Deadly Betrayals
Holly Dennler
Copyright 2011 by Holly Dennler
Smashwords Edition
CHAPTER ONE
I squeezed the trigger, the noise of the gun deafening in the confined space of the elevator. My legs trembled as I made my way over to where he lay, sprawled on the parking garage floor. Blood seeped from the gaping hole in his chest, while his eyes stared unseeing up at me. The gun slipped from my grasp, clattered to the concrete, and landed next to the body. I reached into his coat pocket and grabbed the cell phone that he had taken from me, only moments earlier. My hands shook as I punched in the number.
“Homicide, Detective Quinn speaking.”
“Ryan, it’s me.”
“Hello me, are you calling to apologize?”
“No, damn it, Ryan, I just shot someone.”
“Shit. Are you okay? Where are you?”
“I’m fine. I’m in the parking garage in the new medical building on Route 48.”
“I’m sending an ambulance and a patrol car. I’ll be there in ten minutes.”
“Don’t forget to send for the medical examiner while you’re at it.”
“Damn. I’m on my way. Don’t say anything until I get there. I mean it, not a word.”
“Okay. Thanks, Ryan.” I hung up the phone and waited for help to arrive.
Seven days earlier
It was early Monday morning, my third cup of coffee sat on my desk, untouched. A prospective client, Sarah Fuller, was seated across from me.
“So how can I help you?”
“Three weeks ago my sister, Kathleen Bryant disappeared. Two days later her body was found. She was murdered. I want you to find her killer.”
“Mrs. Fuller, I’m terribly sorry for your loss. I’m sure the police are doing everything they can to solve your sister’s murder. Maybe you should give them a little more time.”
“More time? No, I’m done waiting. The police have done nothing. Kathleen deserves justice and that bastard deserves to pay.”
“And the bastard would be?”
“William Bryant, my brother-in-law.”
“I’m sure the police investigated your brother-in-law. He’d be their first suspect.”
“I know. The detective assured me that he would investigate William and his supposed alibi, but damn it, I want to know who killed my sister.”
“So why do you think it was your brother-in-law?”
“For the past year Kathleen had been complaining about William’s odd behavior. They had been arguing about money, the kids, sex. She was convinced he was having an affair.”
“Did she tell you who she thought he was sleeping with?”
“She said she didn’t know that it was just a feeling. I told the detective for all the good it did.”
“Can you think of anyone Kathleen was having trouble with besides her husband?
“No. Everyone liked her.”
“What about a friend, a co-worker, a neighbor, or even a family member?”
“She was a stay-at-home mom, she was friendly with her neighbors, and the two of us were the last of our family.”
“What about William’s family?”
“He has a brother and sister-in-law, but they rarely see each other.”
“Look Mrs. Fuller, if I take this case I can’t make any guarantees. It could be wasted money if I don’t find anything.”
“I know that, but I can’t sit around waiting while the police do nothing.”
Mrs. Fuller had no way of knowing that I had been a police detective and that while I felt for her loss, her attitude towards the department was beginning to irritate me.
“Do you remember the name of the detective you talked with?”
“Yes, it was Detective Quinn. So Miss Connolly will you take the case?”
Oh damn not Ryan Quinn. Ryan and I were partners during my last three years on the force. One night we ignored department rules and an innocent woman lost her life. Two weeks later I turned in my badge. That was eight months ago and we had not seen or spoken to each other since. Taking this case would mean having to deal directly with him. I so did not need this. The voice in my head was shouting; No, No, No. Unfortunately my mouth never got the message because I heard myself saying “It’s Rose and yeah, I’ll take the case.”
I slid two copies of my standard contract across the desk. Mrs. Fuller signed both and handed them over to me along with a check in the amount of $1,200.00 for my retainer. When she left my office she seemed more relaxed. Too bad I didn’t feel the same. I took a sip of coffee and sputtered. It was undrinkable by even my low standards. Grabbing the cordless phone I walked into the kitchenette and poured the coffee into the sink. I dialed the number for the Dayton Police Department and was put through to Ryan’s extension, prepared to leave a message I was startled when he answered.
“Homicide, Detective Quinn speaking.”
“Hello, Ryan, it’s Rose.”
“Rose. How have you…what can I do for you?”
“I understand you’re working the Kathleen Bryant murder.”
“Yes I am. Why?”
“I was just hired to look into the case.”
“Really, let me guess, the sister, right?”
“I can’t...”
“Yeah, I know. Meet me at Quinn’s in 20 minutes.”
“Damn, Ryan, its 8:30 in the morning. Don’t you think it’s a little early to be drinking?”
“Jeez, Rose, give me some credit. My cousin’s place is a restaurant.”
“Oh. Okay. Well, then I’ll see you there.”
Hell, I had avoided the man for months and now here I was rushing off to have breakfast with him. How pathetic. I tried to convince myself that the only reason I was going was because I needed his help.
My office was in Kettering, an upper middle class suburb ten minutes south of Dayton. I got in my car a 2006 black BMW and drove north on Route 48. I took a right onto 5th street and drove a mile past the Spaghetti Warehouse before turning left into Quinn’s parking lot. I parked in the side lot and walked around to the front door. The graffiti covered brick, tattered awning, and litter filled lot had me resisting the urge to hop back in the car and find the nearest McDonalds. Walking inside I thought I was prepared for the worst, I was wrong. The walls were covered in Cleveland Browns posters. How was I, a lifelong Cincinnati fan supposed to eat in Brown territory?
Oh no. Maybe it wasn’t too late to escape. I thought.
“Rose, over here.”
Having no other option I walked over to the bar where he stood waiting for me. Ryan’s impressive 6’2” frame looked incredible in his detective outfit of dark suit and tie. Jet black hair touched the shirt collar. His amber brown eyes swept over me.
“Hello, Ryan. Thanks for seeing me.”
“Anytime.” With that Ryan gently pulled me towards him and kissed me on the cheek before letting go.
