Gotcha Detective Agency Mystery Box Set

by Jamie Lee Scott

  “No. I just know that Willard called me and told me they intercepted him at the airport. His luggage is already on the plane.”

  Nick said, “I’m sure they removed it. They don’t allow luggage to travel without the passenger these days.”

  I wondered why it mattered where the hell Willard’s luggage was. And I wondered what, if anything, Cortnie was up to.

  Nick’s phone rang, piercing the quiet.

  He looked at it, then at me. “It’s Eva.”

  62

  Before I knew it, we were in Nick’s car and on the way to the San Francisco Police Station, homicide division. Not that it was legal, but Nick put his blue light on and we flew through traffic as everyone pulled over for us.

  I’m not sure why, but the inside of police stations always reminds me of the journalism offices in the movie, All the President’s Men. Cubicles were set in the middle of the room, and all around were the noises of a bustling office. Only in this office, there were handcuffed people sitting next to some of the desks.

  Nick and I were escorted to the homicide division by a short Asian woman in uniform. She was polite, but said very little.

  “Just inside.” She opened a door off the main bullpen and stepped aside. “They are waiting for you.”

  I still wasn’t sure why we were here. I was just happy that Eva had invited both of us.

  We were barely through the door when Eva and Harry met us in the aisle.

  He said, “Glad you guys could make it. I just wish Cortnie was here, since she gave us the lead.”

  Nick said, “Actually, I gave you the lead, but it came from Cortnie’s observation.”

  Eva softly grabbed me by the elbow, leading me away from the two men. “Let me tell you, that Cortnie is a keeper. Let’s go listen in while Harry talks to Willard.”

  She was being so nice, I was stunned. “I thought you’d talked to him already.”

  “He lawyered up. His lawyer got here just before you did.”

  Still not sure what the change in attitude toward me was all about, I asked, “Why did you want us here so badly?”

  Eva stopped walking and turned to look me in the eye. “I need to apologize to you. I guess I was a bit jealous of you.”

  Though I had a pretty good idea, I still asked, “Why?”

  “It’s stupid, but when Nick and I were partners, I always thought we’d end up together in the end. When he transferred out of homicide, and I got a divorce, I thought we’d be perfect for each other.”

  So I was right; she did have her sights set on Nick.

  “But Harry made me understand why it would never work. He’s a smart guy.” Eva smiled. It was genuine, and I could tell she had a lot of respect for her partner, but she wasn’t interested in him.

  “I didn’t mean to come between anyone. Before this weekend, I didn’t even know you existed.” I didn’t say it to hurt her. I just wanted to tell the truth.

  “Exactly. When Nick moved on, he really moved on. Harry made me see that whatever I thought Nick and I had was all in my head.” She started walking again. “I just didn’t see why you and Nick should be cut out because I was being childish.”

  The boys had nearly caught up with us. I looked back to see a puzzled look on Nick’s face. I chose to keep walking, enjoy being a part of the investigation, and talking with Eva, now that she was treating me more like an equal.

  The four of us stepped into the observer’s side of the interrogation room. It was a small room with dark walls, and instead of a two way mirror, there was a lot of video equipment set up, and a large flat screen TV on one wall.

  On the TV screen, Willard was talking to his lawyer, but there was no sound.

  Willard wore khaki pants and a navy V-neck sweater over a white T-shirt. I didn’t remember him wearing glasses before, but he was wearing a fashionable pair with tortoise shell frames. His hair had been heavily combed through with his fingers, and stood out in several directions.

  The attorney, a public defender, had the standoffish demeanor of someone who is listening to someone they just met. He’d removed his suit jacket and was wearing a white dress shirt with a red tie. He had his briefcase on the table, and a file that he flipped through as Willard spoke.

  “I’m going in to talk to him. I’ll signal when to turn on the audio.” Harry left the room.

