Blind Retribution

by K. T. Roberts

  “Jack Hughes.”

  Max jotted down the name on her pad. “Ah, so you do have an enemy.” He shot her a look. “Tell me about him and why you think he did it.”

  “I hope this doesn’t wind up in the newspapers, but Helen was planning to leave me for Jack, and I talked her out of it. All she ever wanted was for me to show her that I loved her.”

  “Are you saying she was having an affair with this Mr. Hughes?” Max questioned.

  “Yes, she was. For about a year.”

  “How do you know it was anything more than just a friendship?”

  “Because I had her followed by a private investigator when I began to suspect something was going on. When the PI confirmed my suspicions, it was a wake-up call, and I realized what I would be losing if she left me. Before our troubles, we had something very special.”

  “What is the name of that private investigator?” she asked.

  “Rodney Gilchrest.”

  “And he has photographs.”

  “Yes, he does.”

  “I assume you confronted her?”

  “I did, and that’s when she told me she was leaving me for Jack. At first, I was angry, but after I thought about it, I realized all Helen ever really wanted from me was love and devotion. We had that once, and I knew if I showed her how much she meant to me, we could rekindle what we’d lost. I had to put my ego aside, and that’s when I begged her to stay and I made those promises that I fully intended to keep. That bastard Hughes took that away from me.”

  “I’d caution you about being so adamant about him killing her.” Her brows rose. “We’ll question him and see where it goes from there.” She jotted down more notes. “It sounds like you know this man well. Can you tell me where you met?”

  “He and I have been arch-rivals since high school, if you can believe that, always trying to outdo one another, whether it was driving the best car, dating the most popular girls in school—anything that was competitive, we challenged the other.”

  “I’m concerned about some of the things you’ve said here today, Dr. Barrett. I know you’re upset about your wife, but I can’t help but wonder if convincing Helen to remain with you was more about proving something to this Hughes guy.”

  “Absolutely not,” he shot back. “I don’t need to prove anything to anyone.”

  “Except this Mr. Hughes?”

  “Well, okay.” Barrett bristled, his chest rising from a deep intake of air. “At this point in my life, I’ve made my mark on society while Hughes is still trying. He’s a shoddy artist who lost his fortune on bad investments and I’m a successful surgeon. Seriously, Detective, which man would you have chosen?”

  “What I’d like to know, now that you’ve brought it up, is are you saying the only reason you believe your wife stayed with you was your money?”

  “No.” His eyes closed in frustration. “I’m just saying I had more to offer her than he did.”

  Max had her doubts about his devotion to his wife. His vacillating tones when he spoke of her were curious. “Do you know where he lives?” she asked.

  “Hilary Gardens.”

  “Is that the building over on Mercer Street?”

  “Yes. I don’t know where in that building, but I guess you can get that information.”

  “Thank you.” She noted the information. “Okay, Dr. Barrett . . . how about we move on to something else?” Max could see he wasn’t happy about her shutting down his ego trip. “Please continue about Helen giving up Jack to stay with you.”

  He huffed out a frustrated breath. “At first, Helen was skeptical, but when I suggested I wanted to renew our vows . . . you know, to wash the slate clean—have a new beginning of sorts so we could leave all the other crap behind and start fresh—she agreed to stay.”

  “And that’s all it took?” Max asked.

  “No. I had to promise to work fewer hours at the hospital and find more time to play and travel. Once I agreed to those stipulations, she decided this was where she belonged—right here with me.”

  Max kept a watchful eye on his reactions. “So how did this Mr. Hughes take it when she broke off the relationship?”

  “Just as you’d expect. He was furious. He even came to the hospital and stared me down in the cafeteria. I suspect it was right after Helen told him it was over and I was the winner. I don’t know, maybe he thought he was going to scare me.”

  “And did he?”

  “Hell no.” Barrett’s brows pulled together.

  “Did he threaten you?”

