Double or Nothing (Sword and Lead Book 5)

by Rhiley McCabe

  “Do you have any idea of what could have made your husband kill himself?”

  “I don’t know. Parker was so full of life, and I didn’t notice any red flag.” She began to sob lightly. “Perhaps I didn’t look close enough.”

  Harry Rogers thanked Rebecca for meeting with him, and once again extended his sincere condolences before leaving her in the tearoom.

  Harry had one more person to interview before leaving the mansion. Jimmy Lennie, Parker’s younger brother and only known relative, was waiting for him in the large sitting room on the first floor of the mansion. Parker’s younger brother was twenty-seven years old, and had been employed by Parker. Jimmy Lennie was very close to his brother, and Parker always took him along to every meeting. Parker was his role model, and he was devastated at his death, even though he did a decent job in maintaining a calm demeanor.

  “Sorry for your loss,” Harry said.

  “Thank you,” replied Jimmy Lennie.

  “When was the last time you saw your brother?”

  “I saw him the night before he died. We stayed late in the office, attending a meeting. We both left the office shortly after 7 PM, and he said he was going home.”

  “Did you notice any recent changes in your brother’s behavior? Did he look like he was dealing with some psychological issues?”

  “No, I noticed nothing. Parker was doing absolutely fine.”

  “Do you think he was having some financial issues that made him kill himself?”

  “No. the company is doing great. There were no financial issues.”

  “Did Parker talk to you about anything bothering him?”

  “No, Parker rarely talks about his worries.” Jimmy ran his hands through his hair, and there was a sudden look of doubt in his face. “But he told me that he was having issues in his marriage.” Jimmy paused for some seconds before saying, “He said he wanted a divorce.”

  “Did he tell you the reason for the troubles in his marriage?” Harry asked.

  “He didn’t say much. He only said he was not happy. He said Rebecca only cared about the money,” Jimmy replied.

  “What do you think about that?” Harry asked.

  “I don’t know. But I could tell that Parker wasn’t happy. I think they were both unhappy.”

  “When did he tell you about the separation?”

  “Around three months ago.”

  “Do you think he had initiated the process of divorce?”

  “I’m not sure. Parker was to keep his marriage problems away from the press, so he didn’t discuss it.”

  “Do you have any idea why Parker could have killed himself?”

  “No, I don’t,” Jimmy replied as he wiped the tears from his eyes.

  Harry walked up to him and placed one hand on his shoulder. “Parker was a good man. He used to work for my father, and I had the privilege of meeting him,” Harry said.

  “I just don’t understand why he did it,” Jimmy said as tears began to fall from his eyes.

  Harry held Jimmy’s shoulder firmly. “I’m sorry. I’m really sorry,” he said.

  CHAPTER 10

  Memphis, Tennessee

  3 PM September 16th

  Detective Jones decided to check on the computer one last time before leaving the office. Since he returned to the office, he had been waiting for the forensics to send the footage recovered from the CCTV camera found at Justine’s house. He logged onto his profile on the database, and he found the footage in his mail. He was relieved because this would save him the trouble of paying an unpleasant visit to the forensic lab tomorrow.

  It was footage of someone wearing black trousers and a black hoodie that covered the person’s face. The person in the footage was recorded coming into the house and leaving a few minutes later in a hurry. The person had his hand in the pocket of the hoodie; there was no gun in sight.

  The only thing that Jones could tell from the footage was that the person was Caucasian, and between 5’6” to 5’8”. This didn’t help to narrow the case in any way. So Jones decided to check the Memphis police criminal records to search for persons who matched the features of the person in the footage, but the search didn’t produce any promising results. Jones was beginning to believe that it was a case of a home invasion gone wrong. The invader had probably run into Justine, and in the confrontation, he panicked and shot her, and left with her phone. Cases of home invasions involving celebrities were common, and a mansion with absolutely no security, like Justine’s, would have been an easy target. Jones shut down the computer and left the office. He decided to go back to the mansion to see if there was something he had missed.

