Take Stock in Murder

by Millie Mack

  Carrie’s day in court was very short. Even though the district attorney argued against bail, the judge felt there wasn’t sufficient evidence that Carrie was a flight risk. Bail was set at $250,000, and Charles was ready with the 10 percent requirement. Carrie was released.

  Charles drove Carrie home in silence. They were back in their kitchen before either of them spoke. “Carrie, can I get you anything?” he asked softly.

  She smiled weakly. “No, just being home is enough.”

  “Carrie, I’m so sorry. I had no idea.” Carrie reached up and placed her forefinger across Charles’s lips.

  “Darling, don’t. It’s not your fault.” She went over to the counter and took a tea bag from the canister. “Look, we’ll talk later. I’m going to fix myself a cup of tea. Then I’m going to climb into bed and get some sleep. I missed most of last night’s slumber.”

  “All right, darling.” Charles kissed her and held her for a brief moment.

  While Carrie fixed her tea, Charles slipped upstairs and ran a hot whirlpool bubble bath. When Carrie came up, he had drawn the window curtains and lit the room with a series of candles.

  “Oh, Charles, a hot bath. Just what I need. Won’t you join me?”

  “No. I didn’t do it for that reason. You enjoy. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

  To think that Todd questioned why I would marry a man like Charles, she thought as she slid farther into the bubbling pool. Charles returned with a glass of Carrie’s favorite wine and a plate of cheese and crackers.

  “I’ll be downstairs if you want me.”

  “Stay for a few minutes and talk to me.” She paused as she took a sip of wine. “What do we do now?”

  “Hugh feels the police have nothing more than circumstantial evidence. He feels the police jumped the gun because of pressure from the Barringtons to do something. Apparently, Edward and Brad Barrington have been calling the police every day for progress reports.”

  “Speaking of the guns, what about the gun they found?”

  “We know it isn’t ours, but I’m sure the tests will show it’s the murder weapon. Finding that gun is the one item that allowed the police to make you the candidate of choice for an arrest. I gave Hugh all of Dawn’s information concerning the gun.”

  Charles fixed a cracker for Carrie. “However, there are facts that help us, not the police. The house was broken into. Thank God we reported it. It supports our story that the gun was planted. The gun had no fingerprints on it. It’s highly unlikely that the murderer would wipe her fingerprints from the gun and then hide the gun on a bookshelf in her house. And, of course, there’s the anonymous phone call.” Charles dashed off the facts with lightning speed.

  “What about my purse being found at the Club? That adds to their case.”

  “It’s still circumstantial. You and I know someone took it from the front seat of your car when you returned to the Club the second time. However, it could just as easily have been left in the library when the altercation occurred with Todd, as we led the police to believe.”

  “But Charles, at a trial we’ll have to tell the truth. We can’t rely on what we led the police to believe.” A slight desperation showed in her voice. “Even though it’s all circumstantial evidence, the police have lots of it. The issue is, we don’t have any evidence that clears me.” Carrie gave way to a huge yawn.

  “Don’t worry. We still have leads to follow.”

  “You’re right. In fact, I can think of one lead I want to follow. Let me get a few hours’ sleep, and then let’s go shoe shopping.”

  “Oh, no you don’t. You’re off this case as of today.”

  “Oh, Charles, buying shoes can’t hurt anything.”

  “Carrie, you have been formally charged with murder. And while you and I know you’re innocent, if you continue to pursue leads, well…Hugh thinks you may damage your case. The police think our activities are a means of covering up, not uncovering information. I don’t want us to provide them with any additional evidence.”

  “Charles, if the tables were turned and you were the one charged with murder, would you be sitting at home, waiting for events to unfold around you?” Charles didn’t respond, as he knew she had a point. “You know you wouldn’t. So don’t tell me to sit quietly.”

  “Don’t forget we were a public spectacle at the Club on Saturday, when we were only suspects. Now with a formal charge, going out in public will be much worse. Your arrest was the front-page headline in the Tri-County Gazette this morning. And lots of people have been calling. I stopped answering. The machine can gather the calls.”

  “All the more reason for not staying cooped up in this house like I’m guilty. I’ve done nothing wrong. Besides…” Her voice faltered, as the words were difficult to say. “If things don’t work out the way we hope, I’ll have plenty of time to be cooped up.”

  “Don’t even talk that way. Nothing will happen to you. I won’t let it happen.”

  “I know you won’t. Now get out of here and let a girl finish her bath.”

  “Don’t stay in the water too long.” Charles left, but not before he noticed a small tear rolling down her cheek. When he checked on her a half hour later, she was curled up in bed, sound asleep. Baxter had slipped onto the bed and was keeping her warm.

  Charles took the opportunity to get Hugh on the phone.

  “Hugh, it’s Charles Faraday. Thank you for your help today.”

  “No problem. I’m glad I was there for you. How’s Carrie?”

  “She seems fine.”

  “Is Carrie there with you?”

  “No, she’s upstairs asleep.”

  “Tell her I don’t want her to worry.”

  “Well, it’s easy to say, ‘Don’t worry.’ It’s a little harder to put it into practice.”

