by Blake Pierce
“We understand it wasn’t a one-time thing,” DeMarco said. “What happened after that first encounter?”
“It was two weeks later. Someone knocked on my door at home, at six or seven in the afternoon. It was Missy. She’d only come because she knew my wife was out of town on business. She said she’d been thinking about what we had done, but not in a shameful way. She said it made her excited when she thought about it. I agreed. And that was the second time it happened. When it was over, we decided to try to make a run of it…an affair, in secret of course.”
This infuriated Kate but she had to remind herself that not everyone held the same set of morals she did. So she tried to keep things as civil as possible by asking: “Did you have no qualms about sleeping with a married woman?”
“Oh no, I did. We nearly ended it several times. Guilt finally caught up with both of us. It almost ended several times but…I think after several months we both started to understand that it was becoming something more than just a physical relationship. And that’s when she truly got scared.”
“Did she ever talk about leaving Jack for you?” Kate asked.
“A few times.” He paused here, clearly uncomfortable, and then added: “You have to understand, I don’t enjoy sharing this…especially in light of what happened. But I was ready to leave my wife for her. To answer your question…yes, I think if she didn’t have kids with him, she would have left him.”
“And would you have taken her?” Kate asked.
‘I believe I would have. I have no problem admitting to myself that I was starting to fall in love with her.”
“Was there any conflict when it came to an end?”
“No. She said she knew if we kept doing it, she’d let her feelings override her logic and she’d get caught. And she did not want to put her kids through that.”
“And you just let it end?” DeMarco asked. “Just like that?”
“Yes. Look…I’m not proud of the affair. And while I still have strong feelings for her and I enjoyed our time together…I’m not a big enough asshole to be the man that causes a family to deteriorate.”
Kate believed him but was still not confident in the fact that he was innocent. If he did indeed still have feelings for Missy, that alone would give him motivation to kill her husband.
“Mr. Blake, do you own any guns?” she asked.
“No. I used to. Actually, it was my first wife’s. She hated to have it, but she claimed it made her feel safe. She took it with her when she left.”
“Have you ever fired one?” DeMarco asked.
“Sure. My father was into hunting. We spent one week each summer for about three years or so in a cabin in Maine, hunting deer. But that was when I was like thirteen or so. I don’t think I’ve even touched a gun since then.” He seemed to understand where the line of questioning was leading; a look of sour disgust came over his face. “Are you seriously considering the fact that I killed Jack?”
“Given your recent history with his wife, you understand how we would have to at least consider the option,” Kate said.
He nodded, though the look on his face indicated that he felt offended. “So long as you can keep the news of the affair away from his family and those closest to them, you’re welcome to look into whatever you need. My home, my phone, whatever. I’ll cooperate within reason.”
“We appreciate that,” Kate said. Before getting up, one last thing came to her. She was thinking of small towns like Ashton and the process of gossip being spread. “I can’t tell you how we found out about the affair,” she said. “But is there anyone you know of that would have known about it?”
“Well, I think Patricia, the secretary you encountered out front, was suspicious. But she never actually knew. And I certainly never told anyone. I can’t say for certain who Missy told.”
With that, Kate finally allowed herself to stand. DeMarco, apparently having no further questions either, did the same.
“We appreciate your time and honesty,” Kate said. She then handed him her business card and added: “But if you are keeping anything from us that you just can’t bring yourself to admit, please call me if you decided to come clean. Any potential sources of new information for this case would be extremely helpful.”
“I give you my word that I’ve told you everything.”
Kate only nodded as she took her leave. As she and DeMarco walked through the workspace and to the doors beyond, the secretary eyed them suspiciously. She gave them a hesitant wave goodbye as they headed through the doors.
Back out on the street, DeMarco’s entire mood seemed to change instantly. Her shoulders slumped and she was looking down to the ground.
“DeMarco? You okay?” Kate asked.
“No. I think he was telling the truth. So if we want to know if there was anyone else that might have known about the affair, I know who we have to ask next. And it sucks.”
“I know,” Kate said, and left it that.
They got into the car and headed out of the city in silence. And the closer they got back toward Ashton, the heavier that silence became.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
As they drew closer to the Tucker residence, Kate noticed that DeMarco seemed to be growing more and more anxious. As they turned onto the street Missy Tucker lived on, DeMarco pulled out her cell phone. Kate listened with a heavy heart as DeMarco spoke to the director of Ashton’s only funeral home.
It hurt Kate to hear the conversation—almost as much as the fact that she knew that DeMarco would soon grow out of this uneasiness. Soon, she’d learn to roll with these sorts of punches…to be able to put common decency and kindness on the back burner for the sake of the case. It was something most agents simply grew desensitized to. For Kate, it had happened after the first three or four years, case after case that required her to question grieving family members with some very hard questions. She admired the spark of decency in DeMarco and wondered how much longer she’d be able to hang on to it.
“Tomorrow,” DeMarco said. “Jack’s body was released to the funeral home today and the service is scheduled for tomorrow afternoon. And we’re about to go throw an affair in his wife’s face.”
“I’m not looking forward to it either,” Kate said.
“I know. It just…God, it sucks.”
That was the last thing said on the topic. Kate pulled her car up alongside the curb in front of the Tucker house. They got out of the car and walked up to the house slowly. Kate knocked on the door, DeMarco keeping a step or two of distance between them.
