On their way out, Ruby stopped by central command. She knocked on the wide slot in the bulletproof glass. When an officer slid it open, she said,“Hey McElroy. Is Strauss still around?”
“He’s on his way out the door. Is this urgent?”
“Yes. Call him back in, please. We’ll wait in Conference B if that’s available.”
“It is. You know the way. I’ll send him in.”
They settled into the same chairs.
“I suggest staring at the wall if you need to clear your mind. It’s a lot at once.”
“How do you keep all the details straight?”
“Do you think in pictures?”
“Sometimes.”
“Visualize the cops’version, and the evidence-based version. It’s important to keep both in mind.”
Strauss barreled in.“What’s the emergency, Ruby? My wife is expecting me.”
“We’ll be brief. My client needs a medic. She has an injured wrist—her left. Your officers didn’t cause it, did they?”
“No, of course not. I hand-picked them for that unit.”
“Doesn’t it make you wonder who did injure it?”
“I have no time for games, Miller.”
“I’m not playing them, Strauss. Why would she choose slicing, hauling, and hefting with an injured wrist?”
“People have two hands, Miller.”
“And certain tasks require both, Strauss. She had an easier way to dispatch her husband. Why wouldn’t she choose that?”
“What are you talking about?”
“She could’ve poisoned him—effective, and eliminates the size difference as a concern. He’s six-foot-two, two-twenty-six. That’s quite the Goliath to take down when you’re five-four and weigh in at one-eighteen. You follow?”
“We can’t discount the evidence.”
“I’m not asking you to discount the evidence. On the contrary, I want you to follow it to its source.”
Officer Strauss rose and propped himself on his fists as he towered over Ruby and Jasmine.“It’s a clear trail leading right to her. I don’t have time for this. I have an investigation to run.”
“No, I’m investigating. You’re missing the truth by looking through the lens of your conclusion.”
“She’s guilty.”He hammered his verdict into the table with his fist.
“Very well, then.”Ruby rose and motioned for Jasmine to do the same.“See that Susan’s wrist is tended to, Strauss. Enjoy your down time with your wife. Excuse us. We have a murder to solve.”
Ruby strode out with Jasmine at her side, and didn’t look back.
ChapteR 11
Ruby stayed silent as she snaked through traffic and exited onto the highway. Jasmine stared out her window, mentally sifting through what had happened. Slicing through the silence and Jasmine’s thoughts, Ruby looked at the unit mounted to her dashboard, and said,“PSC, call Justin Kottke, visual on.”
When he appeared on-screen, he studied her for a beat, and said,“You look pissed.”
“I am. Strauss is point person, and leading the investigation into the ground. But he’s following protocol perfectly. Damn him. Give me some good news.”
“The house is clean. Spotless in the hygienic sense. Susan must have spent quite some time on it.”
“Factor that into the timeline. There’s no way she could drive back and forth, commit murder, and arrive home in time to sweep up after her bastard husband. He’s a batterer, Kottke.”
“I know.”
“How?”
“Simple. What kind of husband has surveillance equipment inside his house?”
“Nice find, Kottke. You do earn the big bucks.”
“Then why don’t you pay me them?”
“Smart-ass. What was his set up?”
“Video in the kitchen. Audio and video in the bedroom, and a bug in the lampshade—husband’s side.”
“Tell me it’s a two-way.”
“It’s a two-way. How did you know?”
“Something Susan said. Could you trace the transmission?”
“We’d need an e-guru of Flick’s caliber for that.”
“Keep an eye out for one of those. I’ll work on it on my end. You’ll find a box of shards under Susan’s bed. Leave it for me. You’ll find a blue dress in the hamper, and blue-and-white heels in the bedroom closet. Photograph, collect, and drop them at the lab. Her phone is on her nightstand.”
“Already have it.”
“Perfect. Review Susan’s pictures from this evening.”
“Yesterday evening. Anything else?”
“Yes, slow down time. After you do that, upload the photos of her wearing said dress and shoes to her case file.”
“Yes.”
“This is bullshit, Ruby.”
