The Eligible Suspect

by Jennifer Morey

  “Well, they recognized you.”

  That was possible, since he went to Damen’s house a lot. These detectives must have shown them a picture of him, maybe even his car, and they’d identified him or his car as being the one in front of their house.

  “Why were you there?” Gunderman asked. He was so calm, but his mind had to be working with clever speed right now. He was one step ahead of him and Demarco had no way of predicting what else he knew.

  Not wanting to walk into another lie, he stuck to the truth. “I needed to talk to him, but I didn’t go in.”

  “What did you need to talk to him about?”

  “We had an argument the day before. Twins do that.”

  “Why didn’t you go in?”

  “I wasn’t ready to face him.”

  “All right. Why didn’t you tell me that when I asked you if you saw your brother that morning?”

  “Because I didn’t see him.” He had, but Damen hadn’t known. Didn’t that count? It was a way to justify another lie.

  When the detective stopped questioning him, he realized the neighbor hadn’t seen Damen leave his house, or Demarco follow him. They had only seen him drive up. It had been seconds later that Damen had appeared on his front porch. He stuffed the gun in his pants and got into his car without looking around. He hadn’t thought to worry about being seen, as though stuffing a pistol into his pants were the most natural thing in the world. That was Damen, never thinking first before doing.

  He escorted the men to the door. There, Gunderman turned and handed him a business card.

  “If you think of anything, give me a call. Day or night.” His gaze bore into Demarco’s.

  He closed the door, certain the detective knew he wasn’t telling him everything.

  Hearing his wife, he turned to see her lean a shoulder against the white-trimmed doorjamb, folding her arms.

  “All right.” He held up both of his hands. “I did see him that morning.”

  “Demarco!” Her arms shot down as she pushed off the doorjamb and walked toward him. “You lied to those detectives!” She pointed toward the closed door.

  How could he explain? He looked at her, helpless to the turmoil churning in him.

  “What happened when you saw him?”

  He could not lie to his wife. She was his world. His love. The one person he trusted and had to keep on trusting. But he had to now.

  “I was going to go over to his house to talk to him about the way he’s been behaving lately when I saw him come out of his house,” he said. Her eyes shifted back and forth, looking into his as though trying to decide if she believed him.

  He didn’t tell her about the gun. She was worried enough.

  “If you know something that could help police...” Cora said.

  Images of Damen as a kid rushed him. Then Damen in high school. And after. Had there been a progressive decline in positive behavior? Demarco couldn’t get his perception of Damen as a kid out of his head. There were still glimpses of that soul in the man. The good Damen was in there somewhere.

  He rubbed his face, moving from the front door to the living room. The movie Cora had chosen still played. Movie night was ruined.

  “Do you think he killed Collette?” Cora asked.

  “Damen doesn’t know what he’s doing.”

  “If he killed someone, that doesn’t matter. Do you think he did it?”

  “No. I don’t know.” He was so torn up inside. No, Damen. Why did you have to do it? Or had he? “I don’t know for sure if he did it or not.” It was desperate hope.

  She moved closer, angling her head and forcing him to look at her. “There’s something you aren’t telling me.”

  “I don’t want to find out he did it.”

  She ran her hands down his arms. “Demarco, you know I love you. I also know how close you are to Damen. But if he killed that girl, you have to tell the police. You have to think about your life. And me. Our life together. I’ve watched you bend over backward for your brother so many times and he never notices. Why do you go out of your way so much for him?”

  “He’s my brother.”

  “Yeah, but...I get the twin thing...but...”

  “He’s never gotten a fair shake. I just need to help him any way I can.” Seeing her eyes go rounder with apprehension, he said, “If he did kill Collette, I’ll get him a lawyer. I won’t cover for him. But if he didn’t kill her...” He had a sick feeling. Damen had killed Collette. How much longer could he deny that?

  “Call that detective, Demarco.”

  He looked at his wife, imagining what it would be like to turn his own twin brother in to the law. “And tell them what?”

  “Whatever you aren’t telling me.”

  Just then the phone rang. Glad for the interruption, he went into the kitchen to answer.

  “Mr. Demarco Ricchetti?” a man’s voice said.

  “Yes.”

  “We found your contact information in your brother’s phone. He’s been admitted to the Pagosa Springs Medical Center. He’s stabilized for now, but he’s not conscious.”

  Shock paralyzed him for a second. “What happened to him? Is he going to be all right?”

  “I’m not sure. They just asked me to call and notify his family.”

  How had Damen ended up in a hospital? Had he gone after Korbin? He must have. And Korbin had sent him to the hospital. “What happened to him?” he asked again.

  “I’m not authorized to discuss that on the phone, sir. I can only tell you that he’s in serious condition and is stabilized.” The man went on to tell him which room he was in.

  “I’m on my way. Will you tell him that if he wakes before I get there?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  When he hung up, he saw Cora looking concerned in the kitchen entrance.

  “It’s Damen. He’s in the hospital. He’s okay but he’s unconscious.” He didn’t explain that it had in all likelihood been Korbin who’d put him there. “I have to drive to Pagosa Springs.”

