Sailing into Death (CJ Washburn, PI Book 2)

by James Paddock

  "I think we should get you out of the sun," she said.

  "Yeah, maybe."

  They watched DuPont leave the EMS techs to talk to a uniformed officer and then go into the building. After a short time he came out, Josh on his heel, both heading toward CJ and Stella. Detective Gorky came out right behind them, cell phone pressed to his ear, heading for the uniformed cop DuPont had talked to minutes before.

  "It appears the brown stuff is hitting the fan," CJ said.

  "Yes it does," Stella said.

  When Josh and DuPont stopped before them, CJ said to his son, "You take over the scene and then immediately lose the only witness."

  "Knock it off, Dad. It's nothing new for a witness to wander off, head injury and all of that. The locals will find him quick enough, I'm sure."

  "Not if he doesn't want to be found."

  "What're you saying?" DuPont said.

  "I've had a lot of time to stand here and think through what took place when we arrived and everything we saw. When we first entered the apartment, what did you see?"

  DuPont considered the question for a few seconds and then said, "Man on the floor, bloody head and face, conscious, table on its side, broken glass and sea shells scattered about the dining area, window open, dead woman in bedroom with what appeared to be a gunshot to the head."

  "No gun?"

  "Perp obviously took it with him."

  "Why would you think he'd leave the gun behind?" Josh said to his dad. "Looks rather straight forward, if you ask me."

  "That's what's bugging me. It's too straight forward, too obvious. I think you're seeing what the perp wants you to see."

  "But you're seeing something else?" DuPont said.

  "Maybe. Let's take a look at those pictures you took," CJ said.

  Seconds later Stella was holding DuPont's phone so that he could scroll through the pictures with his free hand. "What are we looking for?" DuPont said.

  CJ pointed to one of the kitchen. "I'm sure if this is blown up you'll see that water is running in the kitchen sink."

  "Yeah. I eventually turned it off."

  "Do you recall seeing water on the floor, like someone got their hands wet and then dripped? Don't know if the photo will show that, but I did see it."

  "That I don't remember." DuPont said

  "And then there's the towel on the floor."

  "What about it?"

  "I'm sure it's important, but don't know how just yet. Still trying to think this through. Show me the rest of the pictures."

  One by one DuPont scrolled through them, slowing at those of the table on its side, the shells and broken glass, and the open window. He kept scrolling.

  "Stop there," CJ said when DuPont got to a photo of the entertainment center in the living room. "Why did you take that one?"

  "You have to shoot everything because you don't often know until later what's important."

  CJ analyzed it for several seconds and then said, "This just might be one of those that becomes important. See the decorative vases displayed along the top. First, you can't see the bottom two or three inches of the vases, meaning the there's a depression that they set down into. Second, note how one of them seems out of place, like it's been moved three or four inches. From what I saw of the rest of the apartment's décor, Eveleen wouldn't have tolerated something out of place. She liked balance and symmetry." He tapped the face of DuPont's phone with a finger nail. "I think that's where you're going to find the gun and most likely an under-the-arm holster."

  "I don't..." DuPont said.

  "I do," Josh said. "If you're right, Dad, great catch."

  "And if I'm right there is likely no prints on it because the perp used a kitchen towel to wipe it down and then threw the towel toward the kitchen, not having the time to stow it away properly with us about to come through the door."

  "But why would he escape out the window and leave his weapon behind?" DuPont said.

  "Because he couldn't take a chance getting caught with it," Josh said. "Chances are the police wouldn't think there'd be a reason to do that kind of search and he'd be able to return for it at some later time, like in the middle of the night, tonight. If the police are smart enough to discover it, he's wiped it clean and all he loses is his gun."

  "You might be right, Josh, but I don't think so," CJ said. "The running faucet and the water on the floor have to be significant. Parker, show me the picture you took of Ed Hall before he got up from the floor."

  DuPont exchanged looks with Josh and then scrolled back to the beginning, to the very first picture. "Okay. What?"

