attend the funeral under escort.
The Tata case led to a massive corruption investigation at Albany State Prison.
Warden Gaines and several guards were arrested.
The evidence Tisha gathered proved crucial to the prosecution.
As the ceremony ended and people began to disperse, Preston approached Jiren.
“I’m sorry for your loss,” the detective said sincerely.
The prisoner nodded, looking at the fresh grave.
“You know, detective, sometimes love brings not only happiness, but pain.
Sometimes it destroys lives.
” “It wasn’t love that killed Tesa,” Preston replied.
“It was obsession.
Immani didn’t truly love her.
True love doesn’t seek to possess.
It seeks to give freedom.
Perhaps you are right.
Jiren was silent for a moment.
What will happen to the child? I mean the memory of it.
The death report will state that Taiisha was pregnant.
Your name won’t appear anywhere official, but everyone who knew you both will know the truth.
Jiren nodded.
Thank you for solving this case, detective, and for not letting her death go unpunished.
As Jiren was led away by his escort, Preston remained standing by the grave.
He thought about the tragic story he’d witnessed, of a woman who had looked for love and found it in the most unexpected place, of another woman who never got to let go of her obsession, about a child who was never meant to be born.
The snow began to fall again, covering the cemetery with a white blanket.
Preston lifted the collar of his coat and headed for the car.
