"Jen Abernathy, this interview is taking place in the Logland, Illinois, Police Department because you were found in the Bully Pulpit Diner. You were seen entering that establishment without permission by breaking a window at the diner's back entrance."
When Jen said nothing, Elizabeth asked, "Do you acknowledge where we found you and under what circumstances?"
"I suppose."
“When you and I spoke Sunday evening at the wake for Ben Addison, I wondered aloud about the possibility that money was hidden in the diner. Did that lead you to break into the diner tonight?”
Jen looked between Calderone and Elizabeth and sat up straighter. “Ben shouldn't have been taking money from Alice for his stupid betting games. And he owed her a lot of money. She needed that money to keep the bookstore...”
"Open?" Elizabeth stared at her. “That would be a reason to talk to the lawyer handling his estate, not break glass at the diner’s back door and enter without authorization.”
Jen said nothing.
Calderone’s tone was flat. “When you got there tonight, you thought you had a workable key.”
She flushed. “I did not.”
Calderone got up and left the room.
“I saw you try a key before you broke the glass,” Elizabeth said.
Jen almost spat the words. “If you know so much, why are you asking questions?”
“Because I don’t expect you to divulge much.”
Calderone came back in and placed an evidence bag on the table. It contained a set of keys.
Jen almost stood up, but changed her mind. “Those are mine. You don’t need to keep those.”
Calderone pulled an evidence bag from a pocket, one with the key to Ben’s diner that had been on the cabinet hook in the kitchen. “This is the spare key Mr. Addison kept on a hook in the diner's kitchen. A copy of this key is on your ring.”
Jen half-stood and shouted, “It is not!”
Elizabeth knocked on the conference table. Jen started, but sat back down.
“It is,” Elizabeth said, calmly. “Why did you have that key?”
“Ben, Ben gave it to me. I was his friend.”
“Actually, that’s a copy you had made at the hardware store the afternoon we found Ben. You put the original key back on the hook in the kitchen that night. The key in this bag came from the hook.”
Jen flushed. “My word against yours.”
“And the security camera in the hardware store.”
Jen said nothing.
Elizabeth picked up the bag with Jen's keys. “I believe this is your car key, maybe your house key.” She fingered another. “Perhaps the bookstore key. You have any others?”
Jen studied the wall behind Elizabeth.
“Did you break up with him, or vice-versa?” Elizabeth asked.
“Mutual.”
“Or maybe you had enough of him letting Alice bet more money than she really had. Is that why you broke up with Ben?”
Again Jen raised her chin and stared at Elizabeth. “My dating Ben has nothing to do with the money he owed Alice.”
“The morning Ben was murdered, you said you had just parked in front of the antique store. You were about to work with the debate team. I think you were already nearby. You hadn’t gotten far enough away when Calderone found Ben.”
Jen stayed focused on the wall behind Elizabeth and Calderone.
Elizabeth jingled Jen’s keys. “My guess is that when we get a warrant to search your apartment, we’ll find Ben’s own set of keys there. Why would you make a copy when you had his?”
Her eyes widened. “You can’t go in there!”
“All we need is a warrant.” Elizabeth nodded sideways, toward Calderone. “He’s already working on it.”
When Jen said nothing, Elizabeth tried a different tack. “What puzzles me is why Ben pulled those blinds down about seven the morning of his death.”
“He said he didn’t want people to see us argue… You aren’t going to trick me.”
Elizabeth thought she had done a pretty good job of it.
Jen glared at Elizabeth. “I’ll talk to a lawyer now.”
Elizabeth held Jen’s gaze. “I think you copied the key from the cupboard because the one on his ring was a fancy patriotic one. You couldn’t exactly take that to the hardware store. Someone might remember.”
Her tone became shrill. “Lawyer.”
Calderone half turned to Elizabeth. “I wonder if Ms. Abernathy has any extra steak knives in her kitchen.”
