by C T Mitchell
During the summer, the Broads would invite a few friends over and enjoy a backyard barbeque. There was nothing out of the ordinary which made it even more difficult to figure out what happened to Winston. It was time to interview Lucy.
“Detectives, please, have a seat, Lucy will be right in.” Maggie motioned at the plush couch.
“Can I offer you any refreshments?”
“We won't be staying long, Lady Margaret,” Sullivan said. “We just need to talk to Mrs. Broad.”
Lucy entered the room and sat down next to Maggie in the couch facing the detectives. “Have you found out anything about Winston?”
“That's what we wanted to talk to you about, Mrs. Broad.” Sullivan flipped open a small note pad and readied his pencil to take down her answers. “Mrs. Broad, have you heard of a scheme that has been going around recently?”
That was not what she was expecting. “What scheme?”
“There is a scheme where a person pretends to be interested in buying multiple properties over a large area of the valley. Have you heard about it?”
“There were rumors going around about some property developer examining all these properties for a resort going up in the valley but that's it,” Lucy said. “If you hadn't have mentioned it, I wouldn't think it would have any connection to Winston's disappearance or someone vandalizing our home.”
“Do you remember the name of this alleged property developer?”
Lucy shook her head. “I don’t. It was only a rumor. No one really talked about it much and then it sort of faded away. Or at least I think I faded away.” She shook her head again. “I never heard of it at any rate beyond the initial buzz.”
Detective Sullivan raised an eyebrow but said nothing. It was rather strange that this rumor seemed to be so strong but no one spoke of it.
“Do you know of anyone who has moved away from the neighborhood recently?” Maggie asked.
Lucy shook her head. “I haven’t heard about anyone moving. I have heard of a couple of foreclosures and even one lady was going to file for bankruptcy shortly.”
Detective Sullivan jotted down some notes and asked Lucy a few more questions about Winston’s habits. It was more of asking about Winston’s schedule and where he may go from time to time. Was he always punctual about showing up at certain times or did he sometimes attend other places after work?
Lucy answered as best she could. As far as she knew, he left for work in the morning, stayed there all day, and came home the same time every night. He saved the week ends for golf and getting together with friends.
“Thank you for your time, Mrs. Broad. We understand it is a difficult time for you.” Detective Sullivan closed his notebook and looked over at Patterson. “We should be off. A detective’s work is never done. Even in a quiet town like this.”
The detectives and Maggie rose from their couches. “I'll show you the door,” Maggie offered.
“This way, please, gentlemen.” She motioned for them to follow her. Instead of going straight to the front door, though, she stopped just out of Lucy's hearing. “I discovered some information on Winston,” she confessed.
Detective Sullivan's notebook was out again in a flash. “We're listening. Lady Margaret is our resident sleuth,” he explained to Patterson. “We've formed a partnership of sorts. It's easier to work together on a case than apart.”
“I went online and looked up the company that he worked for,” Maggie began. “I saw Winston might have received a debt collection package. He might have felt the need to work freelance on collecting debts and, or maybe even, executing foreclosures on behalf of the local banks. If he was, he could have been clearing an area of interest for that developer.”
“Mr. Broad’s firm and the developer would be able to force the residents to sell their property or run the risk of going bankrupt, Patterson added as the idea caught on. “That would allow them to pick up all that acreage for a very cheap price.”
“It makes you wonder who this alleged developer is,” Sullivan said. “For something that big, it’s very strange that no one is talking about it out in the open. We should pay a visit to the banks. Maybe they'd know something since they're the ones that ultimately control the money.”
Maggie nodded agreement.
“I hope following the trail to Barclays UK breaks the case wide open. Shall you talk to them or shall I?”
Chapter 5
“We'll work the Barclays angle,” Sullivan promised. “You just figure out if Lucy is hiding anything.”
“It's a pleasure doing business with you, gentlemen,” Maggie teased in a sing song as she led the way to the front door. “Three heads are better than one, don't you think?”
“We'll find out soon enough.” Patterson tipped an imaginary hat Maggie's direction. “Till we meet again, Lady Turnbull.” Maggie smiled. “Likewise, Detective Patterson.” She closed the door behind them.
Once back in the car, the detectives reviewed what they knew of the case. “What do you mean that it’s strange that the bank would entrust Winston with foreclosures?” Sullivan asked.
“It’s odd that a reputable stock broker or bank would entrust collection or foreclosure duties to someone as experienced in that department as Winston Broad.” Patterson tapped the dashboard with one finger in time to the music playing on the radio. “His experience isn’t in collections and he hasn’t been in the bank for that long. Why give him that sort of responsibility? It's a thankless job even if you are making money hand over fist for the bank. Collections always gets some person seeking retribution.”
Detective Sullivan nodded. “Do you think Winston Broad have access to account holders personal information? He had to know something for someone to want to foreclose on him.”
“If he had clearance from the bank, he’d have access to personal information. Now the question is what did he do with it once he got his hands on the debt collection package. He might have begun to play some rather profitable game rather than play by the rules.”
