Wild Secret

moaned.
"I don't know. But I'm sure you did something to deserve it. Both of you get to your rooms and do your homework.
"I don't have any homework," Jared said.
"Neither do I," Trevor replied.
"I know you’re lying now."
We left the porch and walked back to the Porsche.
"Think Trevor is our shooter?" JD asked.
"At this point, I'm not ruling anyone out."
JD frowned and shook his head in disgust. He cranked up the engine and pulled away from the curb. We headed back to the station, filled out paperwork, then talked to Denise.
“I found some interesting leads,” she said. Her fingers danced across the keyboard, and a mugshot appeared on the display. “A pimp named Angel Moreno. Chuck arrested him. He’s out on bail. Looks like there’s some plea deal in the works. He’s got a few assaults under his belt. Pimping, pandering. A possession charge.”
“Possible.” I wasn’t sold on the suspect.
“There’s another guy Chuck arrested. Isaac Norwood. ” Her fingers danced again. “Routine traffic stop. Chuck found 2 kilos of cocaine in the trunk. He was with a guy named Kashton Epps. Looks like they both got off with a non-prosecution agreement and a fine payable to the Coconut Forward Fund."
“Arrested with 2 kilos and they get off with a fine?" I asked in disbelief.
Denise shrugged.
"If they’re getting off that light, not much incentive for revenge. What else have you got?"
Her fingers raced across the keyboard again. A mugshot and background information appeared on the screen. “This guy just got out of prison last week. He took an Alford plea. Did 15 years for the rape and murder of Darcy Klien. The guy’s name is Felix Yates. Defense claimed the arresting officer planted evidence. Prosecutors got worried he might win the appeal and gave him a deal for time served. He took it.”
I exchanged a glance with JD.
“No way Chuck would fabricate evidence,” I said, mostly certain of the statement.
Denise shrugged. “The guy had been positively ID’d by two other women that alleged he attacked and assaulted them in the months prior, but prosecutors couldn’t make the cases stick, and he walked. Maybe Chuck didn’t want to see this guy get off a third time?”
I grimaced. I didn’t want to believe Chuck would do something like that.
"I don't know about you," JD said, "but if I got locked up for 15 years for something I didn't do, I'd be pretty pissed off."
“If this is true, Felix Yates had a motive for revenge,” I said.
"Yeah, but after 15 years in the can, I wouldn’t want to risk going back," Denise said.
“Some people don’t think too clearly in the heat of the moment,” I said. "Where do we find Felix?"
"He's living at Phoenix House. It’s run by a non-profit that assists former inmates with re-integration. According to the records, he's a sacker at the Oceanside Grocery."
"I say we go talk to Felix," JD said.

15
We swung by Phoenix House. Felix wasn't there. We finally caught up with him at the Oceanside Grocery, and he wasn't too thrilled to see us. As soon as we flashed our badges, his eyes filled with scorn.
Felix had a permanent scowl etched on his face. He was 63 years old, had a long gray bushy beard, and long gray hair on the sides. The top of his head was cue ball slick. He had ice-blue eyes that, at one point in his life, had been vibrant. Now they were dull and angry. He stuffed groceries into a bag as we talked to him.
"You guys are interrupting my work," he grumbled.
"This won't take long," I said.
"What do you want?"
"We want to talk to you about Chuck Atwood."
His wrinkled face crinkled. "To hell with that guy.”
"I don't know if you’ve been keeping up with current events, but Deputy Atwood is dead.”
He smirked. "Good riddance."
My face tensed.
JD's cheeks reddened.
"Deputy Atwood was a friend," I said.
“Well, your friend set me up.”
“Is that so?"
"I lost 15 years of my life."
The woman whose groceries Felix sacked had a fearful look on her face. She stood by the debit terminal, card in hand, as the checker scanned items. Bleep. Bleep. Bleep. The woman’s concerned eyes kept flicking between the three of us as we spoke.
A manager soon approached. "Is there some kind of problem here?"
I flashed my badge. "No, sir. We just need to have a few words with Felix."
"How about you step outside and have this conversation in private?" the manager suggested. He looked at Felix. "Take five."
Felix’s face twisted. “I’m gonna miss out on my tip.”
At this point in time, I don't think the customer felt too comfortable having Felix follow her out to her car with the groceries.
Felix grumbled but complied. We followed him outside and stepped around to the side of the building.
Felix was livid.
He took the opportunity to have a smoke break. He stuffed a cigarette between his thin lips and struck it up. The cherry glowed as he sucked in a breath, and the smell of fresh tobacco wafted with the breeze.
"You got no right to come here and harass me at my place of work,” Felix growled. “I did time for something I didn't do. I just want to live my life and enjoy what time I got left. Look at me. I'm 63 years old. Because of you people, I got nothing. No retirement and a felony conviction on my record. If it weren’t for the people at Phoenix House, I’d be on the street and wouldn’t have a job. You know what it's like trying to start over at my age?"
"Maybe you should have thought about that before you raped and murdered Darcy Klein?”
His cheeks reddened, and he clenched his jaw tight. His hands balled into fists. "I didn't rape and murder that girl. And I didn’t assault the other two girls either. Your buddy, Deputy Atwood, planted the evidence. I got a lawyer, and I’m gonna sue the county.”
“Two women ID’d you.”
He scoffed. “Of course they did. Deputy Dickwood shoves my picture in front of their