Jen’s eyes filled with tears. “I loved him. I just wanted him to stop taking Alice’s money.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
ELLIZABETH HAD ASKED THE COUNTY sheriff to accept Jen’s transfer to his custody. Logland’s jail was small and meant more as an overnight drunk tank. A suicide watch was not possible unless an officer sat at the desk by a cell all night. She didn’t have the resources for that.
Elizabeth didn’t want to risk one more death.
The transfer took place about four-thirty Monday morning. Elizabeth had been able to catch two hours of sleep, which was a lot better than none.
When she had left her apartment for the station at seven-thirty that morning, she was greeted by a raw wind that sent leaves whirling through town. It seemed appropriate for a day that would be equally bleak.
She had liked Jen. Now she had to continue to develop evidence that could put her in prison for life.
She anticipated time-consuming interviews with the county prosecuting attorney’s staff. He had people preparing for Jen’s bail hearing. Since she had no prior record, he thought a judge might release her on a low bail. He wanted all the evidence he could get to refute that possibility.
Until the prosecutor’s staff arrived, Elizabeth sat in her office trying to address the many unanswered questions. Or at least figure the best questions to keep asking.
What had led to the stabbing? Jen hadn’t formally confessed yet. When she did, Elizabeth expected her to say she killed Ben accidentally.
Maybe.
A planned murder seemed unlikely. True, they had recently dated and broken up. But it was the reason for their discord that was a more likely motive than a simple romance that wound down.
Jen’s fury about Ben’s role in Alice’s debts had grown. She wanted to help the woman who had given her a job. The woman who didn’t desert her when her sister’s illness was hard to handle, as Jen’s parents had.
Squeaky had said that Alice had mothered Ben by doing things like making him a birthday cake. Likely, Alice had filled that role for Jen, too.
Perhaps Jen wanted Ben to return the amount Alice wagered for her lousy Cubs/Cardinals pick. When the security tape showed Ben saying it was “my money,” he could have been talking to Jen.
When he wouldn’t agree to return Alice’s money or stop accepting future bets, Jen grabbed the nearest weapon.
Jen had been on the scene soon after the murder. She couldn’t exactly run away once the police cars showed up. Students picketing might have seen her drive off.
Elizabeth frowned. Perhaps Jen had stayed in the area for a few minutes to hide a weapon. Several of her officers had searched. Maybe time to search harder.
Maybe, maybe, maybe.
Elizabeth's desk phone buzzed. “Yes?”
“Chief. It’s Mahan. Mayor Humphrey and President Dodd arrived at the same time. Not intentionally together.”
“Put them in the conference room. You have extra coffee made?”
“Grayson made two pots for us before he left this morning.”
Probably trying to make up for sleeping so soundly that Jen could get into the diner to return the key.
“Get them settled and I’ll be down in a minute.” She hung up.
Initially irritated at the presence of the two most important people in town, Elizabeth decided to think of it as a way to go through last night’s scenario only once.
Her cell phone rang and she glanced at the caller ID. It simply
said “Sweathog Security.” Probably Wally. Elizabeth laughed softly. President Dodd had obviously not programmed that phone’s caller ID.
“Chief Friedman.”
Wally’s voice was agitated, but it also seemed he was talking to someone other than her. “Tell ‘em they have to buy their stuff…Chief?”
“Yes, Officer Kermit.”
“I’m actually Professor Kermit this morning.”
“OK, professor, what’s up?”
“Debate team is picketing Miss Alice’s bookstore. Because it’s closed.”
“Their debate coach is arrested, and they can only think to picket the bookstore?”
“Huh. In campus security training, they taught us the things people are angry about aren’t always the things they act out about.”
Elizabeth hardly knew what to say. Wally was wise.
“You make a good point. But the bottom line is, in this town they don’t need a permit.” She paused. “They’re not on campus property. Why, uh, do they care if the store’s closed?” Elizabeth wanted to say she certainly didn’t, but held her tongue.
