by Rayna Morgan
As he placed a muffin in the toaster, Tom reminded himself the location outweighed the noisiness. The complex was near the Buena Viaje Police Department where he spent most of his time as head of the Major Crimes Division.
In recent months, time away from the job was passed less at the apartment and more at Maddy’s place.
It might be time to look for a house of my own. A place I can relax and enjoy evenings with the woman I love.
On his way to the carport, he noticed an unfamiliar vehicle parked across the street. With the sun in his eyes, he couldn’t recognize the figure slumped behind the steering wheel.
The neighbors’ kids ran past.
“Hey, Lieutenant,” they shouted. “Are you going to arrest any bad guys today?”
He turned in their direction and smiled.
“I’ll do my best. In the meantime, you be good at school.”
After he backed out, he looked for the SUV.
The car had disappeared.
CHAPTER TWO
The detective agency was in an area which featured an eclectic mix of shops, restaurants and offices scattered throughout historic architecture.
The building was one of numerous Victorian homes restored for commercial use. A law firm occupied a converted house on the left. On the right was a child psychologist who benefited from the nurturing environment. A house across the street provided a relaxing atmosphere for a beauty salon and spa.
The office combined contemporary furnishings with timeless elements of the vintage home including decorative wood trim, an ornate fireplace, and antique light fixtures. Old-fashioned pocket doors separated the reception area from interior offices.
As Maddy hoped, her father and sister were more than enthusiastic.
Lea clapped. “It’s wonderful, Sis. More than I could have imagined.”
Warren agreed. “As comfortable as my study at home.”
Maddy hung a framed picture of their ribbon cutting ceremony on the wall.
“The Conley and Austin Detective Agency is officially open for business,” she declared.
“We need someone to set up our computers so we can share files,” Warren suggested.
Lea snapped her fingers. “I know the perfect person.”
“Who do you have in mind?” Maddy asked.
“Remember our first adventure?”
“You must be referring to the Nut Case, as we called it.”
“Jason Jones was a young man employed by our client, the Fresh & Healthy Food Store,” Lea told her father.
“He was one of the suspects we cleared,” Maddy said proudly.
“Jason earned a degree in computer science. Besides computers, he’s also a whiz with electronic equipment.”
Maddy’s eyes lit up. “Could he help us with surveillance stuff?”
“Sure,” Lea responded. “He told me if I ever want help, he’s the guy.”
“The time has come,” Warren suggested.
The prospect of seeing the young man again pleased Lea.
“I’ll call and ask him to come over as soon as possible.”
• • •
They settled themselves in the small conference room.
“Our first order of business is figuring out how to run this operation.” Warren’s voice carried its usual commanding tone. “Let’s consider the private sector first. Law firms, insurance agencies—”
“I can contact Alexander Insurance,” Lea broke in. “Actually, the name was changed to Midtown Insurance after the owner was indicted for fraud. My friend, Donna, took over.”
“Good idea,” Warren said. “Uncovering fraud is a big reason insurance companies use investigators. Donna knows you are qualified. You proved your chops in that regard when you uncovered her employer’s scheme. ”
Maddy shivered. “Are you sure you want to return to the office where you found a dead body?”
Lea smiled. “I’ll be careful not to visit after hours.”
A loud noise by the door halted conversation. They stared as the white retriever lapped water from his bowl.
Lea hastened to make excuses. “A nice informal atmosphere. That’s what we want, isn’t it? The dogs will put our clients more at ease.”
Warren smacked his forehead.
After a moment, the slurping subsided and they resumed their conversation.
“Let’s define other potential clients. My years of policing gave me experience testifying in court. A believable witness is an asset to lawyers trying to prove their case to a jury. Attorneys will also hire us to get evidence to support their position and to interview witnesses.”
Lea offered a suggestion. “The police may use us to prove cases as well when they’re short-handed or without resources to investigate thoroughly.”
Maddy smiled coyly. “I happen to have an inside connection with the police department.”
“We’ll look to you to handle the business side of the operation, Lea,” her father continued. “Your marketing skills will help bring in new clients.”
As the discussion turned to mundane issues, Maddy gazed out the window.
Noticing her sister’s boredom, Lea asked, “What about cheating spouses? We’re bound to receive requests for that kind of thing.”
Maddy refocused her attention. “I have experience in that department. Not only do I sympathize with anyone who suspects their partner of cheating, I can spot the signs of a cheater. I’m familiar with their tricks.”
“Bravo, Sis. That’s turning the lemon of a failed marriage into lemonade.”
Warren issued a warning. “You need to determine if a client actually wants to know the truth. They may believe they do but some people prefer to stay in the dark, pretending their relationship is all right when their gut is telling them it’s not.”
“A cheater deserves to be caught,” Maddy declared. “It will feel good to help someone take the offensive instead of standing by helplessly.”
At that moment, the telephone rang. They all stared at the console.
The phone rang again.
Lea jumped up and answered, but stumbled over the words.
