All the Dirty Secrets, page 24
Jake read Smith’s Miranda rights into the recorder. “Let’s get started. What can you tell me about Edy’s mood yesterday?”
“She seemed upset when she called and found out I was busy.”
“Why, because you made plans?”
“No, I never saw her on the weekends. We only met during the week on my lunch hour.”
“Where did you normally meet?”
Linden stared at Jake for a second, dropped his gaze to his hands.
“Mr. Smith, I’m trying to find her before the kidnapper kills her. Your answers are important,” Jake said.
Smith raised his eyes to Louie, and then to Jake. “We mostly met at the Eaton Hotel on the outskirts of town.”
“You weren’t dating, but only having an affair?” Louie asked, distracting Smith.
“In the beginning, yes, but I fell in love with her. She’s the one who didn’t want to be seen around town until she filed for divorce from her husband.”
Smith’s phone sounded in his pocket. He took it out and pressed a button and returned it to his pocket.
“Are you sure you don’t need to take that?”
“I’m good, it’s nothing important,” Linden said.
“Let’s get back to this. Your picture with Edy at the Town Hall Café last week didn’t bother you?” Jake asked.
“No, it meant she was ready to take our relationship to the next level.”
“Which was?” Jake asked.
“I want to marry her.”
“And she was on board with your plans?” Louie asked.
“She didn’t commit to anything. Edy said she had to concentrate on the divorce before she’d consider her future.”
“I bet that made you mad,” Jake said.
“It annoyed me, but I understood.” Smith’s shoulders stiffened. He adjusted his position. “You’re wasting precious time with me if you think I’d hurt Edy. I love her. It’s that asshole of a husband who did this.”
“What makes you say that?” Louie asked.
“He hates her, cheats, lies, and steals from her. What more do you need?” Linden asked, disgust dripping from each word.
“What do you gain by marrying her?” Jake asked, keeping Smith off balance.
“I’d assume nothing. She’d probably have me sign a prenup.” Smith drummed his fingers on the table.
“And you’re okay with that?” Jake asked.
“Yes, I have my own money. I’d never use her like Cedric does.”
Jake wanted to believe him. “Stay available, Mr. Smith.” Jake said, feigning an end to the interview, hoping to give the man a false sense of security. “But if you were to kidnap her, where would you hide her?”
Smith’s mouth fell open. His eyes roamed from Louie’s to Jake. “I’d never take her. I don’t know. Have you checked her other properties?”
“We’ll be in touch, Mr. Smith. Thank you for coming in.”
Louie ushered Smith out into the corridor. Jake sat there reviewing his answers. He’d gotten nothing from Smith except to learn that he knew about Edy’s properties. Minutes later Louie walked back into the room.
“You get anything?” Jake asked.
“Smith only showed nerves on the last question, but I’m still leaning toward Cedric,” Louie said.
“Me too. We have to find her alive.”
“I agree. What’s next?”
“Why don’t you check in again with the police in Vermont and Rhode Island? I’ve got another angle I want to consider.”
Jake hoped all the strings he pulled got him closer to saving Edy.
* * * *
A knock on her closed door had Darcy adjusting her suit jacket before taking her seat.
“Come in.”
“Mrs. McGuire, I found this on my desk. It must’ve come while I was on break,” Jen, her secretary, said.
Darcy took the large manila envelope. No return address. It had a Hartford postmark, and large red letters scrawled across it: DO NOT BEND.
Darcy tapped her fingers on the clasp. She debated whether to open it. She’d promised Shamus she’d tell him if the blackmailer contacted her again, but first she needed to see what the envelope contained.
“Thank you, Jen, please close the door behind you.” Darcy sat and stared at the envelope.
It’s now or never.
She slipped the letter opener from her top drawer, tucked it under the fold, and slit the envelope inch by inch. She slid the contents of the envelope onto her desk. A folded letter and nude pictures of her fanned out. She shuffled through each one, disgusted. Her mind twirled in every direction as dizziness overtook her.
