by Jim Riley
Niki was surprised.
"How did you know it was them?"
"Because they huff and puff a lot, but they haven't blown down a house yet. They talk more for show than for anything else."
Niki took out a pad.
"Since you know who I am and why I'm here, you know the questions I have to ask."
"Yes," Danny flashed a smile. "You need to know why Mr. Wilson was on my butt a lot and if I resented it."
"You asked the questions better than I do. Do you have answers for your questions?"
"Yes, Ma'am. He was mad at me a lot. I don't blame him. I made a lot of stupid mistakes, and those cost my clients money. Mr. Wilson hated for a client to lose any money, especially when it could have been avoided."
"How did you react to his criticism?"
Danny laughed.
“I thanked him. He didn't know what to do. I don't think anyone ever thanked him when he gave them a reaming. And believe me, he knew how to ream a guy.”
"So you were okay with his advice?"
"Sure. I'm a rookie. He knew more about the market than I'll ever know. I'd be less than bright if I didn't pay attention. I mean, it wasn't fun being on the receiving end of one of his tirades, but in my case, it was justified."
"Did you see the letter opener on Donna's desk?"
"I went up there more to chat than anything else. She's such a nice person, and the only one here around my age. I made an excuse that I needed some paperclip or something, but truth is, I wanted to talk to her."
"And the letter opener?"
He frowned.
"I can't honestly say I remember seeing it on her desk. I have to tell you, she did not kill Mr. Wilson. She is too sweet to ever hurt anyone. Not Mr. Wilson or anyone else."
"If you don't think Donna did it, do you have any suspects in line?"
He laughed.
"Do you mean other than me?"
"Well, if you want to confess, that would make my job a little easier."
"No, Ma'am. It wasn't me. I don't know of I should point fingers at somebody else. I'm new here and I don't know them too well."
"That's fair enough. What can you tell me about Hugh Carter, the other partner?"
"Not much. I've only seen him here three or four times. I shook hands with him once, but I doubt if he remembers me."
"Did he get along with Scott Wilson?"
"Like I said, I only saw him a few times. But one of those times was last Wednesday. I saw him going into Mr. Wilson's office. Then all hell broke loose."
"They had an argument?"
Danny broke out in laughter.
"That might be the understatement of the year. I’d call it more of a fight. It wouldn’t have surprised me if I had heard them tussling with each other."
"What were they arguing about?"
"I only heard bits and pieces, but from what I could gather, Mr. Carter wasn't happy with Mr. Wilson."
"Could you hear why?"
"Again, I'm not sure, but it had something to do with Mr. Carter's daughter."
"His daughter?"
"Yes, Ma'am. I've never met her, but I'm sure she was the reason for the discussion."
Niki ran a hand through her long strawberry blonde hair.
"I wonder what's going on with her."
"The only thing I can tell you is that Mr. Carter told Mr. Wilson he should act his age and keep it in his pants, if you know what I mean."
Niki smiled.
"Yes, I understand. I will follow up with Mr. Carter. Thank you."
"Anything else you want from me?"
"A rock solid alibi would be nice. I’d like to scratch somebody off my growing list."
"No problem. Mr. Wilson was killed Wednesday night after work, wasn't he?"
Niki nodded. "According to the police report, he was about to unlock his car when he was stabbed."
"Then I have your rock solid alibi. My wife and I were at a prayer meeting. They always serve a meal at five thirty. We brought baked yams. Anyway, we ate there, and then stayed for the service. After that we went to the ice cream shop with another couple. At least a hundred people saw us at the meal and the service, and the other couple can account for both of us until after ten."
Monday
Baton Rouge
Niki’s cell phone ring almost immediately after she got into the SUV.
Dalton chuckled. "Yep. Caught a direct flight from New Orleans. No delays for a change."
"Good. I have a question for you."
"Shout."
“Tell me what you know about Scott's partner. More specifically, his daughter.”
"I didn't realize Ashton had a daughter. That's news to me."
"Not Johnson. Hugh Carter. His daughter.”
“Oh, yeah. Susie. What do you want to know about her?”
“Age. Description. What she’s like.”
“I’ve only met her a couple of times. Let’s see. She should be eighteen or nineteen now. Real outgoing personality, maybe a bit overboard at times. The last time I saw her, she was maybe twenty pounds overweight. She was kinda top heavy, if you know what I mean.”
Niki laughed softly.
"I get the picture. Was she close to Scott?"
"She called him Uncle Scott. I guess she's known him most of her life through Hugh. Why are you asking?"
"An argument between Scott and Hugh was overheard last Wednesday. The details are sketchy, but the subject of the argument seems to have been Susie."
"Don't believe it. Have you seen Scott's wife? When you put her next to Susie, it's like comparing a jackass to a thoroughbred. Not even close."
"I forgot to tell you. Sheila Wilson wasn't giving rides to Scott anymore. Ashton and Sheila both admitted that they’ve been playing in the same corral together."
"You're kidding?"
"Nope. Both of them confirmed it. Seems like Scott was in the way of a blossoming relationship."
