Act Normal, A Stan Turner Mystery Vol 9

by William Manchee

you and Chester Brown were yelling at each other about something. What was that all about?"

  "Mr. Brown had told one of the neighbors that he was going to put up a chain link fence to keep his kids and pets in the yard. You know how tacky a chain link fence can look. It would really hurt our property values."

  "So, why was it so important to him to have a chain link fence? I know they are cheaper, but from what I understand Mr. Brown wasn't hurting for money."

  "I don't think he cared either, he just wanted to piss me off and he knew that would do it. So, when the architectural control committee sent him a letter advising him that he couldn't put up the fence, he came to the meeting to protest."

  "What was his argument?" I asked.

  "He said it was his house and he was sick and tired of people telling him what he could or couldn't do with it."

  "So, what did the committee do?"

  "They told him their decision could only be overturned by the full board of directors and they wouldn't be meeting for several weeks. Obviously that wasn't acceptable, so Brown said he was going put the fence up anyway."

  "Did he?"

  "Yes," Stanley replied. "A construction crew came out yesterday and put up the fence. It looks horrible. Everyone is very upset. Last night there was an emergency meeting of the board of directors. They voted to hire a law firm to file suit. They wanted the court to order the removal of the fence."

  "Is there anyone who can verify that you weren't anywhere near the house when it caught fire?" Bart asked.

  "No, not really. I'm divorced. I was home alone."

  "Did you call anybody or answer the phone between the time you got home and when the fire broke out? We need someone to give you an alibi."

  "No. Sorry. It had been a tough week so I was just taking it easy. There weren't any phone calls and nobody came to my door."

  "Wonderful," I muttered. "Okay, Detective Rhodes is going to come in and ask some questions. Just a few tips. Don't volunteer information. Just answer the questions he asks. If you don't know an answer just say so; don't speculate. If you're not a hundred percent sure about something it's better to just say you don't know. If a question assumes a fact that is untrue don't answer the question. Just be quiet and let me object, all right?"

  Stanley nodded. "Okay."

  Bart went outside and a minute later Detective Riley Rhodes stepped in. He was a small dark haired man who appeared to be in his forties. He had a small mustache below an elongated nose. He introduced himself and we all pulled up chairs around the table.

  Rhodes started by asking the same obvious questions that we had asked and Stanley answered them quickly and confidently. Then he went off in another direction.

  "Had you had problems with the Brown family before this matter of the chain-link fence came up?"

  Stanley's mouth fell open slightly and he looked at me. I frowned wondering whether to terminate the questioning, but I figured any disputes there might have been would be well known in the neighborhood anyway, so I might as well find out what they were. I couldn't imagine there being anything serious. "Well, yes," Stanley replied. "There was the problem of the barking dog."

  Rhodes smiled. "Tell us about that, Mr. Stanley."

  Stanley took in a long breath. "Well, about a year ago there was a problem with his German Shepard. He was just a puppy and tended to bark a lot. It didn't bother me that much because during the day I was at work and at night when the Brown kids were at home the dog got lots of attention and was fairly quiet. During the day the dog was left outside on a long chain and barked relentlessly. It was driving my wife crazy and she called animal control several times. The Browns got fined once or twice on account of it. It was no big deal."

  "That was before the divorce?"

  "Yes. The divorce was final about six months ago."

  "And you blamed the divorce on Mr. Brown?"

  "No. No. There were other factors."

  I looked at Bart and he rolled his eyes. It seemed we were getting into dangerous territory and since we hadn't explored that area with our client it was best we terminate the interview.

  "Have you and Mr. Brown had any words or altercations as a result of Pretty Boy?" Rhodes asked.

  Stanley swallowed hard. "A couple times," he muttered.

  "Isn't it true that on one occasion you threatened Mr. Brown?"

  I jumped up. "We're done here, Detective," I said. "We haven't had time to confer with our client about anything prior to tonight so it's best we postpone this interview."

  Rhodes lifted his hands in surrender. "Well, I'm just gathering information. It might save us both some time and trouble if we just get it over with now."

  "Yeah, well. You're probably right, but I think it would be best if we heard our client's view of the facts first before we share it with you."

