The Mournful Teddy (28 page)

You aren’t denying a single thing I’ve said. You just want to know how much information I have and who my sources are. Take it from me, they’re impeccable sources and I know enough to ruin your day—the rest of your life in fact. So, how much did she give you for the bear?”

“I really think you should leave.” Poole began to stand up and I noticed that his face had grown hard.

“By all means. The Holcombes are waiting for us over at the Sheriff ’s Office and I’m certain they’re eager to tell us all about how you led them into temptation—not that I don’t think they’re perfectly capable of finding it themselves.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“That’s a shame because we’re at that delightful point in a multi-suspect criminal investigation when the crooks begin pointing fingers at each other in the hope of being the penitent offender who gets the light sentence. I enjoy it because I get to play Monty Hall and decide who gets to make the deal.”

“What deal?”

“To betray your partners in crime. It’s obvious that you’re by far the smartest of the bunch, so I was going to give you first shot.” I made to push myself up from the chair. “However, if you’re not interested I’ll take my offer across the street, where I’m certain it will be accepted.”

Poole slowly sat back in his chair. “What do I get out of it?”

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“No reduction in charges, if that’s what you’re thinking.

However, you will have the opportunity to cover yourself in advance from the Holcombes, who are going to accuse
you
of murdering Thayer.”

“I didn’t kill him!”

“I know that, but it will be the word of two witnesses against one, and they can point to your theft of the Mourning Bear as the motive.”

“So, how can you help me?”

“Cooperate and we can show it was the Holcombes that contacted you after Thayer’s death. You might even be able to argue that, believing that Trent had murdered Robert, you went forward with the deal to sell the bear under duress. Perhaps even because the Holcombes threatened to kill you unless you assisted.”

Poole nodded thoughtfully. “That’s true.”

“And it also eliminates the possibility of being charged as an accessory after the fact to homicide.”

“What about full immunity from prosecution?”

“I’m not in any position to make you that offer and I wouldn’t offer it even if I had the authority.”

“Why not?”

“Because you can’t tell me anything specific about the murder.”

“Oh, yes I can. What if I were willing to testify that Trent confessed to killing Robert Thayer?”

“Forgive my disbelief, but why would Trent tell you he’d killed Thayer?”

“So that I would understand that he and his dad meant business. He told me that he stopped Robert on the Island Ford Bridge and strangled him. Then he said that if I didn’t wise up and get in contact with the buyer for the teddy bear, the same thing could happen to me.” Poole sounded as if he were telling the truth.

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Ash’s eyebrows arched slightly and I shot her a warning glance. “Really? When did that happen?”

“He called here late on Friday night.”

“All the previous BS you told us aside, I bet that did scare you.”

“Yeah, and the most frightening part was, he didn’t sound troubled by the murder at all.”

“Well, I’m certain the Commonwealth’s Attorney will find that information very interesting, but you’d have to prove Trent actually called here.”

Poole allowed himself a slight smug smile. There was a phone with a built-in answering machine on the desk and he turned it toward me. The number “1” showed on the LCD screen, indicating one recorded message. Poole said, “I started recording shortly after the lummox called.

Press the play button.”

I did and we heard an excellent recording of Trent’s voice say, “. . . you need to shut up and listen.”

Poole’s voice replied, “All right.”

“I guess by now you know what happened to your friend, and in case you’re wondering, I’ve got the teddy bear. Now unless you want to end up like your burglar buddy you’ll do exactly what I say. Thayer told me about the deal.”

“I understand.”

“It’s still on but Thayer’s out and I’m in. Call me when you’ve contacted the buyer.”

“Is it going to be the same split?

Trent guffawed. “Seventy percent for me, thirty for you, and you’re damn lucky I’m being that generous. Oh, and Mr. Preacher?”

“Yes, Sergeant Holcombe?”

“You crap backwards on me and you’ll end up in the river trying to swim to Front Royal just like Thayer. Do I make myself clear?”

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“Yes, sir.”

“Good. Get to work. I’ll be waiting for your call.”