Dalton blew out a long breath.
"I don't think Scott had any idea. He never said a word to me."
Niki turned onto Florida Boulevard.
"Maybe that's when he decided to look for a younger pony. He might not have been getting any action at home."
"You got your hands full. Do you think Ashton or Sheila killed Scott?"
"I haven't gotten that far yet," Niki replied. "There are some staff that had reasons. Speaking of that, what do you know about Dale Blocker?"
"Who?"
"Dale Blocker. He's a broker with the firm."
Dalton hesitated.
"I thought I knew all the guys there, but that name doesn't ring a bell. Are you sure he works there?"
"Not really. I know he has an office and draws a check, but I haven't seen any evidence that he actually works."
"That's odd," Dalton said. "It wasn't like Scott to pay someone that wasn't pulling his weight. He could be tough on his staff."
"Yeah," Niki laughed. "I've heard that from a couple of them. They think he was tougher than a three-day-old steak. Anyway, I'm headed to Copper Mill in Zachary to find Dale Blocker. Donna said he spends more time at the golf course than he does at work."
"Okay. Call me if you need anything."
Monday Afternoon
Copper Mill Country Club
"Are you Dale Blocker?"
The tall, slender golfer had watched Niki walk across the clubhouse. His unwavering attention left no doubt that he liked what he saw. His gaze settled on her sky-blue eyes.
"And who might be asking?"
"I'm Niki Dupre. I'm investigating the murder of Scott Wilson on behalf of the Senate finance committee."
"Great," the athlete answered. "Can I buy you a drink?"
Niki sat in the chair on the other side of the table from Dale. She tried to find a reason for her unease. Blocker was a handsome man by worldly standards. The tight golf shirt clung to his six–pack abs. His smile, though it displayed white, even teeth, did not seem genuine. His dark green eyes stalked her every mov
e, but never met her own.
Niki declined the offer for a drink, but that did not deter Blocker from ordering one for himself.
"Niki," he said. "What's a pretty girl like you wasting your time on that big old bag of wind?"
"My job," she replied. "Now I’d like to talk about yours."
"Which one?"
"Do you have more than one?"
He gave her a practiced smile. "I'm a mover and a shaker. I can't be satisfied doing one thing. You know, like you."
"Pardon me."
"I can tell by looking at you that you can't be satisfied with one man. You need a little variety in your life to keep you happy. Am I right?"
"Dale, we’re not here to discuss my needs. What work do you perform at Tiger Eye Investors?"
"I’d say I’m the straw that stirs the drink. If you need help with their investments, I'm your man."
"Do you have many clients?"
"We all share our clients at Tiger Eye. That way our clients get all the expertise available, not just one guy’s. It gives them a broader view, and helps to have more than one set of eyes on their accounts."
"So you don't have any specific accounts for which you are the primary broker?"
"Nope. I share my expertise with all the guys. They all appreciate my observations."
"What is your area of expertise?"
Blocker laughed. "Women, golf, women, poker, women. Does that answer your question?"
"No. My question is what knowledge do you have that it's worth a five figure monthly salary from Tiger Eye?"
Another fake smile.
"If I tell you all my secrets, that I wouldn't have any left. What would I do then?"
"You still haven't answered my question. How do you justify the money you're being paid?"
Dale sighed. "Okay. I bring them big accounts. I don't manage them. I just bring them in for the firm to manage."
"How big are these accounts?"
"Multi-millions. I don't mess with the small stuff."
A light went on in Niki's mind.
"Hugh. Hugh Carter. He is your connection to these large accounts, isn't he?"
"—I know Mr. Hugh."
"He made a deal with Johnson and Wilson, didn't he? If they put you on the payroll, he would steer millions of dollars to Tiger Eye. You didn't have to do anything."
"No. That's not true. I worked hard for those."
"That's funny. I talked to a lot of your coworkers. None of them know what you're doing there."
He scoffed. "That's because they’re all caught up in the old way of doing things. They think a fellow has to work ten hours a day and suck up to the boss to get ahead. I like my way better."
"In what way is that?"
"Networking. I work through the people who know how to make money. Then I have time to play golf and poker and make more contacts. That's how you do it. Keep expanding your network."
"So, how many other folks do you have other than Hugh Carter that support your lifestyle?"
"Well—Not many."
“Tell the truth, Dale. Hugh is your big fish. You're making money because he has the wherewithal to move millions of dollars to Tiger Eye. What I can't figure out is the ‘why’. Why is he interested in helping you?”
"I—I’m friends with Susie."
"His daughter. So you're dating his daughter and leading her to believe you're serious. Is that it?"
Blocker protested.
"We are close. We care a lot about each other. We have a special relationship."
Niki rolled her eyes.
"I could tell by how professional you acted when I came up to you."
Another fake smile. "Shucks, I was only kidding. You're a detective. You should be able to tell when someone is pulling your leg."
Niki stared at him. "I know when someone wants to do more to my leg than pull it. What is your relationship with Susie Carter?"
"We’re dating. That's all."
