Framing the Marshal, page 11
Sympathy for Riker enveloped her and for the first time, she understood he truly feared going to prison. They piled out of the SUV and she waited as Riker leashed Ammo.
In a silent march, they trudged to the front doors. Though she had no reason to feel self-conscious, the busy office intimidated her, and she imagined how it impacted Riker. Officers and civilians scurried from phones to offices, and Eliana couldn’t shake the feeling they were being scrutinized. She glanced over her shoulder, catching the eye of a younger cop, who met her gaze. He leaned against a cubical wall, conversing with an attractive woman seated at a desk. Eliana offered a small smile, but neither returned the gesture. She averted her eyes and hurried to catch up to Riker, who remained stoic, ignoring or unaware of the situation.
They rounded a corner into a hallway, where closed doors lined both sides. Without hesitation, Riker aimed for the one ajar at the far end. He rapped twice below a metal sign that read Observation Room #2, and they entered.
Soft light glowed where Commander Walsh and Captain Ferguson occupied the cramped space. Beckham waved them inside and Riker shifted, allowing Eliana to go ahead of him before closing the door. The group stood in front of a large window that viewed Interrogation Room #2.
“Captain Ferguson offered for us to watch from here.” Eliana cued into Beckham’s subtle reminder that Omaha PD had no obligation to include them in any part of the investigation.
Riker and Ammo pressed against the furthest end of the wall and Riker lifted his hand, signaling the dog. He sat and softly panted.
Inside the adjoining room, a woman sat opposite Officer Marvin. Neither spoke, and Eliana wondered how long they’d been that way. The pretty twentysomething wore her black hair spiked up randomly over her head in a fashionista style, and her heavy eye makeup made her dark eyes seem larger. She wore jean shorts and a short-sleeved T-shirt with swirls of pink and blue on the white cotton fabric. She tapped her long fingernails in a rhythm on the metal tabletop.
Graham entered the room and slid into the chair beside Officer Marvin. “Good afternoon. I’m Graham Kenyon with the DEA.”
“Hey,” the woman replied dully.
“This is two-way glass, and the room is sound-proofed,” Riker whispered to Eliana. “They cannot hear or see us.”
She nodded, eyes fixed on the scene playing before her like those she’d witnessed in crime television shows.
“I apologize for the delay in my arrival. Thank you for being kind enough to wait for me, Miss York,” Graham said.
“Noella,” she corrected. “I’ve already told this guy everything.”
“I apologize for the inconvenience, but would you repeat it to me? We don’t want anything lost in translation.” Graham flashed a winning smile.
She grunted and slid back in the chair, crossing her arms over her chest. “You found Orion’s body at that Dundee house. Why ain’t you arrested the owner yet?”
Officer Marvin leaned closer. “We’d like to.”
Riker stiffened beside Eliana. “I’m sure we would,” he mumbled.
From her peripheral, she caught Beckham’s disapproving frown. Had he overheard Riker or was he annoyed by Marvin’s response? The dynamics of the relationship between law enforcement intrigued her and dislodged her assumption they were all a big brotherhood dutifully bound to back one another.
“We need more evidence,” Graham told her. “I understand you have something that will help us find out what happened to Moneyman.”
She unfolded her arms and leaned forward. “Orion. That was his name,” she snapped, pointing a daggered nail. “He was a human being with a real name and a real life.”
“Agreed, but he was also a prominent fixture in the D’Alfo Nites,” Graham argued.
She snorted in a not very ladylike way. “It’s easy to judge us when you didn’t grow up how we did. You only see what’s printed on that paper about Orion. But you didn’t know him, and you weren’t surviving the streets before you were outta diapers either.”
Eliana monitored Riker’s reaction to the woman’s response. Crime was never justifiable, but she understood being an unwilling participant in difficult circumstances. Compassion swelled Eliana’s heart. Noella may have fallen in love with the wrong guy. If he’d protected her from the criminals on the streets, Orion was her hero.
