What She Left (Martina Monroe Book 1)

by H K Christie

  Deeley’s hard features softened. “I’m so sorry, I hadn’t realized that. My condolences. We will take him and Henley down, I promise you that. As a matter a fact, we’ll put you on the call list once we have Henley in custody, in case you and Hirsch want to interview him.”

  “I’d appreciate it,” Martina said.

  “Absolutely,” I confirmed.

  We continued to exchange information between our two investigations. By the end, I was eager to get our front-row tickets to watch Frank Henley get exactly what he deserved.

  45

  Martina

  We pulled up in front of the two-story colonial-style house with gray trim and white siding. There were no cars in the driveway, and snow covered the front of the house, presumably where a perfectly green lawn would be in the spring. I turned to Detective Hirsch. “I think you should stay here. Her and I have a rapport.”

  “I’ll be here if you need me.”

  “Thanks.” I stepped out into the freezing cold and hurried up the front steps. I knocked on the door with a gloved fist. A moment later, the door creaked open and Amy stood before me. She looked pale and had red-rimmed eyes. My guess is that she had experienced a heck of a week. “Martina, please come in, it’s freezing out there.”

  I walked inside and stopped in the hallway. “Let me take your coat,” Amy offered.

  I pulled off my gloves and removed my coat. Amy hung it on a rack behind her. “Can I get you anything: coffee, tea, or water?”

  “I’ll have some herbal tea, if it isn’t too much trouble.”

  “Mint, okay?”

  “Perfect. Thank you.”

  My nerves were already going haywire with all the adrenaline and jet lag. I didn’t think extra caffeine would be useful at this point. She led me past her formal living and dining rooms and back into the large modern kitchen, which had an island in the center, displaying a bouquet of colorful wildflowers. “You have a beautiful home, Amy.”

  “Thank you.”

  The home was quiet. I didn’t hear children or anybody else in the house. “Are your kids at school?”

  “They are.”

  “How old are they?”

  “They’re six and seven, a first grader and a second grader. They’re a handful, so I figured it was best to have you come over while they were out.” She poured the tea, set the cups on a tray, and carried them out of the kitchen.

  I followed behind.

  “Is it okay if we sit and talk in here?”

  “Of course.” I pulled out a cloth-covered dining chair in the formal dining room and sat down in front of the gold placemat, where she set down my tea. She sat across from me. Next to her placemat sat a purple folder. “Do you have any kids?” She asked.

  I smiled warmly. “I have a daughter, she’ll be eight next month.”

  “There’s so active, aren’t they?”

  “Yes, they are. My daughter has so much energy and everything is sparkly.”

  Amy grinned. “My girls too. After a weekend of art projects, there’s glitter covering nearly every inch of my house.” She paused and turned somber. “I’m sorry. It’s been a difficult few days.”

  “I’m so sorry for your loss.”

  “Thank you. I’m afraid it’s worse than that.”

  I took a sip of the tea and set it back down. “How so?”

  “I don’t know if I can read it aloud. It’s the letter my mother left - it’s in this folder. I also received the DNA test results a few hours ago. I printed them out too.”

  She slid the folder over to me.

  “I don’t even know what to say. It’s… Well, you’ll see.”

  “No worries, I’ll take a look and then we can talk about it.” I took the folder and opened it. The first page was a handwritten letter, presumably from Eloise. I read and my mouth dropped open, and I covered my heart with my hand.

  My dear Amy,

  I can no longer live with all the secrets and lies and the pain that we’ve caused. Your brother has his own demons, but I won’t get into that, as it’s his cross to bear. I feel I owe you the truth after all these years. I loved you from the day that you were born. Your father was a terrible man and I know that. I blame myself for what he did to you and to Charlotte. It wasn’t right to send her away, but I didn’t have the courage to stand up to your father. I should have demanded Charlotte stay with us and to let her raise you as a mother should have the right to raise her own child. She loved you and didn’t want to leave you behind, but I’m afraid your father gave her no choice. She wanted to call you Amelia, but your father wouldn’t have it. He’d agreed on the name Amy and so you became Amy. I truly believe leaving you behind broke Charlotte’s heart. I am ashamed and feel sick that I allowed this to happen to my own baby girl. Please forgive me and know that I will always love you.