“Here have a seat. I hope you’re hungry, the food’s great.”
“Oh you just say that so I’ll feed you.” A beautiful woman replied as she walked towards us. In appearance she was my opposite. She had dark eyes, skin, and hair. Where I was 5’ 9” barefoot she topped off at 5’ 1” in shoes. Where my breasts were average C cups, hers must have been DD’s. The only things we had in common were small waists and I hoped beautiful smiles.
“Anna Quinn, Rose Connolly, Rose, Anna.”
“Welcome. It’s nice to meet you. Ryan’s told us so much about you.”
“Really? Like what?”
“Anna…could we get some coffee?”
“Sure thing.” She laughed and headed back towards the kitchen.
“So what kinds of things did you tell her?”
“Only nice things I promise. So how have you been? What’s it like being your own boss?”
“I’ve been fine. It was hard at first especially not having the badge and the department to back me up.”
Anna returned with two coffee mugs and slid a tray with cream and sugar over to me. She took our breakfast orders and hurried off.
“So, how have you been?”
“Okay, I guess. Work’s been awful. There was double the number of homicide cases last month.”
“I bet the Chief is going nuts.”
“Yeah, he’s been bitching about possible job cuts for all departments except Homicide thanks to the rise in numbers. What a shitty way to have job security.”
“I’m sorry Ryan.”
“Thanks. Hell it’s not your fault. Rose, you look great. I’ve missed you. Do you think we could…”
“I can’t go there. Not yet.”
Fortunately, Anna arrived and conversation ceased as we dug into our food. Fifteen minutes later the food and coffee were gone. I decided to jump right into the reason for our meeting but Ryan beat me to it.
“I know Mrs. Fuller hired you to look into her sister’s murder. I’ve been working the case from day one but so far nothing’s panned out.”
“And the longer it goes unsolved the less likely it ever will be. I know.”
“Yeah and last week Ortega had knee surgery then Kirshner’s wife had twins. I mean we’re down two detectives and our case loads doubled. We’re swamped.”
“So maybe you’re willing to have a little help?”
“Hell, yes. After all, you used to be one us. Come on let’s go. I have something for you in my car.” With that he pulled his wallet out of his back pocket, grabbed a twenty, and tossed it near our plates. “Let’s go.”
We walked outside and stopped next to a shiny, black Dodge Ram. He unlocked the truck, reached underneath the driver’s seat and retrieved a large manila envelope.
“Here you go. It’s a copy of everything I have on the Bryant case.”
“Ryan, are you sure about this? You could get in a lot of trouble.”
“I trust you. Besides I owe you one. Just make sure you keep me up-to-date.”
“Ryan…thanks.” I said before taking the envelope from his hands.
“No problem. See you later.”
With that he hopped into his truck and drove away. I walked over to my car feeling nauseas. My first encounter with Ryan in eight months and our actions were questionable at best, criminal at worst. Maybe my leaving the department had been the right decision after all. When I returned to my office, I should have shredded the papers. Instead I settled down at my desk and spent the next hour jotting down notes as I read through the papers Ryan had given me. He had included copies of the autopsy report and pictures of where the body was found.
According to Mr. Bryant’s statement he was at work late the evening his wife disappeared. Bryant’s assistant, Mindy Meyer corroborated his story. Mr. Bryant claimed to have had a wonderful marriage and his wife’s only concern was his long hours at work. Certainly a different spin than Mrs. Fuller had given on the state of the Bryant marriage.
Ryan had interviewed the Bryant’s housekeeper and a few neighbors. He had also spoken with Mrs. Bryant’s friends and the members of the various committees that she had belonged to. The Bryant children had been off limits. William claimed it would be too traumatic for his sons. I wasn’t so sure. I figured the trauma had been their mother’s disappearance and subsequent death. Soon Ryan would have to go through proper channels to speak with the boys.
There was a note that the only other family members were William’s brother and sister-in-law. There were no statements from either of them in the file, so I decided to start with them.
Using the yellow pages website I searched for Paul Bryant. Luck was on my side, he was listed. A quick click over to mapquest.com and I had my directions. Making the decision that a surprise visit would be best, I grabbed my purse and locked the office before getting in my car and heading out. According to the website the address was forty-five minutes away.
Late morning meant I avoided the crazed rush hour traffic. Mid November and most trees were bare. The few leaves that remained had turned brown. I exited 75 South and took a left, weaving through the city’s outskirts until I found the Bryant household. To reach this upper middle class neighborhood I had had to drive through some of the poorest areas in the state. I parked in the driveway behind a shiny white BMW. The front door was opened on the second knock by an attractive woman in her fifties.
“Yes?”
“Hello, I’m looking for a Paul and Elizabeth Bryant.”
“I’m Elizabeth.”
“Great. My name is Rose Connolly. I’m a private investigator and I’m looking into your sister-in-law’s death.”
“Oh, I don’t think I can help you.” Her hands trembled, and she leaned against the door frame.
“I promise not to take up much of your time. I just need a little information.”
“I don’t know. Maybe I should call my husband and let you speak with him.” Her eyes were focused on the ground and her face had gone pale.
“Please, I only need a few minutes. Don’t you think one day your nephews will deserve to know what happened?” Her face titled and her eyes shot up to stare directly into mine.
“Fine, but only for a few minutes.”
She ushered me into a large pristine family room. The walls, the carpet, and the furniture were all white.
“Please have a seat. I don’t know how I could help you.” She looked at the clock on the fireplace mantel and began to fidget with one of the throw pillows on the couch.
“I knew that Sarah was going to hire someone, I just didn’t realize she already had.”
“So, how close were you and Kathleen?”
“We were very close. I mean we did go to the same high school and for heaven’s sake we married brothers.”
“So she would have felt comfortable talking to you if she was worried?”
“Yes, I think so.”
“Before she disappeared did she happen to say anything that would make you think she was worried about anything?”
