‘OK, but let’s not rule him out just yet. What about next of kin?’
Bronski looked at Annie again.
‘The hospital confirmed from her records that the husband is still listed as her next of kin and at her current address, but it also lists her brother, Captain Charles Hegarty. Jackie Winters said that he is on a tour of duty in Afghanistan at the moment, but that was due to end last week sometime. She didn’t know the exact detail, only that Angela is expecting him to visit imminently. I’m waiting for the Department of Defense to get back to me with contact details since the hospital record is out of date.’ Annie realised as she said it that she would have to get back to the government agency again, as it was over 24 hours since she’d left the first message. ‘I’ll follow that one up again today.’
‘Right, keep me posted.’ Franconi shut his notebook, signalling that he was finished with them for now. He picked up the phone and started punching numbers in before they were even out of the room.
13
Annie waited until they were back at their desks. ‘Well that wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.’
Bronski was sifting through messages and didn’t look up. ‘Generally his bark is worse than his bite.’
Annie knew that Bronski was really sensitive to any criticism from Franconi and she vowed not to put him in that position again. ‘So what’s next? We’ve got a couple of hours until we pay Genevieve Montgomery a visit. Maybe I’ll get back on to the Department of Defense. They’re not exactly prompt in getting back to us, are they?’ Annie was double-checking her own messages, in case a reply had come back and she was maligning them unnecessarily, but there was nothing. However, before Bronski got a chance to answer, her phone rang.
‘Detective Macpherson, I have a Captain Hegarty on the line for you.’
Annie cupped the phone and half whispered to Bronski: ‘speak of the devil.’ Then she replied to the receptionist: ‘Put him through please.’
Bronski watched as Annie nodded as the person on the other end was clearly establishing who he was speaking to and trying to work out why he had been given a message to telephone the police.
‘Sir, where are you telephoning from? I see, and when are you expecting to be back in Connecticut? I am about to explain that.’ Annie was shifting in her seat, sitting now with her elbows on the desk, adopting a more formal posture to deliver some sombre news, never easy over the telephone, or in person for that matter. After a deep intake of breath, she continued: ‘I am sorry to have to tell you that your sister, Angela Goodman, was viciously attacked in her home two nights ago. She’s in Westford Hospital, in a coma, in a very serious condition.’
There was a pause and Bronski saw Annie cupping her elbow as if she were uncomfortable with the conversation. ‘I can’t tell you that sir, the doctors are doing everything they can. I’m sorry, I know this news is shocking.’ Annie leaned back in the chair now but was still taking notes. ‘So you will let us know when you get in. I’ll give you my cellphone number as well.’
When she finally hung up the phone, Bronski was waiting to hear the details. ‘Well, he left Afghanistan at the end of last week and went directly to Colorado, and then on to Montana to a fishing lodge. He was having a break before coming back here to spend a few weeks with his sister. He sounded quite shocked at what has happened. He’s going to try and get a flight back today if possible, but will keep us informed.’
‘Good. We’ll need to interview him and see how much he knows about his sister’s life. Let’s hope he can fill in some more background. Let me know when he calls you. Now, why don’t we head up to the Westford Mall, grab a bite of lunch and then check out Miss Montgomery?’
‘Aye, but I hate the brother already.’
Bronski gave Annie a quizzical look. ‘What the hell?’
‘It’s only because he’s doing what I want to be doing, fly fishing in Montana.’
Bronski laughed, ‘Never took you for a fisher.’
‘It’s in my bones, being from one of the fishing meccas of the world. You have heard of salmon fishing in Scotland, I hope?’ Annie grabbed her jacket and followed Bronski out of the door.
Just under two hours later, they entered the First Class Dress Boutique. Annie homed in on Genevieve Montgomery immediately, even though there were three assistants in the shop. There was something about her, a predatory, ‘I’ll take what I want’ kind of attitude. Annie knew other women like her and it was the aspect of sisterhood she could never understand. Bad enough if a man succumbed, but for a woman to actively chase another woman’s husband was something Annie considered unforgivable. She thought about Angela Goodman and how she looked in the hospital. What if this woman had wanted her out of the picture?
The dyed brunette approached them, dripping with jewellery, acrylic nails painted a deep red and matching lipstick. ‘How are you today? Is there something I can help you with? Our sale has just started and there is an additional 20% off anything you see in the store.’ It was the usual sales patter and it was obvious that she took them for a couple.
Bronski smiled and produced his badge, ‘Detective Bronski and Detective Macpherson. We’re not here to shop; we’re looking for Genevieve Montgomery.’
The woman was clearly taken aback. ‘I am Ms Montgomery. Is this about that attempted burglary last month?’
Bronski didn’t answer her question directly, simply adding, ‘Is there somewhere private we can talk?’
The small office at the back of the shop doubled as a storage room, but as Genevieve Montgomery ushered them in, Annie noticed that there were three seats. Genevieve Montgomery took the one at the far right corner, right next to a mannequin whose features were strikingly similar to the woman herself. Annie nearly smiled, but stifled it just in time.
