Money Creek

by Anne Laughlin

  “No, thanks.” He was silent for a moment.

  “What is it, Henry?” Her brow furrowed with concern.

  He sat up in his chair and crossed his leg over his knee. “I’ve got something to tell you, and you’re not going to like it.”

  She frowned. “You haven’t been kicked out of school again, have you?”

  He wished. “No, school is fine. I wanted to tell you that the police have called me in for questioning.”

  Before he could get another word out, she was halfway out of chair. “What about? You didn’t talk to them, did you?” She sat back down, as if surprised she had risen at all.

  “Try to stay calm while I explain. This is going to come as a big surprise.” He shifted in his chair, put both feet on the ground. “I own the house where the triple murders took place.” Her face betrayed nothing. She hadn’t taken in what he’d said. “You tend to know everything that happens in this town, so I thought I’d tell you before you found out from someone else.”

  Her hand went to her forehead. “I don’t at all understand what you’re saying.”

  “I own a small house out in the country. I use it as a retreat. Some people broke into the house and however it happened, the shootings occurred there. I don’t understand that part any more than you do.”

  “But how can you own a house that we’re not aware of? Where would you get the money?”

  He waved a hand dismissively. “It cost less than ten grand.”

  She leaned into her big leather chair as if blown back. “You’re dealing drugs again, aren’t you? There’s no way for you to get that kind of money anyway else.”

  He told her about the sports betting. She looked skeptical.

  “The police tracked down who owned the house and brought you in for questioning?”

  “That’s right. I didn’t have anything to do with those people. For some reason they chose my house to break into. I don’t know anything beyond that.”

  “I don’t understand why you didn’t want us to know about the house.”

  “I didn’t want you to know about the gambling.”

  She looked more like her lawyer self, calm and focused. “And what did you tell the police?”

  “Only what I’ve told you. They asked for a DNA sample and I refused to give one.”

  “Why?”

  “Why? Wouldn’t you advise against giving a DNA sample if you were acting as my lawyer.”

  “From now on I am acting as your lawyer. But, no, if a DNA sample can help exonerate my client, I advise him or her to give it. Is that not the case with you?” He saw the fear in her eyes.

  “I didn’t think of it that way. I thought it was the best thing to not offer the authorities anything they don’t already have. You know how many times they get the wrong man in these cases.” It sounded weak even to himself. He rose and stood before his mother. “I’ve told you. My duty is done. Now I have to go.”

  “Your father is going to be upset.”

  “I’ll go tell him now, if you’d like.” He wasn’t as concerned about his father’s reaction. It was his mother who was the emotional center and moral compass of the family.

  “He’s out at a meeting. I don’t think he’ll be back for a while. I’ll tell him.”

  “Thanks, Mom.”

  “And if the sheriff or the Illinois cops want you to answer any more questions, call me. That’s an order.”

  Henry gave her a mock salute and left, grateful she hadn’t blown a gasket. The sports betting line was genius. If she found out he was dealing again she’d be off her head. He was no longer beholden to his parents—he was almost twenty-one and not dependent on them financially. He took the lousy allowance they gave him every month to make them think he was. He’d have to brush up on the world of online sports gambling and set up some accounts; he knew his father would question him about it, half curious himself.

  * * *

  “You’re sure about this?” Freya held her phone to one ear as she drove into work.

  “The testing is solid. You’ve got a match.” The technician sounded annoyed. They’d rushed the test

  “Can you send me the report ASAP?”

  “Of course. We’re here only for you, Saucedo.” He hung up and Freya threw her phone onto the passenger seat of her Jeep and stepped on the gas. Now they had evidence someone drinking beer in his Money Creek home had been on the scene when the murders took place, most likely Henry. It was time to bring him in. He probably had a roommate. She’d send a sheriff’s deputy to pick them both up, put some fear into Henry’s arrogant demeanor.

  Ben was getting out of his car when she pulled into the sheriff’s department lot. She told him about the forensics hit.

