“What is this about? Can’t we just talk in my office?” Trent was trying to make it look like he was welcoming them and not like he was being led out by the cops. It didn’t work. Stone and Wright escorted him to the police station where they decided to ask him some pointed questions about abuse, breaking and entering, destruction of private property, harassment, and finally, murder.
“This is absurd!” Trent was still arrogant, but Stone planned on fixing that.
“Sit down Mr. Wakefield.” Stone said in a tone that left no room for argument. They’d been in the interrogation room for just under two hours. Or rather, Trent had been in there for just under two hours. Stone had just come in after watching Trent stew through the one way glass on the wall. Trent didn’t do too well in the small, drab, dingy, grey room. Stone admitted that it was a depressing room, but when he was interrogating, he was glad for it. It made people nervous and their only thought became how to get out of the room. It usually ended in a confession if he didn’t run across a criminal with a steel resolve. For the most part, Landon Falls didn’t boast too many hardened criminals. They were usually people guilty of minor infractions, domestic abuse, drinking and driving, stealing, etc. But this was the second murder case in less than a year, and both had landed on Stone’s lap since he was lead detective. The first one introduced him to his future wife, but he’d been just as flummoxed by that case as he was by this one.
“You’ve had me in here for two hours! I haven’t done anything wrong. This is harassment. I demand to be released!” Trent was sitting, but it looked to Stone like he had to hold himself in his chair. Both hands were gripping the sides of his seat. His knuckles were white from the intensity of his grip.
“You know, we have some interesting questions for you. Ones we are really interested in hearing the answers to.” Stone didn’t look over as his partner, Wright, entered the room. Wright settled himself in Trent’s blind spot, leaning against the wall and casually crossing his arms across his chest. Having him standing there where he couldn’t see him had Trent turning his head to look at Wright every few seconds. It always worked. Made people nervous to have someone standing there, and that is exactly what the goal was.
“What do you want to know? Can we just get this over with?” Trent asked, his head swinging back and forth between the two detectives.
Wright couldn’t help but smile just a bit. Trent’s neck was going to start hurting if he didn’t settle down.
“Well, first, I’d like to know all about how you had worked out a deal with Jenna on her store.”
Whatever Trent had been expecting, that wasn’t it. “What?”
“Well, from our information, you told Carly that you and Jenna had all but signed papers for her to sell the store and apartment to you. Funny thing is, we can’t find any kind of offer anywhere in Jenna’s apartment. It’s not in with her legal papers, her bills, on her desk, nada! Now, a woman like Jenna, that planned everything out, would have demanded everything in writing.” Stone’s cold voice matched his cold stare.
“We hadn’t put it in writing yet. We were still in verbal negotiations. I was getting ready to put our agreement on paper when she died.”
“You mean murdered?” Wright said from behind him, causing his head to swing back behind him once again.
“Uh, yeah. I guess.”
“You guess…interesting.” Wright muttered loud enough for Trent to hear.
“Well, like I said,” Trent’s head swung back to Stone, “Jenna wasn’t the type to make any type of verbal agreement, or even discuss negotiations without documentation to back it up. We have been through her apartment thoroughly and the woman was almost compulsive about documenting everything, charting everything, outlining and planning everything. She had to be one of the most organized people I’ve ever seen. She planned her shopping trips by what she planned to eat during that week. She planned how her wedding would go, her children’s names, what their nurseries would look like,” Stone paused for effect, “She even planned her own funeral. Now you would have me believe a woman like that, would verbally negotiate and agree to sell her biggest asset without some sort of supporting documentation? Not hardly.”
Trent had sweat dotting his forehead. He’d lost just a touch of his arrogance, but there was still plenty of it to strip away, and Stone was looking forward to it.
“So she hadn’t agreed yet. But she would have!” Trent swallowed hard at Stones expression. “Ok, she wouldn’t even listen to me. But that doesn’t mean I’ve done anything wrong! I tried to make her an offer and she refused to see me. What’s wrong with that?”
“Nothing, Mr. Wakefield. But what is curious, is you telling Carly that Jenna had all but signed papers.”
“So I lied. That’s not a crime either.” As the silence stretched on, Stone just stared at him expectantly, Trent finally continued. “Carly doesn’t want that place. She doesn’t even want to be in Landon Falls. So I was trying to help her out. Help her get out from under the store. It would have helped her and I’d have made a little profit.”
Wright’s pager beeped, causing Trent to turn in his direction again. Wright straightened away from the wall and quietly left the room. Again, Stone didn’t look away from Trent.
“You have a temper, don’t you, Mr. Wakefield?” Stone abruptly switched gears.
“No.” At Stone’s raised eyebrows, Trent added, “I am like anyone else, I get upset, but I wouldn’t say I had a temper.”
“Really? What would you call physically abusing a woman that’s roughly, seventy to eighty pounds lighter than you?”
Trent blustered for a moment, “That’s a lie! The Wayne’s are trying to discredit me! They are lying and there is nothing to prove I did anything. Jenna never filed a report because nothing happened!”
