One Deadly Sister (Sandy Reid Mystery Series #1) (19 page)

“Don’t assume too much.”

“Oh, I gotta work all this in somehow. Let’s see, we have a rendezvous at a motel. God, I love this business. Accordingly, Loraine Dellin had sex once, no doubt again at the motel, and doubtless other times we don’t know about, with the man who shot her ex-husband. I wonder how many times I can use the word sex in a single column.”

Sandy abruptly stood. “Allegedly shot, allegedly! Look, sister, if you’ve already decided my brother is guilty, then we’ve nothing to talk about. You’re sitting there being all nice to me, and I started to trust you. What you’re really after is something you can use to show he’s guilty.”

“No, I was just visualizing a sensational headline.” Linda also got up. “Hey, don’t be so touchy. I’m interested only in reporting the truth. You have to admit your brother is up to his ass in this. The sex angle just makes it worse. Regardless of what you say, it’ll look like a love triangle with plenty of motive for your brother to knock off the Senator. National TV will have a field day with all this.”

“And you’re going to make certain they don’t miss a thing!”

“Actually, it’s to my advantage to hold it until I can break the story myself. We’re talking Pulitzer Prize here.”

“I told you not to assume too much. They definitely did not have sex a second time, at the motel or elsewhere. One time only after the party. My brother didn’t want any more to do with her.”

“Why were they at the motel, if not for sex? Something was going on."

“Can’t divulge that, not yet. I’d like to find out what Loraine did for the rest of that Saturday.”

“Hold on, I think I have it in my notes.” Linda looked down at the files and papers on the floor around her desk and then thrashed among the papers on her desk. “Here it is. I asked Chief Oehlert if ex-wives aren’t always suspects. Off the record he told me that at the time of the murder she claimed she was at the museum.”

“Okay, so that’s her alibi. I’ll check that out, if you can dig into Mrs. Crawford.”

“What about your brother? Does he have an alibi for the time of the murder?”

“He left at noon.”

“Sandy, give me some credit for chrissake. He could have gone back up there later that afternoon and shot Towson. Does he have an alibi for the rest of the afternoon?”

“He was driving around trying to see people. I’m investigating his alibi.”

“Okay, go ahead and bullshit me. He has no alibi or you’d be screaming it from the rooftops.” She rolled back her chair and smiled. “How about you? Anything you haven’t been doing lately but would like to? Maybe something I could help you with?”

Sandy gave her a slight frown and stood.

“I’m sorry. I’m not very good at this am I?” Linda stood. “It’s getting late. At least let me buy you a drink. I know a special bar. We can eat there too. You can even dance if you want to.”

“Thanks, Linda, but that’s not me. How about a sandwich and a cup of coffee instead? Someplace we can talk.”

“I’ll settle for that...for the time being. Let’s go, I’m dying to hear about your unnamed police source.” She held the door for Sandy. “We’d better take my pickup. Your car stands out like a Georgia peach in a bushel of Vidalia onions.”

“I’ve heard.”

Linda frowned. “In fact, I think you should hide it. My advice is for you to keep a low profile. Soon the town will take notice of the killer’s sister. They just might direct some of their anger at you.”

“Well then, we better take your pickup. My car is probably rigged for an explosion when I turn the key.”

Linda didn’t smile and that bothered Sandy. Surely, the town’s hostility couldn’t be that serious. It was fortunate this influential reporter talked like a friend and seemed to be coming around to her side. One of her big worries was that the investigation would just drag on and on. Sandy didn’t have that kind of time.

Linda seemed receptive; maybe right then was the time to take a chance and get things moving. She stopped in the middle of the parking lot and faced Linda. “Look, I can tell you some other things. This is bigger than you think. People you know around town were brought into this. There’s a woman who stands to gain financially from the killing. There’s another person who has been missing since the murder. Trust me, Linda, the investigation is broadening.”

“And you’re the one who’s going to pull it all together. You think you can handle all this stuff by your cute little self?”

“You don’t think I can?”

Linda stared at her for ten seconds and then said, “Sugar, I don’t think there’s anyone who can stop you.”

T
hat evening, Sandy left Ray’s apartment and walked the three blocks to the corner convenience store for munchies. After the sandwich with Linda, she had worked straight through until after dark doing research on her tablet. Now it was too late to cook even if she had wanted to.

She was pleased with her initial meeting with Linda Call. She had accomplished a crucial part of her purpose. A sympathetic connection with the reporter now seemed possible.

As she came back out of the store, a uniformed cop was standing directly in front leaning against the hood of a red pickup. The truck was large with an oversized bulging grill, an appropriate match for the big and out of shape cop.

“Well, imagine running into you here.” His voice had the smarmy tone of self-importance. “I’m Sergeant Huress, Bobby Huress. I know who you are.”

She remembered Chip’s comment about him. “Bobby Huress, huh? Are you on the Towson case?”

“Well, not officially. I do things for Moran now and then. I want to talk to you.”

“Sure. Too late tonight, though. How about we talk tomorrow?”

“No, it’s important. We could just sit here in my truck for a minute.”

She looked at the sergeant in his uniform, then at his pickup, and then around at the brightly lit parking lot with people going in and out of the store.

“There’s something I can do to help your brother. I’ll explain. It’ll just take a minute.”

He held the truck door open for her. After some hesitation, she slid in.

“Pretty nice huh?” he said.

“What’s that?”

“My truck.” He settled in on the driver’s side. “I understand you want to help your brother. But it’s not as easy as it sounds. To do it all yourself, you'd have to know your way around. You’d have to run around to weird places you’ve never been before. And talk to important lawyers and the police. Face up to all kinds of strangers and be ready with smart answers. It could get real creepy for a young woman. A pretty girl like you shouldn’t be worrying about such stuff.” He chuckled slightly. “I bet all the guys tell you you’re pretty.”