Dear Darcy,
It’s time to pay up for your indiscretions. You and Lieutenant Carrington look ravishing together, don’t you think?
Meet me at the Royal Arms in Middlebury at five p.m. and remember to come alone and bring the money, or these pictures will hit the newspapers and the evening news today.
I can just see the headlines now, can’t you? “Cop busy with boss’s wife leaves no time for him to solve a murder.”
Delicious, isn’t it?
Until we meet.
No signature, no scent, no anything to distinguish the author. She tucked the letter back in the envelope with the pictures of her and Jake Carrington. Pictures she’d not posed for. The nude ones she went to tuck into her purse, but instead she took out her magnifying glass and studied them. It wasn’t her body, but who would believe her? The timing sucks on this with the big vote for the board coming up. Would they vote me back in if they saw these pictures? She’d make damn sure no one saw them. Darcy rubbed her temple as she tried to come up with ways to beat Melinda at her own game. It had to be Melinda. She could think of only one other person than the photographer who would do this—Grant P. Stevens. Stevens wants my job. As if he could run my family company better than me.
Darcy stood at the window in her penthouse office surveying the parking lot as she forced down the nausea. Work called to her, but her energies had taken a nosedive. How had the photographer placed Jake Carrington beside her in the picture with her wearing the red bustier? Something was off, but she hadn’t been able to pinpoint it. Even with a magnifying glass she hadn’t figured out how the photographer had blended him in. She’d done a superb job. Darcy had never seen him with his shirt off. But Mia had.
Her attention since receiving the blackmail letter had been split. How could one simple event ripple through so many lives? First Callie, then Edy…and now me. Why? She’d come at the problem as she did with all problems. She’d analyze, dissect, and try to find a solution. Though she hated to admit it, she’d racked her brain since yesterday and hadn’t come up with a fix yet.
Would Shamus believe I posed with Jake? And dear God, what will the children think if this hits the paper? And the board of trustees, would this end my career? And will Shamus and I survive the scandal, and put this behind us? I’m an old fool who tried to look young.
She’d meet this greedy bitch in person and drop down to her level, but she wasn’t stupid enough to bring the money with her. If the person was that desperate, it’d buy her time. She’d call Shamus after she arrived at the hotel. This way she’d have time to confront the blackmailer on her terms before Shamus arrested the woman. No one messed with Darcy or the people she loved. I’m not as naïve as Callie, she thought, loading her gun. Darcy fingered the safety into place before she put it in the outside pocket of her purse. Just in case, she thought. Shamus had made sure she knew how to defend herself when they’d been stationed in the Middle East. She loved her trusty .22.
Darcy pressed the intercom button. “Jen, would you please come in?”
“Yes, Mrs. McGuire.” She entered Darcy’s office.
“In a half hour please call Shamus and give him this message,” Darcy said, her eyes fixed on Jen’s. After she had received the first set of pictures, she’d clued Jen in on what was taking place. She trusted her. Jen had been with her for fifteen years. Jen never bothered to dye her brown hair. It had grayed this past year and her short haircut fit her personality and flattered her face and matronly figure.
How far should I take Jen into my confidence? Should I show her the disgusting pictures? In today’s environment people react to rumors before anyone verifies them. I can’t trust that anyone will take the time to authenticate the validity of these pictures. Not with the board meeting and the vote so close. Whoever was at the hotel was going to get it—for both her and Callie. With an election for the board coming up, she could be voted out, whether they proved real or not. After all, they’d always been a family-values company.
“Why don’t I call him right away?” Jen asked, clasping her hands together.
“Jen, please, I know what I’m doing. Call in a half hour, no sooner.”
She handed Jen an envelope. “These are copies of the pictures and letters I just received. Lock them in my safe, and give them only to Shamus or Lieutenant Jake Carrington if I don’t return. Understand?”
