Body on Pine

by DeMarco, Joseph R. G.

  “Any answer?”

  “Nope. I’m figuring whoever did this took Brad for some reason.”

  “Or, maybe Brad did the murder and ran,” she smirked. “For some reason.”

  “You can’t be serious.” I looked her in the eye. “Brad couldn’t do this. Besides there are signs of a struggle all around. He fought but he lost and they took him.”

  “Could also mean your guy Brad snatched a third party who was also here. Brad shoots one guy then takes the other against his will. They struggle, Brad wins.”

  “Why? What reason would Brad have? You’re nuts, Giuliani.”

  “Who knows his reasons?” She looked up at me, her eyes intense. “Let me tell you, Fontana, when we find your friend, and we’re going to find him make no mistake. If we discover the tiniest piece of evidence linking him to this, he’s ours.”

  “I’m telling you there’s no way Brad did this. It’s just not in him.”

  “Everybody’s got a dark side we never see. Until it’s too late. Trust me. You’ve been around, Fontana, you should know this.”

  “Not Brad… he’s…” I stopped and thought. I didn’t doubt Brad but Gina had a point. I’d put a different spin on it, though. Everybody snaps when things get too much. Everybody has a breaking point. If that’s what she meant by a dark side, then, sure. We’ve all got ‘em.

  “Maybe you don’t know him as well as you think.”

  Before I could say anything, a uniformed officer arrived and stared at Giuliani, obviously aware she hated being interrupted. Young and innocent, his skin had that twenty-something, touch-me sheen. His eyes trained on Giuliani, he reminded me of a puppy waiting for a treat.

  For a millisecond, he flicked his baby-browns at me then snapped them back onto Giuliani as if I were verboten territory.

  Giuliani looked over at him like he was ruining her good time attempting to browbeat me. She nodded at the unie and he responded, eagerly moving to her side, his face still deadpan serious.

  He leaned in to whisper something to her. I noticed Giuliani glance in my direction as he spoke, her expression remaining neutral.

  The unie finished, nodded crisply to both of us, and turned to go.

  Giuliani peered at me and I imagined she was carefully choosing her next barb. The light pouring into the reception room windows made her dark hair glisten. Her deep brown eyes held me in a stare.

  “Your friend...”

  I refused to give her a chance to implicate Brad without evidence. “Look, Giuliani, I’m telling you. Brad didn’t do this. He couldn’t have.”

  “I know.”

  “He’s not that kind of… what?” I didn’t think I’d heard her correctly.

  “I believe you.”

  “That’s a switch. What changed…” I stopped. I had a sickening feeling about what she was going to say.

  “They just… Your friend is dead, Fontana. They just found his body a couple of blocks away.”

  “Dead? How?” It’s what I feared. It’s even what I figured would be the probable outcome, but hearing it didn’t make it any easier to accept.

  “He was beaten. Pretty severely. They shot him, too… just to make sure. Nice people, whoever they are.”

  “They…?”

  “Question is, Fontana, why’d they shoot one without any fuss but take your friend and beat him before they shot him?”

  “Makes no sense, does it?” I said, my mind running the possibilities.

  “Does anything like this ever make sense?”

  “Guess not. But I can’t leave it at that.”

  “Let the big boys handle it, Fontana. This one is…”

  “Detective?” One of her crew approached.

  She turned to him. “What’ve you got, Doc?”

  “Looks like that one’s been dead twelve hours or so. Liver temp indicates at least that much but the AC is on and that’s bound to affect things. We’ll know better once we get him back to the morgue.”

  “Anything else?”

  “The techs picked up some trace. They’re still combing through everything. There’s no weapon. Doesn’t look like any of the shots were through-and-throughs, so we’ll have to wait until we dig out the slugs.”

  “All right, Doc. Let’s wrap it up here. You can move the body if you’re through photographing. I’ll get a couple of uniforms to tape off the place and post a guard.” She turned back to me.