“That’s true,” Graham conceded. “We’re not here to judge. That’s far above both our pay grades. We want to solve Orion’s murder.”
Noella resumed her defensive posture, arms crossed at her chest. “Then why haven’t you arrested the house owner?”
“Unfortunately, location alone doesn’t prove who killed Orion,” Graham replied. “However, if you are able to provide evidence leading to Orion’s killer, that might give us the go-ahead we need.”
Eliana spun to look at Riker and he shrugged. “He needs to win her over.”
“Oh,” she replied.
“Why would Orion be at that house? Was he acquainted with the owner?” Marvin passed a picture of Riker to the woman.
Eliana’s defenses rose. “He’s supposed to be on Riker’s side.”
“He’s on the side of truth,” Captain Ferguson replied softly.
“Yeah,” the woman said, regaining their attention. She stabbed a pointed nail at the picture. “That’s Blaze.”
Graham flicked a glance briefly at the window, but the move was almost imperceptible. “Blaze?”
“That’s him, taken just before he dyed his hair that stupid color,” Noella replied, grabbing her cell phone from the table. She swiped a clawed finger at the screen before setting it before the officers to view.
Marvin reached for it first, studied the picture with a smile, then spun the device around to face Graham.
His movements were slow and calculated as he lifted the bedazzled phone. “This is Blaze?”
“Yep. That was just two months ago at a party.” She leaned forward, her tone dripping with accusation. “Word is that house belongs to a cop. Figures, he played dirty and conned my man, then killed him.”
“How did Blaze con Orion?” Graham probed.
She hesitated then said, “Pretending to be his friend and all.” She clammed up as though realizing she might’ve said too much.
“May I borrow this?” Graham pushed away from the table, Noella’s phone in hand.
“Just bring it right back,” she snapped.
Graham hurried out and entered the observation room. “You’ll want to see this.”
Eliana, Riker and the commanders huddled around him, and Riker took the phone, displaying it for the others to see. The picture showed a man holding a blue plastic cup, grinning wide, and surrounded by Noella York and Orion Potts.
“He totally resembles you,” Eliana said, surveying the man’s features. Bone structure and stature appeared almost identical to Riker, except for the badly dyed red hair. “I had a friend who used cheap hair dye. Turned her hair that color too.”
“Like a clown wig,” Graham said.
“Definitely not his natural color. If we had a sample of Blaze’s hair, we could compare it to the one found in Riker’s house,” she pondered aloud. “He must’ve tried dying his mustache, too, though the color is a little more believable.” She glanced at Riker. His dark blond hair held no red highlights at all. Changing hair color was easy, but there was no disputing Blaze was Riker’s mirror image.
“That’s not me,” Riker contested softly, eyes fixed on the phone.
But if a picture was worth a thousand words, this one was worth a twenty-to-life prison sentence.
EIGHT
Eliana’s mind raced with possibilities.
“Dude, Noella confirmed they took this picture two months ago.” Graham pointed to the time stamp on the photo.
Curiosity at the implication of that information had Eliana’s gaze bouncing between the men. “We were working the case in Des Moines!” Riker exclaimed.
“Precisely!” Graham gave an emphatic nod.
“But it doesn’t help us figure out Blaze’s real identity,” Captain Ferguson countered.
“No, but it provides reasonable plausibility that whoever Blaze is, he’s got it in for Riker,” Beckham said. “Good work, Graham. Let’s see what else Noella offers.”
“On it.” Graham scurried out and returned to the room where Noella sat tapping her fingernails on the table.
They both glanced up at his approach and Eliana noticed Marvin wore skepticism like his badge. “We have confirmation of an inside job.”
“Can’t say for sure yet, but certainly shifts the focus,” Graham replied.
Eliana grinned.
Graham continued. “Noella, you and Orion are in this picture with Blaze. Are you certain about when it was taken?”