  On his way to the mansion, Jones began to think about the cost of the mansion and the luxury cars that were parked in Justine’s garage. Justine was a moderately successful swimsuit model, and she had modeled for big brands during her time at the top, but he couldn’t believe that a swimsuit model could earn so much that she would be able to afford such a huge house. Jones thought that the cost of the taxes Justine paid on her cars alone was more than many people earn in a year. Jones knew that Justine’s income as a swimsuit model couldn’t fund such luxuries, and she had no wealthy relatives, nor was she an heiress. Jones knew that someone must have been funding Justine’s luxurious lifestyle, and uncovering the person’s identity might lead to a break in the case. Detective Jones decided that before going to the mansion, there was somewhere else he had to visit.

  * * *

  Detective Jones walked out of the land registry office, holding an envelope. In the envelope was the registration details of Justine’s mansion. The mansion was registered under a company called Smooth Stone Inc., and the mansion was paid for from a shell account. Jones sent the details of the shell account to Peyton for him to take it to his friend at the FBI to track the owner of the account. Jones drove to Justine Gray’s mansion to see if the housekeeper might have remembered something.

  * * *

  Detective Jones looked at the clock. It read 9 PM. He usually had his dinner before 8 PM, but today he was exhausted and had fallen asleep after taking his bath. He went to the refrigerator and brought out the food he bought on his way home. He went into the kitchen, put the food in the microwave, and turn on the timer.

  Jones sat at the dining table with his laptop in front of him. He opened his browser and typed in Smooth Stone Inc. He scrolled through the results and clicked on the Wikipedia page. At the top of the Wikipedia page, the name of the founder and chairman of the company was boldly written: Parker Lennie. Jones’ phone rang, and it was Peyton. He picked the call, which lasted for less than a minute. Peyton called to tell him the owner of the shell account from which the payment of Justine’s mansion was made. The shell belonged to a hedge fund owned by the billionaire Parker Lennie.

  The microwave alarm sounded, and Jones went to the kitchen to turn it off. As he ate his dinner, Jones wondered what connections the dead swimsuit model has with a young billionaire. There was only one way to find out. He must travel to New York to speak with Parker Lennie.

  CHAPTER 11

  Fifth precinct, New York Police Department

  10 AM September 18th

  It was concluded that Parker Lennie’s death had been a suicide. The autopsy had put the time of death between 10 PM to 11 PM. A trace of a very strong sedative was also found in his blood, which suggested that Parker had drugged himself before pulling the trigger. Three days after Parker Lennie’s death, the news was still full of stories about his life and death.

  Detective Harry Rogers had thought that Parker Lennie’s case would be an intriguing way for him to wrap up his career, but this didn’t turn out to be the case. As Parker had taken his own life, and there was nothing to investigate. The missing persons case he had been investigating before being assigned the Lennie case by the commissioner had been passed on to another detective. So that morning, Harry sat on his desk, going through his file and reminiscing on his old cases. He was hoping he would be assigned a case
before the end of the day because tomorrow, he planned to come to work with his resignation letter.

  Harry’s thoughts were interrupted by a phone call. He picked the call, and it was the police commissioner who was called and requested Harry’s presence in his office urgently. Harry picked up his car keys and left the precinct.

  * * *

  Detective Harry Rogers was curious about what the commissioner had to say to him. Once again, he began to think that the prosecutors may have found out that he hired Felicia Brown to represent Amanda, and the brazen act of misconduct had been brought to the notice of the commissioner.

  Harry was glad to meet the commissioner’s secretary, and her warm smile was what he needed to calm his nerves. The secretary was an African American woman in her mid-fifties, she was known for her bright smile, discipline, and it was believed that she was critical to the success of any commissioner. Harry had grown fond of the secretary when he was facing the police ethics committee. The secretary flashed Harry a wild smile and called him by his first name. She asked if he had quitted smoking, and Harry told her he was working on it. The secretary rose to her feet and gave him a peck on the cheek. She told him the commissioner was waiting for him and Harry walked into the office; every step felt heavy.

