Trial Junkies

by Robert Gregory Browne

  Matt didn't know if that was true, but he was more than happy to take their word for it if it brought him any closer to finding out who Langer really was.

  "I'll call you when I've got something," Galvin said. Then he added, "I'd warn you not to do anything stupid, but I guess it's too late for that."

  Matt's next stop was the Dumont Hotel, which was located across the street from Jenny's law firm. It was what was often called a boutique hotel, small but well-appointed, with just a touch of the upturned nose.

  The front desk clerk, a knockout Eurasian woman who didn't seem to know just how beautiful she was, glanced at Matt's credentials, listened as he told her what he was looking for, then smiled politely and said, "Let me get the manager."

  Matt would much rather have talked to her, but he supposed it could wait.

  A few moments later, a well-coiffed gentleman in his mid-fifties, wearing a custom tailored gray suit and a neatly knotted blue tie emerged from a doorway behind the counter.

  "I'm Harold Longbaugh," he said with a smile. "How may I help you?"

  "I'm doing a background story on the trial of Veronica Baldacci, trying to fill in the details surrounding the crime in question. I take it you're familiar with the case?"

  "Only what I've read in the papers."

  "Really? So you're not aware that your establishment was mentioned during testimony on Monday?"

  The smile faltered slightly, then he said, "Perhaps we should take this into my office."

  Matt followed him into a small but efficient space that housed a desk, a computer, a couple of chairs, a row of carefully dusted file cabinets and several plaques on the wall to remind the guy what a managerial genius he was. He invited Matt to sit and Matt took him up on the offer, dropping his satchel on the floor beside him.

  Longbaugh sank into the chair behind his desk. "You were saying?"

  Straight to business.

  "According to the testimony, there were several phone calls made from your house phone to the law offices across the street. The victim's firm. They believe those calls were made by the woman on trial."

  "I'm not really at liberty to talk about that."

  "Oh? You must have invited me into your office for a reason. I assume you're very sensitive about the idea that a killer may have harassed her victim from the lobby of this hotel."

  "Of course we are."

  "Well, there's not much you can do about it at this point, but I doubt it's the kind of thing you'd want publicized any further. When I write my story, I can either downplay it or go for the gold. The choice is yours."

  Longbaugh studied him a moment then offered him a tight smile. "What do you wish to know?"

  "I'm guessing the police subpoenaed your records?"

  He nodded. "Both phone and guest records for the time in question."

  "Was Ms. Baldacci ever a guest here?"

  "No."

  "You're sure?"

  "Absolutely."

  "I assume they talked to your staff as well," Matt said. "Asked if anyone had ever seen Ms. Baldacci wandering around the lobby?"

  "They did."

  "And?"

  "I'm afraid none of us ever saw her. We must have been quite busy at the time."

  It was the answer Matt had wanted to hear, but he eyed him skeptically. "We're talking about several days."

  Longbaugh showed him his empty hands in response.

  "What about surveillance cameras?" Matt asked.

  "We only use them in the upstairs hallways, but as far as I know, the police didn't find anything worthwhile on them."

  "How many desk clerks do you employ?"

  "Just a few," Longbaugh said, "and they work in shifts."

  "Does the woman out front usually handle the day shift?"

  Longbaugh nodded. "Monday through Friday until three o'clock. We have different crews for nights, graveyard and weekends."

  "Can I talk to her?"

  "I don't imagine that's really necessary, is it?"

  Matt reached down beside him and opened the flap of his satchel, bringing out the photocopy of Langer's state ID. He put it on the desktop and slid it toward Longbaugh.

  "I'd like to ask her about this man."

  Longbaugh studied the photo. "What about him?"

  "Does he look familiar at all? Could he have been a guest here?"

  "What does this have to do with the Baldacci case?"

  "Possibly nothing," Matt said. "But I believe in following all leads."

  Longbaugh frowned. "I don't understand."

  "We have information that this man may be a friend of Baldacci's. Does he look familiar or not?"

