by DK Cassidy
Not wanting to show Sarah I’m shocked—and I admit, a bit jealous—I don’t react to the news about Jupzi. Instead I pretend to enter the information she gave me into my tablet. What is he up to? Why did he visit Jennifer?
“That’s great, Sarah, you’ve helped me a lot. Are you okay getting home this time of night? If not, I could probably get a cute cop to drive you.”
“An armed escort? Lily’s moving up in the world. I’ll take you up on that offer,” she says. “It’s been a long time since a cute guy drove me anywhere. If possible, would you make sure he’s single?” Sarah winks.
I laugh. “No promises, but I’ll do my best.”
The inside of Jennifer’s apartment is a mess. Her furniture is turned over, drawers are pulled open, and there are two broken wine glasses on the floor and red wine staining the carpet. I step into the mess, looking for any sign of Jennifer. What she left behind could be meaningful. I have to wonder if Jupzi drank from one of the glasses of wine or if she had another visitor. I shake my head. I need to keep my head concentrating on the case and forget about my ex.
“Grant, has anyone else been through this crime scene?”
“Nope, just me. What do you see?”
I look over at the door to the apartment, and for the first time notice the two police officers guarding the entrance. I was so deep in thought, I missed them when I entered the apartment.
“Would you please send away the cops at the door? I want to be able to speak without an audience. Oh, and would you ask one of them to drive my friend Sarah home? She’s waiting in the lobby. He can’t miss her; she’s the only one there.”
Grant walks over to the two cops guarding the crime scene. He whispers to them for a while and then points to the elevator. When he returns, he gives me a nod.
“Just curious,” I ask, “are they the good ones or are they bad ones?”
“Well, they’re not the good ones. I was in a hurry, and I had no choice about who I got to guard the apartment. But don’t worry, your friend is safe. They’re only interested in bribes.”
I nod. That was one of the reasons I’d wanted Grant to ask them to leave. I don’t know who the good guys are yet. “I’m not taking any chances that this investigation gets messed up by some greedy cop who wants to make some extra uni-chits,” I say.
Grant agrees with me. “For now it’s between the three of us.”
We both set foot into the scene again.
“I’m interested in hearing your point of view before I look around and make my observations,” I say. “Between the two of us, we should be able to come up with a good theory.”
Grant looks around the large apartment again, gathering his thoughts. I know his police work is important to him, and he wants to get this right. He goes from one end of Jennifer’s place to the other, then comes back to me.
“When I walked in, the first thing I noticed were the two wine glasses in the middle of the mess,” he says. “Then I saw the drawers were all pulled out and that the doors were opened throughout the apartment. It looks like there was quite a struggle going on here. Or maybe it’s an attempt to make us think that.”
I take a look around and see what he pointed out, but something doesn’t feel right to me. My first impression matches his, but I need to go deeper and analyze the scene.
“Okay, tell me what you think happened next,” I say.
“Well, after the perp—and I think it’s just one person based on the wine glasses—attacked her, he or she took Jennifer against her will out of the apartment. That’s the first scenario—a kidnapping. The second theory is that the perpetrator strangled Jennifer with a red scarf. In the other scenes, the scarf was always present, along with a body, so maybe I’m wrong. But let’s say my theory is correct, then he or she continued to do the gruesome business of draining all of her blood. At that point, the person took the body away. If that happened, I suppose we’ll be finding it at some point tonight.”
“I think your second theory is wrong. The scarf would be present, and it would be nearly impossible to clean up that much blood. I don’t see blood anywhere. There’s no reason for the murderer to change their method, and as far as I know, they are unaware that the police are investigating. Sorry to disagree with you, but I don’t think she’s dead.”
I walk around the apartment for a while but am struck with a new thought. I stop and turn around to ask Grant another question. “What does the front door look like? Did she let her assailant in or was the lock picked? From here the door looks fine, which of course hints that she might have known the person.”