  In the office, Harry met a man who wore a brown tan leather jacket, and he looked like he was in his mid-forties. The commissioner smiled at Harry and told him to take a seat.

  “Good morning, Detective Rogers,” said the commissioner. “This is Detective Jones from the Memphis police department. He was investigating a murder in Memphis, and the investigation led him to New York. I reckon he will need our assistance.” The commissioner paused for a few seconds before adding, “Well, I think he will need your assistance.”

  Harry shook Jones’ hand. “How can I help?”

  “I am investigating the murder of Justine Gray, the swimsuit model; I assume you may have heard about her death. My investigations led me to uncover that the mansion she lived in was bought by and belongs to Parker Lennie. I came to New York to meet with Mr. Lennie to find out his connection with Miss. Gray, but I learned he killed himself,” Jones replied.

  “Well, that is some coincidence, Harry said. Parker Lennie was found dead two days ago in his study. He appeared to have shot himself,” Harry said.

  “Well, Justine Gray was also found dead two days ago. She was shot three times in the stomach.”

  The commissioner rose to his feet and stood next to Harry, “I assume there must be some connection between the two deaths. Both of you can share your findings, and perhaps we can find out the connection between Mr. Parker Lennie and Miss Justine Gray,” the commissioner said.

  “There isn’t much to share on our side,” Harry said. “Perhaps Detective Jones might have some useful information we can work with.”

  “You can call me Jones. Well, there isn’t much to the case on my side, either. I was hoping Parker Lennie could point me in the right direction,” Jones replied.

  “Well, I believe with you two working on the case, you can piece together the pieces of both deaths.” The commissioner turned to Jones. “I spoke to the police commissioner and your chief, and they both said nice things about you.” The commissioner returned to his seat. “I have no doubt that both of you will get to the root of this case. Detective Rogers, I assumed you wouldn’t mind showing Detective Jones around?”

  “Of course not,” Harry replied.

  * * *

  Detective Rogers’s first stop with Detective Jones was the forensic lab, where the gun Parker used in killing himself had been analyzed. Jones had brought with him the report of the bullet casings found at Justine Gray’s mansion, and the forensic team cross-examined the report and concluded that the bullets were fired from the same gun with which Parker Lennie had used to kill himself.

  As they drove away from the lab in Harry’s car, it became clear to Harry and Jones that there was a connection between the deaths of Parker Lennie and Justine Gray.

  “Do you think they were having an affair?” Harry asked.

  “I think that might be the case. Justine’s ex-boyfriend said that he felt Justine was cheating on him,” Jones replied. “Perhaps they had a misunderstanding, or she threatened to make the affair public, so he killed her, and he was scared of getting caught, so he killed himself,” he continued.

  “Parker didn’t strike me as the type of guy who was scared of getting bad press, but this might have been the case,” Harry replied. “But that would mean he had gone to Memphis to kill her and returned to New York that same night.”

  “Well, that’s not a very long trip if he flew on his private jet,” Jones said.

  “But it doesn’t just add up,” Harry said.

  “What do you mean?” Jones asked.

  “I interviewed Parker’s brother, who said that he and Parker worked late nights at the office, and they left the office past 7 PM.”

  “Well, that rules him out, because Justine’s autopsy report put the time of death between 7 PM to 8 PM. So it would have been impossible for him to be at three different places between those times,” Jones said.

  “It would mean that Parker had gone to Memphis during the day and killed Justine, then returned to New York, but this isn’t the case because he was at work all day. So clearly Parker hadn’t killed her, and if he didn’t kill her, then he didn’t kill himself.”

