Cooper wondered if this was part of the reason why the house looked the way it did. The house was as neglected as their marriage. Cooper thought George was throwing motive down on the table just daring to be caught. He wondered if Riley felt the same.
He and Riley continued to pepper George with questions, going over in detail Maime’s relationships with her friends, family and coworkers. They were checking to see if there were any potential reasons she would have left or if someone would have harmed her. They continued coming up blank, which for Cooper meant George was still suspect number one.
“We know Maime went missing on Friday. She was last seen at her office Friday afternoon. Do you have an alibi for that afternoon into Friday evening?” Cooper finally had to ask.
“Yes, I told the detectives I was with Dean,” George said as the phone on Cooper’s hip began to buzz.
George continued talking as Cooper slid his phone out of its holder and looked down at the text message. The message from Luke read, “Another woman’s body pulled from the river. Not Maime. Come alone.”
CHAPTER 18
COOPER HEADED BACK to the Arkansas River just down from where they had been the night before. After receiving Luke’s text, he had stopped the interview, excused himself and Riley, and walked her outside. She had been annoyed that he had interrupted the interview until he held up his phone and showed her Luke’s text. Riley looked as shocked as he felt.
They talked quickly and decided the best game plan was for him to leave and Riley to stay. They both felt that maybe if Riley was alone with George she might get the truth out of him or at least some leads for them to follow.
Cooper cruised down Cantrell out of the Heights toward downtown. At a light he made a left on Lilac Terrace and then across Riverdale Road where he made another left on Riverfront Drive. He drove the short distance to Morgan Keegan Plaza, and as he approached, he saw the mass of people, cops and news vans. A barricade was up, blocking the entrance into 100 Morgan Keegan. After a quick flip of his identification to the cop manning the barricade, he pulled into the parking lot. It seemed they were expecting him.
It was the middle of a workday and Morgan Keegan Plaza held several different businesses. He didn’t envy the police who were going to have to canvass all these people to see what they might know or might have seen. He pulled his pickup truck into an open space, grabbed his cell and hit the ground, walking towards the back of the building. Cooper only made it about a hundred yards when Ben, the reporter from the night before, stopped him in his tracks in the sea of other news media.
“You’re back?” Ben asked, drawing Cooper’s attention. “Where’s that girl you had with you last night?”
“What’s your interest?”
“No interest really. Just someone last night said she used to work for the newspaper, and I looked her up. She’s a private investigator from New York, which begs the question of why she’s here and interested in this case. Are you a PI, too?”
Cooper nodded in response but didn’t give much in the way of an explanation. It was then he saw Luke. Cooper yelled to him to get his attention. He walked away from Ben without saying anything more.
Luke got Cooper through the second police barricade and over the grassy hill down to the river where the body had washed up. As they walked, Luke explained that two women who walked down to eat their lunch at the picnic table in the back of the building had made the discovery. One of the women fainted while the other made a frantic call to 911.
Unfortunately, they had gone back inside and told some of their coworkers. By the time the cops arrived, Luke said, the whole area was crawling with employees from the building. People walked over any evidence that might have washed up with her.
Didn’t people watch CSI enough to know not to walk on a crime scene? Cooper was about to complain about stupid people when Luke pointed to the building. “Maime’s father is here. Apparently, this is where his office is located.”
“George works in this building, too,” Cooper said matter-of-factly.
“Yeah,” Luke confirmed, and then looked out towards the road. “Did you just leave in the middle? Where’s Riley?”
“She’s still there. I thought maybe she’d get more information from him if they were alone. You told me to come by myself.” Cooper looked around at the cops talking to people and the medical examiner’s team hard at work again. The crime scene folks, wearing blue jackets with CSI on the back and black pants, were doing what they do best especially given the circumstance.
“You think that’s safe?” Luke asked with an edge in his voice.
“I guess we’ll see. Riley can handle herself,” Cooper said as they walked towards the river. “You know it’s not Maime, but do you know who it is?
“No. It’s a woman probably late thirties to early forties found only in her bra and panties like the women last night. This woman is much curvier than the other two. She’s heavier. Long blonde hair. She’s in worse condition though. Looks like someone beat her badly before she died,” Luke said, going down the facts they knew so far. Then Luke got closer to Cooper and said almost in a whisper, “I called you because there’s something else you’ve got to see.”
Cooper walked with Luke towards the body still lying on the grass not yet covered. Cooper looked down and took in the woman. Luke was right. She was much heavier than the women from last night. She was taller, too. Cooper guessed almost five-ten and probably close to two hundred pounds. He guessed her face would have been pretty but it was badly swollen and bruised. Blood had caked on her face in several places and remained even after being in the water.
Then Cooper saw what Luke was talking about. She had the word whore written across her stomach in bright pink lettering. Cooper thought it was maybe marker, but he couldn’t be sure. Cooper noticed something else about her. She had on a pair of big expensive looking silver hoop earrings.