  “He had a sister. She’ll need to be notified. There isn’t any other family.” I took out my cell phone, brought up Emily’s number, and handed the phone to Giuliani. “Her number.”

  “We’ll handle it,” she said making a note of the number. “She might need a familiar face, though.”

  “I’d like to go along when you…”

  “Detective Shim,” she called and a young man, looking newly minted, moved to her side. “This is Marco Fontana.” She gestured to me with her chin.

  “Mr. Fontana,” Shim nodded, his dark hair tumbling into his eyes as he did. He brushed it back and smiled. A real looker and not even aware of it.

  “I want you to notify the vic’s sister. Fontana will accompany you. He’s a friend of the family. She’ll need someone she knows.”

  “Got it. We have an address?”

  “I know where she lives,” I said. “It’s not far. We can walk.”

  “Let’s get going,” Shim gave a curt nod to Giuliani and headed for the door.

  “We through?” I asked her.

  “For now, Fontana,” Giuliani said. “Just make sure we can reach you. This is a long way from over and you’re right at the center of it. I want you close.”

  “That makes me feel all cozy,” I said. “Be seein’ you.”

  “Fontana?”

  I turned back expecting another swipe at my character. “What? Not finished roasting me?”

  “I’m sorry for your loss, Fontana.” She stared for another second or two and I could swear there was a glint of feeling in her eyes, then she turned back to directing the crime scene techs.

  I was caught off guard and couldn’t respond but I was sure it was a momentary lapse on her part. She’d get back to hating me. For that moment, though, she was a lot like the old Gina I’d known.

  Turning to the door, I saw Shim on the sidewalk staring at his wristwatch.

  Chapter 4

  Shim looked up when he saw me open the door, then quickly glanced down at his notebook and wrote something.

  Out on the sidewalk, I noticed a few people gathered a short distance from the spa. A woman in her forties, thin jacket around her shoulders, folded her arms over her chest and peered at the scene before her, a glassy look of fear in her eyes. She was accompanied by two or three others. All of them looking confused and worried. Across the street another gaggle of people watched the police come and go. A few stood alone gauging for themselves what might be happening. A woman dressed in a thin smock, shivered as she watched, one hand covering her mouth in obvious expectation of something horrible. A curly-haired young man with intense eyes and a scraggly beard, stared at me and Shim as if he expected us to burst into flames. He fingered a large camera slung around his neck and adjusted his bulky pocket-covered vest, but made no move to take a picture.

  “Where to, Mr. Fontana?” Shim looked up at me without smiling. He was obviously determined to appear all business but I sensed something else under Shim’s façade of efficiency. Was my gaydar oscillating?

  “Emily lives a few blocks west and south of here on Fifteenth and Naudain. Familiar with that neighborhood?”

  “Sure. A little shabby but improving. Where’d the vic live?”

  “Brad and Emily shared the place. Neither of them made much money. Sharing a house made sense.”

  “Sucks for privacy, though.” Shim walked next to me, matching my stride without a problem.

  “True. But we make compromises.”

  “Too many sometimes.” He let out a barely audible sigh which sounded to me like frustration.
r />   “Doesn’t have to be,” I reminded him. “How long have you been on the force?”

  “A few years. Just made Detective,” he said. “Wasn’t easy.”

  “Piece of advice?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Don’t let the bozos make you doubt yourself. Does Giuliani believe in you?”

  “Seems to. She gives me space to do my job.”

  “That’s all you need, then. She knows her stuff.”

  “She’s got it in for you, though. Told me to be careful around you.”

  “Yeah, well, there’s a lot of history between us. Long story for another time.”

  “Got’cha,” Shim said. “Heard you almost made it onto the force.”

  “A long while back. I’ll tell you that, too, sometime.”

  “No problem.” Shim stared straight ahead and kept walking.

  He didn’t say anything after that. Didn’t take much to see he wasn’t looking forward to delivering the bad news. Neither was I. Emily was strong but I’ve seen this kind of thing break the strongest.