  “Not really, but he didn’t like that I’d told him to stay the hell away from my wife.” Barrett rubbed a hand over his mouth. “I have no doubt if I’d hung around a little longer, he would have seen fit to threaten me.”

  “But he didn’t.”

  “The guy has one helluva temper. I’m also sure he knew she wasn’t allowed to drive my car, so why wouldn’t he try to extinguish me so he could have Helen all to himself?”

  “Unless I can prove your claim, Doctor, it’s merely speculation. But it’s a good place for us to start our investigations.” Max noticed the way he was glaring at her and wondered if he’d expected her to stop questioning him and leave immediately to arrest Jack just on his authoritative claim. “We have a lot more than that to investigate before we can draw any conclusions.”

  “You know,” he said, looking past her shoulder, “I knew the minute I laid eyes on Helen that she was going to be my soulmate. She was such a caring person. And”—his voice softened—“did you know that Helen opened a preschool for children from the ages of two to five years old because we couldn’t have children? It’s called The Little Tykes Academy. Isn’t that precious?” he asked.

  “No, I didn’t know that. I hadn’t heard of it before today, but that is a wonderful way to fill a void.”

  “I really loved that about her.” His eyes became glassy. “Honestly, there’s not another person on this planet who could ever take her place.” His fingertips reached up and massaged his temples.

  “Want to take something for that headache?” Max asked.

  “No, it can wait.” He paused then continued. “As for the troubles in our marriage, we just got a little sidetracked, that’s all. When she finally agreed to stay,” he said, “I wanted her to know there’d be no more holding back, that she was more important to me than my toy, so I gave her the keys to my car to prove it. Now, I’m sorry I did. But if I hadn’t, you’d be questioning her right now instead of me.”

  His odd comment gave Max pause and had her feeling unsure of how to take it. Was he saying he wished it was him, or that he was glad it was her? She stood upright, deciding she’d had enough information for one day and could come back another time to question him. “All right, Dr. Barrett, we’re going to end this session for today. I’m sure we’ll be talking again as evidence develops.”

  “And you’re going to question Hughes, right?”

  “Yes, that’s the plan.” She buttoned her jacket. “Can you get that surveillance footage for me?”

  “Of course.” She followed him down the hall to a closet filled with monitors. He placed the disk in a slim jewel case and handed it to her.

  When Max heard the maid call out to the doctor, she realized Howie must have wrapped up his conversation too. She closed her notebook and nodded to Howie, who was now standing in the hallway. On the walk back to the vehicle with her partner, Max had an unsettled feeling in her gut about Barrett.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  “Hey,” Max said, turning to Howie as she slid behind the steering wheel. “Did the maid ever mention the name Jack Hughes?”

  “No.” Howie frowned, his eyes hooded in question. “Who’s Jack Hughes?” he asked.

  “Our victim’s boy toy.”

  “Ah, now we’re getting somewhere.” Howie gave a shake of his head and snickered. “I think it’s interesting how most people envy these wealthy jet-setters. If they only knew how screwed up most of them are, they wouldn’t waste a
nother minute on wishing they were them.” Howie blinked. “So tell me more about Barrett.”

  Max began filling Howie in on the details of her conversation with Jeffrey Barrett as she pulled out of the driveway and onto the main street.

  “No doubt we’ll be paying a visit to the boyfriend.”

  “No doubt,” Max said with a nod. “But Barrett’s emotions ran hot and cold; I’m just not sure about him. This is what has me confused. How does a husband forgive his partner who cheated on him?” Her lips tightened. “I think something’s fishy, but I don’t have a clue about what to even suggest it might be.” Max’s chin jutted out. “So, tell me what the maid gave you about their marital issues.”

  “She said they fought constantly and went for long periods of time without speaking. From what she told me, it sounds like they lived as married singles and even slept in separate bedrooms. That’s why she was so happy to see them get back together.”