“I think maybe you should speak with my husband.” She replied, her eyes not able to meet mine.
“Mrs. Bryant, I’m trying to find the person or persons responsible for Kathleen’s death. Don’t you think she and her children deserve that?”
“Really it’s nothing. I mean Paul wouldn’t like me discussing this.” Once again she gave another nervous glance at the clock.
“Paul isn’t here. It’s just you and me.” And the hidden voice activated cassette recorder in my purse I thought.
“Look I don’t think this is such a good idea.”
“You know the police will get around to asking you these questions. So what could it hurt?”
“Oh, fine, but you can’t tell anyone I told you, especially my husband. A few weeks before Kathleen disappeared she called me very upset. She was convinced that William was having an affair.”
“Did she say who with?”
“No, but it was probably someone from work. It always is in the movies, anyway.”
“Did she confront William?”
“I don’t know. They came to dinner a few days later and they seemed a lit tense, but that was it. Of course she wouldn’t have caused a scene, especially in front of the boys.”
“Anything else you can think of? Did she have any arguments with anyone?
“Of course not. Kathleen was a wonderful person.”
“Hello.”
I looked around to find a man standing in the doorway. I had been so focused on Mrs. Bryant I had not heard him come in.
“Paul!” Elizabeth jumped up knocking a candle holder off of the coffee table.
“Here let me.” I offered.
“No, no, it’s fine. I’ve got it.”
She grabbed it and placed it back where it belonged.
“Uhm, dear, this is Miss Connolly. She’s a private investigator.”
“What do you want?”
“Well I was hoping to get some information about your sister-in-law. Can either of you think of anyone who would have wanted to cause her harm?”
“Look, Miss Connolly, my wife and I have no idea who would have wanted to hurt Kathleen.”
“I would appreciate any help you could give me.”
“I told Sarah not to hire a private investigator. We should let the police handle this.”
“Mr. Bryant, the police are overworked. What could it hurt for me to help?”
He fidgeted with his tie before answering.
“The only thing your digging around is going to turn up is a close family who has suffered a tragic loss. Now, I think it’s time for you to leave.”
Having been dismissed, I stood up and took a business card out of my purse.
“Here, Mrs. Bryant. In case you think of anything else.”
Before his wife could take the card, he snatched it from my hand.
“Like I said, we can’t help you.”
“Well, thank you both for your time. I can show myself out.”
I hopped into my car and backed out of the driveway. I glanced over at the house and found Paul Bryant staring at me out of a large picture window.
“Creepy.” I muttered.
Before hopping onto the freeway I went through a McDonald’s drive thru and ordered large fries, and a large diet coke. I drove back to the office with Nickelback blaring from the speakers. I had hoped it would help me shake the uneasy feelings the Bryant’s had given me. Too bad it didn’t work.
Once back in my office I grabbed my notebook and jotted down what little I had learned. Kathleen had suspected her husband of having an affair with his assistant. Wasn’t it convenient that she was his alibi for the night his wife disappeared and was murdered? I needed to speak with Miss Alden, but not at work. That would have to wait until this evening when I would show up unannounced at her home.
The next several hours were spent calling the out-of-town people in Kathleen’s address book. Each one sounded saddened by her death, but that was easy enough to fake over the phone. I took the pictures of Kathleen’s body and the dump site out of the envelope and looked them over. Cause of death was blunt force trauma. Kathleen Bryant had received several blows to the back of her head. Not an especially pleasant way to die. According to the medical examiner the weapon was long and cylindrical like a baseball bat. There were no defensive wounds.
Either Kathleen knew her attacker and trusted them enough to turn her back on them or she was surprised by the person or persons. The police scoured the dump site, behind an abandoned movie theater, unfortunately the murder weapon was not found.
Evening had arrived and it was time to go. I turned everything off, locked the door and walked to my car. The weather had turned cold and I regretted not having brought a coat. The car’s heater kicked in and chased away the chill.
A few minutes later I pulled up in front of Mindy Myer’s condo, a very expensive place for an assistant. A young woman opened the door before I could ring the bell. I had expected a woman in her mid twenties who called herself Mindy to be bleach blonde, just under six feet, and a former cheerleader. The only thing I had gotten wrong was her height. As I stood facing her, the top of her head barely reached my chin.
“Ugh, jeez you scared the hell out of me.”
“Sorry. Are you Miss Mindy Meyer?”
“I’m not interested.”
“What?”
“Whatever it is you’re selling, I’m not buying.”
“I’m a private investigator and I was hired to look into Kathleen Bryant’s murder.” I handed her my identification, which she ignored.
“Oh, oh, yes that was awful. Everyone at work felt terrible for Will...Mr. Bryant.”
“Well than you won’t mind answering a few questions.”
“I’m not sure. I really don’t know anything that could help. Besides I only met Mrs. Bryant a few times and I already told the police everything I know.
“That’s all right. That’ll make this fast.”
“Ugh, sure, come in.” She stepped aside and I entered a small, Pepto-Bismol pink foyer. She led me down a lime green hall, past a canary yellow kitchen and into a living room with pumpkin orange walls, white wall-to-wall and black chrome furniture. The strong scent of flowers, pledge, and glass cleaner was doing a number on my sinuses. Between the overwhelming odors that were nauseating and Mindy’s eye straining decorating tastes I promised myself this would be a short visit.
“Have a seat. I’ll be right back. I have to make a phone call.” She rushed out of the room and left me to wonder around. My eyes locked on a very large vase of flowers. Since snooping was a part of the job, I walked over and peeked at the card.
I can’t wait to be you my honey bunny
Love, WB
Well, well, well. He buried his wife a couple of weeks ago and he was sending Mindy flowers with a love note. Man what an asshole. Without even meeting him my low opinion was dropping fast. It also made him top of my suspect list, along with honey bunny. I had just stepped away from the flowers when Mindy returned.