  It was just Nick, Eva and me, and for the first time, it wasn’t awkward. We waited for Harry to enter the room and give the signal. When he did, we were riveted to the flat screen on the wall.

  The attorney spoke first. “I’ve advised my client not to answer any questions, but he’s willing to answer to a point.”

  Harry addressed Willard. “You understand the charges against you, correct?”

  Willard nodded his head.

  “Can you please answer all questions verbally for the recording?” Harry asked.

  “Yes, I understand the charges, and yes, I’ll try to answer verbally.” Willard ran his fingers through his hair again.

  “Can you tell us where you were during the days before coming to San Francisco?”

  Willard took a deep breath. “I’ve been in several different places.”

  He paused, looked directly at the camera, therefore looking directly at us. His gaze was steady.

  “Marina and I were doing three different trade shows that overlapped. She was in Dallas, Texas, and had to head back home for the International Gift Show, before coming here. I was coming directly from Denver to San Francisco.”

  Harry scribbled in his notepad. “What were the dates?”

  Willard gave him the dates. “This was the first year we had such an overlap. Our manufacturers had to make an extra set of samples so we could be at all the shows at one time.

  “Zack stayed home and set up for the international show, then Marina joined him for the actual show. The samples from Dallas were in transit, so Marina would have arrived home before they did. I was in Denver, finishing up, and packaging everything for this show. Because of the time constraint, I came here directly from Denver and stayed at the hotel, waiting for the display shipment to arrive. It would have been more expensive for me to fly back home, and then here, than it was for me to stay in a hotel for a few days. So I’ve been here in San Francisco since Tuesday.”

  He looked at the attorney and said, “I have receipts from my meals, and you can check with the hotel.”

  Eva’s phone rang. She answered and left the room while we listened to Willard continue his statement.

  “Anyway, I picked Marina and Zack up at the airport on Thursday morning. I hadn’t seen her in over a week. These shows usually last at least three or four days, and with as many lines as we carry, we always have to arrive at least a day early to set up.”

  I was surprised at how calm he was.

  “Can I ask you a question?” Willard looked Harry in the eye.

  “You can ask,” Harry responded.

  “How was she killed?”

  “Mr. Goldstein, I’m sure you know the answer to that.”

  A bit flustered now, Willard said, “I promise you, I don’t.”

  Eva came back into the room. She picked up the remote for the video recorder and muted it.

  Both Nick and I glared at her.

  “There are a few things I haven’t had the chance to tell you yet.” She put her cell phone in her pocket.

  Eva sat down in one of the chairs. Before either of us could respond, she said, “We were able to get a search warrant for the Goldstein residence and their showroom. They finished their search this morning and found a receipt for an auto parts store. Antifreeze.”

  I’m pretty sure Nick and I let out a sigh at the same time. We got him!

  “Sweet,” Nick said. “So the husband is concocting this story for nothing.”

  Eva sucked in a breath. “That’s just it. He claims he hadn’t seen his wife for a couple of weeks before arriving in San Francisco.”

  Nick corrected, “He just said it�
�s been a little over a week.”

  “Right, well, I missed that.” She looked up at the muted screen. “The thing is, the antifreeze was purchased the same day Willard flew out to Denver.”

  I smiled on the inside. Cortnie nailed it. I smiled on the outside, too.

  “So he could have put it in something she ate or drank on a regular basis,” Nick said.

  “True.” Eva didn’t seem to be in agreement with his train of thought.

  “Okay, Eva, what are you not telling me?” Nick’s words were clipped.

  “The receipt was torn. It had the name of the auto parts place, but no way to track the time or location.”

  I said, “Lot of good that does.”

  “Thank God the cops were smart. There was a receipt number.” She grinned. “They were able to track the store from the receipt number. From there, they were able to get the time and date of the purchase.”

  “Gotta love those franchises. By tracking store sales, they inadvertently help the police.” I was ecstatic to know we’d helped nail Marina’s killer. It didn’t matter that I didn’t like her, no one deserves to be murdered.

