Panic Pond

by Cole Baxter

  Selma nodded. "You know he's got a storage unit over at Red Blocks, right?"

  "He does?"

  "Yeah, pretty sure. Red Blocks is over near the Marina, and I live just across the street from it. I swear I saw him there. That BMW of his is pretty distinct, and I saw him pulling in there a couple of weeks ago."

  "I'll check it out, thanks." Amber nodded, thinking she might actually have a real lead now. "Anything else you can think of?"

  "Not really. Ray has always been a decent employer. I hate that somebody is stealing from him, but I warned him a while back that he needed to upgrade the cameras and fix the feed in the back room. It gets knocked out all the time. I also suggested a safe and an upgrade on the registers because he tallies everything by hand in a ledger instead of in an actual computer program. He's pretty old school, though, and really hates technology. I'm not surprised somebody is taking advantage of that."

  Amber recalled seeing Vince write in a ledger the other day when he was counting and stealing twenties. "Does Vince keep the books too?"

  "Yeah, usually before Ray comes in, he'll pull money from the drawer and tally it," she replied. "You've probably seen him doing it."

  "But what's he tallying it against? I mean, how is he keeping track of what sold and how much the store should be making?"

  Selma shrugged. "I know the register logs everything, but Vince does things differently than Brett and Kerry did. They would have a second cash tray ready and then close out the register, getting printouts of what should be in the register before reopening it with the second tray. Vince somehow convinced Ray that wasn't necessary. He can be really charming and well . . . slick, I guess, when he wants to be. Reminds me of a used car salesman, you know what I mean?"

  "Good Lord, I do." Amber blinked and slowly nodded, taking in what Selma was sharing with her. Vince could be robbing the store blind and Ray wouldn't know it until it was too late. He could lose his whole livelihood.

  "Nick and I tried to tell him, but Ray just wasn't hearing it, so we gave up."

  Amber sighed. "Thanks for telling me."

  "Sure. Do you really want that pizza, or did you just come in here to talk to me?" she asked, standing up.

  Amber smiled. "I'll take the pizza and the Coke, but can you make it to go?"

  "Sure, no problem. And I'll keep this alter ego of yours quiet until you figure out what's going on."

  "Thanks. I appreciate it." Amber waited for her pizza, paid her tab, and left Selma a hefty tip, then headed home.

  Chapter Thirteen

  “Good morning, Chief." Amber smiled as she entered her boss's office.

  "Detective Smith, you are looking much better. Now, have you thought about where you are in the case?"

  Amber nodded. "I have. I know you wanted me to take yesterday off completely, but I did go out for about an hour, and I gained some new insight into the case."

  "Oh?"

  "Yes, ma'am. I spoke at length with Selma Waterson away from Kelley's and everyone. I shared my identity with her."

  Chief Lee's eye ticked and she looked slightly annoyed. "Are you sure that was wise?"

  Amber took a moment to get her thoughts in order. "I think that Selma is a good person, just trying to do right by her kid by working her ass off at two jobs. I don't think she's involved. Everything about her character tells me that she is an honest person. I think it was Mahoney who led me to that conclusion when he told me about Ellie Greene. It was Selma who encouraged Ellie to contact her parents and get sober. I felt that I could trust her, and I'm glad I did. I learned a lot."

  "Oh?"

  Amber told her of everything that Selma had shared. "So, now I am fairly sure that Vince is behind it all. I just have to get a look in that storage locker. I'm betting that is where we'll find the electronics. Think you can get us a warrant?"

  "Do we know which unit?"

  Amber frowned. "Well, no."

  "All right, I'm going to suggest that we get someone on Vince, see where he goes and who he speaks with. And after what Selma shared, I think maybe keep it quiet from Ray Kelley as well. He seems to be overly protective of his nephew, believing and trusting him over employees he's known for years. I want this wrapped up tight before we present it to him."

  "Sure. I think that's a good idea too."

  "And I understand that Mahoney is going to interview a Tara Murphy today?"

  "Yes, ma'am."

