Chapter 17

Martinez went back and re-interviewed each of the rape victims. It turns out three of them had been regular students at the Happy Life Yoga Studio, and two others had attended free beginner classes there. That was a total of six victims that we could definitively link to Marcel Beaufils. It was enough to get the warrants we needed. We started planning how to execute the search warrants. In the meantime, one of our techs was able to start monitoring Marcel’s calls and text messages.

Over the next several days, I kept close tabs on Jude. The GPS tracker allowed me to know where she was at all times. I had to stay close to home to watch her, which meant I was neglecting my duties with the cases. Thankfully, Martinez was doing his best to cover for me. He would call me when he had questions or needed my direction, but mostly he was handling everything on his own.

I was determined to keep Jude away from the studio and Marcel. She was in danger anytime she was around the asshole. I had to make up a lot of excuses and did my best to be home whenever she was. This morning she made it clear that she was going to the yoga studio, whether I wanted her to or not. I couldn’t come up with a legit reason for her not to, so instead, I decided to let her go and followed her.

I pretended to leave for work, then parked down the street and watched our house through binoculars. It didn’t take long for her to come out. I watched her load a sports bag and a large bottle of water into the trunk then get in and drive away. I let her get out of sight, then trailed her, watching the GPS. She went directly to the strip mall and parked in front of the Happy Life Yoga Studio.

As I waited for her to come out, my work phone buzzed. It was Martinez. I answered it abruptly, figuring he had some update on the case. We were expecting the DNA results from Melissa’s rape kit and the crime scene.

“Yeah?” I said into the handset, staring at the entrance of the yoga studio.

“Dude, you got a problem,” said Martinez, sounding extremely agitated. “Jimmy, the computer tech, he picked up a call from Marcel to your wife a little while ago. They’re going to a hotel to fuck. You need to do something.”

“Are you sure?” I asked, feeling my blood pressure skyrocket and my pulse quicken.

“Yeah, no doubt about it. Jude’s supposed to meet him at the studio, and then they’ll head to the hotel together. You don’t have much time.”

“Thanks,” I said, checking to make sure my gun was loaded. It was a nervous habit. Of course, it was loaded. “I think I may need to meet your cousin later today.”

“Yeah, I was afraid you’d say that,” Martinez replied. “You need to keep your shit in check, bro. The Captain has been up my ass already about you. You know Jimmy is a good kid, but he’s gonna have to write up the calls from Marcel to Jude. It’s gonna come out that the wife of the lead investigator is fucking the primary suspect in a murder and multiple rapes. You know when that shit comes out, you’re ass is done. If you do anything stupid, now, they’ll know it was you. You gotta just get Jude out of the situation and steer clear. Don’t fuck up.”

Fuck. The news that Captain Hayes was concerned about me was worrisome. Martinez was right, though. Jimmy had no choice but to report Slick’s call to my wife and their planned lover’s rendezvous. When Hayes found out, he would take me off the case, at a minimum. This definitely threw a monkey wrench into my plans. If I took matters into my own hands, they would know it was me. I couldn’t see any way out.

“How sure are we that it’s him?” I asked, seeking the confirmation that I needed.

“You know as much as I do,” Martinez shot back. “He looks good on the rapes. We are pretty sure he did Melissa. Let’s just say, I wouldn’t want that mother fucker anywhere near my wife.”

“Eddie,” I said, using his first name, which I never did, “whatever happens, you stay clean. You don’t know shit about anything, you got me?”

“Bro, what the fuck are you doing?” he asked.

“I gotta go. I gotta do this. You’ve been a good partner.”

“Bill, don’t fucking...” I hung up before he could finish his sentence. I turned the phone off. A few seconds later, my personal phone started ringing. It was Martinez. I turned it off, too. I didn’t want to be interrupted, and if things went badly, I didn’t want my phones pinging off any more cell towers than they already had.

Just then the door to the studio opened. Jude and Marcel came out together and got in her car.