11 Hanging by a Hair (6 page)

“Marla . . . may I call you by your first name?” Minnetti began.

“Please do.” She moistened her lips.

“As you might have guessed, we’re here to talk about your neighbor, Alan Krabber. What can you tell me about him? And do you mind if I take notes?”

“Go ahead.” As the detective withdrew a notebook and pen from her handbag, Marla studied her. The woman could have been a model with her height, slim figure, and refined features, but her eyes were stone cold.

Minnetti couldn’t be all that bad. She’d taken particular care with her jet black hair. The short layered cut had not a hair out of place. It highlighted her bone structure and firm chin. Marla couldn’t have done better herself if the woman had sat in her salon chair.

“We didn’t know Alan all that well.” Marla stumbled over the words, regret assailing her. “Dalton and I introduced ourselves when we first moved in, but the man mostly kept to himself.”

“Was he friendly during your first meet?”

“I’d say he was polite. He’s not . . . wasn’t an overly garrulous man. However, he did like telling others what to do.”

“How so?” Minnetti leaned forward, an interested expression on her face.

“He made sure to point out to us the days of trash delivery and certain rules. You know, keeping the roof clean and our yard free of debris. Not that he was one to follow regulations.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, he tried to park his boat in his driveway. That’s explicitly against city code, which Dalton pointed out to him at the homeowners’ meeting.”

Minnetti’s lips compressed. “Tell me about that night.”

The dogs whined. Marla desperately wished she could put them out in a fenced-in yard.

She shifted her position. “Alan wanted to keep his boat in plain sight. Dalton protested, and another member called for a vote. The result was that Alan had to comply with the rules. He wasn’t exempt because of his role as president.”

“You said your husband protested. In what manner?” Detective Langley hunched forward, his dark eyes fixed on her.

“Dalton reiterated that the rules were intended to be followed by everyone, especially after Alan had just reinforced the same regulations for another resident.”

Minnetti consulted her notes. “So it was determined that Mr. Krabber had to build a fence to be in compliance with city code.”

“That is correct.”

“Did your husband raise any other issues at the meeting?”

“During the budget discussion, he mentioned the line item for security. Dalton wondered why the cost was so high and offered to head up a committee to look into our options.”

“How was his mood at the time?”

“Excuse me?” She raised her eyebrows, needing clarification.

“Did he seem hostile?”

Marla straightened her shoulders. “He was annoyed by Alan’s attitude, and rightfully so.”

“Did Lieutenant Vail discuss these issues with the association president at the reception following the meeting?”

“Not really.” Marla surmised this is why it took so long for the detectives to interview her. They must have been interrogating other witnesses, as well as waiting for test results on Krabber’s body.

Minnetti tapped her chin. “Yet I have one witness here who says your husband addressed Mr. Krabber in an angry tone and leaned forward in a threatening manner.”

Marla’s blood flashed hot. “Alan hit on me. It wasn’t the first time. When we moved into the community and made an effort to introduce ourselves to the neighbors, Alan implied he could entertain me if I got bored. He said he liked to lie out by the pool in his birthday suit. Ugh.” She shuddered at the image that came to mind.

“So Lieutenant Vail took offense at Mr. Krabber’s words?”

“Yes, he did, especially when Alan’s remarks turned nasty.” Even now, the memory made her stomach clench.

“What happened after this confrontation?”

“Alan walked away and the situation defused itself.”

“When was the next time either one of you encountered him?” The detective’s pen scratched on her notepad. A lock of hair fell across her face, and she absently tucked it behind her ear.

Marla cleared her throat, which had suddenly gone dry. “I’m sorry, can I get you guys a drink? I should have offered you something sooner.”

Minnetti exchanged a glance with Langley, who’d been scanning the living room with an eagle eye while the two of them talked. “No, thank you. Please continue.”

“The next morning, we found a plastic bag of dog poop on our driveway.”

“Is that right?” Minnetti arched a penciled eyebrow.

“We thought Alan might be the culprit, but we just disposed of the bag and let it go.”

“Which day was this?”