  “Wow. It’s got to be Henry, don’t you think?”

  “I’m keeping my mind open and so should you. But I have to admit, it’s not looking good for him. We have to get an official sample from him.”

  They went to the sheriff’s office and found him reading the Chicago Tribune. His feet were on his desk. The industrial green room was festooned with ISU swag—pennants, a mug, a bobblehead of the football coach. He pointed to the two seats in front of him. “Every time I read this rag I thank my lucky stars I live here instead of the city. There were nine shooting deaths in Chicago yesterday. Nine.” He shook his head and put the paper away. “Of course, we had three in one day here, so I shouldn’t be smug. What can I do for you?” Despite his assertion of jurisdiction at the time the murders occurred, Sheriff Phillips seemed content to let Ben and Freya take the lead.

  Ben brought him up to speed on the DNA. “We’d like a couple of deputies to pick them up. Put the fear of God into them. Can we borrow them?”

  “Sure. More than two if it raises the intimidation level.”

  “It would, actually,” Freya said. We’ll take three.”

  “Fine. When do you need them?”

  “Right now, if we can.”

  Phillips picked up the phone. “I’ll have them meet you in the lobby.”

  They left the office. Freya walked quickly, excited at the break in the case. When the deputies arrived, she said, “There should be two men at the apartment, and I want them both brought in. Read them their rights. One is named Henry Nelson, the other is his roommate, if he has one. Put them in the interview room and give us a call when you do.” The deputies left, one looking a little sour at doing Freya’s bidding. No doubt the order would have been received better coming from Ben. They headed back to their office to wait. She poured a couple of cups of coffee for them and settled behind her cramped desk. The room was particularly claustrophobic. Ben seemed to be sitting on top of her instead of across their desks.

  Thirty minutes later, they were back at the jail, facing Henry and his roommate, Evan Bishop. She had a deputy take Henry into a holding area while they talked to Evan. As soon as he left the room Evan said, “I have no idea why I’m here. I don’t know shit about these murders, other than Henry owns the house where they happened.”

  “Did Henry tell you that?” Ben said.

  “Who else? He told me after you guys pulled him in for questioning. I don’t understand why I’m here.”

  “What else did Henry tell you?” Freya said. She took note of his bouncing leg and clasped hands. He was clearly nervous, but many people were when they found themselves being interrogated by police.

  “That’s all he said. He doesn’t know who broke into his house. Neither do I.”

  “We have a problem, Evan, and we’re hoping you’ll help us sort it out.” Ben said.

  “Sure, anything.”

  “We found DNA on some beer bottles from your garbage that matched DNA from bottles found at the murder scene. We have to make sure that DNA doesn’t belong to you.”

  “Is that even legal? Looking in someone’s garbage, I mean,” Evan said. His head was cocked to one side.

  “It’s not illegal,” Freya said. “But it doesn’t get us anywhere without an official sample from you
. Will you let us take a swab?”

  “Of course! Please take as many swabs as you want. I have nothing to hide.”

  He relaxed visibly and she knew he wasn’t at the murder scene. “Have you ever been out to Henry’s house in the country?”

  “Sure. We go out there to party once in a while. Mainly it’s an investment for him.”

  Ben leaned forward, as if in confidence. “A house costs a lot of money. Where do you think he got the funds to buy it? I mean, you’re college students.”

  Evan hesitated for the first time. “I’m not sure. I never asked. I know his parents are pretty well off, being lawyers and all. I thought it was them that bought it for him.”

  “Do you participate in online sports betting with Henry?”

  Evan’s was a malleable face. His eyes narrowed as he tried to figure out what trap was being set for him. “No. I don’t care about sports.”

  “But you’re aware that he gambles to earn money?” Ben pressed on.

  “He spends a lot of time in his room. I don’t know what goes on in there.” He sat back in his chair as if exhausted.

  “Henry’s never talked to you about sports betting?” Freya said. She could see his uncertainty.

