Murder on Russian Hill (Peyton Brooks' Series Book 3)

by M. L. Hamilton

  Peyton laughed, then she grabbed the cake and stood, taking it to the garbage can. She really didn’t need an ass as big as a hippo’s, although she liked hippos. When she returned to the table, the envelope was waiting for her.

  Before she could change her mind, she snatched it up and went to her desk. This time she remembered her log-in. Sparring with Maria had cleared her mind. While she waited for the computer to boot up, she tore the end off the envelope and shook the contents into her palm. A zip drive slid out.

  Inserting it into the computer, she waited for it to read, then a folder popped open on the desktop. Only one file was visible. She leaned back in her chair and pushed her fingers into the curls beneath her ponytail. No going back now.

  She reached into her pocket and took out her notebook. Flipping to the Ravensong case, she searched for the interview with the security guard. What time had he said the alarm went off? She found it. 9:56.

  Clicking on the file, she waited while the video loaded. The date stamp in the corner listed Terry’s date of death. The guy at the elevator company had simply given her the entire day from midnight on. She hit the pause button, then moved the bar across the bottom until she got to 9:30 in the morning. That should give her a big enough window. If not, she could go back farther in increments of five.

  Nothing happened for the first five minutes. The elevator climbed the floors, once or twice someone got on, but it was no one she recognized. The camera distorted the image a bit, made it look like the elevator was a fishbowl and the mirrored back wall sometimes made it look as if the same person was really two. Why did every elevator have a mirrored back wall? She suspected it was to make the elevator appear larger for claustrophobic people.

  Squinting at the screen, she noticed a strange green blur in the mirror above the people’s heads. She stopped the video and leaned closer for a better look. Suddenly it dawned on her what the blurry green light was. The floor number reflected into the camera from the mirror.

  She started the tape again. Nothing for another five minutes. Maybe she needed to go back further. The security guard found Terry’s body at 10:00AM, the alarm sounded on the stairwell door at 9:56. Maybe they fought for a lot longer than she figured before Ravensong struck her with the curio.

  She reached for the mouse, but stopped, her heart slamming against her ribs. Ravensong had entered the elevator. There was no mistaking him with his mane of dark hair and his collared shirt with the sleeves rolled up, showing the two leather bands on his arms.

  Peyton released the mouse and covered her lips with her hand as she watched him pace back and forth in the elevator, back and forth like a caged animal. He was clearly agitated. Facing the door, he looked up at the numbers, giving the camera a clear shot of his face, then he raked a hand through his hair.

  Suddenly, he dropped that hand and punched the wall beside the door. Peyton jumped, then fumbled for the mouse to stop the video.

  Slumping back in her chair, she stared at the screen. His image had blurred as he slammed his fist into the wall. She realized she was breathing hard. That was where the injuries to his hand had come.

  Reaching out, she backed up the video and pressed play. Again he faced the door, raked his hand through his hair, then pounded his fist into the wall. And they said he wasn’t violent? What the shit?

  She played the tape again and again. Over and over again, he slammed the wall.

  “Whoa,” came a voice behind her.

  She hit pause and swiveled around to see Jake standing at her back. “Yeah. Whoa is right.” Her voice shook.

  “Play it again.”

  She did what he asked, but she couldn’t watch it any more. She watched Jake instead.

  His brow knit into a frown. “That’s how he hurt his hand.”

  “I know, but they all told me he wasn’t violent. He never hurt anyone.”

  Jake gave her a strange look. “Peyton, that’s what men do when they don’t want to go around punching people. We punch inanimate objects.”

  “Walls?”

  “Yeah, better that than people, right?”

  “Walls, Jake?”

  He held out his hands. “I’m just telling you how it is. Men punch inanimate things when we’re pissed.”

  She stopped the video, shaking her head. “That’s a bunch of crap. This is a man with violent tendencies.”

  Jake shifted weight. “Listen. When I found out Zoë had that warfarin stuff in her system, I lost it. I went into the bathroom and tore it apart, looking for the pills. That wasn’t enough. I came out and started punching…”

  Peyton swiveled around to look at him again. “Punching?”