  Rhodes stood up. "Okay, counselors. It's been a pleasure. Tell your client to stay close to home. From what I've learned tonight it appears the feud between your client and Chester Brown got out of control tonight. My gut tells me your client is responsible for those five bodies in the morgue. I've almost got enough evidence to make a case already but the DA thinks I need a little more, so I'll keep digging. I don't think it will take long, though. It was sure nice seeing you again, Paula."

  Rhodes shoved his chair aside and left the room. Bart looked at Stanley and shook his head. "Come on. Let's get out of here. It looks like we've got our work cut out for us."

  I nodded, took Stanley's arm and escorted him out of the interview room. Several reporters were outside the police station and we were blinded by flashing cameras when we exited the building.

  "Ms. Waters, has Mr. Stanley been charged in the murder of the Brown family?"

  "No. This was just routine questioning," I replied without slowing down.

  "Does your client have an alibi?" a second reporter asked.

  Bart spun around and raised his hands blocking the reporters from pursuing us. "I'm sorry," he said. "We have no further comment. Thank you."

  We rushed to our car and took off leaving a half dozen reporters in our wake. I was anxious to hear all the details of the Stanley-Brown feud, but it was too late and we were all too tired to go through it at that late hour. Stanley agreed to come in the next morning to get started on his defense and tell us the complete story. My gut instinct told me it wasn't going to be pretty.

  7

  The Evidence

  Stan Turner

  The evidence against Charlotte Wenzel didn't seem all that overwhelming. Sure, she had a financial motive with the life insurance policies, but there was no evidence she needed money or didn't love her children. Still, that was the most damning element of the prosecution's case so far, so I decided I needed to try to deal with that early on. I looked through the telephone book and found the number of the Allstate agent who had sold the Wenzels the big policy and gave him a call. He agreed to talk to me so I went over to his office.

  John Shipley told me he’d been an Allstate agent for eleven years. He sold mainly auto insurance but he wouldn't turn somebody down if they asked for life insurance. Apparently that's what had happened with the Wenzels.

  "Mrs. Wenzels called me and asked if I sold life insurance. She said she needed a policy on her husband and kids."

  I frowned. "She didn't say her husband wanted her to get a policy?"

  He shook his head. "No. She didn't mention her husband, although he was at the house when I went over there to write up the policy."

  "Okay, tell me how that went down."

  "Well, I arrived about six-thirty in the evening. Mrs. Wenzel showed me into the kitchen and we took a seat at the kitchen table. I explained to her the different types of policies we carried like whole life, term, variable annuities, you know; we've got quite a portfolio."

  "Sure. Where was Mr. Wenzel?"

  "He wasn't there at first. After Mrs. Wenzel selected the policy she wanted, I told her we'd need Mr. Wenzel to sign the application."

 
; "So, Mr. Wenzel didn't participate in selecting the insurance at all?"

  "No. After I'd completed the application, she went and got him. Of course, I explained everything to him before he signed it."

  "Right. Did he have any comments about the policy? Why he wanted to buy it or anything like that?"

  Shipley shook his head. "No, as a matter of fact I wasn't sure he even understood the concept of life insurance."

  "What? Everybody knows what life insurance is, don't they?"

  "You'd think so. But when I was explaining about his premium payments, the grace period, and our reinstatement policy, his eyes just glossed over. I don't think he understood a word I was saying. Finally, he excused himself and said his wife would take care of everything."

  "I see," I said, as I was beginning to get the picture. Life insurance may not be something they have on Tarizon. It could be Mr. Wenzel didn't understand the concept, but that would mean Charlotte was lying to me. I made a note to talk to her some more about the purchase of the insurance. Her story didn't quite hold water.

  "What about the insurance on the kids? How did that come up?"

  "Oh, that's a standard rider we can add onto the policy. Now that you mention it, Mrs. Wenzel had said she didn't want that coverage but when I asked Mr. Wenzel to initial the box declining that coverage, he refused. He said they'd take that coverage as well."

  "Was there any discussion between Mr. Wenzel and Charlotte about coverage on the children?"

  "No. Not that I recall. I think when Mr. Wenzel said he wanted that coverage she just shrugged and that was the end of it."

