In Death 57 - Payback in Death, page 31
“Yes. We believe someone mimicked Captain Noy’s suicide, then attempted to mimic your son’s.”
“But who would do that? It’s insane. Who—one of the people under Lou’s command? I haven’t had any contact with any of them. What Lou did … maybe I was stupid.”
“Stop that,” Cal told her.
“I never had a single clue, not until … The night he told me what he’d done, been doing, and what could happen. He tried to justify it. He’d done it for me, for our children. For the family.”
Sorrows, old sorrows, shadowed her eyes. “Lou was devoted to our family, so maybe that was partially true. But it was also partially a lie. I fell apart. I couldn’t even look at him. And a few nights later … God, Taylor found him. My little girl. I’ll never forget the sound of her screaming.”
She inhaled, sharply. “And I’ll never forgive him for exposing her to that shock. For using our home for his final choice.”
“We got through it, Mom.” Gently, Taylor pressed a kiss to her mother’s cheek. “We got through it, and we’re okay.”
“Ms. Rosen, according to the file, they found three more weapons locked away in the house. Do you know if he had more elsewhere?”
Ella shook her head, sighed. “I didn’t know he had those. I didn’t know about the separate accounts, the cash in the safe. I didn’t know so many things about Lou.”
“And Brice?”
“I knew my son. He was as ignorant of what his father did as I was. But … he couldn’t accept that what Lou had done was wrong. He adored his father. He couldn’t accept what he’d done, so others were to blame. But he’s gone, Lieutenant. He’s been gone for nine years.”
Chapter Twenty-two
“Who was he close to, besides his father, besides you and his sister?”
“Oh, Brice had so many friends. He made them so easily. After, he cut himself off from them, or most of them. He was so angry.”
“A girlfriend?”
She smiled a little. “He had lots of them, too. His father told him: Don’t get serious about a girl. You need to enjoy them—respect but enjoy. You’ve got your education, your career ahead of you. Establish yourself, then think about getting serious with the right girl.
“He always listened to his father.”
“He liked dating,” Taylor said. “Having a looker—and he could get the lookers—to go out with, but never more than a couple times or so with any one of them. I want to say he took things seriously. His grades, his direction.”
“He did.” Ella looked across the room and, as Eve had already noticed, among a grouping of photos was her lost son.
“Lou and I were so proud of him.”
“Maybe someone who wanted to get serious when he didn’t.”
“Brice knew how to play it. Even I could see that.” Taylor shrugged. “He kept it light because that’s how he wanted it. He was careful not to let a girl get stuck on him.”
“Well … Ellie.” When Taylor laughed, Ella shook her head. “She had a major crush on him.”
“I guess, maybe. But he didn’t encourage it.”
“Ellie?” Eve heard the ping.
“One of his strays—or it started out that way. He met her when he was buying me a Christmas present. They struck up a conversation. Ella, Ellie. Lou called me Ellie once in a while, and apparently that was a conversation starter. Brice ended up bringing her home to dinner.”
“A lot,” Taylor added.
“Yes, but in a friendly way. She and your father really hit it off. Sweet girl, and lonely, I think. An only child, as I recall, with no father at home and her mother worked long hours. I guess she was sort of an honorary member of the family for a while.”
“She did hook me up with my first summer job. I appreciated that. But she and Brice were never a thing. I really can’t think of anyone who—”
She broke off when Eve held up her ’link. “Do you recognize this woman?”
“I—yeah. That’s her. That’s Ellie. Right, Mom?”
“Yes. Yes, but I don’t understand. I…”
“Do you know her full name?”
“Ah…”
“Arnez,” Taylor supplied, and her eyes went cold. “I think it was Elsa or Elva, but Arnez was her last name. I worked part-time that summer with her.” She tapped above her breast where a name tag would be. “Ellie Arnez. Did she do this?”
“She’s a person of interest. When’s the last time you saw or spoke with her?”
“Cal.”
“I’m going to get you some water. Okay, honey. You sit here with Taylor.”
