Shaking herself out of her reverie and taking out her notepad, Corky asked,“I wonder if we could go over what you told Kay and me about how you and your husband spent New Years Eve.”
Corky had asked and received permission to use a tape recorder, so she felt free to observe her subject closely as she answered her questions. Her first impression, which the total interview reinforced, was how Zoe was nowhere near as certain or as self possessed as at the last interview. Perhaps it was guilt. Perhaps it was Joes current status with the police. Perhaps it was the economic state of Hawaiian Harvest, now truly on the verge of bankruptcy. Then again, it may have simply been the absence of her husband who, at the moment, was at workprobably trying to make some sense out of the financial morass the business was now wallowing in.
Zoe nodded, an unaccustomed line of anxiety marring the features of the botoxed forehead and carefully made up face.
“If I remember correctly, both you and your husband said you spent the night here, from ten oclock on.”
Another nod greeted the statement.
Corky decided to unlimber the big gun immediately and to fire it point blank. “We know that isnt true. Your husband was away from home from sometime early in the evening until late the next morning. This is your opportunity to modify your statement if you wish.” Corky was caught unprepared by the torrent following this shot which had quite evidently destroyed the foundation of an enormous dam.
Tears welled up in the blue eyes, threatening the neatly applied mascara. “I knew what he was up to. Ive known it for weeks. He thought I was blind. I confronted him on New Years Eve. He stomped out in a rage, denying everything. But I knew. I knew. Hed been seeing that bitch of a Charlienights when he said he had to be at the plant trying to straighten things out.”
Corky said nothing, not wanting to put the least of obstructions in front of the flow.
“Yes. He left here just before midnight, and I knew where he was going.” Whatever the emotion may have been behind the moisture in Zoes eyes of a moment before, those same eyes now held tears of anger and frustration. “I didnt know what to do. At first, I thought Id follow him and confront him. Then I thought Id drive out to her house and wait for him there.?
Did she? Corky wondered.
Zoe answered the unasked question, but Corky kept on wondering.“I didnt do either. I made up my mind we were through. Now, I knew I wouldnt be able to sleep thinking about all that, and especially with all the fireworks going off in the neighborhood, so I took a couple of sleepingpills. I didnt wake up until eight the next morning. The phone woke me up. It was Joe. He was down at the Lady Mac, and he wanted to talk to me. I wanted to talk to him. So I went down there. You dont know Joe well enough to realize what a soft-soap artist he can be. Thats why he did so well in business all those years when he was the main one dealing with the customers.”
Zoe paused.“He convinced me it was all over between him and Charlie. In a way, what convinced me most was the fact he admitted to the affair. So one thing led to another. He called up our captain who brought out one of the crew, and we sailed off to Oahu. The weather was perfect. And Joe knows how much I like being out on the water. We sailed over to Molokai first and just anchored offshore and stayed overnight there.”
There was another pause, and this time Zoes mouth hardened. “We heard about Charlies death when we arrived at the Ala Wai Yacht Harbor over on Oahu two days later. I wasnt so flabbergasted I didnt notice how upset Joe was, much as he tried to hide it at first. You know? I think for a while he thought Id killed her. And when he heard the OHearne fellow had been arrested for her murder, he began to act wild. He really frightened me. He insisted on flying right back. We got there just a few hours before you and the attorney dropped in to interrogate us. By then hed calmed down, but as soon as you folks left, he went off into a tirade again.”
Zoe began to show signs of tapering off, so Corky decided to put her one other shell in the gun. “Weve found traces of the dynamite which killed OHearne.” She paused to watch Zoes face, then added, “Those traces were in your car?“
Zoes eyes widened. One frail hand went to her mouth. What followed gave Corky the basis for a long discussion with Hank later the same day.
