To the Last Drop

by Sandra Balzo

  Since Eric had been away at school, Ted and I had decided not to say anything to him as we’d tried to work through our ‘issues.’

  Me, by pleading. Ted, packing.

  It wasn’t our finest hour, either as spouses or parents.

  But our son was shrugging. ‘When I came home from school that first semester break I knew things weren’t right. It was a relief when you finally told me what was going on.’

  ‘I’m so sorry,’ I repeated, tears welling up.

  ‘Don’t be. You have a right to be happy.’ He went back to his phone.

  I sat thinking about divorces and keeping secrets. Then I picked up my own cell.

  NINETEEN

  ‘Did we find anything in Doctor Swope’s office?’ the sheriff repeated. ‘If you mean on his phone, we’d need a warrant to examine that.’

  I’d taken my own phone into my bedroom to make the call in private. I could hear conversation in the kitchen, meaning one or both of our houseguests was awake.

  ‘No, not on his cell.’ I lowered my voice a notch further. ‘I meant maybe papers or something that would be a clue as to whether he was anxious or depressed.’

  I was doing exactly what Lynne had tried to avoid by asking me about the divorce papers rather than the detectives. And it was having exactly the effect she’d feared.

  Pavlik knew I was fishing and wanted to know for what. ‘Spit it out, Maggy.’

  Lynne had been ready to call the detectives and tell them about the divorce when Eric came in with news of Ginny being brought in for questioning the night before. So it wasn’t like I was letting the cat out of the bag. Right?

  Besides, given that Lynne’s divorce lawyer and process server, along with Sarah, me, Ginny and Eric all knew about the divorce, it wasn’t much of a secret. Except from the investigators. And they were the very ones who needed to know.

  ‘Lynne had William served with divorce papers that night at the office,’ I said into the phone.

  Silence at the other end.

  ‘Pavlik?’

  A rustling. Then, ‘Divorce.’ Another stretch of paper shuffling. ‘You’re sure?’

  ‘Yes. Lynne told me she tried to stop the server.’

  ‘She had changed her mind about the divorce?’

  ‘No, but Ginny came home unexpectedly and her mother didn’t want to put her in the middle of it.’

  ‘But Doctor Swope was served with notice that the divorce papers were filed despite his wife’s attempt to stop it.’

  ‘Exactly,’ I said. ‘William accepted the notice as he went into the dental office Friday night. Or so Lynne was told by the server.’

  ‘That’s what they were, then.’

  ‘You knew about this?’ All my angst was for nothing?

  A one-two beat of silence and then, ‘We had an anonymous tip that a man approached Doctor Swope near the front door about ten minutes after seven and handed him something. The informant imagined it might be a drug exchange, but …’ He let it drift off.

  With William buying or selling? ‘Drugs?’ I’d been perched on the edge of my bed and now I slid back and tucked my legs up under me. ‘Did the preliminary tox screen show anything?’

  ‘We know that Swope was on painkillers for a back problem.’

  I remembered William massaging the small of his back as he’d stood on the porch following his confrontation with Ted. ‘Lacrosse injury,’ I said.

  But Pavlik’s mind was elsewhere. ‘Don’t suppose you have any idea where the process server was from?’

  ‘Brookhills Investigations and Process Serving, I think. Or the other way around. I can’t remember.’

  ‘You had it right the first time.’ I could hear Pavlik scribbling a note. ‘Thank you.’

  ‘You’re welcome,’ I said. ‘I assume this means the divorce papers weren’t found?’

  ‘It would be in the file if they had.’

  ‘You might want to check the trash en route to the office,’ I said, thinking of what Lynne had said. ‘If William was angry or upset he might have tossed them.’

  ‘Thank you again,’ Pavlik said. ‘We’ll handle it from here.’

  ‘Hey, don’t shoot the messenger – especially one who called you of her own free will.’

  A sigh. ‘You’re right, and I’m sorry. I appreciate the information.’

  ‘You’re welcome,’ I said. ‘So who—’

  A knock on the bedroom door.

  ‘Mom?’ Eric’s voice called. ‘You about ready?’

  I put my hand over the phone. ‘Ready?’

  ‘Yeah. Church starts in half an hour.’

  And that’s when I remembered the baptism.