“I could use some, too, Cal. Thanks. She kept in touch for a while,” Taylor continued. “We appreciated that, as most of Brice’s friends stepped back—or he’d broken things off with most of them. It was so ugly.”
“She stuck by Brice over those months. I thought it was a good thing. He had someone to talk to. When he died, she was devastated. It actually helped me to comfort her. Even as time passed, she kept in touch. Came by, or got me on the ’link. We’d talk about Brice, and what she was doing. School, work. She always sent me flowers on Mother’s Day. Except, now that I think about it, this past year.”
“You’d remarried, and you’ve moved out here.”
“Yes. Yes. I haven’t heard from her for months. Almost a year, I think.”
“Did she come to your wedding?” Peabody wondered.
“Oh, no. It was the second time around for both Cal and me. We had a small ceremony here, at the house, just family and a few of our closest friends. I didn’t invite her. I wouldn’t have thought to, honestly.”
Eve showed them the photo of Robards.
“No, I don’t recognize him. Taylor, do you?”
“No. Ellie and I didn’t click the way she and Brice did, or the way she did with our father. She was older, and she wasn’t interested in sports. I thought it was weird the way she’d come over, sit and talk with my dad like she did even if Brice wasn’t home. I told Brice that, and he said to lay off her. How she had it rough at home. But she always had really nice clothes. She asked Brice to her senior prom.”
“I remember,” Ella murmured. “He took her, of course.”
“And when I said that was weird, he told me she didn’t have any friends, not really. Poor friendless, fatherless girl. I didn’t see it then.”
Her face hard, set, Taylor looked at Eve. “I didn’t see her then. I see her now.
“Dad slipped her money sometimes.”
Ella turned to her. “He did?”
“I saw it once, and when I asked him why, Dad said sometimes you just need a little extra. And not to say anything about it to you or Brice. So I didn’t.”
“How did she react when the investigation on Captain Noy came out?”
“Outrage,” Ella said immediately. “God, I’d really forgotten all of this. Thanks, Cal.” Still pale, but steadier, Ella took the water he offered, sipped slowly. “Outrage at whoever turned evidence—we didn’t know—outrage against IAB, and Captain Greenleaf in particular.”
“Did she specifically mention the captain?”
“Yes. Yes. Incessantly. I didn’t want to discuss it with her. I was trying so hard to keep us all afloat and, my God, it was so painful. I didn’t want to discuss it with anyone.”
Ella laid a hand on her husband’s cheek. “I realize now I’ve never really talked to you about all of it. I wanted it behind me, so I put it behind me.”
“It is behind you.”
“I thought it was. But Ellie … She huddled with Brice in those weeks after Lou’s death, and they were outraged together. I should’ve stopped that. I should have. But I was—”
“Shattered, Mom,” Taylor finished. “You were shattered. So was I.”
“So were you,” she murmured, then looked at Eve.
“Her reaction after your son’s death?”
“Grief, so much grief to share. She was so young, so crushed.”
“She didn’t blame Dad,” Taylor said.
“No, she didn’t blame Lou. It was the people who hadn’t stood by him who were to blame. It was IAB and Captain Greenleaf, and everyone else. She was shattered, too, Lieutenant. Lou was a hero to her, and Brice … You don’t actually believe she could—and after all this time.”
“We’ll talk to her. In the meantime, if she contacts you, please don’t tell her what we discussed here. And contact me.”
“She adored Lou,” Ella said. “So many did.”
Outside, Eve strode straight to the car. “We’ve got to move.”
“You were right. I knew you had to be right after the last briefing, but … You were right.”
“Terrific. Tag Baxter. If they’re still clear, I want them to head to Queens.”
“We could—”
“I know where Queens is, Peabody. We’re going after Arnez. Tell him to shadow Robards until we get the warrants.”
She contacted APA Reo on the dash ’link.
“I need warrants.”
Reo blinked her blue eyes and answered in her mild Southern drawl. “I know I’ve got my surprised face around here somewhere. Just let me find it.”
“Fast, Reo.”