He turned to Luke and asked, “You notice the earrings? The woman last night had on a bracelet. The other woman had on a small pinkie ring. You make anything of that?”
Luke ran a hand down his face and said, “Honestly, Coop, I noticed the bracelet, but that’s about it. They each wore jewelry. Most women do. What do you think of the writing?”
“Obviously, she pissed someone off. You think it’s connected to the women last night?”
“It can’t be a coincidence that three women were found in the river less than a mile apart within twenty-four hours. They all have ligature marks on their wrists and ankles.”
“What can I do to help?” Cooper asked, feeling overwhelmed. He couldn’t imagine what Luke was feeling.
Luke pulled Cooper aside, far from all the other cops and medical examiner staff and said, “Listen, I don’t know what I’ve got here. But something isn’t right. Brewer’s wife is missing and now three women wash up not far from where he works. This is a lot more than we bargained for. Off the record, I need you to be my eyes and ears. Through Riley, you’ve got the inside track. I need enough evidence to make an arrest.”
“You really think it’s George?” Cooper asked cautiously. He thought it was a quick jump to make.
“Don’t tell me Riley’s convinced you already?” Luke asked, shooting Cooper a dirty look.
“No, but it’s a jump. You don’t even know for sure Maime’s connected.”
Cooper felt conflicted by Luke’s request. George Brewer was technically his client. He worked for him, not the police department anymore. But since he wasn’t working for a defense attorney directly, there was no legal obligation to withhold information from the cops, particularly if that information could help them solve a crime, or in this case, prevent a murderer from seeing justice. Actually, Cooper had a legal obligation to report that information. Ethically, it walked a fine line Cooper wasn’t sure how comfortable he felt walking.
Plus, it would betray Riley.
“I’ll see what I can do as we were really only hired to help find Maime. If I pick up other information
, I’ll pass it along,” Cooper promised Luke. “You got any idea how the media keeps showing up so quickly? Twice now, they have been out here almost as quickly as you guys.”
“Least of my worries right now,” Luke called over his shoulder as he walked to where the body was, but then he turned back and added, “Don’t tell Riley what we talked about.”
CHAPTER 19
“IS YOUR ALIBI TRUE, GEORGE?” We sat down on the couch in the family room across from the kitchen. After Cooper left, I thought if we moved from the dining room table to the couch and sat more comfortably that I might get George to open up more. I decided not to tell him about the woman’s body just found.
George didn’t say a word as he settled into the couch and slung his arm over the back of the brown leather sofa. He turned his body toward mine. I sat sideways on the couch careful my knee didn’t hit against his thigh.
I continued, “George, it’s really important you tell me the truth. I can’t help you if you’re not honest. I need to know about all your affairs. These women will come forward. Think of the cases you have seen on the news. It’s important or I wouldn’t be asking.”
“I don’t want to hurt you, Riley,” he said, reaching out and giving my shoulder a patronizing squeeze. I wish I could say I pulled away from his touch. I didn’t.
“It’s a little too late to worry about hurting me. Forget all that and just give it to me straight,” I said but didn’t quite believe I was ready to hear it all.
“There’s been more than a few. Most were one-night stands when I would travel. I’d meet someone in a hotel lobby or local bar and it would be for one night. No strings. No involvement.”
He walked me through a few of them and how it would go. George said sometimes he wouldn’t even use his real name. It was companionship, conversation and sex for the night. He said he didn’t expect me to understand. I understood better than he would’ve ever thought. Then he stopped talking. I knew there was more, probably a lot more, so I encouraged him to continue. He got up, went to the kitchen and brought back a glass of tea for each of us. He sipped and finally continued.
“About six months ago, I started seeing a woman who works at the local hospital. She knew I was married and knew how sensitive the situation with Maime has been. I broke it off with her recently. She wanted more than I could give. She had called the house a few times and sent some emails. I was worried Maime would find out. Stupidly, I gave in the Friday night Maime went missing and saw her again.”
“Did Maime ever find out about her?” I asked, knowing the storm that would rage if she had.
“I don’t think so,” George said. “I think we both know if Maime found out, I’d know.”
“Is she your real alibi? You weren’t really with Dean, were you?”
George looked down at his hands for a moment and then back up to meet my eyes. “Yes. I was with Laura. I don’t want to get her involved. I was stupid to even see her again. I knew that as soon as I picked her up. I don’t want to complicate the situation more.”
“She’s important to clear your name. Don’t you think she’s watched the news and knows your wife went missing on the same night she was with you?”
“I know, I know. Detective Morgan asked what I was doing and I panicked and told them I was out with Dean.” George looked away from me and said, “Dean covered for me.”
“You can’t lie and get Dean to lie for you. This is making you look guilty.” I was afraid George just wasn’t getting it. It was little lies like these that end up making him look guiltier.
George turned back to me. He had tears in his eyes. I’d never seen him cry. He looked older and more tired than I had ever seen him. Then he said with his voice cracking, “I just don’t know what to do. I swear to you I didn’t hurt Maime. I don’t know where she is.”
