Addams was already moving. “Thank you, Sherri, I think Officer Peabody knows the way.”
Harry Townsend had heard the voices and had come to the door. “Hello, gentlemen. Has something else happened? Or is this a follow-up to earlier?” The pen was clicking, clicking in his left hand. He backed into the room and waved to the chairs in front of the desk.
“Take a seat, Officers Peabody and, Addams, isn’t it?”
Peabody corrected him. “It’s Chief Addams, now.”
Townsend’s eyebrows rose. “Really? I had heard there were probably some changes coming. I’d say congratulations, but I don’t think the circumstances really call for it.” He moved to his seat behind the desk. “I do want to let you know that I don’t personally hate Chief Pierson for what he did. I hate what he did, and I may never forgive him, but, from what I’ve heard, it was more of an accident than anything deliberate.”
Addams cleared his throat and spoke. “We’re not here to sit, Mr. Townsend. We are here to arrest you on charges of theft, specifically the items found in your aunt’s secret closet, and to also bring you in for questioning regarding the attempted murder, at this point, of Officer Stephanie Reasoner.”
Townsend sat down hard, but continued to click his pen. “I, I don’t understand. A secret closet? What closet? What, what items? I didn’t attack Stephanie. It wasn’t me.”
Addams simply stared at him, and Townsend stopped talking.
“Officer Peabody.”
Peabody went around the desk and gingerly pulled Townsend back out of the seat, turning him around to put handcuffs on.
“Harry, don’t say anything.” A voice came from the doorway. “I’ll get you a lawyer. Don’t say another word.”
Addams turned to Mel Johnson, who was now standing there. Peabody started reading his rights to the now silent Townsend.
“Mr. Johnson.” Addams nodded to him.
“Bud, I heard George say you’re now chief. But I don’t know what you’re doing here. Harry wouldn’t have hurt anybody, least of all Stephanie. That’s not in his nature.”
“We’ll see. But that’s not the only issue. We have found a secret room in Mrs. Mathison’s house, full of objects stolen from around the community. And with enough evidence to arrest Mr. Townsend here. And that’s all I can tell you. Any other conversation will have to be with his attorney.”
With his rights having been completed, Townsend started up again. “But it wasn’t me. I didn’t attack anybody. Really, it wasn’t me. I wasn’t even there. Tell them, Mel.”
Johnson sighed deeply. “Don’t say anything, Harry. I know you didn’t do it. I’ll get you a lawyer as soon as I can. The office will pay for it. Don’t worry about it.”
As Peabody led Townsend out of the office, Johnson waved a hand for Addams to stay. “Bud...”
“Mel, we have to take him in. We have found a weapon that was probably used in the attack. We’re checking now on where it came from. But even without that, we have a secret closet at Mrs. Mathison’s that is filled with merchandise that has been stolen from around town. We have information that Harry Townsend was suspected of theft in his previous job. Somehow all that stuff got into the house, and we just can’t see Grace Mathison doing it by herself. Can you?”
“No, no.” Johnson shook his head.
“I shouldn’t be telling you all this, but I know you’ve got a stake in everything that’s been going on. You’d better get that attorney.”
Addams turned and followed the other two to the reception area. Sherri Northrup’s mouth was open, but, for once, no sounds were coming out.
“Sherri.” Johnson was trying to get her attention, but she wasn’t responding, just staring as Peabody and Townsend went out the door. “Sherri.” He knocked on her desk. “Sherri!”
She finally turned.
“Get me Matt Laurenfeld. Tell him it’s an emergency.” He started back to his office, muttering, “This has all gone to crap.”
Addams finally went out after the other two, letting the door swing shut behind him.
CHAPTER 24
George Peabody took Harry Townsend back to the cells while Martin Addams walked slowly back into the chief’s office. Cell One was already occupied by Jeff Pierson, and, after hesitating for just a moment, Peabody placed Townsend two cells away, in Cell Three, and took off the handcuffs.
Pierson stood. “What’s going on, Pops? It’s getting crowded in here.”
“You know how Grace Mathison had those small curio things from all those garage sales thefts?” Pierson nodded. “Of course you do. Well, apparently we’ve found the bigger things, the appliances, jewelry, electronics, in a hidden closet at the Mathison house in a back bedroom. And it looks like Harry here probably is the primary culprit. Isn’t that right, Harry?”
Harry grabbed the bars. “Look, I told you, I had nothing to do with stabbing Officer Reasoner. I don’t know who did that, but it wasn’t me.”
“What?” Pierson also took hold of his bars. “You think he did that too?”
Peabody came over to Pierson. “We think Stephanie had reason to think there was something odd about the size of that room and that she let him know what she was thinking. Which would have given him a reason to stop her. We’re following up on a few things, but we’re pretty sure that he was involved in the thefts.”
“Yes, yes!” Townsend yelled down the corridor. “I will admit to the stuff in the closet, but I didn’t attack her. I didn’t do that. I wouldn’t try to kill someone!” He pleaded directly to Pierson.
Peabody and Pierson looked at each other. Peabody calmly said, “Mr. Townsend, I think you better wait for your lawyer.”
