Purrfect Bachelor, page 13
“Whatever,” the man muttered, then walked off, grumbling under his breath.
We were walking back to the car when a woman came hurrying out of the garage. She was also dressed in blue coveralls, and seemed eager to have speech with us.
“Not here,” she said quietly when she was within speaking distance. “Meet me in the Squeaky Wheel in ten minutes. And please don’t tell my husband, all right?” And before we could ask her who her husband was, she had slipped into the garage again.
Though I think it’s safe to say she was probably referring to the irrepressible Vince.
Chapter 31
Ten minutes later we were indeed in the Squeaky Wheel, when the same woman came breezing in. She’d ditched the blue coverall and was looking more like a regular person now, in jeans and a sweater, her blond hair tied back from her wrinkle-free face. She appeared to be in her early forties. She took a seat at the table, and looked just as nervous as she had when she’d approached us back at the garage.
“I’m Mandi Gusta,” she said without preamble. “And I’m the one who gave Kristina Careen that notebook.”
“You’re Vince’s wife?” asked Chase.
She nodded, looking a little breathless. “I can’t stay long, I’m sorry. If Vince found out I was talking to the police he’d be very unhappy.”
“I won’t waste too much of your time, then,” said Chase. “What do you know about the hit and run that killed Poppy Careen?”
“Nothing. I only met Vince eight years ago.”
“He never talked to you about that night? Or his dad?”
Mandi shook her head. “But I did see him burn those notebooks the other night, and I had a feeling it was important, so I fished out one notebook and discovered that it covered the month when Poppy Careen was killed. You see, I’d read in the paper about Jona Morro, and about the Careen case, and then when Vince suddenly decided to burn his dad’s old papers, it just made me wonder, you know. So I decided to save that notebook from the pile, and when I saw the entry Jefferson made the day after that terrible accident, I knew that must have been the reason Vince wanted to get rid of it.”
“And so you decided that Kristina should have it.”
Mandi nodded. “I always wanted kids of my own, but we lost…” Her voice faltered, but she soon recovered. “We lost Jason when he was three months old. Crib death. I was heartbroken at the time, and it put a terrible strain on our marriage but we survived. So I can understand what the Careens must have been through.”
“Vince obviously doesn’t,” said Chase, “and nor did his dad.”
“Vince and Jefferson’s first priority has always been the garage. The Careen tragedy got a lot of press coverage at the time, and it’s never really gone away. That kind of thing puts a stain on an entire community, not just the family. And I guess Jefferson didn’t want it to affect us. I think people would have blamed him for the death of that little girl. They would have blamed him for covering up a crime and protecting a murderer. And Vince desperately tried to make that threat go away, same way his dad did.”
“Thanks, Mandi,” said Odelia, placing a hand on the woman’s arm. “It’s a very brave thing you did. And I’m sure Kristina is very grateful that you decided to come forward.”
“I’m not brave,” said Mandi, lowering her head. “If I were brave, I’d have stood up to Vince. I wouldn’t have snuck around behind his back to deliver you his dad’s notebook.”
“Still, it’s only thanks to you that we know now who Poppy’s killer was.”
“And who was it?” asked Mandi.
Chase hesitated for a moment, then said, “The license plate in your father-in-law’s notebook was registered to Dunc Hanover.”
Mandi frowned. “The papier-mâché artist?”
Chase nodded. “Have you ever seen him in the garage?”
“No, I haven’t. I didn’t know he was a client.”
“It’s possible it was just a one-off. Maybe Dunc or one of his friends knew that Jefferson wasn’t averse to doing the odd job off the books, and paid him extra to keep his mouth shut.”
“Which would explain why he never said anything,” Odelia added.
“I don’t know about that,” said Mandi, shaking her head. “Jefferson was a good person. Okay, so he accepted money under the table, but I don’t think he would have knowingly helped cover up a crime. Especially if it involved the death of a little girl.”
“Vince said he only found out last month, just before his dad died. Looks like Jefferson wanted to make some kind of confession.”
“I don’t think so,” said Chase. “He gave strict instructions to have the notebooks destroyed. He was trying to protect the reputation of Gusta Garage right up until the end.”
Mandi gave us a sad look. “Will you apologize to Kristina for me?” Then she frowned. “What am I saying? I’m being just as cowardly as my father-in-law was, and my husband. You know what? Don’t tell her anything. I’ll go over there myself and apologize in person.”
“But won’t you get in trouble with Vince?” asked Odelia.
“I don’t care,” said Mandi, straightening. “Sometimes you just have to do the right thing, and this is one of those times. And if Vince doesn’t like it, that’s too bad.” She got up with a smile and extended a hand. “If there’s anything else, you know where to find me.”
And then she walked out, not skulking around like a scared little mouse, but like a woman who knows exactly what to do and is determined to do it.
“She’s a brave person,” said Dooley. “To go against her husband’s wishes like that.”
“I think she can feel Kristina’s pain,” I said. “She’s been through a similar experience and she knows how devastating it can be to lose a child. Even though Kristina’s suffering is probably still a notch above Mandi’s.”
