Ian

by Denise Irwin

  As she handed him the keys, she said, “Yes of course Mr. Marksman, here are the keys. I haven’t seen Ian for a number of days and I’m worried about him.”

  “Did you know him well?”

  “No, not really. He’d stop on by his way to work and say hello. He was a really nice guy; the kind of guy that you’d like to take to your mother’s for dinner.”

  Sam took the keys and walked up the four flights to his apartment. He entered a well-kept studio apartment. All of the victim’s clothes were either hung in the closet or in the bureau. He looked into the small student sized refrigerator to find fresh fruit and milk in it. Sam grabbed the laptop and took the elevator down to return the keys to Julie.

  “Julie, I’m going to take Ian’s laptop with me to see if I can find anything useful on it. Do you want me to sign something to show that I took it?”

  When she didn’t answer, he opened his notebook and ripped a piece of paper out to write his name and that he took Ian’s laptop. He stapled his card to the note. Julie looked up at him as she took the note and his business card and said, “Mr. Marksman, can you call the office when you find Ian? He really is a nice guy.”

  It was now lunchtime, so he looked for Pickles Pub and went in to eat at the bar. Bob was working and asked, “Sam, have you learned anything yet?”

  “Not much. I’m hoping to meet with Ellie this afternoon, so I came here for lunch.”

  “Would you like to talk to any of the kitchen staff while you’re here?”

  Sam was surprised by the question, so he asked, “Do you think I should?”

  “No, but they all loved him because he was always happy. I just wanted you to know that you could if you thought it would help.”

  Sam didn’t mention that he had Macgill’s laptop, but he did say, “I looked about in Ian’s apartment before coming here for lunch. It was neat and tidy.”

  “Man, I’m hearing what you’re saying. I was in his studio a couple of times and you could eat off the floor. That’s how he worked here in the kitchen. His mama raised him well.”

  “You might be right. What do I owe you for lunch?”

  “Not a damn thing, just find Ian’s killer and call me when you have him.”

  “Bob, I sure as hell will, thanks for lunch.”

  Sam had left his car parked at the Medical Center, so he walked back to his car and put Macgill’s laptop on the passenger floor and slid it under the seat. He went into the lobby to wait for her when the same woman told him, “Mr. Marksman, please let me tell you my name. I’m Stella. Ellie is just filing today’s paperwork and will be down shortly.”

  A young woman entered the lobby and as she headed to the front door she said, “Good night Stella, have a good evening.” The young woman was small in stature and her curly brown hair was pulled up in a ponytail on the back of her head and when she moved her head, the curls bounced on her shoulders.

  “Ellie, before you go, this is the young man who wants to speak with you.”

  She looked at the business card and then asked, “Are you Private Investigator Marksman?”

  “Yes I am. Can we go somewhere and have a cup of coffee?”

  “I don’t know who you are and why you want to have coffee with me.”

  Sam hoped that he hadn’t already lost her trust, so he quietly told her, “I’m investigating the death of Ian Macgill and you might know something that would help. I don’t want to stand here in the lobby discussing it.”

  She looked up at him and smiled, “I suppose that I’m being a bit of a brat, aren’t I?”

  “No you are being a cautious young woman and I appreciate that. Lead on.”

  “I’ll take you to the coffee shop where Ian and I went the night he disappeared. It’s called the Peace and Cup of Jo coffee shop.”

  They entered the shop and Sam asked for a table for two. Ellie added to that, “In the window please.”

  Sam saw that orders were placed at the counter, so he asked her, “Do you want a cup of coffee?”

  “Yes please. I prefer the Kona blend, black.”

  He ordered the two Kona coffees for here and added some pastries to his list. He went back to sit with Ellie while they waited for the coffees. He saw that she was crying, so he sat across from her and waited until she could talk.

  The coffees and pastries arrived and still she cried. She took a sip of her coffee and then said, “Kona is the best coffee. Costa Rican is second best when you can’t get Kona. I’m babbling nonsense and I know it, but I’m stalling before I can say that I was the person responsible for Ian’s death.”