“Interesting that you went immediately to Jenna, but I was talking about Missy Evans.” Stone watched closely for a reaction. Trent only stared coldly at him. “Missy did file a police report on you last year. We also have the hospital report from when you sent her to the emergency room for stitches and a fractured arm.”
“She dropped those charges!” Trent bit out the words.
“Yes, she did. She also moved away.”
“She left for college.”
“Funny, when I tracked her down this morning, she had some interesting things to say about your temper. She moved back home to go to a local college, that’s true, but she also moved to get away from you. Apparently, she was afraid for her life.”
Trent didn’t respond.
“I also did a little talking with several business people in the next town over. Well, former business people. It seems there have been more than a couple of people selling their stores to you at an unbelievably low price in the last few years.”
“What’s wrong with getting a good deal? I dabble in real estate and I’ve been lucky!”
“Lucky is right! You make quite the profit while the business owners are still left with a mountain of debits that they can’t pay because they no longer have a business.” Stone was disgusted by this man’s attitude of entitlement. “I spoke with several of the people you bought out and, while they didn’t want to talk at first, they were more than willing once I told them that we had other evidence against you.”
“You have no right to tell people things like that! You are spreading lies about me in a community I have worked hard to be respected in! I’ll sue! I’ll sue you, this department and this whole town! You have ruined me!!!” Trent was standing now, leaning forward with his hands resting on the table, leaning toward Stone.
“They are only lies if they aren’t true, but since we have someone that has signed a statement to the fact that he helped you fleece these people, I don’t think you’ll have any grounds to sue anyone. In fact, with you going to prison for murder, I don’t think anything else will compare.”
“What murder? I haven’t murdered anyone!” Trent sat back down. “That jerk Mason is lying too! I haven’t done an
ything illegal!”
“Funny that you immediately knew it was Mason. Oh yeah, he finds prime property, tells you and you find out all about the owners of the property. All their financial information is easy for the president of the biggest local bank. And if they aren’t a customer of your bank? Well, then you just request the information from the other banks claiming they have requested a loan and need to see a credit report. From the other bank presidents I’ve spoken to, they are more than happy to tell you anything you want to know.”
Trent’s neck was beet red and his eyes were about to bug out of his head. He had been under the assumption this was all about him going to see Carly…but he was finding out differently.
“As for the murder. I believe you did try to buy Jenna out. Her property had more than tripled in value from the time she purchased it. She lucked out and bought the property when no one was trying to revive the town square. But with her work on Treasures, others saw the potential and joined in the effort with their own stores. There were six empty spaces when Jenna bought her property and now they are all full. Not only that, they are doing very well. She single handedly started the movement to revive the historical town square and now you expected to buy her out. When she wouldn’t sell, you lost your temper.”
“No, no, no!” Trent clamed up and demanded a lawyer. Mr. Big Shot was no longer arrogant. He understood he was in serious trouble and finally realized he couldn’t charm or threaten his way out of this.
Stone came out, motioned to a uniformed officer to take him to processing and headed to his desk.
“We’ve got him solid on the real estate scam.” Wright said, hanging up the phone. “Apparently Mason didn’t trust his partner, with good reason, and recorded all of their conversations. There are multiple charges being filed as we speak, but we don’t have him solid on the murder yet.”
“We will.” But Stone still had a nagging suspicion that something was still missing.
“I can’t believe Trent killed Jenna.” Carly said as she and Daniel were sitting on the couch in the apartment. Daniel didn’t speak. He’d about come unglued when they’d been informed that Trent had been picked up for Jenna’s murder that morning. He couldn’t believe that Trent would kill Jenna over this property. No matter how much it was worth, it wasn’t worth anyone’s life.
The family was still in shock. They had gone to the Wayne’s house to let Harm, Carter and their parents know about the arrest. There was anger, a lot of it, until they saw their mom weeping in their dad’s arms. Tears running silently down their dad’s face while he held her.
So much damage done; over nothing! All of the Wayne boys were ready to kill. If it had been the old west, they’d be finding a tree and good solid rope to string Trent up with. But they all reigned in their tempers for their parent’s sakes. Seeing them with new eyes, they looked so much older. How had Daniel missed it? Since losing Jenna, they both had aged at least ten years. Their dad had lost too much weight and their mom had huge circles under her eyes. How could he not have noticed? He saw them weekly at their Thursday dinners and several times during the week.
He walked over to his parents and enveloped them both in his arms. They’d both lost so much weight that it scared Daniel. His eyes met Harms, and then Carters, as they both came to the same realizations as Daniel just had. They both came over and joined in the embrace. It looked like a huge huddle, but this was no game. There were no cheerleaders, no fans, no coaches, and everybody lost! Carly quietly got up and left the house.
Ten minutes later, Daniel found her on the porch silently crying. He sat down on the step next to her, took her into his arms and held her while she cried. As if in silent agreement, they got up, got into Daniel’s car and went back to the apartment.
