Murder Made Legal: A Casey Alton Mystery

by Richard Wren

  Totally uncharacteristically, she laughed and stuck her tongue at Smitty.

  Josie and Casey looked at each other unbelievingly. Her action and the familiarity it indicated, suggested a closeness between Smitty and Jeannine that floored both of them.

  CHAPTER 56

  “So what is it?” Smitty continued.

  “Remember when I said one of my dreams was to solve mysteries like Father Brown did in all those mysteries?” She did not wait for an answer. “Well I still do and,” she hesitated momentarily, then with a rush said, “and I want to do it with you.”

  Josie took her hand. “We know that Jeannine, and you are certainly welcome. But how can that help us?”

  She looked around, made up her mind and said, “money. I have a little over a hundred thousand dollars saved from the years at the nunnery, and I want to invest it in your firm.” She rushed on. “I thought if you had enough money, you could hire another attorney and you two could still take off occasionally.”

  Josie simply stared at her in surprise, her mind racing. “Jeannine, we’d probably love to have you invest in the firm, but I don’t think it solves the problem. I cannot hire just any attorney to try my cases, and by the way, how did you earn that kind of money in the nunnery?”

  Jeannine shot a quick glance at Marilyn. Marilyn raised her eyebrows and gave a slight assenting nod.

  “Marilyn said Neil in the D.A.’s office kept telling her how much he admired you and wished he had the intestinal fortitude to do as you did. He said you were the office’s brightest star and he liked working with you more than anybody.”

  Josie was confused. What were they hinting at?

  “Go on.”

  Jeannine turned to Marilyn. “You tell them.”

  “Okay,” Marilyn said. “To make a long story short, I met Neil for coffee yesterday. I was trying to get information out of him and he was trying to get information out of me. I didn’t tell him anything but it turned out he wasn’t spying for the D.A.; he was spying for himself. He wanted to know how we were doing and if there might be room for him over here if he quit the D.A.’s office.”

  “Wow,” exclaimed Josie. “What did you say?”

  “Nothing really, I was so shocked. I guess he thought my silence meant we wouldn’t be interested and he went on.

  “I have a lot to offer,” he said. “I have a half-dozen paying clients lined up, and I’m up to date on your friend Gus’s case. Of course I thought to myself, you just think you’re up to date on that case.”

  “Hold up a minute,” Josie interjected. “You’re suggesting him as an addition to our office? We don’t really even have an office.”

  “He suggested himself,” Marilyn answered. “What do you think of him? You worked with him on several cases.”

  Her question forced Josie to think about Neil. He was young, a recent grad from a prodigious law school, had been much more than able in the cases he had assisted on. He would at least be familiar with the cases she was working on and already had some business lined up. What was not to like? She remembered how impatient he had been with lining up all their evidence in a logical way that would reach the jurors. But that was youth. Inwardly, she laughed at herself. She excused his actions on behalf of youth when she was only two years older than he was. Experience was a better word. She came to a conclusion.

  “Let’s talk to him,” she directed Marilyn, then added to Casey, “Talk to Jeannine about making an investment in us if that’s what she wants, it can be done.”

  Jeannine spoke up. “Accounting, that’s how I earned the extra money. The abbess allowed me to do accounting for some of the parishioners on a private basis and keep the earnings in a separate account. She kept telling me that she wasn’t sure about me and she suspected I might leave some time. The money would be a nest egg for me.”

  Casey remembered how wise, dignified and yet worldly the Abbess had seemed to him and wasn’t surprised.

  Josie pulled her cell phone out and checked her messages. “Gotta go, Leo’s getting antsy.”

  On the way Josie picked up a small split of Champagne, thinking a celebration would be in order. Leo’s office was in a turmoil.

  CHAPTER 57

  “Everything’s changed,” he announced. “The police are calling it murder now.”

  “What happened?”

  “I’m not sure, but evidently someone broke into his house and garroted him. They tried to make it look like he’d hanged himself, but the police caught it. Their first theory was that his Russian bodyguards had done it. They were missing and the police thought they’d faked the break in and done it. It didn’t take them long to find the bodyguards up at Tahoe with a perfect alibi so they ruled them out.”

  “My God,” Josie said. She was thinking about Smitty’s role in getting the two bodyguards up to Tahoe and hoping that didn’t come out. Leo thought she was reacting to the viciousness of the garroting.

  “Terrible isn’t it?”

  “Yeah. What do we do now?”

  “We’re going ahead with the grand jury this afternoon, but in a criminal case, when the person charged with the crime dies, there is no defendant and the charges against him are automatically dismissed.”

  “Oh shit, we’re dead.”

  “No we’re not. That’s why I said we’re going on with the grand jury. We’ll just turn it into a civil case. We’ll be suing his estate for damages based on the kidnapping. There’s no statute of limitations on kidnapping. In California we allow the executors of the estate to handle the defense without any input from the heirs or beneficiaries of the estate.”

  “So I sue Mason’s estate in civil court with Jeannine as my client while you prosecute Lanner in criminal court, is that what you’re saying?”

  “That’s the gist.”