Townsend and Pierson now stared at each other across the empty cell in between. Peabody turned and left the hall.
On his way back to the outer offices, Peabody passed Conference Room A and through the window on the door saw Addams and Wannamaker talking with Mrs. McMahon, with her Pekingese on her lap. Apparently, she didn’t go anywhere without that dog.
— — —
“Mrs. McMahon,” Wannamaker was taking the lead in the questions. She had known him as the previous chief, but probably wasn’t yet aware of Addams’ new status. “We appreciate your taking the time to come in to see us.”
“Of course, of course. It’s my duty. I have always tried to help the police. It’s our civic responsibility, isn’t it, Fifi?” She caressed the dog’s head.
“Fifi? Really?” Addams hadn’t meant to say it out loud.
“Not Fifirealy. It’s really Fifirello, but she knows I only use her whole name when I’m mad at her. But that’s not very often, is it sweetie?” The dog didn’t really look like she cared, but she was comfortable.
“Mrs. McMahon, we understand you were at the town green last night when Officer Reasoner was attacked.” Wannamaker returned to the purpose of the interview.
“Oh, it wasn’t when she was attacked. It must have been right afterward. The ambulance was already there.”
“Thank you. Right afterward. We have a list of the people that we know were there.” Wannamaker showed her the list. “Can you think of anyone else? Anyone that may have been there for only a minute or so?”
She perused the list for a moment. “No, no, that seems to be about right. I only saw Mayor Plummer and Officer Addams,” she tilted her head in his direction, “from a distance, as they were walking back to the station with Chief Pierson. Nobody else.”
“Did you notice anything else happen? Anybody running away? Anyone throw anything away or pick anything up?”
“I did see that young man from Mel Johnson’s office put something in t
he waste can near the corner. I don’t know what it was, but it must have been small. It fit in one hand.”
Addams sat up. “Something small? Could it have been a handkerchief?”
“I don’t know, Officer Addams. I wasn’t that close, and I wasn’t really paying attention to him, you know. He went over and talked to Mel Johnson right after that. Maybe Mel knows what he threw away.” She looked from one policeman to the other. “Is there anything else, officers? Fifi gets nervous if she’s in a strange place for very long. And you never know what she may do when she’s nervous.” Fifi did not look either nervous or as if she was about to do anything.
“No, thank you, Mrs. McMahon. If you think of anything else, will you let us know?”
She nodded and said, “Of course,” stood up, and carried Fifi out of the room. “Yes, you’re okay. We’re going home now. Don’t you worry.” The officers followed her out to the main office.
JJ Plummer was in the outer area telling Marie Hazlett, “I’ll be just next door. You can give a call when they’re ready, and I’ll be back.” But then he turned and saw Addams and Wannamaker. “Oh, never mind. It looks like they are ready for me now.” He strode over and shook their hands.
“Gentlemen. I don’t really think that there’s anything I can add, but I do understand the need for us to do this, to ensure that we have all the facts. Should we do this in your office, Bud?”
Addams paused. “I think we better do it in the conference room. Just to keep our procedures consistent. Do you mind?”
“Of course not. No sense of any improprieties. I understand perfectly. Lead the way.”
Though Addams did intend to lead the way and had made the decision as to which room, he wondered if it seemed as if the mayor was still in charge.
“Oh, Bud.” Hazlett held out an envelope for him before he turned to leave. “Emil Hansfelder was here and took a look at our...piece of evidence. This is his opinion regarding the engraving. Seth has reported that there was nothing in Mrs. Mathison’s house that matched that engraving or anything like it at all. And we now have the search warrants that we need.”
“Thank you, Marie. Have the Gettys start on those searches. Everybody else is busy at the moment.” He took the envelope, and they crossed to the conference room.
“Take a seat, Mayor.”
“JJ, Bud, please. You’re the police chief now. We’re equals, both employed by the city.”
“JJ.” Both Addams and Wannamaker sat. “Well, what can you tell us about last night? What you saw or heard. Anything you might have noticed.” Addams pulled a piece of paper out of the envelope and read it while Plummer talked.
“As I told you, I pretty much saw what you saw. I heard a shout or a yell, some sort of loud verbal noise. I was inside my office, but with the window open. I thought it could have been anything – children playing, somebody yelling across the green. I did look out, and that’s when I saw some figures running. Apparently, that was you and Jeff. I didn’t know that at the time, but I thought, well, maybe I had better go see what was happening. At first, it didn’t appear to be urgent, so I spent just a moment closing up the office, but then I saw the emergency squad arrive and I hurried across the green.”
“JJ, tell us who you saw when you got there,” Wannamaker asked.
“As soon as I got close, I saw Bud and Jeff. And Jim McGarry, the EMT. I went over to stand out of the way with the other people until the ambulance left. There were Hank Peters, and Charlene Matthews, and Mel Johnson. Mel’s associate, I believe his name is Townsend. And a young woman from the bank, Cheryl Levinsky. I don’t believe there was anyone else. Oh yes, except Mrs. McMahon and her dog, Fifi, who came up after I did.” Addams was surprised that the mayor knew the dog’s name, but then he was a politician. “And Cecil Skinner’s daughter, Tracy or Stacy.” Apparently, the girl didn’t vote yet.