  Love,

  Eloise ‘Mom’ Henley

  Eloise’s letter was an admission and an apology. How could she have let her husband send away her daughter? And what had the Henley’s father done to them? I had an awful guess. If I were right, how on God’s green earth could a mother let a man, or any person, abuse their child? I flipped the next page over to the DNA report and scanned them. Oh geez. It was as I had suspected. I glanced up at Amy, who sat stiff as a board. “Did you read the DNA results?”

  “Charlotte was my sister, but she was also my mother.”

  “I’m so sorry Amy. Are you okay?” That was a stupid question. Of course she wasn’t okay. She had just found out she was a product of incest and wasn’t even allowed to know her mother.

  “I called my therapist. We have a session tomorrow. I’ll be okay. I’m a survivor.”

  “Yes, you are.” Her strength inspired me. She reminded me of Kennedy, and not just her physical appearance. “Did you suspect that Charlotte might be your mother? Is that why you asked for the DNA test?”

  She nodded, and teardrops fell from her eyes. “My father, like my mother Eloise alluded to, was a vile man. He sexually abused me through my teen years. I left home after high school, graduated from college, and went into counseling. I’ve been in therapy for a long time and now I have a healthy marriage and two beautiful children.” She paused, drying her eyes before taking a sip of her tea. She set the teacup down on the saucer. “It’s not something I’ve ever shared with anyone other than my husband and my therapist. When you told me that Charlotte had been alive up until a few weeks ago, I hadn’t considered that maybe what my father had done to me, he had also done to Charlotte. After I found the letter, I confronted my brother, and he told me if I didn’t keep it quiet, I would ruin his political career and destroy our family’s reputation. He said he wouldn’t stand for it and then threatened me and my family if I ever went public with the truth about Charlotte and me, and my father’s abuse.”

  It must have been devastating to have her own brother prioritize his reputation over her mental health and her life. “I’m so sorry Amy.” I needed to stop saying that. I was beginning to even annoy myself. “I think you’re really brave to come to me and share this with me. Your brother was wrong to tell you to keep it a secret if you don’t want to. For some survivors, it can be very therapeutic to share their story.”

  I now understood the secret that Charlotte had kept, and why. She had been a victim of incest, and her daughter was also her sister. Based on what a devoted mother to Kennedy she had been, it must have broken her to leave Amy behind. Frank Henley must have known everything, which is why he’d done all he could to keep it a secret. I wished I could tell Amy that her brother was going to prison and very soon, but I couldn’t jeopardize the operation.

  “Maybe one day. I’m not quite there yet.”

  “I’d like to share this information with Kennedy - is that okay with you?”

  Amy nodded. “I’d like to meet her. She’s my sister.” She looked out the window. “I have a sister.” She returned her focus to me. “What is she like?”

  My heart broke for Amy and for Kenne
dy. “She works in corporate communications and lives in San Francisco. There is a striking resemblance between the two of you. She has the same long, straight strawberry-blonde hair and freckles. She’s strong and smart and kind. I actually went to high school with her and knew her while growing up.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes, she lived next door to my best friend.”

  “Isn’t that something?”

  “When I told her about you, Kennedy expressed interest in reaching out to you, but at the time she didn’t know that you were her sister.”

  “Is it possible for you to arrange a meeting between the two of us? After you’ve explained everything to her, I could come out to California. I discussed it with my husband, and he wants to come too and bring the girls.”

  “Absolutely.” Amy had a rough life. An unfair beginning, but I felt lighter knowing that I could bring her and Kennedy together. Maybe it would provide some closure for both of them.

