by Andrew Hess
That was it. Our leads were drying up fast and we weren’t anywhere close enough to finding this Puppet Master’s real name or any evidence linking him to any of the homicides.
“Ali, did you hear back from the A.D.A. yet?” Rodney asked.
I shook my head as the Lieutenant reached for the phone. He quickly dialed the number and asked to speak with Ms. Reed.
“Lieutenant Esposito,” she said with a bit of annoyance in her voice. “How can I help you?”
“I wanted to check on the status of the warrants Detective Ryan inquired about. Were you able to get them?”
“No, not yet. The judge wants more evidence than just the word of a woman set to stand trial for murder.”
“How are we supposed to get more evidence when this is the best lead we have?” I shouted.
“Detective, I suggest you find alternative methods to getting the answers you seek. Maybe go down there and speak to someone in charge and use your,” she let out a brief cough, “charm to persuade them.”
At that moment I wanted cram my charm down her throat. If I had done things my way, I would’ve been down there raising hell until I got what I wanted. Instead, I decided to do things by the book.
“Fine, I’ll pay them a visit later today.”
The Lieutenant hung up the call and placed both hands on his desk. “You’re taking him with you.” He pointed to James. “Hopefully you can keep each other in line for the rest of the day, or do I need to send someone to babysit you.” His eyes skirted towards Rodney.
Although it would be good for him to be back in the field, I couldn’t risk him jeopardizing the case. “That won’t be necessary.”
“I should hope not. Now, I believe you all have some work to do. Detective Johnson, you are free to do as you please, but I suggest you try to keep your nose clear of the investigation.”
That was the Lieutenant’s way of telling him to back off just enough to not get caught. It was something I had been told many times. Wow, he really is my partner.
Chapter 32-Ali
I told James I would call him before going to speak with the person responsible for the self-help seminars. It was still early in the day, and I wanted to catch up with Mrs. Alvarado before getting carried away with work again.
The moment my car pulled up in front of the house, Mrs. Alvarado flung open the door and started down the steps to greet me. I tried to move faster so she didn’t have to walk as far, but she made it halfway down the path by the time she caught up to me.
“Ali, my dear,” Mrs. Alvarado said as she threw her arms around me. She was five inches shorter than me, but still managed to bring me down to her level with a single hug. “It’s so good to see you. How’ve you been?”
I’m doing well. I’m back working again.”
“Don’t tell me they got you on another case already.”
“Kind of…it’s more like a bunch of cases from the last year that all center around one person.”
She stared at me for a moment before shaking her head. “Let’s talk more inside.” Her hand rested at the small of my back as we walked back to the house together. She led me to the kitchen and began taking plates of food from the fridge.
“Mrs. Alvarado, that’s not necessary.”
“Nonsense. You’re a guest in my home. It’s only right that I offer you something to eat.” Mrs. Alvarado seemed to take hospitality to a whole other level.
We sat down and had lunch together, letting us get to know each other a little better. I told her more about my life growing up on the farm with my parents and sister. She told me more about her sons as she showed me more albums filled with pictures of them growing up.
Then she showed me the one for Matthew. The lump in my throat grew to the size of a golf ball as I stared at his picture. I was ridden with guilt. Guilt over choosing to help Rodney prove his innocence while Alvarado family grieved over their loss. Guilt for starting something with James when Matthew died a couple months ago.
“Mrs. Alvarado, I have something I need to tell you.”
Her hand held the page upright as she began to turn it. Her mouth hung open as she waited for me to continue, but I didn’t know what to say next.
“I think your son’s death is part of something much bigger than we initially thought.” The page of pictures fell onto the rest. I could see the questions formulating in her mind, but no words managed to come out. “It turns out the suspect in Matthew’s murder may not have been the shooter after all.”
“Don’t tell me you’re standing with that man because he’s a fellow officer. He shot my boy. He deserves justice.”
“I agree; there should be justice for Matthew’s death. But there are several pieces of evidence that contradict the initial theory.” I wanted to show her the evidence. I wanted to make her understand that Rodney wasn’t the bad guy. “I can’t go into details, but the person responsible for the shooting is the same man who’s been behind several other murders including two recent homicides.”
Mrs. Alvarado stared into my eyes as she placed her hands on top of mine. “I know you loved my son. If you think this man is innocent, then you do what you must. I trust you to find my son’s killer.”
“I promise you; I will.” Wiping the tears from our faces, we continued flipping through the pages of the photo album. Towards the end of the book, I saw a picture that caught my eye. It was Matthew dressed in one of his suits, standing in front of a sign that said Confidence Builders. “Where was this picture taken?”
Mrs. Alvarado pulled the album closer. “That was taken a few years ago, when Matthew started his company.”
“I’m sorry; what company?” She cocked her head to the side studying my clueless expression. I knew how it appeared. I dated her son for almost a year and had no idea what he did for a living.
“Matthew wanted to help people, and opened up a company which catered to building confidence. His seminars took him all over the country for a while, but got his start here. I believe the group still hosts a meeting every week in his building.”