  He watched her struggle with reasons why he should and shouldn’t go. Damen was hurt and needed someone right now. But how much of an alliance should Demarco risk?

  She came to him, putting her hand on his upper arm. “Do you want me to go with you?”

  Thinking of all the trouble his brother was in, Demarco said, “No.” He leaned down to kiss her mouth. “I’ll go alone.”

  “Demo, what if he did kill Collette?”

  He smiled softly in an attempt to reassure her. “Damen won’t hurt me.” Recalling how his brother had punched him, he thought twice about that. The strike had broken the skin inside his mouth, but hadn’t left a mark on his face. Cora didn’t know, and he wouldn’t worry her.

  “Are you sure?”

  “Damen’s gotten himself in some kind of trouble and I don’t want you anywhere near it.”

  Her expression relaxed. “Okay.”

  Demarco went upstairs to pack, thinking how wrong anyone was who said twins had a special connection. He had no feeling whatsoever that Damen was hurt. He also was beginning not to care. Damen had been making a pretty messy bed for himself, and he was lying in it now.

  Chapter 9

  Disguised in their new outfits, Korbin led Savanna into Julio’s Mexican Cantina on a charming street corner of Wheat Ridge, Colorado. Minutes from downtown Denver, it had a small-town feel in the middle of the metropolitan buzz. He searched the area for signs of surveillance. If Damen had told police about Julio, they’d be keeping an eye out for them. He spotted a car in the parking lot with two people inside. They didn’t notice them. The passenger was busy eating a taco. He had his hands full.

  Korbin glanced over there every so often as he and Savanna walked to the entrance. Inside the vestibule, h
e looked back through the glass. The two men hadn’t recognized them.

  Stepping into the entrance, he guided Savanna through a throng waiting to be seated. The restaurant had been featured on a dining network television program. Tourists and residents flocked here for their spicy green chili and giant burritos. Savanna stepped up to the wood-planked wraparound porch beneath a western gabled roof.

  “Your friend owns this?”

  “Yes.”

  At nearly seven, there was a wait. Korbin gave a false name and asked to see Julio.

  Savanna didn’t doubt their wait was about to get much shorter when the hostess smiled at her. “Are you Savanna Ivy?”

  “Uh...”

  “You are!” She laughed her delight and put her hands to her face.

  “Could we have a private table?” Korbin asked.

  “Of course. Oh my God. I can’t believe we have a celebrity here! You’re here to see Julio? How do you know him?”

  “Table?” Korbin said, impatient.

  “Oh, of course. I’m sorry. You probably don’t want to cause a scene.”

  Korbin glanced at the others crowding the lobby. They all stared. So much for not being noticed.

  The hostess grabbed two menus and led them into the dining room, seating them in a corner booth in the dim bar area. All of the stools were occupied, and conversation, laughter and clanking dishes blended into a harmonious roar.

  He watched the hostess whisper to a waitress, who glanced their way and then nodded with a few words. Business carried on as usual.

  Korbin relaxed. For now.

  Savanna took a menu from their waitress, who met her eyes but revealed no sign of recognition.

  A few minutes later, the waitress appeared with waters. Instead of asking for their order, she put a magazine down in front of Savanna. Seeing it was a copy of an entertainment issue with a picture of her standing with her sisters Autumn and Arizona, she realized she was about to be asked for an autograph. The photo was taken at a Hollywood cocktail party her parents had thrown.

  “One of the cooks asked if I could get you to sign this,” the waitress said.

  Not many asked her for an autograph. Her father was the producer, not her. Taking the pen the woman removed from her apron, she asked for the cook’s name and scrawled a greeting to him and his family before signing her name.

  “He’s been wanting this for a while,” the waitress said. “He thinks you’re the most beautiful of the Ivy women.”

  Korbin had to agree that she was beautiful, but was all of this attention due to her face being splashed all over the news in association with a supposed criminal? The public loved a good scandal.

  “Tell him thank you for me,” she said awkwardly.

  “Are you ready to order?”

  Savanna ordered a smothered burrito with spicy green chili.

  “I’ll have the same,” Korbin said.

  The waitress jotted down the order, glancing frequently at Savanna as though dying to say something.

  “I read about your latest breakup,” the waitress said. “The lawyer? Is it true he was married?”

  Korbin turned sharply from another check of the restaurant and saw how uncomfortable Savanna was over this confrontation. She hadn’t told him much about her second heartache. In fact, she’d downplayed it. But now this waitress was asking her about it and she was reacting as shaken up as she’d been over her fiancé.

  “It is hard for us to keep anything private.”

  The waitress noticed her stiff response and backed off. Sort of. She kept her demeanor and tone light. “Well, someone will come along. And he might be sitting next to you.” She winked at Korbin.

  Did she think he might be Savanna’s next try at love? He exchanged a glance with Savanna, who was equally uncomfortable.

  “I’ll go get Julio.” The waitress took the menus and with a smile, retreated to the kitchen.

  Moments later Julio appeared. Unlike the waitress, he wasn’t smiling. No doubt he’d heard the news. Korbin hadn’t told him why he needed his cabin, only that Damen had gotten him into some trouble and he needed to get away for a while to sort things out.