“Sorry about that, I was on my way out to meet friends and I didn’t want them to worry.”
“No problem.”
“So what is it you wanted to ask me?”
I took out my notebook and settled on the couch, while Mindy sat across from me on the edge of her chair.
“You work for Mr. Bryant, correct?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“And your job
I’m his assistant. We work very close together.”
“I see. Where were you the night that Mrs. Bryant disappeared?”
“Like I told the police W...Mr. Bryant and I worked late that night.”
“Right, well, how late was it when you left?”
“We stayed until about 11:30 that night.”
Did you leave together?”
“We left at the same time. He followed me out of the lot.”
“And then?”
“I came home.”
“And Mr. Bryant?”
“He went home too.”
“Was it usual for the two of you to work so late?”
She hesitated before answering. “Sometimes.”
Have you ever had to go out of town for business?”
“Yes.”
“Often?”
“A couple of times a year.”
‘Okay. Were you aware of any problems he may have been having with his wife?”
“I…I wouldn’t know anything about that.”
“Are you sure? I mean you do work awfully close. I’m sure he’s shared things with you and you with him.”
“What are you trying to say?”
“I’m just asking if he said anything about their relationship. That’s all.”
“He would never discuss his wife with me. It wouldn’t be right.”
Yeah, and screwing her on the side was moral high ground.
“Uh huh. I’m sure there were times when you were nearby while he had conversations with his wife.”
“Yeah, so?”
“So, did he ever seem angry with her? Did they argue?”
“Of course not! If you’re implying that William had anything to do with Kathleen’s death you are so wrong.”
“I never implied any such thing. Husbands and wives argue it’s normal. I just find it odd that you jumped to that conclusion.”
“That’s it. It’s time for you to leave.
“Just one more question. Mrs. Bryant suspected you were having an affair with her husband. Care to comment?”
“I would never…”
“Really? Well, I couldn’t help but notice the enormous bouquet of flowers. They must have set William back a bundle.”
She glanced at the flowers and back at me.
“I’m through talking. If you come back here again, you’ll be hearing from my lawyer.”
“Fine, but I’m not the only one who finds it convenient that you were his alibi for the night his wife was murdered.”
“Get out! Get out now!”
I followed her to the front door. She yanked it open barely giving me enough time to step outside before slamming it shut behind me. I slid my business card under the door knowing that I would not be hearing from her anytime soon.
The sky had turned dark while I was at Mindy’s. It was time for dinner so I pulled into Penn Station, the only place to get a decent Philly cheese steak. The smell of grilled onions filled the restaurant. When it was my turn I ordered a cheese steak with mushrooms and a large diet coke. When my order was ready I took my dinner and drove home. Home was a two bedroom condo in Kettering off of Wilmington Pike.
I walked into the kitchen, and dumped my purse on the counter. The room looked the same as it had that morning, spotless. I carried my dinner into the living room and sat down on the couch. After kicking off my shoes and grabbing the remote I turned on Entertainment Tonight. Over dinner the program filled in on the latest news of the stars and wannabes.
When the show went off I glanced at the answering machine. Oh great the blinking number almost shouted that I had 15 missed calls. Looking at the damn thing had been a mistake. I deleted five telemarketers, two mortgage companies, and three hang ups. Trying to remain calm I listened to three messages from my mother, each one more insistent than the one before. The only message I was glad to get was the one from my best friend Taylor Simmons. I had to return her call or she would send the bloodhounds after me. With Taylor, it wasn’t an expression. She ran the most sought after dog training facility in the Midwest. She and her staff trained dogs for k-9 units in addition to search and rescue. They even trained service dogs for the handicapped.
The last message was from Ryan. Deciding to return his call first would delay the call to my mother just a little longer. Unfortunately, Ryan’s voice mail picked up. My roommate chose that moment to grace me with her presence. CC was a female Birman cat named for St. Francis of Assisi. I left a message for Ryan and hung up while CC sniffed the food wrappers. When she was done she walked over to me and gave me a proper welcome home. She rubbed against my legs and meowed. I picked up the trash, walked into the kitchen and dumped the empty containers into the garbage can.
In my bedroom I tossed myself onto the down comforter on the bed. The bedding and walls were done in various shades of burgundy. Since walking barefoot was my norm whenever at home I had spent a fortune on thicker padding and expense lush carpet. When my mother saw the place for the first time, she told me that for all the money I had spent on the carpeting the least I could have done was pick a better color then beige for the whole condo. Working up my nerve I dialed her number and hoped for an answering machine.
“Well, dear it’s about time. I was beginning to think you were ignoring me.”
“Hello to you too, Mother. I wasn’t ignoring you mother I was working.”
“Of course you were. Always busy playing cop.”
“I’m not a cop anymore remember.”
“Well of course I remember. I just meant, oh never mind. I called to tell you that Todd and I are flying to Miami next weekend. We’re going to spend two weeks on his yacht. Isn’t that wonderful?”
“It sounds great.”
“I know. Well dear, I was hoping you’d take care of my babies for me while I’m gone.”
Her babies were two annoying Chihuahuas that were as vicious as a pair of guard dogs. There was no way in hell I was going to watch those two little beasts.
“You’re not taking them with you?”
“Oh no, dear, Chloe and Cody hate to fly. Besides it wouldn’t be safe on the yacht for them.”
“Sorry, but I’m really swamped at work and with their allergies and medications. It would be better if you boarded them with their vet.”
“Are you sure you can’t…”
“Oops, sorry mom that’s my call-waiting. I’ll talk to you soon.”
I hung up with only a tinge of guilt for the lie. After the draining conversation with my mother I needed another beer. In the kitchen I grabbed another beer out of the refrigerator and went back to my bedroom. I had half the bottle drank before I picked up the phone and dialed Taylor’s number.
“Hello?”
“You sound tired.”
“Yeah, it’s been one hell of a day.”
“Oh did you have to put your doggies in time outs? Or are they all in the dog house or would it be doggie houses?”
