Free The 24th Letter ((Mystery/Thriller)) by Tom Lowe Page B

abuse for more than twenty years.
    Rosen typed on his computer keyboard, looking up once, offering O’Brien a cursory smile.  “Mr. O’Brien, please take a seat.  Be with you in just a moment.”
    The secretary left, quietly closing the door.  O’Brien sat in one of the two chairs in front of the big desk.  He looked at the framed pictures of Rosen with Governor Owen, the Mayor of Miami, and one photo with actor Sylvester Stallone at a golf tournament.
    Rosen stopped typing.  “Ron Hamilton mentioned it was urgent.  Said you’d explain.  I remember some of the highlights of your career with Miami-Dade P.D.  You seemed to have had an excellent arrest and conviction record.  I also recall media counts of Internal Affairs investigating some allegations of improper interrogation and arrest techniques you may or may not have used.  Is your trip to this office related to that?”
    “If you’re asking me whether one of my convictions is suing the county for something, the answer is no.”  O’Brien leaned forward in the chair.  “There have been two murders in Volusia County in the last thirty-five hours.”
    “What’s that have to do with Miami-Dade?”
    “The murders are a direct result of an arrest and murder conviction in Dade County eleven years ago.  The man convicted, Charlie Williams, is innocent.  He was found guilty, after I arrested him of killing his former girlfriend, Alexandria Cole.”
    “What would you like this office to do, Mr. O’Brien?”
     

 
    O’Brien gave Rosen the details of the events, including his meeting with Charlie Williams.  He concluded by saying, “The case needs to be reopened and a brand new investigation launched into finding the real perp.  I don’t think he’s finished killing.  The D.O.C guard hasn’t been found, and he’s the direct link between the killer and what happened to Father Callahan and Sam Spelling.”
    “But you can’t prove that.”
    “I will.”
    “I need more.”
    “You’ll get it.”
    “When you bring it to me, we’ll talk further.”
    “There isn’t time to go on a scavenger hunt.  I need you to help get a stay of execution until I can find the perp.”
    Rosen sat back in his large leather chair, crossed his fingers, pursed his lips once and said, “Mr. O’Brien, these murders are horrific.  I don’t want to come across in a fashion that in any way seems to diminish the gravity of what you are telling me.  However, I’m suggesting to you that without something concrete, something I can take to a jury and get a conviction, I’m not in a position to reopen a capital murder case, especially one that’s so high profile.  I can’t reopen something predicated on what amounts to a former detective using speculation and deductive reasoning, based on information garnered from witnesses that can’t be corroborated because they’re dead.  I apologize if that sounds calloused, but it’s fact.  You haven’t told me, or given me something I could take to a grand jury or even a criminal jury in a murder trial.
     

 These events, in and of themselves, are heinous crimes, but are they related to the murder of Alexandria Cole eleven years ago?  Maybe.  Will they prove that Charlie Williams did not do it and point the way to the person that did?  No.”
    “This is the prosecuting office of Dade County,” O’Brien said, his voice rising. “Is it because this was such a high profile case that has you gun shy?  You have a moral obligation to reopen this case.  If you don’t, and if Charlie Williams is executed, this office and you will be held culpable parties to his murder.  Because that’s what it will amount to—an innocent man killed when it could have been prevented.  Prove to me that doesn’t fit the definition of murder, counselor.”
    Rosen stood.  “Perhaps that temper of yours was why Internal Affairs flagged your file three times during your career in the homicide division.  O’Brien, I’m not