  “I know, but we need to keep her spirits up so she has faith things will work out.”

  “I’ll keep her spirits up, and I do have faith.”

  “Charles, did you think of something else?”

  “I wonder if I should help faith along. Do you think I should hire a private investigator? The police seem satisfied they have the killer.”

  “I don’t think that’s necessary at this time. Let’s see what develops over the next couple of weeks”

  “But if I’m going to do anything, I want to do it right away. You know, before the trail gets cold.”

  “Charles, the trail is anything but cold. I’m sure a great deal more will be discovered over the next few weeks that will weaken the prosecutor’s case.”

  “But to be honest, Hugh, I don’t want Carrie to be found not guilty. ‘Not guilty’ without finding the real killer will leave her under a cloud. I want the real killer found.”

  “We all want that. And we have lots of options to help reach that end, including delaying the trial.”

  “Delay the trial? What good would that do?”

  “With the trial delayed, it won’t be a rush to judgment. The district attorney will continue to ask questions in order to make the case more solid. And that’s the point. The case is not solid.”

  “So what you’re saying is that as the police continue to investigate to make their case stronger, the evidence that comes to light will make our case stronger.”

  “Yes. Not to mention I have faith in two amateur sleuths I know who will continue to search for the truth.”

  Charles laughed. “You’ve got that right. I’m devoting all my time to this investigation. I’ll wait to hire a detective until you think it becomes necessary.”

  Charles wasn’t completely happy with Hugh’s answers, but he also knew Hugh was emotionally detached. Charles wanted action, but quick actions weren’t necessarily the best decision.

  OK, he thought. No private investigator, but Hugh is right. I need to follow every lead we have.

  fter the conversation with Simpson, Charles needed an outlet for his feelings. He knew Carrie would be hungry when she awoke, and one of her favorite meals was lemon chick
en. This choice also allowed him to take his emotions out by beating the chicken with a mallet.

  He finished with the chicken and was working on the sauce when he became aware of a dark burgundy car slowly navigating the driveway. One of the advantages of a long driveway was that Charles had plenty of time to see who was coming to visit. Before Charles could identify the driver, the car stopped and backed into a clearing. Charles wondered if it was another police car watching the house.

  He was just ready to slip out and see who it was when the car started moving again. As it came closer, Charles noticed the car had temporary license plates. The car pulled into the open spot between the garage and the kitchen door. Charles had seen her only a few times at the Club, but he was pretty sure Sara Chaney was sitting in the car.

  She needs encouragement, he thought. Charles opened the kitchen door and went outside.

  Sara wasn’t what he would have called a beautiful woman, but people always remembered her. She had striking black hair, which curled gently around her face in a very stylish cut. She had a clear, soft complexion with piercing, dark eyes. When she entered a room, men were drawn to her, and before they knew it, they had asked her for a date without really knowing why.

  Charles opened the car door. “Hi. It’s Sara Chaney, isn’t it?”

  “Yes, hello, Mr. Faraday.”

  “It’s nice of you to stop by. I was talking to your mother just the other night about having you help me with some investments. Won’t you come in?” He led the way into the kitchen. “I hope you don’t mind coming in this way and talking in the kitchen. Carrie is upstairs sleeping, and I’m trying to keep things quiet.”

  “Oh, no, it’s fine. I understand. How is she? I read in the paper she was arrested. This is probably not a good time…” She was muttering sentence after sentence. “I probably shouldn’t have come, especially today. Do you want me to leave?”

  “Sara, I want you to come in and sit down and relax.” Charles was deliberately talking slowly and calmly. He pulled out a chair for her at the kitchen table. “I know you came because you felt it was important.” He smiled at her.

  “I wasn’t sure if I should come. I didn’t want to call, so I took the afternoon off from work. I figured you weren’t answering the phone. I just took a chance and thought I would drive over. I wasn’t sure you would be home.” Once again she hesitated.

  Charles thought, She took a chance and drove over because fate would determine the outcome. If no one was home, she would tell herself she tried. He decided he’d better find a way to keep the conversation going until she was comfortable enough to talk with him. He poured her a glass of wine without asking. “Carrie has mentioned how very proud your mother is of you and of the work you’re doing at the brokerage. In fact, she has hinted you may take over the Investment Club work at TC3.”

  “Mother is always going on about me to everyone. It’s kind of embarrassing, Mr. Faraday.” She lowered her eyes.

  “I’ll tell you what’s embarrassing. Young people calling me ‘Mr. Faraday.’ Please, call me Charles.”

  The ice was broken. Sara smiled, leaned back in her chair, and took her first sip of wine. “I know you and your wife are looking for information concerning the types of stocks and bonds the Investment Club was purchasing.” She reached into a large satchel and produced a manila folder. “I’ve been doing some research.”

  “Is that what’s in the folder?” Charles started to reach for the folder, but Sara wasn’t ready to relinquish possession just yet. Charles backed off.

  “If the ladies continue with the Investment Club, I’ll probably take over as their broker. So I started to pull the records and copy the information.”

  “I understood you helped with the Club.”

  “I would help by placing specific buy or sell orders for Todd, but I never had complete access to all the purchases for a total picture.”