I walk over to examine the lock for myself. “No new scratches around the keyhole, nothing that would say to me forced entry. So I would agree with your theory that perhaps she knew her assailant. Or maybe she just opened her door. You’ll notice there isn’t a peephole, which surprises me.”
I scan the apartment again, attempting to find any clues that could be helpful. As with the first crime scene, I notice her purse is missing. Does that mean anything, or is it a coincidence?
“Do you think she did this herself? I think we’re approaching this all wrong. You assumed she’s been kidnapped or harmed. Why?”
Grant scratches the top of his head in confusion. “Based on our earlier conversation, Lucien made it sound like Jennifer was in danger. Because of that, I assumed the state of the apartment meant she was harmed or kidnapped. Or even killed.”
I smile at his simple logic. “What if she was in a hurry?”
“Now I’m really confused. Who overturns their furniture when they’re in a hurry?”
Instead of answering right away, I gesture at the messy apartment. “Think of the last time you were late for work. Did you slowly get dressed, then take your time making breakfast?”
Grant laughs. “Of course not. I ran through my house throwing things around, looking for my badge, my wallet, gun… Oh, I see what you’re saying. If she was in a hurry, she’d be tearing apart her apartment looking for what she needed. But that doesn’t explain the overturned furniture. I’ve never done that. It doesn’t make sense. Unless she’s trying to make this look like a kidnapping.”
I bob my head in agreement and go over to her closet. “Jennifer is a smart woman. If she sets us up to think this is a kidnapping, it will slow us down. Look in her closet, Grant. Her clothes are missing. What kidnapper or murderer takes the time to pack a bag for their victim? Look in her desk. I can’t find her passport. Also, her purse is missing. This adds up to someone running away.”
“Okay, but what next?”
“Sarah told me that Jupzi, my ex-boyfriend, was here today.”
“Why does that matter? Is he a suspect? This is the first time I’ve heard his name.”
“Jupzi is from Jaxiolis, just like the guy we found in bed with Jennifer. He is also the reason I stumbled on that crime scene six months ago.”
“Okay, what? You’re going to have to explain it to me from the top.”
I sit at the kitchen table and motion for Grant to do the same. It’s the only part of the apartment that hasn’t been trashed.
“Six months ago, I thought Jupzi was cheating on me. On a whim one night, I decided to follow him. I saw him kissing Jennifer Spion, although I didn’t know her name then, in the backseat of her car.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry.”
“Nah, I’m over it now. Anyway, instead of confronting him, I backed up to leave and literally stumbled onto your crime scene. Looking back, that night was the beginning of a new life for me. So, all in all, it was a very good thing.”
There’s a knock on the door. One of the cops Grant had sent away is standing in the doorway.
“Excuse me, but am I supposed to go home or stay? I’m on duty at eight a.m. tomorrow, and I’d like to get some shut-eye if you don’t need me any longer.”
“Yeah, go on home. We’ll handle it from here.”
Before he leaves, the cop looks around the room, taking in the disheveled apartment
. Then he looks at me and raises his eyebrows.
“Did you have a question, Officer?” says Grant.
“Yeah, who’s she?”
“That would be none of your business. Good night.”
The cop scowls but doesn’t say anything else.
“Is he trying to find an angle he can take advantage of?” I ask. “For someone not involved in the case, he spent a long time looking around.”
“Yeah, I’m sure he was, Lily. Those guys are always trying to find a way to make more side cash. Or maybe he’ll try to blackmail me into revealing your identity. I’m sure I’ll find out tomorrow. So, back to Jupzi. Why is he important to this case?”
Grant opens his tablet, going over what he already knows about what we’ve started calling the Red Scarf Murders, ready to add whatever I tell him next. I reveal what Lucien told me earlier about maxxolonium. He looks surprised by the information.
“You think she’s trying to get Jupzi’s blood? Like buy it from him?”
“That’s one possibility. But that still doesn’t explain why she’d run away tonight.”