  We said our goodbyes, and I returned to the car where Hirsch sat by himself. I opened the door and hopped in. I didn’t speak, still thinking about Amy and Kennedy’s situation.

  He frowned. “Was it that bad?”

  “It’s not great.” I explained the tragedy that spanned generations. Maybe Kennedy and Amy would unite and bring comfort to one another.

  46

  Martina

  The next morning, I sat across from Hirsch and sipped my latte, enjoying the warmth of the liquid running down into my belly. I’m not sure how people handled these freezing winters. I admitted it; I was a Bay-Area-weather wimp. I nodded as I agreed with Hirsch’s assessment of the Henley investigation. “Any idea what time they will take him down today?” I asked.

  “I think soon. All we can do now is wait to get the call from Deeley.”

  I took a bite of my veggie omelette and swallowed. I was pumped. I couldn’t wait to stare into Frank Henley’s eyes and watch him crumble. “So how do you know Callahan - that’s your connection in the FBI, right?”

  Hirsch wiped the corner of his mouth with his napkin and set it back down in his lap. “College buddies. We were roommates the last year, and we were in a lot of classes together. We both majored in criminal justice. I wanted to be a detective and went into police work. He went to Quantico. But we’ve kept in touch all these years. He’s a good guy.”

  “What is this class clown business?” I teased.

  “I may have made light of some of our more boring classes. My professors weren’t terribly appreciative, but I passed.”

  “Where did you go to college?”

  “UC San Diego.”

  “Were you also raised in California?”

  “I was. I grew up in Marin County.”

  So he came from money. It was an interesting choice to go into law enforcement, especially after obtaining a four-year degree. “Did you ever consider going into the FBI?”

  “When Callahan decided to go that route, I had considered it, but at the time, I was under the impression the FBI typically focused on financial and white-collar crimes and that didn’t appeal to me. From what I understood, it wasn’t very glamorous. But now, seeing how they had the reach to take down someone like Henley, I wonder if I made the right choice.”

  “It’s not too late to make a switch.”

  “True, but I’m finding I like the position at the Sheriff’s department. Any other questions?” He asked, with curiosity in his eyes.

  “Actually, yes. What’s your first name?”

  Hirsch lowered his eyes like he was embarrassed. “August.”

  August Hirsch. It’s not a name you heard every day. “Is your family German?”

  “Yep, on both sides. We’ve been in the U.S. for a long time, but our ancestors were from Germany.” It made sense. He was tall, with fair skin and baby-blue eyes.

  He tilted his head toward me. “What made you decide to join the Army after high school? You don’t seem like someone who enjoys following orders.”

  “Am I that obvious?”

  “I am a detective.”

  A grin crept up my face. “Touchè. No, not really. I didn’t take school too seriously when I was young. The Army seemed like a good way to see the world and then I’d figure I’d go to college afterward.”

  “Where did you go to college?”

  I shook my head. “I didn’t. Shortly after I was married, I got a little surprise we now call Zoey. Everything changed after that. I started working with Stavros and really enjoyed the work. I don’t regret joining the Army. I learned a lot about leadership and responsibility. I think it was the right path for me, but no, I’m not a fan of taking orders if I don’t think they’re the right orders.”

  “I get that. Zoey seems inquisitive, perhaps a mini-investigator in the making.”

  I chuckled. “That she is. She likes to hear about my cases. I usually leave out anything too dark or graphic, obviously. I mostly tell her about cases where I get to help people. The cheating spouses and fraudsters aren’t usually something we discuss. Speaking of helping people, we’re not far from closing Donna’s case and the Bernard murder case. What’s next for you?”

  “I’ll get whatever new murder pops up that needs investigating, and then I’ll pick out my next cold case.”

  “How did you decide to look into the Donna’s case? How do you pick your cold cases?”

  “After reviewing some of the files, Donna’s case seemed to have the least amount of investigative work done on it. Based on the statements and the lack of follow-up, I figured Donna didn’t get a chance to be found and I thought she deserved that. I guess I was trying to right a wrong.”