Eliana glanced at Riker. The date stamp was an automated feature. Why was Graham pressing? She also noted he didn’t share the alibi information with Marvin, countering his accusation that Riker was guilty. She suspected his tactics were an intentional move to keep Noella believing they were on her side and swallowing her story.
Graham passed Noella her phone and she nodded emphatically. “That was Orion’s big birthday bash. The whole family was there.”
“You mean the Nites?” Graham asked.
She narrowed her eyes and leaned forward. “That is our family.”
“I get it,” Graham replied. “Why would Blaze kill Orion, especially if they were friends?”
Noella crossed her arms over her chest. “When I saw the news, I did a little digging.”
“Great.” Marvin’s comment dripped with sarcasm. “Everyone thinks they are expert investigators with the internet these days.”
She pinned him with a glower. “Except I’m sitting here handing you the killer while you’re doing nothing.”
He lifted a hand in surrender and Eliana forced away a smile. Go, Noella.
“Anyway.” She reverted her attention to Graham. “The cop’s house where Orion was killed, I looked it up and found the owner’s name. And what do you know? Riker Kastell is Blaze. Must’ve been working undercover—the sneak—except he probably figured he’d just take the money and run. After he killed my man.”
“Wow, we should hire you for our intelligence unit,” Graham said.
Eliana heard no condemnation in his tone. “Actually, she’d probably be a great resource if you could trust her,” she whispered to Riker.
He frowned. “The best CIs are.”
“Blaze called Orion the night—” Noella’s voice cracked and she paused, pressing a hand against her painted lips.
“Take your time,” Graham said.
“Thing is, we trusted him.” Noella shook her head.
Eliana couldn’t tear her gaze from the interrogation. If Noella had found the information on Riker, that meant the press would do the same.
“Are you certain that was the same night Orion went missing? The same night he was shot?” Marvin pressed.
“Yes.” She nodded emphatically. “Orion got a call from Blaze saying he had something big, but he insisted Orion come alone.”
“Do you normally accompany Orion on visits with Blaze?” Graham queried.
“Sometimes, but not on business meetings.”
“Business?” Marvin sneered. “Or drug deals?”
Noella glared at him. “Of course, you’d go there.”
“Well, it’s hard not to since I have this.” Marvin opened a file folder on the table and pointed to the papers. “Lincoln PD recently arrested you for possession.”
“The drugs weren’t mine, and they dismissed the charges,” Noella countered.
Riker snorted. “Right.”
Eliana glanced up at him.
“Most of them,” Marvin added.
“Look, you want my help or not?” Noella snapped.
Eliana’s gaze bounced between the scene unfolding in front of her and the reaction of Riker, Captain Ferguson, and Beckham standing beside her.
“Yes, we do, Noella,” Graham said, regaining control over the conversation. “Did you hear from Orion once he left to meet Blaze?”
“No.” She glanced down at the table. “Said he’d be back in an hour and never came home. That was the last I saw of him.”
“You’ve taken an enormous risk coming here,” Graham said. “Are the Nites aware you’re talking to us?”
“No.” She lifted her chin defiantly and fixed her gaze on Marvin.
“Do you fear for your safety?” Graham asked.
She turned to face him, her expression softening. “You couldn’t protect me if you wanted to. You cops have no clue.”
“If your information leads to the arrest of Orion’s killer, we’ll provide a protection detail for you,” Graham insisted.
“For how long? Forever?” She rolled her eyes, resuming her tough exterior. “Do you know how many funerals I go to in a year? Please.”
“Some family the Nites are,” Marvin commented sarcastically.
“Are they talking retribution?” Graham asked.
She shrugged. “You judge Orion as a criminal, but he was different with me. I loved him. He didn’t deserve what happened to him.”
“Why would Blaze want to kill him?” Graham asked, compassion in his tone. “You said they were friends.”