  “And the civil case for Jeannine is the way to go?”

  “It’s rare but well established law. I looked it up after calling you.”

  “What time is the grand jury scheduled for?”

  “Two sharp. Should be a snap. A famous jurist once said a good prosecutor can get a grand jury to indict a ham sandwich. They’re my jury, it won’t take long. Why don’t you come back around three and we can get started.”

  Walking toward the elevator from Leo’s office, Josie could feel her body starting to relax. It was almost over. A relaxing drive home and maybe a long luxurious bath

  As Josie exited the elevator in the guarded basement garage, she was glad she had left the car windows down. It was turning out to be a scorcher. Thinking about all that had happened the last few hours, she opened her door, slid in, slammed the door, hung her arm out the window and laid her head back against the headrest.

  The next moment, A hand grabbed the neck of her blouse and pull it backward so tightly she couldn’t breathe or move. As her head was jerked back, she got a quick glimpse of her assailant in the mirror.

  “Gordon?” She gurgled out before he tightened the neck of her blouse again.

  “Shut up and do as I say, you bitch. You’re going to drive out of here slow and relaxed, just like normal. Got it? Nod yes.” He relaxed the hold on her blouse just enough for her to nod.

  “Now slow and easy, go.”

  Straining to reach the controls as he held her rigid against the back of her seat, she obeyed him. She thought to herself. What can I do? Maybe crash the car? She remembered the Bob Bondurant race car training she had taken years ago and thought she could do that if necessary.

  Halfway out of the garage Leo exited the elevator slightly ahead of them and head toward his car. He noticed her and waived.

  “Wave back,” Gordon ordered. With her left arm resting on the window sill she raised her arm and casually waived at him. He paused, looked at her questioningly, and then hurried on to his car.

  “Out the door slowly, turn right, and don’t exceed the speed limit.”

  He switched hands on the back of her blouse and moved around in the back seat. In a moment, he slackened
his hold on her blouse and quickly placed something flat, narrow, and smooth around her neck. She quickly deduced it was his belt. She was able to speak.

  “Why are you doing this, Gordon?”

  He quickly tightened the belt so she couldn’t speak any more.

  “You know fucking well why I’m doing it. You’re ruining my life, screwed up my job, and forced me to take care of my grandfather. You and your god damn grand jury. Well you got something to learn from a better lawyer than you. You can’t indict a dead person and my granddad’s dead. I took care of that. The only thing left in my way is you, and you aren’t going to be around long. I figure a car accident is best, what do you think?”

  Josie stole a glance at his face in the mirror. Cool, calm, and deadly. She knew she was in danger. If she could only tell him about the confession and convince him his case was hopeless, but the tightened belt made it impossible. The only thing she could think of was a car crash.

  As if reading her mind, he said “Keep it under twenty-five, can’t cause much trouble at that speed.”

  They drove slowly through town until they came to a causeway over water. “This looks promising,” he said. “You get distracted for a second maybe by a cell phone, lose control, crash through the wooden guardrail, fall in the river and drown.”

  Josie thought there were so many holes in his plan, he must be crazy. Then she remembered how he’d botched the supposed suicide of his granddad. If she could only tell him the police knew his granddad had been murdered. They continued on over the causeway, made a u-turn and came back. He made her do it twice more until he said he had found the right spot. He told her to speed up.

  Jesus, he’s really going to do it! She thought. Desperately, she tried to devise a plan. No trees to crash into. Oncoming traffic two lanes away. She could crash into another car but maybe kill innocent people and they were fast approaching the weakened area she knew he had picked.

  Josie had an idea, but didn’t know if it would work. She only had seconds to decide. She knew what his plan was and it was hair brained. He was going to choke her until she was unconscious, lean over her, direct the car at high speed at the weakest part of the wooden guardrail and jump out. He would be seen and caught. Maybe he would claim that she passed out and being in the back seat, all he could do was jump. Whatever, she decided she had no choice.

  Ever so slightly, she edged toward the curb supporting the railing. As he kept one eye on her and the other on the oncoming traffic, she suddenly gave the wheel a little twist. Instantly the car was screeching along the railing, making a horrible sound. The side mirror went flying off and one door was wrenched open. The steering wheel was wrenched from her hands and the car careened toward the next lane. Horns honked and a car slammed into the driver’s door throwing her sideways. She grabbed the steering wheel and was able to turn the car back to the railing where it continued screeching as she jammed her foot down on the brakes. The car behind her crashed into her. Gordon was thrown backward in his seat and the belt momentarily tightened around her neck. The next instant, he must have bounced forward and the belt came loose entirely. The car finally ground to a stop. She knew she had to get out before the deranged Gordon tried to kill her, but her door was jammed. She started to climb out the window and was startled to find herself facing two highway patrolmen with guns drawn facing her.

  “You okay?” The one trying to help her climb out the window asked her as the other trooper kept his gun trained on Gordon. Gordon slumped back in his seat holding his belt in both hands. His nose was bleeding heavily.

  Josie started to ask the trooper where he came from when she looked over his shoulder and spotted Leo.