  "Go with him. I think you might know better what questions to ask."

  She nodded. "Of course. I can do that."

  "I'll have Detectives Low and Shadwell tail Vince today."

  "Thank you, ma'am."

  "Was there anything else?"

  "No, ma'am."

  "Then you're dismissed. Send Low and Shadwell in, would you?"

  "Of course, ma'am." Amber jumped up and went to the door. She looked toward the other detectives' desks and saw Mike Low and his partner, Jim Shadwell, seated at theirs. "Low, Shadwell, Chief wants a word."

  They both looked up and then at each other. "What's up, Smith?"

  Amber grinned. "Guess you're going to have to go in there and find out for yourselves, aren't you?" She moved to Mahoney's desk and sat down across from him. "So, what time are we talking to Tara?"

  He was staring at Low and Shadwell as they knocked on the chief's door. "What's up with that?"

  Amber rolled her eyes. "She's putting them on Vince tailing duty."

  "You think he's the one behind everything?"

  "Pretty sure." She explained what she'd learned the night before, and even though he frowned at her for disobeying orders and going out, he was glad for the information. "So, if Selma's right, he's probably stashed the electronics in the storage locker."

  "Probably. So yeah, Tara's shift starts at three. I think if we head over to her place, we can catch her before she goes in."

  "Sounds like a plan. I've got one other idea, but I need to talk to Mark and see if it's possible."

  "Oh?"

  "Yeah, just some added surveillance."

  "Okay, meet you back here after lunch then, and we'll head over to the Murphy place?"

  Amber nodded and stood up. She headed to the back of the precinct to the room where the tech guys tended to spend their time. "Hey, Mark, got a minute?"

  "Sure. What's up, Detective?"

  "Is there a way to add some surveillance cameras to Kelley's without Ray or anyone knowing about it?"

  He frowned. "I don't know if I can do it without anyone knowing, especially Ray. Not that we don't have equipment small enough to not be detected—we do—but he's there. He'd see me installing it."

  "Is it difficult to install?"

  "Not really. They are small and wireless, so really, it's just placement, but again, to get it in the back room or the office or anywhere it would be helpful, Ray would know I was there."

  "Right, but is it something I could do?"

  Mark's eyes lit up. "Oh, didn't think of that. Yeah, that could work. How many were you thinking?"

  Amber considered what she wanted to capture. "Well, definitely at least one in the office, and one outside the back door, one on the cash register up front, and maybe two in the back room?"

  "So, six?" Mark nodded. "Yeah, I'd have to be outside in the van as the feed doesn't go that far, but I could park around the corner out of sight. And I'll need a way to communicate with you, but we have ear mics so you can hear me and I can pick up your voice."

  "Great. Can you have all of it ready for tonight? I go in at five."

  Mark pursed his lips and then nodded. "Yeah, I can get them ready and we can get you set up before you head in. You've cleared this with the chief, right?"

  "Um, not yet." Amber smiled. "But I will."

  "Then I'll get started getting everything together."

  "Thanks." Amber headed back toward the chief's office and knocked on the door.

  "Enter."

  "Ma'am?"

  "Come in, Detective. Did something h
appen with the case?" She looked at the clock on the wall. "Low and Shadwell have only been gone for thirty minutes. They couldn't have gotten anything incriminating already." She smiled. "They're good, but they aren't that good."

  Amber laughed. "No, ma'am, this is something else. I had an idea about secretly adding some camera surveillance in the gas station. Since we're keeping things from Ray about Vince until we catch him, I don't want him aware of it either. I've already talked to Mark, and he's onboard as long as you clear it."

  Chief Lee paused and then slowly nodded. "Very well. I'll authorize it, as well as his overtime."

  "Thanks, Chief." Amber returned to the tech room and let Mark know and then headed off to lunch. She didn't go far, just to Abram's Deli again. Once she finished eating, she went back to meet up with Mahoney.

  "Ready to go speak to Ms. Murphy?" Mahoney arched a brow and flipped his car keys around his finger.