  Sam certainly wasn’t expecting to hear that and had to take a moment to think about what she just said. “Ellie, why did you tell me that you are the person responsible for Ian’s death?”

  “If I hadn’t said yes to join him for a cup of coffee, he’d still be alive. I really liked working with him. He’s…he was a great guy and I enjoyed his company. He was always upbeat and interested in everything here in Baltimore.”

  She started to cry again, so Sam waited for her to continue. “He took the MTA bus to see the Walter’s Art Gallery and Ft. McHenry. He came here to study to be a doctor so that he could be a General Practioner in Stonehaven and I ruined it all.”

  Sam needed to uncover just why this well-educated and caring young lady felt that she had a part in Macgill’s death. “Ellie are you telling me that you murdered Ian?”

  She shook her head rapidly, and then said, “No, I could never have done anything like that. There’s a guy who’s been stalking me and said that if he ever saw me with another man, he’d kill both of us.”

  “Ellie do you know his name?”

  “Sam, if I tell you his name, he’ll kill both of us.”

  “Let me worry about that. Just tell me his name.”

  “His name is Mark Thompson and he drives a green pickup truck with Maryland license plates.”

  “Ellie stay here while I make a phone call.”

  He stepped out onto the sidewalk and called Taggart. “Stefan, I have a name and a vehicle. Put an APB out for Mark Thompson driving a green pickup truck with Maryland tags.”

  His next call was to his wife. “Leona, I need you to look for Mark Thompson’s RAP sheet. If you find anything, call Taggart. I’m gonna walk a young lady home and then I’ll drive home.”

  He went back into the coffee shop. “Ellie, we’ll talk while I walk you home.” They left the shop and he said, “You may have just given us a huge lead in this investigation. If you like, I can have police posted on this street to make sure that the Thompson doesn’t come anywhere near you.”

  “Thanks, but I’ll call my parents to come pick me up and take me to their house. Can I give you my number so that you can let me know when he’s in custody?”

  “Yes ma’am.”

  With Ellie’s number in his phone and Ellie locked safely in her apartment, Sam walked to the Medical Center to retrieve his car.

  He parked the car in his driveway and looked at the clock. He not only missed dinner, but he also missed telling his children good night. He walked into the kitchen to find his wife smiling like the Cheshire Cat. She handed him a scotch and then asked, “Are you hungry?”

  “I’m starving.”

  She refilled his scotch glass as she told him, “Drink this and then I’ll give you dinner.”

  He chuckled as he said, “Are you trying to ply me with alcohol?”

  “Maybe, but as promised, here’s your dinner.”

  She poured a glass of wine and sat at the table watching her husband eat. “Sam, the name that you gave me has a criminal record for stalking and raping young women. He’s also wanted for parole violation here in Maryland. Will the parole violation outweigh the murder charge? I called Stefan, just as you asked. Now that I’ve said that, tell me about your day. Do you want another scotch?”

  “No, a beer will do. In terms of the parole violation, the murder charges would be added to whatever sentence he was serving. G
regory has to prove that he murdered Macgill and then find a motive.”

  He told her about his conversation with Ellie and how she believed that she was responsible. She also gave him a huge lead by telling him about Mark Thompson. He ended with, “I guess that all in all it was a good day for the investigators on the team.”

  <>

  During breakfast on Saturday morning, Jack asked, “Can Molly and I take Vinny into the back yard and play.”

  Sam said, “Of course you can. Mom and I just might join you.”

  Molly screamed, “That’s way cool.”

  Molly and Jack put their breakfast dishes into the washer and then ran out the back door with the dog. Leona and Sam had a second cup of coffee while listening to the laughter from the yard. They were just about to go out with the kids, when Sam’s cell phone rang. “Sam, its Stefan, Thompson’s in the Baltimore City Jail.”

  “I’m on my way.”

  He looked at his wife to see that she was smiling, “Sam go and do what you need to do. I’ll go into the yard and play with the children.”