“Austin and Conley. I mean, Conley and Austin Detective Agency.”
There was laughter on the other end of the line.
“Better get that straight, babe.”
“I’ll work on it, Paul,” Lea replied. “We’re in the middle of a meeting. May I call you back?”
“Not unless you are willing to turn down your first client. I passed the word about your agency to all my contacts. One of my contractors called this morning. He’s anxious to speak with you.”
She wrote down the pertinent information.
“You’re the best, hon. I’ll get right on it.”
“Knock ‘em dead,” he told her before he hung up.
Without consulting her partners, she grabbed her purse.
“Where are you going?” her father asked. “We’re not finished with our meeting.”
“To check out a lead on a prospective client. Take care of the dogs.”
She hurried out the door.
Maddy stretched. “I’m a doer, not a planner. All this planning wears me out.”
“More planning and less flying by the seat of your pants might prevent the jams you and your sister get into.”
She refused to be baited. “I need caffeine. I’ll bring you a latte from Starbucks.”
She left before her father could object.
Warren looked at the dogs, asleep in the sun.
“Guess it’s up to me to answer the phones. You two don’t look up to the task.”
He sat behind the reception desk of the now empty office.
A line on the console lit up and he answered.
“Checking to see how things are going,” Barbara said.
“It’s possible I bit off more than I can chew.”
CHAPTER THREE
Warren had retired to his own office and was working the daily crossword puzzle when the entry bell chimed.
The dogs ran to the door where the visitor stooped to pet them. “Hey there, fellas.”
Warren recognized the voice.
The gray-haired man in the reception room was as impressive as Warren remembered. With flinty eyes and military posture, Sam Swanson was a commanding presence.
Warren shook hands in a welcoming gesture, but every muscle in his body tensed. The man before him represented the type of case which haunts any policeman.
An unsolved murder.
A killer never brought to justice.
The cause of sleepless nights long after a case is closed.
The man’s name came readily to mind. “Hello, Sam.”
The guest nodded and looked around the room. “I saw your picture in the paper. Where are your daughters? I would like to see them.”
A man accustomed to being direct.
“One is meeting with a client,” Warren said. It felt good to say that. “Come into my office.”
Sam took a seat as Warren moved behind his desk. “Would you like coffee?” he asked, before remembering they had no coffee machine.
“No, thanks. I’ve had my quota.” Sam crossed his legs and folded his arms across his chest. “I hope you aren’t too busy to take another client.”
Warren looked at Sam carefully. “I didn’t succeed for you before. I’m surprised you consider hiring me on another matter.”
The man faltered, revealing a crack in his composure. “It’s not another matter, Warren.”
Warren held up a hand to stop the man. “I can imagine how hard it’s been for you, Sam, but you know as well as I, the coroner ruled your daughter’s death accidental. Our investigation uncovered insufficient evidence to challenge that ruling. There were no grounds to pursue a case for murder.”
“Emma’s death was no accident. You and I both know who killed her.”
“Getting the police to reopen a closed case is difficult. They have a greater chance of solving crimes soon after the crimes occur. Not months-or, in this case, years-after the fact.”
Sam stared past Warren’s head. “I haven’t been able to find closure since the person responsible never admitted guilt nor was punished. Worse, the police viewed my accusations as the crazed ranting of a bereaved father.”
“I never saw you that way.”
“You were the only one who believed me.” The steely eyes zoomed back to Warren. “Now you’re close to where I live, with the resources of an investigative firm at your disposal. Your hands won’t be tied this time by police procedures. We have a second chance to prove the guilt of Dr. Jeffrey Grant.” He spit out the name with disdain.
“Guilty people escaping justice bothers me as much as you,” Warren said, “but what you’re asking—”
“I’m asking you to obtain the justice now which evaded us then.”
Warren threw up his hands. “How do you expect me to do that? Your son-in-law had an alibi. Unless new facts come to light which controvert his story, there’s no point in reopening the case.”
“Stop calling that murderer my son-in-law. He must be held responsible.”
“I couldn’t agree more. However, I must be honest. Looking into the matter would be a waste of time and money. It would also reopen old wounds. I can’t believe that’s something Emma’s mother wants.”
“Sheila and I are no longer together. We divorced years ago.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Losing a child does that to a marriage. After our daughter’s death, I broke down completely,” he said in a shaky voice. “For weeks after the funeral, I didn’t leave the house. Sheila survived the only way she knew how. By throwing herself into work.”
“As I recall, she was a partner in your software company.”
Sam nodded. “That’s right. Sheila was born for business, but ahead of her time as far as climbing the corporate ladder. One reason I started our company, Tech West, was to give her an opportunity to achieve all she is capable of.”
“Did she succeed?” Warren asked.
“By leaps and bounds. She eventually left to go out on her own. Her company has gained a reputation for promoting women to management. It’s a sought-after enterprise by female college grads.”
“What about you, Sam?”