“Yes, but I think you shouldn’t go anywhere alone.” Jen tugged on the chain around her neck.
“Don’t worry, I can handle myself. One half hour, Jen, not a minute before.” Darcy left her office without another word.
* * * *
Jake stopped in his office doorway after interviewing Smith. He studied the back of his visitor. The mayor’s department-store suit rode up his back, static causing the polyester to cling to his wide ass and stretch as it tugged across his back. D’Angelo’s brown hair was tufted up in back, as if he constantly pushed on it. The mayor had his hands locked behind his back and faced the street. D’Angelo certainly had made himself at home in Jake’s office. Jake cleared his throat.
“Mayor, I thought we were meeting tomorrow?”
“What I have to say is important and couldn’t wait.” D’Angelo turned to face Jake, thrusting papers at him. “This was sent to me this morning. Hayes over at the newspaper is going to run with this story in the morning unless I can assure him that the police, you in particular, are not shielding Blake from prosecution.”
“Mayor”—Jake took the paper and glanced at the headline—“Hayes and I have come into conflict before. He tries innocent people in the press all the time, with no thought to the consequences. I’ve explained the evidence does not point to Todd Blake. My only suspect is in the morgue, and his partner is still out there lining up more women. I don’t want to say who I suspect for the murder, but I’m leaning toward a woman. As for Edy Dunstan, I’m ninety-nine percent sure it’s her husband and his current girlfriend who snatched her last night.”
“You don’t believe it’s the same person for both crimes?”
“It appears to be a copycat on the blackmail but not the kidnapping. Please take a seat.” Jake pointed to one of the chairs in front of his desk and walked around to sit at his desk.
“I’m not going to be long, I’ll stand,” D’Angelo said. It changed the dynamics of the meeting, with the mayor now towering over him.
“First, kidnapping Edy Dunstan is a scare tactic. It smells of intimidation to me. Callie’s murder was downright mean. We’re sure she had the money with her when she met her killer. All the person had to do was hide their identity, collect the ransom, and take off. Why kill her? Todd’s devastated at her death. I’d bet my career it’s not him.”
“You might be doing just that. I still want you to pull him in for a formal interview to stifle the rumors he’s getting special treatment. I can’t order you to do it, Jake, but I can make your life a living hell. Is that what you want?”
Jake didn’t want to start out on the wrong foot with D’Angelo, but he’d played this game before and won. The victims had to stay the focus of his cases, not politics.
“No, sir, what I want is to catch a killer and a kidnapper. I think wasting my time with Blake narrows the chances of me finding Edy Dunstan before she’s killed. I don’t want you as an enemy, Mayor, but I have to do the job before politics.”
“Politics is an important part of the job as you climb higher in the ranks. I like Todd Blake and don’t want to cause him any more pain than he’s already in, but you have to follow a straight line when handling this case. We’re both under the microscope on this one.”
“I understand.”
“I hope you do, Jake. Follow the line.” D’Angelo left him to consider his words.
Jake reached for his desk phone, then changed his mind. Not here, he thought, and strolled up to the third floor to McGuire’s office. McGuire’s door was half closed. He knocked.
“Shamus, you got a minute?”
“Come in.”
Jake shut the door behind him. Stress lines had appeared around Shamus’s gray eyes. Jake was sorry for his part in causing them. Weary, he thought. Shamus looks defeated. Jake wished he could unsee Darcy’s photos, but he and Shamus both knew he couldn’t. In a few words he explained the mayor’s visit.
“What do you need from me?”
“Can you speak to Todd, and have him come in this afternoon, to keep up appearances?”
“I’ll try, but he’s not been answering his phone. Both Darcy and I have tried to get in contact with him.”
“Why don’t you do a wellness check on him?” Jake asked.
“I can do that, and work it in,” Shamus said. “I’ll keep you informed. Keep going on the kidnapping before she’s our next victim.”
“Thanks,” Jake said as he left McGuire’s office.