“Some of ‘em ordered books to do research for the debate this weekend with the team from UIS, you know in Springfield.”
“They’ll just have to work with Internet resources or the college library. Professor, I have to…”
“Thing is, they’re also bothering Alice. She came out to tell them she was closed, and she was crying when she went back in.”
Elizabeth felt bad for Alice. She had lost Ben and essentially Jen. But today was not a day when she could worry about Alice’s state of mind.
“Wally, Professor, see if you can get the picketers to leave her alone. If you see any of them urinating in the alley or anything, call and I’ll send someone over. We’re pretty busy today.”
He sighed. “I have a class to teach.”
“Alice will call us if she needs us. Why are you down there, anyway?”
“Getting my copy of Popular Science.”
“Ah. Ben’s funeral is today. My guess is Alice will open again at some point after that. Probably not in the next couple of days, but I don’t know.”
“Okay, Chief.” Wally hung up.
Elizabeth stood. She didn’t relish talking to the mayor and college president.
When she got to the conference room, Elizabeth sat across the table from a smiling mayor and a solemn President Dodd.
Dodd, in his usual three-piece suit and polished pate, spoke first. “One of my faculty has been arrested for murder?”
“We have more investigation to complete, but one person is being held on suspicion of manslaughter or murder. I don't decide on charges.”
“What’s the difference?” he asked.
Mayor Humphrey spoke. “Motive. Or if there is one.”
Elizabeth fought a smile. An armchair television lawyer. “The police don’t file charges, just present evidence to the county prosecuting attorney.”
President Dodd stood. “This situation is not what we expect from our faculty. I need to work with Academic Affairs to rearrange some schedules.” He left.
Elizabeth didn’t stand. It was hard to believe Dodd’s biggest concern was class schedules. If she had his job, she’d focus more on convincing parents that Sweathog wouldn’t hire more potential murderers.
Mayor Humphrey patted her short, permed hair. “I guess our concerns are a bit different.” She paused. “I’m very sorry to learn who your suspect is, but I hope this brings an end to speculation about Logland as some kind of new crime capital.”
“Assuming we are correct, and I believe we are, it could end those discussions.”
“Do you, uh, need help with a press release?”
At this, Elizabeth smiled briefly. “Want to put a good spin on the situation?”
“Oh dear. I guess it sounded that way.”
“I’ll be able to figure it out.”
When Elizabeth said nothing else, Mayor Humphrey stood. “I should let you get back to work.”
Elizabeth rose and gestured to the door to the hall. “It will be busy today.”
They had almost reached the front door, when the mayor turned to face Elizabeth. “What will happen to the diner? I’d hate to see that building deteriorate.”
“John Stone was Ben’s lawyer. He might be able to tell you more about that.”
“I’ll call him.” The mayor left.
Elizabeth had just turned back to her office when her cell phone rang. “Yes?”
Calderone sounded out of breath. “Chief. That warrant for Jen’s place came through. You were right about Ben’s keys being there.”
“Find the knife yet?”
“Still looking. But there was another thing about the keys, besides the one from the diner being red, white and blue.”
“And?”
“One of them was a key to Ben’s place. His apartment.”
“You find that odd?” she asked.
“Since no one could get to it without going through the diner, I didn’t know if Ben even had a key. He did, and even if he kept it locked, Jen could have gone in there after he died.”
Elizabeth sat behind her desk. “We need to send Grayson for some kind of sleep study. He might have slept through her searching the apartment, too.”
Calderone snorted. “We’re still trying to find the knife.”
After writing a brief press release, Elizabeth took it to the bullpen to give to Sergeant Hammer. He was on the phone, possibly with a television station, since he was explaining that the sign above the Bully Pulpit remained there. The station probably wanted a good shot for the evening news.
Her eyes were drawn to a vase of yellow and pink daisies on the corner of Hammer’s desk.
Still on the phone, he looked at her and pointed to the flowers.
