by S F Bose
Chapter 26
Dom Fontana arrived promptly at 9:00 a.m. I recognized him from the photo Kerry Goodman had given me and the photos on his company website. Same short-cropped black hair, trimmed beard, and neat mustache. He was dressed casually in a black tee shirt, jeans, and jacket.
After shaking hands, he followed us back to the conference room. When he removed his jacket, I saw the upper body of a man who worked out.
“Thanks for coming in, Mr. Fontana. We appreciate it,” I began. I activated the voice recorder app on my phone and looked across the table at him.
“I’m happy to help. And please call me Dom,” he replied. He smiled briefly. I smiled back and noted that he no longer had any bruises on his face from the fistfight with Moose.
“Would you like some water or coffee?” Sam asked.
“No, I’m good, thanks,” Fontana replied.
Sam dropped into the chair next to me.
“As I mentioned when I called you, we’ve been hired by our client to find the killer of Steven Meagher. We hope you can help us.
Dom’s brown eyes locked in on mine. “Are you working with the police?”
“We do share some information, but this is an independent investigation. Some of my questions may be the same, though.”
Dom nodded. “No problem.”
“Do you have any idea who killed Mr. Meagher?” I asked.
Dom shook his head. “No, I never met Meagher. However, from what I’ve heard, he was good at making enemies.”
“Who told you that?” I asked.
“I’m close to Larissa Meagher,” he replied. “She told me that. He was also a deputy sheriff and probably made plenty of enemies because of his job.”
“Are you and Larissa Meagher in a relationship?” I asked.
Dom didn’t flinch. “Larissa or the police told you that?”
“So it’s true?” I countered.
“It’s true,” he replied.
“Just to be clear, Dom., you have an intimate relationship with Larissa Meagher?”
Dom exhaled noisily. “Yes.”
“For how long?”
“We met about three years ago and were friends at first. Then we fell in love,” Dom replied.
“How did you meet exactly?” I asked
Dom smiled. “It seems so long ago. I have a condo in the city but wanted to buy a second house in the country. Somebody recommended Danvers Realty and Larissa was my agent. We hit it off from the first day we met.”
I nodded. “When’s the last time you spoke to Larissa?”
Dom paused. “It was Tuesday. I check in to keep her spirits up. This has all been a terrible shock.”
“You didn’t talk to her yesterday or today?” I asked.
“No. I did call her house last night. Her folks are staying with her for a while. Her mom answered and said she went to bed with a migraine,” Dom replied.
“It’s been stressful for her,” I said.
Dom nodded in agreement. “It has.”
“And when is the last time you saw her in person?” I asked.
“The last time I saw Larissa in person?” he repeated and squinted. “That would have been about a week after the murder. I stopped by her house to see how she was holding up.”
“Why haven’t you seen her more frequently?” I asked.
Dom smiled. “Larissa thought it would be unseemly for me to visit more often. She hasn’t buried her husband and there’s the murder investigation. At that time, the police didn’t know that Larissa and I were in a relationship. She didn’t want them to find out and jump to conclusions. In the end, they did find out and I think it looked worse. Larissa also didn’t want her parents to pick up on our relationship. They were staying with her temporarily. So we decided it would be better if we cooled it until everything was resolved.”
I nodded. “Okay. How did you feel about Steven Meagher?”
Dom’s mouth tightened and he glanced at Sam and back to me. “I only knew him from Larissa's descriptions. I didn't like him. He had a bad temper and was a bully.”
“Meagher also stood between you and a life with Larissa,” I said.
Dom smiled. “Am I a suspect now?”
“No, not at all,” I replied.
“It sure feels like it. Let’s cut to the chase. Yes, Meagher stood between me and a happy life with Larissa. However, I didn’t kill him. Larissa and I talked about different options like divorce or moving away. However, murder was never on the list.”
I watched him for any sign of nervousness or deceit and didn’t see either. “Understood. But to be thorough, there are some questions I have to ask.”