“Friday. I didn’t see our neighbor again until Monday morning, when I heard a banging noise next door. At first, I thought construction must have resumed on the underground propane tank he’s putting in to run a standby generator. But when I looked out the window, I saw a couple of workmen putting up a fence next door between our properties.”

Langley’s brow creased. “Wasn’t that per the rule to hide his boat from view?”

“Yes, except that he hadn’t done a survey or gotten a permit. Those men were constructing the fence on our land.”

“How did you know that?” He brushed a piece of imaginary lint off his trousers.

Marla sat forward as their neighbor’s affront riled her again. “We’d done a survey. I went outside to talk to the handymen. They didn’t have a visible tag on their truck. That should have raised my suspicions.”

“About what?” Minnetti took over the conversation again.

“Illegal work being done.”

“So you went out alone to confront them?”

“That’s right.” She jumped up, her nerves crawling. “I need a cup of coffee. Are you sure I can’t get you something? A glass of water, perhaps?”

“No, we’re good.” Minnetti replied for both.

In the kitchen, Marla drew in a shaky breath. She was so afraid she might say something that would cast blame on Dalton. But he’d advised her to tell the truth, and that’s what she would do. He could deal with the fallout.

The dogs roused from their slumber at her arrival and nudged her for attention. Stroking the fur on the golden retriever, she willed herself to remain calm. The detectives were probably hoping she’d get rattled.

Spooks didn’t like being left out. The poodle poked her leg with his wet nose. After giving Lucky a final pat, she grabbed Spooks up in her arms and gave him a quick, comforting squeeze before putting him down. No way would she let anyone harm their “daddy.” She’d make these people see that Dalton had nothing to hide.

After giving each dog a biscuit for good behavior, she poured herself a mug of coffee, added sugar and cream, and returned to the living room. Both detectives had risen and were roaming around, peering at the objects on display. At Marla’s appearance, they resumed their seats.

“Where was Lieutenant Vail when you went outside on Monday morning?” Minnetti said, eyeing Marla’s coffee mug with an impassive expression.

The woman likely would have enjoyed a beverage but wouldn’t indulge while on duty. Marla’s gaze narrowed as she pondered the reason for her rigid self-control and cool demeanor. Dalton had said he couldn’t read her, and Marla agreed. The woman would be a tough nut to crack, but Marla liked challenges when it came to psyching people out.

“Dalton had already left for work, and Brianna was in school.”

“Oh yes, that’s his daughter? How old is she?”

Lord save me, you’re not going to question the girl, are you?

“She’ll be fifteen later this month. Look, leave her out of this, okay? It’s bad enough that her father was removed from the case. His colleagues should know better. Dalton is the most honest, diligent, and devoted cop I know. He wants to get to the bottom of this more than anyone, especially because he knew the victim. It’s frustrating him that he can’t be involved.”

Silence greeted her tirade. Marla plunked her mug down on the coffee table, dismayed by her outburst. But then the lady detective’s face softened and a smile played about her mouth. It transformed her features and made her look more approachable.

“Listen, Marla, we’re just doing our job. Your husband may have a sterling reputation, but there have been complaints about him. It’s our duty to investigate. No one is making judgments here. If it were me involved, the protocol would be the same.”

Marla clasped her hands together. “I’m sorry. I hate to see him troubled.”

“You’re newlyweds, aren’t you?”

“Yes, we got married in December, a second marriage for both of us.”

“Tell me, did you realize he had a temper before you wed him?”

“Excuse me?” Marla did a double take.
Is she trying to throw me off guard? If so, that won’t work with me. A little sugar won’t change my tune.
“Normally, Dalton is very calm in stressful situations. I don’t know where you’re going with this.” She spoke stiffly, insulted by the woman’s suggestive tone.

“So you confronted the workmen by yourself, and then what?”

“Mr. Krabber heard us arguing, and he came outside. I asked if he had done a survey or applied for a permit. The fence wasn’t the only issue. He’d put a stone path around the side of the house, and it crossed our boundary. And he was planning to plant ficus trees by the property line. You know how far those roots grow. They could crack open our sprinkler pipes.”

