****
Sin was restless. When he awoke for the third time that evening it was nearly sunrise, and Nedra’s side of the bed was empty. He found her sitting on the patio, wrapped in a comforter, curled up on the lounge chair they had shared the night before. It was cool outside as the early morning fog engulfed the Bay.
“The sun will be coming up soon and I wanted to see it,” she told him, lifting the cover, silently inviting him to join her.
Sin slipped beneath the inviting warmth of the down comforter. “I thought sunset was your favorite time of day.”
“It is, but sunrise is the beginning of a new day and sunset is the end. I woke up and decided that I wanted to experience the entire spectrum today.”
“Even knowing what might be in-between?”
“Whatever’s between dawn and dusk will be just fine as long as we face it together.”
Her words warmed Sin’s soul. “There’s no way I could get through this without you.”
“Then don’t try. And while we’re out here, why don’t we generate some heat.”
Nedra pulled the cover up over their heads just as the sun began to rise. They missed it.
****
The jangling of the telephone from inside the room startled Nedra and Sin awake. As they emerged from their self imposed cocoon still intimately joined, the sun hit them full force.
Nedra yawned. “What time is it?”
“I know its past dawn,” Sin quipped.
“Well then, good morning.” They shared a quick kiss.
The telephone rang again. Slowly, they peeled themselves apart and entered the bedroom. Nedra headed for the shower. Sin went to answer the call. Ray was on the other end.
“Man, where are you? James and I are parked downstairs waiting. You said you’d be down in the lobby at ten o’clock.”
Sin glanced at the bedside clock. It was a quarter after.
“Sorry. It was a long night. Come on up.”
Jumping into the shower with his wife, he washed quickly and was still dressing when his friends knocked at the door. He led them into the sitting room.
“We told our wives that we’d drop Nedra off at the houseboat,” Ray told him. “Bev said that they’re driving to the wine country today. Is she ready?”
“She’s getting there.” Sin went back into the bedroom.
When they emerged together to join the men, James had some news for them.
“I remembered that I had Nate’s old laptop computer in one of the closets at home. I was telling Ray that the notes Nate typed on his investigation of Colton Cameron might still be on the hard drive.”
“Do you know how to retrieve it?” Sin asked eagerly.
James nodded. “Yes, and I put the laptop in my car trunk. I’ve just got to find the time and place to work on it when Dana isn’t around.”
“We were hoping we could come back to your room,” Ray said.
“Of course you can.” Sin glanced at his wife for silent confirmation.
“Good.” Ray massaged the worry lines on his handsome face. “We’ll drop Nedra off and come back here, while our wives think we’re out playing golf.”
More deception, Nedra thought sadly. Unfortunately, it was necessary. “By the way, James, how are you and Dana doing?”
“I’ll just say that the fight was painful, but the makeup was terrific.” He winked, eliciting knowing smiles.
CHAPTER 8
“It’s not on the hard drive.” James shut the computer down and closed his late partner’s laptop before turning to Sin and Ray. They looked disappointed.
“Back to square one,” said Sin.
“There’s still the hair sample when it arrives,” Ray reassured him, not sure whether that was good news or not. If the DNA match was positive then the undisputable fact that Carlton Cameron was still alive would have to be faced. He wasn’t looking forward to the prospect. Whatever was uncovered, as far as he was concerned, Colton would always be dead. Anything different would never be shared with his wife and step-daughter. But he wasn’t in this alone.
“What are you going to do if the sample matches your DNA?” he asked Sin.
That question had reverberated in Sin’s head repeatedly since this can of worms was opened. He still didn’t have an answer.
“I really don’t know.”
“Well, I know what I’d like to do if the two of you are okay with it,” James interjected. “I know you said it was a no go for me, but I’d like to send one of my men to the prison to talk to Russell Ingram.”
“What would be the point?” Ray snarled. “I’m sorry I brought his name up. I really don’t think he’s going to confess to a stranger that he was supposed to kill his boss and didn’t do it.”
“Actions speak louder than words,” James persisted. It’s not the words that we’ll be looking for. It’s his reaction to the accusation.”
Sin understood. “In law enforcement, just as in your profession, Ray, it’s the silent cues that often say the most.”
All it takes is keen observation,” James agreed. “But, since I’ve been grounded…” He paused to glare at the men accusingly. “I’d like to assign a man to follow up on this. His name is Lamont Madison. He’s been with Webb Starr since the beginning, and next to me, he’s the best man I’ve got. He’ll get the job done.”
“Exactly what will he do?” Ray was still skeptical about the proposal.
James explained. “He’ll go to the prison, look Ingram in the eye and tell him that he knows that he didn’t kill Charles “Moody” Lake like he was supposed to do. Then he’ll observe his reaction, because we know Ingram is going to say he doesn’t know what he’s talking about.”
“You think?” Ray spat sarcastically.
James continued. “Then my man will tell him that he’s sure that’s information Ingram wouldn’t mind being spread around. Who wouldn’t want people to know something like that? Afterward my man will report what happened back to me.”