  “I think he’s mentioned it a time or two. He mostly keeps to himself.”

  “How about drugs, Evan? Do you or Henry deal drugs, on campus for instance?” Ben said.

  Freya saw his Adam’s apple bob up and down. “We have reason to believe Henry was involved with the drug dealers who were shot to death last week.”

  “I don’t know anything about that.”

  “That’s a lot of stuff happening in your house that you’re unaware of. It’s not that big of a place, is it, Evan?” Freya’s tone was conversational.

  “We live separate lives. We’re only roommates. Why don’t you take that DNA sample and we can clear all this up.”

  For half an hour they tried to get more out of him, but he stuck with his plea of ignorance. They left the room and conferred in the hallway.

  “He knows what Henry’s been up to. That was all bullshit,” Ben said.

  “I agree. Henry made up the sports betting as a decoy and didn’t let Evan in on it. If there was drug dealing going on in the apartment, Evan knew about that. But we don’t have anything to leverage against him. Let’s get the sample and then cut him loose. We can always bring him in again.”

  “Okay. I’ll take care of it. What do you think we should do with Henry?”

  “Let’s let him stew for a bit longer, then we’ll question him. He’ll be worried about what Evan may have said.”

  Freya left Ben and made her way across the jail complex to the main sheriff’s reception area. As she looked toward the door she saw Elizabeth burst through and make a beeline straight to her.

  “What the hell is going on?” she said. “I want to see my client immediately.”

  “You’re acting as your son’s attorney?”

  “Of course, I am,” she said impatiently. “Now please, bring me to where I can see him. I don’t know what’s gotten into you, Freya. I wouldn’t have pegged you as a witch hunt kind of cop.”

  Freya bit her lip as she looked up at Elizabeth. She could see she was as fearful as she was angry. “I’ll have Henry brought into the interview room where you can talk. I’ll join you when you’re ready.” A deputy led them back to the interview room and then left to fetch Henry.

  “This is my son, Freya. How can you think he had anything to do with a triple homicide?”

  “There were DNA samples found at the murder scene that did not match the victims. I believe you son’s DNA is a match for one of those.”

  “How could you possibly know that? He refused to give you a sample last time he got hauled in here.” Elizabeth took a seat and ran her fingers through her hair.

  “Because I took some beer bottles from Henry’s garbage and DNA found on them matches DNA found at the murder scene.” She could see the flash of alarm in Elizabeth’s eyes.

  “Are you kidding me? That means nothing. You can’t hold him.”

  “I didn’t say I was going to arrest him. I’m going to ask him for a sample. I’d suggest you advise him to give us one.”

  Henry was brought into the room and Freya left, but not before Henry gave her a scornful look. She met up with Ben and they walked over to Bean There for a decent cup of coffee. When they returned the desk sergeant pointed toward the jail and said the witness was ready for them. They walked in to find Henry and Elizabeth both playing with their phones, apparently having nothing further to say to each other. Freya and Ben sat and Elizabeth put her phone down. Henry continued to stare at his.

  “You’ve kept us waiting,” Elizabeth said. “I’d have expected better of you both.”

  Freya ignored her and looked at Henry. He lifted his head and looked back with a dull expression. “Henry, will you give us a sample of your DNA to help with our investigation?”

  “What happens if I don’t?” Elizabeth put her hand on his arm.

  “We’ll arrest you for the murders of Bobby Hughes, Ray Barnes, and Caroline Sommers.”

  “That’s outrageous,” Elizabeth said. “You have nothing on him other than the ownership of the house.”

  “Add that to the lack of an alibi and the refusal to provide DNA and we have enough to file charges. We’re ready to do that right now, Henry,” Ben said.

  Freya looked at Elizabeth before turning to Henry. “Will you give a sample?”

  “I will not.” Henry looked sullen but determined. She glanced back at Elizabeth and saw a flash of shock on her face.