  “Lee, that statement makes me feel guilty.”

  “If it sounded that way, I didn’t mean for it to. If that bastard is in jail, I’ll be a happy wife.”

  Sam signed in and the guard on duty said, “Thompson’s in Interview Room A.”

  He found, Taggart and Gregory standing in the hall. Taggart told him, “He let me take a swab inside his cheek. Mandy is on her way to pick it up. I thought we’d wait for you to interview him. Here are the photos of the victim, the tire marks and the piece of the beige shirt in this bag.”

  “Stefan hold onto all of that until I ask for it. Can someone grab a cup of coffee for me and bring it in?”

  As Sam entered the dark and dang interview room, he wondered if it was ever cleaned. It smelled of stale cigarettes along with the scent of sweat. He took the chair closest to the two-way mirror. Taggart brought in his coffee and then left the room. He sat still sipping his coffee waiting for the bandit to speak first. He never took his eyes off of Thompson’s eyes. When he drained his coffee cup he held it up to the window for another and still Thompson sat quietly.

  Sam knew that if he had another cup of coffee, he would need to use the men’s room to get rid of the coffee; however, he would leave the empty cup on the table.

  Sam finished the second cup of coffee and left the empty cup on the table. He left the interview room to use the bathroom. When he returned, he asked, “Has he even blinked an eye yet?”

  Taggart shook his head as he said, “No he hasn’t.”

  “Well then, I think that this boy is gonna need a different tactic from me. Give me the photos of Macgill.”

  Sam went into the room and threw the photos on the table. When he saw Thompson’s eyes glance at the photos, Sam asked, “Is this a friend of yours?”

  When he didn’t answer, Sam asked, “Do you know his name?”

  Still no answer, “Did you see this guy out with your girlfriend?”

  Sam saw that the question struck a nerve. The veins on the side of his neck bulged out and his face was so red that he looked as if he was about to explode. However, he still remained silent.

  Sam was running out of creative ideas, but he wasn’t about to give up. “Did this guy take your girlfriend, Ellie, out? If he did, were you there to watch him walk her home.”

  “I don’t know who the fuck that bastard was, but he had no right to ask Ellie out on a date.”

  Sam immediately left the room and Taggart went to read Thompson his rights. Gregory handed him the arrest warrant and Taggart said, “Mark Thompson you are charged with Premeditated Murder. You will remain in custody until your arraignment before The Honorable Aaden Kavanagh on Tuesday morning.”

  When he left the room, he told the jail guard, “You can move him to a cell.”

  Gregory and Sam were waiting on the sidewalk for Taggart. When he joined them, he said, “I’m starving, so let’s go get something to eat.”

  “We’re not going to Mike’s until we get this monster locked up permanently, so let’s go to the tavern around the corner.”

  There was a table for four and a waitress came to give them menus and toke their drink orders. Everyone ordered draft beer. When she returned with the beers, everyone ordered cheeseburgers with a side fries.

  Gregory looked at Sam as he said, “That bastard wasn’t about to give up anything, so I was shocked when you said something about his girlfriend. How in the hell did you know to ask that question.”

  “Thompson was stalking Ellie and when I spoke with her, she was terrified that he killed Macgill because he thought she was his boyfriend.”

  “Sam, I was terrified that we didn’t have motive, and now that I know that we do, I’m feeling a whole lot better. While we’re all together, let’s go over the evidence that will meet probable cause.”

  Stefan said, “Now that he’s in jail, Mandy will match the dirt in his truck tire to the soil sample that she took at Roland Lake. I was able to get him to let me take a swab of the inside of his mouth. Mandy came to the jail to get it. If the DNA matches the piece of shirt that Phil found, I think that we’re covered."

  “Stefan, do you think that she can get all that done by Tuesday’s arraignment?”

  “Sure she can. It’s a holiday weekend and you won’t need it until Wednesday.”

  Gregory shook his head and then said, “How could I even think of doubting Ms. Buttons’ capabilities.”

  Sam sat quietly, but his insides were howling with laughter.