  "Yep." She headed out to Mahoney's car since he knew where he was going.

  It wasn't far, and soon, they were pulling up in front of a small bungalow on the northern side of the island not too far from the farms and Cosgrove's From Farm to Table. Together, they headed up to the door and she knocked. An elderly woman answered the door.

  "May I help you?"

  "Good afternoon, ma'am. My name is Detective Smith, and this is Detective Mahoney. We're looking for Tara Murphy. Is she home?"

  The woman opened the door wider. "Of course. Do come in."

  Amber stepped across the threshold with Mahoney on her heels. They moved into the small foyer. "Thank you," she murmured.

  "Tara! Tara, some police detectives are here to see you!" the woman called down the hallway.

  Tara, dressed in her Fired Up uniform, came down the hall looking confused. "Did you say the police were here to see me, Mom?"

  The elderly woman gestured at Amber and Detective Mahoney.

  Tara's gaze widened as she looked at them. "Um, yes? Am I in trouble for something?"

  "No, not that I know of. We're here to ask you some questions about Vince Kelley."

  A look of disgust crossed her face. "What's that asshole done now? And what's it got to do with me?"

  "Why don't you go through to the living room, Tara? Don't keep the detectives standing here in the foyer."

  "Right. Okay, this way." Tara led them into a small room with well-worn but comfortable looking furniture. She gestured for them to sit. "Now, you were saying?"

  Amber sat and Mahoney sat next her on the couch. "We just need to verify some information. Are you aware that two Fridays ago, Kelley's Gas Station was robbed?"

  She frowned. "Yeah, but what does that have to do with me?"

  "It seems Vince Kelley left in the middle of the night and claims he was with you at the time of the theft."

  "What?" Tara shook her head. "No. Absolutely fucking not! That jerk! I can't believe he'd drag me into another of his scams!" she fumed.

  "Another of his scams?" Amber's ears perked up.

  "He's always looking for the quick buck, trying to scam people out of money. He's a cheating, abusive, lying asshole conman. I broke up with him after I caught him rifling through my jewelry box and putting my diamond earrings in his pocket. Should have broken up with him long before that. He isn't the nice guy he tries to pretend to be. When I found out he was here on the island I lost it. Told him to stay the fuck away from me and if he didn't, I'd press charges against him for abuse. I have the pictures to prove it, too, so he knew I wasn't lying. I can't believe he's trying to drag me into this!"

  "But he doesn't have a record . . . we checked," Mahoney commented.

  "Of course not. His daddy got him out of trouble on nearly every occasion, but the last time he was caught, his parents had finally had enough and disowned him. I was still with him at the time. He was living with me since he had no money, but then after he tried to steal from me and I came to my senses, I kicked him to the curb and got the hell out. Broke my lease, sold everything I could, and left Seattle. I never in a million years thought he'd follow me here."

  "He followed you?" Amber asked, frowning. "I thought he came here for a job with his uncle."

  "I think he got lucky there. He told me he followed me here, though. Even got that uncle of his to put him up in his place for a while, from what Selma tells me. Got him wrapped around his little finger, the poor man. Probably robbing him blind, and he doesn't even know it."

  "Oh?"

  She nodded. "It's what he does. The asshole can charm you right out of your savings and before you know it, you're broke and he's moving on."

  "Why didn't you file any charges against him?"

  Tara shook her head. "Look, I was stupid. I freely gave him my savings, and he blew the lot of it. I believed him when he said he was starting a business and needed capital to start. And I continued to believe him when he said the investment fell through and everything was lost. I even comforted the bastard, and it was my money he lost! Not that there was ever a business. Anyway, once I finally realized what was going on and saw how he was manipulating me, I tried to get away. You'd think his hitting me would have made me leave sooner, but he was always so charming and apologetic afterwards." She shook her head and frowned. Her eyes looked haunted as she recalled memories of her time with the man. "I just cut my losses and came home. I just wanted away from him."

  "I see. Well, thank you for speaking to us," Amber said as she patted Tara's hand comfortingly. "We'll let you get off to work now."