  TWENTY

  Eric and I left Lynne in the kitchen and Ginny still sleeping and made it to Christ Christian just as the congregation was standing for the first hymn.

  Ted had saved us seats at the front but that didn’t spare me the dark looks from both my ex-husband and his new in-laws for not getting Eric to the church on time.

  The baptism itself went as well as can be expected when you douse a kid with water. I don’t know who was more red-faced – Ted or Mia. I do know, though, who smelled worse.

  As Rachel’s mother claimed the stinky baby to change her, I managed to pull Ted aside in the narthex. ‘I was on the phone with Pavlik this morning.’

  Using Pavlik’s name was intended to make Ted think I had an inside line on information so he’d speak freely. It didn’t work. ‘Oh, yeah? What did you pry out of him?’

  ‘Not much,’ I admitted. Though it wasn’t for want of trying on my part.

  One thing that did strike me as odd, now that I thought about it: the sheriff had said, ‘That’s what they were,’ as if he suspected that William had been handed papers rather than exchanging cash for drugs, as the witness suspected.

  Another kind of notice, perhaps? ‘Was William in some kind of legal trouble? Is that why you went off on him Friday night?’

  Ted opened his mouth and then closed it again as the church organist passed by. She hesitated, seeming surprised to find us in a huddle, but then kept on going.

  ‘Back in Louisville,’ I pressed. ‘Something his ex-partner or Rita Pahlke told you about.’

  My ex looked after the organist and then turned back to me with a look of resignation. ‘You’re not going to let me out of here until I tell you what I know, are you?’

  ‘Of course not. How long were we married?’

  I could see the answer ‘too long’ in his eyes but he didn’t vocalize it. Instead, he said, ‘I’m not sure what to believe from Rita Pahlke’s lips, if anything.’

  I nodded, encouraged. ‘Aliens, tracking devices, something about fluoride.’

  ‘She accused him of everything from alien abduction and mind control to billing fraud and drugs.’

  Interesting as well as weird. So was Rita Pahlke the anonymous tipster who called in the ‘drug deal’ outside the 501 Building? And then there was Bethany’s firing back in Louisville for misuse of the nitrous oxide. Could Pahlke also have been the one to blow the whistle on her?

  I put my hand on my ex-husband’s shoulder. ‘And Clay Tartare? I assume you find him more credible.’

  Ted shrugged. ‘He certainly has more to lose. He told me his office has been accused of upcoding.’

  ‘Upcoding?’

  ‘Doing one procedure but charging the patient or insurance company for another by putting the wrong code on the bill.’

  ‘So like filling a tooth but charging for an extraction?’

  ‘Or things far more expensive, like implants and bone grafts that costs thousands of dollars.’

  ‘And because codes are used to identify the individual dental procedures, people don’t notice,’ I guessed.

  ‘Or their insurance pays so they don’t look.’

  ‘I assume this took place while William was with the practice?’

  ‘According to Tartare,’ Ted said. ‘First Swope fired their office manager for some tru
mped-up reason, then he up and moved out of state.’

  From what little I knew about current billing practices in dentals offices, the upcoding couldn’t have taken place without the office manager’s participation or at least knowledge. And that office manager, assuming it was Bethany Wheeler, was not just fired, but dead. Meaning she sure wasn’t talking.

  ‘The way Tartare sees it,’ Ted continued, ‘he’s been left holding the bag.’

  Between that and Swope stealing his girl twelve years ago, it seemed Clay Tartare had reason to hate William Swope. But kill him? ‘Certainly would have ticked me off enough.’

  Ted eyed me suspiciously. ‘Why’d you say it like that?’

  ‘Like what?’

  ‘It would have ticked you off enough. Please don’t tell you have some wild theory.’

  ‘My wild theory, I might remind you, was dead right when it came to your wife.’

  ‘I’d appreciate it if you didn’t remind me. But are you saying the sheriff thinks William didn’t jump? That he was pushed? By whom?’

  So many questions and even more possible answers. ‘I honestly don’t know. And the sheriff’s office seems to be reserving judgment until the ME’s report comes back.’

  ‘So your sources haven’t completely dried up.’ A grin was hiding just under the surface.