  “Not my favorite part of the job,” Shim murmured as we approached Naudain.

  Both of us had unconsciously slowed our pace as we neared the house, putting off the inevitable.

  “I’ll do the talking if you want. I know Emily.”

  “We’re supposed to get used to this but…”

  “It’ll never be easy.” I looked at him sympathetically. I’d never found an easy way to tell someone their life would be horribly changed forever. “At least she knows me. That won’t change anything, but…”

  “You’re right about that.” He glanced at the sidewalk. Then, squaring his shoulders, he asked, “Which house is it?”

  “One of the newer ones there.” I pointed. The neighborhood sat on the edge of dreary. A few houses lined Fifteenth, some neat and clean, others in need of more work than their owners could afford. A drab grey-stone church loomed over everything. Emily’s house faced a mostly-empty parking lot. Still the center of town, this neighborhood seemed to belong somewhere else.

  “That one.” I indicated a three story building near the corner. Red brick and lots of windows.

  “Think she’s home?” Shim asked. I could tell he was grasping for an excuse to turn around.

  “We’ll find out.” I strode across the street and climbed the steps. Shim followed.

  When Emily opened the door, a smile broke out and lit up her face until she saw Shim, pad and pen in hand, standing behind me.

  “Marco… what’s going on, is everything all right?”

  “Can we come in, Em?” I made a slight move forward and she edged back. The look on her face said she knew everything wasn’t all right.

  “Em…”

  “Just say it. Something bad’s happened. Just tell me.” She backed up as she spoke and found herself against a wall. Small and thin, she looked helpless.

  “It’s Brad. He’s… Listen, Em… there’s no easy way, for me to say this. Brad is dead.”

  A small sound escaped her. She slid down against the wall until she sat on the floor and was silent. I dropped to one knee and took her by the shoulders which is when she began to sob.

  When she was able, she looked up at me, tears streaming down her face. “H-how? Where?” A sob shook her and she gripped my arm.

  “Near his spa,” I said not wanting to give her the details right then.

  “Did you… are you the one who f-found him?”

  “No. The police found Brad.” I winced at the stark pain in her eyes. “I’m so sorry, Emily.”

  “Why would anyone…?” She looked confused, bewildered.

  “We’re working on it, ma’am.” Shim had finally found his voice.

  “Johnny,” Emily said weakly. Certainty seemed to replace the confusion that had marked her face. “Johnny did this. I know it.”

  I looked at her then glanced at Shim who stared at me as if I should know what she was talking about. I didn’t.

  “Em… who’s Johnny?” I paused. “Em?”

  Her eyes fluttered shut and, still in her sitting position, she dropped forward. She’d fainted.

  With Shim’s help I moved her to the sofa, got her to sit and lower her head to between her knees. In a few moments she came to and sat up unsteadily. The pained expression on her face made me powerless. I knelt on one knee in front of her and took her hand in mine.

  “Feeling any better?” I asked her, then glanced at Shim.

  “Do you need some water?” Shim asked.

  “N-no. I’ll be… all right. Give me a minute. “I can’t believe this. Is it really true, Marco?”

  “I’m afraid so, Em.”

  “What happened?” She didn’t look at Shim, choosing instead to address me.

  “No one knows just yet, Ms. Lopes. We’re working on it,” Shim answered.

  “I don’t trust the police, Marco. Don’t you know how I feel about…?”

  “The detective is gonna need your help, Em.”

  “I promise you we’re doing everything we can, Ms. Lopes.” Shim turned toward me as if asking for back up.

  “You people didn’t help Brad when he needed you. Now that he’s dead you’ll do everything you can? And you want my help?” The color returned to her face and she sat up straighter.

  I had no idea what she meant about Brad and the police. I’d known Brad and Emily for years but her feelings about the police were new to me.

  Shim appeared taken aback by her reaction. He was probably newer at this than I’d imagined.