“It’s so good to hear you say that. Let’s keep at it. I want to solve this before Monday.”
“Before Monday.”He ran a hand over his rugged shadow beard.“If anyone can do it, we can.”
“We will, Kottke.”
“And you’re going to take your own advice? Get some sleep?”
“I’m not tired.”
“You look exhausted.”
“You don’t look so hot yourself.”
“I disagree,”Jasmine said as she popped her head into view.
Kottke laughed.
Ruby disconnected and whacked her hand on the wheel.“Can you believe that guy?”
“I think he’s wonderful.”
Ruby gaped.“Sleep deprivation has addled your mind.”
Jasmine crossed her arms.“He’s top-notch. You said it yourself. He points out that you look worn out, which, might I add, you do, and you—”
Ruby cut her off by clutching her gut and laughing hard enough to bring tears to her eyes.“No, Jazz, I meant Strauss.”
Jasmine cleared her throat.“Well, then.”
“Thanks, Jazz. I needed that.”
“What’s next?”
“I’m going to drop you off. You’ve put in an admirable first day. The second will be as, or more, intense.”
Jasmine gave Ruby a suspicious look.“And what are you going to do?”
“Swing by Susan’s house for a quick walk-through. Kottke had a head start. He photographed and collected. Before long, he’ll finish his reports and call it a night.”
“And you’ll do the same?”She crossed her arms.
“As soon as I’m done with my reports, I’ll do the same.”
✧
Ruby pulled away from Jasmine’s apartment building, and hesitated before turning to the PSC mounted on her dash. She said,“Engage, call Arianna Ramirez.”When her friend’s heart-shaped face came into view, Ruby began,“I just visited a new client. Her name is Susan Combes. She looked like you. When I walked out of the airport in Seattle and there you were, car packed with everything you had to your name. We’d spoken on the phone, and you’d sounded off. But I hadn’t seen you in six months. I barely recognized you.”
“You’d forgotten the extent of my exotic beauty?”
Ruby cracked a smile.“It was your eyes, Ari. They were so dull. I was ready to kill him that day if we stayed. I couldn’t drive fast enough.”
“I didn’t recognize me either.”
“I look at you now, and have hope for Susan.”
“What’s she on the hook for?”
“Murdering her batterer.”
“Any chance she’s good for it?”
“She has a physical defect that makes the act impossible.”
“In English?”
“Her husband fractured her left wrist. She’d need it to do what they’re trying to pin on her.”
“When do you want to bring her by?”
“She doesn’t know you exist yet.”
“And you’re seven steps ahead of yourself.”
“Or three steps, depending on how this plays out.”
“All right, let me know when I enter the picture. And try to give me some notice.”
“A woman needs you. You’re the best at what you do. Team meeting at eight. Take notice.”
“Fine, flattery has secured my presence.”
“I thought knowing you in pigtails with a snaggletooth would be enough.”
“Nope, it was the flattery, which you negated. You know very well it wasn’t a snaggletooth.”
“Hey, did I mention your exotic beauty?”
“That’s my girl. Call any time.”
“Thank you, gleaming gem of the Latina community. Your beauty is only exceeded by your benevolence. To bestow such kindness on a woman of ordinary face is—”
“Ruby, you’re too much at two in the morning. I need my Hollenbeck to keep up with you.”
“Your taste in espresso is as impeccable as your visage.”
“Dios mío, Rubina. Enough.”
“My new intern is trying to get me into drinks that glow.”
“Yuck. You considered that grounds for termination, right?”
“Considering her commendable performance on day one, she stays. I’ve done my best to prevent her poor taste buds from shriveling in protest. I fear I’m too late. Her tongue may be entirely devoid of buds.”
“Sounds like the opposite of our diet.”
“Yes, and it’s worked for us since we were teenagers. Though I’ve wondered why it didn’t have the same transformative effect for me as for you. Who doesn’t want to be an exotic beauty?”
“Yes, you poor ugly duckling. Let’s see, blonde hair, emerald eyes, killer smile that you use when it suits you. All grown up, and the new face of criminal defense. Great tagline, by the way. I loved the billboard. That teal suit really popped.”