“If he had, it would be very dangerous for him,” Detective Sullivan said. “I'm going to call the brokerage firm when we reach the station. Their manager should be able to tell us what happened to Winston at the bank. If he was stealing, then that would be an excellent motivation to disappear so suddenly. Being missing is better than being in prison.”
~*~
Once back at the station Detective Sullivan found a quiet corner to call the stock brokerage firm. He expected to meet some resistance with the higher ups once he identified himself and told them why he was calling but, to his surprise, the company was more than happy to talk about what happened. The person doing the talking identified herself as Sybil.
Sullivan didn’t know if he lucked out and encountered someone new to the company who was spilling secrets or if the higher up decided to make an example out of Winston Broad. Either way, he wouldn't complain. Cooperation was hard to come by in his line of work.
“Well, it all started when he stole something from the firm,” Sybil said matter-of-factly.
“And what was that?” Detective Sullivan asked.
“A package.” Sullivan heard rustling around as if Sybil was searching for something. “That's all I can really say, though. First the package gets stolen and then Winston goes missing. It's a little too convenient, don't you think, Detective?”
“You tell me.”
“Well, we thought so, so we sent someone to...investigate if you will. We thought if we roughed up his house a bit we'd find something or he'd come out of hiding. Either or. We weren't going to be picky which.”
“The company hired someone to vandalize Winston Broad's house?” Sullivan blinked, shocked. That was not what he was expecting to hear. A firm with a hired tough? And in a place like this? What are the odds?”
“We only wanted to scare him into handing over what the stock brokerage needed,” Sybil insisted. “I admit, it’s not my favorite way of dealing with a situation, but it is an effective way.”
“Yet Mr. Broad and the package are still missing.”
“Yes, there is that,” Sybil said. “I didn't say it was a foolproof way, just normally an effective way.”
“If you think of anything else that is important to the case, give me a ring, Sybil.”
“Of course, Detective.”
After hanging up the phone, Sullivan gave a heavy sigh. Patterson looked over from his desk.
“Bad news?”
“No, politics.” Sullivan sighed again. “Remind me never to get involved in stock brokerage.”
Chapter 6
Quietly, Maggie was suspicious of Lucy’s story but dared not to voice her opinion just yet. She worried that if she did, Lucy would clam up and not say anything to anybody. Maggie suspected Lucy did know something more than she claimed about Winston's disappearance, but was hiding it for reasons not yet known to them.
“Lucy, I have an idea,” Maggie said cheerfully after finding Lucy reading quietly in the sitting room. “Why don’t we go to the shire’s urban development and planning office today? I know that doesn't sound like the most exciting outing, but it will get you out of the house and away from this terrible situation for a while. It may help distract you from thinking of Winston's disappearance or the vandalism.”
Lucy struggled. “I suppose anything is worth trying once.”
As they drove, Maggie made small talk but didn't let on to her suspicions about Lucy or North Federal Resort Development Company. She'd bet dollars to donuts that they had their fingers in this pie. Maggie suspected they applied for construction permits to build a resort and townhouses on the plot of land in the rumors circulating around town. It just might be the string they needed to tie the company to Winston's collections scheme.
Maggie knew she needed to play her cards right if she was going to gleam any information from the development company. She wasn’t the police so she couldn’t just barge in with a warrant and extract information that way. Still, she was well known and trusted in the community so someone in the company may be willing to let secrets slip that way.
After parking the car, Maggie turned to Lucy. “Just follow my lead in here, alright? If my hunch is right, the North Federal Resort Development Company is tied to Winston's disappearance.”
Lucy sucked in her breath. “Do you really think so?”
Maggie winked. “We're about to find out.”
“Good morning, we have some questions about your latest development project.” Maggie smiled as bright and charming as possible when they stopped in front of the reception desk. The receptionist's name plate read 'Susan Chase.' “Can you give us a hint about this land?”
“It’s going to be developed,” Susan said. “North Federal Resort Development Company applied for multiple development permits in and around the rural areas near Federal. “
“Is that so?” Maggie made a point to sound interested. Showing any bit of interest in someone's job usually got them talking more. “Why are they trying to buy up the rural areas?”
“No one would miss that little plot of land and the benefits to the company are huge. Once we finish up buying all the pieces of property, construction will begin.”
“I don't suppose we could take a peek at what the company has in mind, could we?” Maggie asked.
“I’m afraid not, but I don’t think the company will be upset if I tell you there’s a plan to build a great resort on it,” Susan said. “It’ll be huge. All we'll have to do is sit back and watch the money roll in. It will be a boon for the area too,” she added as if she realized that all this talk of money, money, money for the company wouldn't sit well with a couple of locals.
“Well, we can't wait to see what all the excitement is about.” Maggie plastered a big, insincere smile on her face before backing out of the office with Lucy close behind her. They certainly seem eager to get started,” Maggie said once they were out of hearing.
“With the money they're set to make on the deal, I can see why,” Lucy said. “I think just about anyone would be tempted in that situation.”
“Just about,” Maggie agreed. Was Winston tempted? Is the land development project the reason he disappeared without a trace? “Let's touch base with Detective Sullivan. Maybe we both can fill in some gaps for each other.”
