“Okay, young grouch,” replied Midge.
“Rebecca, Kenzie, I’m not surprised to see you here. You think we have the wrong man. I’m sorry but Jake’s fingerprints were found on the furnace and the vent. I had no choice but to bring him in.”
“Did you ask him why his prints were on the furnace?” Rebecca asked.
“He says the sisters asked him to check it because they didn’t think it was heating enough. He did call a repairman but they weren’t expected until the next day. If Jake wanted the sisters to die, he had to move fast, I believe that’s why he was careless when he rigged the vent to leak the poison.”
“It seems you are jumping to conclusions, Dan. Remember when you were convinced I was a murderer?”
“Yes, I remember, are you ever going to forgive me for that?”
“I forgave you a long time ago, I just don’t want you to make the same mistake again. Did Jake say anything in his defense?”
“No, he mentioned something about a young woman visiting the Bradbury house claiming to be a relative. It seems Emma Bradbury asked him to check the girl out. Your son arrived and told Jake not to answer more questions. Alex probably suspected Jake was creating a distraction in hopes we’d turn our investigation into a hunt for a non-existent person.”
“Why do you doubt what he said, Detective?”
“Kenzie, it’s an old trick, I’ve lost count of how many guilty parties have used that tactic before. Believe me, there was no one in that house except Jake Morgan.”
“Thank you, Dan, Kenzie and I won’t take up any more of your time,” Rebecca said.
“Mom, where are we going? You don’t believe Detective North, do you? Jake wouldn’t lie about the stranger and he wouldn’t hurt anyone.”
“I don’t think he lied about it, that’s why we are going to every hotel and motel in the area to see if a young woman checked in lately.”
Chapter Thirteen
Kensington Savings and Loan
“Paul, look at your computer screen, isn’t that the guy who borrowed money and returned it abruptly?”
Paul turned to his computer. It showed a picture of the Bradbury twins in their younger days and a photo of Jake Morgan being led handcuffed into a waiting car.
“That’s him, all right, Jake Morgan, I knew that guy was trouble. The report says he is being questioned about a robbery gone wrong.
“Peggy, I’m going to the police station in Oakwood Park, I’ll tell them about the loan; if he paid it back in stolen money, the cops might think I’m in cahoots with the guy.”
***
Thirty minutes later, Paul Walton was sitting in Detective North’s office telling him about the loan Jake Morgan took out and repaid quickly.
“Did he tell you why he wanted the money?” asked Dan. “Did you hand over twenty-five-thousand dollars without asking what it was to be used for?”
“You don’t understand, Detective, I was busy that day. The guy’s credit rating is exceptional, I thought he’d be good for it and I needed the commission. Haven’t you ever cut corners in your line of work?”
“No!” Dan said emphatically. He didn’t like this guy, he was an opportunist who was nervous because he’d ignored the rules. However, the information could be valuable. “Mr. Walton, thank you for stepping forward. I’ll call you if I need any further information.”
“Don’t you want to see the money to dust for fingerprints or serial numbers.”
“Did you handle the money, Mr. Walton?”
“Yes, when Morgan gave it to me.”
“Do you still want it dusted for fingerprints,” Dan asked trying to hide a smile.
“No, I guess not.” Paul got up quickly almost knocking his chair over. “Good day Detective.”
After he left, Erica stepped into the room. “I heard every word, I wonder if our suspect has a gambling problem.”
“That would be my guess. A professional accountant borrows and repays a loan in a matter of days, this case is getting curiouser and curiouser.”
“It’s too bad, he really seems like a decent guy. Money problems can ruin lives, especially if he’s a frequent guest of the casinos in the state.”
“Rebecca Snow reminded me what happens when I jump to conclusions. However, I want to know why Morgan took out a loan and what it was for.”
***
Oakwood Park Hotel
“Mom, do you think a person who, out of the blue, claims to be a relative of billionaires would show up at the finest hotel in town?”
“Probably not, but it’s a start and I know the owner, Reggie Barkley. If she didn’t stay here, he’ll know where she stayed, he knows all the hotel and motel owners in town.”
“We don’t know if this person exists. Alex won’t like you butting into this.”
“We’ve got to do something, Kenzie, Jake could be convicted of murder if we don’t find out what happened to the twins.”
***
“Rebecca, what brings you to our hotel today?” Reggie Barkley said as he approached the Snow women.
“Hi, Reggie, you know my daughter, Kenzie.” Reggie and Kenzie acknowledged each other with a nod. “Have you heard the Bradbury sisters died because of a faulty furnace vent?”
“Yes, I did, the poor old ladies will be missed. Not that we have seen much of them lately. There was a time when they would come to our tea room after a day of shopping. They were a colorful pair, I’m sorry they are gone.”
“Are you aware Jake Morgan is being questioned about their deaths?”