“Yes, that’s pretty much what we’ve gotten from everybody else. They were mostly there when you got there?”
“Yes, except for Luellen McMahon and the Skinner girl.”
Addams interrupted. “You started from the other side of the green. Did you see anybody on the green, either coming or going?”
“Not anybody in particular. I have the impression that as I was starting to cross the street, there was a figure hurrying across farther north of me. But that’s just an impression. I couldn’t swear to it.”
“Did you see anyone throw anything away? Into a trashcan or onto the ground?”
“No, that wasn’t where my attention was. I wasn’t watching them. I was looking at you and Stephanie, though I didn’t really know that was who it was at the time.”
Addams held up the note from the envelope.
“Mayor, JJ...” He breathed out. “We have found a knife in the trashcan on the east side of the green. Officer Getty, I forget which one at the moment, searched them and came back with the contents. We have reason to think that this knife might be the weapon used to attack Stephanie. There were stylized initials on its hilt. They have been identified by Emil Hansfelder of Hansfelder Jewelers as two capital Js. JJ. As in JJ Plummer.”
Wannamaker looked startled. Addams leaned forward and looked into Plummer’s eyes. “JJ, do you have any knives with your initials engraved on them?”
“No, Bud. No, I don’t.” Plummer answered steadily, but shifted in his seat. “I do have a few things...hand towels, serving trays, that sort of thing – with a ‘JP’ on them. I’d be more likely to use the initial from my last name, just as my wife, Paula, has PP on a few of her things. That is not my knife.”
Addams sighed and sat back. “It’s one of the questions we have to ask – one of the things we have to pursue – JJ. I’m sure you understand. In this situation, no one seems to be just who or what we expected them to be.”
Plummer waved a hand. “And you’re welcome to search my house, and my office, if you want to confirm it. Though there is quite a bit of confidential material in my office. I would have to protect that. It’s all paperwork though, no hidden weapons.”
“Thank you for offering, Mayor. It saves us having to get a warrant. I’m afraid we’re going to have to do that. We have to rule out as well as gather direct evidence.” Addams didn’t want the mayor to know quite yet that they already had a likely suspect in custody.
“Mike, would you accompany the mayor back to his office, both his offices, legal and mayoral, and perform that search for us? You okay with that?”
“Oh, I think I can still remember what needs to be done.” Wannamaker stood up. “And don’t worry, JJ, I’ll be gentle.”
CHAPTER 25
As Wannamaker and Mayor Plummer left the conference room, George Peabody came up to the entrance. Addams waved him into the room, and Peabody closed the door behind him.
“Hey, Bud, anything new?”
“Mrs. McMahon saw Harry Townsend throw something in the wastebasket at the corner, but nothing else worthwhile. However, the initials on the knife have been identified as ‘JJ’.”
“The mayor? I don’t believe it.”
“Would you have believed Jeff killing Mrs. Mathison?”
“No.” Peabody shook his head. “No, I would never have believed that either.”
“I think we’re going to have to be willing to believe almost anything at this point. Jeff’s name starts with ‘J’ too. I don’t know what his middle initial is. Maybe he’s also a ‘JJP’, like the mayor.”
“Wait a minute, we’ve already eliminated Jeff as a suspect...didn’t we? We’ve got to go somewhere else.”
“You’re right, George. All I know for sure is that I know I didn’t do it. Did you do it?”
“No! Of course
not!”
“So I didn’t do it. I’m trusting you didn’t do it. I’m pretty sure Marie didn’t do it. And, for all intents and purposes, Jeff didn’t do it. That still leaves us with a lot of possibilities.”
“Oh, come on. We have our suspect behind bars already. Why do we need to keep looking?”
Addams sighed. “I know, I know. Townsend makes sense for this. We have motive and opportunity. He looks good for it. But I’m trying to figure out what he is doing with a knife with ‘JJ’ on the handle.”
Peabody shrugged. “Maybe it was one of the stolen items. Could have come from anywhere.”
Addams, realizing that he should have thought of that himself, reluctantly nodded. “That’s a valid point, George. Why don’t you check and see if it fits the description of any stolen items? Or if Townsend has anything in his background that might go with ‘JJ’...mother or maternal grandparent or something?”
“Yep, I can do that. Makes more sense to me. But I still think we’ve already got our man, Bud.” He opened the door and left.
Addams went back to what was now his office, but he couldn’t even get inside the chief’s door before Marie Hazlett called to him.
“Chief!”
He was very tempted to pretend that he didn’t know she meant him, but he knew he had to do what he had to do. No getting around it today. He turned to face her.
“Marie.” Then he saw Matt Laurenfeld standing next to her desk and walked slowly over. “Matt, busy day for you. Which client are you here to see? We’ve only got the two.”
“So you are the police chief, now, Bud?” They shook hands.
“Acting chief. There’s nothing permanent yet.”
“I was wondering what they were going to do. There was a big hole to fill.” He cocked his head. “Bud, I’ve been asked to represent Harry Townsend. Mel Johnson hired me.”
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