  “Korbin.”

  Korbin reached up to shake his hand and Savanna scooted over to make room for him on her side.

  He took the seat. “When you phoned I had no idea you were in that kind of trouble, Korbin.”

  “I was set up,” he said.

  “You’re their prime suspect.”

  Catching Savanna’s anxious look, he explained to Julio about his meeting with Collette and giving her his gun. He was afraid that Damen had used it to kill her.

  “Police haven’t found the murder weapon,” Julio said.

  Korbin hoped they never would.

  “Why did you have a gun?” Savanna asked.

  He heard her concern, her conflict over being with him and his shady background. “I bought it after I told Damen I wasn’t going to work with him anymore.”

  “So you carried it with you to the restaurant?”

  “I carried it everywhere.”

  “Do you have money?” Julio asked.

  Relieved his longtime friend believed him, Korbin said, “I withdrew plenty of cash when I left for Wolf Creek.”

  “Then you’ll need a place to stay. I’ll deny letting you in, but you can stay in one of my apartment rentals. It’s between tenants right now. I’ve also stored a car in the garage there. It’s a surprise sixteenth birthday gift for my daughter.”

  “I don’t expect you to do that, Julio.”

  “Well, I’m doing it. You’ve always been there for me. I know you are a good man. I can’t stand by and watch you be sent to prison for crimes you didn’t commit.” He dug into his pants pocket and pulled out a set of keys. “I expected you to come and see me after I heard the police were searching my cabin.”

  “Thanks. I’ll make it up to you.”

  Julio waved his hand. “No need. I’d expect the same if I was ever in a jam. If you didn’t come here for help, why did you? I can’t imagine it was just to say hello, not in the midst of all your trouble.”

  “Your brother-in-law is an FBI agent.”

  “Yes.”

  “I need you to ask him to get a background on someone.” Korbin took out a piece of paper where he’d written Tony’s name.

  Julio took it and put it in his pocket. “Should I have him call you?”

  “Sure.” Julio had his number.

  In the bar area, a news broadcast began.

  “More on the hunt for fugitive, Korbin Maguire. Police have tracked him to a remote area near Wolf Creek Pass. Wanted in connection with a fatal hit-and-run and the murder of Collette Hamilton, Maguire’s car was found abandoned following the hit-and-run and he was seen leaving Hamilton’s home that same night.”

  The screen switched to a recorded clip of Damen saying he saw Korbin leave the building at the time of the murder.

  “Ricchetti found Hamilton’s body and called 911,” the newswoman said. “He is not considered a suspect in the case. ”

  Korbin sat stunned as he heard that piece of news. Damen hadn’t seen him leave Collette’s house. Collette had been dead long before he’d arrived there. Police may postulate that he had enough time to kill her. And Damen’s claim to have seen him leave the house supported that theory. But what about motive? The police weren’t saying much to the press. Damen had likely told them Korbin was enraged that Collette was going to marry him. A love triangle turned fatal.

  The newswoman went on to announce the latest breaking news. “A startling twist has developed on this story. Police are now speculating whether Maguire has kidnapped Savanna Ivy, one of producer Jackson Ivy’s daughters. Savanna lives in a remote area of Wolf Creek where Maguire’
s truck was found stuck in snow. A local sheriff spoke with Maguire and Ivy after they claimed to have escaped a gunman on skis, a gunman Maguire named as his longtime friend, Damen Ricchetti. But yesterday evening police found Ricchetti badly beaten and unconscious in another cabin where Maguire is believed to have been hiding. Police aren’t commenting on the case, but the Wolf Creek sheriff said it was possible that Ricchetti went after Maguire for killing his girlfriend...”

  “It won’t be long before police come here to question me,” Julio said, standing from the table. “You better go. I’ll get your order ready so that you can take it with you.”

  “Thanks, Julio.”

  Julio patted his shoulder once when Korbin stood. “I’ll be in touch.”

  “Don’t use your own phone to contact me,” Korbin said, turning to Savanna, who was slow to get up from the booth. She seemed unhappy about the things she’d heard on the news.

  Taking her hand, he kept it until Julio came back with a bag containing their food, then led her out of the restaurant, careful to watch out for police.

  * * *

  Savanna was quiet all the way to the apartment, and Korbin didn’t broach any subject of his guilty appearance to the general public. His life was on the line. If he couldn’t prove his innocence, he’d be sent to prison. He didn’t have much time.

  The apartment was in south Denver. Korbin instructed the cab driver to drop them off several blocks away, as he’d done when they’d gone to Julio’s.

  Savanna walked beside him in her melancholy.

  “Why didn’t you mention the lawyer before?” he asked to get her thinking of something other than him killing Collette.

  The fact that she wavered with doubt irritated him, but he had to understand. Damen claimed to have seen him leave the murder scene, which, of course, he had, but long after the murder, not at the time of death.

  “I did,” she said. “I said it didn’t work out.”

  “No, I mean about him going back to his ex-wife.”

  She kicked a rock on the sidewalk, sending it skipping along. “I didn’t feel like it.”

  Yep, she was hurt by the lawyer. “Did you catch him, too?”