Geez, another man who underestimates her. “Huress, talk about the case, do we have anything to discuss?” She should have trusted her instincts. This was a waste of time.

“Well, I might be able to help you. People listen to me down here. You know what I mean, a sergeant on the police force? No doubt, I could get your brother out immediately, if I wanted to bad enough. It would be up to you. Know what I’m saying? Let me take you somewhere and we can talk.”

“You mean like you could take me to dinner and explain it all.”

“Wasn’t thinking about a dinner but I know a place.”

“We’re not moving from this spot. You have ten seconds to start talking.”

“Well, I know how to get him released, but I’d have to stick my neck out. Let me be frank with you, Sandy, I won’t do it for nothing. I need to get something from you in return.”

“I wonder what that would be.”

He gave her a crooked smile. “Hey, it would get your brother out.”

“Forget it Bobby, it ain’t gonna happen. And I don’t believe for a second you can get him released.”

“You think you’re the smart one here, but you’re dead wrong. You see, I’ve been doing little jobs for Moran for a long time. Some of them, well, let’s just say he owes me. True, I can’t get the charges dropped, but I sure as hell can get him out on bail, if I put in the word. That is if you’re nice to me.”

“So, if I put out for you, you’ll put in for me? Stop with this brainless proposition, Huress. You’re putting your job on the line here.” She put her hand on the door handle. “I can’t believe you tried this.”

“Tried what? No proposition. You and I met up. We got interested in each other. Happens all the time. It’s natural. Just something between us and nobody else will ever know. In the morning, it’s like it never happened except you’ve gotten him released. You’ve the power to do that. You might even be saving his life. If you don’t, something bad might happen to him that you could have prevented. And you’re the one to blame.” He took the keys out of his pocket and put them in the ignition. “Come on, let’s go.”

“No!” She glanced around, no other customers were parked or in the store just now.

“I promise you’ll be in control. Whatever you say, that’s it. You say stop, we stop. You say take me home, I take you home. It would be the smart thing to do because you’d be getting your brother out.”

Her hand was still on the door handle. Her choice was to stay inside within his precarious reach and tell the creep off, or to get out now, run and be safe. Her fight or flight response was never in question, but she couldn’t resist putting him down. “You have a wife?”

“A wife?”

“Yes, that person who takes care of your house, cleans the toilet after you, feeds you and the dog? The one who’s home right now giving your kids baths and tucking them in bed?”

His face turned red. “Why you smartmouth little puss.”

“You’ve been stalking me haven’t you? Don’t you realize what you’re doing right now? I can’t believe you’re dumb enough to try this.” She pulled the door lever. “Hey, this door is locked!”

“Well, it sticks sometimes. You see this badge?” He turned his body slightly so she could see it. The movement also exposed the gun on his hip. “I could make a lot of trouble for you and your brother. I hoped it wouldn’t come down to this, but you’re forcing me. Now I know you’re sitting there thinking you’re the one in control of this situation, and you can brush me aside. But there’s something you didn’t consider.”

“I’m saying no to you.
Let me out you creep.”

“Listen. You don’t realize this, but they should have transferred your brother out to county jail long ago. Moran has overlooked it, but I keep on top of everything. Gangs of degenerates out there would love to get friendly with your brother just as fast as they can rip off his jumpsuit. After twenty-four hours at County, don’t be shocked if he pleads guilty. And he’ll never forgive you. You could have made it easy for him. Now none of that has to happen. You could be friendly with the nice sergeant here. What’s the big deal? What you’re giving me you’ll never miss anyway. Just relax and go along.”

His slimy words crawled on her skin. She gave a quick look around the cab to spot something for defense: a screwdriver, a ballpoint, anything. His revolver was holstered in plain sight, but it was unlikely she could take it away from him.

“Now you see what you’ve gone and done.” He started rubbing his crotch. “It’s time for you to get busy.” He was breathing heavily now. “It’s dark here, just put your pretty little head down. Do it and your brother will be out walking in the sunshine tomorrow. No one will ever know.” He unzipped his pants and reached for her hand.

“Unlock this door now!”

“Or what? You a black belt or something?”

She couldn’t just sit there; he would just keep coming at her. She had to upset the situation somehow, get him off balance. “Why don’t you give up on me here? Take your fantasies somewhere else and jerk off.”

He swung fast with the back of his right hand. She barely had time to duck. He made a loud grunt as his hand smashed and cracked the rear glass. He grabbed the back of her hair fiercely. He forced her head down. His other hand reached into his open fly. She stretched up and held the horn down with one hand. She jerked his keys out of the ignition with the other. Her fist closed around the mass of keys with the sharp ends jutting out between her clinched knuckles like some bizarre medieval weapon. She was certain she could smash into one of his eyes. Then she would scrape across his face to the other eye. With any luck, she thought, the pain and blood would occupy him enough so she could go for his gun. She hoped it was loaded.

Just then, the truck shook with a sudden bang. They both were jolted forward against the dash.

Sandy heard a familiar voice call out, “You okay in there, Sugar?”

He yanked open his door. He sprang out of the truck. His hand instinctively moved to the butt of his holstered gun.

He stood facing Linda Call. She was standing there motionless with her arms folded across her chest and her feet spread wide apart. The bumper on her pickup had ridden over his bumper and smashed into his tailgate. He stared at her with wide eyes, still panting heavily.

Linda pointed to his open pants and laughed. “Go ahead, make my day.”