“I get it. Ask away,” he replied.
“Can you tell us where you were the day Steven Meagher was killed. Do you need the date?”
“No I remember. I spent the day with Moose Crotty, an old friend. He was depressed about a personal problem. So we spent the day hanging out at his place. We both drank too much and I stayed overnight.”
“You were with Moose Crotty all day?”
“Yeah, I got there about 10:00 a.m. and left the next morning,” Dom replied.
“You didn’t go out anywhere?” I asked.
Dom shook his head. “No, he was in no shape. Heck I wasn’t either. We were at his place all day and night.”
“We heard that you and Mr. Crotty were in a fight,” I said.
“Yeah, it was my fault,” Dom replied and his face flushed. “I said something stupid and Moose took offense. We had a short fight, apologized, and kept drinking.”
“How did you get to Moose’s place?” I asked.
“I drove over.”
“You drove your car?”
“Yes,” he replied.
“Where’d you park?” I asked.
“On a side street.”
“Do you remember the name of the street?”
“No, I wasn’t really paying attention. It was two or three blocks away from Moose’s place.”
I nodded. “Okay, where'd you go when you left his place?”
“The next morning I returned to my condo.”
“Did you go to work?”
Dom shook his head. “No, I’ve been taking more time off since the murder. Meagher’s death has been very sobering. I have good people who can run the company when I’m out and I’m always a phone call away if they need me.”
“When did you learn Steven Meagher had been murdered?” I asked.
Dom took a deep breath. “I was at my condo and saw the report of Meagher’s death on the evening news. I don’t think they said he had been murdered, though. I was shocked and called Larissa right away. She had some people at her house including her parents, so we didn’t talk for long. She explained that sheriff’s deputies found him dead at the cabin the previous evening. She said that the police suspected murder. That was the first I’d heard he’d been killed.”
I tapped my notebook with my pen. “Was that the day after the murder?”
Again, Dom squinted. “I believe it was.”
“Did you stay in contact with Larissa?” I asked.
A look passed over Dom’s face that I couldn’t identify. “Of course I did. I spoke to her on the phone several times that first week. Each time she was so upset, it was hard for her to talk. Her husband’s death was a real shock for her.”
“Dom, tell us about the visit you made to Larissa’s house after the murder,” I said.
“Not much to say. I stopped by her house about a week after the murder to see how she was.”
“How did the visit go?” I asked.
Dom shrugged. “It was… uncomfortable. Her parents were there, so we went to the kitchen to talk. But we didn’t have any privacy. I still had black eyes and some bruising and that shocked Larissa.”
“You hadn’t told her about the fight with Moose?” I asked.
Dom shook his head. “No way. She had enough on her plate to worry about.”
“What happened next?” I a
sked.
Dom’s eyes narrowed. “Not much. I asked Larissa how she was doing. I explained the fight I had with Moose. She was surprised he’d fight over someone he hadn’t dated that long.”
“That does seem surprising,” I said.
“The thing is Moose hadn’t known the woman all that long, but he fell for her in a big way. So when she broke up with him, it hit him hard. He thought things were going well.”
Sam nodded and glanced at me.
I focused on Dom. “Did you lose your temper with Larissa during that visit?”
Dom looked shocked. “Lose my temper? No, not at all!” he replied.
“Are you sure?” I pressed.
Dom nodded his head. “I’m positive. I never lost my temper. It was so good to see her. There was nothing to be angry about. We talked for a while about how she was feeling and about the investigation. Then I left.”
“Okay, how frequently do you talk to Larissa now?” I asked.
“Now? We talk on the phone almost every night,” he replied.
I watched his face. “And you’ve only seen her in-person one time?”
Dom looked me in the eyes and sighed. “Yes. Just that one time,” he replied. “After the burial is over and her parents go back home, things will return to normal for us.”
“A new normal,” Sam said.