Lucy frowned. “But they're the police. What if they already know about the development plans? We'll be wasting time we could be spending looking for Winston.”
“We're all working as a team, Lucy. The sooner we make sure everyone is on the same page, the sooner we find Winston.”
~*~
“Hello, Detective Sullivan!” Maggie waved as they entered the police station. “Any new information to share?”
Sullivan looked up from a stack of papers he was pouring over. “The stock brokerage firm was surprisingly forthcoming with information. It seems Mr. Broad was in possession of a large debt collection package when he was last seen at the company. Did you know anything of his moonlighting with collections, Mrs. Broad?”
Lucy shook her head. “I had no clue! Winston wasn't acting suspiciously or anything when I last saw him. I certainly never saw him come home with any sort of package. Could the people who broke into our home have been looking for that?”
“It is the most possible scenario,” Sullivan said. “We still don't know where or from whom Mr. Broad got the package.” He motioned at his stocks of paperwork. “Patterson and I are trying to figure that out now.”
“Perhaps that land developer gave the package to Winston,” Maggie said. “If this package is worth that much money, he could’ve been lured into some kind of lucrative scheme. The property owners who still needed to leave their land would be forced to do so if they couldn’t repay their bank mortgages or credit card debts.”
Lucy's already pale face drained of all remaining color. “I can’t get over the idea that someone would go to such lengths to buy someone's property, let alone vandalism.”
Detective Sullivan's eyes softened in sympathy. “I’m sure this is just an extreme case, Mrs. Broad. We’ll find who did it and that should lead us to your husband.”
Maggie, however, was not surprised at what the land developer would do to collect up valuable properties. Similar things were taking place in other parts of Australia. It may be a long shot, but it was possible that all the cases were linked together.
“I can’t believe my husband would be willing to participate in such an awful and underhanded scheme,” Lucy said. “Someone must be threatening him or-or using his good name. I won't believe it. I just won't.”
“I don’t mean to be difficult but do you know how lucrative and tempting debt collection can be?” Detective Sullivan asked. “When a credit card company is unable to get payments from their clients they often sell the debt to a collector for rather cheap. If the debt is $5,000 the debt collector says he will buy it for say $1,000. He then approaches the credit card owner and offers him to wipe the debt clean for say $2,500. If the person chooses to pay the collector the quoted amount the collector has made the amount and an additional $1,500.”
Lucy still stoutly supported her husband's innocence in the scheme. “It's not in Winston's nature to do such a thing...no matter how much money was in it for him or anyone else.”
“Do you have another theory?” Detective Sullivan humored her.”
Lucy bit her bottom lip. “I....It could be a way to get many of the struggling land owners or even hobby farmers who own their properties in the area to sell their land. But I don’t understand why Winston would just up and disappear? Is he hiding somewhere to do the job?”
“I’m sure Winston has disappeared of his own accord; otherwise your house would not have been vandalized,” Maggie told her.
“Why are we talking land deals and collections when Winston is still missing?” Lucy asked. “That should be your focus – nothing else.”
Detective Patterson appeared. At first he looked surprised to see Maggie and Lucy standing next to Sul
livan's desk but soon got over the shock because of the weight of the news he carried.
“Forensics found some prints in the Broad house and a receipt for $500,000 from Winston’s brokerage firm. He purchased the debt collection package from his firm for $500,000.”
“But where would he get that sort of money to buy anything?” Lucy asked. “We don’t have that lying around. If we did, we wouldn't be buying debt collection packages, that's for sure.”
“You don’t have that sort of money laying around, my dear, but the land developers do,” Maggie said.
“We already have a team on it following the paper trail,” Patterson said. “The better question is where is Winston? Did he run away with the package and plan to go over the developers' heads and contact the debtors on his own?”
“It is a strong possibility,” Maggie agreed. “But why would he get mixed up in such a scheme? By all accounts he made a good wage and owned a house and property.”
“We didn't want for nothing,” Lucy said. “Winston saw to that.”
Maggie started to pace Sullivan's small office. What were they missing? What could be the motive? You don't just run off with a $500,000 debt collection package for no good reason. There had be to be something more in it for Winston, not to mention the land development company. Maggie stopped pacing suddenly and looked over at the detectives. “I think I got it. Can you bring me a map?”
Patterson left and soon returned with a map. He unrolled it onto the desk and drew a pencil circle around the development area. “This is the area the company wants to buy up for the resort.”
“Just as I thought.” Maggie pointed at a spot in the middle of the map. “Lucy, your house is smack in the middle of the proposed resort development. If you can't buy them out, scare them out.”
Chapter 7
Lucy sat down heavily in the nearest chair. “Do you think...do you think they did anything to Winston?”
“It's possible.” Detective Sullivan didn't bother to sugar coat the news. “At the same time, it's possible he's hiding out in one of the empty houses in the valley.” He pointed out several possibilities on the map. “It's a long shot, but they should be searched. Once Winston decided to freelance with the debt collection package, he put himself and everyone around him in danger.”
