All the Dirty Secrets, page 21
“Mildred, Nelson, and me. I’m not sure Nelson contacted the men at her house to tell them she was headed home. She called no one.”
“Did she tell you she ran into Cedric and his girlfriend today?”
“No, she didn’t. I begged her to stay, but she’s stubborn.”
“Whose bags are those?” Jake pointed to the ones by the front door.
“They’re mine. I was going to spend the night at her place. She said she’d head home to make up the guest room for me. I should’ve made her wait until I was ready. I sent Jimmy Nelson to follow her home.”
“Hindsight is great, Mr. Rockford. Don’t beat yourself up. Jimmy Nelson didn’t see what happened?”
“No, Edy took off before Jimmy got in his car. He said he spotted her but then he got caught at a light. He’s the one who found the empty car,” Rockford said, rubbing his chin. “Do you think he had anything to do with this?”
“I don’t think anything yet. But most likely no, Jimmy’s a good guy.” Still, it bothered Jake how Jimmy could’ve lost sight of Edy on the short trip to her house. “I’m going to do everything in my power to find her, Mr. Rockford.”
“I understand, but don’t risk her safety to catch the people who did this. Edy home and well is all that counts, Lieutenant.”
“I agree. If you’ll excuse me, I want to ask Jimmy a few questions.”
Jake left Rockford sitting on the chair staring into his drink. Jake hadn’t missed the tear spilling down his cheek.
He approached the kitchen and stood at the entrance and gauged Jimmy’s demeanor and answers to Louie’s questions. Louie lifted his head and locked eyes with him.
“Jake, can I speak with you for moment?” Louie asked.
He stepped into the hallway, and Louie followed.
“What’s up?”
“He’s beating himself up over this,” Louie said.
“I understand, but how do you lose someone you’re tailing on such a short trip? And who the hell stops for a red light while on the job?” Anger oozed from Jake’s pores. “Who else did he tell?”
“He called his men stationed at her house and told them to watch out for her.”
“I want background checks on all of them, including Jimmy. I also want financial checks on each one. Who besides Cedric would gain from her disappearance?”
“I’ll get right on it,” Louie said.
“I know you questioned him, but I have a few questions I’d like to ask,” Jake said.
“Go at it.” Louie walked farther into the hallway with his phone out.
Jake stepped into the kitchen. “Jimmy, I need your personnel records for the employees you told about Mrs. Dunstan’s movements tonight. How the hell did you lose sight of her?”
“Jake, she took off before I got in my car. When I started to catch up to her, she rushed through the light. I stopped.”
“Why would you stop?”
“I can’t answer that. I’ve been asking myself the same question for over an hour,” Jimmy said, dropping his head into his hands.
“It makes you look guilty, as if you were involved in her disappearance.”
“Don’t you think I understand that? For God’s sake, I’m sick over this, Jake, you have to believe me. For the record, I had nothing to do with Edy Dunstan’s kidnapping. I’ll do everything within my power to help you find her.”
“I can’t use you, Jimmy. You and your men are suspects. Stay available.”
“Jake, you know me…I’d never go against the law!” Jimmy shouted. “My clients depend on me. I take my responsibilities seriously. You’ve got to understand.”
“Right now all I understand is a woman is missing, frightened, and needs my help to stay alive. Nothing or nobody else matters, including you, Jimmy.” Jake stormed from the room.
“Jake, I’ve got Al and Kraus working the background checks. Who’s next on the list?” Louie said.
“I need a picture of Rosie Riverton. Call Al back and ask him to search for one and send it to our phones. Once we receive it I want to head over to Tiramisu’s restaurant and see if she dined there tonight, and what time she left. Do a search for their hours of operation.”
“It’s closed on Sundays,” Louie said, looking up from his cell phone.
“Another lie. We’re heading back to Middlebury. I want Rosie Riverton’s whereabouts. If Cedric doesn’t supply it, he’s going into lockup for the night.”
