by John Milesky
“We have to tie up these loose ends.”
“Detective,” John said, “if you come by the congressman’s office tomorrow, we keep an official log of all of the congressman’s affairs. If you can obtain a warrant, you are more than welcome to go through the log yourself.”
“That won’t be necessary,” the congressman said, abruptly. “I have nothing to hide! Genevieve was my friend. You don’t need to get a warrant, just come to my office tomorrow morning, and my staff will be glad to let you take a look at my official date log. I’d like to keep this as low profile as possible. I am running for re-election, you know?”
“That would be greatly appreciated,” Alverez said.
“Can we go, Detective?” the congressman asked.
“Yes, sir,” Alverez answered. “Will you be available tomorrow if I need to ask you anymore questions?”
“The congressman will be in his office all day.” John said. “You will be dealing directly with me.”
“Can we leave now?” the congressman said again. “This is highly outrageous.”
“Yes, you’re free to go,” Alverez answered.
The three men quickly left Maggie’s apartment. They didn’t look at Maggie or Alverez, as they left. The congressman seemed insulted over the whole incident.
“Well, that was awkward,” Maggie said to Alverez.
“I think I may have just opened a can of worms that I shouldn’t have,” Alverez said. “I imagine I will be getting a phone call from my captain very soon. Everything we have been doing is most likely going to come to a halt once my captain learns that we’ve implicated a United States Congressman in the investigation.”
“He seemed willing to help,” Maggie said.
“This is DC,” Alverez responded, “just because someone says one thing, doesn’t mean they’ll follow through with it.”
“You know what’s surprising about this entire evening, Detective?” Maggie asked.
“What’s that?” Alverez replied.
“The congressman didn’t seem all that upset to find out that his friend, Genevieve, was murdered,” Maggie said sadly. “All he seemed to be concerned about is being blamed for it.”
“Sorry, Maggie,” Alverez said. “This is DC. Most people only want to protect their own butts.”
“That’s sad,” Maggie admitted. “My sister was murdered, and no one really cares.”
“I care, Maggie,” Alverez said, sympathetically. “I really do care.”
Maggie could tell Alverez’s comment was genuine in nature. For some odd reason, she felt a strange attraction towards him.
Chapter Twenty-one
It was around 2:30 in the afternoon when Alverez showed up at Maggie’s apartment the next day. Maggie wasn’t expecting him and was surprised to hear his voice come through the intercom to the elevator after she answered the buzzer.
“Hello, Maggie,” Alverez said, as he got off the elevator.
“Detective?” Maggie said. “I wasn’t expecting you.”
“Yeah, sorry for just stopping by without calling first,” Alverez said. “I just came from the congressman’s office. Spent the morning going through his files. I also made a few calls, and his alibi is solid.”
“Well, that eliminates him from our list of suspects,” Maggie added. “Maybe it was Tony D’Adamo who killed my sister. Maybe someone did us a favor.”
“Perhaps,” Alverez said. “But something doesn’t add up there.”
“What doesn’t add up?” Maggie asked.
“It just seems convenient that we’re looking for this guy for a possible murder, and he shows up murdered himself.”
“Coincidence?” Maggie asked. “It does happen, Detective.”
“No, it’s more than that,” Alverez continued. “I mentioned D’Adamo’s name to the congressman, and his face froze, almost as if he knew him. Then, his aide jumped in and cut me off. He changed the direction of the conversation and quickly guided me away from D’Adamo.”
“Maybe he didn’t know him,” Maggie said. “A congressman can’t know every business owner in his district.”
“Here’s what I’m thinking,” Alverez started. “Go with me on this and just let me run a theory by you. Anvil knows D’Adamo. D’Adamo has ties to the mob. Maybe Anvil hires D’Adamo or someone D’Adamo knows, to kill your sister?”
“That sounds very logical to me,” Maggie said, “but why would they want to kill my sister, and how do we prove it?”
