by Rose Pressey
“Do you really think you’ll be able to get Morty out of jail?” Dorothy asked.
“I think so,” I said, trying to sound optimistic.
I hoped that my lack of confidence didn’t come through in my words. But at least it would make Dorothy feel better for a bit if I told her Morty was getting out of jail. However, now I had to figure out how Morty’s driver’s license had gotten under the body. I supposed talking to Morty would be the best bet. Could I get Jake to let me speak with Morty? As soon as we got into the car, I pulled out my phone and dialed his number.
“I have a favor to ask,” I said when he answered.
“Anything,” he said. “Wait. Almost anything. I forgot I was talking to Maggie Thomas, P.I.”
“I need to speak with Morty. Can that happen?”
“I suppose,” Jake said with a bit of hesitation.
“His new attorney will want to speak with him too. Maybe his attorney and I should just talk to Morty together. You know, one visit and all.”
I wasn’t sure Jake would like it when I told him who I’d gotten as Morty’s lawyer. He probably had already guessed.
When there was hesitation, I added, “Morty had to get a lawyer, you know. With the seriousness of the charges.”
“I can meet you there now,” Jake said.
I’d gotten myself into a pickle. I needed to get Reynold to go with me and I hadn’t even asked him yet.
“Right now?” I asked.
“I’ll be ready in just a few minutes.”
“I’ll be there,” I said.
When I ended the call, Dorothy asked, “What happened?”
“Slight problem. I have to get Reynold to go with us right now.”
“I don’t think he’ll mind,” she said.
“I hope,” I said. “Wait right here. I’ll be right back.”
I hurried back into the office. The receptionist raised an eyebrow, surprised to see me.
“Did you forget something?” she asked.
“Actually, I just need to ask him a question,” I said.
“I’ll tell him you’re here.”
She picked up the phone and informed Reynold that I was back. Seconds later Reynold peeked out from his office.
I hurried over. “Sorry, it’s just that I assume you’ll want to talk to your new client. And I thought maybe I could tag along.”
“I would love to have you go with me,” he said, flashing that dimpled grin again. Reynold was as charming as he was gorgeous.
I got the impression that he was genuinely thrilled to go along with me. Now I was probably blushing all over again.
“Jake said we can see Morty now.”
“Jake is your boyfriend, right? The detective?” he asked.
“Yes,” I said, feeling the heat in my cheeks again.
“Just let me get my things and I’ll be right out.”
“I’ll head back outside with Dorothy.” I motioned over my shoulder and hurried out of the room.
I waved at the receptionist as I headed back outside. Dorothy was still in the car waiting for me.
“He’s on his way out,” I said.
“Thank goodness,” she said. “I finally feel as if we’re making some progress.”
“Well, I still need to find out more about the Jessica Combs. And find out her estranged husband’s location.”
“They were separated, but not divorced? That’s a huge red flag for me. Someone had to know that she was in that condo. A husband would know that. He might have followed her.”
“She either told someone or it was another appointment,” I said.
“Or like I said, someone followed her there,” Dorothy added.
“I know it seems overwhelming now, Dorothy, but this is what I do. I’ll narrow it down and find out who did this.”
Seconds later Reynold stepped out of his office. He came over to us, leaning down to the driver’s side window of my car.
“Would you like to drive with me?” He gestured over his shoulder.
I took a peek at his gleaming black BMW. As nice as it would be to ride in that luxury car, I figured it would be better if we followed him.
“I have some things to do after, so I’ll just follow you,” I said.
He seemed a bit disappointed, but he nodded, “Okay, I’ll see you there.”
After backing out of the parking space, I fell in behind him and we headed over to the jail.
“What will Jake say when he sees you with the handsome lawyer?” Dorothy asked.
“I have a feeling he won’t like it, but Reynold is a good lawyer and I don’t think it should matter.”
“That he has a crush on you,” Dorothy finished.
I wasn’t going to acknowledge that. Okay, I couldn’t resist. I had to say something.
“I don’t think he has a crush on me,” I said.
“If you say so,” Dorothy said in her usual singsong voice.
Chapter 12
I followed Reynold’s car over to the police station. We pulled into the parking lot and found spaces in the visitors’ lot. A chain link fenced off area was to the left where cars were towed. On the right was a garage where they brought the prisoners in and out of the cars. That was where they’d brought poor Morty.
“I’m so nervous,” Dorothy said.
I knew how nervous she was because she wasn’t getting a peppermint out of her purse.
“How about a candy?” I suggested.
“Candy?” Dorothy asked with a scowl.
“That’s the whole purpose of the candy, remember? It makes you feel better.”
“Oh, I don’t know if I believe all that,” she said with a wave of her hand.
“What?” I said. “You’ve been telling me this for how long now? Of course you believe it. You’re just saying that because you’re upset about Morty.”
“Yes, of course, I’m upset about him. What did you expect?” Dorothy snapped.
I parked the car and shut off the engine. “All right, Dorothy. Remain calm. We should get in there and see what we can get done. Maybe this will all be settled in a few minutes and Morty will be out of here.”
“That’s unlikely.” She rolled her eyes.