* * * *
In the parking lot of the apartment building where Cedric and Rosie lived Jake parked next to Rosie’s gray car after matching her license plate number to the one Cedric had given him earlier. He nodded to Louie as he got out. Louie placed his hand on the hood.
“It’s hot,” Louie said, taking his pad from his jacket pocket and noting the time, 10:50 p.m.
“Is there a dent in front?”
“No.”
“I forgot to check Cedric’s car to see if there’s a dent in it.”
“There isn’t,” Louie said after inspecting both cars.
Shit, did they use a different car? If not, who else was out to get Edy? Melinda? No, it didn’t make sense, unless Edy had the money with her for the blackmailer. For the second time tonight, Jake knocked on the door to 5C. Louie stood off to his left. Cedric answered in the same sweat suit, his hair dry.
“What do you want?”
“Rosie didn’t call,” Jake said, the underlying threat in his words clear.
“She got home five minutes ago. Besides, she’s too drunk to talk to anyone.”
“Are you going to invite us in?”
“No.”
“Hands behind your back, I’m taking you in.”
“You can’t do that,” Dunstan said, trying to shove the door closed. Jake pushed against it.
“The Supreme Court says I can. Cedric Dunstan, you’re under suspicion for the kidnapping of Edwina Dunstan. “You are entitled to a lawyer…” Jake continued to read the Miranda rights to Dunstan until the graveness of the situation sunk into his head.
“For the love of God, I didn’t do anything,” Cedric Dunstan said.
“Don’t test me, Mr. Dunstan. Here or downtown?” Jake stared Dunstan down until he called for Rosie.
“Rosie, come out here,” Cedric said, blocking the doorway.
“What?”
Jake got his first look at Cedric’s mistress. She wasn’t anything he’d turn Edy in for.
“Rosie Riverton, I’m Lieutenant Carrington from the WPD. Where were you tonight?” Jake filed away Riverton’s stats—five five, a hundred and thirty pounds, brown teased-out hair and brown eyes.
“I was out with friends.” Rosie constantly blinked her eyes. He couldn’t help but stare at her purple-eyeshadowed lids.
“Where?”
“I don’t have to answer you,” she said, her words tumbling from thin red lips. She slurred her words as she spoke. It hit Jake wrong. She’s acting. She’s not drunk. Boy, what a far cry from Edy. He noted the jut of her pointed chin as she defied him.
“You answer here or downtown at the station, either way I don’t care,” Jake said, taking on a bored tone.
“I had dinner at Tiramisu’s with two girlfriends.”
“Do you have a receipt?” Jake’s eyebrow quirked.
“No, I didn’t know I’d needed one.”
“What did you eat?”
“Why all the questions?” Rosie asked, looking at Cedric, not Jake.
“What did you eat?”
“Chicken parm. I’m not answering any more of your questions unless you explain why you’re here.”
“Don’t play dumb, Rosie. I’m sure Cedric told you that Edy has been kidnapped. Let’s stop playing games.”
“We had nothing to do with her disappearance. This is harassment.”
“Tiramisu’s is closed on Sundays. Where were you tonight?” Jake repeated.
“Yeah, where were you?” Dunstan asked, his brows pinched together.
“I want a lawyer,” Rosie said.
“You can call one from the station, where we’ll continue our questioning. Rosie Riverton, you are the prime suspect in the disappearance of Edy Dunstan. Anything you say…”
“I didn’t do it, you can’t arrest me!” Rosie shouted at the top of her lungs as she lunged at him.
“You’re not under arrest. I’m only holding you for questioning.” Jake slipped the bracelets on her. “You are being handcuffed because you charged at me. This is for both of our safety.”
“This is ridiculous,” Riverton said, her speech clear.
He found it interesting how Dunstan never came to Riverton’s defense. “Do you have anything to add, Mr. Dunstan?”
“No.” Dunstan jammed his hands into his pockets.