“Jake Morgan, no, that’s not possible. Jake would no more kill someone than I would. His firm has been doing our books for ages. Jake took over from Ben Ludlow and does a fantastic job for us.”
“Reggie, I don’t want you to break any rules but we understand the Bradbury sisters had a visitor before they died. It was a young woman who claimed to be a relative.”
“Yes, Katherine Bradbury, she has a reservation today along with a fellow named Clem Parks. They rented two rooms. She was here with another young man recently, she had separate rooms then too. She checked out, however he stayed another day. As I recall, the bill was paid by a credit card belonging to Bradbury Cattle Ranch somewhere in Wyoming.”
“Do you know when she is expected to arrive?”
“Any minute now, the hotel van is driving them here, in fact, he’s pulling into the driveway now.”
Katie Bradbury stepped out of the van and held Clem’s hand as the large man stepped awkwardly to the driveway.
“Let’s catch her before she gets to her room,” said Rebecca dashing to the door.
“Hello, Ms. Bradbury, my name is Rebecca Snow, and this is my daughter Kenzie. We are very sorry for your loss.”
“Thank you, ma’am, please call me Katie, I only recently was told I had living relatives. I don’t think the sisters were happy I barged in on their lives. I was homesick and left Oakwood Park before they agreed to see me again. I’m sorry I didn’t stay longer, it would have been wonderful getting to know them and listen to their stories.”
“Katie, my fiancé, Jake, told me many stories about them. They had rich full lives for many years.”
“Your fiancé’s name is Jake? They mentioned someone named Jake when I was with them. I’d like to meet him and talk to him about my aunts. I know it seems foolish for me to travel all this way for two stranger’s funerals. I felt it was important for one member of the Bradbury family be here to say goodbye.”
“Someone other than Clem was with you the last time you came,” said Rebecca.
“Yes, his name is Jess King. He talked me into coming here to meet my great-aunts. However, all he wanted was their money. I should have come to Oakwood Park alone. Jess stayed on after I left but according to the hotel bill, he left the following day. He dumped the rental car on the side of the road, thankfully, he didn’t wreck it. Alma, she’s the housekeeper at the ranch, thinks I’m gullible and I agree with her. Aunt Emma did not like Jess one bit, i
n fact, she told him not to come back to her house. She is smarter than her great-niece.”
The mention of Jess, a young man Emma apparently didn’t approve of, gave Kenzie hope that Detective North would let Jake go.
“Katie,” asked Rebecca, “did you know there was a robbery at the Bradbury home?”
“No, I didn’t know. It was Jess, wasn’t it? I thought their deaths were from carbon monoxide poisoning. Did Jess hurt them?”
“We don’t know that, Katie. The police think Jake rigged the furnace vent because his fingerprints were found on it. They suspect money was taken from hidden places in the basement. We know Jake would do nothing to hurt your aunts or anyone else. I know him and he would never steal,” said Kenzie.
“I remember Aunt Anna saying she was cold, Aunt Emma told her sweater would warm her. She mentioned Jake would be there the next day and he would fix the furnace.”
“Katie, that could help Jake. Would you be willing to tell the police what you told us?”
“I’ll also tell them about Jess but I don’t think Aunt Emma would willingly let him in the house again.”
Detective Dan North’s Office
“Dan, Eli Grant is on the phone for you. Do you want me to take a message?”
“No, he probably knows about Emma’s death and wants to get the show on the road.”
“North, Eli Grant here, have you charged the accountant with murder yet?”
“Not yet, Mr. Grant, we are still gathering evidence.”
“Hurry up, man. The guy’s the main beneficiary of the Bradbury estate. I can’t proceed if he’s guilty of slaying his benefactors.”
Dan shook his head in disgust. The little man had been the sister’s lawyer for almost fifty years and he showed no sign of grieving their death. He said they would work to close the investigation. He didn’t give him a timeline because Dan did not know when and how this would end. Why did Jake Morgan take out a loan for twenty-five-thousand dollars and repay it within days? Why did he travel to Kensington to begin the transaction? Why not use one of the many banks in Oakwood Park? He’d demanded cash and repaid the loan in cash. Could he have paid off a blackmailer for himself or someone he loved? Was Erica right, was Morgan covering a gambling habit? In his brief interview with the man before being interrupted by Alex Snow, Dan had the feeling Jake Morgan was a decent guy who would never resort to taking another’s life. He’d known cases where the guilty party went completely out of character and committed a crime in desperation.
“You’re deep in thought, Dan,” said Erica. “You don’t believe our guy is a murderer, do you?”
“He’s hiding something. It’s time we resumed our questioning.”
Chapter Fourteen
After checking in and settling in their rooms, Katie, along with Clem, met Rebecca and Kenzie in the hotel lobby.
“You don’t mind if Clem comes with us, do you, Rebecca? He’d be bored to death sitting alone in his room without the ranch hands to boss around.”