“It’s a unique approach, I’ll say that.” Ray gave a frustrated sigh. “But none of it will prove a thing! I say forget it. Let’s wait for the hair sample to arrive.”
James upped the ante. “I’ve got a contact inside the prison who could get Lamont inside to see Ingram today. We’d know before the sun sets how Ingram reacted.”
That piqued Sin’s interest. “Today? I like the turnaround, but it’s still a wild card. Like Ray said, I’m not sure it will prove anything.”
“Listen, I know it might not seem like much, but it could be another piece of the puzzle solved. Either he killed the man or he didn’t.” James wanted to do all that he could to help give his friends peace of mind.
Ray was apprehensive. “I don’t like bringing anybody else in on this.”
“I would be sending an employee to conduct a professional investigation like the other ones my company conducts every day. None of your names will be used. Lamont will be doing a job for a client. That’s what he gets paid for.” James paused, giving them a second to think about what he was saying. “So, should I place the calls?”
Taking his cell phone from his pocket, he held it up expectantly. Sin and Ray exchanged a look of silent agreement. Sin nodded.
“Go ahead. What can it hurt?”
****
Nedra was chosen the designated driver as she and her cousins toured some of the wineries in Napa Valley. This limited her wine sampling, but allowed Bev and Dana to indulge liberally. By late afternoon, they were feeling pretty good.
Relaxing in the exquisite garden of the day’s last winery, the ladies dined on cheese and crackers, washed down with several glasses of chilled Chablis. Conversation was nonstop and so was the laughter.
“I whipped it on James so good last night that he could hardly walk, let alone think about boarding a plane to fly off to New York,” Dana bragged. “I couldn’t believe that he was going to ruin this week for us. I’ve been looking forward to this for so long.”
“I know
I wouldn’t be happy if Ray decided to work,” said Bev.
Dana saluted her sister’s good judgment with a glass of wine. “What about you, Nedra. What would you do if Sin decided to go off to work after we’ve made all of these plans?”
“I’d go with him,” she answered smoothly.
Dana looked doubtful. “Oh, please! Like you go along with everything he does. You two would probably fight about it just like we did. All married couples fight.”
“Of course we fight, but I choose my battles carefully. Everything is not worth arguing about.”
“That’s true,” Bev conceded. “But I disagree with you, Dana, about all married couples fighting. I know my first husband and I never fought.”
Nedra tried to look indifferent at the mention of Colton Cameron. Since Bev had opened the door, she wanted to charge through it with a barrage of questions, but she was hesitant. Would too many inquiries from her seem out of the ordinary?
She was a child when Bev married Colton. Nedra lived in Kansas City with her mother, while Bev and her husband lived in Chicago, so she never met the man. Although she had heard about him many times from both Bev and Darnell, she couldn’t remember whether she had ever asked any questions about him. That was about to change.
“I’m not surprised that you’re saying that you and Colton never fought,” Dana quipped. “According to you he was a saint.”
“He might not have been canonized, but he was a saint as far as I was concerned. And, whether you believe it or not, we didn’t fight.” Popping a slice of cheese in her mouth, she gave Dana a triumphant smirk.
“What kind of man was Colton?” Nedra asked with measured curiosity.
Bev looked pensive. “He was sweet and kind, considerate and loving.”
“He sounds like Ray to me,” Dana observed.
“He does.” Bev looked thoughtful. “I’m really a lucky woman to have been loved so completely by not one, but two wonderful men.”
“Yes you are.” Nedra agreed. She had been loved by only one man in her life like that and knew it could be all consuming. “You know I’ve heard you talk about your first husband before, but from what I’ve been told nobody in our family ever met him.”
“And if I remember correctly, Mama and Daddy weren’t happy about that,” Dana recalled.
Nedra proceeded with caution. “What did he look like, Bev? I know that Darnell has the only picture ever taken of him, but I’ve never seen it.”
“I remember him as being a giant, but actually he was about six feet tall, give or take an inch. He had this smooth, medium brown complexion and his hair was black.” She paused straining to remember. “Or maybe it was dark brown. Anyway, I thought he was the finest thing walking. He had the kindest eyes, with the longest lashes, sort of like Sinclair’s.”
Nedra tried not to react to that comment as she continued to push. “Do you know where he was from? Did you ever meet his family?”
Bev shook her head in the negative. “I don’t recall if he told me where he was from.” She paused to think. “I do remember that he was an orphan. His parents died when he was a child. He spent most of his youth moving from one foster home to another.”
If what Bev was saying was correct, Nedra surmised that Colton’s life mirrored that of Sin’s.
“Do you think that you two would still be married if he had lived?” Dana inquired. Being from an extended family where divorces were rare, she was sensitive about her many failed marriages.
“How can I answer that? I was a girl when we got married—a girl who believed in happily ever after. A lot of time has passed between then and now. I’m a different person. If he had lived he’d be a completely different person too. So, who knows?”
If he had lived, he’d be a completely different person… The words sent chills straight through Nedra.