  He dragged his teeth over his lip. “The bed.”

  Peyton’s brows rose. “You punched the bed, Jake?”

  “And the pillows.”

  Peyton couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re all kinds of bad ass, aren’t you, Ryder?”

  “Okay, but listen, that’s what men do to blow off steam, to calm ourselves so we don’t go around punching women.” He nodded at the image of Ravensong on the screen. “I’m just not certain he killed her, Peyton. Especially after seeing this.”

  Peyton shifted back and pressed the play button. After punching the wall, Ravensong flexed his wounded fingers, then glanced up as the elevator came to a halt. When he stepped out again, she could see the number 8 reflected in the glass on the mirror. She and Jake continued watching, until the security guard entered at 9:59AM. Ravensong never appeared again.

  Peyton drummed her fingers on the desk. “Okay, so how do I prove he didn’t kill her and if he didn’t do it, who the hell did?”

  Jake shook his head, his eyes still on the computer screen. “That’s why you’re the cop and not me, Mighty Mouse.”

  * * *

  Elena sat in Peyton’s chair watching the computer screen as Peyton played the video. When they came to the part where Ravensong punched the wall, Elena jumped as Peyton had done and her hand flew to her mouth. Peyton stopped the video.

  “I’ve never seen him do something like this.”

  Peyton gave her a moment to collect herself.

  She shifted toward Peyton. “I swear to God, Inspector Brooks, he’s never struck me or his daughter.”

  “I believe you.” She tilted her head toward the video. “I have it on good authority that this is what men do when they don’t want to hit someone.”

  “They punch walls?”

  “I know. My point exactly.”

  Elena looked back at the screen. “What are we going to do now?”

  Peyton placed her hand on the back of Elena’s chair. “Look, Elena, I actually think this is good. We know how he hurt his hand and it wasn’t punching Terry, right?”

  She nodded, but her eyes were swimming in tears.

  “I need to know everything you know about Terry.”

  “I hardly ever spoke to her. I didn’t really know her.”

  “How long have you been with Joshua?”

  “Almost two years.”

  “Did he ever talk about her? Tell you how they met.”

  Elena leaned back in the chair. “She was a groupie. I guess she followed the band around for a while.”

  “When he was with Blazes, right?”

  “Yeah. He married her when he joined Avalanche.”

  “How long did that marriage last?”

  “Three years I think.”

  Peyton swiveled Elena’s chair so they faced each other. “Elena, who ended the marriage? I can get the divorce decree, so it doesn’t do any good to lie to me.”

  “Why would I lie?”

  Peyton shot a look at the screen again. “Because you love him and you’re praying like hell he didn’t do something like this.”

  A tear ran down her cheek. “He filed for divorce.”

  “Why?”

  “He caught her in bed with another man. He came home early to see his daughter and surprised her.”

  “Who was the man?”


  “A CEO of some company here in San Francisco. I can’t remember which one.” She wiped the tear away. “I’m trying hard not to speak ill of the dead, Inspector Brooks, but that woman was a gold digger. She was always extorting money out of him so he could see his daughter and then she always had some other wealthy guy waiting in the wings to take Joshua’s place.” She clasped her hands in her lap. “I probably shouldn’t tell you this, but she told me once she expected him to go back on drugs. She just didn’t believe he’d stay clean, and she needed someone to take his place when that happened.”

  “Take his place?”

  “Money.”

  “Okay. Do you know who this preacher man is that Tiffany mentioned? Did Joshua or Terry tell you she was seeing someone new?”

  “She got erratic after her mother died. She came up with this scheme to move to Europe. I don’t think her mother had been dead more than a week before she started talking to Joshua about him taking full custody.”

  “And how was that going to work?”

  “We had to go before the judge and have him sign off on it. He didn’t like the idea of Joshua having full custody, but it helped that I was in the picture. Ultimately, he couldn’t block it because both of her parents agreed and there was nothing to show Joshua unfit.”