“I’ve also got a shocked face in my collection. Is this the Greenleaf case?”
“Elva Arnez, Denzel Robards—upstairs neighbors.”
Eve went through it while Peabody briefed Baxter.
“I see where you’re going,” Reo interrupted. “But—”
“I’m not done. We just interviewed Noy’s widow and daughter. They identified Arnez—a tight family friend, a close relationship with Noy and his son in particular. She knew about Greenleaf’s connection, had it in for him specifically at the time Noy and his son went down. But she got really friendly with Greenleaf and his family over this past year. Never mentioned she knew Noy. Never mentioned it to us during interview.”
Reo held up a hand. “Nine years later, correct? You could say Arnez wanted to move on. Didn’t mention it because oops, neighbors, and finds she likes them. Didn’t mention it to you for obvious reasons.”
“I don’t say that. Do you?”
Reo dragged the hand through her fluffy blond hair. “No. Not when you look at the whole picture.”
“Get me warrants. Murder One, attempted murder, conspiracy to murder. I need search warrants for their apartment, any storage unit in that building or others, her place of employment and his. Toss in his mother’s place. They may have a hidey-hole there.”
Reo’s lips vibrated as she blew out a breath. “And here I thought I might actually leave work on time today. I’ll talk to the boss, talk to a judge. And I’ll see you at Central.”
“Fast,” Eve repeated, and clicked off.
“Baxter and Trueheart are en route to Queens,” Peabody told her.
“Good. Now tag Mira, fill her in.” And she tagged Roarke.
His admin, Caro, came on-screen. Her perfect white hair crowned a calm, pleasant face. “Lieutenant. Roarke’s in a meeting and asked me to intercept if you contacted him.”
“Okay. Just let him know I’m bringing them in. He’ll know.”
“Of course. Do you want him to contact you?”
“No. I’ll be busy. Thanks.”
Eve considered, then thought: Fuck Lansing. And tagged Nadine.
Camera ready, of course, in a collarless red jacket. “I’m about to break the Greenleaf case. No details, Nadine, so don’t ask. Just be ready.”
“I’m never not.”
“Consider this a gift, because of Lansing.”
She clicked off before Nadine could respond.
“Are you worried about him? Lansing?” Peabody asked her.
“Worried, no; pissed, yes. And I’m going to stay there awhile.”
She hit lights and sirens, hit vertical, and soared over a line of traffic.
Due to praying and holding her breath at the same time, Peabody didn’t speak again until they reached Manhattan.
“I’m not sure a copter would’ve been much faster. Baxter and Trueheart are on the garage. Robards is there.”
“They hold for the warrant.” She cut the lights and siren. “And that better be it,” she added as her in-dash signaled incoming.
“It is. Reo comes through.”
“Send the Robards arrest warrant to Baxter, tell them to pick him up. I need search teams on the garage, on his mother’s place. Have Uniform Carmichael set that up.”
“Their apartment?”
“Have uniforms meet us at her dress shop. They can take her in after we bust her. We’ll take the apartment. That’ll give her some time to sit in holding, stew over it.”
“She’ll lawyer up.”
“Yeah. That doesn’t worry me.” Because she had that essential piece now. She had the why.
She didn’t bother to hunt up parking, just doubled it in front of the shop.
Fancy shop, Eve thought, pure white stone, sparkling glass. Behind the glass the fake people posed in fall clothes, deep, burnished colors, tall, glossy boots, thigh-length swing jackets.
Why did people want to buy sweaters in August?
The door gave a light, musical trill when she opened it. Inside, the air was cool and smelled like freshly peeled oranges.
Artistically arranged displays showcased the burnished, the glossy, the sparkling, and the smooth.
A stick-thin redhead in sleek black stood beside a woman in a floral summer dress. They discussed a tiny, shiny purse shaped like a heart.
“Just the perfect size to hold the essentials,” the redhead said. “A stunning accent with a cocktail dress or a formal gown. And, of course, the classic Delago safety clasp and signature red silk lining.”