  "Two things here. Can you blow up closer to his face? You can do that on this thing, can't you?"

  DuPont did so. "That better?"

  "Perfect. First make note of the fact that he's quite alert. This is also how he looked when we first rushed in. He eyes were open and it'd been less than thirty seconds since we heard the crash, maybe only fifteen seconds."

  "So he should have seen the perp throw the gun on top of the entertainment center before he went out the window. He didn't say anything to me about that."

  "See how wet his face is? At first I thought it was sweat, and then I thought it was sweat and tears, but now I'm not so sure. I think that's what he wanted us to believe, that he was sweaty from being worked over by the perp and crying over the death of his girlfriend. I believe it was a big performance."

  "You're thinking Ed Hall did this and then set it up to look like someone else?"

  "You're getting closer, Parker." CJ nodded his head, getting excited. "Zoom out."

  When DuPont had it so that everyone could see the entire picture, CJ pointed to Ed Hall's shirt. "Note the buttons. Only the top two are buttoned. The bottom two-thirds of the shirt is hanging open."

  "And this means?"

  "He took off the shirt in order to remove the holster he had hidden underneath. He then threw the gun and holster on top of the entertainment center after wiping off his prints; again, the towel in the kitchen. Somewhere in it all he stopped to throw water on his face, not getting the faucet totally shut off. Probably knowing that the door was unlocked, he understood that we would bust in it at anytime. He had three things left to do and that was, button up his shirt, setup the window for his faked escape and then bash his own head in so that he'd look like another victim."

  "That doesn't make any sense," Josh said. "Why didn't he just open the window quietly, step out and walk away while you guys stood outside the door suspecting no one was home?"

  "That's a very good question, Agent Washburn," CJ said, looking up at the sky, thinking. "Yes, a very good question. Why didn't he just run. Right from the beginning I felt something was off with the whole picture, but with my stomach boiling at the time, I couldn't put my finger on it. Until now anyway, when he just slipped away. That's what got me to looking at him a little closer."

  He turned his eyes back at Josh.

  "Maybe that was his intent, to exit out the window and then quietly close it behind him." CJ held up a finger. "Ah," he said.

  "What?" Josh said.

  "How far open was the window?"

  "Maybe a third, if that much," Parker said.

  "I don't think he could have gotten out that window with it open only that much, or it would have been a struggle. Is it by chance stuck?"

  "Good question."

  "If it is, that's why he couldn't run, and in his haste at trying to force it he knocked against the table. The fishbowl full of shells hit the floor. He became desperate and had to change his plan on the fly. He had already hidden the gun with intentions of coming back for it later, so he ran into the kitchen, threw water on his face and then ran headfirst at the edge of the kitchen counter. By the time we entered, he was on the floor moaning and bleeding. We did exactly what he wanted. We formed initial conclusions and I, like an idiot, instead of asking who he was, asked him if he was Ed Hall."

  "A basic rule of interrogation," Josh said. "Never suggest an answer within the fram
ework of your question."

  "Exactly! And I should have known better."

  "He grabbed a hold of that answer like a drowning man to a life ring," Dupont said. "That was not Ed Hall."

  "I'll be willing to put twenty bucks on it," CJ said. Suddenly it was like a light went on. He rolled his head back to look up at the sky and added, "I'll be damned!"

  "What?" Josh said.

  "I should have knew the instant we entered the apartment that that wasn't Eddie Hall. Where the hell was my head?"

  "Why?"

  "Hall was Ms. Danohough's boyfriend, or that's what we've been led to believe. The guy we just allowed to walk away was in his mid-thirties."

  "Unless Danohough liked them young," DuPont said.

  "I doubt it," CJ said. "God, I was an idiot! I'm sure forensics will find skin, hair and/or blood on the edge of a counter. With that you'll have DNA."

  "He may have wiped down the weapon and holster," DuPont said, "but he touched a lot more than that. Somewhere in that apartment we also have his fingerprints."

  With that DuPont took off toward Detective Gorky while Josh headed back into the crime scene.

