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Keith squeezed the ring between his thumb and his forefinger, and stared at it in disbelief.

“Show that to her mother and watch her weep,” Boyette said. “The only other proof I have, Pastor, is Nicole herself, and the more I think about her, the more I’m convinced that we should just leave her alone.”

Keith placed the ring on the table and Boyette took it. He suddenly kicked his chair back, grabbed his cane, and stood. “I don’t like being called a liar, Pastor. Go home and have fun with your wife.”

“Liar, rapist, murderer, and you’re also a coward, Travis. Why don’t you do something good for once in your life? And quick, before it’s too late.”

“Just leave me alone.” Boyette opened the door, then slammed it behind him.

CHAPTER 6

The prosecution’s theory of guilt had been based in part on the desperate hope that one day, someone, somewhere would find Nicole’s body. It couldn’t stay submerged forever, could it? The Red River would eventually give it up, and a fisherman or a boat captain or maybe a kid wading in the backwater would discover it and call for help. After the remains were identified, the puzzle’s final piece would fit perfectly. All loose ends would be tied up. No more questions, no more doubts. The police and prosecutors could quietly, smugly close the book.

The conviction, without the body, was not that difficult to obtain. The prosecution attacked Donté Drumm from all angles, and while it pushed relentlessly for a trial, it also banked heavily on the appearance of a corpse. But nine years had passed and the river had not cooperated. The hopes and prayers, the dreams in some cases, had vanished long ago. And while this caused doubts in the minds of some observers, it did nothing to dampen the convictions of those responsible for Donté’s death sentence. After years of rigid tunnel vision, and with so much at stake, they were certain beyond all doubt that they had nailed her killer. They had invested far too much to question their own theories and actions.

The district attorney was a man named Paul Koffee, a tough career prosecutor who’d been elected and reelected without serious opposition for over twenty years. He was an ex-Marine who enjoyed a fight and usually won. His high conviction rate was splashed across his Web site and, during elections, trumpeted in gaudy advertisements sent by direct mail. Sympathy for the accused was rarely shown. And, like the routines of most small-town district attorneys, the grind of chasing meth addicts and car thieves was broken only by a sensational murder and/or rape. Much to his well-guarded frustration, Koffee had prosecuted only two capital murders in his career, a paltry record in Texas. Nicole Yarber’s was the first and the most notorious. Three years later, in 2002, Koffee had won an easier death verdict in a case involving a botched drug deal that left bodies all over a country road.

And two was all he would get. Because of a scandal, Koffee was leaving office. He’d promised the public that he would not seek reelection in two years. His wife of twenty-two years had left him in a rather swift and noisy exit. The Drumm execution would be a final moment of glory.

His sidekick was Drew Kerber, who, after his exemplary work in the Drumm case, had been promoted to chief detective, Slone PD, a position he still proudly held. Kerber was pushing forty-six, ten years younger than the prosecutor, and though they often worked closely together, they ran in different social circles. Kerber was a cop. Koffee was a lawyer. The lines were clear in Slone, as in most small southern towns.

At various times, each had promised Donté Drumm that he would be there when he “got the needle.” Kerber did so first, during the brutal interrogation that produced the confession. Kerber, when he wasn’t jabbing the kid in the chest and calling him every name in the book, promised him over and over that he would get the needle, and that he, Detective Kerber, would be there to witness it.

For Koffee, the conversation had been much briefer. During a break in the trial, while Robbie Flak was not around, Koffee had arranged a quick and secret meeting with Donté Drumm under a stairwell just outside the courtroom. He offered a deal—plead guilty and take life, no parole. Otherwise, you’ll get death. Donté declined and again said he was innocent, at which Koffee cursed him and assured him he would watch him die. Moments later, Koffee denied the encounter when Flak verbally assaulted him.

The two men had lived with the Yarber case for nine years, and for various reasons they had often seen the need to “go see Reeva.” It was not always a pleasant visit, not always something they looked forward to, but she was such an important part of the case that she could never be neglected.

Reeva Pike was Nicole’s mother, a stout, boisterous woman who had embraced victimhood with an enthusiasm that often bordered on the ridiculous. Her involvement in the case was long, colorful, and often contentious. Now that the story was entering its final act, many in Slone wondered what she would do with herself when it was over.

Reeva had badgered Kerber and the police for two weeks as they frantically searched for Nicole. She had wailed for the cameras and publicly berated all elected officials, from her city alderman to the governor, because they had not found her daughter. After the arrest and alleged confession of Donté Drumm, she made herself readily available for lengthy interviews in which she showed no patience with the presumption of innocence and demanded the death penalty, and the sooner the better. For many years, she had taught the Ladies’ Bible Class at the First Baptist Church and, armed with scripture, could practically preach on the subject of God’s approval of state-sponsored retribution. She repeatedly referred to Donté as “that boy,” which riled up the blacks in Slone. She had other names for him too, with “monster” and “cold-blooded killer” being two favorites. During the trial, she sat with her husband, Wallis, and their two children in the front row directly behind the prosecution, with other relatives and friends wedged closely around them. Two armed deputies were always close by, separating Reeva and her clan from the family and supporters of Donté Drumm. Tense words were exchanged during recesses. Violence could have erupted at any moment. When the jury announced its death sentence, Reeva jumped to her feet and said, “Praise be to God!” The judge called her down immediately and threatened to remove her. As Donté was led away in handcuffs, she could not restrain herself. She screamed, “You murdered my baby! I’ll be there when you take your last breath!”

On the first anniversary of Nicole’s disappearance, and presumably her death, Reeva organized an elaborate vigil at Rush Point on the Red River, near the sandbar where the gym card and student ID were found. Someone built a white cross and stuck it in the ground. Flowers and large photos of Nikki were packed around it. Their preacher led a memorial service and thanked God for the “just and true verdict” that had just been handed down by the jury. Candles were burned, hymns were sung, prayers were offered. The vigil became an annual event on that date, and Reeva was always there, often with a news crew in tow.

She joined a victims group and was soon attending conferences and giving speeches. She compiled a long list of complaints with the judicial system, the primary one being that of the “endless, painful delays,” and she became adept at pleasing a crowd with her new theories. She wrote vicious letters to Robbie Flak and even tried writing to Donté Drumm.

Reeva created a Web site, WeMissYouNikki.com, and loaded it with a thousand photos of the girl. She blogged incessantly about her daughter and the case, often pecking away throughout the night. Twice, Robbie Flak threatened to sue her for libelous material she published, but he knew it was wiser to leave her alone. She hounded Nikki’s friends to post their favorite memories and stories, and held grudges against the kids who lost interest.