There was a double-click as the call was terminated, followed by an artificial woman’s voice that intoned,

“Friday, October first, one-ten a.m.”

Poole wore a look of serene satisfaction. “I even got him to acknowledge his name.”

“I wouldn’t be too proud over tricking Trent. His IQ is about the same as his belt size.”

“But it proves my point. Trent killed Thayer.” Poole sat back in his chair, placing his hands behind his head.

“So it would seem. Of course, you realize what would happen if Trent knew you had that recording, don’t you?”

“Who’d tell him about it?”

“I will if you don’t answer all my questions to my liking.”

His hands came down and Poole leaned forward. “I don’t like to be threatened.”

“I don’t like being crippled, but we both have to deal with reality. Now . . . are you ready to chat in detail?”

Poole looked as if he’d just tasted something awful.

“Yes, damn you.”

Chapter 21

“Let’s start at the beginning. How long had you been Thayer’s fence?” I asked.

“About seven months. Shortly after he moved here, I learned he could obtain merchandise and I offered to buy it from him.”

“At the usual dime on the dollar?”

“Yes.”

“And by ‘obtained’ you mean that Thayer was committing residential burglaries in Northern Virginia and bringing you the stolen goods, correct?”

“I didn’t know all the details.”

“C’mon Poole, let’s not play semantic games.

Were you aware the merchandise was stolen? And remember what will happen if I decide you’re yanking my chain.”

“Yes, I knew,” Poole said, through clenched teeth.

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Ash couldn’t help herself. She glared at Poole and said,

“People had their homes violated and their things taken.

How could you do such a thing?”

“Because it was necessary and I’d even argue that it was the moral thing to do.” Poole’s stern demeanor softened a little as he looked at Ash. “This is the richest country in the history of the human race and we give next to nothing to help others. Those things the people lost can be replaced, but a starving or diseased child’s life can’t.”

“You’re rationalizing, Marc. It’s burglary. Think of how frightened those people were when they came home and found their houses had been broken into.”

“Think of the people who are starving or haven’t heard the word of our Lord. Every penny I raised from the sale of those stolen goods either went to charity or missionary work—and without the customary ‘administration’ fee taken out so that the charity CEO can buy a condo on Maui.” Poole’s tone was acidic.

“Sorry, I’m not buying the Robin Hood act.”

“I’m sorry you feel that way.” Poole waved a hand at the stark office. “Look around this house. I certainly didn’t benefit from the thefts.”

“Oh, yes you did,” Ash pointed an accusing finger at him. “You got to feel good and holy about yourself because you gave so much. But I’ll bet you didn’t tell those charities and missionaries how you came by your donations, did you?”

Poole was silent.

“I thought as much.”

I decided to interrupt before she could continue flaying Poole. There were other important questions to be asked and, as much as I enjoyed watching him squirm under Ash’s inquisition, we were short on time. I said, “Getting back to your relationship with Thayer, who came up 244

John J. Lamb

with the idea of circumventing the auction and selling the Mourning Bear to a private buyer?”

Poole paused before answering and I knew he was weighing his options. By acknowledging that he’d originated the idea to steal the bear, he’d incriminate himself and probably earn another flaming from Ash. On the other hand, I didn’t think he could quite bear the idea of giving Thayer credit for such a clever scheme, and he was also probably worried that if he did, I’d know it was a lie and terminate the interview. At last, he said, “It was my idea.”

“Thanks for being honest. What was your deal with Thayer? I’m assuming he wasn’t going to be satisfied with just ten percent.”

“He wasn’t. We were going to split the proceeds fifty-fifty.” Poole wiped something from his right eye with his fingers. This symbolic blocking of vision suggested to me that whatever the pair had agreed upon, Poole never had any intention of honoring the deal.

“Did either of you have any second thoughts about stealing from Liz Ewell? After all, she was Thayer’s aunt and you were her spiritual shepherd.”

“I’ve agreed to answer your questions, so there’s no need to be sarcastic.”

“You’re absolutely right, Poole. It’s a bad habit of mine.”