Now, the anger and tears were gone and Carly was just numb with shock. She knew the anger would be back, but she couldn’t wrap her mind around the fact that this small apartment and, now trashed store, were what Trent had killed over.
Chapter Five
The clean-up continued. The tedious and monotonous routine of cleaning the store helped Carly to concentrate on her thoughts about Jenna. She wanted to think about the good memories of her. Of all the laughs they’d shared. All the Wayne boys were there too, but no one spoke, all lost in their own thoughts.
Just after lunch, the insurance adjuster came by the store to do his investigation. While Carly was walking around with him, Daniel’s cell phone rang and he stepped outside to take the call.
A few moments later, he came running in. “Carly, I gotta go. Dad’s collapsed and is at the hospital. I’ll call you when I know something.” He absently kissed Carly on the top of the head and ran out and jumped in the car Harm and Carter were already in. Before the car door closed, Harm pulled out and headed to the hospital.
Carly was forced to stay with the insurance investigator and he didn’t seem to be in any hurry. He finally left the store just before four. Carly sent the rest of the clean-up crew home. Rick, a constant volunteer, was reluctant to leave her alone but was comforted when she promised she was just going to get herself cleaned up then head to the hospital.
As she was finally able to have a moment alone, Carly leaned against the bathroom door; no one to answer to, no one to calm, no one to worry about, at least for the moment. It was just her…She hadn’t been alone since the night she’d been chased out of the apartment.
Pushing herself off the door, she turned on the shower, stripped off her nasty clothes and stepped into the wonderful, warm spray of water. She hurriedly washed her hair and shaved her legs. She wanted to get to the hospital to be with the Wayne’s.
“Stone,” Wright called out, “We have a problem.”
“What’s that?” Stones eyes felt like they had sand in them. They had been working all day, trying to tie Trent to Jenna’s murder. The only thing they had on him for Jenna’s murder was his temper, that wouldn’t hold up in court. Yes, he would do time for the other charges, but they needed to get him solid on the murder.
“Trent was at a hotel the night of Jenna’s murder. I finally tracked down the woman he was with. She wasn’t very forthcoming at first, since she’s married. But she did confirm they met at six and were there all night. He left about seven the next morning. Since the ME puts the death the night before, he is in the clear.”
Stone swore; nothing unusual in a police station. “Now what?”
“Well, what do we know? Trevor and Stefanie committed the break in at the apartment. They were looking for the ring, which still hasn’t turned up. We know the MO doesn’t fit the murder or store break in. Those were done in rage. They were trashing the place, not looking for anything. That’s why it fit Trent. He fits the profile on who would do something like that. But now…”
Stone picked up the phone to call Daniel.
Daniel was with Harm at the hospital in the waiting room. Their dad had suffered a heart attack. He was in stable but guarded condition. Their mom and Carter were in there with him right now. They wanted to keep his stress level down and were only allowing two in at a time to see him. Harm had gone in with their mom first, then Carter. Daniel wanted to get in there and see him, but he couldn’t help but think about Carly too.
His cell phone had been turned off when he entered the emergency room, and he’d forgotten to turn it back on when they’d admitted his dad. He took it out of his pocket to turn it back on. A text from Carly came through almost immediately.
‘Done w/adjuster. Taking shower, then will come to hosp.’
It was time stamped just twenty minutes ago. He figured he’d just wait for her to get there rather than call and slow her down. He’d be able to see her gorgeous face within an hour, he could wait.
Just then Carter came out and Daniel stood up to head into the room. He turned his phone back off like the sign outside his dad’s room told him to do. He stood in the doorway, looking at his dad lying in the hospital bed. He was asleep, but he didn’t look peaceful. He also looked frai
l; something he never thought he’d think in association with his dad.
“Mom,” Daniel whispered, “how is he doing?”
His mom turned; her eyes red from crying but were now dry. “Stable.” He could barely hear her, but he didn’t ask any more questions. He went to stand behind her chair, resting his hands on her shoulders. She reached up with her hand and patted her middle child’s hand, and then her hand resumed its position on her husband’s arm. They stayed like that for a long time, just listening to the beeping of the monitor and watching emotions flicker across his face. He was dreaming and it didn’t seem like they were good dreams.
Chapter Six
Carly turned off the hair dryer when she smelled an odd odor. She looked at the blow dryer, wondering if it was over heating. It was old and she wouldn’t put it past it to be giving up on her. But it was the wrong kind of smell, it wasn’t an electrical smell, it was like something was burning.
Carly tried to open the bathroom door, but it wouldn’t budge. She grabbed the door handle with both hands and pulled with all of her might. Nothing. She started banging on the door and yelling for help. The smell of smoke was getting stronger. There was no smoke coming in under the door, but Carly was afraid it wouldn’t be long. She was sure there was a fire in the apartment. And she was stuck. Her phone was on the bed in her room. She was trapped, in a burning building with no way to call for help.
Panic overtook her. She resumed beating on the door and screaming for help.
The Best of Us Page 11