“Do you know who took over after Matthew’s death?”
“No, but I assume it was his business partner, Mr. Lewis.”
“Thanks, Mrs. Alvarado.” I hugged her and made a move for the front door. The moment her hand closed around my wrist, I froze and was rooted to the spot.
“Ali, he would want you to be happy.”
“Excuse me?”
“My Matthew, he’d want you to be happy. Find his killer. Bring him justice. Find someone that makes you happy and don’t let go.”
It was the reason I came to see Mrs. Alvarado. I wanted some sort of sign telling me to move on. Hearing her give me permission cleared away any guilt I felt.
“I will,” I replied. “But I’m taking down the low-life responsible for this first.”
The moment I entered my car, I took a deep breath, clearing my mind of any lingering thoughts of guilt. The hard part was over, and my focus was back to catching a killer. Knowing I needed to do some research first, I texted James to meet me at the station.
I beat him there and raced to my computer, looking up all the information I could on Matthew Alvarado and his company. Before long, I knew his entire business history; when he started it, where it was located, how long they stayed local before expanding, and who is business partner was.
By the time James showed up, I had everything I needed to know about the company. I just hoped both of us could keep calm while questioning Matthew’s business partner.
We took his car to the office building and flashed our badges to convince the secretary to let us speak with Mr. Lewis. He was surprised by our visit, which was evident by the wide eyed expression as he shifted focus from James to me and back again.
“Detectives, how can I help you?”
“We’re investigating a string of homicides that have occurred over the last year. We were hoping you could help us by answering a few questions?”
“Yes, of cour
se. I’ll be happy to answer whatever I can.”
“How long have you been in business?” James asked.
“We’ve been in business for the last six years.”
“In those six years, would you say you have gone through many employees and volunteers?” My follow up question took him a bit by surprise.
“I-I don’t really know the exact number. My business partner handled more of the operations, staffing and training. I handle more of the marketing and event planning.”
“So you’re familiar with your staff then?”
“Are you insinuating a member of our staff is a murderer?”
“That’s what we’re here to find out. In the last year, we took down two suspects that were responsible for a total of ten murders. One of them confessed she was working with another person and claims to have met him at one of your meetings.”
“Did she give you a name?”
“No, she said he went up to the podium to deliver his presentation. She never heard his name. The suspect said she saw him several times since then at the meetings, but he never presented after that.”
“Detective, that does nothing to help narrow down the list of possible suspects. We have some of the men and women who have improved their lives thanks to our seminars, go up and tell their story. The list of people could be endless.”
“This would be only within the last year or two.”
“Sure, I’d be happy to help prepare that list for you. I just need to see a warrant first.” He looked at us with a smug look. “What; no warrant? I’m sorry, Detectives. I suggest you come back when you’ve gone through the proper channels to obtain confidential information.”
“You realize you’re helping this guy get away with murder. The same man that killed your business partner.”
“I would love to help, but my hands are tied. Come back when you have those warrants.”
I could feel the hostility rising within me. I was ready to jump over the desk and throttle the man for withholding the information from us. I think James could sense it too. He grabbed my hand under the table and gave it a squeeze.
“Come on; let’s go, Ali.” Taking me by the hand, he led me away from the office.
“How dare you treat me like a child in front of him,” I snapped the moment we walked outside.
“I’m sorry, but I know you. You were about to go off on him and blow any chance we had at getting him to cooperate.”
“So what are we supposed to do?”
“We need to find a way to back him into a corner.”
“I think I have just the trick.” I strutted to the car brimming with confidence. “Are you just gonna stand there all day?” I asked while glancing over my shoulder.
“Sorry, just admiring the view.”
“Well hurry up. We need to get down to the courthouse.”
James must have read my mind as he swiped at his lips in frustration. “You know that woman hates me; right?”
“Yup, that’s why you’re staying in the car. Now let’s go.”
Chapter 33-PM
An emergency court hearing was issued on behalf of Dr. Claire Cain. Since word of her attorney’s death got out, the judge felt it was in the best interest of the case to meet with the defendant and the A.D.A. to work out some sort agreement.
Lucky for the Puppet Master, he along with a few other individuals were allowed in the courtroom during this hearing. He sat off to the side, hiding his face from Claire and Stacey Reed. It’s not like it mattered much. Reed was too busy scrambling through her papers trying to file a motion with the judge while Claire had a petrified look on her face.
“Dr. Cain, as I understand it, your attorney Ms. Reynolds was a victim of a homicide. My condolences goes out to you and her family. However, we still have a trial to proceed with.”
“Your Honor,” Claire said as she stood up suddenly from her table. “How am I supposed to continue without a lawyer? Can’t we declare a mistrial or something?”
“Objection,” Ms. Reed snapped.