  “Married singles? Separate bedrooms? A cheating wife? Wow. Now I understand why Barrett didn’t tell me about any of those things.” Max cussed out a driver who cut her off. “Did you see what that jerk just did?” she shouted.

  “It’s nothing new in this city. Ignore it.”

  Max forced a breath out to relieve the tension. “Did this Maddie say anything about seeing either of them with a lover?”

  “No.” Howie tapped his hand on his thigh. “But we need to keep in mind that now that he’s her only source of income, Barrett just became Maddie’s highest priority.”

  “Exactly, and you can’t blame her for wanting to protect him. Did she mention seeing anything strange happen after the party?” Max passed a slow-moving car, honking her horn with impatience.

  “No,” Howie said, shaking his head. “She claims that after cleaning up, she left the residence and walked back to her place so exhausted, she plopped down on the bed, fell asleep, and didn’t wake up until this morning. She even fell asleep with her clothes on.”

  “Is she married? Did her husband see anything?”

  “She’s married and, like I said before, she lives with her two sons. Hubby’s still in Jamaica taking care of her other kids.”

  “Tell me about the sons,” Max asked, subconsciously sliding her hands back and forth over the steering wheel.

  “Both in their twenties, clean records, each has a job. One works at the local pizzeria doing dishes; the other works at a securities firm sorting mail.”

  “Did you talk to them?”

  “I would have if they had been home.”

  Max looked at him quizzically.

  “They’re in Jamaica visiting their father.”

  “How convenient. When did they leave?”

  “She didn’t say, but I’ll check with the airlines for the time frame.”

  “Did she say when they were due to return?” she asked.

  “I neglected to ask.”

  Max huffed out a frustrated breath, making her irritation known without saying anything. Howie defended himself.

  “I know, Max, I know.” Howie’s hand lifted in surrender. “I’m sorry. I had intended to ask, but listening to her tell me about the Barretts’ relationship issues, and then my realizing that just a few weeks later they were renewing vows, I was thinking about other questions, and the conversation just never got back to her sons.”

  “But you did get their names so you can do a check on them?”

  “Yes, boss lady, I did,” Howie said with a salute. It was his way of letting Max know she was treating him like a rookie.

  Max cleared her throat. She knew she had a tendency to be a little too aggressive. “Thank you,” she said. “Before you verify the sons’ records in the database, though, double-check Jack Hughes’s address. Let’s go to see him right now.” She gave him the street name, then listened to the clicking sound of Howie’s nimble fingers gliding over the keyboard. “He’s right. It’s on Mercer Street, right in the heart of the Village.” Howie stopped talking and stared at her profile.

  “What?” she asked. Max knew what was coming next. Whenever Max showed irritation toward him, Howie would try to make nice. She pushed her annoyance aside and reminded herself of all their years together. She owed him some slack.

  “What’s new with you?”

  “Other than going to a Yankees game a few weeks ago, I haven’t been out much.”

  “What Yankees game?” Howie shot back with surprise.

  “Didn’t I tell you?” She knew she hadn’t, nor had she intended to today, but the words just seemed to slip out. Howie was shaking his head.

  “Well, my brother-in-law had a ticket he couldn’t use, and Julie made me take it because I don’t get out enough. She thought I might meet someone who was interesting and I’d start dating.”

  “And did you?”

  Max smirked. “Oh yeah, I met someone all right.”

  “Great,” Howie said with enthusiasm.

  “No. It wasn’t so great.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that,” Howie said. “What happened?”

  “A foul ball came into the stands. I reached for it at the same time the guy in front of me did, only he had on a baseball glove and he got it.” She huffed. “I let him know that I thought it was unfair, and I wanted it for my nieces, but he told me the same thing.” She humphed. “Yeah, like I really believed his story.” Her knuckles on the wheel were white with strain. “And then the bozo offered to buy me a hot dog and a soda, like that was some kind of peace offering for being an asshole.”

  “Did he give you the ball then?”

  “No.” She reached for another piece of gum and popped it into her mouth.

  “Did you take the hot dog?”