  Half in and half out of the window she had the presence of mind to ask him, “Where did you all come from?”

  “We’ve been following you for some time. We were really surprised you didn’t spot us with all the trips you made back and forth on the causeway.”

  “I guess we were both kinda busy? But how come you were following me?” she asked the trooper.

  Leo answered. “How could I not after the signal you gave me in the garage. There had to be something odd going on when my legal partner gives me the finger instead of just waiving. And then when I saw someone else in the back seat and how rigidly you were driving, I called the police and voila, the rest is history. What the hell was he doing?”

  “Trying to kill me was all. And he killed his granddad.”

  Leo looked blank for a second. “Gordon did?”

  “Yep, he bragged about it. Said it proved he was smarter than me. He told me that with his granddad dead the grand jury couldn’t indict, and then with me out of the picture maybe, he could pick up the pieces and get his life back again.”

  “Holy mackerel. The guy really snapped didn’t he. And the son of a bitch was really going to kill you?”

  “Yes he was. He had a goofy plan about as well planned as his granddad’s suicide. By the way Leo, do you usually go around calling other District Attorneys sons of bitches?”

  He caught the humor intent and was glad that she hadn’t been traumatized by the events. “Of course, all the time. Unless they’re female, then not so much.”

  The troopers arrested Gordon. Josie and Leo headed back to his office. “We don’t have anyone to prosecute anymore,” Josie said. “They’re all either dead or in jail.”

  “Nope. It’s onward and upward with grand jury and the civil case. Everything’s going to come out in the wash. The grandfather’s crimes and Gordon’s killing of him will be publicized and your nun will get a huge settlement. You’ll see.”

  Josie was silent and thinking for a minute. “ I never would have suspected Gordon. I was thinking it was one of the Russian partners that killed Martin.”

  Leo thought for a short time and said, “Me too. He might have gotten away with it if he hadn’t gone after you.” He reflected for a minute. “Are you sure you feel okay? No whiplash or anything?”

  “Actually, I’m fine except my right wrist’s a little sore from when the patrolman tried to lift me through the window. Can I sue him?” she asked with a laugh.

  As he asked and she answered Leo was also busy on the phone. “I’m having a rental car delivered here as we speak. You probably should go home and tell them about what happened before they hear it from someone else. Are you sure you’re up to driving?”

  Josie assured him she was okay, took delivery of the rental and drove home.

  On the way, she had decided how to handle telling everyone about what had happened. The one thing she didn’t want was to have to tell the story over and over.

  As it turned out, she didn’t need to. Leo had called to tell them they had an open and shut case on Gordon for murder, kidnapping, and attempted murder. He had related the whole incident to them on the speaker phone and added it wasn’t often that he had a half dozen highway patrolmen as witnesses to the incident and an officer of the court as witness to the confession.

  “Good God, Josie, you could have been killed,” Casey cried out as he hugged and kissed her. Smitty wrapped his arms around both of them and asked, “Are you sure you’re all right?” Everyone wanted more of the details brought out, and Josie was forced to relive the experience once more.

  Smitty violently slammed his open palm down on the table, then angrily summed up the story.

  “That ninety-three-year-old son of a bitch deserved to die, and so does Gordon.” He glared around the group as if daring anyone to disagree with him. No one did.

  In a moment Smitty sat down, put his head in his hands and quietly said, “I just wish Gus was here, God I miss him.”

  The Author

  Richard L. Wren started a new career writing novels at age 82, after retiring from a successful insurance career. His first novel, CASEY’S SLIP, took almost 3 years to finish and publish (2010). The book has had a screenplay adapted from it which is now in marketing, and was a finalist for the Action Adventure category for the 2014 National Indie Exce
llence Award.

  Profiting from all the mistakes he made, he wrote and published his second book, JOSHUA’S REVENGE, in seven months. Now, at age 89, he published his third novel, JUSTICE FOR JOSHUA.

  Along the way, he wrote and published A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO WRITING & PUBLISHING NOVEL, an acclaimed, down to earth and fact specific “how to” booklet filled with the most practical advice for authors, which is being used as a text in writing and publishing courses. In late 2015, he teamed up with publicity coach and author Loyd Auerbach and expanded and added a section on book and author promotion, retitling the book as SELF PUBLISHING: IT AIN’T ROCKET SCIENCE.

  All of his books, and the forthcoming novel Murder Made Legal: A Casey Alton Mystery, are published under his Poor Richard Publishers company banner, and are available as both print and ebooks on Amazon.com.

  Mr. Wren, a lifelong resident of Oakland, recently moved to Lafayette, CA, where he lives with his patient wife Betty.

  Richard Wren is a fourth generation Californian. He has been the subject of TV pieces and newspaper articles as a great example of reinvention in retirement years. Richard L. Wren is a great example of someone who has reinvented himself and his career – especially so late in life. He’s also a model for would-be novelists, both old and young.

  MURDER MADE LEGAL is being published on his 90th birthday.

  2014 for CASEY’S SLIP

  Website: www.rlwren.com

  Twitter: @WriteEZrightnow

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