  “Well, the same gun was used in killing both of them, so I suppose somebody must have known about the affair, and the person must have been able to travel between Memphis and New York two days ago,” Jones said.

  “I think there is one person who would know if Parker was having an affair. I think we should pay that person a visit,” Harry replied.

  * * *

  Detective Harry Rogers and Detective Jones sat on the sofa in Jimmy Lennie’s large house. Jimmy hadn’t been to the office since Parker’s death. Harry and Jones had been to the office, and it was from the office that they got Jimmy’s address. Jimmy sat on the opposite sofa. Jimmy was surprised to see Harry, and he was more surprised when Harry introduced Jones.

  “I know you were close to your brother, and we need your help in solving the circumstances around his death,” Harry said.

  “But I thought the investigation concluded that the cause of Parker’s death was suicide?” Jimmy asked in confusion.

  “Yes, but some new facts have come to light that could suggest that we might have been wrong,” Harry said.

  “Do you know if your brother was having an affair?” Jones asked.

  Jimmy felt uneasy, and he looked away. “Yes, I know,” replied Jimmy, feeling embarrassed.

  “Do you know the lady he was having an affair with?” Jones asked.

  “No, I don’t. But I know she lived in another city, and he often traveled to visit her,” Jimmy replied.

  “Do you know the city the lady lives?” Jones asked.

  “She lives in Memphis,” Jimmy replied.

  “The name of the woman is Justine Gray, and she was found dead two days ago,” Jones said.

  Jimmy’s eyes widened, and he covered his mouth with his hands.

  “Did your brother’s wife know of the affair?” Harry asked.

  “I don’t think so, but Parker said she was suspicious,” Jimmy replied.

  “How long has parker been in an affair?” Harry asked.

  “For some months before he died. Maybe three to four months. I’m not sure,” Jimmy replied.

  Harry and Jones thanked Jimmy and left his office.

  * * *

  Detective Rogers and Detective Jones’ next stop was the Department of Homeland Security, where they requested a list of all the passengers that flew in from Memphis on the day Parker Lennie was killed. The staff in charge of such information had attempted to tie up their requests with bureaucratic red tape, and this forced Harry to make some phone calls. After a couple of minutes, the officer consented to their request, and Jones’ was impressed by the speed
with which Harry was able to get the officer to grant their request.

  They returned to the precinct and spent hours running the names through the police database, but they found nothing. They left the precinct exhausted from the day’s activities and frustrated that they haven’t found a break in the case.

  * * *

  As Harry drove Jones to the hotel where he was going to spend the night, Jones thought about the nature of Parker and Justine’s deaths. Both actions appeared to have been coordinated and executed according to a preconceived plan. Whoever killed Justine must have had the planned to kill Parker the same night, which meant that the person must have bought a return ticket to New York or the person had a plane waiting. Jones felt they hadn’t checked the right place. He brought out his phone and texted Peyton.

  CHAPTER 12

  Fifth Precinct, New York Police Department

  12 PM September 19th

  Detective Rogers and Detective Jones sat at the fifth precinct of the New York police department. They had narrowed down the passengers on the flight and shortlisted some for profiling. They had begun digging into the nature of their jobs and checking to see if they could find some people with questionable character, behavior, or suspicious bank details. So far they had been unsuccessful. They were taking a break when Jones’ phone rang. He picked it, and the call lasted for a brief second. Jones asked to use Harry’s computer. He logged into his email and printed out an email that Peyton had sent to him.

  Jones handed Harry the email and sat beside him. “What is this?” Harry asked.

  “Yesterday, I asked my partner to get the information of all private jets and helicopters that landed in Memphis,” Jones replied. “Do you see anything familiar?” he asked.

  Harry looked closely at the paper, and his eyes widened. “Parker Lennie’s private jet landed in Memphis yesterday at 2:45 PM and took off at 7:30 PM.” Harry looked at Jones with surprise and delight written all over his face. “How was your partner able to get this?”