“If she ran away.”
“Yes, if she ran away.”
There’s another knock on the door. This time it’s Judy.
“Don’t be mad,” she says, “but after you told me you were coming here, I couldn’t sleep, so I grabbed a hovercab. Thought I could help you out.”
She holds up two cups of coffee. I groan in appreciation. Judy always knows what I need.
“This must be Grant. One of these coffees are for you.”
“Uh, thank you,” says Grant.
Grant looks at Judy, then at me. “Should she be here?” he asks.
“Absolutely. She’s my right-hand woman. Maybe she can add some insight to the case.”
We give Judy an overview of what’s going on and wait for any gems of insight that might come out of her mouth.
“That creep Jupzi is still fooling around on you?” she says, putting her hands on her hips. “I mean, I know you’re no longer together, so technically he’s not fooling around on you, but still, it must hurt. I hope he is being drained of his blood. Serves him right. But as for any new insight, I’ve got nothing. Sorry, Lily.”
“No problem. Now I want you to go back to bed. I’ll see you at the office tomorrow morning. Thanks again for the joe.”
After Judy leaves, we both pick up our tablets and reread our notes.
“We need to figure out why she ran away,” I say. “And who she’s running from. And I think I know who can tell us what we need to know.”
Grant smiles at me. “I told Lucien you were bright, and I wasn’t wrong. Let’s call that sneaky bastard right now.”
Chapter Eight
Grant and Lucien decide the three of us should meet at Lucien’s apartment to talk about the case. I am strangely excited to see where he lives.
We hop into Grant’s cruiser and head to 395 Park Avenue. It’s the second time I’ve ridden in a police cruiser tonight, and I have to resist the temptation to ask Grant to run the sirens. Sometimes I can be such a kid.
“Have you been to his place before?” I ask.
“Oh yeah, it’s quite a palace. It makes Jennifer’s place look like a shack.”
“You’re his friend, so I want to ask you something. Is he trustworthy?”
He looks at me sideways. “Do you mean as a client or as something more personal?”
I blush at his question but recover quickly. No need for Grant to see my embarrassment. He might think I’m interested in Lucien and tell him. “As a client, of course! Should I trust what he tells me? He’s already admitted to lying about his relationship with Jennifer. Why should I trust him now?”
“As far as I can tell, he lied to protect someone. The question is: who?”
We pull up to a grand building complete with uniformed doormen. I try my best not to gawk.
“Okay, we’re here,” he says. “Let’s go upstairs and get started.”
Not expecting to see Lucien in his bathrobe, I can’t stop staring at him. Getting the reaction he wants, he smiles and ushers us into his massive apartment.
“Nice to see you again, Lily. Would you like me to take your jacket?”
“Cut it out, Lucien,” I say. “This isn’t a social call. Let’s get down to business.”
Grant and I sit on his black leather couch and wait for Lucien to settle himself into a matching club chair. I look around at the furnishings and art. His taste is exquisite. Of course.
“Is she dead?” he asks.
“If you mean Jennifer, we don’t know,” says Grant.
Lucien becomes restless. He stands up and walks around the apartment, seeming to collect his thoughts. When he’s ready to talk, he sits down again, but before he can speak, I tell him my thoughts on the case. When I mention I think she’s run away, he perks up.
“Running away would be her style. I think you’re onto something, Lily.”
“Now it’s your turn to fill us in,” says Grant. “Lily and I want to know what else you’ve been holding back from us. And just so you know, we expect you to tell us everything instead of giving out information as you choose. We may be friends, but right now I’m a police officer talking.”
Lucien nods. “Yes, I need to apologize for the lies I’ve been forced to tell.”
“That’s a rather creative way to put it,” I say.
“Well, let me rephrase that. I want to apologize for the lies I’ve told. I thought it was in the best interest of everyone, but now I see I was wrong about that.”
Grant and I both nod.