  “Here’s the rub. The time on the receipt? According to the flight number Willard gave us earlier, he was already on the plane to Denver. He couldn’t have purchased the antifreeze.”

  “Okay,” Nick sounded perplexed. “So whoever purchased the antifreeze left the receipt to frame Willard, but didn’t think ahead enough to realize the cops would be able to track the time and date, even if they were torn off. Idiot.”

  “The question now is, just who is that idiot?”

  Eva was really grinning now. “That’s what the phone call was about.”

  “Please tell me the auto parts place had video.” Nick stood, ready to pounce on whomever the idiot might be.

  “We should be so lucky.” Eva already had her hand on the door. “Stay here.”

  Before she left the room, she pressed a button on the video, and the screen now showed an impatient Zack sitting in a nearly identical interrogation room. She had turned the sound back on, too.

  Nick and I watched as Eva entered the room. Zack didn’t even bother to look up at her.

  “Hey, Zack, comfortable?”

  No answer.

  “I’ll take that as a yes.”

  He looked up at her and smiled.

  “Would you like to tell me about the death of your aunt?”

  Bigger smile.

  “Is that a yes, too?”

  “The story is getting old.”

  “I’d like to hear it anyway.” Eva sat in the chair across from Zack.

  “Isn’t my uncle talking?”

  Now Eva grinned, but didn’t answer.

  Zack showed the first signs of being unsettled.

  “Did he lawyer up?” His right knee started bobbing up and down.

  Eva said, “Want a soda or water?”

  “Or a lawyer?” He was as smug as he’d been at the bar, but his knee was still moving.

  “Would you like a lawyer? You think you need one?”

  I looked at Nick. This exchange was boring. I wanted to hear what Willard had to say.

  Nick started to say something, but right then, Zack spoke up.

  He leaned in close to Eva. “You know they weren’t even having sex for the last couple of years?”

  “And this is of interest to me, why?” Not at all intimidated, she got right in his face.

  Zack slammed his hands on the table. “Because he was fucking Becky. Willard and Marina had been just business partners at the end. The only way out for Willard was for Marina to die.”

  To Eva’s credit, she didn’t even flinch. I figure she’d been in the room with people a thousand times more intimidating than Zack. She just stared at him, waiting for him to say more.

  The door to the interrogation room opened, and Harry walked in.

  “Can I see you for a minute?” He turned around and left before Eva responded.

  She looked at Zack, then stood and walked out of the room. When she turned her back, Zack flipped her the bird. I wondered if he knew they were being recorded. Then I wondered if he cared.

  I’m not sure why Harry and Eva didn’t just talk in the hallway, but I was thrilled when they walked into the viewing room.

  Harry started. “One more thing in Willard’s favor. The nephew is the beneficiary of Marina’s life insurance policy.”

  “Did he say why?”

  “Apparently Marina felt responsible for Zack since his parents died.”

  “His parents are dead?”

  “The plot thickens,” Nick whispered.

  “They died in a car accident. Care to guess who was driving?” Harry obviously enjoyed having more answers than Eva.

  “Marina.” It wasn’t just Eva answering. We all said it at the same time.

  “So Zack had been harboring this hatred for Marina for years. It has nothing to do with the botched wedding plans.” Eva left the room.

  Harry, Nick and I all stared at the TV screen again.

  Eva entered the room with a purpose this time. She didn’t bother to sit down. She stood over Zack, looking down on him.

  Zack looked up at her. The venom in his gaze would have killed a lesser woman.

  “You are under arrest for the murder of Marina Goldstein. You have the right--“

  “Fuck you. You don’t have any evidence to arrest me.” Zack stood, not backing away.

  “--to remain silent…”

  Before Eva had finished reading him his rights, he’d asked for a lawyer.

  I wondered exactly what solid evidence she had against him.

