Deadly Compromises by Edward Drobinski - HTML preview
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Chapter 14
Kelly woke up on the couch at 7:00AM. Her first thoughts were of her 3:00PM appointment with the police. George was still asleep and somehow he wound up on the floor. She looked over and saw that her movement was waking him, too. The King Crimson CD was still playing softly and she said; “Like old times, we just need a record player revolving around the end of the record, wearing out the needle.”
“Yeah,” he kind of whispered.
She shut off the music and they made mild conversation.
George carried the bulk of the conversation, mostly about the adventures of their old compatriots. She enjoyed the slow pace, being a recent stranger to it. They ate well for the first time in a while.
At 2:15PM she left for her meeting, with a very clear head and thought she was ready for anything. She pulled into Police Headquarters parking lot and was mildly surprised to see state cars. She entered and was led to a room with a closed door.
Three men in suits were already there. She opened it and stood
still, thinking that she did not expect them to be ganging up on her so soon. She guessed that this would be the most important part of her show and said to herself; “Come on, Kelly. Clear and vague. Clear and vague. Contradiction? Fuck it. I don’t know a damn thing I didn’t say yesterday.”
Sheriff Mack was sitting in the command position, alone, behind his desk. The other two men sat on the other side of it and had already taken the two outside seats, leaving Kelly the one in the middle. He cordially said; “Come on in. You’re early, but that’s fine with us. Let me introduce Detectives Daugherty and Melchioni. They’re state cops.”
They all nodded “Hellos” and shook hands silently. She took the only available seat and felt surrounded, but prepared for the Indian attack.
Sheriff Mack: “Hope you’re doing well. We know this is a difficult time.”
Kelly: “I’m better today. Best thing I can do is take care of business. It occupies my mind anyway.”
Sheriff Mack, efficiently offered; “Good. Glad to hear that. Let’s get started. You said you got home at 8:30PM last night....”
Kelly, slightly exasperated at having to go through the repetitious chatter, flatly said; “I said about 8:30. I didn’t look at a clock.”
Sheriff Mack: “I stand corrected. Where were you?”
Kelly: “I was driving around for about two hours and spent some time walking around by the river.”
Sheriff Mack: “Was that two hours of driving?”
Kelly: “No, a total of about two hours, including the river walk.”
Sheriff Mack: “How much of the two hours was walking time?”
Kelly: “Probably somewhere between half an hour and an hour.”
Sheriff Mack: “How do you know it was a total of two hours?”
Kelly: “I don’t. I said about two hours.”
Sheriff Mack: “How do you know it was about two hours?”
Kelly: “It felt like it. I do it often and have some sense of time, though I’ve been wrong on occasion.”
Sheriff Mack: “Don’t you wear a watch?”
Kelly extended both her arms to show no adornments; “No, see for yourself.”
Sheriff Mack: “Was Alan home when you left.”
Kelly: “No.”
Sheriff Mack: “Did you see anyone during the two hour trip.”
Kelly: “Some people were in front of their houses when I passed by. I don't know them and vice versa. I didn’t see anyone at the river.”
Sheriff Mack: “Wasn’t it pretty cold at the river at that time?”
Kelly: “I guess so, but I’m used to it and dress for it.
I’ve been there when the temperature was zero and there was a breeze. It was much more comfortable than that. Sometimes, it’s the only way to get any privacy in Castillo.”
Sheriff Mack raised his eyebrows and continued; “You drive a new light blue Mercedes. That’s a pretty unusual car here.
Wouldn’t someone have noticed it?”
Kelly: “I have no idea. Someone always notices something in friendly Castillo, but I didn’t stop to say ‘Hello’ to anyone.”
Det. Melchioni interjected; “Perhaps we can verify this.
Which houses had people outside?”
Kelly: “I don’t remember. A few people I probably have never seen before were near their houses. That’s always the case.”
Det. Melchioni: “Were any of the houses near the road?”
Kelly: “No, I only glimpsed them in the distance.”
Det. Melchioni: “Which route did you take?”
Kelly: “As usual, I took the main road out of town, meandered around the flat wasteland until I got bored. Then, I came back to town, again using the main road, turned off on Romero, parked at the end and walked for a while. I then drove back home.”
Det. Melchioni: “It would be nice if we could get at least one witness.”
Kelly: “For me too. Why don’t you give it a try?”
Det. Melchioni, sounding a bit threatening, said; “We intend to.”
Det. Daugherty: “We spoke to some of your neighbors and one reported seeing a car exiting White Horse Lane around 8:30.
Did you see it or know anything about it?”