Clem laughed, “You’ve got it wrong, Katie. It’s you those fellas listen to. Golly, old Pete shaved off the beard he’d been growing since nineteen-ninety-two because Miss Katie said she thought he was hiding a handsome face under all those whiskers.”
“I was right, too. Pete is a good-looking man, Alma finally took notice of him and he’s been cleanly shaven ever since.”
“Sounds like she has those men, and you, Clem, wrapped around her finger,” Rebecca said with a smile. She liked Katherine Bradbury. She hadn’t had an easy life with her folks dying when she was young, but you’d never know from her cheerfulness.
“Katie,” said Kenzie, “when this all blows over and Jake is free, I’d love to visit your ranch in Wyoming. I’ve been throughout Europe but never west of the Mississippi in North America.”
“I’d love it, Kenzie, we get little company at the ranch. Alma is the best cook in all of Wyoming, you and Jake won’t leave hungry. We have plenty of room in the ranch house. You can stay there and we will go riding at dawn. It’s my favorite time when I watch the sun coming up over the horizon.”
“The thought of Jake sitting atop a horse makes my heart beat faster. I fell in love with the guy when I was thirteen, I was just a pesky kid to him but eventually I grew up and now we are planning a wedding. What about you, Katie, is there a special guy in Elk River?”
“I like a fella from town, his name is Ned Granger. I’m just a simple cowgirl; I’m sure he has caught the eye of all the pretty girls in Elk River.”
“From what I’ve seen, that boy lights up when Katie enters the bank. These two young’uns are both reluctant to make the first move,” offered Clem.
“It looks like a police station up ahead, Rebecca,” said Katie wishing to change the subject.
“That’s it, I hope Detective North is available to talk to you, Katie.”
“If not, we will wait until he is. If Jess hurt my great-aunts, I want him found and punished,” replied Katie.
In the interrogation room
Detective West received permission from Alex Snow to record the questioning session. She introduced herself and Detective North and all parties present for the record.
Detective North began the questioning. “Mr. Morgan, is it true you secured a loan for twenty-five thousand dollars from Kensington Savings and Loan and paid it back in full within two days of the transaction?”
The look on Jake’s face told those present in the room he wasn’t expecting the question.
“You may answer the question,” said Alex wondering why his client and friend hadn’t mentioned the loan before this.
“I took out a loan and repaid it quickly. The transaction has nothing to do with the Bradbury sisters.”
“I’ll be the judge of that,” said Detective North. “What did you need the money for and how were you able to repay it within the week?”
“I repeat, Detective, that money has nothing to do with this case. I cannot and will not answer the question.”
Alex asked to speak to his client alone. The recorder was turned off, and the parties left Jake and Alex alone in the room.
“What’s this all about, Jake? Did you take out a loan in that amount?”
“Yes, I did, that’s all I can tell you, Alex, it won’t do any good to pressure me.”
“You paid it back almost immediately, and that was after the police suspected large amounts of money are missing from the Bradbury basement. Jake, I know you are not a thief, tell me where you got the money for repayment.”
“Alex, I can only say the money didn’t come from the Bradbury house. There is nothing sinister about the loan and repayment but it is a personal matter and I refuse to say more about it.”
“Does Kenzie know about the money?” Alex asked.
“No, she has nothing to do with it and it doesn’t involve her.”
“Jake, I thought I knew you better than this. It doesn’t look good for you, buddy. I want you to think about it, you could spend the rest of your life in jail if you don’t come clean.”
***
While the detective’s waited outside the interrogation room, Dan North received a call from his assistant, Midge.
“Detective North, Rebecca and Kenzie Snow are here with a young woman by the name of Katherine Bradbury and her companion, Clement Parks. They tell me Ms. Bradbury is the great-niece of Emma and Anna Bradbury and she has information about the case.”
“I might have known Rebecca would dig up some new information in defense of her future son-in-law. We will not get more out of Morgan today. Have them wait, we’ll finish up here and meet with them shortly.”
Midge liked Rebecca and knew if she said Jake Morgan didn’t commit the crime, in all likelihood he was an innocent man.
Detective North could see the frustration on Alex Snow’s face and knew he wasn’t able to convince his client to talk about the twenty-five-thousand dollars. Morgan’s background check didn’t show he had financial problems. His only large deb
ts are his car payment and college loans and both are being paid on time. He lives in a modest apartment and has a joint savings account with Mackenzie Snow. There is no sign the man is a gambler. It’s more likely he is protecting someone.
***
After Dan ended the interrogation, Jake was set free on bond. The judge thought it unlikely he is a flight risk but confiscated his passport.
“Kenzie, Jake has been released on bond. You can wait for him downstairs,” said Dan.
“Katie, I hope I’ll see you later. Thanks for your help clearing Jake,” said Kenzie giving Detective North a disapproving look.
Murder on Bradbury Hill Page 6
