One Deadly Sister Part 23

"No." Moran was firm. "Reid stays on the hook until we find a better suspect. What about the Tampa connection, the Cuban-Americans?"

"They had a muscle guy capable of murder. He's the one who put Sandy Reid in the hospital."

"I like him already." Moran snickered. "Maybe we can get him to do it again."

"But he was crude," G.o.ddard said, "and the Towson killing required some finesse. Coincidentally, he was murdered last week by Towson's lover."

Moran leaned forward. "What's this?"

"G.o.ddard, stop it," the chief said. "He wasn't murdered. We've no evidence to support that."

"Wait, let's think about that," Moran said. "The Cubans send the bad guy out to kill Towson. Towson's lover doesn't like that so she kills the bad guy. That would be the Cuban Mafia connection."

"Who said anything about a Cuban Mafia?" the chief asked.

"No one," G.o.ddard said. "As of right now, the Cuban-American involvement seems limited to a campaign dirty trick."

"That's because you've a small unimaginative mind. Get on that Cuban-American angle, G.o.ddard."

G.o.ddard nodded although he had no idea how to do it. "This is new: I spoke to the insurance investigator for Concord Life, they insured Towson. The investigator needed copies of our reports for the claim. He had information from Towson's attorney handling the estate."

The chief broke in, "Most of the money and securities goes into a trust for some charity. Towson owned a condo in Palm Beach, and it goes to a lady friend down there. His place here and most of his personal property goes to his Nebraska brother, although he did make some special bequests for a few individuals. He left some antique dishes to Tammy Jerold. She says give them to charity as well."

"You're boring me. What about the life insurance?"

"Loraine is the beneficiary. When they divorced, she took out a huge policy on Towson for her support if the alimony stopped because of his death. The investigator wouldn't say how much the policy would pay. I asked if it's over a million and he said, oooh yeah!"

"So, you're saying take another look at Loraine?"

"She has several million motives," G.o.ddard replied.

She wasn't the big fish that Moran was hoping for, but would be someone to replace Reid. "What's her alibi?"

G.o.ddard answered, "She was seen at the museum by one guard around three and by a second guard around five, but we don't know if she left in between, which happens to be the time of the murder. And she had the means. Remember Reid spoke of seeing a gun at the motel."

"We're going in circles here. Reid must have been involved. He ran all over town that day. Either he's a hit man, or Loraine romanced him into shooting Towson."

"A hit man wouldn't show up at a sophisticated party and get involved with some woman," G.o.ddard explained. "And if Reid is in love why did he make accusations against Loraine from the start?"

The chief said, "I still say offer to let Reid out on bail if the sister agrees to stay out of the investigation and not talk to the media. Then we keep investigating both of them."

Moran was silent for a moment and then slammed his fist on the table. "No! It's not going to be that way. I'm not going into court with some penny-ante tale about a woman who shoots her ex for life insurance. It's corny and it's peanuts. The national media won't even bother to cover it."

"Could be it is that simple," G.o.ddard said.

"Reid is perfect." Moran sat back with a self-satisfied smile. "There's enough here to completely confuse the jurors. He'll look pathetic on the stand. The jury pool around here hates him to start with. Should be easy to get a conviction. I've waited too long for a case like this. Keep digging. We're going ahead with Reid."

G.o.ddard was astonished to hear Moran speak so bluntly in front of them. "This has nothing to do with justice. This isn't why I became a cop."

"What about the newspaper disclosures coming out?" the chief asked. "The media will tear us up. The phones will ring and the TV cameras will be back in town unless we come up with some way to counteract the new speculation."

Moran said, "The sister is going back to the paper and retract everything. She'll tell them she made it all up. They won't dare print anything with that much uncertainty facing them. That will get this case back on track."

"She'll tell you to go to h.e.l.l," G.o.ddard said, "and if you push her too hard, you're setting fire to dynamite."

"We'll see about that. She's just one little sister."

"One deadly sister," G.o.ddard corrected.

"You don't mean she's armed?"

"I don't know. Is a pit bull armed?"