“That’s just it,” Alverez said. “I’d need a warrant to go through all of the congressman’s records. I’d need to see his phone log, his personal journals and even go to his residence.”
“So, why can’t you just get a warrant and do those things?” Maggie asked.
“It’s not that simple,” Alverez admitted. “I also got a call from my captain late last night.”
“Uh-oh,” Maggie said.
“Yeah, he was pretty steamed,” Alverez said.
“Why?” Maggie asked. “You still haven’t filed an official report on the case yet, have you?”
“No,” Alverez said. “But I have a feeling that the congressman is the one who has been putting pressure on my captain to keep this case quiet.”
“That makes sense,” Maggie said. “Not only is the congressman’s name associated with a murder, but with a prostitute as well. I can see why he wants to keep that hidden from the public, especially with an election coming up.”
“Well, my captain found out about you and the little charade we have created here,” Alverez said in a sad tone. “He wants me to shut it down.”
“What did he say?” Maggie asked.
“He said I’m making waves, and no one cares about a dead hooker,” Alverez said. “Apparently, when I left the congressman’s office, he called my captain again. My captain told me to just file the report as ”unsolved” and put it on the back burner for now. My guess is it was the congressman telling my captain to do so; at least until after the election.”
“Politics,” Maggie responded, shaking her head.
“Only in this town can a murder be pushed aside,” Alverez said, sympathetically. “I’m sorry about this, Maggie.”
“You have no reason to be sorry, Detective,” Maggie said. “It’s DC. Everything is different than it appears. It amazes me that these people are running our country. Maybe your captain is just playing the political game and is doing this favor for the congressman for a favor to be named at a later date?”
“Wow!” Alverez said. “That’s a mouthful coming from a nun.”
“I’ve been watching House of Cards,” Maggie said with a giggle.
“Well, then,” Alverez said with a smile on his face. “You really do know how politics work.”
It was the first, real time Maggie had seen Alverez smile. He was quite handsome when he wasn’t so serious. At that moment she found him very attractive.
“There’s one other thing that’s been bugging me,” Alverez continued. “It’s about D’Adamo. Forensics say the bullets that they pulled out of his chest were from a .38 caliber pistol.”
“What’s so odd about that?” Maggie asked.
“It nothing really,” Alverez continued. “It’s a popular gun. It’s probably a coincidence, but your sister, Genevieve, had a .38 caliber hand gun registered to her.”
“That is a coincidence,” Maggie admitted.
“The thing is,” Alverez continued. “We didn’t find any guns among her belongings, when we were doing our search. Did you find a gun in here?”
“No,” Maggie admitted. “Then again, I haven’t been looking for one.”
Chapter Twenty-two
After the detective left her apartment, Maggie went to her favorite spot at the window and stared out over the city of Washington, DC. “Only in this town,” she said out loud.
The buzzer to her elevator rang again. It must be the detective. He must have forgotten something, Maggie thought. She quickly went to the elevator and hit th
e call button.
“It’s me,” a voice said from the other end.
“Who?” Maggie asked.
“It’s me, Jack.”
Maggie thought for a minute. Oh, my God, she thought. It’s the man from the journal. Her knees went weak as she pretended not to know him. “Jack who?” she said into the intercom.
“Come on, baby,” the voice said, “quit playing games. You know who I am.”
“Now’s not a good time,” Maggie said into the intercom.
“But I need to see you,” Jack said.
“Hold on a second,” Maggie responded.
Maggie grabbed the cell phone. She scrolled through it and came to Alverez’s number. She was about to hit the call button, when she remembered reading about the love affair she was having with Jack. According to Genevieve’s journal, she was in love with him. He also had a vicious temper, which gave her a reason to be scared.
She hit the call button on the phone and dialed Alverez’s phone number. He answered after the first ring.
“Alverez,” he said.
“Yes, it’s me,” Maggie said into the phone.