  63

  Back at the hotel, Nick and I had packed up our belongings and were ready to leave, when Charles stopped by the room.

  “You aren’t staying for the rest of the show?” He didn’t exactly sound disappointed.

  “I miss Lola, and I have my own business to run.” I gathered up my bags, but Charles took them from me.

  “I’ve got it,” he said.

  I was suspicious. Chivalry wasn’t a word in Charles’ vocabulary. “What do you want?”

  Charles headed to the door, which was now being held open by Anthony. “I want you out of here before there are any more dead bodies.”

  Anthony hugged me while holding the door open with his foot. “Way, way too much drama. Queen.”

  I hugged him back. “Who are you calling a drama queen?”

  I had to admit, death seemed to surround me. My husband, Esme, Marina. Goodness knows they all had crazy circumstances. I had to put all that behind me now. I was moving on to living. I had me a new guy, great sex, and a business that just solved a case for a huge client.

  Speaking of that client, Cortnie was in the hallway.

  “Good grief, what is this? A send off?” I was now really suspicious that so many people were so happy to see me leaving.

  Cortnie said, “If it’s okay with you, I’m going to stick around and help Charles and Anthony for the rest of the weekend. I talked to Mr. Clinton, and we have a meeting first thing Monday morning.”

  I thought about it. She had my car. I loved my car, and I wanted it at home with me. Fine. She’d done a fantastic job with her first client, and I could use an old beater from the agency for the rest of the weekend.

  “We don’t really care if you stay or leave, we just want to know what the hell happened at the police station.” Charles finally fessed up.

  Nick walked out the door behind me. “Becky was right. Willard didn’t do it. It was Zack. The nephew had his own ax to grind with Marina, and when he was finally fed up with her, he poisoned her. He thought he’d set up Willard quite nicely. He even tore the auto parts store receipt, so the purchase time and date were missing.”

  I heard Anthony whisper, “But I really liked him.”

  Nick continued, “But the police were able to track the store number and get that exact time and date of the transaction.”

  “Got to lo
ve video surveillance,” Cortnie interrupted.

  “Actually, it wasn’t the store video that nailed him,” I said, “It was a news station feed that was doing a promotional video outside in the mall parking lot.”

  All eyes were wide.

  Nick said, “They were able to track down the time and date. The store manager remembered they were very busy that day because the local news station was doing a fundraiser in the parking lot. Zack just happened to be caught on the video feed.”

  “Bullshit. How did they know he bought antifreeze?”

  I laughed. “It doesn’t get much better. He didn’t get a bag. He was carrying the container in plain sight.”

  Everyone laughed. Charles said, “Idiot.”

  We were still laughing when everyone piled into the elevator to get the rest of the details. But by the time the elevator was at the lobby level, we were somber again. After all, someone was dead. Even if she wasn’t a nice person, she didn’t deserve to be murdered.

  “I have to say, I’m sorry she’s dead, but I’m glad she suffered,” Anthony said quietly. “You know she’s going to hell.”

  I was surprised at Anthony’s venom. “I thought you didn’t believe in heaven and hell.”

  “That’s why I can say that and not feel bad.”

  We said our goodbyes as the valet drove up in Nick’s Boxster. I hoped he was in a reflective and not talkative mood for the drive. I needed some quiet time to figure out how I felt about so many things: about the murder, about our recent client, and about Nick.

  Once we were on Highway 101, headed south, he asked, “Do you like movie scores?”

  I thought it an odd question. “Sure.”

  He grabbed a CD for the movie Black Swan, and put it in the player.

  I leaned my head back and closed my eyes for a moment. When I opened them, we were taking the Laurel Street exit in Salinas.

  “Not fair, you know.” Nick squeezed my knee.

  We were stopped at a light. I said, “I’m sorry. I didn’t know I was so tired.”

  But I must have still been dreaming, because when I looked past Nick, to the person driving the car in the next lane, I could have sworn it was Dominic.