“Funny. My neighbor had two horses get loose. Christ, they ran all over the damn place. They broke one of my fences and it took us forever to catch them.”
“Wow. Sorry. Were any of the animals hurt?”
“My dogs are fine, but the mare needed the vet to fix a bunch of cuts.”
“Jeez. Well then you probably don’t want to hear how my day went.”
“Oh yes I do. Was it as exciting as mine?”
“No, it was just odd. You’ll never guess who I had breakfast with.”
“Your mother?”
“Yeah, and I was telling her your dad is single again.”
“Ouch. So was it some hot guy you met on your morning run?”
“Nope, it was Ryan.”
Silence
“Taylor, are you still there?”
“Yeah, I’m just not sure how to say this.”
“That’s never stopped you before.”
“That’s true. Are you sure it’s a good idea for you to be with Ryan? I mean after everything that happened.”
“Relax it was business.”
“Yeah right a business breakfast.”
“It was. I got a new client and Ryan helped me out that’s all.”
“So you didn’t jump into bed with him?”
“Not over breakfast in a public place.”
“Thank God.”
“You used to like Ryan.”
“I still do. It’s just…”
“You’re worried about me.”
“Well, duh. I can’t get anything past you.”
We spent the next hour catching up and agreed to have lunch on Friday. During the phone call the rest of the beer disappeared. It was 10:00 o’clock at night and I was tired. While getting ready for bed I yawned half a dozen times. I put on a pair of pajamas, brushed my teeth, and scrubbed the makeup off of my face. I turned off the bathroom light then locked the doors and checked the windows. Back in my room I set my alarm for 5:30 a.m. and slid under the covers.
Several hours later I bolted upright in bed. Heart pounding, drenched in sweet, I looked around frantic for what had awakened me. Slowly it came back to me. I had been having a nightmare. Not just any nightmare, the same nightmare that had been a part of my life for months. Each time it seemed so damn real. I had often wondered if it was God’s way of punishing me. It was a nightly reminder of my greatest regret.
Climbing out of bed, I stripped out of my pajamas and put on a clean set. Once again I checked all the doors and windows before flopping down on top of the covers. All of the moving around sent CC off the end of the bed and out of the room. I tossed and turned for quite some time before finally drifting off to sleep.
CHAPTER TWO
It took several minutes for me to realize that the loud buzzing sound was my alarm. I groaned and shut the damn thing off. For a moment I considered rolling over and going back to sleep, too bad there was plenty of work waiting for me at my office. Stumbling into the bathroom I changed into workout clothes and threw my hair in a ponytail holder. With my socks and shoes on I grabbed my keys and put on my jacket.
The cold wind whipped across my face as I stepped outside. After a few minutes of stretching I started my run along the two mile path through the condominium complex. This had become my daily routine for the past three years. Along the route were two ponds and over a hundred mature oak, elm, and pine trees or so the sales brochure claimed.
Startled several squirrels scampered back up their trees while my neighbors were still tucked inside their warm beds. The trees were always filled with birds, though the species changed with the seasons. November meant the trees were teeming with starlings and crows. My pace slowed as I got closer to the edge of the wooded area. I had been fortunate to come across deer many times in this spot and had no desire to startle a buck.
A few minutes later I arrived back at my front door. Letting myself inside I went directly to the bathroom to stand under the hot spray until the water turned cool. After drying off, I threw on a sweater and a pair jeans before drying my hair and putting on my makeup. The strong scent of coffee drifted into the bedroom. I followed the smell into the kitchen. After a quick breakfast I put on my coat, grabbed my purse and left for the office.
There were three messages on my machine. The first one was from Miss Meyer’s attorney informing me that any further contact with his client was to be handled through him and left his office number.
“Damn, she didn’t waste any time.”
The next message was a client reminding me her husband’s “night out with the guys” was supposed to be tonight. The last message was a hang up. Before I could turn on my computer the phone rang.
“Connolly Detective Agency.”
“Hey, it’s Ryan. Sorry I didn’t get back to you last night. I spent half the night at a crime scene.”
“A bad one, huh?”
“It was awful, a whole family, dead. The dad lost his job and their house was about to be foreclosed. He shot his wife and three kids before he killed himself.”
“Oh man, I’m sorry. I don’t get why they think killing their family is a solution.”
“I don’t get it either. Christ, I hate it when it’s kids.”
“That’s the worst.”
“Yeah, well I’ll talk to you later.”
“Ryan, was there something else?”
“What do you mean? Oh yeah, I forgot. Miss Meyer’s attorney called me a few minutes ago to complain about you harassing his client.”
“Damn it, Ryan, that’s bullshit. When I got to her place last night she invited me in. I asked some questions and I left.”
“Relax, I figured as much. So what are you doing next?”
“I thought I’d speak with the grieving widower.”
“That should be fun. He’s an arrogant s-o-b. Cold. Don’t be surprised if he throws you out.”
“Oh don’t worry, I’m used to it.”
“I bet. So wanna get together tonight and compare notes?”
“Sorry, I’m tailing a client’s husband tonight.”
“Yuck a cheating spouse case, no fun.”
“Yeah, supposedly he’s going to hang out with his buddy’s at Mulligans.”
“Well then, I guess I’ll talk to you late. Call me if you need anything.”
After hanging up I put on my coat and grabbed my purse. I locked up the office and walked to my car. Once inside I turned left out of the parking lot. My office was in a small shopping center across the street from the Victoria Secret’s call-in center. I’ve never understood how the place stayed open 24 hours a day taking orders for underwear. Not that I was complaining I mean personally I love my Victoria Secret push-up bras.
Mr. Bryant’s office was in the new medical building at Rte 48 and Social Row Road. Ten minutes later I was parked in the parking garage. The elevator doors opened and I was bombarded with the strong scent of vanilla. The office I was looking for was directly across from the elevator and appeared to be the source of the vanilla. I opened the door and entered a gray and pink waiting area. The receptionist looked up and smiled.