  Longbaugh studied the photo again. "I'd have to say that, based on this photograph, he doesn't strike me as our typical guest."

  "What about the name? Frederick Langer. Could you check your records to see if he may have taken a room around that time?"

  Longbaugh hesitated, looking as if he were about to resist, but then his eyes shifted slightly as if an internal sensor had just been switched on. "You're thinking Ms. Baldacci may have been staying in his room?"

  "Something like that."

  "I'm not quite sure how she'd get around the cameras up there, but I have to admit I'm intrigued."

  "Intrigued enough to check your records?"

  Longbaugh thought it over, then turned to his computer and quickly typed in an entry. He studied the screen, then shook his head in obvious disappointment. "I'm afraid there's no record of him. Not under that name, at least."

  "Do you mind if I show this photo to your clerk? See if she remembers him?"

  Longbaugh hesitated again, then said, "You'll print your story without mentioning the name of the hotel, yes?"

  "I'll be as discreet as humanly possible," Matt told him.

  Longbaugh got to his feet. "Then by all means."

  He moved to the door and pulled it open. The desk clerk was facing away from them and from where he sat, Matt had a view of her nearly perfect ass.

  He willed himself to remain professional.

  "Addie?" Longbaugh said. "Could you please come into my office a moment? I'll watch the desk."

  It turned out that the desk clerk, whose name was Addie Wright, had never seen Langer, and assured Matt that it was a face she would have remembered. There was a grace and good humor and openness about her (the polar opposite of Ms. Wyndham Academy), and as they spoke, Matt couldn't help feeling attracted to her-even took a glance at her left hand to see if she was wearing a ring.

  He didn't need to go down that road again.

  When he ran out of questions to ask-quite a few of which had been frivolous and unnecessary-he thanked her and shook her hand and gave her his card, promising himself he'd find an excuse to come back again. He couldn't be sure, but he thought he saw a spark of interest in her eyes.

  Jesus, Matt, get a grip.

  He was supposed to be helping Ronnie, but all he could think about was that face and that ass and everything that went along with them.

  He was a dog, was what he was. In desperate need of grooming.

  Maybe there was some irony in that.

  — 38 -

  "How did Waverly do on cross?" Matt asked.

  Hutch plugged one ear with a finger and pressed his cell phone against the other. The judge had just adjourned for lunch and the hallway outside the courtroom was crowded and noisy.

  He said, "Meyer was nearly a blubbering mass of ectoplasm by the time she was done with him. How about you? How are you doing out…"

  Hutch paused as Frederick Langer walked by, clutching his book bag. There was no way he could know what they were up to, but Hutch suddenly felt uncomfortable having this conversation.

  He waited for Langer to reach the elevators. A moment later, Tom and Monica followed. Then Andy and Gus. The plan was for each team to take turns watching Langer during the lunch hour, so he wouldn't get suspicious.

  Matt's voice filled his ear. "Yo Brando. You still there?"

&n
bsp; "Sorry," Hutch said. "I was about to ask you if you're making any progress?"

  "I think I may be in love, if that counts."

  "What the hell are you talking about?"

  "Never mind. So far I've got bupkis. The grooming school was a bust and the hotel wasn't much better. Next stop is Jenny's firm, but I figure they're at lunch right now. You wanna grab something eat, maybe go in with me?"

  "Sounds like a plan. The judge extended the break an extra hour. Some kind of personal emergency-although Andy's convinced it's an afternoon hook-up."

  "He would be," Matt said.

  Hutch laughed, glad he wasn't the only one who thought this. To his mind, Andy was convinced everyone in the world was hooking up-except him-and during the morning recess he'd grilled Hutch about last night, asking if he'd been properly thanked after they left.

  Hutch didn't dignify the question with a response. Remembering his dream, he still wasn't sure how he felt about what had happened. And even if he was, Andy was the last guy in the world he'd share it with.

  Matt said, "What about Ronnie? How's she doing?"