  Peyton rubbed the back of her neck. She needed a vacation. “Then why would she have changed her mind?”

  “I don’t know. Joshua didn’t tell me what was going on when he went over there. I thought he was staying home. I didn’t even know…” She caught herself and her eyes widened.

  “You didn’t know what, Elena? You have to tell me everything. You have to tell me the truth. You’ve got to believe that I’m on your side or I would have handed this case over to the DA by now.”

  “I didn’t even know he’d left the house. He never texted me.”

  Well, that wasn’t good. It meant he hadn’t wanted her to know. So what had he planned to do when he went to Terry’s? Bribe her. Seduce her. Kill her.

  Peyton’s phone vibrated in her pocket. She fished it out. Marco’s number flashed across her screen. “I’m sorry. I have to take this.”

  Elena nodded.

  Peyton swiped her thumb over the display. “Hey?”

  “What are you doing?”

  “Talking to Elena.”

  “Can you take a break and come down to the hospital?”

  “Yeah, did something happen?”

  “Tonio’s lucid for the first time and I want to ask him some questions, but I really want you here when I do.”

  “Is he up for it?”

  “I think so. He’s able to sit up and eat a little, although he’s got a raging headache.” His voice trailed off. “That guy with the camera call you?”

  “Not yet. It’s still early. Who knows when they get back from their vacation?”

  “Yeah. Can you come down? You know I’m not very good at this. You’ve always been better at interrogation.”

  Peyton’s gaze zeroed in on the monitor. She needed to go out and question Ravensong about his ex-wife again, but she couldn’t deny Marco anything he asked. “I’m on my way,” she said.

  * * *

  The whites of Antonio’s eyes were red from the impact and he couldn’t open them all the way because the light hurt his eyes. His leg was in traction and IV tubes ran into his arms. They had the bed raised, but he didn’t seem able to sit up on his own. Looking at him, Peyton wasn’t sure this was a good idea. The kid looked horrible, although she guessed it was a good sign they’d moved him from ICU.

  His parents didn’t look much better. Rosa wasn’t wearing any makeup and she wore a baggy sweat suit with running shoes. Peyton didn’t remember ever seeing her in anything but the most fashionable attire. Vinnie’s blue eyes were blood-shot and circled in exhaustion. He had on a crumpled t-shirt and jeans.

  Not that Marco looked much better. She’d never seen his jaw covered in so much beard and he had his dark hair pulled back severely in a ponytail.

  Rosa vacated the chair by the bed as he and Peyton entered. Sinking into it, Marco clasped his hands between his thighs, giving Antonio a sideways look. Antonio could hardly look his uncle in the eye.

  “How’s the headache?”

  “Bad.”

  Rosa leaned against Vinnie and he put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. Peyton reached over and took Rosa’s hand.

  “Look, Tonio. I need to ask you some questions. Your dad said you’re up for it.”

  “Yeah, I guess.” He rolled his head on the pillow and looked squarely at his uncle for the first time. “Is it true about Billy? Is he paralyzed?”

  Marco met his look, but he didn’t answer right away. Peyton felt Rosa’s fingers tighten on hers.

  Antonio narrowed his eyes. “Tell me the truth, Uncle Marco.”

  “We don’t know yet. He’s still under medication, but the doctors are pretty sure he’ll be paralyzed.”

  “When are they going to let him wake up?”

  “I don’t know.”

  Antonio rolled his head the opposite direction. “It’s all my fault, isn’t it?”

  “I don’t know, Tonio. I need to get more information.”

  “He was fast, Billy. He could run the mile under five.”

  Marco studied his hands, then he swiveled and looked back at Peyton. The pain in his eyes almost made her want to cry. She nodded at him to continue.

  “Tonio, I need to know where you were Saturday night.”

  The boy tried to shift in the bed, but it was almost impossible with his leg in the sling. “We went to a party.” He shot a look at his parents. “For the track team. We made sections.”

  “Where was the party? On 30th?”

