by Dan Decker
I pulled out my phone and dialed.
“Yeah, Mitch,” he said, picking up on the second ring, “what do you need?”
“Things are moving fast today. I got a question for you.” I looked up and made sure Frank was not about to walk in. The coast was clear. “That receipt you gave me, are you okay if I give it to the police?”
Winston let out a low whistle. “Things are moving fast. Are you sure you want to do that? What’s your client going to think about it?”
“I will handle my client. I just want to make sure that this came from a source you’re comfortable disclosing if we need to.”
He thought about it for a moment. “We’re okay on that one, just don’t tell them you got it from me, at least for now. I want to keep this anonymous if we can, but if you need to go there don’t hesitate.”
“Will do.”
Frank walked in as I hung up. I slid my phone back into my pocket, picked up my spoon and took my first bite. Even though it had been about an hour since my last one, it still tasted just as good and I was happy to have a second serving.
“This place any good?” Frank asked as he sat.
“I like their baked goods.”
“What I really need is a coffee.”
“I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.” I waited as Frank called over the waitress and placed an order.
“What do you have for me?” He asked after the waitress had gone. He looked haggard as if he had been having a tough day.
If I had been sitting on pins and needles, hoping a defendant would take a plea so I did not have to disclose I’d been blowing smoke, I would be antsy all day too.
“First off, I don’t want this coming back on me if you can avoid it,” I said. “Just like the pistol. I have an ethical responsibility to serve justice.”
“Why not just go to the media?” Frank asked.
“I’m not gonna get into it, but I think you’ll have some good guesses once I disclose it to you.”
“Agreed,” he said with a wave of his hand as if it was a small matter. “This doesn’t come back on you.”
“I am going to hold you to your promise that you will look into this—”
“I will give it one day. I don’t think we’re going to find anything to exonerate your client, but if he didn’t do this I don’t want to send him to jail.”
I must have looked surprised by his change of tone because he smiled.
“Mitch, you know me. You have worked with me in the past, on both sides of the aisle. I might be hard, but I recognize it is your job to keep innocent people out of jail. If you really have something I want to hear about it. It has just been a busy day, of course, I want justice.”
“Fair enough.” I looked around to make sure nobody was nearby. The waitress was behind the counter and the diner was basically empty. “Ron Cooper is having an affair with the victim’s aunt.”
“Can you prove it?”
“I can, but I am not going to provide you with any pictures because I don’t want this coming back on me. I suggest you follow him. You should find what you need on your own more easily than my investigators can.”
Frank nodded. “It’s probably better that way. On the phone you made it sound as if you had something to give me.”
“Something I’m going to show you. Take a long look and then give it back.” I slid the manila envelope across the table. “Mister Cooper’s favorite motel happens to be in town. He took auntie there—her name is Barbara Howard Smith—on the night of the murder. The autopsy report had the time of death at just after midnight, the two of them checked into the motel after 1:00 AM.”
Frank shook his head as he opened the envelope and slid out the copy of the receipt. “What is it with people? Why do they have to behave like this?” He gave me a cautious look. “I’m not saying I have bought into it yet, but I cannot deny this would be a good alternative suspect if everything proves out.”
I nodded, Frank had just gone up a step or two in my book, both for his candor and his openness to new information. I had not thought he would be so open to my theory, especially without any direct evidence of foul play.
“I don’t have a solid connection between them and the crime scene, but there is a significant chance they ate at a restaurant known as Monteverde that night as well.”
“What makes you say that?”
“Ron appears to be a creature of habit and tends to get unsettled when things don’t go as he expects.” I nodded at the paper Frank held. “That is not the only receipt I tracked down for his nights at the motel. They tend to use that one quite a bit. My guess is that he has a favorite restaurant as well.”
“Does Timothy know you’re sharing this with me?”
“Frank, you know better than to ask that, I cannot disclose confidential client communications.”
“Does Timothy know about this?” Frank asked again as if I was going to answer because he asked the second time.
“I’m going to have to remain silent on that one.”
“Is there anything else you can tell me about this?”
“Not at the moment. I’ll give you more information if I can, but I hope that now you’re pointed in the right direction, it won’t be hard for you to figure out where to go next. You have more resources than I do and better access.”
“No promises, the truce holds through tomorrow. I will look at this and get my investigator to work on it. Plan to hear from me first thing Wednesday morning.”
“If you get stuck, give me a call and I’ll see what else I can turn over.”
My words implied I had more than I actually did, but I also expected Winston to discover other useful information in the meantime. Something glinted in Frank’s eyes, but he just nodded.
On my way back to the office I called Ellie from my car to see if Timothy was still there, thinking I might make a stop or two before returning, but thankfully he had already left.
