“I hate stakeouts.” Terry took a sip of his aging Starbucks.
“Yes, you have it so terribly hard.” Madison laughed.
“I just want to be with Annabelle. We find out the baby’s sex tomorrow morning. Only one more sleep.”
“Don’t be thinking you’ll have some time off to go.”
“Will be, Maddy, no question.”
She smiled as she accomplished her purpose and got a reaction. She straightened up as she noticed Hargrove come out of Kendal’s house and get into his BMW. “Here we go.”
They followed him through a few subdivisions when they realized they knew where he was going. He wasn’t making a run for it—he was going home.
“This could get interesting.” Terry turned to face Madison. “That is if your feelings about Peter hold true.”
“He wouldn’t be the first cheating husband caught in the lie.”
“It doesn’t go with Lacy turning her life around. How would destroying a marriage figure in?”
“No one is innocent until proven such, in my opinion,” Madison said.
“That’s because you’re such a positive person.”
“Well, until tox comes back on her drug use, or lack thereof, I’m her advocate, but not necessarily a firm believer in her full transformation.”
“Well, in support of her turning her life around, she had a fresh manicure and medical coverage.”
Madison laughed, dispelling her partner’s theory. “All that proves is someone—Hargrove possibly—was looking out for her. We have to get to the why. Were they sexually involved? Did Hargrove’s wife find out about it?”
“You take everything and put such a dirty twist on it.”
“How do you see it?” The truth was she couldn’t look at it any other way. Blame it on the skepticism that came with the job. Her thought processes made her think about Vilma again—her large hoops, heavily painted eyelids, and her pleas to find her fiancé’s killer. The report said it was suicide.
“How am I supposed to break it to her? Tell her to move on?” Her thought process gave audible birth.
“What?”
The comment would have come out of nowhere for him. “The crazy lady.” She only used that description so that Terry would know to whom she referred.
He stared blankly at her. “You won’t be telling her anything new.”
“Then why do I feel like shit?”
“Because you made a promise you shouldn’t have.”
There could be no response for that. He was right. “She buried him today.”
“It’s sad, but it’s not your fault.”
She nodded. She knew it was the truth, but sometimes the truth sucked. “Maybe I’ll go by in person tomorrow—”
“In the middle of an ongoing investigation?”
Her head turned to her partner, who was smiling. “Yeah, smartass.” She punched him in the arm, nearly knocking his cup out of his hand.
“Careful. Ruin my Starbucks, I might kill you.”
“Might? You’re such a girl sometimes.” Madison laughed. “You upset mine, you’re—”
“I’m what?”
Her eyes fixed on Hargrove’s BMW as it pulled into a driveway. “Looks like we’re home.”
The house was a two-story grandiose display. The entrance was two black doors adorned with polished brass hardware. Sidelight windows were to the left and right. Two ceramic urns sat in front of them and had small fir trees in them to suit the time of year. No doubt these would overflow with flowering plants in the summertime.
Lights on the front lawn shone on the house, encasing it in a warm glow as if it were a showpiece, and the chandelier in the alcove over the doors was bright enough to reach the road. A pair of matching fixtures, yet were smaller in scale, were attached at each end of the double-car garage. They were also on. Madison could only imagine how bright the house would be when decorated in holiday cheer.
Madison made all these observations as she walked up the driveway with Terry on her right.
“Peter Hargrove?”
He clicked his car’s security system and it let out a soft chirp. “Detectives?” He slipped his keys into his pocket. If he was surprised that they were already aware of his last name, he didn’t give that impression.
“We have a few questions for you. We can do it out here, or we could go inside.”
“I have nothing to hide.”
“What was your relationship with Lacy Rose?” Madison asked.
“If you’re implying something improper, it wasn’t like that.” He paused as if waiting for Madison to object. “I felt for her when Maurice sent her away.”
“It didn’t go beyond that?”
He let out a half-laugh. “Seriously? I’m a happily married man. I know it’s hard to comprehend these days, but it’s the truth.”
Madison tried not to let it show that she bought into the fact that most marriages were doomed to failure. She picked up on where he took the direction of the conversation. “Why would you assume we thought that?”
“It’s the look in your eyes. I see it every day. You’re hungry.” His eyes finished the statement with, and I don’t want you sinking your teeth into me.
“I believe Lacy deserves justice.”
“Please don’t imply that I don’t. If I could help you any more, I would.” He made a move toward the house.
“Did you provide her medical coverage?” Madison asked.
He took a deep breath and passed a glance to Terry. He didn’t answer the question.
“Did you do anything else for her?”
“I helped her out as much as I could. I’m grieved by her death.”
Madison sensed, by the way his eyes softened along with his tone of voice, he felt somehow responsible for Kendal’s rejection. “Does Mr. Kendal know what you’ve done for her?” She had to think his name through. She had almost said Daddy Warbucks.
“Heavens no. He’s a controlling man and thinks he can tell everyone what to do.”