She unfastened the card. “Sorry you had to arrest a friend. Remember you still have this one. Skelly.”
She stared at the card for several seconds. Skelly always knew what to say.
As Elizabeth placed the card in her pocket, a man who had been sitting in the small public area stood.
“Chief.”
Elizabeth hid her surprise. A sober Monty. Unexpected. She walked to the counter. “May I help you?”
Footsteps came from behind her and Sergeant Hammer stood next to her. “Sorry Chief. I had to take that call.”
“No problem. What’s up Monty?”
He stayed next to his chair. “Is it true? Jen, our English professor, got arrested? Did she kill Ben?”
Elizabeth softened her tone. “Innocent until proven guilty. You had classes with her?”
The clean-shaven and well-spoken Monty shrugged. “I did last year. I was thinking more about Alice, the bookstore lady.”
Elizabeth glanced at Hammer and back to Monty. “Probably a sad day for her.”
He frowned. “Alice…She tried to help me a couple of times.”
Elizabeth nodded. “This might be a good day to help her.”
“Yeah. Thing is, I’m supposed to go.” He stopped.
Elizabeth remembered Wessley’s comment about Monty going into treatment. “Hard to help someone until you help yourself.”
Monty nodded slowly. “That’s right. You met my parents when they bailed me out.”
“You get yourself some help, we might get that expunged from your record.”
He seemed surprised. “That’d be good, I guess. I’m gonna stop by to see Alice before I get Dad to drive me to that, you know, that rehab place.”
“Good luck with that,” Hammer said, and Elizabeth nodded.
Monty shrugged and left.
Hammer turned to face Elizabeth. “Who would have thought?”
“I think those programs talk about focusing less on yourself. Maybe Monty will adopt Alice.”
“I hope so.”
Monty had barely left when the front door opened again and Patricia Bender and Charles Porter almost blew into the station. Patricia started talking befo
re the door closed. “Chief Friedman, we’re on deadline for a story.”
Elizabeth studied them, keeping her face expressionless. “No you aren’t. Jerry Pew and I already spoke about the paper’s next piece.”
Charles started to turn toward the door, but Patricia’s strident tone stopped him. “No you don’t!”
Elizabeth spoke quickly. “Charles, you are free to come and go as you please.”
He looked at Patricia, then Elizabeth, and turned toward the door. He stepped into the raw day and closed the door.
Elizabeth didn’t give Patricia time to speak. “If Jerry Pew assigned you to a story, tell him to call me.”
Patricia’s had lost her ally. Her tone was almost pleading. “But I have to make it right.”
Elizabeth had half turned to return to her office, so she faced Patricia again. “Make what right?”
“Everyone is mad because I said so many students gambled. President Dodd wants a list.”
“You made your own bed, Ms. Bender. My suggestion would be to ask Jerry if he’ll let you provide a retraction.”
Her shoulders drooped. “My journalism career is over.” She left.
Hammer regarded her from his desk. “It started?”
ABOUT FOUR MONDAY AFTERNOON, Elizabeth was revising the week’s schedule. It now had to include broader grid searches of the area around the diner. If the weapon wasn’t in the diner or Jen’s apartment, it had to be somewhere.
Hammer buzzed her office. “Chief? John Stone out here for you.”
As she walked into the bullpen area, he stood and approached the counter. “Chief, I told you I’d drop off Ben’s will when I filed it at the courthouse.”
Elizabeth held her hand out for the brown envelope. “Thanks. Guess you heard the news.”
Stone, dressed for court in a dark brown suit, frowned. “Not sure I believe it.”
“That why you’re here?” Hammer asked. “Cause she got a lawyer last night. Or this morning, I guess.”
“No.” He handed the envelope to Elizabeth. “Couple of the business people around town have a way to remember Ben. And keep a cheap place to eat downtown.”
“Oh?”
“You remember I told you he left enough money for taxes and such?”
Tip a Hat to Murder Page 17
