Chapter 48
Willie Davids paced the floor of the holding cell. He was positive that no one had proof that his Mustang was the car that killed the little girl, nor did anyone have knowledge of where the car was. And yet here he was, less than one hundred feet from a new life in Canada, wondering why he was being taken back to Connecticut.
Officers Mercher and Jamieson were en route to pick him up, feeling good about bringing a scumbag home to face justice. All they lacked was evidence that he committed the crime. They’d find it though; of that they were certain. In their experience, a man on the run is guilty, and sooner or later makes mistakes that bring him down.
With Jamieson waiting outside, the Canadian official greeted Mercher and brought him into her private office. Mercher thanked her for capturing Davids.
“I’m glad to bring a killer to justice,” she told him.
Mercher and the Canadian official then had a conversation that changed things. Mercher told her that because they had a solid lead on where Davids was heading, he didn’t have the time to go through extradition channels. Was she willing to release Davids into their custody regardless so they didn’t lose him? He knew that the case might get thrown out of court in Maine, but he was willing to take the risk.
The Canadian official, however, was not obliging. She never circumvented the laws and was not about to start.
“Sorry,” she told Mercher, “I hate to see a killer go free. I held him based on our brief phone conversation, which did not go into detail.”
Mercher told her that he understood, and admired her integrity.
“How soon will you be releasing him?”
“Right away.”
Mercher thanked her and shook her hand. He went outside. Jamieson was by the cruiser waiting.
“She won’t let us have him?”
“No.”
Jamieson nodded. “We knew it could go either way. I installed it,” he said, referring to a limitless range GPS device he attached to Davids’ truck.
While they were talking, the Canadian official let a puzzled-looking Davids know that the officers who wanted him held did not have the proper paperwork authorizing her to release him into their custody.
“You’re free to go.”
“They have the wrong man anyway!” he said with glee. “What about my gun?”
“When you return with the paperwork I need, you will get it back.”
A few minutes later Davids left the building and saw Mercher and Jamieson standing next to their cruiser.
Gloating, he said to them,
“Maybe next time you’re after someone, you’ll chase the guy who’s guilty, and you’ll bring the right papers. Too bad you came all this way for nothing.”
“We’ll see you again, Mr. Davids,” Jamieson said.
Davids motioned to Jamieson to come close.
“Want a selfie of you and me?” he asked.
Jamieson took one.
Then Davids whispered,
“Hahaha. You’ll never see me again. In fact, I’m so sure you won’t, I’m gonna tell you a little secret. I ran into the girl with my Mustang, and I hit your daughter, too. I’m not real happy that I did, but I can’t take it back. There you have it, my worthless confession.”
He got in his truck and drove away.
“Son of a bitch,” was all Jamieson was able to say.
To hear Davids admit he’d done it and being unable then do anything about it caused an anger in him that was almost suffocating.
Jamieson told Mercher what Davids said.
Mercher put his hand on Jamieson’s shoulder and said,
“Let’s get something to eat, then we’ll start after the bastard.”
“We should tell Lewis,” Jamieson said.
“Give him a call.”
After their lunch, Jamieson got in touch with Lewis and told him what he and Mercher were doing, and what Davids had said.
“He’s not ‘sorry’ that he hit them, just ‘not real happy’ that he did,” Lewis observed.
“I don’t understand how you will be able to get him out of Canada when you find him.”
“Can’t tell you that right now, Mr. Lewis. I suggest heading up to Canada; we will need you eventually,” Jamieson told him.
The GPS signal was strong; Mercher and Jamieson were on Davids’ trail.
Once back on the road, Mercher called his boss and told her what had happened.
“I’ll contact the media and have them announce that we’re still looking for Davids.”