“Mr. Dunstan, you can come quietly, or I can also handcuff you. What’s your choice?”
“I’ll come, but you’ve got this wrong. I want to call my lawyer.”
“You’ll be able to call one from the station.”
“Why can’t we drive ourselves there?” Cedric asked.
“You’re being treated as hostile witnesses at this time,” Jake said.
Louie walked Cedric out, and Jake led Rosie by the arm.
* * * *
Jake put Cedric Dunstan and Rosie Riverton in separate interview rooms. “Why can’t we be together?” Rosie asked in a whiny voice.
“It’s standard procedure,” Jake said. “Do you want something to drink?”
“No, I want to get this over with so I can go home.”
“I’ll be back in a few minutes,” Jake said, leaving a female officer in the room.
He scanned the half empty bullpen for Al Burke and found him at his desk.
“Jimmy Nelson sent over the personnel records,” Al reported. “I’m still digging on the financials. Kraus is on the rest of it.”
“Here are two more names to run. Can you put them at the top of your list? I have them in interview now.”
“Sure, I’ll get right on it,” Al said.
Jake took Jimmy’s personnel records into his office while he waited for the information on Dunstan and Riverton. Out of the six pairs of guards assigned to watch Edy’s house, one guard’s record caught his eye. He’d been disciplined several times for leaving his post without explanation. Next to Ronald Hooper’s name Al had made notes and attached the public records and social media accounts he’d dug up on the guy. A steep mortgage, five kids, and a stay-at-home wife must add to the financial pressure on Ron. Next to Al’s notes, Jake wrote a note: Al, pull Hooper in, then check to see if he was open to bribes or willing to look the other way. Then question the others in turn.
Jake stopped writing as he thought through the steps. If Al or Kraus got anything in their interview with Hooper, Jake would dig deeper into his financials.
“Jake, I have something,” Al said stepping into the office.
“On who?”
“Cedric Dunstan took out a personal loan from his own bank in the amount of two hundred and fifty thousand dollars two months ago. The cosigner was Edy Dunstan.”
“She never mentioned it. I think if she had signed for one she would’ve told me,” Jake said, his line of questioning changing with the information. “Thanks. Good work, Al. Oh, I was writing you a note.” Jake handed it to Al. “Follow up on Ronald Hooper.”
“We aim to please, though I’m not coming up with anything on Riverton. But I’ll keep digging,” Al said on his way out of the office.
Jake pressed the button on his intercom for Louie. “Are you ready?”
“Yes, who are we questioning first?”
“I want a go at Cedric.” Jake filled in Louie, then picked up his file and left. He dismissed the officer on duty inside Cedric’s interview room. “Why the hell have you kept me waiting? I’m going to report you to your superiors,” Dunstan said.
Jake ignored him and read the pertinent information into the record and took a seat. Louie remained by the door with his arms folded across his chest, his expression grave.
“Mr. Dunstan, where is your lawyer?”
“He’s out of town. I’ll need a public defender until mine shows up.”
“Okay, you’ll be put back into holding until one arrives.”
“I’m not going back there.” Dunstan pushed up from his seat.
“We can’t conduct this interview until your lawyer arrives,” Jake said.
“Forget it, ask your questions.”
“For the record, you want to continue this interview without your lawyer?” Jake asked.
“Yes.”
‘I’d like to start with the loan of two hundred and fifty thousand dollars you financed two months ago.”
Dunstan pushed out of his chair, his eyes wide. “Where’d you get that information? It’s confidential.”
“Sit down, Mr. Dunstan. You’d be surprised the information we have at our fingertips.”
“What I do and don’t do is none of your damn business!” Cedric shouted.
“Your wife, I mean your soon-to-be ex-wife, is missing. I see from these documents that she cosigned the loan?”
“Yes, she did,” Cedric said in a quieter voice, sweat forming on his brow.