  “Hell no. He was a jerk . . . except I have to admit he was hot.”

  “Ah, so he piqued some interest.”

  “No, he didn’t.”

  “You’re lying.”

  She glanced over at him with disbelief in her pose.

  “Every time you lie, your chin juts out.” He laughed. “You liked him.” Max shot him a dirty look. “Go ahead, admit it.”

  “Well, maybe a little, but I’m still mad about that ball.”

  “Uh-huh,” Howie said.

  “Stop patronizing me.”

  “I’m not, Max. But sometimes I know you better than you know yourself.”

  Her hand flew in the air. “Okay. You got me. But I’ll never see him again anyway—even if I go to another Yankees game. We weren’t in box seats. They were just regular seats.” Max rubbed her earlobe. “And you know, the other damn thing that annoyed me about Mr. I-know-you’re-dying-to-date-me was his confidence.”

  “Sounds like your kind of guy,” Howie said with a silly smile on his face. “Describe him in five words.”

  “He was average.”

  “That wasn’t five words,” he teased. “Go ahead, tell me just how average this guy was,” he egged her on.

  “Tall, trim, dark curly hair with deep green eyes and the deepest cleft in his chin that made him . . . well, very appealing.” She sighed. “Too bad he was such an asshole.”

  “Ah, now see, that was more than five. You liked this guy.”

  “I did not,” Max said, giving Howie a light punch in the arm.

  “And what did your sister say when you told her?”

  “Who? The matchmaker?”

  “Do you have another sister?”

  “No.” Max released a low laugh. “Uh, I only told her a little bit about him. Mostly that he was a jerk.” Distracted by the traffic, Max groaned and flipped on her siren to move drivers out of the way. The loud whoop, whoop had some cars moving over slightly, but without anywhere to go, the few inches made little difference. When the light changed, the traffic moved up enough for Max to take a side street. “Awesome,” she said, turning off the siren and easing down the quiet street, where residents sat on the steps in front of their apartment buildings taking in the fall weather. A group of young boys played on the sidewalk, and one of
the kids grabbed the cap off his friend’s head and flung it into the street. He darted out in front of the car. Max stopped short, stretched her arms out, and then gripped the steering wheel to release the tension. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

  Howie rolled down the window and chided the group. “That was clever, punks.” The only response he received was a cluster of fingers all giving him the bird.

  “Nice.” He rolled the window back up. “These kids today have no respect. If they were my kids, I’d kick their asses all the way around the block.”

  “Yeah, well, everything seems to be acceptable these days. Chances of them changing are next to none.” Making a right-hand turn, Max was curious about Howie’s opinion. “So what did you think of Barrett?”

  “I’m having a hard time believing he didn’t do it.” Howie’s eyebrow quirked questionably. Stretching his fingers out, he counted out the reasons. “First, the wife cheated on him for who knows how long; second, she was planning to leave him not long ago—and then all is forgiven a few weeks later and they renew their vows? Seriously? With statistics showing eighty-three percent of spousal murders being committed by the partner, I think we need to take a long hard look at him,” Howie said.

  “And we will.”

  “And another thing,” Howie said, “don’t tell me you were falling for his crying jag. I think that was his guilty conscience working overtime for killing her.”

  “We’ve seen it enough times,” she said, making her last turn onto Mercer. Noticing there was no on-street parking, Max found a public parking garage across from the swanky apartment building Hughes lived in. She drove down the steep slope to the attendant, holding out her badge, and he flagged her on. After thanking him, she pulled the car into a parking space close to the elevator.

  “Okay, let’s do it.” Howie nodded, maneuvering out of the car. Stepping into the elevator, they rode up to the street level, crossed over Mercer to the entrance of Hilary Gardens, and walked up to the clerk at the reception desk. They identified themselves. “We’re here to see Jack Hughes. Can you tell us where his apartment is located?”

  He entered the information into his computer. “Would you like our security officers to assist you?”