  That made me cranky. ‘You left Uncommon Grounds at around seven but didn’t call to say you were on your way to pick up Mia until nearly ten-thirty.’

  ‘So?’

  ‘So where were you?’

  ‘Now you think I killed him?’ Ted’s raised voice made the buxom woman passing by with a tray of deviled eggs pause long enough for me to snag one.

  As she continued on her way, I said, ‘Of course not. But Lynne thought you and William might have gone out for a drink. I doubt that, but I do know your son was at my house for hours waiting for you to call.’

  ‘I went home.’ Ted’s jaw was set in a stubborn line.

  ‘Alone?’

  ‘No, I had a hooker come over,’ he snapped.

  ‘I meant was there anybody at your house like a housekeeper who could vouch for you?’ I said in a tone meant to shame. In truth, I hadn’t completely ruled out a hooker.

  ‘No,’ Ted said. ‘I was angry so I wanted to work out.’

  ‘And left your son and infant daughter cooling their heels.’

  ‘Give me a break, Maggy. I was stressed and needed some time to myself. You know, do weights, take a swim, chill in the hot tub.’

  Sure, I knew. But I had to go to the YMCA to do that, not ‘home.’ I plopped the deviled egg in my mouth.

  Ted stepped aside to let a red-faced man with a steaming buffet pan pass by. ‘No need to tell Eric, OK?’

  But I was sniffing the air. ‘Kielbasa?’

  ‘And sauerkraut.’ Ted’s smile reminded me of Eric when he was up to something. ‘Grandma and Grandpa Slattery wanted to host us at the Arms but I said it was too far away. Then they tried the Morrison but I nixed that, too.’

  The Slattery Arms was the family’s flagship hotel in downtown Milwaukee. They’d purchased the Morrison about a year ago but hadn’t yet gotten around to re-naming it after themselves. ‘You thought lunch in the church basement preferable?’

  ‘Depends who you ask.’ He gestured across the way to where Mr Slattery, red Solo cup in hand, was pretending to admire a centerpiece that looked like an aluminum foil Christmas tree covered with pink crosses. As we watched, a shell-shocked Mrs Slattery joined him with Mia. Whether it was the contents of the baby’s diapers or the circa 1965 ‘Girls’ Room’ she’d had to change her in that had traumatized Grandma, I couldn’t guess.

  I grinned back at my ex. ‘And Sarah thinks I’m passive-aggressive. I suppose the gospel reading about a camel having more chance of fitting through the eye of a needle than a rich man has of getting into heaven was also your work?’

  ‘Let’s just say it was more than a happy coincidence,’ Ted said before slipping away to reclaim his daughter.

  It was mid-afternoon when I pulled the Escape into the driveway. I’d said goodbye to Eric, who had gone home with his dad and sister after the christening lunch. Since the dental office was closed on Mondays, Ted would drive our son back up to school in the morning.

  Ginny presumably wouldn’t be returning to Minneapolis any time soon. If at all.

  I’d expected the two Swope women to be long gone by the time I got home but Lynne’s white Toyota was still parked on the gravel apron next to my garage. As I got out of my Escape I saw Ginny waiting on the porch steps for her mother.

  Lynne was trying to pull the door closed behind her without squishing the sheepdog’s nose. ‘Back up, Frank.’

  ‘I’m home,’ I called without thinking.

  The sound of my voice made Lynne glance behind her and Frank took the opportunity to make his escape, dodging Ginny on the steps and bounding right past me into the backyard.

  Lynne blinked at the door she still held. ‘How in the world?’ The crack between the edge of the door and the jamb couldn’t have been three inches.

  Kind of put that whole camel/needle thing in modern-day perspective. ‘Are you heading home?’

  ‘I wish,’ Ginny answered. The girl looked tired, if resolute. ‘Back to Quantico for another round of water-boarding.’

  Of course. I’d forgotten she was to return to the sheriff’s office this afternoon.

  I glanced at the front door of my empty house and then at Frank, who, mission completed, seemed to be torn between sniffing his butt and dragging it along the ground. ‘Want reinforcements?’

  The offer stemmed more from curiosity than kindness on my part. Given Ted’s revelation about the investigation into William’s former practice, I had to wonder how much Lynne knew. Could she possibly be as clueless as she claimed to be about Clay Tartare’s business in Brookhills?