“Is that a fact? In my interview with Mrs. Dunstan earlier about the blackmail letter she’d received, I asked if she could get the money, if needed. She said yes. And when asked if she’d need a loan, she said no, she had the funds and had no outstanding loans,” Jake lied.
He wondered if Ed Rockford had got his hands on this information, and if it’d been the reason for the termination proceedings.
“Well, she must’ve forgotten this one,” Cedric said.
“If you’ll excuse me, I want to send this document over to Ed Rockford for him to verify his daughter’s signature. I’ll be a moment.” Jake stared into Dunstan’s eyes.
“There’s no reason for you to do that. I’d never hurt her. I want her and her father out of my life.”
“Killing her would certainly achieve your wish, wouldn’t it?” Jake pushed out of his chair and waved the papers at Dunstan.
“I didn’t kill her or abduct her.”
“I’ll be right back.”
Jake made it to the door before Dunstan spoke up. “That’s not her signature. I signed for her. Husbands and wives have been doing that for centuries. It’s not sinister or anything.”
Jake sat again. Louie glided behind Dunstan and lingered against the wall.
“Funny use of the word—two months after you forged your wife’s signature on a large loan document, and now she’s gone missing. Where is Edy, Cedric?”
“I have no idea where she is. How could I?”
“Mr. Dunstan, you lied about being home all evening. When I left your place I checked the hood of your car, and it was still hot. Where were you all night?” Jake asked, leaning in closer to Cedric.
“That’s it. I’m done until my lawyer gets here.”
“Louie, can you take Mr. Dunstan back to holding? I’ll be in with Miss Riverton. Please join me after you turn him over to a uniform.”
Louie took Dunstan by the arm and escorted him around the cramped space. At the door he stopped, tossing Jake a lopsided grin behind Dunstan’s back.
Jake stood by the water cooler, downing cup after cup before he geared up to question Rosie Riverton. He figured Louie had had enough time to catch up with him as he entered interview room B. He kept the female officer in the room until Louie could join him.
He read in the pertinent facts as he waited for a reaction from Riverton. She didn’t disappoint.
“I’m not a criminal. Why are you treating me like one?”
“I’m not, Miss Riverton, I’m protecting both you and me by recording our session. I’ll state once again that you have the right to an attorney during these proceedings.”
“I have nothing to hide. I want to go home.” She leaned forward, arms resting on the table as she slouched.
She whines like a nine-year-old. “We all do, Miss Riverton. The sooner you answer my questions and stop stalling, the sooner we’ll be done. You’ll be dismissed then,” Jake said.
He failed to tell her that she could be remanded into custody if he felt it was warranted. “Let’s get started. Where were you tonight?”
“I was out with friends.”
“Where?”
“Why does it matter?”
Jake inhaled to control his mounting impatience. He sat staring at her for a few seconds before he spoke. “Telling me is the difference between you spending the night in a cell or at home. Let’s try this again. Where were you tonight, Miss Riverton?”
“Fine. I went out to dinner with Kathy Fasano and Diane Gaston. We ate at some Italian place. We tried Tiramisu’s first, but as you said they were closed. I wasn’t driving and didn’t pay attention.”
“You weren’t driving?”
“I left my car at Kathy’s. We all met there and she drove. If you let me call her, I’ll get the name of the restaurant.”
“Rosie, did you pay cash for your dinner or did you charge it?”
Louie slipped into the room and took up a position by the door and dismissed the uniform. She took up her post outside the door.
“I charg…” She realized her mistake and stopped speaking.
“May I see the charge slip?” Jake asked.
“I gave it to Cedric.”
“You were home less than five minutes and you dug the receipt out of your large purse and gave it to Cedric, is that correct?”
“Yes.”
“And he’ll confirm it?”
“I don’t know.” She sat back in her seat, spine straight, her eyes roaming the room.
“You’re lying, Miss Riverton. Please hand me the receipt.”
She dug around in her purse, then started plucking items from it, dropping them on the scarred wooden table. “See, it’s not there.”