“What’s up?” Alverez responded.
“Jack is here at my apartment,” Maggie said.
“Did you let him inside the apartment?” Alverez asked.
“No, he’s still downstairs,” Maggie said.
“Well don’t let him in, Maggie,” Alverez said, adamantly. “At least until I get there.”
“What should I tell him then?” Maggie asked.
“Tell him to come back tonight,” Alverez responded. “Do it now, while I am on the phone. My captain just called and was pretty pissed off at me. I’m on my way to his office for a sit down.”
“Hold on a second,” Maggie said, as she put Alverez on hold. She wasn’t sure why she put him on hold. She felt differently about this guy, Jack, than the others. She felt she owed him something. Perhaps it was the entries in her sister’s journal that revealed so much intimacy between the two?
“Hello, Jack,” Maggie said into the intercom.
“Still here, babe,” Jack responded. “I was worried sick about you, baby. I thought you were dead.”
“I am not Genevieve. I’m her sister.”
“You can’t fool me, Gen,” Jack responded. “I know it’s you.
Maggie froze. Her gut was telling her that this man had something to do with her sister’s murder. She was now operating in full panic mode. She didn’t want to let him in, but she didn’t want to let him go. She thought if she let him go, she would be losing an opportunity to get the real truth about her sister’s death.
“Can you come back later?” Maggie asked.
“No, now’s the only time,” Jack said. “I had to make up some bullshit story just to steal away from Anvil for a few hours. What’s the problem, Genevieve? Why can’t I come up now?”
Anvil? Jack? It must be Congressman Anvil’s aide, John, Maggie thought.
“Well, I just got out of the shower, and I’m a mess,” Maggie explained. It wasn’t the best excuse, but it was the only one she could think of.
She then unmuted the phone and told Alverez that Jack was the congressman’s aide.
“Shit!” Alverez exclaimed. “Don’t let him into your apartment until I get there. I’m turning around and will be there in 15 minutes.”
“How can I keep him at bay for 15 minutes, Detective?” Maggie asked. “I told him that I was just getting out of the shower.”
“Genevieve?” Jack’s voice came over the intercom. “Are you there?”
“What do I do, Detective?” Maggie asked.
“Tell him to give you a few minutes,” Alverez said. “Buy as much time as you can.”
“Genevieve?” Jack said again. This time his voice seemed a little panicked. “Are you ok?”
“Detective,” Maggie said into the phone. “What do I say?”
“Just tell him you need a few minutes to get dressed.”
“Ok,” Maggie said into the phone.
“Maggie,” Alverez said. “Don’t put me on hold this time.”
“Ok, Detective,” Maggie said. “I’m sorry I did that before, I wasn’t thinking.”
“Give me a few minutes to get dressed,” Maggie said into the intercom.
There was no response. “Jack?” She waited for a few seconds before she spoke again. “Jack?”
“Detective,” she said into the phone. “I think he’s gone.”
“Well at least we have a solid lead now.” Alverez said.
“Did you read all of my sister’s journal entries, Detective?”
“Yes, I did. I read most of it,” Alverez answered.
“You think this can be the Jack she was referring to in her entries?”
“It’s a good chance,” the detective responded. “I should have put him on our priority suspect list. That’s my fault, Maggie. I dropped the ball on that one.”
Just then, the elevator door opened, and John Harrison stepped into Maggie’s apartment. Maggie froze.
“Thank God, you’re alright,” Jack said, as he looked at Maggie, who was standing with the telephone at her ear.
“Maggie?” Alverez said on the other end of the phone. “Maggie?”
Chapter Twenty-three
Jack was standing in the foyer of Maggie’s apartment. Maggie was still on the phone with Alverez.
“Maggie?” Alverez repeated in the phone.
“I can’t talk right now,” Maggie said into the phone.
“Maggie, is he in your apartment?” Alverez asked.
“Yes,” Maggie answered.