  ‘That’s nice of you, Maggy,’ Lynne said, coming down the steps to join us. ‘But—’

  ‘Great idea,’ Ginny said, plucking the car keys out of her mother’s hand. ‘You ride with Mrs Thorsen and I’ll drive your car.’

  Lynne hesitated but her daughter was already stomping toward the Toyota. By the time I had herded Frank into the house the car was backing down the driveway.

  ‘I suppose she wants to get this over with,’ I said, waving Lynne toward the Escape.

  ‘More likely to get away from me.’ Lynne pulled the seat belt across and clicked it in. ‘And my questions.’

  ‘Has she opened up at all?’

  ‘Not really. She slept until noon, or at least pretended to, then locked herself in the bathroom. I barely had a chance to get ready myself.’

  ‘Not unusual teen behavior, from my experience,’ I said as I slipped the car into reverse. ‘You did say that Ginny doesn’t know that you filed for divorce, correct?’

  ‘Correct.’ Lynne swiveled her head toward me.

  ‘And you haven’t told her since? Maybe at the sheriff’s department last night or after we got home and you two were alone?’ It was a long shot, but Ginny could have texted Eric overnight about the break-up.

  ‘Did you see my daughter?’ Lynne said. ‘She’s barely speaking to me and she certainly doesn’t want to hear anything I have to say. Why?’

  ‘No reason, really,’ I said, backing the car down the driveway and out onto the street. ‘Sometimes kids have a sixth sense about this sort of thing, though.’

  ‘Why?’ she repeated. ‘Did Ginny say something to you?’

  Lynne’s tone sounded a little hurt, presumably at the idea that her daughter would speak to me when she was so obviously freezing out her own mother.

  ‘I’ve barely exchanged two words with Ginny,’ I said, not wanting to betray Eric’s confidence. ‘But the divorce might explain why she didn’t want to talk to the police.’

  ‘You mean Ginny was trying to protect me?’

  Sure, that’ll work. ‘Maybe she didn’t want you blamed for William’s suicide i
n the same way you didn’t want it on her shoulders.’

  ‘What a sweet thing,’ Lynne said, tears in her voice.

  I left her to her own thoughts as we drove the rest of the way to the county complex. Spotting the Toyota as I pulled into the parking lot, I parked next to it. ‘Ginny must be inside.’

  ‘Then I hope Kay is here, too,’ Lynne said, scanning the parking lot as she got out.

  ‘You have told her about the divorce, right?’

  ‘No. Do you think I should?’ Lynne asked over her shoulder as she hurried to the entrance.

  ‘I do.’ Now that Pavlik knew about the filing, even if his detectives hadn’t found the papers that William had been served they’d want to talk to Lynne. And here we were, about to walk into their den.

  The thought made me hesitate but Lynne had already ducked into the revolving door. I followed and saw Detective Taylor on the other side.

  He glanced at me, then said, ‘Mrs Swope.’

  ‘I’m here with my daughter, Virginia. Has she already gone up with our lawyer?’

  Taylor didn’t so much as blink. The man reminded me of a snake, but snakes at least have an excuse. No eyelids. ‘She has, but we have a few questions for you as well. If you’d just come with me?’

  Lynne looked uncertain. ‘Can Maggy come with me?’

  Taylor seemed amused. ‘If she’s your lawyer.’

  ‘Kay Spinelli is but you said she’s with Ginny.’

  ‘Would you like Ms Spinelli to be present while we talk?’ Taylor, for all his coldness, seemed to be proceeding cautiously.

  ‘Does Mrs Swope need a lawyer?’ I asked, cutting to the chase.

  ‘That, Ms Thorsen,’ Taylor said without so much as looking at me, ‘would be up to Mrs Swope.’

  TWENTY-ONE

  ‘You said Detective Taylor thought Lynne was hiding something.’ I was back in Pavlik’s office, sitting in the second guest chair for a change of scenery. ‘I assume my telling you about the divorce provided that “something”?’

  Pavlik had seemed testy since I’d walked in, maybe because of the stack of case jackets on his desk. ‘Lynne Swope is the decedent’s wife. I don’t have to tell you that we always look at the spouse.’