"What you mean is that Hugh Carter is bribing you see his daughter. Does she know about your arrangement with her father?"
"She knows I'm managing some accounts for him, but she also knows I care deeply about her."
"I thought you said you weren't managing those accounts, because you were only bringing them to the firm. Which is it, Dale?"
"My name is on those accounts. You can check it out."
"I don't doubt your name is on them. That doesn’t mean you’re managing them."
"Some guys at the office have more experience in the day–to–day stuff. I go for the big picture."
"Scott Wilson figured out your relationship with Susie Carter was all business, not personal. That's what he and Hugh Carter were talking about. That's why Susie's name came up."
"I told you. Susie and I love each other."
“I'm sure love is involved,” Niki replied. “She loves you and you love money. It was a heckuva deal and Scott Wilson was about to mess that all up for you.”
Blocker sneered. “That old geezer should have minded his own business. He didn't need to get into mine.”
"Was it worth killing him?"
Shock crossed Dale Blocker’s face. "What? You think I killed him just because he tried to interfere with me and Susie?"
"That would mean you would lose that five-figure salary every month. That is a stout motive."
"No, it's not. There are lots of girls out there that need somebody like me. Not all females look like you."
"Scott Wilson was about to rain on your golf game. If he got his way, you’d have to work for a living."
Dale did not look as comfortable as before. His golf shirt suddenly became too tight and his chair to firm.
"I told you I didn't have anything to do with Scott's death. I'm glad he’s dead, but I didn't do it."
"Where were you last Wednesday night?"
Blocker did not like the question. "I don't think I have to answer that."
"You can either answer here or in front of a judge. The choice is yours."
He took a long drink from his class.
"I was on my way home. I thought I forgot my wallet, so I turned around and came back to the club. Right before I got here, I found it. Turns out that I wasted a lot of time for nothing."
"I don't guess anyone saw you going back and forth. There were no witnesses?"
"How many people were in the car? It was only me. And no, I didn't stop for gas or a snack. I know that's your next question."
"So you could have used that time to go back to Tiger Eye and kill Scott Wilson, ensuring your gravy train wouldn’t get derailed."
Blocker shook his head.
"But I didn't. I can't prove it, but I didn’t kill him."
Monday Night
Central
Niki grabbed a two–piece fried chicken basket on the way back to her townhouse. She was shocked to see the hulking figure of Blake Hebert standing in front of her door. Without thinking, she reached back and touch the butt of her S&W thirty-eight revolver.
"We need to talk," the football player said.
"Why don't you call me tomorrow morning? I'm bushed. It's been a long day."
"I really need to talk to you. It can't wait. I have to talk to you tonight."
She unlocked the door and let him into the townhouse. After placing her Dr Pepper and chicken in the kitchen, she returned to the living area and sat down next to him.
"What is so important that it can't wait, Blake?"
"It's Donna. She's gone bonkers."
Niki shook her head. "I don't know why you came to me. If you and Donna are having issues, you should be talking to her."
The football player did not know what to do with his hands. He put them in his lap, moved them to his side, and finally rested them on the arms of the chair.
"Look, Niki. This is tough for me. I don't usually apologize to people, especially girls. But I wanted to tell you I'm sorry for the way I talked to you before. I should have treated you with more respect."
"T
hank you, Blake. I know that was difficult."
"Donna thinks I’ve lost my marbles. I've never seen her so mad before. She usually does whatever I tell her to do, but not now. She told me that if I didn't come over here and apologize, that I could kiss her goodbye."
"Why did you hit her?"
"I don't know. I guess I just lost it. She's not like she was. She's never disagreed with me before."
"So you want a girlfriend to be subservient at all times?"
"Huh? Sub what?"
"You want a girlfriend that's always saying 'yes' no matter what you say. Is that what you want?"
"It says in the Bible that a wife should obey her husband. We ain't married yet, but we need to get off on the right foot."
Niki picked up the Bible laying on the table next to her chair.
"I'm glad to hear you quoting that. Do you believe everything he says?"
"Who doesn't?"
Niki leafed through the pages. "A lot of people only believe the parts they agree with. They ignore the other parts, just like you did a moment ago."
Blake stared at the book. "I didn't leave anything out. That's what it says. The man is in charge."
"Actually, it says that a man is in charge of the family like Jesus is in charge of the church."
Blake nodded. "That's right. I'm just like Jesus."
"No, Blake. Jesus loves the church so much that he gave his life for it. There was nothing that he would not sacrifice for the church. Are you willing to sacrifice everything you have for Donna?"
"That ain't fair. Donna ain't like the church."
"And you're not like Jesus. You want to have the privileges, but not the responsibility. The responsibility is to love and respect Donna with every fiber in your body."
"I came to apologize. I didn't come to get no sermon. Why do you have to be so difficult? And you're making Donna just like you."
"Donna is her own woman. That's right. Woman. She is no longer a silly teenager blindly in love with the star football player. She wants to be treated like a woman."
Blake rose from his chair. "This ain't getting nowhere. Tell Donna I tried, but you didn't cooperate. At least I tried."