“I already informed you that Jennifer was my casual lover and a former employee. But now there’s something I must tell you that will shock both of you, but especially Lily. The unnamed source that I told you about previously… is Jupzi.”
He’s right. I’m stunned. Jupzi? Why? Nothing makes sense. When they were in my office, there was no indication they knew each other.
“What was up with the charade in my office? Why didn’t you tell me then that you knew Jupzi?”
“I didn’t know what he looked like. We arranged everything via communicators. That day, I figured out it was him when I heard you call him Jupzi. I was shocked and had to think about what to do next.”
“That’s not good enough. You should have told me you knew him that day. The course of our investigation would have changed.”
Lucien seems to consider my statement before speaking.
“I knew that Jennifer was talking to some people about making maxxolonium. I still don’t know who. But I also knew that in order to make this drug, she needed blood from both humans and aliens from Jaxiolis. It made sense to find someone from that planet willing to work for me. I chose not to tell you that day because I didn’t know if I could trust you yet.”
“Wasn’t it important to find out who she was talking to?”
“Of course it was, but there’s only so much I can do, and that’s why I hired a PI. I sent Mark, one of my security guards, to a couple of bars where Jaxiolisans were known to hang out. After several nights, he met Jupzi. He was looking for work and seemed to be someone trustworthy.”
“Trust that snake?” I say with a snort. “You were wrong on that count. Very wrong.”
“No, I’m sorry, Lily, but you’re wrong. Jupzi has proven to be a great spy for me.”
Now it’s my turn to be restless. I walk over to the bar and pour myself a drink, not bothering to offer one to Grant or Lucien. This news has jolted me, and I need to calm down. A shot of bourbon does the trick. But to be certain, I pour myself another. I notice Grant raise his eyebrows at the second shot, but at this point I don’t care. I need to calm my nerves.
“You okay? I can stop for now if that helps.”
I can’t speak yet, so I motion for Lucien to continue with my shot glass. The bourbon burns my throat in a satisfying way.
“Once we made a deal, I had Mark watch Jupzi for a couple of nights. He saw t
hat Jupzi was popular with the ladies, so I knew it would be no problem for him to… to seduce Jennifer for me.”
I slam my glass down to the counter, furious at him. “Didn’t you think of the consequences of what you were doing? Because of your actions, I broke up with Jupzi.”
He looks chagrined, which gives me some relief but says to me that he’s not used to thinking about how his actions might affect others. Maybe I’m being too harsh, but for now I can’t forgive him.
“That may not sound ethical, but I was desperate to find out what she was doing with the research she’d stolen from our company. My goal was to stop any illegal drug trafficking, and if she was indeed selling our secrets to someone to make maxxolonium, then the only way to get to her would be through Jupzi. It seemed like the perfect plan. I thought, what could go wrong?”
I’m calmer now and join Grant back on the couch. I offer him some of my bourbon, but he declines. I shrug. More for me.
“Jupzi said he was always looking for a way to make some cash and was open to whatever I might suggest. I gave him just enough information but not too much. I didn’t want to endanger him. Plus, I didn’t want him to turn around and tell Jennifer about my plan in case she made him a better offer. All I told him was that he needed to seduce Jennifer Spion and get her to talk about what she did for work.”
Lucien goes over to the bar and pours himself a scotch.
“Once they got to know each other better, I wanted him to suggest some illegal activity to her. I told him the best thing would be, once she mentioned her line of work, to ask her if she ever done any maxxolonium and could she get him some. That would open the door to a lot of things. Within a couple of weeks, he reported back to me that she was indeed a conduit to an illegal operation making maxxolonium. So there you have it. That’s all that I know, and I’m hoping we can find Jennifer and shut down the drug operation.”
Grant speaks up then. “If Jupzi was so successful, why did Jennifer break up with him? And why did she take up with a different Jaxiolisan? Wouldn’t she just string Jupzi along if everything was all right?”