She would come back around to what he referred to when he mentioned helping Lacy out as much as he could. For now, she would steer the questioning down another path. “Did Lacy say if she had problems with anyone?”
“You mean Ralph? All the time. She was going to leave him. I was helping her set up an apartment. I couldn’t give her a position within our company, but I have contacts. She was willing to do whatever it took.”
“Do you think Ralph knew she was leaving him?”
Hargrove sighed heavily. “Lacy had one weakness, she was a true person. She could never hide who she was. If she was angry, you knew. If she was sad, you knew.”
Madison thought back to the limited evidence they had so far. “Was she depressed?”
“She went through a lot of misfortune in her short life. Her mother died three years ago, not that she was much of a mother when she was alive.” He looked at them as if gauging their knowledge.
Madison noticed the corner of a curtain move inside the house. Hargrove’s wife was watching them.
He followed where Madison was looking. “If that will be all.”
“Actually, you mentioned setting up an apartment for Lacy. We’re going to need its location and get a key.”
Hargrove studied them.
“We’re still looking for who did this. If this person knew about the apartment, he might be hiding there. Or, at the very least, we may find some other answers.”
He nodded. “You just catch who did this to her. And if it’s that no good Ralph kid, I might kill him myself.” Hargrove’s voice didn’t fluctuate. They were sincere and he held no shame in them. He pulled out his keys and worked at twisting one off. “And for the record, I only have a key in case Lacy lost hers. I would never allow myself in without her permission.”
Madi
son took the key from him, and he handed her a business card as well.
“It’s apartment three-oh-five in the Luxor Complex.” He started to walk toward the house, stopped and turned around. “If you find a small silver heart pendant on a silver chain, please bring it back to me. It was a gift I gave her.”
“Of course.” Madison looked at Terry. They both knew there was no sign of it where she was buried.
-
Chapter 10
MADISON PARKED THE DEPARTMENT’S CROWN Vic in the underground garage of the Luxor Apartment Complex. In a way, the pompous show of the building reminded her of a man she had recently parted ways with. She should have known it would never have worked out. He defended the guilty while she worked to convict them.
They loaded onto the elevator. Terry pressed the button for the lobby. “I know the sign says apartments, but it should read suites or condos. Lacy really lucked out with this Hargrove guy.”
“Yeah, she lucked out all right. A shallow grave in a backyard.”
“Well, we certainly took what should have been a light conversation somewhere dark.” Terry’s voice held a sulk.
“Guess that’s life. In our world anyway.”
“Wow, someone’s mood has changed.”
She wasn’t going to get into her feelings with him. She didn’t get into them with anyone. Most of the time she preferred to bury them and convince herself that she didn’t care about anything. But if she were being honest, in a quick reflection, she would admit that she was thinking of Blake—even if its length was the blinking of an image. It had been her idea to end things, and for the most part, she accepted it, but she didn’t fall easily, and when she did, she felt duped. The disappointment centered more on her than the failed relationship. She had to preserve herself and her emotions, but how far could she continue to stamp them down?
The elevator doors opened to the lobby, and it was decorated like a fancy hotel. Looking up, the floors curved with the exterior wall and overlooked the space below. A mahogany desk served as the concierge and reception area.
The man behind the counter eyed them with distaste as they approached. He wore a black suit with a brass nameplate over the left breast jacket pocket. It read ANTHONY.
Madison lifted her badge from under her jacket. She kept it on a chain today. “Mr. Hargrove’s apartment, number three-oh-five.”
He angled his head to the side. “Did something happen to—”
“This is a police matter.” She held up the apartment key.
“Okay.” Anthony gave them directions.
They took the elevator instead of walking around the spiraled tiers of the building.
Terry knocked on the door and held his head against it to see if he could hear anything inside. “I’d say it’s clear.”
“Last chance to answer the door. Stiles PD.” No answer. Madison put the key in and unlocked it. She pulled out her gun and bobbed her head toward Terry to inquire if he was ready. If Hennessey were inside, he could be armed.
Terry drew his weapon as two women walked toward them laughing and talking about some guys they had met. When they saw the guns, their eyes widened.
“We’re going to need you go to your apartments,” Madison said. They hurried down the hall and went into a place a few doors down on the left. All talk of guys and overdrinking was forgotten.
Madison turned to Terry. “Ready?” She turned the handle and broke the seal on the door.
Terry went in first and covered her. She crept in behind him and surveyed the entry, taking advantage of the hallway lights. The front foyer had marble flooring, and two marble pillars that separated the dining room and sitting room. Madison closed the door and noticed that light from the moon and city lights seeped in through the windows on the other side of the room. It didn’t do much more than a nightlight would.
She took in the high-end furniture and the decorative pieces that were showcased on tables and bookcases. Some art deco pieces hung on the walls. Large framed prints also accented the walls and complimented the colors of the apartment.