  "You're welcome!" CJ called after them.

  He and Stella remained leaning against the car. "I'm mightily impressed, Clint," Stella said. "There is no way I would have seen all of that and then put it all together."

  "Sometimes I even surprise myself. I'm still irked I didn't pick up on the age difference right off."

  "And this is the guy who less than eight weeks ago, after I left a voicemail, an email, and a note in his refrigerator, couldn't figure out that I went to Albuquerque to visit my sister. He thought I was murdered and dumped in a dumpster."

  CJ emptied the last remaining ounce from his water bottle. "No comment."

  Chapter 28

  The entire McGee family was on duty at the pub when CJ, Stella and Parker walked in. Hannah came right over to them.

  "Is Rebecca here?" CJ said.

  "Aye, she is. Refuses to be alone so came in with us. In the office. You can go on back. You know your way."

  As they filed past the grill, Paddy intercepted them.

  "Good to see you again, Mister Washburn. Have there been more developments?"

  "Yes, and I need to tell you and your sister together."

  Paddy looked between the three of them.

  "This is Detective DuPont," CJ added.

  Paddy nodded his understanding and then turned to lead the way.

  When they entered the office, Rebecca was sitting behind her brother's desk, feet tucked underneath her, eyes closed, a magazine flopped open in her lap. As Paddy pulled a chair forward for Stella, Rebecca jerked awake. She blinked her eyes a couple of times, seeming to be a bit irritated at her privacy being invaded.

  "Mister Washburn has something to tell us, Becca," Paddy said.

  With Paddy's announcement, she swung her feet to the floor and sat up as though preparing for more bad news, showing a bit of surprise at seeing Detective DuPont. She set the magazine on the desk, directed her attention at CJ, and waited.

  Seeing the sorrow reflecting heavily in Rebecca's eyes, CJ turned to Stella as though searching for words he couldn't come up with. Stella grimaced then leaned forward and took Rebecca's hand. "Becca. We have more terrible news."

  Rebecca dropped her eyes from CJ to Stella.

  "Eveleen is dead."

  As though someone let the air out of her, Rebecca seemed to deflate in the chair. Stella jumped forward to prop her up, afraid she was going to fall to the floor.

  "Holy Mother of God!" Paddy said. "How? Why?" He stepped up behind the chair and attempted to put his arms around his sister. "They got to her, didn't they?"

  "Yes," Parker said. "We're very sorry. I need to ask you...." He held out his cell phone with one of the pictures he had taken. "Is this Ed Hall?"

  Rebecca looked and shook her head.

  "No," Paddy said. "That's not Eddie."

  "Do either of you know who this is?"

  They shook their heads.

  "Never seen him before," Paddy said.

  "I don't recognize him," Rebecca said, her words barely above a whisper.

  "Is that who killed her?" Paddy asked.

  "He is certainly a suspect. He played a rather good con when we showed up, pretending to be Eddie Hall and a victim in the crime that was committed against Ms. Danohough."

  "Then where is Eddie?" Rebecca said. "He wasn't with her?"

  "The police are looking for him," CJ said.

  "We found an address for him in Apollo Beach," Parker said, "however, it was bogus, non-existent. Do you know where he lives?"

  Rebecca shook her head. "I don't know, but..."

  "But what?"

  "I thought he lived in Clearwater."

  "On Fox Hill Dr. by chance?"

  "I don't know."

  Parker looked at Paddy.

  "I've no idea," Paddy said. "Only met the chap formally once, though he's been in the pub a number of times."

  Parker pulled out his phone and made a call. "Don, Parker here. I might have some more info on Eddie Hall."

  Silence prevailed while the detective listened.

  "Oh! Good. You're ahead of me then. What was the address?" Everyone looked at him. "Figures. Keep me up to speed if you would. Thanks."

  Parker put his phone away. "He was located at his home in Clearwater about twenty minutes ago. Clearwater police are sitting on him until the Feds arrive."

  "How long would it take to get there?" CJ asked.