“Hi, can I help you?”
“I hope so. I’d like to speak with Mr. Bryant.”
“Do you have an appointment?”
“No, I’m afraid I don’t.”
“Well, we might be able to squeeze you in with his partner.”
“No thank you. You see I’m here to speak with him about a personal matter.”
“Look, Dr. Bryant, is not speaking with the press.”
“That’s fine, because I’m a private investigator and I’ve been hired to look into his wife’s murder.” I said and handed her a business card.
“Oh. Wait here, I’ll see if Dr. Bryant wants to speak with you.”
She returned several minutes later.
“I’m sorry Dr. Bryant does not wish to speak with you. He said you can speak with his attorney.”
“It’s just a couple of questions. I can’t believe he’d be afraid to speak with me, I mean if he doesn’t have anything to hide.”
“Abby, show Miss Connolly to my office.” Said a voice from somewhere behind the receptionist desk.
I followed her down a long hallway and just before we got to his office I saw Mindy dash into a room and close the door behind her.
“Have a seat.” The receptionist said before leaving, making a point of keeping the door wide open as if she was concerned I would search the place. If given the chance I would have and no one would even know it was searched.
Everything from the walls to the furniture to the carpet were done in different shades of brown. Instead of feeling like I was in a large office I felt as if I had been led to a cave. Very little light shown through the windows and only a small desk lamp was turned on.
Thirty minutes after I had sat down a balding man of 5’10” I assumed was Bryant walked inside, closing the door behind him before taking a seat behind the desk.
“I told Sarah to let the police handle this. What is it you want, Miss Connolly?”
“I would like to ask you a few questions, Mr. Bryant.”
“It’s Dr. Bryant and you have ten minutes.”
Oh please, it’s not like he was cardiologist, he was a dentist for god sakes.
“Right. First I wanted to express my condolences for your loss.”
“Thank you. This has been a very difficult time.”
“I’m sure it has. I promise to make this as brief as possible.”
“It would have been more appropriate if you had called ahead instead of just showing up here unannounced.”
“I have an easier time finding the people I’m looking for if I don’t give them a heads up so to speak.”
“Of course and in your line of work you must be used to dealing with undesirables.”
“You have no idea.”
I knew the answers he had given to the police. I just wanted to see if he gave me the same answers.
“So the night your wife disappeared you were where exactly?”
“I was here in my office, working. My office manager, Miss Meyer, and I were working on paperwork most of the evening.”
“Office Manager, I thought she was your assistant.”
“She was but my office manager had turned in her three week notice and now Mindy, Miss Meyer, has taken over the position. That’s why were working late that night so I could train her for the job.”
“I see. Your sons, Nicholas and Daniel, where were they?”
“They were at a sleepover at our neighbors.”
“Scott and Becky Campbell?”
“Yes.”
“Lucky they weren’t home that night.”
“Yes, we were very fortunate.”
“So when you got home that evening, what time was that?
“Around 12 o’clock.”
“What did you do after you got home?”
“I went upstairs to bed. When I went inside the bedroom it was empty.”
“Then what?”
“I searched the whole house. Kathleen was gone.”
“Was anything else missing? Were there signs of a struggle or forced entry?”
“Everything was exactly the way it should be except for Kathleen. Nothing missing and the doors and windows were locked.”
“What did you do next after you searched for her?”
“I called the police.”
“Your first call was the police?”
“Yes, of course. Why wouldn’t it be?”
“Well, it’s just most people would have called friends and family members first.”
“I’m not “most people”. It was late at night. I certainly was not going to disturb anyone.”
“Your wife was missing and you were worried about disturbing people?”
“As it turns out it was the correct choice. Now, are there any other questions?”
“Just a few. Was your wife having problems with anyone?”
“No, of course not.”
“You’re sure? Not even someone here at your work?”
“What exactly are you getting at?”
“Well, last night I questioned Mindy about the night your wife disappeared and I couldn’t help but notice the rather large flower arrangement.”
“Why would you need to bother her? She had nothing to do with Kathleen’s death.”
“Well, Mindy is your alibi, so I had to speak with her, just like the police did. So what is your relationship with Miss Meyer?”
“The flowers were to congratulate her for her new job nothing else. I don’t like what you’re implying.”
“I’m not implying anything. Did you know your wife thought you were having an affair?”
“This is outrageous. I’m the victim and you’re attacking my character?”
“Actually your wife was the victim and I wasn’t attacking anything. I’m simply asking you a few questions.”
“I’m sure Sarah put you up to this. I’m warning you, if you spread that around I will sew you for slander. It’s time for you to leave, Miss Connolly.” He stood up and escorted me out of his office and into the waiting area.
I handed him my card I told him to call me if he thought of anything else.
Like the truth.
I left his office with the same odd feeling I had had when leaving his brother’s house. I wondered if creepiness was genetic.
While I had been inside it had started to snow. Just a light dusting that stuck to the grass and cars, but melted once it hit the streets and sidewalks. That was fine with me. The last thing I wanted was bad weather this early.
Back at my office I spent the next hour writing down everything that I had learned so far. I also made a list of possible suspects and reasons they had for killing Kathleen. Granted the list was short, but it was a place to start.
When I was on the force I had to go through proper channels and follow procedures for everything. These could sometimes tie your hands. There was nothing worse than watching a murder suspect go free on a technicality. Those days you wished you had saved the taxpayers the cost of a trial, but then that would have made us judge, jury, and executioner. The last would have sat very well on my conscience.
As a private investigator I did not have the same worries about little details like search warrants or chain of evidence. On the down side there was no backup from the department or other officers. Every case I worked the responsibility rested on my shoulders, alone.
There were days I regretted the decision to turn in my badge. There were plenty more days I was content that I would never again carry a shield. This feeling was surprising since I can only ever remember wanting to be a cop. I’ll never forget the way I felt the day I received my badge. I was so proud that I was entrusted to serve and protect. A decision I never took lightly, up until the end.