“I hope so,” Dom replied.
“Dom, I’ll need Moose Crotty’s address and phone number,” I said. Dom slid a cell phone from his pocket. After a few seconds, he read off an address and phone number, which I wrote down.
“Okay, Larissa told us she drove to Tina Malden’s place in Madison from Mystic Grove that morning,” I said. “Why didn't she stay over at your condo Tuesday night and go to her girlfriend's home in the morning? Both places are on the isthmus.”
Dom frowned. “Because of Meagher. She was afraid of him finding out about us. So she was home at night as much as possible.”
“Don’t realtors show properties in the evening?” I asked.
“Larissa did show some properties at night. However, she was busier during the day and on weekends. She always tried to sleep at home as much as possible so that her husband wouldn’t get suspicious.”
“She never stayed overnight at your place?” I asked.
“Oh sure. Larissa stayed over every six weeks or so. She usually told her husband she was visiting in Madison with Tina.”
“But Tina is married,” I noted.
“She is, but Larissa and Tina are good friends. When Larissa was going to stay over, we’d let Tina and her husband know. That way, if Meagher called their place, they wouldn’t be taken by surprise.”
“Did Meagher ever call?” asked Sam.
“Never,” Dom replied.
I nodded and flipped through my notes. Then I put my pen down and looked across the table at him.
“I’ll be honest, Dom. The same question has been running through my head about you and Larissa. All of the lies and sneaking around must have been exhausting. Why didn’t she just file for a divorce?”
Dom looked glum. “We've talked about it periodically. I wanted her to get a divorce and offered to be there when she brought it up. But she was afraid to raise the issue because of Meagher’s temper. We also talked about moving far away together. However, we both have the family, friends, and businesses here. So we’d go back to the same clandestine routine for months until it came up again.”
“It sounds frustrating,” I observed.
“It has been. We didn’t have many options as long as Larissa wouldn’t file for a divorce,” Dom agreed.
“So you were happy to live with the status quo?” I asked.
Dom shifted in his chair. “No, but I loved Larissa. I was afraid if I pushed too hard, I’d lose her. Our life wasn’t that bad. We talked on the phone every day. Sometimes, we met at my place in Black Earth during the day. Some evenings she’d tell her husband she was showing houses and then have dinner with me. And like I mentioned, she stayed in Madison with me every six weeks or so.”
“But you wanted more,” Sam said.
Dom looked at him. “I did. I want to marry Larissa, move to a nice house, and raise a family. Have a normal life.”
“What did you decide to do about Larissa and her marriage?” I asked.
“I didn't decide to do anything. Neither one of us did,” Dom replied sharply. “We would talk about our options, reject them, and keep going as usual. It was a cycle.”
“Were you serious about going with Larissa to talk to Meagher about a divorce?” I asked.
Dom nodded. “I was. I thought honesty would be a good approach.”
“How did Larissa react to that idea?” I asked.
Dom grimaced. “She hated it. She was afraid Meagher would lose it and shoot us or something. I told her we could meet with him in a public place, but she rejected the idea.”
“Dom, did you meet with Meagher at the cabin to talk to him about Larissa that Wednesday?” I asked and watched his reaction.
Dom’s eyebrows shot up and his face flushed. “No! Hell no! I'm not an idiot. I wouldn't go to an isolated cabin in the woods alone with Meagher. Let me repeat for the record: I did not kill Steven Meagher.”
“Okay, but you've been to the cabin,” I said.
“Yes. Larissa took me there a couple of times. The place gave me the creeps. It was in the middle of a forest with no neighbors nearby. It’s the last place I’d pick to talk to Meagher. You’re not going to pin this murder on me.”
“Actually, I’m trying to clear you, Dom. So far, I believe you,” I replied.
Dom smiled. “You do? That’s a relief.”
“We’re asking everyone hard questions. You’re doing fine,” I replied and paused. “Did you call Larissa when she was in Chicago?”