“I’m not sure, Max,” said Dooley. “I think it’s hard to compare suffering.”
I smiled. “You’re a wise cat, Dooley,” I said.
“You think so?”
“Yes, I do.”
“Kristina’s suffering isn’t over yet, is it? With her husband in prison, looks like it’s only just begun.”
Chapter 32
After spending a couple of hours in a cell at the police station, Dominic looked a lot less rugged and self-confident than usual. His face had developed a sallow complexion, and he had a sort of haunted look in his eye. The kind of look a man who’s used to being out in the woods all day gets when being cooped up in a small, dingy cell.
Chase had taken a seat across from the man in the interrogation room, and Odelia and Dooley and I were watching on through the one-way mirror.
“Poor man,” said Dooley, immediately taking pity on the guy. “He looks like a butterfly that’s been caught.”
“A big butterfly,” I said.
“Or a little bird.”
“Or a big bird.”
The man might have been badly affected by his recent incarceration but he still looked like a lumberjack. Which is probably because he was, in effect, a lumberjack.
“So what can you tell me about last night, Dominic?” said Chase, opening proceedings.
“I was home, then I went out to check on our cabin, then I returned home,” said the other man in his customary gruff tones.
“You didn’t pop over to Sergio Sorbet’s place to have a chat with the man?”
“No, I did not. I don’t even know where Sorbet lives.”
“Lived,” Chase corrected him. “He’s dead now. But of course you already knew that.”
“Because you told me,” said Dominic, giving Chase a look of defiance.
“Four people have been killed in three days now, Dominic, and all four of them have been accused by you of having been involved in the accident that killed your daughter.”
“So?”
“Do you really expect me to believe this is a coincidence?”
Dominic leaned forward. “Look, I had nothing to do with the death of these men. But if you ask me if they got exactly what they deserved, then yes, they did. And I’m not going to shed any tears over them either. They committed a crime, and they’ve paid for it with their lives, which is exactly as it should be.”
“So you’re confessing that you have something to do with what happened to them.”
“All I’m confessing to is that I’m glad they’re dead. And I hope they suffered just as much as my family has suffered. Though I don’t think that’s possible.”
“I’m going to give you a chance to prove to me you’re not lying,” said Chase as he placed a piece of paper on the table in front of Dominic. “These are the times of death of the four victims. I want you to think carefully and write down for me where you were at these times. And don’t tell me you don’t remember. You’re smarter than that.”
Dominic glanced down at the piece of paper. “I already told you.” He tapped a stubby forefinger on the document. “Woods, woods, home, woods.”
“So basically what you’re saying is that your wife and son are your only alibi.”
“And the trees,” said the man wryly. “Don’t forget about the trees.”
“Very funny,” said Chase grimly as he took the piece of paper and folded it.
Chase came out to take a break, and leaned against the table. “So what do you think?” he asked.
“I’m not sure,” said Odelia. “Though it doesn’t look good for him, does it?”
“No, it sure doesn’t,” Chase agreed. “And he’s not putting in a lot of effort to prove he didn’t do it either.”
“Almost as if he doesn’t care if he goes to prison or not.”
They both stared at the man, who sat hunched over, staring down at the tabletop.
Just then, an officer popped her head in. “Rick Careen is here. Says he wants to see you as soon as possible.”
Chase nodded curtly, and he and Odelia left the small room, followed by yours truly and Dooley, of course. We didn’t want to miss a thing!
Chase didn’t want to put Rick into one of the interrogation rooms, so he talked to the young man in his office instead, which was a lot less threatening or bleak.
Rick glanced around at the posters announcing that the police are your friend, and a warning that you shouldn’t give pickpockets the opportunity to go through your pockets. It seemed like good advice, though of course cats don’t have pockets, so we’ve got those nasty pickpockets fooled.
“So what did you want to talk to me about, Rick?” asked Chase.
“Is my dad still here?” asked Rick, gesturing in the general direction of the precinct.
“Your dad is helping us with our inquiries right now,” said Chase gently.
“I want you to let him go,” said the kid, nodding seriously.
“I’m afraid I can’t do that.”
“I’m here to tell you that… that it was me,” said the young man.
“It was you what?” asked Chase, puzzled.
“It was me who did it,” said Rick. “I killed those men. Not my dad.”
“You killed them?” asked Chase, exchanging a look with Odelia.
“Yes, I did. I want to confess. So you see? You can let my dad go now. He didn’t do it. I did.”
“Okay, so tell me some more about that. Take me through the scene, if you will, Rick?”
“Well, first I… I killed… Jona Morro. Because he’s one of the men who killed my sister.”
“And how did you kill Mr. Morro?”
“I, um, I dropped a car on top of him.”
“And how, exactly, did you accomplish that?”
“Easy. I’m a forester. I’m used to cutting down trees. So I simply cut down that car and dropped it on top of him.”
“And Mr. Morro just lay there? He didn’t fight back?”
Rick thought for a moment. “That’s because I hit him first. Knocked him out?” He glanced over to Chase, to see how his words were received.
“Okay, and how about Joel Timperley? Did you kill him, too?”