***
The group around the table had become almost convivial. Joan had gotten all of them coffee, and the two attorneys were soon sitting back listening to Mortons narrative and punctuating it with occasional questions. Part of the changed atmosphere was the conviction on both Sid and Kays part that Morton couldnt possibly have had anything to do with the destruction of Flight 212, but part of it was also the presence of Joan Lister.
Kay had decided, early on, how there was something familiar about Joan. She knew she had never seen Mortons companion before, but she also knew Joan reminded her of someone else. Then, it occurred to her. The Filipina who Jeff Bentley was engaged to suddenly seemed to loom as the original of which Joan was a copy. There was something calm, and cool, and appealing about both of themalong with a quality of innocence which couldnt be exactly defined. Dressed in a white shirt cut like a mans, and wearing levis, Joans boyish figure and pretty facewith no make upalong with her blonde hair made up into a roll tightly curled on her head, made her age difficult to pinpoint. Kay guessed her to be in her early twenties, but wouldnt have been surprised if her guess were off by five years or more, either way. While Morton spoke, Joan held her cup in one hand, her eyes fixed on the speaker, her other hand over his on the table.
At Sids request, Morton had given them a rundown of his movements on New Years Eve and on the following day. “I lefthere in the afternoon. Wed had quite a blizzard only hours before, so I gave myself plenty of time to get to the airport. As it was, I didnt have much time to spare. I caught the last plane out making the connection with the midnight flight to Hawaii.”
“Why did you suddenly decide to leave? According to your schedule, you had several more stops to make here on the mainland.”
Mortons wry smile returned. “Id checked in with the office first thing. Thats when I found out my embezzling had been discoveredat least by Isobel. She said she wanted me back immediately, and shed even made a reservation for me on the flight. She said it was the first one with seats available.”
“And you were going to go back? Just like that?” Sid didnt try to hide his skepticism.
“Why not? I really didnt have any choice. And, anyway, I had never really made any plans about what to do with the money. My original reason for stealing it was to keep afloat, but I managed to struggle along without spending any of it, mainly by just going deeper and deeper into debt. I think there was something like conscience involved in my decision. I know it sounds silly now, but somehow I felt if I didnt spend any of the money, then I really wasnt guilty of stealing it.”
“What happened at the airport in San Francisco? How come you missed the plane?”
Morton described his faulty watch and his trip off to find a bathroom in operation. He shook his head in wonder over his own good fortune, as he told his listeners about his decision to disappear. “I was sure the boarding pass would be found. Fortunately, I had enough cash on me to pay for a round trip to Elima, so I knew I couldnt be traced by any credit card purchase. I caught the next flight out. It got into Elima at four. I was the first one off the plane and the first one out of the parking lot. The one thing I wanted to do was to get the money Id squirreled away and to get off the island just as soon as possible.”
The proprietor of the restaurant came over to the table. “Crowds beginning to come in Joan. Im going to need help.” Joan looked over at Morton who nodded reassurance to her, as though indicating he could now carry on without her comforting hand on his. She rose and followed the burly owner back through the swinging doors.
Kay took over the questioning. “Was it raining when you got to Elima?”
“Just a sprinkle. You know how those upslope showers sometimes send a few fine drops down off the ridge, while the sky above is just fu
ll of stars. That was what it was like.”
“So you ran the windshield wipers?”
“Uhhuh. The windshield was filthy, and I didnt take time to clean it off. I just punched the washer a few times and then turned on the swipes.” Morton seemed puzzled by the questions, and then his face cleared. “I can see now what happened. You noticed the windshield was clean but the rest of the car was dirty, so you figured someone drove it very recently. That never even occurred to me.”
Kay nodded, asking, “And you drove right to your house?”
“Yes.”
“Did you see anyone else, or any other cars on Kula Hill?”
“No. Like I said. I was the first one out of the parking lot, and you know what Elima is like after midnight. And, with the plantation closed for the holidays, there wasnt even the usual sprinkling of morning shift traffic. I drove, maybe some faster than the speed limit, directly to my house…Wait a minute! There was a car parked over on Mamo.”