“Remember to have positive thinking,” I said, unbuckling my seatbelt.
“Yeah, yeah,” she said as she opened the car door.
I got out and joined Dorothy at the back of the car. Reynold was waiting at the door for us. With a big smile on his face, he waved. I looped my arm through Dorothy’s and guided her toward the door.
When we approached Reynold, he asked, “Have you been here before to talk to anyone?”
I nodded. “Several times.”
“I figured as much,” he said. “Okay, so we’ll just go in and I’ll tell them who we’re here to see. Don’t worry, we’ll have Morty out in no time.”
Dorothy and I followed Reynold inside. I sent Jake a text to let him know that we were here. Maybe I should have come alone. Without Dorothy and without Reynold. I supposed Jake would find out soon enough about Reynold. Maybe it would have been better if I’d told him right up front.
Chairs sat against the walls around the lobby room. On one wall was the American flag and on the other a map of Miami. People moved around, coming and going in and out of rooms. No one paid attention to us. A phone rang in the distance and a couple women sitting in the waiting area chatted loudly. Dorothy fidgeted from foot to foot while we waited near the door as Reynold went up to tell the officer at the counter that we were here to see Morty. He had no idea that I’d already informed Jake.
A few seconds later, Jake came around the corner. He looked at me and smiled, but then his gaze slipped over to Reynold and immediately Jake frowned. I pushed to my feet and met him halfway.
“So you really came with the lawyer,” Jake said. “I thought maybe you were joking.”
“Yes, well, he is one of the best,” I said. “Plus, I can’t joke about something this serious.”
Jake sa
id hello to Reynold but nothing else.
“Just give me a minute and I’ll take you back to see Morty,” Jake said.
As Jake walked away, Reynold said, “Just a second.”
Reynold walked over to Jake. He pulled Jake aside and they talked for a bit. I’d find out later what Reynold had said to Jake. They glanced over at me a few times while Dorothy and I spoke.
“What was that all about?” I asked when Reynold stepped over.
“I told him we’d be bailing Morty out soon. We have to get bail set though.”
“I don’t have that kind of money,” I said.
“Me neither,” Dorothy said.
“I’ll take care of everything,” Reynold said.
Before I answered, Jake appeared at the door again.
“Okay, I can take you all back now.” Jake motioned.
We moved into the room with the glass partitions and sat in the chairs waiting for the police to bring Morty in. It would be sad to see Morty behind the glass barrier. He was a slight man and it made it especially bad knowing that he was innocent. There was no way he could have done this. My anxiety mounted as I waited to hear what Morty had to say about the driver’s license under the body. I was just surprised that he’d passed the eye test to even get a renewed driver’s license, but that was neither here nor there.
“How are you holding up, Dorothy?” Reynold asked.
Dorothy sat straight in the chair with her purse on her lap. “I suppose I have to be tough for Morty. I can’t let him see me upset. It’ll only make it worse for him.”
She was right about that. It would only make Morty feel worse. A few seconds later, they brought Morty into the private room. He was even wearing the orange jumpsuit. Oh, this was heartbreaking. He waved at us and I was the one who had to wipe away the tears. Dorothy was being courageous about this.
Morty sat down and Dorothy picked up the phone first. They exchanged some lovey-dovey talk and then finally Dorothy handed the phone to me. I would explain to Morty that the man with us was his lawyer.
“How are you, Morty?” I asked.
“I’ve been better, Maggie,” he said.
“That’s why we’re here, to get you out of here. This is your lawyer.” I gestured. “Mr. Reynold Mitchell.”
Reynold waved at Morty. Other than the officer standing by the door, it was just Dorothy, Reynold, and me in the room with Morty.
Reynold sat down beside me. “I have a question for Morty. Will you ask him?”
I nodded. “Sure.”
“Ask him if they told him why he’s here.”
“Morty, did they explain the charges?” I asked.
“Well, obviously, they think I murdered that woman,” he said. “They said something about my driver’s license.”
“Yes, they found it underneath the body, Morty. That means that it had to have gotten there before she was murdered. Did you happen to move her and maybe your ID rolled out and underneath her?”
“No, absolutely not. I didn’t touch her body. I didn’t go all the way in there.”
“I remember,” I said.
“I feel guilty that I didn’t go all the way in the bathroom, but when I saw her there like that I panicked. I had to come and find you because I figured you would know what to do. You’re good at this sort of stuff since you’ve dealt with it in the past.”
“Thanks, I think,” I said.
I felt strange about taking that compliment, but I knew what he meant. This was quite perplexing. There had to be some explanation. He said he hadn’t moved the body, so how else could his ID have gotten there?
I exchanged a look with Reynold. He looked just as confused as me. I handed the phone to Reynold so that he could talk to Morty. I sat next to Dorothy, hoping that she was still holding it together.
“Okay, I’ll be looking into this. I’ll be back to visit you and hopefully you can come up with something more to tell us by then.”
“I wouldn’t hold out hope,” Morty said.
“Well, nevertheless, we’ll get you out of here.”
After about five minutes, Reynold and Morty ended their conversation. Dorothy talked with Morty again. Time was running out though and they would take Morty away soon.