“That’s weird, our connection’s fuzzy.”
“Nice try. The new tech is crystal.”
“What was that?”
“Stop shaking the screen. You’re making me dizzy.”
Ruby set her PSC back in its holder.“Seriously, Ari. I have to go. I’m hoping to catch Kottke.”
“The teal suit leaps into action.”
“Thanks, I needed a boost.“
“What are snaggle-toothed friends for?”Her grin revealed straight, gleaming white teeth. She laughed as she signed off.
As she drove through Susan’s neighborhood, Ruby noted the sprawling homes. She saw no lights in any windows, no action on the street. Not a night-owl community, she assessed. After parking behind Susan’s car, she noted at the red sports car. Between the standard and the flashy sat Kottke’s motorcycle. She hadn’t missed him.
Ruby left her headlights on and approached Susan’s car. Knowing Kottke would have collected prints and scanned for fibers and fluids, she skipped sealing up, and opened the driver’s side door. Ruby swiped a finger over the dashboard—dust-free, polished. Susan took care of what was hers.
Picking up a car remote from the cupholder, Ruby pushed autostart. The car came to life. She turned on the interior light, and noticed the driver’s floor mat was soiled compared to the spotless passenger’s. Unable to make out a shoeprint, she moved on. She engaged her flashlight application and examined the seats. A dark, oblong stain marked the passenger’s. Consistent with a bloody knife, she noted. She signaled the garage door with the remote clipped to the visor on the driver’s side, and moved on.
After turning off both cars, she grabbed her briefcase and used the garage entrance. Kottke wasn’t kidding, she mused. She’d never seen a kitchen with such sparkle. Feeling transported to Alfred’s shop, she walked to the stove and touched the dials in wonder.
Justin walked in.“I wouldn’t mess with that. You’ve been known to get a coffeemaker sparking. I’d hate to think what you’re capable of with that thing.”
“Have we entered a time warp?”
“Bizarre, isn’t it? She did a great job cleaning this place, considering what she had to work with.”Justin opened a closet and motioned Ruby over.
“Whoa. Alfred would love to get his hands on these for his shop.”Ruby clicked photos.“I wonder how much time she spent in here, making the king of the castle his meals.”
Justin cocked his head.“Should we feel sorry he’s on a slab?”
“Sorry he’s not around to finish the job he started?”Ruby walked into the dining area.“See the dents in this wall? This is where he threw her. He had his hand against her windpipe, strangling her. You’ve read the femicide report. All the risk factors for fatality were there. Her life was in danger.”
“Yet he’s the one who ends up murdered.”
“And she ends up in jail on her birthday facing a life sentence on Mardova.”
“She won’t be there for long. We hit the jackpot.”Justin pulled out a phone from his leather bag.“Susan’s. I ran it for spyware, and found WifeSpy. These programs have obvious names. The difficulty lies in finding them. I managed to find it. My e-skills end there.”
“I’ve heard of it. People travel everywhere with their phone. It taps into the GPS. It also forwards communications to the linked unit, and allows for call-tapping. He could see every message, every e-mail, and listen to every call. She couldn’t make a move without him knowing about it.”
“And that still wasn’t enough.”He reached back in, and removed electronic devices.“Surveillance equipment. Flick would be nice to have right about now.”
“I know, I know. I’ll find a replacement. In case you hadn’t noticed, I’ve had a busy night.”
“Well, we don’t need e-skills for this.”Justin pulled out a stack of papers and waved them.“I found it in the office. One guess what it is.”
“His will.”
“How do you do that?”
“Simple deduction. And few documents would put that satisfied smirk on your face.”
He swiped a hand over his face and set down the will.
“Everything in order?”Ruby asked as she flipped through the pages.
“Somewhat.”
“I see what you mean. Susan stands to inherit Jerald’s estate. If she’s legally unable to do so, it all goes to none other than Mr. Justice-for-Jerry. Where’s Susan’s will?”
“I assume that’s rhetorical.”