I take it back. She did luck out.
She kept her gun at the ready as they performed a sweep of the apartment.
There was a thump.
Both of them stopped walking. Madison’s heart sped up. Nothing as a cop was routine. Each call was potentially fatal. If a trained officer forgot that in a lapse of poor judgment, it could be their last mistake. She swallowed hard, focused on her job, and tried not to dwell on her mortality.
Another thump.
She held her gun braced with one hand and made signals directing Terry to approach from the opposite side of the door. They’d go in together, backs covered with the wall as they slid around. She mouthed to him, “Ready.”
He nodded.
The door opened to a small laundry room. The dryer was running and the clothes inside tossed noisily against the drum.
She holstered her gun. “We didn’t miss him by much.”
Terry slipped on a glove and opened the dryer. “Men’s clothing.”
Madison was sickened by the thought that a man who Lacy had cared for took over a life that was to be hers. But she was used to seeing this in the world around her. People cast aside as garbage when their usefulness expired. She would make sure Hennessey would pay for the crime. Her thoughts stalled there—if he were guilty. She was starting to think like her superiors—if the suspect fit a stereotype, he was the culprit.
They made their way into the bedroom. The bed was unmade and the sheets were strewn. Madison would guess it had been slept in recently. On the nightstand, Madison noticed a white residue and a small razor blade. She pointed it out to Terry.
“The guy seriously isn’t that smart is he?”
They performed a sweep of the rest of the place. “Well, if Hennessey was here, he’s not now,” Madison said.
“But I’d place a bet he’s coming back.”
She smiled. “You have to bet on something all the time don’t you?”
He shrugged.
“This time it won’t work ’cause we’d be making the same bet. He wouldn’t leave his score out there and—”
The apartment door opened and closed.
She pressed an index finger to her lips to silence Terry. He was already braced for action.
They made their way down the hallway. The front foyer light came on. They rounded the bend.
“Stiles PD! Put your hands up!” Both of them had their guns drawn.
There was a loud pitched scream. A young lady of about twenty stood there. Her foundation was heavily applied and a shade darker than her natural skin tone. Her greasy black hair was pulled back into a ponytail. She was pale and had a small, skeletal frame.
Madison and Terry placed their guns back in their holsters. Madison conducted a quick search of her.
“What’s your name?” Madison asked.
The lady still had her arms in the air.
Madison motioned for her to relax.
“Rebecca Scheibe. Ralph said it would be all right for me to come here.”
All Madison could think was his girlfriend wasn’t even dead an entire month and he was onto another one. He probably slept with both women when Lacy was alive. And maybe there were more. It usually wasn’t a very loyal world among the cockroaches.
“This is Ralph’s place?” Madison played along with the girl.
Rebecca tucked a cheek into a shoulder and rubbed it there. “You’re here. You tell me.” The initial shock of running into cops had transformed into a defensive stance.
“How long have you known Ralph?”
“Met him this afternoon. He gave me this.” She held up a brass key, fingered it, and slipped it back into a jean pocket.
“He’s meeting up with you here?”
“Yeah. I guess so.”
&n
bsp; There was a knock on the door.
Rebecca turned as if she were going to answer it.
“Stop there,” Madison said. “Don’t open the door.” Madison motioned her to the peephole. Rebecca glanced out, reaching it only by balancing on her tiptoes.
“Is it Ralph?” Madison asked.
She nodded.
Terry moved around in front of Rebecca and directed her away from the door. Terry needed to open the door in such a way that Hennessey wouldn’t see them and bolt, or retaliate and put Rebecca’s life in danger.
“Is someone in there with you, baby? You’ve got a surprise for me?”
Madison rounded the bend to the hallway. Terry opened the door and slipped behind it so Hennessey only saw Rebecca.
Hennessey moved toward her and Terry came up behind and grabbed both his arms, snapping the cuffs on him.
“What the fuck?” Hennessey pulled on his arms and his eyes fired rage at Rebecca. “You.”
Terry riffled through Hennessey’s pockets and pulled out a baggie of white powder. He dangled it in front of Hennessey’s face, yet spoke to Madison. “Like I told you. Not too smart at all. We’re taking this party downtown.”
-
Chapter 11
THEY TOOK HENNESSEY AND REBECCA downtown and both were sitting in an interrogation room. The apartment at Luxor was cordoned off with an officer guarding the door. Crime Scene was called in for evidence collection in relation to drugs and anything that might confirm Hennessey’s involvement with Lacy’s death and burial—besides an opportunistic coincidence.
Hennessey sat back in the chair, one arm slung over a side of it. He had a thick chest and didn’t carry any extra weight on his frame. “She made me do it.”
“Rebecca made you kill and bury Lacy?” Madison asked the question, mocking his cavalier attitude.
Terry stood by the door with his arms crossed. He had that look where his jaw appeared tight and something in his eyes communicated not to mess with him.
Found Innocent Page 4