  “No, it was at Derek Kelly’s house. He lives on Shore View.”

  Marco wiped his hands down his pants legs. “Tonio, I need you to tell me the truth now. You can’t lie to me.”

  The boy didn’t answer, he just studied his uncle’s face.

  “Was there booze at the party?”

  The boy held up a hand and let it fall on the bed. “Someone brought a couple bottles of champagne to celebrate. They got it from their parents’ wine fridge.”

  “That’s all they had? Champagne?”

  “Yeah, that’s all I saw.”

  “Did you drink any?”

  His eyes flickered to his parents and away. “I drank a few swallows. They were passing the bottles around.”

  That accounted for the alcohol in his blood. A few bottles wouldn’t go very far at a party.

  “Don’t lie to me.”

  “I’m not. That’s all there was. The party was lame, so Billy and I decided to leave.”

  “Where did you go?”

  “Driving. We thought we’d cruise down Market, but there wasn’t anyone out.”

  “The accident happened on 30th. How did you wind up back there?”

  “Billy wanted to go back to the party. There was a girl there he liked. He thought he could get with her.”

  Get with her? Peyton wondered if that meant what she thought it did.

  “You were coming down 30th when the accident happened. That’s going away from Shore View, Tonio. Why were you on 30th?”

  Antonio blinked his red-rimmed eyes.

  “Tonio?”

  “I don’t know.”

  Marco sat up straight. “What do you mean you don’t know? You told me you were going back to the party on Shore View, but you wound up going the opposite direction. Why?”

  “I don’t know.”

  Peyton could see Marco’s jaw harden.

  “Do you have any idea how much trouble you’re in? That kid is going to be paralyzed and you’re telling me you don’t know?”

  “I don’t know.” His voice was rising.

  Peyton released Rosa. She could see Marco was getting agitated.

  “How can you not know? You said you were going back to the party. Did you? Did you make it back to the house on Shor
e View?”

  “I can’t remember.”

  “You can’t remember? Tonio, you had alcohol in your system. They’re going to charge you with reckless endangerment, driving under the influence, and who knows what else. You have to tell me what happened.”

  “I don’t remember.”

  Peyton started toward Marco, but he rose to his feet. “You remember going to the party, you remember cruising on Market and you remember going back toward the party again. What happened after that? Why were you on 30th?”

  “Marco!” said Vinnie, but Marco ignored him.

  “Tonio, answer me!”

  “I don’t know!” screamed the boy, bursting into tears. “I don’t know. I don’t remember! I don’t remember anything!”

  Peyton grabbed Marco’s arm, startling him. He took a shuddered breath, staring at his nephew.

  “I’m so sorry, Uncle Marco. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean for this to happen.”

  Marco touched Peyton’s hand and she released him. Then he took a seat on the bed and gathered his nephew into his arms. The boy clung to him, burying his face against his chest, sobbing. Marco stroked the back of his hair.

  “It’s okay, Tonio. It’s okay.”

  “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.”

  “Shh,” he whispered, “it’s gonna be okay.”

  Peyton fought back the tears as she watched her partner cradle the injured boy, promising him things she didn’t think they would be able to deliver. Sometimes it wasn’t okay and there was nothing you could do to fix it.

  CHAPTER 12

  Joshua let his head fall back against the couch and closed his eyes. Evan had Blazes’ music blaring in the hotel room and he was singing to it, swilling down a beer. Ben, the drummer, had his sticks out and he was banging on the table. Both had girls draped over them. Joshua wanted to go into his room and sleep, but he knew he’d never be able to with this racket next door.

  James kicked him in the leg, forcing Joshua to squint up at him. His brother had his arm around the shoulders of a pretty blond whose boobs were nearly falling out of her cut-off tank top. She wore a mini-skirt and fishnet stockings that ended in stiletto heels. Her eyes were rimmed with eyeliner and she had bright red lipstick on her mouth. She reached up and grabbed the beer out of James’ hand and took a drink, but her eyes never left Joshua.