Kelly: “No. Maybe it was the murderer.”
Det. Daugherty: “Maybe.”
Det. Melchioni: “Do you usually drive around at that time of night?”
Kelly: “Generally no. A bit lately. I used to go earlier, while I still have some light.”
Det. Melchioni: “Why lately?”
Kelly: “I don't know. I felt like it, I guess. I’ve been working around the motel much more recently. It’s probably fouled up my schedule a bit. Maybe I just need to unwind sometimes.”
Sheriff Mack: “Were you aware of any financial problems your husband was having?”
Kelly: “No, I don’t pay specific attention. He didn’t consider it any of my business, anyway and I didn’t care. But
when Alan asked me to help out at the motel, I thought something might be wrong.”
Sheriff Mack: “You thought right. We found out that he’s been losing money for at least three years, one year substantially and that he has borrowed about four million dollars from the mob and can’t pay it back. That’s where Detectives Daugherty and Melchioni come in.”
Kelly thought; “That’s a relief. I must be doing all right so far. He actually volunteered something.”
Det. Daugherty: Detective Melchioni and I work for the Organized Crime Division at state. Quite frankly, this looks like a professional hit. It has all the characteristics, excepting a few details.”
Kelly: “Like?”
Det. Daugherty: “Mob hits are usually quick in and out.
They don’t draw any attention. The pieces of the puzzle I’d like to find answers to are why were bullets in the ceiling and why was he tied up and handcuffed.”
Kelly, feigned interest, tried to flatter and skirt any direct commentary. She said; “Sounds like a hard job.”
Det. Daugherty: “It is. I’m assuming the killer wanted to talk to Alan about something. He may have brought him there from somewhere else. He may have fired shots into the ceiling to scare him into saying or doing something. This isn’t usual, but it happens.”
Kelly: “I want the murderer caught as much as you do and I can’t help but ask why does that matter?”
Det. Melchioni deadpanned; “It puts it in our jurisdiction.”
Det. Daugherty: “Frankly, these guys are hard to catch.”
Kelly: “Well, good luck.”
Kelly was pleased when the three men rose, now certain that she had survived Round One. She followed their lead and got on her feet.
Sheriff Mack: “Well, thanks for coming, really. If we need you again, where can I contact you?”
Kelly: “When can I move back into my house?”
Sheriff Mack: “Now. We don’t want to inconvenience you any more than we have to.”
Kelly: “Oh, great, then you can reach me at that number.
Feel free. I’d like to give you guys all the help I can.” She kept a straight face. She nodded goodbye and turned, intending to leave, when another question was directed at her.
Det. Melchioni: “Do you know that you were beneficiary of a five million dollar life insurance policy?”
Kelly thought; “That Melchioni is going to be the hardest ass, hoping that I say something stupid. It wasn’t a very good ploy, because he can find out that sort of information, without help from me. He merely wants to see my reaction.”
Consequently, she made none and matter-of-factly, unemotionally said; “Yes.”
She continued out, closing the door behind her. She thought she had done well as she drove home.
Det. Daugherty: “Great Irish girl.”
Det. Melchioni: “Simburg?”
Det. Daugherty: “Maiden name — Patrick. All the best girls are Irish.”
They all laughed.
Det. Melchioni: “What kind of girls do you know about, anyway?”
Det. Daugherty: “Only Irish, why settle?”
They all laughed again.
Det. Melchioni: “I just wanted to see if she’d overreact to the insurance policy comment. I think this is probably a mob hit, too, especially with the debt.”
Sheriff Mack: “You guys are the experts at that. I’ll continue some investigation here, but frankly, I don’t know what’s left to do. I’ll call you if I run into anything odd.”
They all shook hands and the two state men turned and left.
Mack sat back down and stared into space.
As they were driving back in the state police car, Melchioni said; “I still wonder what the killer wanted to know.”
Daugherty leaned toward him and in a silly voice said;
“Where’s the money? What else?”
Melchioni didn’t show any appreciation for the commentary and replied in a heard-it-before tone; “Yeah, possibly. But before the hit, the debtor usually has already gotten a few visits from the collection men.”
Daugherty threw the ball back in his partner’s court and said; “If it’s something else, then what?”
Melchioni shrugged and said; “I don't know. I just like to tie up all the loose ends, if possible, before I hand it over.”
Daugherty again tried a humorous remark and said; “When have we ever done that?
This time he got a better reception and they both laughed.
Daugherty said; “You just have some kind of problem with Irish girls.”
Melchioni shook his head slowly and said; “There’s something about that one I just don’t like.”