  "Detective Gorky said it was north Clearwater. Probably about forty-five minutes if traffic is decent."

  "He give you the address?"

  "He did. It just happens that we had the address correct but in the wrong city."

  "Fox Hill Drive in Clearwater, not Apollo Beach," Stella said. "How bizarre."

  "We can't go near it, though," Parker said. "It belongs to the Feds now. I'm starting to get a bit tired of being pushed off the bus."

  "But you're with me," CJ said, "and I have my own bus plus a relationship with someone on the Fed bus. Ed Hall was close to Ms. Danohough, thus she may have divulged some of her history to him. My interviewing him is within the realm of my investigation, wouldn't you think?"

  "As a detective in the heat of my own investigation, I'd tell you to stay away. As your consultant and off duty detective in a case I'm now only on the fringe of, I'd say, hell yes, it's well within your scope."

  They answered a few questions concerning how Ms. Danohough was killed, again expressed their condolences even though Rebecca was not all that close to her mother-in-law, and took their leave.

  They sat in silence in the car waiting for the air conditioner to pull the temperature down while Stella loaded the GPS with the correct address. When finally she pulled out onto the street, CJ said over his shoulder to Parker, "How do you feel about this coincidence between Apollo Beach and Clearwater?"

  "Coincidence?"

  "The address listed for Ed Hall."

  "Hadn't thought too hard about it yet, though I'm sure there's something there."

  "Where did you wind up getting the Apollo Beach address?" CJ said.

  "From the business license records. Since Danohough and Hall were partners, they both had addresses on file."

  "That's what I figured. Here's what I'm thinking. Originally, when the two of them opened Coffee Bean Boutique, Eddie lived in Apollo Beach. Sometime between then and now he moved to Clearwater."

  Parker considered that for a moment. "Why was the address listed on the business license still Apollo Beach?"

  "My guess is that he made the address change to the county but somewhere along the way, whether his error or the county's, the street address was updated, but the city wasn't. It's not all that unusual."

  "Of course."

  "I assume you see the big picture significance of that."

  "Big picture?" Parker said. "What do you mean?"

  "I see it,"
Stella said.

  CJ grinned at her. "Share, if you would."

  "It means that Ed Hall had a home in Apollo Beach, likely a waterfront home."

  "Right!" Parker said from the backseat. "Right! He may actually still own that home, or sold it to someone in UIRA."

  "Which means that that may be the location Douglas had yet to pass to Agent Taffer, where weapons are being warehoused."

  "It also means that Eddie Hall may be a player in the big picture."

  Parked behind a Clearwater police cruiser was the dark gray Dodge Charger that Stella and CJ had seen plenty of in the last twenty-four-plus hours. She stopped the car behind it.

  "Feds beat us here," CJ said.

  "You think they've put it together?"

  "I'm assuming that the two Feds inside are Agent Coulter and my son," CJ said. "I have no reason to doubt Coulter's deductive skills. My son may be green, but he has good instincts. I'd give them fifty-fifty at this point. They might need a little push."

  They climbed out of the car and CJ added, "On further thought, just the fact that they're here tells me they've figured something out or they're at least suspecting something."

  As they approached the door, a Clearwater uniformed cop stepped out. "What's your business here?"

  Parker presented his badge. "From St. Pete. This is related to one of our cases."

  The cop looked at Parker's slung and casted arm and shook his head. "Sorry detective. FBI has this locked down. Can't allow you to go in."

  CJ stepped forward. "Could you get word to one of the agents, Special Agent Coulter, or Special Agent Washburn, that we're here. I'm sure they'll make an exception. Washburn may actually be expecting us."

  The cop gave them all a long look and then went in.

  "You're making a big assumption, CJ," Parker said. "They could just throw you out on your ear."

  "But not until Josh gives me a face-to-face reprimand. You're taking a bit of a chance yourself, making like you're on duty and actually on this case. I thought for a minute that the cop made you."

  "Yeah, well, I've been on the captain's shit-list for some time. What's he going to do, put me on his shittier than shit list?"