Dom nodded. “I did. I can’t remember exactly what time. I missed her and wondered if she was having a good time.”
“Was she?”
“She said she was. We just had a short chat and hung up,” Dom replied.
“Where were you when you called Larissa?” I asked.
Dom sat back in his chair. “I was at Moose’s place.”
“Did you see Larissa when she returned that day?” I asked.
“No, when we spoke she said she planned to get her car and drive back to Mystic Grove,” Dom replied.
“I’m surprised you didn’t meet for just a few minutes. You said you missed her,” Sam said.
Dom’s eyes widened. “I did miss her. But frankly I was already buzzed when I called her. Moose and I had been drinking for a while and I didn’t want to drive anywhere later in the day.”
Sam nodded. “That makes sense.”
“Dom, do you have a key to Larissa's car?” I asked.
“Sure. She gave me a key right after she got the car,” Dom replied.
“Why?”
“It’s easier. When we go out for dinner, we sometimes take her car and I drive. I also get her car for her when she’s ready to leave my place at night. My condo association doesn’t allow guests to park in the garage.”
“Did she tell you where she planned to park the morning she drove to Chicago?” Sam asked.
“Park her car? No, she didn’t tell me. She probably parked on the street near Tina's place.”
“Did you drive Larissa's car at all last Wednesday while she was gone?” I asked.
Dom shook his head. “No.”
I leaned forward and stared at him. “You're sure?”
“I’m positive. I drove my car,” he replied and stared back at me.
“Okay. Were you aware that Steven Meagher had life insurance?” I asked.
“Yeah they each had a one million dollar policy. Larissa was his beneficiary.”
“So whoever killed Meagher solved a couple of problems for you,” I said.
“Problems?”
“Well, now you and Larissa are free to be together. And once the insurance payment clears, you’ll both have a m
illion dollar pay day,” I pointed out.
Dom shook his head. “You won’t let it go, will you? Between my business and investments, I make well over one million dollars annually. I don't need any insurance money.”
“Did you ever get your own life insurance policy and make Larissa the beneficiary?” I asked.
“What?”
I repeated the question.
Dom rubbed his beard and narrowed his eyes. “We did talk about that a while ago. I never followed up because I was so busy.”
“Okay, one last question. Do you know Mac Goodman?” I asked.
“Mac Goodman?” Dom repeated and shook his head. “No, sorry I never heard of him.”
“That’s all the questions I have. Do you have anything else, Sam?” I asked and looked at him.
He checked his notes. “No, I’m good,” he replied.
I looked at Dom. “Is there anything else you want to tell us?”
Dom shook his head. “Look, I realize I’m the perfect suspect. I get it. I'm sleeping with the wife of the guy who was murdered. So I understand I’m a suspect. I'm also not sad that Meagher is dead and his death does solve a problem for Larissa and me. But I didn’t kill him and neither you nor the police will find any evidence proving that I did.”
I nodded. “Speaking hypothetically, if you did meet Meagher, told him about your relationship with Larissa, and he attacked you, that would be self-defense.”
Dom rolled his shoulders. “It didn’t happen. They reported that someone bludgeoned Meagher. If I went to a cabin in a forest with that guy, I guarantee I would have brought a gun with me. Whether I planned to murder him or fought back in self-defense, I would have shot the jerk. I'm telling you again, you're barking up the wrong tree. In fact, if you want to search my condo, my house in Black Earth, my office in Madison, or my car, go right ahead. I have nothing to hide.”
“I'll bear that in mind, Dom. I do thank you for your cooperation,” I replied and smiled. I turned off the voice recorder.
Dom smiled briefly. Then he stood and shrugged into his jacket. “Are you close to solving the murder?”
Sam and I both stood.
“We’re getting close,” Sam replied.
“Good. The sooner you find the killer, the sooner the rest of us can get on with our lives.
I handed Dom one of my business cards. “If you think of anything, please call.”