"I want to see you outside." The chief started to protest but Moran motioned him to stay where he was. In the hall Moran demanded, "Go drag that sister out of your bed and bring her to my office at one o'clock."

"What are you doing? It's Sunday."

"Just do it. Go get her. Don't tell her what for, make it seem mysterious, ominous. Tell her she isn't technically under arrest, but had better show up. However you cops do it. Whatever it takes to unnerve her. I want her to sweat. I want to be face to face with the little b.i.t.c.h who's out there s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g up my prosecution. That'll be the end of her interference. You're going to do this, G.o.ddard, understand?"

"That's about what you had Huress do and it backfired, remember? I won't be a part of anything such as that."

"I was right about you! I know you've been meeting with her. Just can't keep your hands off that cute little body, huh."

"I haven't touched her. I'd never jeopardize the investigation."

"Word is she's letting you hit it."

"Go to h.e.l.l."

"Huress is telling everyone she was bobbing pretty good in his truck before they were interrupted."

G.o.ddard's hand struck out and grabbed Moran by the knot in his tie. When he twisted his fist, Moran's mouth gaped open in a soundless choke, his eyes widened, and his face turned white. G.o.ddard said, "You idiot, in another minute she would have handed Huress his head." He let Moran go with a hard push against the wall, and walked away.

Moran yelled after him, "Your detective badge is going in the c.r.a.pper. I hope you saved your uniforms because your a.s.s is going back in a patrol car."

Moran's hands were still shaking, trying to straighten his tie, when the chief came out in the hall. "I just ordered G.o.ddard to bring Sandy Reid to my office, and he refused. That's insubordination, Chief, and I want him brought up on charges."

"Okay, but you've got to live with him until this thing is over. Call Bobby Huress, he's off duty but you can reach him."

"Huress has gone crazy too. Told me he wants nothing to do with Sandy Reid. Is the police force under your command or not? Since she got here, the whole town is upside down. Get her to my office at one o'clock. Even if you must do it yourself."

The chief phoned Sergeant Lewis at home. "Sergeant, excuse the Sunday call. I'm told you know how to reach Sandy Reid. Just why you'd know how to reach the suspect's sister, I don't understand, but that's what I'm told."

"Yeah, I can probably reach her. What do you want her for, Chief?"

"What do I want her for? None of your d.a.m.n business what I want her for. Don't question my orders, sergeant. Now find her and tell her Moran wants her in his conference room at the courthouse at one today. Okay?"

"What does Moran want her for?"

After an audible sigh, the chief begged, "Just do it, sergeant."

G.o.ddard phoned Sandy as soon as he was away from Moran. "Heads up. You've got big trouble."

"You working on Sunday, huh. What's happening?"

"Moran wants you brought to his office today. He wants you to retract everything you've told the paper. Don't try to face him alone. Get Kagan to go with you. Watch your step, he's tricky."

She folded her phone just as it rang again. It was Linda."

"Geez, Linda, is everyone working today? Can't talk now, I have to meet with Moran."

"Bad news, Sugar. The paper called a special editorial meeting last night and decided not to print any of your stuff. They're scared to death of Moran. I'm so sorry."

"Not anything? But I already told Kagan it would all be printed. That fired him up and he threatened Moran on Friday. What about the editorial in today's paper questioning the investigation?"

"That's as far as they're willing to go. I know you were counting on me, Sandy."

"Then Moran holds a winning hand. He has no pressure to explain anything and Raymond stays in jail."

"Maybe not, Moran doesn't know the paper backed down. He phoned me a little while ago and sounded worried. I told him the sky was falling, and everything was going to be printed."

"You told him what?"

"Yeah I did it, and I implied he was in deep s.h.i.+t."

"You lied to a state attorney investigating a homicide? Are you out of your mind! When he finds out, he'll charge you with obstruction of justice to begin with. He'll have you jailed or at least fired, and you'll never work as a reporter in Florida again."

"Well, there goes my Pulitzer. Guess I'll move to Tampa and fix cars."

"Why on earth...?"