Marla’s voice rose in pitch. How could the detectives not sympathize with her plight? Those were blatant code violations. Nonetheless, the neighbor was dead, and she and Dalton might have been the last ones to see him alive.

Detective Langley, who’d been content to let his partner ask the questions, said, “How did Mr. Krabber respond to your comments?”

“He didn’t take me seriously, so I called Dalton. Sometimes a man can be more forceful.”

Oops.
Those words had slipped from her mouth. She hoped the detective didn’t take them the wrong way.

Detective Minnetti riffled through her notes. “I understand a heated discussion ensued between your husband and Mr. Krabber. And that’s when your husband said, ‘I won’t stand idly by while you make an exception of yourself. No matter what it takes, I’ll see that you comply.’ He didn’t mean that he would make the problem disappear, did he? And Alan Krabber along with it?”

Marla, midway to picking up her mug, sloshed coffee on her jeans.

Marla snapped the leashes onto the dogs’ collars as soon as she was free. Her fingers trembling, it took several tries before she got the job done. She grabbed her keys from the kitchen counter and stumbled after the pets in their race to the front door.

No wonder Dalton had been so touchy of late. After meeting his new partner, Marla could sympathize with him. Minnetti appeared competent at her job, but where was her compassion? What had happened to make her so stern? Intuition told Marla it went beyond the horrors she witnessed in her daily job or her attempts to be objective on this case.

Her curiosity aroused, she resolved to get to know the woman.

The balmy air and warm sunshine worked their magic as she strolled along the sidewalk. Her limbs relaxed, her movements becoming more fluid as she let the dogs take the lead. Her gaze darted to the neighboring homes. Were the housewives watching her now through parted curtains, wondering if her husband had been implicated in Krabber’s death?

Unfortunately, she hadn’t learned any more details about the case. Had Krabber hanged himself or not? Did the evidence indicate otherwise, as Dalton suspected?

Minnetti had asked if Dalton had been home that entire evening. Marla said that as far as she knew, he’d been beside her in bed all night. Had the police woman known she’d been fudging the truth? Should she have said that when she’d awakened in the middle of the night, his side of the bed was empty?

Marla assumed Dalton couldn’t sleep and had gone into the family room to watch TV. He did that often in the midst of a case, when pieces of the puzzle jumbled in his head. He’d go back to sleep after an hour or so, and sometimes she’d have to rouse him in the morning. She knew her husband was no murderer, but that would have given him time to go next door.

Wait a minute. They’d turned the alarm on. That would exonerate him. The alarm company could prove he hadn’t cracked their perimeter.

Her breath huffed with excitement as she waited by a bougainvillea bush for the pets to complete their business. Lost in thought, she loosened her grip and Spooks dashed forward. The leash ripped from her hand as the cream-colored poodle charged down the street. Lucky surged after him, but Marla yanked on the restraint to hold the bigger dog back.

Meanwhile, Spooks raced in circles in the middle of the road and then plunged toward Krabber’s yard.

“Spooks, come here! I’ll give you a treat!”

She spared a moment to unlock her front door and nudge Lucky inside.

With one dog secured, she turned and sprinted toward the side of the house where she’d seen Spooks vanish. His furious barking shattered the still air. That excited woof could only mean he’d found a squirrel or something more interesting. As she headed around the corner, she prayed for an easy capture. All she needed was for the neighbors to see her trespassing onto Krabber’s property.

The dog’s sudden silence raised goose bumps on her flesh.

“Spooks, where are you?” Arriving at Krabber’s backyard, she halted. Spooks was nowhere in sight. Where could he have gone?

At the far edge of the lawn was a chain link fence marking the border between Krabber’s land and the rear neighbor’s plot, whose house faced another road. Pots of ficus trees were still lined up by the side border, ready for planting. And a big hole, surrounded by mounds of dirt, gaped in the center of the yard.

Her pet couldn’t have squeezed beneath the fence, could he? Watching from the kitchen window, she’d seen a stray cat pass through it, into her own yard. Spooks could even now be prowling around on the next street over.

Or not.
A faint whimper drew her attention. It sounded close by.