‘So what’s this all about? Is it to do with the attempted burglary or not, only I haven’t heard any more about it from the security staff.’ Genevieve Montgomery folded her arms across her chest, a simple movement signalling that she was a woman who didn’t like to be trifled with. A simple movement that also accentuated her cleavage, which Annie found distasteful.
‘No, we don’t know anything about an attempted burglary. Ms Montgomery, do you know a George Goodman?’
‘What if I do?’
‘Could you please just answer the question?’
‘I do know George Goodman, but why are you asking?’
Obviously Ms Montgomery wasn’t going to be helpful unless she absolutely had to be. Annie didn’t like the woman’s attitude. It was as harsh as the makeup she was wearing. Bronski was being more patient than she knew she would be herself, if she were leading the questioning.
‘We need to get in touch with Mr Goodman as a matter of some urgency. We have reason to believe that you know Mr Goodman very well and may know where he is. You may have been in contact with him over the last few days.’ Bronski wasn’t letting up.
‘I have already told you that I know George Goodman, but what leads you to believe that I am party to where he is, or even if I did, that I would tell you that information, which surely is private?’
Now her coyness was really beginning to annoy Annie. She didn’t want to upstage Bronski, but she’d had enough. ‘We have reason to believe that you are in a relationship with Mr Goodman and are, in fact, cited in his wife’s divorce proceedings. As my colleague has said, we need to interview Mr Goodman urgently on another matter and thought that you would be willing to help us with our inquiries. I am sure that you would not withhold information that is needed as part of a police investigation.’
Montgomery fixed a stare at Annie. ‘I don’t know where George … Mr Goodman is. He’s on vacation, but told me that he needed some time to clear his head. His wife has not taken the divorce well and he has been feeling quite stressed about it. He’s only phoned me once, last
night, to say that he will be back at work on Monday and will see me Monday night. Now, that is all I know. I don’t pry, unlike his soon to be ex-wife.’
‘So, you have no idea where he was calling you from?’ Annie wasn’t convinced.
‘I have already said that. I don’t see how I can help you further. I have a shop to run now, so if you don’t mind.’
Bronski pulled out his card. ‘If you hear from him again, tell him I want to speak to him. Tell him he would be better coming into the station himself, or we will be turning up at his work place on Monday. He might save himself some embarrassment.’
‘And what do I tell him it is about?’
Annie folded her notebook and started to follow Bronski out. ‘I’m sure that both of you read the newspapers.’
Genevieve Montgomery stood up, pulled her tight skirt into place and smiled.
The youngest of the shop assistants was approaching the boutique carrying three cups of coffee and a brown bag just as Bronski and Annie got to the next store. Annie recognised the young woman immediately and acted intuitively. ‘Excuse me, I’m Detective Macpherson and this is Detective Bronski. Just before you go back in, can I just ask you a couple of questions, just routine?’
The girl looked startled and glanced towards the boutique window. Then she stepped back so that the three of them were out of sight of the shop. ‘I don’t know how I can help,’ she murmured, shifting uncomfortably on the spot. It was obvious that talking to the police was the last thing the young woman wanted to do but Annie didn’t give her a chance to refuse.
14
‘Good work, Detective.’
‘I knew she was lying. It was that knowing smile she flashed just as we finished the interview. Not seen him, oh sure. So why was she off work for two days then at short notice? I’ll take great pleasure in charging her for obstruction, once we prove she knew where he was.’ Annie looked across at Bronski, just as he was opening his car door. ‘So what now, get on to dispatch?’
‘No, somehow I don’t think we’re going to need that. My guess is that Genevieve Montgomery is on the phone to him right now and that we’ll hear from him quite soon. Let’s just be patient and she’ll do our job for us.’ Bronski was behind the wheel now, negotiating his way out of the mall parking lot where every bad driver was absent-mindedly reversing without looking.
Annie knew he was right but she was still angry with Montgomery. The boutique owner reminded her of some of her mother’s friends – haughty, know it alls. ‘So where to now?’
‘Why not another visit to the hospital? We need more on Angela Goodman’s prognosis. See if we can pin down her doctor. If she comes out of the coma, she might be able to give us information on her attacker.’
‘That would save us a lot of trouble.’ Inwardly Annie thought how much of an optimist Bronski was but kept her own counsel. It wasn’t the first time she’d dealt with someone in a coma. Although it was possible for someone to come out of a coma spontaneously, she also knew that the longer the coma lasted, the longer any predicted recovery time would be. Somehow, instinctively, she felt that sometime soon, a decision would have to be made about turning off the life support system. She also knew that when that decision came, her own guilt for her part in the life and death of Angela Goodman might overwhelm her.
Ten minutes later they were at the nurses’ station where they were informed that Angela Goodman had two visitors, Jim Moorcroft and Jackie Winters. We haven’t cleared those two yet, thought Annie, but they’d seemed genuine enough that first time they’d met. Still procedures were procedures and Franconi did mention it this morning. The nurse went into the room first, asking the other two visitors to leave, as the hospital had a strict policy in the ICU.