My mother had detested my career choice from the very beginning. Her career path had always been:
Step One: Marry Wealthy
Step Two: Take as much as you can in the divorce.
Step Three: Repeat steps one and two.
Fortunately my own attempt at marriage was over almost before it began. Taylor had told me from the beginning that I, a non-swimmer, terrified of the water, married a Navy Seal. It took me four months to realize he was screwing around behind my back. I kicked him out, filed for divorce, and never looked back.
With my list complete I left the office to question the Bryant’s neighbors. On the drive over to the Bryant neighborhood I went through a drive-thru and ordered a cheeseburger and diet coke before guilt set in and I ordered a fish sandwich. I knew it was fried but it was fish, it had to better for me than the cheeseburger.
William and Kathleen lived in an exclusive gated community in Spring Valley. The houses started at a million dollars. It was just my bad luck that my mother lived only a few streets over. By the time I pulled into the Bryant’s cul-de-sac my lunch was gone. I checked my reflection in the mirror. Satisfied that I was good to go I hopped out of the car and head for the closest house.
I spent the next couple of hours going door to door. I lucked out at the house directly behind the Bryant’s. I was ushered inside the Campbell home and followed the housekeeper into the living room, where I was greeted by Mrs. Campbell.
“Please have a seat.”
“Thank you for seeing me.”
“Of course. How can I help you?” I sat down on a Carmel colored accent chair while she took a seat across from me on a mocha colored couch.
“I’ve been hired to look into the death of Kathleen Bryant.”
“Oh, this has been horrible. I can’t believe those poor boys have to grow up without their mother.”
“I understand that Kathleen’s sons were here for a sleepover, the night she disappeared.”
“Yes, Kat and I both host…I mean hosted sleepovers for the boys several times a month. I’m so glad they were here. I hate to think what could have happened.”
“I’m sure. That night did either you or your husband see or hear anything?”
“No, I’m sorry. Scott, my husband, was out of town and I was busy with the boys. We spent the evening in the media room. We rented a bunch of movies and I made popcorn.”
“Where is the media room located?”
“It’s in the basement, towards the front of the house.”
“Okay. Do you know why anyone would want to hurt Kathleen?”
“No, I still can’t believe she’s gone. She was a good person, great with the kids. She was a dear friend.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t realize you were close. Do you know if Kathleen and William were having any problems?”
“Problems? No.”
“Are you sure? You don’t seem convinced.”
“It’s probably nothing. I didn’t even mention it to the police.”
“It’s okay. Go ahead.”
“For the past year Kathleen was convinced that William was having an affair. Then about six months ago she told me she was getting even.”
“Getting even? As in having an affair of her own?”
“Yes and before you ask I don’t know who the guy was. I’m not even sure if she went through with it or not.”
“Okay. Well, thank you for your time. Here’s my card if you remember anything else.”
I made my way back to the Bryant’s cul-de-sac. I figured since I was here, I may as well check out Kathleen’s house. It was sad that one day a woman lived there and the next she was gone. Murdered. I walked up the drive and was about to enter the back yard when an older woman standing in the garage of the house next door yelled.
“What are you doing over there? We have a neighborhood watch here.”
I changed the direction and walked over to her, my identification in my hand. After introducing myself to her and explaining my reason for being there, she surprised me by inviting me inside. We sat down in the breakfast room and she served me coffee and homemade sugar cookies.
“Well, this is just terrible. These kinds of things don’t happen in this neighborhood at least they didn’t used to.”
“Did you know the Bryant’s well, Mrs. Feldman.”
“Edna, please. Well truth be told I liked Kathleen, but that husband of hers, I have no use for the man.”
“Any particular reason?”
“Oh ever since they moved in, Willy, that’s what I call him, not to his face mind you. He looks down his nose at everyone. He acts like he’s so much better than the rest of us.”
“He does seem to be…”
“An uptight jerk.”
“You said it, not me.”
“Yes I did. I never understood why she stayed with him.”
“Was he abusive to her?”
“Physically no, but he is such a bossy so and so. She should have kicked his butt out. At least she was happier these last few months.”
“Any idea why?”
“Of course, she was having an affair. ”
It was a surprise to hear Edna use those words when she looked old enough to have been classmates of Orville and Wilbur Wright. This grandmotherly little old lady was talking about extramarital affairs over coffee and cookies as if she was talking about the weather.
“You’re sure?”
“I’m old not stupid. I know it’s not right, but she deserved some happiness. Lord knows that husband of her didn’t make her happy.”
“Did you ever see her with this other man?”
“Whenever the boys spent the night at the Campbell’s and Willy was having one of his “late nights in the office” a bottle green Jaguar would park at the end of the street and a man would walk up to the back door and go on in.”
“Did you get a good look at him? Would you recognize him if you saw him again?”
“I’m not sure. It was always so dark.”
“But you’re sure about the car, a Jaguar?”
“Oh, I’m sure. My son, Craig, owns one, but his is silver.”
“Okay. When the man was at the Bryant’s, about how long would he stay there?”
“Always an hour and then he left the same way he came.”
In the file from Ryan there was no interview with Edna.
“Did you talk with the police after Kathleen was killed?”
“No I didn’t. I was staying with Craig for a couple of weeks. I didn’t even make it back in time to go to her funeral.”
“I’m sorry. Did you notice anything the night she disappeared?”
“Well now that you mention it. There was something odd about that night.”
“Oh, what was that?”
“Well, her gentleman’s car was here that night, but instead of parking on the street it was parked in the driveway. He’s never done that before.”
“Did you see him or hear anything?”
“Nope, I just saw his car and then later I noticed it was gone and the outdoor lights were turned off, which was odd because Kathleen never turned those off at night.”