  Hirsch was a good guy. There was no question about that. “Have you ever looked into your brother’s case?”

  “Probably too much. I have a copy of the case file, but no luck so far. It’s tricky when I don’t have any forensic powers, and there are hardly any leads in the investigation.”

  Hirsch’s phone vibrated on the table. We gave each other knowing looks before he answered. “Hirsch.” He nodded. “All right, we’ll be there in fifteen minutes.”

  He slammed the phone down. Hirsch was excited. “They got him. Henley’s in custody and they’re reading him his rights. Deeley says we can interview him once they get him settled in and booked.”

  “All right, time to take this jerk down.”

  “With pleasure,” Hirsch said with satisfaction.

  The past few weeks had been a whirlwind. Hopefully, all this would come to one nice and neat conclusion. I was looking forward to getting my piece of Frank Henley. I wanted to watch him squirm. I wanted to see the look on his face when we told him we had him on conspiracy to commit murder and that he’d never be a free man again. I wanted justice for Donna and for Theodore Gilmore and for myself. The jerk ordered my death and threatened my daughter. Nobody gets away with that.

  Hirsch and I sat directly in front of Frank Henley, while Special Agent Deeley leaned up against the wall, arms crossed. The energy in the room was a mix of adrenaline-fueled excitement and panic. The panic was all Frank Henley’s.

  We all wanted to grill him until there was nothing left. I studied his face and his demeanor. He was partially bald, with strands of gray hair along the sides. His eyes were a dark green like dirty emeralds, and he was fit.

  Hirsch agreed I could get first crack at Henley, since he had killed my best friend and then tried to kill me. I didn’t mind playing that card. “Hello Senator, or is it okay if I call you Frank?”

  He ignored my question and my presence.

  No worries. “My name is Martina Monroe, private investigator. You may know the name since you conspired to commit my murder? Does my name ring a bell now?”

  He looked to the side, ignoring my gaze. “Or maybe you know me from my younger years? I was Donna Bernard’s best friend. The same Donna Bernard you ordered Alonso Ricci to murder.” He wouldn’t meet my stare.

  My heart was racing, and I wanted to pounce on top of him and st
rangle him. But I was in control. I wasn’t the one facing a life sentence and didn’t plan on it in the future.

  He turned and glanced up at Special Agent Deeley. “I said I want my lawyer.”

  Deeley shrugged. “He’s not here yet. As soon as he gets here, I will let you know right away. Don’t you worry.”

  Frank Henley looked ahead at me. “I think you’ve mistaken me for somebody else and just so you know, I’m not saying a word until my lawyer gets here.”

  I nodded. “That’s probably smart, but it won’t help you. You see, your friend Alonso Ricci, sang like a little birdie. And before you deny knowing him, you should also know that the feds had wiretaps on your phones and have you and him on tape discussing my murder. Alonso took a deal. He told us about how you ordered him to murder Donna Bernard and to murder Theodore Gilmore and to have me killed. Between those charges and what the SEC and the FBI have on you, there isn’t a lawyer in this country or this universe that will get you out of this. I won’t get into what the FBI has on you, but they’ve got a lot, which is why you’re sitting here. But, what we have on you back in California may be even worse.” I glanced over at Hirsch.

  It was Hirsch’s turn. “Yes, I’m sorry I didn’t introduce myself. My name is Detective Hirsch. I’m a homicide detective out in California. I’ll be the one who will charge you with the murders of Donna Bernard and Theodore Gilmore, and the attempted murder of Martina Monroe.”

  The senator rolled his eyes as if all of this was preposterous. There was a mountain of evidence against Henley. According to Deeley, the FBI and the SEC had the evidence to put him away for a long time.

  As I continued to watch the senator, he remained stoic and unaffected by the entire situation. He was a cold man. A cold man that had threatened his own sister, even though she had endured horrible abuse and separation from her biological mother.