“Obviously.”She started to pace, agitated.“Jerry wouldn’t have spent good lawyer money on a legal document pertaining to his wife’s property. As far as he’s concerned, she has no property. She herself is property—his.”She whirled to face Justin.“Find the dress and shoes?”
He patted his bag.“Yeah, and you’d be hard-pressed to find a speck of dirt.”
“She took care of what was hers.”
“Not the type to leave a mess behind.”
“What about her bedroom? Anything strewn about in haste to flee?”
“She wasn’t running.”
“Her account is she was sleeping. I believe her.”Ruby patted the surveillance equipment.“We’ll know soon enough.”
“We know Susan didn’t do it. Any ideas on the real killer or killers?”
“Yes, but I want to run probabilities and review discovery first.”
Kottke raised a brow.“You’ve been holding out on me, Ruby.”
“Don’t look at me like that. We’ve been too busy investigating to review discovery.”
“Fair enough. How is Hollins?”
“He doesn’t understand the new assignments any more than we do.”
“Not surprising.”
“No, but I was surprised at how fast Johnston drafted the PC statement. And his behavior is off. He asked for no frills for his best friend. He made it clear to the cops, but wouldn’t admit it to me.”
“I have an idea how you phrased it. Boxed him in, did you?”
“I did. He’d been at the scene for a long time by that point. And suddenly he had to run.”
“I know where you’re going with this, Ruby. Why would he kill his buddy?”
“What are the classic motives? Greed—the inheritance.”She ticked off a finger.“There’s jealousy. But if he’s after his buddy’s wife, why would he send her to
Mardova? Maybe Jerry had a mistress. Abusers have double standards. She looks at another guy; he breaks her belongings, her bones. Meanwhile, he’s cheating. I’ll head down that path in the morning. He may not have strayed far from home. The neighbor, Deanna Connelly, refused to render assistance to Susan.”
“I’ll track down his work history and contacts, and follow that trail in the morning.”
“Good. Do you still have that contact at the bureau?”
“Sure do. Agent Mitzu.”
“Reach out to him. KSCO isn’t helping us on this. Throw a potential killer county attorney into the mix and we could need federal backup.”
“Why can’t you make an easy request?”
“Because you always make it happen. I wouldn’t want to underutilize your talents.”
He rolled his eyes.“You drop Jasmine off to get some shut-eye?”
“Yes, and not without protest. She insisted I get some rest, too.”
He laughed.“Good for her. She needs a strong spine for this work. You feed her your usual line?‘I’ll head home right after I’m done with my reports.’”
“Maybe. Why is everyone so concerned about whether I sleep?”
“We care about you, ace.”He tugged her hair.“And we’d hate for our bold leader to drop from exhaustion.”
“Yeah, yeah. I’ll catch a couple hours.”
“Slumped over your case files doesn’t count.”
“Agree to disagree. You finished here?”
“Yeah, I have some forensics to drop at the lab—prints and fibers from Susan’s vehicle. When are you going to invest in a portable lab? Jimmy got his last week. You gotta see it in action. It uses lab-on-a-chip technology. DNA results in under a minute.”
“I’ve noted your request. It took Jimmy a year to get his. Maybe you’ll have better luck. I’ll put it right up there with an espresso maker for the office, requested by—”
“Colin.”Kottke zipped his leather jacket.“I’m off. I’ll leave the electronics with you for when you find our new e-whiz.”
Ruby sighed.“Wish me luck.”
“You’ll need it. Flick was the best.”
“Let’s hope you’re wrong.”
Kottke laughed as he strolled out the garage door, leaving Ruby in silence.
She stood in the corner of the dining room, surveying the scene, imagining what it had looked like hours before. Table set, the smell of food cooking. Grabbing Susan’s phone, Ruby propped it on the counter and saw Susan, smiling in a blue dress and sparkling shoes, holding a blue-and-white vase spilling over with flowers. She visualized what happened next. Susan rushing to set everything right for her husband. Jerry ramping into rage.
The Veiled Cage (Lady Lawyer Series Romantic Suspense Novels Book 1) Page 11