“How did he get in?” Alverez asked.
“I don’t know,” Maggie answered.
“I’ll be there in 10 minutes,” Alverez assured her. “Be careful and remember the gun is still in the sofa.”
“Ok, thank you,” Maggie said as she hung up the phone.
She stood there in shock, staring at Jack.
“One of your clients?” Jack asked.
“No, just a friend,” Maggie responded. “How did you get up here?”
“You gave me a key, remember?” Jack answered. “I know you told me to use it only in emergencies, or when you tell me I can, but when you didn’t answer me, I thought something might be wrong, and you needed my help.”
“I’m not Genevieve,” Maggie said. “Remember? I’m her sister, Maggie.”
“Oh, you can’t fool me, Gen,” Jack assured her.
“You’re making a mistake,” Maggie responded. “Detective Alverez is on his way here now. What do you want?”
“I just wanted to see you,” Jack admitted.
“Did you kill my sister?” Maggie asked, without thinking.
“Can you knock it off, babe?” he said in an irritated tone. “I know it’s you.”
“Why do you keep insisting I am Genevieve?” Maggie asked.
“The scar under your arm,” Jack responded. “I noticed it the other night when you lifted your arm to tuck your hair back behind your ear.”
“That’s a birthmark,” she explained.
“That’s not what you told me, Genevieve!” Jack shouted, before taking a deep breath.
“For the last time, I am Maggie! This,” as she lifted her arm to show him the scar, “is a birthmark!”
“You told me that you got that scar when you were a kid,” Jack interrupted. “You said you fell off a bike.”
“My sister, Genevieve, and I, both, have this scar under our arms,” Maggie explained. “I told you I am not Genevieve.”
Maggie backed up, as Jack moved closer to her. She was making her way to the living room and to the sofa. Jack was getting very angry, and she wanted to be prepared in case he tried to force himself on to her, or worse.
“Gen, babe,” Jack said, with a smirk on his face. “You also slipped the other night when you called the congressman, ‘Shelly.’ Only you ever call him that.”
Maggie backtracked into the living room. She was thinki
ng about the entries in her sister’s journal. There was one specific entry about breaking it off with Jack because of his temper. Her head was filled with scenarios. She needed to get to the sofa. She needed the gun.
“Pleeaaase, Genevieve,” Jack pleaded. “You don’t have to pretend with me.”
“It was you, wasn’t it?” Maggie asked. “You killed my sister.”
“What?” Jack said in defense. “I would never hurt you.”
“You used the key and came in here and strangled my sister.” Maggie repeated.
“That’s absurd,” Jack insisted.
“Maggie turned and ran towards the sofa. Jack ran after her. She tore through the cushions to get to the gun, but the gun was no longer there.
“Are you looking for this?” Jack asked.
Maggie turned to see Jack standing over her with the gun in his hand. “I found it the other night, when I was here with the congressman,” he admitted. “I thought you would have noticed it missing by now. Here, take it.”
Jack handed Maggie the gun. She quickly held it at arm’s length, pointing it at Jack. “Get out!” She yelled.
“Genevieve,” Jack responded. “Are you that naïve? Did you honestly think I would give you a loaded gun?”
Maggie pulled the trigger on the revolver, and it just clicked. She pulled it several more times, and all she heard was click, click, click. The gun was empty.
“Did you kill my sister?” Maggie repeated herself.
“No,” Jack responded. “You’re still here, so obviously I didn’t kill you?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Maggie said.
“I only tried to scare you,” Jack insisted. “I wasn’t really going to kill you. I told you I didn’t want you seeing Congressman Anvil anymore, but you didn’t listen to me. Thank, God, I didn’t actually kill you.”
Maggie’s knees felt like jelly. She realized she was standing in the presence of her sister’s killer. She threw the gun at Jack, catching him on the temple. The blow brought him to his knees.
“You bitch!” he yelled as he put his hand on his head.