Bronski and Annie were waiting by the door as Jim and Jackie came out with the nurse. They both nodded as they saw the detectives and hesitated just outside the room.
‘How is she?’ Annie was trying to gauge their reaction to their friend’s predicament.
‘It’s so awful seeing her like this. She’s normally so full of life. Never sits still. I find it unbearable seeing her like that. She’d be so angry.’ Jim Moorcroft nodded as Jackie hesitated. ‘They won’t really tell us anything, but I guess they don’t need to. You only have to see her attached to those machines to know it must be touch and go.’
‘I’m sure she appreciates you sitting with her.’ As usual, Bronski was trying to say the right thing. Annie thought she could learn a few lessons in tact from her supervisor.
‘We came over from work. Everyone is so concerned. The whole department is upset. Some of the others want to come but we’re not sure if that would be allowed. We keep everyone informed.’ This time it was Jim speaking and Jackie nodding. ‘Anyway, you’ll see for yourself. We better leave you to it.’
But before they left, Jackie turned back momentarily, ‘I don’t suppose you can tell us if you’ve found out who her attacker is yet?’
‘We still have a number of inquiries to make.’ Annie replied, and then because of Franconi that morning, she added, ‘We are still working on the timeframe from when you dropped her off, Mr Moorcroft, until you both found her. In fact, we may need to ask you some more questions in the next couple of days.’
‘Of course, we want to help in any way we can. Whoever did this needs to be caught.’ By now, Jim had Jackie’s elbow in his hand and was directing her to the exit. ‘You have our contact number.’
Before they went in, Annie reminded Bronski about getting an officer posted outside the door. As Bronski went off to arrange it, Annie took the opportunity to ask the staff nurse whether there had been any other visitors. Jim Moorcroft and Jackie Winters were the only ones. Each time their visit had been timed and they were asked to leave when the allocation was up.
The nurse had no concerns when Annie mentioned that an officer would be posted outside the room. ‘You’ll need to inform the hospital Vice President. He will want to alert our own security.’ Annie nodded and made a note of the Vice President’s name. Annie was surprised when the nurse added: ‘Just so you know, the nurses are far too busy to get coffees for your officers, so if you could make that clear.’ With that, the nurse answered a phone call and Annie took it as a signal to leave.
No matter how many times Annie had seen people in similar situations to Angela Goodman, entering that room still gave her a shock. It was clear that the woman was barely clinging on to life. Her bruises looked far worse than the last time they’d seen her. Partly it was the noise, the whirring, the beeping, and the rhythm of machines doing for a human being what the body does naturally for itself. Annie wondered what it would take to tip the balance. Again the thought struck her that someone was probably going to have to make a decision about when to switch off the machine. Given the situation with the husband, she hoped that the law wouldn’t allow him to do it. Perhaps the brother would decide.
Bronski joined her a few minutes later. Annie sensed that was he was uneasy too. It wasn’t long before he whispered, ‘There’s nothing to be gained from staying in here. Let’s see what the doctors can tell us.’
Annie felt a bit disrespectful leaving so soon. Angela Goodman didn’t deserve to be lying there. The guilt came back. She should have taken that interview more seriously. She looked at her supervisor.
It was as if Bronski read her mind. ‘Hey, you’re not responsible for this. Don’t worry, we’ll get the bastard.’ Annie wondered if Angela Goodman would process that piece of information, but there wasn’t even a flicker of reaction from her.
Bronski opened the door for them to leave. They had a couple more people to see in the hospital.
A half hour later they were in the car again. The doctor they spoke to hadn’t held out much hope. He was more interested in the issue of next of kin and Bronski and Annie had cautioned that the husband might have to be
displaced as next of kin and that the legal department in the hospital should be looking into it. They’d also seen the hospital Vice President who agreed for the officer to be posted outside the door and asked that they liaise with his Head of Security. It was the last thing they did before they left the building.
‘There’s not much more we can do today. Want me to drop you home?’
‘Actually, I’d like to go back to the station for a while and write up my notes. I’ll get the bus or a taxi home, but thanks for the offer.’
‘The station it is, but don’t stay too long or you’ll make me look bad, partner.’ Annie laughed. Bronski hadn’t called her that before. Perhaps she was starting to fit in.
Dave Ellison was the only one still in the squad room. Even Franconi had left for the day. ‘Hi stranger, no Bronski?’
Annie smiled as she pulled her chair out, just in his line of vision. ‘He’s just dropped me off. I wanted to write up a few notes while it’s still fresh.’ Her knee was resting on the chair, but she hadn’t sat down as yet.
‘How long you staying?’ Ellison was leaning back in his chair, tapping his pen in his hand.
‘Don’t know, maybe a half hour, max.’
Det Annie Macpherson 01 - Primed By The Past Page 6