I wanted to believe him. I really did. I was almost there when he leaned across the space between us and kissed me. His hands cupped my face and his lips were against mine, tongue slowly teasing mine. He knew just how I liked to be kissed, and the worst part, I was letting him. I was kissing George in the house he shared with Maime, and she was missing. The thought of Maime snapped me right back to reality. I pulled out of his arms.
“George, we can’t,” I said, putting my hand up to stop him from leaning in farther. “Your wife is missing. You’re lying to the cops, still holding back on me and now kissing me. What is wrong with you?” I pleaded to him still thinking about that kiss.
What was wrong with me? How could I fall back into this so quickly? I was kissing a married man whose wife was missing. Even I wasn’t this desperate.
“I’m a mess,” George whined. “You deserve the truth if you’re going to help me. Her name is Laura Bisceglia. She lives in Hillcrest. I’ll give you the address.”
“Friday was the last time you saw her or spoke to her?” I asked him.
“Yes, I haven’t tried to call or text her since then. I was too consumed with Maime. And honestly, I don’t think she’d speak with me. I ended it for good with her on Friday.”
“How did it go? Did she cry, argue with you? Did you fight?” I inquired.
George shrugged. “How do you think it went?”
By the look on his face, I knew he realized what was going through my mind. I knew all too well how bad he was at ending things. It brought me right back to that day I moved to Little Rock. George knew I was moving. We had planned it. On the day I moved in, after the movers came and I got settled, I called him so excited to be there. He was so cold on the phone. Told me that he wished I hadn’t moved. That he was engaged to someone else and to never contact him again. Then he hung up on me mid-sentence. Didn’t answer when I tried to call him back. I left a message, several messages, and he just continued to ignore me. It still hurt.
George reached for my hand, but before he could touch it, I pulled away and stood. “I’m going. Do you have a list of Maime’s friends, people that I should interview?”
He stood and went to move past me but stopped and enveloped me in a hug. He wrapped his arms tightly around me. I didn’t move or hug him back. I stood rigid in his arms. He squeezed me harder, then released me, and walked to one of the bedrooms down the hall.
When George returned, he handed me some typewritten pages with handwritten notes included. “It should be everything you need. All of her friends’ addresses and phone numbers. I noted who they are next to them.”
I scanned the list and some of the names were familiar. Some of them were the very same women who took part in harassing me when Maime found out about me. It would be awkward going back to talk to them now.
For the first time, I was really glad Cooper was helping me on this case. I thanked George, gathered my things and was just about out the front door when George said to my back, “Riley, I’m sorry. I think I’m still in love with you.”
I stepped through the door and out into the sunlight. I left his home without looking back.
CHAPTER 20
I REALIZED AFTER I LEFT GEORGE’S HOUSE that I didn’t have any way home other than to walk. I tried Cooper on his cell, but he didn’t answer. I left him a message that I was going back to my place and told him the address. I walked the few blocks to my house. The Heights neighborhood is perfect for a walk so I didn’t mind. I even stopped at my favorite Starbucks on Kavanagh and grabbed a bag of coffee.
When I got back, I put on a pot of coffee and sat down at my kitchen table with a notepad and pen to write some notes about what I knew so far. I was still a little shaken from the kiss and George’s ill-timed, inappropriate declaration of love. It definitely wasn’t what I was expecting. Neither were the dead women yesterday and the woman found today.
I hadn’t even been on the case twenty-four hours yet and already I felt scattered. I reminded myself that Maime was why I was here. I had to stay focused on her and not get sidetracked, but it was hard to believe that it was all coincidental, especially after seeing that bracelet last night.
&
nbsp; I was lost in thought going over the list of those that I needed to interview. I had started making a list of questions to ask when I heard a loud rap at the front door. Before I could get up to answer it, Emma came through the house and rushed towards me, her arms outstretched.
“Look at you, pretty girl,” Emma said, hugging me. “I’ve missed you. Please tell me you’re back for good.”
Emma helped herself to the coffee and sat down across from me. Emma was my best friend and the person I trusted the most. She knew all my secrets. She looked good, too. Her black hair cut in a chin length bob. She looked like she’d lost some of the baby weight. I was a little jealous.
“Girl,” Emma drawled getting straight to the point like she was known to do. “Don’t just sit there silent, update me about what is going on.”
I realized in that moment I felt like I had been holding my breath since I arrived in Little Rock. Now with Emma, I could finally exhale. And with the release, all the pent-up emotions came pouring out.
“George called me. Maime is missing, and the police suspect he had something to do with it. He asked me to investigate her disappearance, find her. See what I can find out. I have such a hard time believing he had anything to do with it. Then I get here and find out Luke is the lead detective. He still hates me. He’ll barely even look at me. And if all that wasn’t bad enough, earlier today when I was interviewing George, Cooper got a call about another body that was found, so he left. When I was alone with George, he kissed me and then told me he’s still in love with me. Everyone thinks he killed Maime.”
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