“Thank you. Do you know Liz Ewell?”

“Only by evil reputation.”

“Everything you’ve heard is true. If anyone on this planet deserves to be stolen from, it’s Liz Ewell.”

I looked at Ash and saw her nodding slightly in agreement. “We have a consensus here. How did you select Lorraine Cleland as the buyer?”

“How did you find out about her?”

“That isn’t important right now. So?”

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“Actually, Lorraine was the one to contact me. Apparently she saw my name on some of the auction house literature and somehow found out that Ewell attended my church.”

“Did Cleland know she was making a deal to purchase stolen goods?”

Poole snorted. “Of course.”

“What was the purchase price?”

“One-hundred-and-seventy-thousand dollars.”

“I’m impressed. Your run-of-the-mill grifter doesn’t make one-tenth of that in a lifetime. How was the money going to be paid?”

“A cashier’s check to the church. It’s a charity donation.”

I began to laugh and Poole watched me with a bemused smile. I said, “Oh, this just keeps getting better and better. Let me get this straight: Cleland gets a charity tax deduction for buying stolen property?”

“Essentially.”

“Your idea?”

“Yes.”

“Love it. I’ll give you this, man, you’re smart and you’ve got some real guts.”

“Thank you.”

“So, what was the original plan on Friday night? Were you actually going to take the Mourning Bear to the auctioneers?”

“Yes. We were going to go into Harrisonburg and I was going to take the bear to the motel room.”

Suddenly suspecting the rest of the plot, I nodded in reluctant admiration. “And once you’d identified the room where the auctioneer was staying, Thayer was going to break in sometime during the middle of the night and take the bear, right?”

“He
was
a skillful burglar.” Poole couldn’t resist smiling.

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“One problem though: The kid working for the auctioneer told me that Robert was supposed to make the delivery.

Had they ever seen him?”

“No, and the plan was that I’d tell them I was making the delivery for Robert.”

“And if you planned to steal the bear, the very last thing you’d do is deliver it to the auctioneer and Robert isn’t suspected because he was never seen.”

“Exactly.”

“Once more, I’m impressed. So, you had this great plan, but then ten o’clock came and went on Friday night and Robert was a no-show. What were you thinking?”

“That he’d double-crossed me or said something to make that old witch suspicious.” Poole frowned with the memory.

“What did you do?”

“Waited. Then I called his cell phone, but didn’t get an answer.”

“Probably because the circuitry was shorted out from being immersed in water. How did you find out about Robert being killed?”

“When Trent called.”

“And when were you supposed to have originally made the sale to Cleland?”

“Saturday morning. She was supposed to come here.

That’s why I was in such a hurry to leave your house.”

Poole turned to meet Ash’s gaze and answered her unspoken question. “And yes, I genuinely feel ashamed over how I behaved when I recovered Robert’s body.”

“But not ashamed enough to do the right thing.”

I said, “Gee, it must have been fun telling Cleland you didn’t have the bear and that your partner had been murdered.”

Poole shook his head as if to dispel an unpleasant men

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tal image. “At first, she was very apprehensive . . . and angry. But I managed to calm her down when I assured her that I could still get the bear for her, but it might take a little more time. I called Trent while she was there, but all I got was his voice mail. I left a message, but didn’t hear anything from him.”

Ash was outraged. “Hold on a second! She was aware that Thayer had been murdered and she
still
wanted to buy the bear?”

“Sure, so long as she could be guaranteed that her name would be kept out of any death investigation.”

“And with Trent and his dad in possession of the bear, you naturally assumed there
wasn’t
going to be an investigation,” I added.

“Right.”

“Which reminds me—not that this has anything specifically to do with Thayer’s death—but just to satisfy my curiosity, how much in protection money were you paying the Holcombes in order to operate the flea market?”

“It had just gone up to four hundred dollars a month.”

“Yow. He was in danger of killing the goose that laid the golden egg.”

“Tell me.”

“Okay, getting back to Saturday morning with Cleland, when Trent didn’t call, what happened?”