“Can you describe it?”
Morton frowned and shook his head. “I think it was big and light colored, but I may be just imagining that. About all Im sure of is there was a car parked there. I guess the only reason I remember it at all is because you dont often see cars parked on the road up on the Hill.
“What did you do when you got to the house?”
“I went up the driveway and stopped in front ofthe front door. You know, theres a circular driveway there, and you can stop right in front of the door. I got out, went in…”
“Was the door unlocked?”
“As a matter of fact, it was. I was surprised because it was, since Charlie was always worried about burglars. It was the reason she had me install the fancy burglar alarm system. But, anyway, I went in, walked into the living room, using my penlight, and crossed over to the picture covering the wall safe. I dialed the combination, opened the safe and put the contents into the dispatch case Id brought along. It was a tight squeeze, because I threw in a bunch of papers, just in case I might need some of them. Then I closed the safe and swung the picture back into place. I was just about to leave when I decided to go upstairs.”
The last statement brought both Sid and Kay to the edge of their chairs. Before either of them could say anything, Morton held up his hand to stop them and said, “Wait! I know this will sound suspicious, but there was something upstairs I decided I had to take along. The only thing in the house besides the money I really wanted. It was this.” Morton took a silver dollar out of his pocket and placed it on the table in front of them.
“My father gave it to me, the week before he died. Its an 1895 silver eagle. Im not sure where he got it, but I remember when he gave it to me as clearly as if it were yesterday. We were going to go to Comiskey Park to see the White Sox play the Yankees. He…” Morton smiled ruefully, saying“I guess we can skip the reminiscences. I think youve got the idea it was important to me. So I went up the stairs, past Charlies bedroom. The door was ajar and the light was out. It wasnt like her. She usually left the bedroom lights on night and day, but I didnt give it much thought at the time. I went to my room where I remembered changing suits before my flight to the mainland. I was certain Id emptied my pockets and left the silver dollar on the chest of drawers there. I had. I scooped it up and started back down. Even so, I moved fast, and I'm sure I wasn't in the house more than three or four minutes.”
“Werent you concerned about waking your wife?” Kay asked.
“Not a bit. As long as Id known Charlie, she always took one or two sleeping pills and they would always knock her out. She never, to my knowledge, ever had a natural nights sleep. Thats why I didnt do any tiptoeing up the stairs. In fact, I ran up them. I knew shed sleep right through an earthquake. Next, I came down the stairs, went out the front door, got into my car and drove back to the airport.”
“Just a minute,” Kay said. “Lets back up. Describe everything you did from the moment you came down the stairs to the time you got into your car.”
Morton looked puzzled. “I just told you. I went out the front door and then…” “Did you do anything just before going out the door?”
Morton shook his head.“No. I…Oh! Of course. I flipped on the burglar alarm. Thats something I used to do automatically, either just before going to bed or just before going out. Thewarning light flashes red if any of the doors or windows arent locked. If youre going out, it lets you shut the door behind you. As long as you use a key to get back in, the alarm wont go off.”
Kays voice became tense. “This is very important. Did you lock the door behind you?”
Morton again shook his head, this time with emphasis. “No. I wasnt about to take time to do that. Besides, I remembered it was unlocked when I got there, so I thought, „What the heck. What difference is it going to make, locked or unlocked?”
Kay sat back with a sigh.“It made a big difference.”
Chapter 19
It was never difficult to tell when Corky had urgent news to impart. The absence of a coffee mug when she came into Hanks office was a sure sign.
“Got the mysteries all cleared up, Corky?” he asked, taking off his reading glasses and watching his sergeant plunk herself down in the big leather chair in front of his desk.
“Nope. I dont. But Zoe Demos is sure convinced she does.”
“What do you mean?”
“Shes absolutely certain Joe Demos killed OHearne. She suspected it before. Now shes sure.”
“She told you that?” Hank was totally disbelieving.