  After thanking Mr. Shipley, I headed over to the Collin Creek Mall where Charlotte claimed to have gone when she got the unexpected news that she wouldn't have to pick up her children from school. I figured it was a long shot, but if anybody could remember seeing her that would really bolster our defense. Charlotte had given me a photograph of herself which I showed to everyone I talked to. Most of the people just shook their heads when I showed them the photo, but a few said Charlotte looked familiar. The problem was none of them could pinpoint when and where they'd seen her.

  After striking out at the mall, I called Janet Kaufman and asked if I could meet with her. She had apparently given the DA some very damaging information about Charlotte and her relationship with her husband, and that I needed to thoroughly examine the source of that information. She seemed reluctant to talk to me, but finally agreed I could come by her flower shop the following day.

  When I got back to the office I saw Ben and Alice Stover's file on my desk. Where was I on that? After giving it some thought, I remembered I was supposed to call the DA in Waco and see if they prosecuted embezzlement cases. I didn't know anybody down there, so I decided to talk to Bart about it. He probably knew somebody in that office and it would give me a chance to apologize to him for getting him fired. He had moved into our small conference room until we had time to get with the landlord to give us some more office space. There was a pile of books next to him and he was writing some notes onto a legal pad.

  "Bart, I see you're hard at work already," I said.

  He looked up. "Right. I've been brushing up on some of the issues that might become important in our new case."

  "Good. Listen, I just wanted to apologize about taking on the Charlotte Wenzel case. I hope you're not mad at Paula. She knew nothing about it."

  "So, she said. I just don't understand why you did it knowing I was already on the case."

  Lying bothered me, so I wasn't very good at it. I just wished I could tell him the truth, but that wasn't an option, so I came as close to the truth as I could. "My client is very eccentric. He came to me and said he might be willing to fund Charlotte Wenzel's murder case, but only if I personally handled her defense. I asked him why he picked me and why he was interested in her case, but he wouldn't tell me. He simply said, "I'll fund her defense, if you agree to defend her."

  "That's pretty weird if you ask me," Bart said. "Frankly it sounds like bullshit."

  I shrugged. "I guess it probably does, but it's what the man told me. I'm sure he has a good reason for wanting me to defend Charlotte. Maybe they were involved or something and he cares about her but doesn't want anyone to know that he's helping her out. I've wracked my brains trying to make sense of it, but there's no obvious explanation. All I know is the money he gave me is real and Charlotte Wenzel is innocent."

  "How do you know that?"

  "Talk to your wife. Ten minutes with Mrs. Wenzel and it's obvious she's innocent."

  "Okay, I suppose I should give you the benefit of the doubt," Bart said tentatively.

  "Good. Listen, I need a favor. Do you know anyone down at the Waco DA's office?"

  "Sure. Gary Wakefield. I worked with him on a drug smuggling case last year."

  "Good. I've got a client down in Waco who has discovered that their bookkeeper has been embezzling. I know that white collar crime is tough to prosecute and some district attorneys shy away from it. I just wanted to talk to one of the assistant DA's down there, give them the facts, and find out if they'd seriously look at it."

  "I don't know what their policy is, but Gary will be straight with you. Just tell him I referred you."

  "Thanks. I'll do that."

  After leaving Bart I placed the call to Gary Wakefield and told him the situation with the Stover’s. He seemed interested in the case and assured me that they'd take a good look at it.

  "If this guy did what you say he did," Wakefield said, "we'll definitely prosecute him. Have Mr. Stover call me. I'll send over a detective to get all the facts and take a look at the evidence. It shouldn't take us long to decide if we have a case or not."

  "Great. I really appreciate that. I'll have Ben call you."

  "Good. Say hello to Bart."

  "I will. Thanks."

  I caught Alice at the office and told her the good news. She promised to call Wakefield later that afternoon. She said they'd been able to scrape up enough cash to last them the rest of the week, but on Monday things would get dicey. I told her to keep me posted and let me know if they needed to file Chapter 11 to keep the doors open.