I didn’t want him asking a bunch of questions about what was going on. I wanted to see if Frank could turn anything up that would be a game-changer for our case.
I didn’t think anything of it when I drove into our parking lot and saw a BMW that I did not recognize, figuring that either Veronica or Tony was meeting with a high-end client.
I walked through the door and was surprised to see Cynthia Cooper waiting for me.
35
Jun 10 – 5:07 PM
I looked at Ellie and she shook her head, letting me know Cynthia Cooper had arrived since my call. Cynthia did not appear to notice the exchange, because her eyes were focused on me in a way that made me uncomfortable. When she stood and extended a hand, I was surprised her skin felt moist, as if she were nervous.
She didn’t look on edge, in fact she looked like she was in full control of everything but her subconscious perspiration. I figured her sweaty hand told me the truth.
“Mister Turner,” she said in a tone that reminded me of a classroom from many years ago. “If you have a moment, I would like to speak with you.”
“Sure thing, come into my office.” I motioned for her to go ahead and once she was inside I looked at Ellie again hoping for an indication of why Cynthia was here.
“Be careful,” Ellie mouthed before I went inside.
Once the door was shut and I was seated across from her at my desk, Cynthia leaned forward.
“Why did you call me?”
“How did your conversation with Timothy go?”
“He wouldn’t tell me anything. Not one thing.”
“I heard there was some yelling,” I said.
“And so there was.”
“Care to enlighten me?”
“Are you going to tell me what’s going on?”
I shook my head. “I was hoping Timothy would tell you himself, but my hands are tied. You should understand that being married to an attorney.” I watched her as I referenced Ron Cooper, but there was no sign of anything on her face.
I desperately wanted to ask
her whether she knew if he had been having an affair with Gordon’s aunt, but was afraid of the consequences.
For one, she might go back and accuse Ron. If he was the murderer, that could tip him off that the game had changed. I did not want to do that.
I wanted to keep the pieces where they were until I understood everybody’s motives and I had a carefully planned move.
“I suppose that’s fair and I have to respect it.” Cynthia’s words were at odds with her tone. I could tell she had thought that by driving down here she was going to get more information from me.
“I’m afraid that’s how it has to be. As long as you are here, you may as well go meet with Timothy to see if you can talk to him.”
“What does that mean?”
“Just go talk to him. I suspect you came down here hoping I would be more forthcoming, but perhaps a face to face visit is what you need to get your son to talk.”
“You weren’t my first choice, that was Keith Williams. It was only because my son chose you that I had the retainer sent over here.”
“That’s fine. You don’t have to like me. You just need to know that I’m gonna do my job.”
“Can you guarantee my son is gonna get off?”
I arched an eyebrow and she took back the question.
“No, no. My husband does not practice this type of law, but I understand how it goes.”
When she spoke of her husband, I watched to see if there was a glimmer of anything, but there was not. Either she did not know or did not care.
I had a hard time believing that she would not care if her husband was stepping out on her.
Which probably means she doesn’t know.
Was this why Timothy was so cagey and all the sudden willing to look at a deal? Did he want to keep his mother from knowing about his dad’s extramarital activities?
That was a poor reason to go to prison, but I rarely ever saw people make rational decisions.
My hypothesis was probably closer to the truth than anything else I had come up with, though I was not convinced I was fully there yet. I was glad I had pushed Timothy off until tomorrow as this would give me additional time to think.
“I’m looking for an attorney.”
I stared at Cynthia with surprise in my eyes. “Excuse me?”
“I think I’m going to need legal representation. Can you help me?”
I shook my head. “Not at the moment. Perhaps after your son’s case is over, but I can’t imagine that you would be in need of a criminal attorney.”
She frowned. Her request for my services was unsettling, especially after the not-so-subtle insult just a moment ago. I couldn’t help but wonder if it was just another attempt to get me to tell her what was going on.
“I want some advice on a legal issue, but it can wait until my son’s matter is done.”
I wasn’t going to hold my breath. My guess was I would never see her after I was done representing her son.
“You need to go talk with Timothy, see if you can get him to open up. You can always ask for permission to speak with me if you get something signed in writing from him but it is best it comes from him.”
I assumed the meeting was at an end, but Cynthia did not stand, instead she studied me with unblinking eyes. It made me think she was trying to glean information through some sort of subliminal means.
Not knowing what else to do, I waited.
There are times to talk and there are times to be quiet. I figured this was one of the latter, though I could not understand why. It was just instinctual.
Maybe Timothy had told her everything and she was here to influence my actions.
A chill began to run down my back the longer this went. It was as if she were weighing me, measuring me somehow.
Or at the very least trying to get the information she wants by just making me uncomfortable.