Reynold pulled me to the side and said, “So what do you make of all of this? How did the ID get there if he didn’t touch the body?”
“I really have no explanation,” I said. “But I’d better come up with something soon if we want to get Morty out of here.”
Chapter 13
After dropping Dorothy off, I headed over to the address that I had found for Jessica Combs. Now I was curious to see what I would find at her home. I parked my car along the street and headed up to the door of the coral-colored stucco two-story. Extensive landscaping of lush greenery lined the path to the covered porch.
Once in front of the door, I pressed the doorbell, thinking that someone might be there. Perhaps the estranged husband, a friend or another family member. No one was answering the door though, so it wasn’t looking good for me. I moved over to the window and tried to peek inside. It looked as if maybe she had just stepped out for a few minutes. But I knew that wasn’t the case.
If only I could get a look around inside. I decided to try the door and see if it was unlocked. Yes, it was probably ridiculous to even think such a thing. I had to give it a try. After glancing around to see if anyone was watching, I wrapped my hand around the doorknob and twisted. Just as I had suspected, the door was locked.
Now what would I do? I couldn’t just leave without finding out something. I pulled out my wallet and took out a credit card. I slid it along the door and then tried the knob again. Yes! It opened. Again, I glanced around to see if anyone was watching. It appeared as if the coast was clear.
Jake would definitely frown upon this. Regardless, I had to go in and take a look around. I mean, if the door was open, then that was like an invitation. Jake didn’t need to know that I was the one responsible for the door being open.
I was surprised that only a small lock on the doorknob had been keeping people out. What about a deadbolt? However, I supposed since she wasn’t home then she couldn’t exactly lock the deadbolt. Someone had undoubtedly locked the doorknob on their way out. Who would do that though? The police after investigating the scene?
After putting the credit card away, I stuffed my wallet back into my purse and then eased into the house. With each step, apprehension took over. I was nervous that I would be caught. Not nervous enough not to try this though. The living room looked as if no one had been in there for a long time. Every throw pillow was perfectly in place on the large gray sofa. A couple of sleek chairs sat in front of the sofa with a glass coffee table between them.
I decided I wouldn’t find much in this room since it was so sparsely decorated. Moving down the foyer, I moved on to the dining area and then into the kitchen. A gleamingly clean glass and a hand towel rested next to the sink, but other than that the place was spotless. Nothing on the refrigerator. No notes or schedules. Everything had its place and was tidy. I opened up some of the doors and was shocked at how organized everything was. Just as with everything else, it was all in the correct spot. Items in bins even had labels.
Giving up on the kitchen, I moved on from that room and back down the hallway. I checked in the first bedroom. I wasn’t surprised to find that that room was neat and orderly as well. There weren’t even any photographs or frames around the room. I couldn’t believe that she didn’t have any personal items out. Nothing that would let on that she actually lived here.
I felt a bit bad about opening doors and looking through things, but like I said before, not bad enough not to do it. Regardless, everything was organized here too. All I saw was clothing, nothing like papers, planners or schedules. I had check out the other bedrooms to make sure that she didn’t have an office. If so, then surely, I would find this type of information in there. She couldn’t keep all the details in her head. Everyone had to jot down n
otes every now and then.
I was looking for any kind of papers or possibly a life insurance policy. Any motive for why someone would do this to her. Maybe she had an insurance policy on her and that was why her ex wanted to eliminate her. Maybe she had a new boyfriend and the estranged husband was jealous. That info would let me know that who was involved in her murder. However, I supposed this could’ve been a random attack. Maybe there was a serial killer out there.
I had to hurry up and get out of here because the longer I was inside the house the more my anxiety grew. I just didn’t want to be caught. Moving across the hall to the other bedroom, I stood at the doorway. Ah-ha. A desk sat in the middle of the room. The window in front of the desk splashed sunshine across the room. I hoped to find papers or schedule, anything on top of the desk. I crossed my fingers that I’d find something helpful in there. The police would have taken anything that was pertinent to the case, right?
Once in front of the desk, I picked up her notebook and flipped it open. Of course, it was just as meticulous as everything else in her life. She had detailed notes on everything for every day. Why hadn’t the police taken this? The fact that it was here didn’t give me much faith in the way they were investigating the case. Surely Jake would never make such a mistake. I flipped forward to the last entry that she’d made. That would’ve been the day she was meeting us.
July 14. I turned to the page and saw Morty’s name written right there. Plus the address and the time that she was meeting us. Right before that there was another name. The meeting was set for the same address. Another ah-ha moment. Jessica had been meeting someone else. That person she was meeting could most definitely have been the one who had killed her. When I flipped back a few pages I noticed Morty’s name again. He had already met with her?
I pulled out my phone and snapped a photo of the page with the other appointment so that I would have the person’s name. Arlington Diedrich. Now I just needed to talk to this guy. I looked back through the pages, checking through the last several weeks to see if anything popped out as unusual. It was hard to say based on just names and appointments. But the best clue I had was the appointment right before Morty. I was happy with what I’d found. And now I couldn’t wait to get out of here and find Arlington Dietrich.