  “Was there something wrong with the purchases?”

  “Not exactly. The purchases were all legitimate.”

  Charles was determined to get to the bottom of what Sara knew. “Sara, I’m confused. You say the purchases were all legitimate, yet you seem concerned.”

  “First, let me tell you how I came by these records. The minute we heard about Todd’s death, his office was locked. The police came and briefly looked it over. Probably because the murder occurred at the Club, they concluded that the office held few clues and said they wouldn’t be back. However, management kept the office locked and placed it off limits to the staff. We all just assumed the family didn’t want people tramping through Todd’s things. However, prior to Todd’s death, I was becoming…well…”

  Charles tried to fill in the pause. “Suspicious?”

  “Actually, more curious. I saw some of my mother’s statements from the Investment Club. She was doing incredibly well. In some months, they had returns more than double the average market return. I mean, that’s an incredible return. I think I was also a little jealous of Todd’s success. Everyone always thought he was a bit of a jerk, and here he’s the broker getting huge returns. I couldn’t help wanting to review and analyze the purchases.”

  “I think what you did is natural. You take pride in your work, and you wanted to learn from someone who was doing well. That’s admirable.”

  “You may not think what I did next as admirable.” She looked at Charles; he remained silent. “Todd always trusted me and had given me a key to his office. He would often ask me to perform a transaction before the market closed when he couldn’t get back to the office. Thursday night after everyone left, I used my key. I made copies of everything I could find: any monthly statements, any purchase confirmations, and any notes from their meetings. I wanted copies so I could study them at home and determine Todd’s secret to investing.”

  “I still don’t see anything wrong with trying to learn. Are you worried about the fact that you made copies?”

  “I was, but not after what happened. Of course, I never let anyone know I made the copies. Then, Friday night, I was running late and was one of the last people in the office. Most people cut out the minute the market closes on Fridays and meet in one of the local bars to discuss the week. I was on my way out, and for some reason I went by Todd’s office. I heard a whirring sound coming from his office. I carefully tried the door, but it was locked, and I certainly didn’t want to use my key. So I left.

  “All day Saturday and part of Sunday, I studied Todd’s materials, but there were few details. I suddenly had a hunch, and I drove back to the office. Of course, on Sunday, no one is around, so I used my key and checked the files in Todd’s office. Everything dealing with the Investment Club was gone. I think the whirring sound I heard was a paper shredder.”

  Charles reached over and refilled Sara’s wine glass. “Why would anyone shred papers relating to the Investment Club? Are you sure it wasn’t just a general cleanup of Todd’s papers? I mean, in addition to paper records, aren’t these same records on a computer or in some other archive?”

  “I thought the same thing. And yes, we use a computer system. But unless that customer is assigned to you, you don’t have access to their records. This keeps brokers from knowing specifics about customers other than what we call ‘their book.’ I don’t have access to the Investment Club accounts.”

  “Then it’s terrific you had the foresight to make paper copies. What is it you discovered, Sara?”

  “Let me see if I can explain this clearly. Most of the stocks Todd chose were either IPOs—new offerings or relatively unknown small, local, or regional companies. He would purchase huge quantities the minute they were available.”

  “Is that so unusual for an investment firm?”

  “Not necessarily, if it’s what the customer wants to buy. Todd did something else a little different. Normally you set up a DBA, ‘doing business as account,’ in the name of the Investment Club, and all the purchases are made in the Club’s name. However, Todd made purchases in several different lot
s using the Club name but also various members’ names.”

  “This means Todd was earning additional commissions with the multiple purchases. Didn’t the ladies question this?”

  “The women were making money; and remember, they were new at making investment purchases. They probably weren’t aware of the proper procedure. However, there is another issue that concerns the firm’s recommend list.”

  “What’s that?”

  “It’s a computer list of stocks our customers might be interested in purchasing. Before we begin making and accepting calls for the day, we check the company’s recommend list to see if there are stocks we want to suggest to our clients. It also shows recent transactions so we can see how the stocks are moving.

  “We’re also associated with Thurgood Investments and Jenkins Sparrow Investments on the West Coast, where Kent Barrington works, and we all share the same list. I’m almost positive Todd didn’t have authority to place recommendations on the list.”

  “Wouldn’t one of the authorized users spot listings placed by someone else?”

  “Not really. Each brokerage has a code, so we know which brokerage placed the recommendations, but there’s nothing to indicate the person who listed a particular stock. In our company, the four vice presidents, a senior analyst, and Brad and Edward Barrington have access.”

  “Let’s assume Todd either had or got access to someone’s password. If I understand correctly, when individual brokers checked the list, they would see Todd’s picks but also see the multiple sales he made on the recommendation. In other words, he made these stocks look hot.”

  “You’ve got it, Mr. Faraday. Then, as soon as the stocks moved up to new highs, Todd would sell the stock and remove it from the recommend list. The TC3 Investment Club was making money, and Todd was making a fortune. He was buying, selling, and charging his commissions on multiple transactions all within a matter of days.”

  “It sounds like Todd was acting like a day trader. How much money are we talking about?” asked Charles.