  “I’d like to confer with my client.”

  Freya and Ben left the room again and stood out in the hall. “Elizabeth freaked out in there. Did you see her face?” Freya said.

  “Yeah. Now she knows Henry’s guilty of something.”

  After five minutes they walked back into the interview room. Elizabeth looked shaken, though she was clearly trying to maintain a neutral exterior. In the war between the mother and the attorney, the mother was winning. She should get someone in to replace her. With Freya’s luck it would be Clare and they’d have to be on opposite sides again. She didn’t need new reasons why they shouldn’t be together.

  “What’s your decision?” Ben asked.

  “My client will decline giving a DNA sample.” Henry looked satisfied, though he must know what would come next.

  “You give me no choice but to place him under arrest.” She nodded at Ben, who read him his rights for a second time. “We’ll be holding Henry here; you can visit anytime. But the first thing we’ll do is take a DNA sample while processing him. There’s no way around it now.”

  Henry gave her a maleficent look as he was led away by the deputy. Elizabeth reached for her briefcase and wiped at her eyes.

  “I’m sorry, Elizabeth. You can see that we had to do this, can’t you?”

  She stood from the table and brushed by her. “I’ll be filing an emergency habeas corpus motion.”

  They watched Elizabeth walk out of the room. “She’s desperate,” Freya said. “There are no grounds for a habeas corpus ruling.”

  “Can’t blame her for trying, though. I’ll get the deputies to start processing, including getting a sample from him right away,” Ben said.

  “Good. Send the sample to forensics, of course, but let’s get a second sample and use the portable device on it. That’ll give us a pretty good idea if we’ve got a match or not. I’ll go up to see Lorena and get the okay to file charges.” She left the department and walked over to the courthouse, praying she wouldn’t run into Clare or Elizabeth. The social structure of Money Creek was about to be caved in by Henry’s arrest. She didn’t know how Elizabeth would recover from whatever he was hiding. That he’d done something seriously bad was clear to everyone.

  Chapter Twenty-seven

  Clare tried to keep her jaw from falling open as Freya told her that Henry had been arrested for the murders.
Her stomach lurched and she resisted the urge to go to the bathroom. Freya took a seat on the couch, with a concerned look on her face.

  “Are you okay?” she said.

  “My stomach’s been a little dodgy today, but I’m fine. Can I get you a drink?”

  She pulled two beers out of the fridge and grabbed the bottle of bourbon. At the moment she didn’t care what Freya though of her drinking. She needed to feel the liquor hit her system and slide down to her toes. It was the only way she could continue acting as if she were calm. She collapsed on the adjacent chair.

  “What do you have on Henry?” she asked nonchalantly.

  “This has to remain between ourselves.”

  “Of course.”

  “We have a fair amount. Today a preliminary DNA test showed he’s a match with DNA found at the murder scene. That will have to be confirmed, but it’s a pretty safe bet he was there, which means he’s already been lying to us.”

  “But isn’t that all circumstantial? What if Henry had been there some other time and left beer bottles behind. It’s his house, after all.”

  Freya paused. They’d considered Henry’s beer bottles as coming from another time, but the way they were all grouped together on the coffee table made that seem like a real stretch. “A witness would help, but the witnesses are all dead. Except for Henry and the anonymous woman who called in the shooting. I’d give a lot to be able to talk to her.”

  “No luck tracing her?” She assumed there weren’t enough clues to track her down as the person making the call. She could only pray that was true, or certainly she would have heard by now.

  “We traced the call to the Texaco station on Lincoln Avenue and scoured the security footage that was available. We can see a figure in a parka go into the booth, but the hood was up and the face turned away from the camera. The car was not in view. The coat is like a hundred other parkas, and the video is in black and white, so we don’t know the color. It’s like your parka, as a matter of fact.”

  Clare blanched. “Are you going to arrest me? Because it’s kind of sexy.”

  Freya laughed. “When I do, I’ll wear my uniform.”