could never have committed, even in her wildest dreams.
‘Was the murder pre-meditated?’
Brandy flushed with embarrassment and Aiden realised that she had not fully understood his question. ‘Was it planned out?’
‘Yes and no.’
‘Can you be more clear, please.’
‘Well, I knew it had to be done, I just didn’t know when until the opportunity arose. So I guess that it was sort of planned.’
‘OK.’ Aiden jotted down a few notes. ‘So that you understand, Brandy, you have pleaded guilty to the murder of Brandon White and say that you did this of your own free will whilst of sound mind.’
‘Uh huh.’
‘This means that at your trial, if the Judge is satisfied that you are guilty of first degree murder, under state law, you will receive the death penalty.’ Aiden felt sick to his stomach as he said it. Brandy nodded in understanding and tears pricked her eyes but they did not wash down upon her cheeks. She took a deep breath, quickly composing herself.
‘I am happy to accept the consequences of my actions.’ There was something bizarrely noble about her attitude.
‘Very well, then. As your attorney you can address any questions you have to me.’
‘Oh good, since no one talks to me in here. I’ve been getting kind of lonely.’ A sadness seemed to envelope her tiny frame. Aiden wondered if the reality of what she had done was beginning to set in.
‘Well, I’ll come back in a few days so that we can discuss things further.’
‘I’d like that,’ she smiled. The guards moved forward as their time together came to an end.
‘Will you be attending church this Sunday, Mr Connelly?’ Her question caught him off guard.
‘Why yes, I believe I will be.’
‘Well then be sure to send Father West my regards.’ With that she left the room and the atmosphere suddenly grew much more oppressive. She was a light and Aiden felt a pang of guilt that he would be assisting in helping to extinguish it.
As Aiden passed through the security gates and started his journey back to Avalon he reflected upon his first meeting with Brandy. During his career in law he had encountered many men and women accused of murder, some guilty, some not so guilty. They varied in age, ethnic background, financial status, but one trait that they all had in common was that when you were with them, no matter what they were saying, be it professing their innocence or describing the murder in gruesome detail, there was always an element of anger and, dare Aiden say, evil, lurking behind their eyes. Whilst these people may seem perfectly normal on the outside, he could always sense that malignant rage and malice which would drive them to do something as terrible as taking another life. What puzzled him about Brandy was that in her eyes all he saw was sadness. Something about the case just wasn’t adding up.
Besides the fact that she did not seem in any way monstrous, which was a silly conclusion anyway, she was more than likely putting on a show for Aiden, hiding her true self. But even if that were the case, there were the simple physics of it all. Brandy White was tiny; she could not weigh more than a hundred and ten pounds. How had she managed to overpower her husband? It was hard to imagine that her husband could have been of even slighter build than she. It was possible but still, he couldn’t make a sound judgement whilst Brandon remained an enigma. Aiden noted that he needed to do more background research on Brandon White. He needed to know why a seemingly sweet and innocent woman would murder her own husband in cold blood and then so freely admit to it.
His mind had been racing so much that Aiden had failed to realise that he was already back in Avalon. The sky had now clouded over with the threat of rain. A small voice in the back of his mind reminded him that this was tornado country but he dismissed it. He parked up outside Cope and May; he was quickly getting to know his way around town.
‘Well, hello, Mr. Connelly,’ Betty greeted him warmly as his arrival was declared through the gentle jingle at the door.
‘Hello, Betty, how are you today?’
‘Very well, thank you, dear. And yourself? Did you find Eastham all right?’
‘Oh yes, no trouble at all.’ He was about to walk into the office when he added, ‘Your directions really helped.’
Betty beamed at this, and, maybe he imagined it, seemed to blush slightly. Isla was always teasing Aiden about his effect on women but he failed to notice it. Looking back, he reasoned that he had never chatted a woman up before, had never needed to as they seemed more than happy to approach him. Isla had cornered him at a mutual friend’s party when they were at college together. She later told him that she only did it because he looked like James Dean. Not that Aiden was complaining. Yes, he had never been short of female attention and had never pursued a woman. The macho side of him would have welcomed the challenge of the chase, but the lazier side felt why run after what you already have, on a plate no less?
‘Hey there, champ!’ Edmond was at his desk typing away, surrounded by stacks of paper and three empty coffee mugs. He was clearly having a busy day. ‘How did it go at Eastham?’
‘It went well,’ Aiden said as he sat down and switched on his computer, ready to write up his report of his first meeting with Brandy. ‘Although…’ He stopped himself from going further. Edmond would surely think him a fool if he confessed to his mixed feelings about the case.
‘Although?’
‘No, nothing.’ Aiden waved his hand dismissively.
‘No, go on, son. You can talk freely here, you are amongst friends.’
Aiden took a deep breath.
‘Brandy White, she is so, you know, small? And very well spoken. She even expressed her desire to see a priest. She just doesn’t fit the stereotypical role of a cold killer.’
Edmond stiffened in his chair and locked eyes with Aiden. His face was set in a stern expression.
‘Brandon White was a good, decent man. A pillar of the community. Small she may be but her wickedness knows no bounds. I’ve no doubt she fluttered her eyelashes and pouted her big red lips. To look at, you would think she was the sweetest thing. Do not be taken in by her. She is beautiful, but deadly. Keep your distance.’
Aiden was surprised by Edmond’s hostile tone and knew better than to push the conversation further.
‘You are right, of course.’ Edmond relaxed at this and his eyes drifted back to his computer screen. ‘I just need to do some more research on the case; I need to get more background on Mr. White.’
‘Well, you won’t be short of information around here. He’s a local hero, led his high school football team, the Avalon Angels, to win their first ever State Championship. It was wonderful. He attended church every Sunday without fail and worked for his father, Clyde, over at his timber company. He was Clyde’s only son, he has been in pieces ever since.’
Aiden just nodded as he jotted down football, church and timber. He wanted to get a better idea of who Brandon was. Everyone in Avalon seemed to idolise him, but if he was such a great man, why would his young, beautiful wife