  Hutch thought about that morning and how awkward things had been between them. He'd had no idea what was going through her head, and didn't ask. They'd barely had time to shower and dress before Maurice called, letting them know that Andy was there to give them a ride.

  "She seems pretty up after that cross," he said. "She and Waverly are gonna strategize over the break."

  "You think she'll spill about Langer?"

  "If she does, I can't imagine Waverly'll be too happy about it."

  "No kidding. Let's hope she keeps her mouth shut." A pause. "You up for some Mexican food?"

  "Works for me," Hutch said.

  "I assume you can keep the paparazzi at bay?"

  It was a serious question. They both knew that if the press were to get wind of their activities, some major shit would hit the fan. "I've already mapped out my escape route."

  "Good," Matt said. "Meet you at Mi Tierra in fifteen."

  — 39 -

  The receptionist at the Law Offices of Treacher amp; Pine smiled pleasantly as they stepped off the elevator. The name plate on the counter told them she was Lucille Weeks, but the badge clipped to her ample left breast said Cynthia Coe.

  Hutch took a leap and figured she must be the lunchtime relief-although lunch should have been over by now.

  "May I help you?" she asked.

  The words were barely out of her mouth when her eyes got big, that familiar look of recognition crossing her face.

  "Oh my God," she said. "Code Two-Seven. You're…" She stopped herself, as if she knew she was about to commit an egregious breach of office protocol, and immediately went into recovery mode. "Sorry," she said sheepishly. "What can I do for you gentlemen?"

  Hutch flashed his movie star smile and tapped the name plate. "You don't look like a Lucille to me."

  She flushed slightly. "Oh, no, no-Lucy took a late lunch and the girl who usually covers for her is out sick, so…"

  "Cindy to the rescue," he said, nodding to her badge. "What do you normally do?"

  She followed his gaze and glanced down at her chest, the color in her cheeks deepening. "I'm just a mail clerk. Most of the time I'm stuck in back."

  Hutch grinned. "Then you must know where all the secrets are buried."

  She laughed, as if this wasn't too far from the truth, then Hutch gestured to Matt and said, "This is my buddy Matt. We were friends of Jennifer Keating."

  It took her a moment, but then it hit her and her face fell. With the trial in progress, the office gossip was bound to be centered around Jenny's murder.

  "Right…" she said. "I knew that. You went to college together."

  "Guilty as charged."

  "Oh my God, this is so trippy. I was just watching your show this past weekend. They had a marathon on-"

  "We're a little short on time," Matt said. "We'd like to speak to Ms. Keating's secretary, if that's possible."

  Cindy flushed again, then nodded and picked up the phone. After it rang a few times, someone answered and she said, "Sorry to bother you Ms. Weeks, but could you come to the front, please? There are a couple of gentlemen here asking for Ms. Keating's secretary."

  She listened a moment, then said, "No, it's Ethan Hutchinson and a gentleman named Matt. They were friends of Ms. Keating."

  She listened again, then hung up. "Someone will be with you in a moment."

  "Someone meaning Ms. Keating's secretary?" Matt asked.

  "No, she's out today, too. It's kind of an epidemic around here. Ms. Weeks is the office manager."

  The two men exchanged looks, then Hutch thanked her and he and Matt moved away from the desk to wander the large expanse of the lobby. Judging by the marble floor and the sleek, expensive furniture, Jenny had done all right for herself. This was not a poor man's law firm.

  Back in college she had often talked about getting a law degree, but such talk had always been accompanied by the naive idealism they'd all shared in those days. Her goal was to work for Legal Aid, then start her own practice, helping the poor and disenfranchised get their day in court.

  He supposed that somewhere along the line she realized she needed to make a living as well-a point that was likely hammered into her by her father. Hutch sincerely doubted the old man would approve of anything that smacked of altruism beyond regular donations to the Catholic church.

  He wasn't sure how she had wound up here, but it wouldn't surprise him if daddy had pulled a few strings.

