The Death and Life of Gabriel Phillips by Stephen Baldwin, Mark Tabb Read Free Book Online Page A

‘ministry’ weekends.”
    “His ex-wife told me he found God in prison,” Andy said. “She said it was all just an act to make parole.”
    “Yeah. Maybe,” Jackson replied. “Me, I figure to each his own. I don’t try to overanalyze that kind of stuff.”
    “So the guy finds Jesus, keeps his nose clean, and makes parole. Any trouble since he got out?” Andy asked.
    “Weeellllll, he didn’t keep his nose completely clean,” Jackson said. “There’s one last incident report from Pendleton on the guy, and this one doesn’t make a lot of sense. Happened toward the end of his first year in the joint. Phillips got into a fight in the yard. Says it wasn’t his fault. Claims the other guy attacked him with a knife. Seems there was some bad blood between these two that went back to when Phillips was first locked up. So Phillips says the guy came at him from behind and he defended himself. By the time the guards got there, the other guy was on the ground and Phillips was on top of him. The guy on the ground had a crushed windpipe. Like I said, when he snaps, Phillips can do some damage. Before the guards could get him off, Phillips had cut a hole in the guy’s throat with the guy’s own shiv.”
    “Holy crap. So how’d he ever make parole after that? I’m surprised they didn’t ship him up north and put him into maximum.”
    Jackson smiled and said, “Like I said, this doesn’t make a lot of sense. Phillips wasn’t slitting the guy’s throat. He did a tracheotomy. Cut a hole in his throat and shoved a tube made out of a Bic pen in there so the guy could breathe. Turns out, he saved the guy’s life.”
    “What?!” Andy asked. “You telling me he nearly kills the guy, then turns around and saves his life?”
    “That’s what the incident report says.”
    “So how’d he know how to do that?” Andy asked.
    Jackson shrugged his shoulders. “Who the hell knows? Get this. The report goes on to say the two guys became inseparable after that. Both were regulars at the chapel until they got out. Weird, huh?”
    Andy shook his head, then turned his attention to John’s file. He didn’t do more than thumb through it. Later that night he read the entire file for the first time. In the months that followed, he studied that file like it held the secret to life itself. I don’t want to say Andy became obsessed with this guy, but his actions speak for themselves. That day in the station he only gave it a quick glance, then tossed it onto his desk and asked his friend, “So, Jax. What does your gut say about this guy? Think he’s capable of killing his own kid?”
    “I’d say we’re a long way from jumping to that kind of conclusion. The guy says the boy had a bad dream, fell out of bed, and hit his head on the bottom drawer of a dresser. The only thing that definitely says different right now is a bitter ex-wife.”
    Andy paused and looked back down at the file. “Mind if I go talk to the guy, myself?” he asked. “Nothing too formal. Just a little fact finding on my own.”
    Ted shook his head. “What? You want to blow this case, if it even is a case, before we even get to dig down and do our job? If you interrogate him without his lawyer present, the D.A. will shut this whole thing down so fast, it will make your head spin. Is that what you want?”
    “I don’t intend to ask him about the case,” Andy said. “I just want to get a read on him. That’s all. Trust me. If he hurt the boy, I want to make sure he gets what’s coming to him. I would never do anything to get in the way of that.”
    “Just watch yourself, Andy. Believe me, when you’re dealing with the death of a child, it’s easy to get sucked in emotionally. We just want to uncover the truth of what happened in that room. We’re not doing any kind of witch hunt here. Who knows? The guy’s story could well be completely true. Stranger things have happened.”
    Andy nodded his head in agreement. “I know, I know. Don’t