“Here’s my card in case you think of anything else. I also wrote down Detective Quinn’s number he’s in charge of the investigation. You should call him and tell him what you’ve told me.”
“I will. If you think I should.”
“Absolutely. Thank you so much for your help.”
“Of course, Kathleen was a lovely woman.”
Edna was showing me out the door when a handsome man my height with blond hair in his forties walked up the walkway.
“Well, here’s Craig now.”
She quickly introduced us and then I made my exit. I walked next door to the Bryant house and looked around. Each first floor window offered clear views of the inside. This was the home of a family, a family with two small boys. Now I knew my experience with children was limited but I knew enough to know that there should be some signs that they actually lived in their home. There were no pictures or school papers hanging from the stainless steel refrigerator. No toys, no knickknacks of any kind. I am a bit of a neat freak but even I have some stuff sitting out.
I walked back to my car and drove to the office. Once inside I sat down at my desk and turned on the computer. I typed up everything that I had learned so far, including the new tidbit that Kathleen was possibly having her own affair. I could not help but feel a kinship of sorts with her two boys. I had only been five when my own father had died. The pain had lessened over the years, but a small ache still remained. He had died on his 30th birthday. His car had been no match for a patch of ice and an 18 wheeler. After exactly one year of mourning, my mother had set her sights on husband number two. She had been five years younger than my father and 10 years younger than number two.
I grabbed my things and locked up the office. A quick stop at Subway and then I was home.
“CC, I’m home!” I knew she would join me when she felt I was worthy. I sat down on the couch and flipped on the television. I sat eating my dinner while I watched the local news. I would be spending the evening in my car and had no desire for any unpleasant surprises with the weather.
I hated watching the news. It was always depressing and tonight was no exception. The lead story was about Ryan’s case involving the father that murdered his family. I hit the mute button and waited until the end of the program when they finally told me that it would be cold. No surprise, it was Ohio in November, what else was it going to be?
I took my digital camera out of the backpack to check the battery. The last thing I needed was to have the batteries die at an inopportune time. After filling a thermos full of coffee, I grabbed my things and hopped in my car. In trunk I kept two bags packed for emergencies with extra clothes, gym shoes, personal hygiene products, and one hundred dollars in cash. Of course there were also the emergency lipstick and mascara.
My timing was perfect, Mr. Snider backed out of his garage a couple of minutes after I parked two doors down from the Snider home. The night was cold and the snow flurries were falling. After ten minutes of following Mr. Snider we arrived at Mulligan’s Pub. His wife had hired me, convinced that he was having an affair. She claimed his only opportunity was on his weekly boy’s night out. For the past seven weeks he had gone directly to the pub, spent a couple of hours inside and gone directly home. There was no reason to believe tonight would not be any different.
Once again I parked near the back of the lot, far enough away that my car stayed in the shadows of the parking lot lights, but close enough to offer a clear view of both the back and side entrances. Settled in with my camera at the ready, I would venture inside to check up on Mr. Snider when the thermos was empty.
Sitting in the cold my mind began to wander about all of the surveillance work I had down over the years, first as a cop and now as private investigator. There had been too many drug deals, gun sales, and prostitutes offering their services to anyone with the right amount of cash. Caught up in the past I jumped when someone knocked on the passenger’s side window.
“Are you gonna let me in or not?”
Hesitating briefly, I flipped open the lock allowing Ryan to hop inside and settle into the passenger’s seat.
“What are you doing here?”
“Well, I figured you wouldn’t mind the company. Come on we’ve worked plenty of stakeouts together.”
“Don’t you have anything better to do?” I asked not wanting to admit how good it felt to have him there.
“Evidently not. Is that coffee I smell?”
“Help yourself.”
“Thanks. So is this guy screwing around or what?”
“Not for the past seven weeks. I think if he’s cheating, it’s gotta be during his lunch hour.”
“Not a lot of time.”
“Most men don’t need much time.”
“Ouch. I’ll assume you weren’t referring to me. So is there anything new with the Bryant case?”
Keeping the doors in sight I filled Ryan in on what I had learned from the Bryant’s neighbors.
“Jeez, I talked to the Campbell’s and she never said anything about an affair. I also left my card on Mrs. Feldman’s door and she never called me.”
“You know how it is. Some people have a hard time talking with the police.”
“Yeah, I know, but you’ve always had a way of getting people to open up to you. It’s one of the things that made you a great cop.”
“Thanks.”
“So, how was your talk with Dr. Bryant’s brother and sister-in-law?”
“They don’t look alike, but they sure as hell act alike. Arrogant jerks, the two of them. You should have seen how nervous Paul’s wife, Elizabeth, was when he came home. She clammed up the second he walked into the room.”
“So, how did he take being questioned?”
“He didn’t, he escorted me out of their house.”
“What a family. You think he’s abusive?”
“Hard to tell, but she sure as hell was nervous about something.”
“So, what do you think?”
‘I think we need to find this “boyfriend”. I also want another crack at William. I mean you know the odds, eight out of ten times it’s the spouse.”
“Yeah I know. I also know that he has an alibi.”
“Some alibi. Mindy could be covering for him or maybe he’s covering for her. Either way, Kathleen is out of the picture, and Dr. Obnoxious gets to keep all his money plus the large inheritance his wife received.”
“There’s a problem with your theory. I didn’t just take Bryant’s word for it. I checked with the building’s security. Dr. Bryant’s code was used to lock up the building around 11:30 that night. Also, the security camera’s picked up both Mindy and Bryant leaving the building a few minutes later. And before you can ask, I checked the tapes neither of them left the building until then.”
“Well shit. I was kind of hoping it was him. He’s such an asshole.”
“Yeah, but being an asshole isn’t illegal.”
“Maybe it should be.”
“Sweetie you do remember our jails are overcrowded now with real criminals. We don’t to add to the problem.”
“I know. Sweetie?”
“Sorry it kinda slipped out.”
“Okay.”
“You know I’ve missed this, a lot.”