"Listen Sandy, you're in the driver's seat for a few hours. Moran really believed me. Go make some kind of deal with him before he finds out that he doesn't have a lot of new information from the paper to deal with. Unless he checks with the editor right away, you guys have some time."

"But Linda, in a few days he'll realize nothing new is coming out in the paper and he'd simply lock Raymond back up."

"Wouldn't he be embarra.s.sed trying to explain why he let him out?"

"That's true, and this gives Kagan another shot to go before the judge and maintain there was insufficient evidence to deny bail considering the new disclosures. It's at least a chance to get Raymond out and it might work. I won't tell Kagan what we're doing, so he'll innocently continue acting as though we do have an advantage. If Moran falls for the bluff, he might negotiate. Linda, you just fell on your sword for me. Do you understand Moran is going to crucify you for lying regardless of how this turns out? Why did you do that?"

"Sugar, you know why."

Chapter 30.

By the time Sandy reached the courthouse, the town was full of heavy rain. Park Beach is usually calm and quiet after the church traffic clears. That Sunday it was wet and miserable. The thunder and lightning might come later at her first meeting with Moran. Sandy parked in the police parking lot as usual and hurried across the boulevard to the courthouse, dodging puddles and holding her notebook over her head.

The courthouse appeared closed but as she walked up the splendid steps, a sheriff's deputy opened the huge door for her. She was expected.

"I'm soaked, any paper towels around?" He produced a roll. "Thanks, I didn't come to Florida to catch cold."

"Why didn't you use the covered parking next to this building?"

"Now you tell me. It's going to be one of those days."

He scanned her with a handheld detector and directed her to the third floor offices of the state attorney. She crossed the s.p.a.cious atrium to the elevators. The only break in the cold silence was the echo of the click of her shoes. The building air conditioning must have been set to cool a large weekday crowd. At that moment, she was not only damp but also surrounded by bone-chilling marble.

She found Moran's office on the third floor next to the conference room and opened the door. She didn't see him but heard him call out, "Just take a seat in the conference room, Miss Reid."

She a.s.sumed he wanted this meeting to scare her off. That fit Chip's description of him as a bully. Yet, if he's at all rational, there should be some room to negotiate for bail. She needed to show him what he was up against. Show him that continuing with Raymond was not going to work. She would ask that he drop all charges and hope they could at least agree on release on bail. She must come away with a compromise, and do it before he learns the newspaper won't be printing anything unfavorable.

She sat at the side of the long conference table, rubbing her arms for warmth, and wis.h.i.+ng she had brought a sweater. She waited. After twenty minutes, she a.s.sumed he was either playing a power game making her wait or he had discovered the truth. Maybe he was on the phone being told Linda had lied to him and the sky wasn't falling.

At two p.m., one hour after the scheduled time, Moran entered. Without an apology or even looking at her he settled in opposite. He placed a stack of official-looking papers on his left side, a recorder on the other, and a yellow legal pad in front. Taking his time and not yet acknowledging her, he casually flipped back and forth among the top papers that appeared covered with notes.

"You came all by yourself." He still hadn't looked up. "I thought Kagan would be with you."

She stood and slowly pulled her chair away from the table. She walked over and exchanged her chair for one from the end of the table.

"What are you doing? Sit down. Leave the chairs alone."

"I noticed your chair is much higher than mine."

He clicked a b.u.t.ton on his recorder. "All right, let's begin. Good afternoon, Miss Reid."

She put her handbag on the table beside her, took out her phone, and another small device. She moved them around a bit, played with some b.u.t.tons, and then announced, "Okay, I'm ready."

He was grim. "Now what are you doing?"

"I'm recording our conversation."

"This is the official recorder."

"That's fine. Yours is the official one. Mine is nothing special."

"Turn off that recorder. It's not permitted. You don't record anything. Do you know to whom you're speaking? Do you realize I have the full legal and prosecutorial power of the entire state of Florida behind me?"

"Yes."

"That's better. Now, do you know why I ordered you here?"

"I'm not certain, Mr. Moran. My hope was we could discuss some compromise regarding bail for my brother."