  After I'd hung up the phone, Maria advised me that Alex Garcia from the Globe Inquirer was on the line. I looked at her in disbelief. Garcia had punched me during an argument over Paula several months earlier and I’d ended up in the emergency room. Why was he calling me? I didn’t want to talk to him. Just hearing his name made my blood boil. The press had made a big deal over the story since Alex and Paula had been romantically involved. Consequently, there was no way I was going to give that scumbag the time of day. I told Maria to tell him I wasn't in.

  My blood started to boil just thinking about it. He'd lied his way onto our staff, seduced Paula, and assaulted me. He was lucky I hadn't sued him or filed charges. Now he was harassing Paula and me over Cheryl Windsor's disappearance even though the police and the FBI were still actively working that case. For some reason he was convinced we knew Cheryl's whereabouts and he wouldn't leave us alone until he got us to admit it. But that wasn't going to happen.

  The next day I dropped by The Blooms Flower Shop in Addison to talk to Janet Kaufman. She was working on an arrangement when I walked in. She told another girl working there that she was going to take a break. Janet was a short, plump, redhead with a perky personality. She seemed anxious to talk to me.

  "I feel really bad," she said.

  "Why?" I asked.

  "I think I told that detective some things I shouldn't have. I didn't realize he seriously thought Charlotte had anything to do with her husband's disappearance. I know she wouldn't harm anyone, particularly her husband and children."

  "I'm glad to hear that. However, some of the things you told the detective are a bit troublesome."

  "I know. I tend to run off at the mouth. I feel so bad."

  "Did you tell the DA she was mentally unstable?"

  "Not exactly. I said the way Gabe treated her it was a miracle
she could maintain her sanity."

  "How did he treat her?"

  "Well, he was the ultimate control freak. He planned out what she'd do every day—where she'd go, who'd she see, and even what she'd do at home during the day."

  "Jeez. That is a bit controlling. Did she complain about that?"

  "Yes, constantly. I told her she had to stand up to him, but she was deathly afraid of what he'd do to her if she defied him."

  "I think you told the detective he beat her. Is that right?"

  "Yes, I'm sure he did although I never saw him do it. "

  "Did she tell you he beat her?"

  "No, but several times she came over after they'd had an argument. Each time she was a mental wreck—crying, shaking, scared to death. I felt so sorry for her. She refused to talk about it, but I'm certain he must have done something to her. There wasn't any other plausible explanation."

  "So most of what you told the police was speculation?"

  "I guess," Janet said. "I found out about it after the fact, but I really think I'm right. He was abusing her mentally, maybe physically."

  "What about the blackouts? You told the police she had memory lapses," I said.

  "Yes, she was constantly complaining about that. She'd wake up and have no memory of several hours or even days sometimes."

  "Does she drink?"

  "Sure, but not any more than the next girl."

  "Have you ever seen her drunk? That might explain the blackouts."

  "She's not an alcoholic. I'd know if that were the case. But she did like her gin and tonics and an occasional bloody Mary."

  "Tell me about the day Mr. Wenzel and the children went missing. Did you see or talk to Charlotte that day?"

  "Yes. She called me just after lunch to see if I wanted to go shopping with her. I told her I couldn't because I had a meeting scheduled with my son's teacher."

  "Do your children attend the same school as the Wenzel children?" I asked.

  "No, they go to a private school. Gabe wouldn't allow them go to public school."

  "Did she say anything else to you in that conversation?"

  "No. Just that she was going to Collin Creek Mall to look for a dress."

  "Did she say anything about Gabe picking up the kids?"

  "Yes, she was very surprised he volunteered to do it without her asking. It wasn't like him to spontaneously do things with the kids."

  "Didn't that make her suspicious?"

  "It should have, I guess, but it didn't. She was just glad to have a couple of free hours. She's not the suspicious type."

  "What about Gabe's affairs? Do you have any knowledge of him being unfaithful?"

  "Sure, there was the nurse. I saw them together at a bar once. Then there was the airline stewardess who had the audacity to call Gabe at home. I was on the phone with Charlotte when Brenda beeped in. I'm sure there were others."

  "How did Charlotte react to his infidelity?"

  "She didn't like it obviously, but she tolerated it more than I would have."

  "Would she have been angry enough to kill Gabe?"

  "No. She loved her children and their life together. She wouldn't have done anything to jeopardize that. I'm certain of that."

  I thanked Janet and left. I didn't