Eventually I stood. “If that will be all, I do have some other things to do.”
Cynthia did not move and I was beginning to think she was just going to sit there until she got something more. She finally stood, almost reluctantly, as if she were oblivious to how awkward she had made things.
I walked her to my office door just to make sure she left and did not stop there. I went with her until she left out the front door.
We usually locked it after 5:00 PM, but I waited a moment before locking it behind her.
“Timothy Cooper comes from a strange family,” Ellie said.
“You can say that again.” I watched as Cynthia got into her BMW and drove away.
I sat by Ellie in one of the lobby chairs. “Did Timothy say anything when he left?”
She shook her head. “Unfortunately, no. I gave him the message, but he didn’t look relieved, he muttered something about taking it into his own hands and rushed out the door.”
“Taking it into his own hands.” I rubbed my forehead. “Do you have any idea what he meant?”
Ellie shook her head again. “None. I tried to listen to the last part of the conversation with his mother but he was done yelling by that point.”
“I don’t suppose Ms. Cooper said anything while she was waiting here?”
“Not a word.”
“A very strange family indeed.”
I walked back into my office and shut the door.
36
Jun 10 – 6:35 PM
My original intention had been to avoid contact with Timothy until the next day, but his statement about taking matters into his own hands continued to bounce around my head, making me wary. I needed to know what it meant, I needed to know if he was going to go do anything stupid, so I could talk him out of it.
And just when the case was being blown wide open.
The problem was I could not tell him about what was going on without potentially pushing him over the edge, something I feared he was close to doing without any more encouragement.
I pulled out my notepad and wrote down my options as I looked for an appropriate response on how to handle Timothy.
I didn’t like it.
I didn’t like the anger I’d seen from him during the day. I didn’t like his concerning words right as he left.
Cynthia Cooper had underestimated me if she had come down here thinking she was going to get me to tell her what was going on with the case.
It was a shame Ellie had not been able to overhear Timothy’s conversation with her because I would not have put it past Mrs. Cooper to have lied to me.
I thought about how she had stared at me, making me feel like I had been a mouse and she a bird of prey.
“And this is the woman that Timothy is willing to go to jail to protect?” I muttered allowed. “Just to keep the knowledge of his father’s infidelities from her?”
The other explanation was that she had found out about the affair and had taken matters into her own hands. Maybe she wanted me to plea her son out.
She had then come here to figure out how much I knew.
Or perhaps she had thought I was incompetent and would be only too happy to turn her son’s case over to somebody who had an army of investigators and legal staff to work on the matter, like Keith Williams would have done.
The more I thought about Cynthia the more disturbed I became by her actions and her son’s undying loyalty to her. I wondered if I wasn’t so far off base as I considered if she were involved with the murder.
But why set up her son?
That did not make sense. It also did not make sense why she would target Gordon, instead of Gordon’s aunt Barbara.
It had been a long time since I had thought about it, but I suddenly remembered the lip gloss I had taken out of Timothy’s apartment. I had meant to turn it over, but had withheld it because I thought it belonged to Stephanie.
What if I was wrong?
I pulled out my phone and dialed Stephanie, hoping Britney would not see my call history anytime soon. It would not look good that I had reached out to Stephanie twice in the last couple of weeks.
“What do you want, Mitch?” Stephanie asked on the fifth ring, speaking as if she had a mouthful of food.
“Is there any chance you can come to my office? I have something I need to discuss with you, it is purely professional. I guarantee it will not be a waste of your time.”
“Okay,” she said. “You actually caught me in a good place, I’m just a couple minutes away. See you shortly.”
That was easier than I expected. I had planned on convincing her.
I opened my office door and was glad Ellie had already left for the evening. Perhaps she was starting to take to heart my admonitions that she needed to work less. It also didn’t hurt that she would not know about my afterhours meeting with Stephanie. Ellie and Britney were acquaintances and I sometimes thought that things got back to Britney from Ellie. It had never been anything I could put my finger on, but it was just better to avoid the perception.
After unlocking the front door I went back into my office and slid into my suit coat while straightening my tie in the reflection of my law school diploma. It was not because I was meeting with an old girlfriend, it was because I wanted to make sure I always maintained a professional presence whenever I met with anybody on the opposite side of the aisle from me.
A moment later there was a knock at the front door.
When I came out of my office and saw Stephanie waiting for me, our past relationship came back. All the emotion, the good times and the bad. I looked into her eyes and could not help but think she was experiencing the same thing.
I walked over to the door and pushed it open. “It was unlocked.”
“No matter.”
After she was inside I thought about locking it, but decided not to. If by some chance Britney came home early from her business trip and just happened to stop in to surprise me, I didn’t want her to find Stephanie in my office with the door locked.