  "I'm Carolyn Weeks," a voice said. "May I help you?"

  They turned to find a severe looking woman in a severe looking suit standing in a doorway near the reception counter.

  Hutch moved to her, holding out a hand. "Ms. Weeks, I'm Ethan Hutchinson."

  "I can see that," she said, shaking it. "Jenny spoke about you often."

  "Did she?"

  Weeks nodded. "She was very concerned about you, but it looks as if she had nothing to worry about. She kept a photograph of you-" She looked at Matt "-all of you, actually-on the credenza behind her desk."

  "Oh?" Matt said. "Do you still have that photo?"

  "I'm not sure," she told him. "Her secretary, Carlene, cleaned out her office months ago. Most of her belongings were sent to her father."

  And her father would have promptly dumped the photo in the trash, Hutch thought. He tried to remember when such a photograph might have been taken. Any group shots would likely have been snapped by a waitress at The Monkey House.

  All at once he was overcome by a profound sense of sadness.

  "We were hoping," Matt said, "to get a chance to speak to Carlene."

  "May I ask why?"

  "We wanted to talk to her about those phone calls she received. And we also wondered if she's ever-"

  "Even if she were here, she wouldn't be able to help you," Weeks said. "I believe the District Attorney's office gave her strict instructions not to speak to anyone about the case until after the trial."

  "Even old friends of Jenny's?" Hutch asked.

  She showed him a tight smile. "I've seen the tabloids, Mr. Hutchinson, so I know where your allegiance lies. If you really were a friend of Jenny's-as I was-then you'd be doing everything in your power to make sure her killer spends the rest of her life behind bars."

  Ouch.

  Hutch and Matt exchanged another look, then Matt said, "Working for a law firm, you'd think you'd believe in an antiquated little precept called innocent until proven guilty."

  Weeks shrugged. "I don't believe there's anything left to prove."

  Matt reached into the satchel that hung at his shoulder and pulled out a sheet of paper. Unfolding it, he handed it to Weeks. "While you're busy condemning one of my best friends, maybe you can take a look at this photo and tell me if you've ever seen this guy."

  She gave the page a cursory glance and handed it back to Matt. "Can't say I have. Who is he?"

  "That's what we're trying to find
out. If you'd put us in touch with Carlene-"

  "I don't think so," she said. "Carlene has enough on her mind right now, and as I told you, she's been warned not to speak to anyone. Now, if you gentlemen will excuse me, I believe we're done here."

  And before they could utter a word of protest, she turned on her heels and vanished.

  "Call me crazy," Cynthia said, "but I think I may have seen this guy."

  Hutch felt a bump in his heart rate.

  She had signaled to them as they headed for the elevator, asking-rather shyly-if she could take a look at the photo, and Matt had dropped it on the counter in front of her.

  Now she stared at it and nodded. "A few months back, when they were hiring a new file clerk up in the tax department. I think he may have applied for the job."

  Hutch's heartbeat kicked up another notch. "You're sure?"

  "This picture's not that great, but Human Resources is on this floor, so he would've had to come here to get an application. I wasn't on the desk then, but Lucy asked me to come pick up some mail and there was a guy who looked like this sitting in that chair over there with a clipboard and pen. I only remember him because he was kinda weird."

  Matt was now looking at Hutch with a holy shit! expression on his face. If Cindy was right, this pretty much sealed the deal. Langer was their man. He had applied for a job here in an attempt to get closer to his prey. What other reason could their be?

  "Did they hire him?" Matt asked.

  She laughed. "No, they got some college kid. And I think he only lasted about a month."

  Hutch looked around and spotted a surveillance camera in a far, high corner of the lobby, a tiny red light signaling that it was recording them at that very moment.

  He turned to Cynthia. "How far back do your surveillance tapes go?"

  She looked puzzled, then glanced at the camera and said, "Oh, right, I always forget it's there." She thought about it. "I think everything's recorded straight to a hard drive, so it probably goes back at least a year."