“I recovered from depression and returned to Tech West. In time, I remarried. A woman less than half my age. A union for which I will soon pay dearly.”
• • •
Lea rushed through the front door, rosy-cheeked with excitement.
“Good news, Dad,” she shouted.
She bent over to accept the dogs’ barking welcome.
It wasn’t until she entered her father’s office that she noticed the visitor.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt.”
The stranger stood to introduce himself.
“You won’t remember me. I met you during the last case your father handled before his promotion to chief of police.”
Lea looked to her father for explanation.
“This is Emma Swanson’s father, Sam. Do you remember the case?”
“You didn’t give me much to remember, Dad. It was the one you never talked about.” She turned toward Sam. “As I recall, you wanted charges brought against your son-in-law.”
Sam indicated the chair beside his.
“You’re welcome to join us. You need to understand the case if you’re going to work on it with your father.”
“I haven’t agreed to anything, Sam,” Warren objected.
Lea took a seat, knowing her father would not turn down a chance to resolve the matter once and for all.
Warren sighed and brought her up to speed. “Sam’s daughter was the victim of a robbery during which—”
“Emma was dosed with chloroform.” Sam broke in, his voice elevated.
Warren spoke sharply. “Do you mind, Sam?”
“Sorry, go ahead.”
“A robbery during which a burglar dosed Emma with chloroform to put her out of commission while he ransacked the house. The coroner’s report showed the additional presence of sleeping and anti-anxiety medication. Even though the burglar did not inflict physical force causing death, the administration of chloroform had the same result. The chloroform, combined with the other drugs, proved fatal to her system. That’s why a charge of murder was considered.”
Lea knitted her brows. “Still, based on the assumption the intruder was unaware of the presence of drugs in the victim’s system, wouldn’t the charge be manslaughter—negligent or accidental killing of someone without malice?”
“In the state of California, a death which occurs during commission of a burglary constitutes first degree murder.”
“Why weren’t charges filed?”
“They never apprehended the so-called burglar.” Sam’s voice was bitter. “The prosecutor decided the case would be impossible to prove.”
“Even with the intruder found, what grounds would you have to pursue your son-in-law?” Lea asked.
“A person may be charged with felony murder even if they did not commit the act that killed the victim.”
Lea looked from one man to the other. “But the robber was never apprehended.”
“Vanished into thin air, like a puff of smoke. There were no witnesses to the break-in and no suspicious people reported in the neighborhood. Without the thief, we couldn’t prove the doctor’s participation in the conspiracy.”
“Aside from the fact a spouse is always suspect, what brought Jeffrey under suspicion?” Lea asked.
“The burglar arrived at the scene armed with chloroform which indicates he knew someone would be home,” Warren began.
Sam interrupted. “He also knew the location of the bedroom where Emma slept.”
“We don’t know that for certain. However, it appeared he was familiar with the layout.”
“How did the intruder know your daughter would be in her bedroom?” Lea asked.
“It was her habit to take something a
t eleven o’clock each night to help her sleep.” Sam’s eyes smoldered. “A trace of the phone records showed Jeffrey called home around midnight. He would have known she was asleep. He was making certain before he gave the thief the go ahead.”
Warren continued. “When we questioned him, he claimed he wasn’t aware of the time. He called to tell Emma not to wait up, failing to realize she would already be asleep.”
“But why would the doctor want his home burglarized?”
“Sam theorizes the conspiracy was not undertaken with an interest in burglary. Dr. Grant’s purpose was the administration of chloroform to his wife.”
“I understand the problem. Without the burglar, you couldn’t prove the doctor’s instructions about the chloroform.”
Warren nodded. “That’s why the burglar’s disappearance was worrisome. We feared the doctor eliminated the only person who could implicate him.”
Sam egged him on. “Tell your daughter our other theory.”
A pencil thin smile crossed Warren’s face. “Unless there was no burglar to apprehend.”
Lea barely concealed her astonishment. “Are you suggesting—?”
Sam jumped up, his eyes blazing with anger.
“My son-in-law, Jeffrey Grant, burglarized his own home and administered the fatal dose of chloroform to Emma.”
• • •
After Sam composed himself and resumed his seat, Warren continued.
“The items Jeffrey reported missing were mainly costume jewelry and personal items from Emma’s drawers. Jeffrey kept the expensive jewelry in a safe. There were drawers flung open in the study and the safe was tampered with, but nothing of consequence was missing. Those facts brought into question the actual existence of a burglar.”
“What steered you away from that supposition?”
“There’s usually one thing a villain fails to anticipate. In this instance, it was a neighbor’s dog. As the neighbor walked the animal past the Grant home, the dog became excited and barked. Based on recent burglaries in the area, the dog walker shone his flashlight in the direction of the dog’s agitation.”
“That was Bill Ames,” Sam explained. “He and his wife watched out for Emma. They didn’t care much for Jeffrey. They worried whenever they heard him yell at her.”