Jake went straight to Louie’s desk when he got back to Homicide. “Pack it in, I want another go at Cedric Dunstan.” He checked his watch. “Dunstan should be at work. Let’s stop in and embarrass him.”
“I thought Rockford fired him,” Louie said.
“No, he’s in the process of building his termination file. Rockford’s covering his ass against lawsuits.”
“Why visit Dunstan before Riverton?” Louie asked. “She’s the weak link.”
“Agreed, but his place of business closes in half an hour, hers doesn’t.”
Louie tucked an arm in his jacket sleeve as he downed his coffee and joined Jake at the elevator.
* * * *
Jake parked at the curb in the no-parking zone in front of the main branch of the Colonial New England Bank. He placed his “on-duty” sign in the front window to avoid a ticket.
“When we get into Cedric’s office, if things don’t strike us right, you go out and call Rockford in. He can search the office without a warrant. I’ll stall until he gets there, okay?”
“Yes. What are you looking for?” Louie asked.
“The loan papers he forged. I let it slip last night. He’s had time to think about it and do something with it. We only have a warrant for his computer and cell phone for the pictures, but I want the original loan papers.”
“Got ya,” Louie said.
Jake went straight to Cedric’s secretary’s desk. “Remember me?” he asked, palming his badge. Louie showed his too.
“Yes. Mr. Dunstan asked not to be disturbed today. Can I help you with anything?”
“Yes. Leave your desk, for plausible deniability. I’m going in either way.”
Jake stared her down. She reached into her bottom drawer for her purse, stood, flung it over her shoulder and stalked away without a word.
Interesting. The woman doesn’t like her boss.
“I told you I don’t want to be interrupted, what don’t you understand?” Cedric said without looking up.
Jake spied loan papers and a ledger Cedric had been working on. “Your secretary wasn’t at her desk. We let ourselves in.”
Jake caught the panic in Cedric’s eyes when he raised his head. He scrambled to cover the papers on his desk with one of the ledger books.
Louie’s cell phone rang. “Excuse me, I need to take this call,” Louie said, stepping out of the office.
“I’m a busy man, stop wasting my time. I didn’t do anything wrong,” Cedric said.
“Mr. Dunstan, I have some follow-up questions and a warrant to confiscate your cell phone and computer.”
“I told you last night to talk to my lawyer,” Dunstan said, staring down at his desk.
“I will. Give him a call. I’ll wait.”
“This is harassment.” Cedric lifted the receiver off the base, then made no move to press in a number.
“We can do it here or at the station, your choice,” Jake said. “Oh, while we wait, do you know anything about these photos?”
Jake handed Cedric two of the many photos of Edy in various stages of undress.
“No, why would I? Who took these?” Jake was impressed by Cedric’s acting skills, his range of outrage which never quite touched his eyes.
“You,” Jake said, waiting, watching, and judging each of Cedric’s nuances.
“You’ve got to be out of your mind. I didn’t take these.”
“Mr. Dunstan, I’ve got a warrant for your phone and computer here and at home.” Jake reached into his pocket and extracted the paper.
“You can’t do this.”
“I can. The cameras in Edy’s bedroom could’ve only been placed there by you. She’s had no service people in the house in ages. Benita will attest to it.”
“Those bitches stick together. I’m not handing anything over until my lawyer gets here.”
“Fine, then have a seat,” Jake said.
“No, I’ve got a business to run.” Cedric started around his desk after grabbing up the papers from under the book. Jake stepped in front of him.
“You’ll have a seat and place those papers back on the desk. And together we’ll wait for your attorney.”
“I will not,” Cedric said, his voice indignant.
“Louie, handcuffs please,” Jake said. The corner of his mouth turned up as Louie stepped back into the office.
“You wouldn’t dare.”
“Wanna bet?” Jake never broke eye contact with Dunstan. “Your wife is missing. She’s my concern, not you.”