CHAPTER 9
Seventy miles from New York City was a small hamlet that housed the state Federal Correctional Institution in which Russell Ingram was serving his time. The facility had originally been built as a sanitarium and was later turned into a reform school for boys. Eventually ending up as a prison facility for men, the sprawling 1300 acre complex was located in mountainous countryside, whose perimeter was patrolled by officers on horseback.
When Russell was told that he had an unexpected visitor, he took it for granted that it was his attorney. He had been working on his appeal for a while and the odds for success were uncertain. Walking into the visiting room, he was looking for a familiar face. Instead, he saw a stranger.
Lamont Madison had received the call from his boss a mere three hours ago. He wasted no time following his directive and was more than ready to utilize the keen observational skills he had honed over the years.
One of the guards signaled him that the medium height man with the neatly trimmed goatee was Russell Ingram. Standing, Lamont inclined his head, silently beckoning Russell to his table. The inmate hesitated, uncertainty and confusion clouding his face. Yet unable to stem his curiosity, he walked across the room to the man. Lamont held out his hand.
“Mr. Ingram. I’m Lamont Madison. Good to meet you.”
Glancing at his outstretched hand, Russell didn’t accept the gesture of greeting. That didn’t deter Lamont. Forcing his hand into the inmate’s hand, he shook it.
“Have a seat, please.” Lamont sat down and looked up at him expectantly. Russell remained standing, staring down at the short, bespectacled stranger as if he had a disease.
“Who are you? Are you from my attorney’s office?”
Lamont smiled, looking deceptively innocent. “No, I’m not.”
“Then what are you doing here? I don’t know you.”
“I was sent by someone who is interested in you, Mr. Ingram.”
His words had the expected result. Intrigued, Russell dropped into the seat across from him.
“What are you talking about? Who’s interested in me?”
“The person who asked me to come here wanted me to ask you a question.”
Russell was amused. Who was this clown? Dressed in a store bought suit and a cheap tie, he looked like a college professor, or an undertaker, or better still—”
“What are you, a cop?”
Lamont responded with a deep throat chuckle. “No, I’m not.”
Russell’s mind raced. What was this about?
Years ago, when he was arrested, the prosecutor tried to bring all sort of charges against him, including conspiracy to commit murder. His overpaid attorney had seen to it that the only charge that stuck was embezzlement. He had no problem serving time for that one. It was a mere slap on the wrist compared to what could have been. His years of service to the drug cartel had resulted in his having committed crimes of which the state of New York was totally unaware, or so he thought. He wondered if the authorities had gotten wind of some of his transgressions. Were they trying to trap him into some kind of confession? If so, couldn’t they do better than send a twerp like this to the prison to do the job?
His look was lethal. “Who are you? What do you want?”
“I told you my name, Mr. Ingram.” Lamont leaned forward. He could see by Russell’s body language that he was a little too close for comfort as he looked the inmate in his eyes. Lamont’s voice was low and even as he repeated exactly what he had been told to say, ending with, “Since you didn’t murder the man, I’m sure that’s information you won’t mind being spread around. Who wouldn’t want people to know that they’re innocent of something like that?”
Lamont Madison spent exactly twenty minutes in the visiting room with Russell Ingram. It had taken him longer to drive roundtrip to the prison; but, when he left the facility he had the answer to the question that he had been told to ask. As soon as the prison gates closed behind him Lamont withdrew his cell phone, and dialed his boss, James Starr.
****
Russell Ingram returned to his jail cell. From his stoic demeanor, no one would have guessed how upset he was about the bizarre
visit. Someone was trying to trap him into confessing about the last murder he would have suspected anyone to question. He had been certain that the death of Moody Lake would never come up again. The authorities had accepted that demise as an accident. There was no evidence to the contrary, but had the inquiry from the stranger come from them? If so, he could handle that. But what if it was the cartel that sent Madison? If so, he was in real trouble.
Later that day, Russell made a phone call. Because he knew that the sources of communication in the prison were bugged he and his outside contacts had devised a series of clandestine code words meant to illicit specific actions. The call was to a business associate, Hamilton Richmond, and the conversation with Ham was simple.
“I had a visit from Lamont Madison today,” he said nonchalantly.
“Oh?” Ham answered, as if he knew who he was talking about. “How did it go?”
“It was short. We talked about old times when Moody Lake was alive and all the good times we had together.”
“Has Lamont changed much?”
“No, he still wears his hair cut close to that square face of his. There’s a little more gray sprinkled through it now, so it’s not as black as it used to be. Those glasses he wears are a little thicker. Remember how the women loved those green eyes of his? Now they don’t look that good. He really needs to change those black rims. They make him look like a cricket, but you know he never was stylish. He needs to stop buying off the rack. The man reminded me of an undertaker, with that cheap suit he had on. Still, I’m glad he thought enough of me to come out here from New York City to say hello.”
The message was as clear as the description—find out who Lamont Madison was and why he was interested in Russell and the late Moody Lake. Hamilton Richmond disconnected and got to work.
****
“He said that Ingram didn’t bat an eye when he was asked the question,” James relayed to Nedra and Sin as they talked on the telephone. “He showed no visible reaction at all. He didn’t say a word. He simply got up from his chair and left the room.”
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