The judge held up his hand to silence the prosecution. “Dr. Cain, since the jury has not heard any testimony yet, there are no grounds to rule this a mistrial. However, due to the circumstances surrounding your case, and with the passing of your attorney, I have decided to push the trial back by three months. I expect you to find a new attorney in the next couple of weeks. If you cannot afford one, the court will assign you a public defender. They will then have two months before court will resume. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes, Your Honor.”
“Good. Now have you and Ms. Reed come to an agreement on your other situation?” The judge didn’t need to specify what he was referring to. Everyone in the courtroom knew what he meant, including the Puppet Master.
“We have your honor,” Ms. Reed announced.
“Splendid. Are there any more issues that need to be addressed?” His eyes searched the courtroom, falling briefly on the each person. “Then if there’s nothing else, court is adjourned.”
The Puppet Master rose to his feet, ducking out of the courtroom before anyone recognized him.
Shit, I can’t wait three months for this trial. I need to put an end to this now. Various thoughts and ideas ran through his head as he paced the hall. That’s when he saw her, the woman that he vowed to destroy. His head snapped back to the doors where Stacey Reed made her exit. He was trapped with little room for him to escape without someone recognizing him.
“Ms. Reed,” Ali shouted as she hurried to greet the Assistant District Attorney. “I need a moment of your time.”
“I already told you, I haven’t received word on those warrants you asked for. They might take a while.”
Warrants, the Puppet Master thought. What warrants? What is that little witch up to? He wanted to get closer and hear their conversation, but knew it would only make him look more suspicious. It was killing him not to know what the Great Ali Ryan had up her sleeve.
Seeing his moment to slip out, the Puppet Master escaped the courthouse and returned to his car. He looked back through the slits in his eyes. A venomous rage coursed through his mind as he pictured Ali Ryan, Claire Cain, and Stacey Reed plotting to take him down.
“It’s the beginning of the end for you ladies.”
********************************************************
Ali
James dropped me off in front of the courthouse before driving off to find someplace to park. Knowing how horrendous his first impression on Stacey Reed was, we felt it would be best if he stayed in the car or hanging out near the entrance. Me on the other hand, I had the same love/hate relationship I shared with my lieutenant, only instead of love, it was more of a toleration.
After getting through security I searched the halls for Ms. Reed, finding her emerge from one of the courtrooms. Just the woman I was looking for. I set course straight for her shouting her name as I rushed down the hall to meet her.
She brought up the warrants and how she hadn’t heard back on them yet. “This takes time.”
“Time is something we don’t have. This psycho is on the warpath and he’s going after everyone that’s tied to Claire.”
She pulled me close to her, checked a nearby courtroom and dragged me inside. She brought me to the center of the room. Thankfully, no one was inside.
“I am doing everything I can to protect that woman. She has given us little to work with and expects us to keep her and all of her friends safe.”
“She gave us more than we thought.” I sat down on one of the benches, bringing Ms. Reed along with me. “I stopped by Mrs. Alvarado’s house today.” The expressionless face told me she had no idea who I was referring to. “Matthew Alvarado’s mother. The man my partner is on trial for shooting.”
“Oh yes. I’m sorry; I’ve had a lot on my plate today.”
“When I stopped by her house, she showed me pictures of her kids growing up. I found one picture a bid odd and started asking questions. Apparently Matthew
opened up a company called Confidence Builders years ago, and set up shop here. After a while he expanded the company, but kept the location here as his office. It just so happens to be the same place Claire mentioned.”
“Great. I suggest you go down there and see what you can find out. In the meantime, I’ll see about getting you those warrants.”
She tried to walk away, but I grabbed her wrist. “Detective Thornton and I already paid Mr. Lewis a visit. He wasn’t too talkative. In fact he seemed unfazed when I brought up his dead business partner.”
“Really?” I could see the wheels turning in her head. Maybe she was thinking the same thing I was. “What did he say when you brought up what Claire said?”
“I never referenced her name, but he said he would be willing to cooperate if and when we produced the warrants.”
Ms. Reed stood up and paced the aisle of the courtroom. She had a look of concern and hopefulness in her eyes. “This…this is good.”
Good? She thought me being turned away was a good thing? How the hell was it a good thing? “Do you think he’s the one behind it?”
“That is something you and your partner should look into. In the meantime, I have a few things to look into and sort out for another case.”
This was it, our first suspect in the case. Why didn’t I see it sooner? Why didn’t I ask more questions about Matthew when he was alive? Maybe I could’ve seen it coming. Maybe I could’ve stopped him from killing Matthew. Those thoughts lingered in my head as I walked out of the courthouse.
“Hey, you all right?” James asked.
The fog lifted the moment I heard his words. “Huh…yeah. I’m fine.” The lie just came out without thinking.
“How did things go with the A.D.A.?”
“Nothing on the warrants, but she believes we should look into Mr. Lewis a bit more.” If I had it my way, he would already be cuffed and thrown in jail.
“Is he officially being named a suspect?”
“We both think so.”
“Then I suggest we start digging around and find out all we can about Mr. Lewis. You wanna make the calls?”