“Not in so many words, but it was obvious what she was thinking. And the information she gave me sure shows why she feels the way she does.”
“Thats a hell of a note. Joe thinks she did it, and now she thinks he did it.”
“Yup. And I know the reason why theyre both thinking the way they are.”
“Yeah? Why?”
“Because the day OHearne got himself blown up, Zoe drove her car to the factory to pick up some macnut products shed promised a friend, and Joe drove it in the afternoon, and hed driven it the day before. His car was in the shop and he borrowed hers. It doesnt take any Sherlock to figure out then why they suspect each other.”
Hank raised his eyebrows. “So youre making your dynamite wrapper do double duty.”
“Right. Theres no question in my mind but she saw the wrapper there but didnt think anything of it at the time. I pushed her around the subject, and she was antsy as all hell. When I asked her if shed seen anything unusual in the car, she squirmed and said the car was always a mess with magazines and catalogs and what-not on the floor, so there was no way she could have noticed anything out of the way. She was as transparent as a goldfish bowl, and she admitted Joe had borrowed the car. Wowie, but she was unhappy about admitting to it! So when Joe saw the wrapper, he must have thought the same thing about it. He had the car at the macnut factory when the explosion occurred, and hemust have instantly put two and two together. Zoe didnt do any adding up until later, but she came out with the same answerwhoever left the wrapper in the car planted the dynamite.”
Hank rocked his head back and forth and seemed less skeptical. “Maybeyouve got something there. But even so, it doesnt tell us anything, except why they suspect each other.”
“But it does, Hank. It tells us a lot more. It tells us theyre both absolutely correct. Whoever put the wrapper in the car planted the dynamite.”
***
Mortons narrative, once he described leaving his house, slowed down considerably. Part of the reason was the hearty lunch Joan had brought out of the kitchen for them and which they were all three consuming with equally hearty appetites. Sid assumed the cold weather was what had made him so hungry. Kay decided it was the novelty of the food. Not having rice as the staple starch was itself unusual, but the rest of the meal was also thoroughly un-Hawaiian and un-Oriental. Large hard rolls, two mounds of mashed potatoes, soft creamery butter, a slab of well cured ham, green beansthen all of it topped off by apple pie a la modemade for someth
ing very different from her typical noon day meal.
Morton ate hungrily also. Kay thought at least part of his appetite came from his relief at being able to tell his story.
Between bites, he went on. “Id forgotten Elima isnt exactly a hub airport. The next plane out was to Oahu, and wasnt leaving until six. So I sat in the car at the airport thinking of ways I was going to spend the money. The time went by fast. At Honolulu Airport I caught the first plane to the mainland, which was a flight to Los Angeles. There, I decided to get a new identity.”
Kay held up her hand. “Wait a minute. How did you manage to do all that flying without having a new identity already? As soon as I suspected you might have driven that car, I checked all possible flights you might have taken in and out of Elima and Honolulu. Your name didn't show up anywhere.”
A smile greeted the information. “All that talk about security on the airlines doesn't really mean much. I haveor hadan old expired Illinois license a friend of mine tossed a long time ago. I used it when I rented post office boxes, and it came in handy on those flights. Cash payment, false IDit all worked without a hitch.”
Kay ruefully shook her head, and Sid broke in, as he forked up a piece of what he had discovered to be delicious ham. “How did you get your new identity?”
“It took a little doing, though it was easier than Id thought it would be. I went to one of those sleazy passport photo offices, and dropped a hint about how Id like to get different identity papers. The owner didnt jump at the chance. It was obvious he was suspicious. So I got passed around. Finally, I got this ID.” He placed his fork down on his plate, reached into his hip pocket, brought out a thin wallet and removed a social security card, an Arizona drivers license, a hunting license for the same state and a few other items of identification, all bearing the name of Ezekiel Dawson.”
The Yoshinobu Mysteries: Volume 2 Page 68