She glanced over at Eve and Peabody, sized them up. Her greeting smile pumped up a few degrees. “Ladies. I’ll be right with you.”
“Put this behind the counter for me.” The customer passed the purse to the clerk. “I want to browse a bit more.”
“Take your time. Good afternoon,” she said to Eve. “I adore your boots. Carlotta’s, aren’t they?”
“No, they’re my boots.” Because she didn’t want to alert Arnez, she didn’t pull out her badge. “We need to speak with the manager. Ms. Arnez.”
“Oh, is there a problem?”
“Yeah, there is. Arnez.”
“Yes, of course, she’s in the dressing area with a client. I’ll get her.” She turned, saw her customer—ears obviously pricked—holding up a midnight-blue dress, its three-inch gap between bodice and skirt connected by slim, vertical silver bars.
“Should I start a dressing room for you, Ms. Adolfo?”
“Yes, do that.” She handed over the dress. “I’ll browse a bit more first.”
To see what’s going on, Eve thought as the clerk walked to the dressing area. Well, hang on, sister, you’re about to get a show.
“Ms. Arnez will be right with you,” the redhead informed Eve. “I have dressing room two for you, Ms. Adolfo. Should I put that in for you?”
“Mmm.” Adolfo passed over a burnt orange velvet tunic, then wandered to a display of shoes.
Arnez strode out on sky-high silver sandals paired with a white, body-skimming dress. “Oh, Lieutenant Dallas. I’m terribly sorry, but I’m with a client. If you wouldn’t mind waiting a few more minutes—”
“Actually, I do. Elva Arnez, you’re under arrest—”
The shoes the browser held thumped to the floor.
“What! That’s crazy!”
“Charges include murder in the first degree, attempted murder, felony assault, conspiracy to murder. Peabody?”
“You have the right to remain silent,” Peabody began as Eve walked over, pulled Arnez’s hands behind her back and, after the quick, expected struggle, cuffed her.
“Do you understand your rights and obligations?” Peabody asked her.
“I don’t understand any of this! Murder! I haven’t killed anyone.”
“My partner can read off the Revised Miranda again, very slowly, until you understand.”
The look she shot Eve was pure venom. “I understand my rights. I understand this is ludicrous. I want my lawyer.”
“You can contact him or her once you get to Central. Good timing,” she added as two female uniforms came in.
“Peabody, collect any personal items Ms. Arnez has on premises, bag them for these officers to transport. Put her in the patrol car and wait,” she told the officers. “Then escort this individual and her personal items to Central. Book her on all warranted charges. Allow her to contact her attorney or legal representative.”
Mortification flushed Arnez’s face. Fury burned through her eyes as the uniforms perp-walked her to the door.
“You’re going to pay for this.” She hurled the words at Eve. “Believe me.”
“If I had a dollar for every time I heard that one, I could probably buy that silly heart purse.”
“A Delago evening bag can go for twenty large,” Peabody told her.
“Get out.” Eve just shook her head as the uniforms took Arnez out. “I could buy it with my you’re-going-to-pay-for-this dollars, but why would I? It would barely hold my badge.”
Which she held up now to make things clear to the clerk, whose mouth still hung open, and the customer, who watched with avid eyes.
“Does she have a purse, a handbag, a briefcase?”
The redhead blinked. “A—a handbag, in the back.”
“Let’s go get that,” Peabody said.
The customer studied Eve. “That was fascinating. My first arrest. Obviously not yours.”
“No. Are you seriously going to drop twenty K on a bag you can’t even fit your ’link in?”
“I have a mini for that. And a weakness for Delago bags.”
Peabody came out with a handbag that could swallow a couple hundred of the Delagos.
“What should I do?” the clerk asked Eve. “What do I do now?”
“I’d find another manager.”
On the sidewalk, Eve watched the cruiser drive away.
“That was satisfying. See if McNab can bounce over and take the e’s. Unless Feeney wants to do it himself. Let’s go toss the apartment.”
She ignored the blast of horns, the fists shaken in her direction, the creative curses that followed.