  “You sure you don’t need some water, Em?”

  “No. I need to know what’s happened. That’s what I need.”

  “We’d all like that,” I said and nodded at Shim.

  “We could use your help Ms. Lopes.” Shim took my cue. “I know you don’t feel like answering questions but... We’re all in the dark here.”

  She looked from Shim to me. Her eyes welled up but she remained in control.

  “I… I don’t know what I can tell you. I didn’t know every detail of Brad’s life.”

  “Before you fainted, you said a name,” I coaxed, trying to get her to be more cooperative. “You said ‘Johnny.’ It sounded like you think he might’ve hurt Brad. Who’s this Johnny?”

  Her face darkened with an expression of anger and disgust. I glanced at Shim and saw he was ready to take down whatever she might say.

  “Johnny could have been a client of his. I don’t know for sure. All I know is that Brad was afraid of something in the past few weeks and I think it was Johnny.” She took a breath and calmed herself.

  “Johnny harassed your brother?” Shim asked.

  “Brad told me Johnny was a client, I think, who began stalking him a while back. He never said what went on between them except that Johnny hung around even after Brad asked him to stay away. Brad went to the police…” Emily paused and stared at Shim. “…but they claimed there was nothing they could do. Another opportunity you guys ignored. But now you want to help. Now that my brother is dead.”

  “Do you remember Johnny’s last name, Em?” I asked.

  “I can’t think… my brother is dead and I can’t remember if I ever told him how much he meant to me. He…” She lapsed into silence.

  “He knew, Em,” I said. “He spoke about you all the time. Said his world wouldn’t be complete without you.”

  “What do I do now, Marco?”

  “Just take care of yourself. I’m here if you need me,” I said.

  She was quiet.

  “If you remember anything… anything at all…,” I said reaching out for her hand, “Call one of us. Whenever you want.”

  “He’s right, ma’m,” Shim added. “You can call me.” He handed her a card. “Any time. If I can help…”

  “You guys…,” Emily started to say something then obviously thought better of it and cleared her throat. “What else do you need? You want to know if Brad had enemies? Did he take risks? What else?”

 
“If you remember anything about this man Johnny, that’s a place to start,” Shim said gently. “Please don’t take this the wrong way, but is there any reason anyone else would want to hurt your brother?”

  “No. No! This is insane. He didn’t have… no one would hurt Brad. His friends loved him, so did his clients. He always told me about the people in his life, about his business. That’s how I know about Johnny. ”

  “Had anything changed for him lately?” Shim asked, sounding less tentative.

  “N-no. His routine has been the same for a long time. He’s been establishing his business. Renovating the spa. He didn’t have time for much else…” She paused, placed a hand to her mouth as if thinking. “He had jury duty recently and couldn’t get out of it which pissed him off. When you run your own business you can’t take time off so easily.”

  “When was this, ma’am?”

  “Last month. It wasted a couple of weeks. Brad wasn’t happy. In fact, he was seriously agitated.”

  “Did he mention anything specific about jury duty?”

  “Just that he was upset at losing so much work time. He’d put every cent he had into the spa. It was his dream. He resented any time away from it.”

  “I see,” Shim murmured. “Did he ever talk about the trial?”

  “He didn’t care about trials or anything. He never talked about it.”

  “You can’t think of anyone who might’ve wished your brother harm? Other than Johnny. Was there anyone in your brother’s life? Was he in a relationship?”

  “He had a couple of relationships, one of them bad, very bad. That was years ago. Brad hasn’t been involved with anyone else.”

  “Do you remember the names of the men? Your brother’s former partners? Do you have any idea where they might be?”

  “One is dead. The other, I don’t know. Out of state, I think. They broke up years ago. It was a bad time, and Brad wanted to forget.”

  “If you should remember anything…”

  “I’m really tired. Can’t we do this another time, Detective? Brad is gone… I can’t think straight. Marco, do we have to do this now?”