  Tara nodded as they stood. "Maybe I should have pressed charges. At least then he wouldn't have been here to take advantage of anyone else."

  Amber agreed that she should have pressed charges, but then she understood just wanting away from him too. They said goodbye and headed back out to Mahoney's car.

  "This guy sounds like a real piece of work. And it looks as though he's lied about where he was, so maybe we should bring him in?"

  "We've got Low and Shadwell tailing him, and I'm going to add cameras to the station tonight. We'll get him with his hands in the till and have him dead to rights. No wiggling out of it."

  Amber was determined to nail him to the wall. She'd known he was a sleaze from the moment she laid eyes on his smarmy smile. It would be her distinct pleasure to put him away.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Amber, dressed as Carrie, parked behind Mark's van a block away from Kelley's Gas Station. She got out and knocked on the van door. Mark opened the door and gestured for her to come in before quickly closing it behind her.

  "Ready for me?" she asked.

  "Just about. Here's the ear mic." He handed it to her. "Just slip it into your ear and tap it to turn it on."

  Amber took it and slipped the small hearing aid like thing into her ear and tapped it. "Can you hear me?"

  Mark chuckled. "I hear you just fine, but let me put on my headphones and make sure I can hear you through the mic, okay?"

  "Oh," Amber replied, giggling. Once he had the headphones on, she said, "Can you hear me?"

  "Loud and clear," he said into a small microphone.

  "Oh, I heard that in the ear thing." She smiled.

  "Perfect. Then you'll be able to hear me if I tell you I'm seeing something." He removed the headphones. "Okay, so here are the six cameras." He handed her a small box with six tiny cameras embedded in a cushioned case.

  "Wow, they're so small. How do they work?"

  Mark opened the box and took out one of the cameras. "Okay, see here? You pull this off and it will stick to whatever you put it on. Try to find something it will blend in with, like the ceiling tile, but make sure it will be over what you're wanting to see. It's got about a three-foot radius, so make sure the area you want covered is within that radius."

  "Got it." Amber nodded. "Do I have to do anything to turn it on?"

  "Nope, it's all taken care of already."

  "Okay, I think I'm ready. I'll put the one on the delivery door first, then go around to the front."

&
nbsp; Mark opened the door and peered around, but the street was basically empty. "Okay, good luck."

  "Thanks." She slipped the box into the pocket of her sweater and headed for the SUV. She drove over to the gas station and parked in the back next to Ray's truck. She headed for the back door but didn't knock. Instead, she pulled out the box of cameras and then said, "What do you think? Any suggestions on where to put it for the best view?"

  "Top of the door. It's white so it should blend in, and we'll be able to see who comes in this way and hopefully who leaves," Mark answered through the mic.

  "Great." She peeled the back off the small white camera and reached up to the top of the door and said, "Good?" before she pressed it onto the door.

  "Yep, perfect."

  She made sure it was affixed to the door and wouldn't fall off and then headed around the building toward the front of the station. She went in, smiled at Ray, and said, "Hi."

  "Hey, sugar," Ray greeted her back.

  Amber glanced around but didn't see anyone else, so she let it go that he'd called her 'sugar' again. "I'll just go put my purse in the back, then I'll be right up to get on the register, okay?"

  "See you in a minute then." Ray nodded and then greeted a customer who was coming in to prepay for gas.

  Amber hurried to the office, pulled out the camera, and affixed it directly above the desk so that there would be a view of whatever Ray or Vince were doing. She added another to the wall just to the right of the desk between the calendar and the white board where it wouldn't be too noticeable. "Look good?"

  "You look great," Mark commented with a chuckle.

  "Ha-ha, so funny." Amber rolled her eyes.

  She peeked her head out of the back room and knew she only had another minute or two, so she quickly added a camera above the back door and then added one to the inside of the doorframe to the back room where the door wouldn't squish it, but it would show anyone who entered or exited the back room. Closing the box, she headed toward the register where she planned to plant the final camera.

  "Has it been busy?" she asked as Ray came out from behind the counter.