Noella seemed to consider the question before responding. “I figure Orion made Blaze as a cop and threatened to tell the Nites.”
“Do you have evidence to support that?” Graham asked.
“No, but it makes sense.” Noella tapped her phone. “He pulled one over on us. Probably thought he could play both worlds. Take advantage.”
Eliana considered Noella’s reasoning and agreed she wasn’t totally off base. “Did you work undercover?” she whispered to Riker.
He responded with a quick shake of his head.
Beckham’s phone rang. “Excuse me.” He stepped out of the room.
Riker placed a hand on the small of Eliana’s back when it was clear the interrogation was over. “Let’s go.”
They stepped into the hallway just as Beckham exited an office on the opposite side and waved them over. Graham walked out of the interview room and joined them. The group assembled around the metal table and slid into the chairs. Ammo sat beside Riker.
Beckham handed Riker two burner cell phones. “Use these for now. We’ll work on getting your phones replaced when this is over.”
“Thanks.” Riker pocketed one and passed the other to Eliana.
“That phone call was about Nelson,” Beckham stated, gaining the group’s full attention. “The doctors removed the bullets that tore through his trapezius muscle. They came within millimeters of hitting his heart. He’s in recovery and should progress well.”
Riker’s throat tightened and relief nearly buckled his knees. Thank You, Lord. “That’s great news.”
Eliana’s eyes welled with tears. “I’m glad he’s going to be okay.”
“Me too.” Riker gave another silent prayer of thanks. With the news of Nelson’s condition, his focus returned entirely on finding this criminal and making sure he never saw life outside of prison walls.
“The department is providing round-the-clock security for Nelson and his family,” Beckham added.
“We’ll make sure he’s covered,” Graham assured them.
“Please keep me updated should anything change,” Riker said.
“Meet with the Omaha PD gang unit, Graham, and see if they have any information on this Blaze character,” Beckham ordered.
Graham nodded. “On it.”
“With all due respect, Noella is accusing Riker of posing as Blaze and claiming he killed Moneyman,” Eliana said. “Doesn’t that seem a little too convenient?”
“I’m with her,” Graham affirmed.
“We finally have a viable suspect—this Blaze fellow. Although—” Riker rubbed the day’s growth on his chin “—did you notice the way she kept looking at Marvin?”
Confused, Eliana asked, “You mean the way she glared at him? There’s no love between them.”
“It was subtle, but I picked up on the nuance too,” Graham said.
“Think he coerced her?” Riker asked.
“Guys, we need to be careful here,” Beckham warned.
“Just thinking out loud,” Graham mused. “It’s possible, and she did come in with him. He could’ve talked to her beforehand. Or suggested a plea deal of some sort. Noella’s got a criminal history. Nothing major but enough that working off some charges might be beneficial, especially for a mother-to-be.”
“What?” Riker’s eyes widened.
“How did you figure that out?” Eliana questioned.
“It was in her photos. A Coming Soon announcement,” Graham said with a slight grin. “My cousin did one of those.”
“Good work,” Beckham commended. “If Blaze is the shooter, it doesn’t explain the picture he put in Moneyman’s pocket of Riker and his family. We need that connection.”
“Forensic genealogy has proved useful in solving big cases. I think we could use it here,” Eliana persisted.
“Riker?” Beckham asked.
“Fine.” He exhaled a long sigh. “After all the death attempts on our lives, it might be beneficial to get out of Nebraska for a while, and see my folks.”
“Agreed,” Beckham said.
“We’ll keep you updated,” Graham assured them, getting to his feet. “I’ll reach out to my gang unit contact.” He opened the door and nearly collided with Marvin, blocking the doorway.
Had he been eavesdropping?
“What can we do for you?” Beckham asked the officer.
“Why is he here?” Marvin entered, glare fixed on Riker.
“We have team business to conduct,” Beckham answered, though Eliana was certain he had no obligation to explain.