  “Sam, before we go, Phil asked me to check with you about the dog training classes. They start on December 1, at 2:00 at the Perry Hall Middle School and run for the next two Sundays.”

  “That’s right. I’m gonna head home now, but if anyone needs anything, give me a call.”

  <>

  Thompson sat angry in his cell. He decided to create a plan to get out of this hell hole. He thought that he could pull the insanity gig, but that could possibly mean living the rest of his life in a loony bin. There wasn’t many options for him. The guards put him in solitary to observe him, or so they said. They put his food onto a shelf in the door.

  He took one bite and spit it out because someone might be poisoning him. He watched a guy die from rat poisoning the last time he was incarcerated.

  His thoughts drifted to Ellie. She had to know how much he loved her. He had to kill that guy to keep her safe.

  <>

  Leona was preparing dinner when Sam walked into the kitchen. He said, “That sure smells like chicken pot pie.”

  “The man with the nose, knows that it’s chicken pot pie. I figured that it was time to pull out some fall and winter recipes.”

  “You won’t hear me complain.”

  During dinner, Jack asked, “Dad, do you have to work this weekend?”

  “No sir, I do not. Did you have something in mind for us to do?”

  “Yeah. Can you and Mom rack up the leaves so that Molly and I can jump in the pile?”

  “I think that we can. What do you think Mom?”

  “It’s a wonderful idea.”

  After the kids went to bed, Sam and Leona met in the kitchen for a night cap. He poured her a glass of wine and grabbed a beer from the fridge for him. He said, “Let’s start with your day.”

  She chuckled and then said, “I ended up playing with the kids and the dog most of the day. They wore me out, but it really was a lot of fun and I’m glad that I did it.”

  “Well, it looks to me that we’ll have two more days to play in the yard.”

  “So it does. How did today go?”

  “Thompson’s been in the system long enough to know how to irritate the hell out of anyone, but I finally hit a raw nerve and broke him down enough to at least let Taggart serve the warrant.”

  “Did Judge Kavanagh sign it?”

  “Yes he did and Thompson’s scheduled for arraignment at 9:00 Tuesday morning.”

  “I need to ca
ll Bob and let him know.” He dialed Bob’s number and when he answered, Sam told him that the arraignment was scheduled for 9:00 Tuesday morning in Judge Kavanagh’s courtroom.

  “Thanks for calling, I’ll definitely be there and I’ll call Ellie and see if she wants me to bring her.”

  He then called the Macgill’s number. Mr. Macgill answered the phone, “Mr. Macgill, we have a suspect in custody. He is scheduled for arraignment at 9:00 Tuesday morning.”

  “If my wife and I fly over can we watch the proceedings?”

  “Yes sir you can. I’ll call the Medical Examiner and let him know.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Leona, let me pour you another glass of wine and then update you.”

  “Sam, I heard everything while you were talking on the phone. If the Macgill’s come to the States, we’ll have them for dinner.”

  “I think that they would like that.”

  <>

  Sunday morning, after breakfast, Sam and Leona went into the yard to rake leaves into a pile for the kids to jump into. It didn’t take long for Vinny to figure out what was going on. He would slide into them as if it was home plate on a baseball field. When the leaves scattered around, Leona and Sam raked them into a pile. The Marksman family played in the yard until lunch time.

  While Leona was making lunch, Molly said, “That was so much fun. Did you see Vinny slide into the pile?”

  “Yes I did. I thought that it looked like he was playing baseball and was sliding into home plate.”

  During lunch, Sam’s cell phone rang; he didn’t recognize the caller ID, so he answered the call, “Marksman Investigative Services, this is Sam, how may we help you.”

  “Mr. Marksman, I am Ivan Macgill my wife and I have arrived in Baltimore. We’re staying in the Hyatt Regency in the Inner Harbor area.”

  “Do you have a car?”

  “Yes, we rented one.”

  “My wife and I would like to invite you to dinner tomorrow night. I’ll pick you up.”

  “We would like that. What time should we be ready?”