“Of course. I killed all of them. All four.”
“So talk me through it, Rick. What happened?”
“I, um, I walked into his office and I said I wanted to talk to him.”
“When was this?”
“Um, two nights ago?”
“What time?”
“Ten, no, eleven o’clock.”
“So you walked into his office, and then what?”
“Then I said I wanted him to show me the display. You know, the display for the new Zeus movie? I said I was a big fan, and I wanted him to show it to me.”
“And he didn’t think that was odd? That you wanted to see the display at eleven at night?”
“No, because I said I was such a big fan, see. And so we walked down, and that’s when I hit him.”
“You hit him.”
“Yes, I knocked him out, then strung him up right next to his friend’s… model.”
Chase eyed the young man kindly. “Rick, I appreciate what you’re trying to do, but I’m afraid it won’t do your father any good.”
“But I did it!” Rick cried, jumping up from his chair. “I killed them!”
“No, you didn’t.”
Rick sank back down, as tears sprang to his eyes.
“It’s all right, Rick,” said Odelia softly. “You love your dad very much, don’t you?”
Rick nodded wordlessly.
“So he wasn’t with you the morning Jona Morro was killed? Or Dunc Hanover?”
Rick shook his head. “I don’t know where he went. He said he had some things to take care of, but he wouldn’t say what. I’m afraid—I’ve been afraid that…”
“That he permanently took care of the men he holds responsible for your sister’s death?”
Rick nodded. “He’s a good man, detective. He’s my hero. And if he did… something, I know he did it because he believed it was the right thing to do.”
“Rick tried to help his dad,” said Dooley. “But the only thing he succeeded in doing is putting his dad in even bigger trouble than he was already in.”
“Yeah, looks like Dominic’s alibi just blew up in his face.”
“Where was your dad when Joel was killed?” asked Chase.
“Out,” said Rick.
“Just like those other times?”
“Yeah.”
“And last night?”
“He said he was going to the woods to check on the cabin.”
“Why didn’t you go with him?”
“He didn’t want me to. Said he could handle it.”
“Did you notice anything out of the ordinary when he came back?”
“I don’t know. By the time he returned I’d already gone to bed.”
“Hasn’t he said anything to you about where he was? Or to your mom?”
“Mom asked him about it, but he said it was best if she didn’t know.”
“That must have got you worried.”
“It did.” He lifted a teary face to Chase. “I think he did it, detective. I think he went out there and killed those men. And now I don’t know what to do.”
“What does your mom think?”
“The same. We haven’t talked about it, but I can tell she thinks Dad killed them.” He gulped. “He killed them all, didn’t he? And now he’s going to rot in prison for the rest of his life, and Mom is going to die alone—without him. And all because the police couldn’t make the men who killed Poppy pay for their crime.”
Chapter 33
Harriet and Brutus were back at the offices of Morro & Wissinski, insurance agents, and things were a little worrisome. Omar Wissinski, ever since he was conked over the head, had been behaving strangely. That morning he arrived late, and was in a real state.
“He’s dead!” he cried when he finally walked in, one hour late.
“Who’s dead, Mr. Wissinski?” asked Scarlett, who’d been patiently doing her nails when her boss had failed to put in an appearance.
“Sergio, of course!”
Scarlett’s jaw dropped. “Zeus is dead? Oh, no!”
Omar was pacing the office, clutching at his hair for some reason, as if hoping it would provide the answers he was looking for. “She killed him. I just know she did!”
“Who killed him?” asked Scarlett, looking to the entrance just in case she needed to make a quick getaway.
Omar stopped pacing and planted himself in front of Scarlett’s desk, eyeing her feverishly. “Why, the Careen woman, of course. They arrested Dominic, you know.”
“Oh, that’s a good thing, isn’t it?” asked Scarlett, trying to get the man to calm down.
“It is good. It’s very good. But it’s not good enough, is it? They should arrest Kristina, too. She’s behind this whole thing—I just know she is!”
“But isn’t Kristina Careen agro-phobic? Or something?”
“That’s what she says. But I’m sure she’s faking it!”
“But she hasn’t left the house in thirteen years.”
“Of course she has. When no one is watching, she leaves that house—to kill my friends!”
“That’s what Gran said,” Harriet whispered.
“I know she did, sugar pie,” said Brutus.
“She was right. Kristina Careen is faking it!”
“But if she’s faking it, don’t you think someone would have seen her?” asked Scarlett.
“It’s easy enough to make sure you’re not seen if you don’t want to be,” said Omar, who’d returned to pacing the floor. “You don a disguise, or you only leave the house after dark.” He wheeled on Scarlett. “Which is why both Joel and Sergio were killed at night! Of course! Kristina killed Joel and Sergio, and Dominic killed Jona and Dunc and tried to kill me!” He uttered a small cry of anguish and clasped a hand to his face, eyes wide. “She’s coming for me next, isn’t she? Dominic is in jail, but she’s still out there, biding her time.” He glanced to the door, and when he saw the sturdy form of the security man standing sentinel, he seemed to lose some of his anguish. “She can’t come in here, though, can she?”