The door was answered by the daughter. Kate could not recall the girl’s name but knew that she was thirteen and a dead ringer for her mother. Without so much as waiting for Kate or DeMarco to say anything, the girl turned and called for her mother, walking back into the house.
Within a few seconds, Missy Tucker was walking toward the door. She looked much better that she had three nights ago. She looked better rested but still quite forlorn. She looked surprised to see the agents, though Kate could not tell if it was a hopeful sort of surprise or an aggravated one.
“Agents…” she said, clearly at a loss.
“Mrs. Tucker, I do apologize for bothering you again,” Kate said. “But we were hoping we could speak to you for just a few moments.”
“Did you find…someone? Did you find out who killed him?”
“I’m afraid not,” Kate said. “But we have come across new information we were hoping to discuss with you.”
Missy nodded and invited them in. Inside, the house still felt cold and lonely. Kate had always thought there was an almost supernatural sort of sensation in a house that had just suffered the loss of a major inhabitant—something dreary and detached that crawled on the skin like dew.
Missy led them into the living room and headed straight for the couch. Kate and DeMarco sat down—DeMarco on the couch with Missy, and Kate in an armchair to the right of it.
“Mrs. Tucker,” Kate said, “did you ever hear about the Frank Nobili
ni case from several years back?”
“You know…I did, but I didn’t even make the connection,” she said. “I recall you telling me that Jack’s murder was very similar to another one that had occurred, but I was in such a state of shock that I didn’t even stop to consider that you were referencing Frank Nobilini’s murder.”
“Do you know Jennifer Nobilini very well?” DeMarco asked.
“Pretty well. We’re about ten years apart in age, so we never knew one another in school. But some of our social circles interact from time to time. We’ve never really had much in common but we’re decent friends, I suppose. Well, now I suppose the thing we have in common is what happened to our husbands. She called to check in with me after she’d heard what happened. She can sympathize, obviously.”
“That was kind of her,” Kate said.
“It was. Now…what new information have you come across?”
Kate took a moment before she started. She listened out for the children. She could hear footsteps upstairs somewhere, and a light murmur of conversation somewhere in the downstairs. She leaned forward and tried to keep her voice as quiet as she could without being reduced to a whisper.
“We just came from the city,” she said. “From a meeting with Garret Blake.”
Even if Missy would have played dumb on the topic, the immediate reaction to the mention of that name gave her away. She reeled back, her lips began to tremble, and her eyes grew wide for a moment before returning to their normal size. To say the name had shocked her would have been an understatement.
“Why?” was all she managed to say, the word coming out in a gasp. She continued to tremble, now clenching her fists in an attempt to steady herself.
“It’s where our trail led us,” Kate said. “And please understand that we aren’t bringing this up to cause you any more pain but we do need to know a few things about what occurred between the two of you.”
“What good would that do?” Missy asked. She was crying now and the expression on her face made Kate think that she was doing her absolute best to decide if she wanted to be pissed off or devastated.
“It would help us rule out certain people as suspects and—”
“He didn’t do anything to Jack. He wanted to me to stay with him—to keep my kids happy and my family together.” She was nearly spitting the words now, becoming more and more aggressive.
“Mrs. Tucker,” DeMarco said, her tone just as soft as Kate’s. “Can you at the very least tell us who might have known about the affair?”
“Well, I think you know at least one,” Missy said with biting sarcasm and bitterness. “It was Jasmine, wasn’t it? I’m sure she couldn’t wait to tell someone.”
“She was actually very upset to tell us,” Kate countered. “And the only reason she did is because she is concerned about you.”
“Garret Blake did not kill my husband,” she said. “I highly doubt the man has ever touched a gun.” She seemed to realize that she was speaking rather loudly, so she quieted her voice and leaded forward on the couch. She took a deep breath and the anger seemed to fade as she exhaled. “It was a mistake and I regret the hell out of it,” she said. “Jack did not deserve it and now I have to live with it. But I can assure you that nothing about my relationship with Garret had anything to do with Jack’s murder.”
Kate knew better than to believe such a blanket statement but still leaned toward Blake being innocent. If it came down to it, basic interrogation and cross-checking of alibis would likely prove it.
“Who else other than Jasmine Brooks might have known?”
“I honestly don’t know,” she said. “Jasmine was the only person I told. And I don’t think Garret told anyone. I asked him not to and he swore that he hadn’t. Please…does this have to come out?”
There was something there—maybe a flicker in her eyes or the way she looked away quickly. Something was there…something that made Kate wonder if Missy was being completely truthful.
“No,” Kate said. “There’s no reason for that. But I hope you can understand that given how everyone—including yourself—told us how great and perfect your marriage was, a hidden affair suddenly has to become our main focus until it’s been properly investigated.”
Missy nodded but without any real enthusiasm. “With all due respect,” she finally said, “I hope you’ve got the information you need, but I’d really like for you leave now. True…I did this to myself. But I don’t need you picking at that one scab…”
Kate stood up, feeling as if she were moving underwater. The tension and angst coming off of Missy was strong—stronger than the thick feeling of loss Kate had felt upon entering the house. As they saw themselves out, a voice called out from the end of the hallway. It startled Kate enough to make her jump slightly.
“Agents?”
Missy was calling out to them. As Kate watched her come back down the hallway toward them, she felt like she was on some weird loop, stuck in a Groundhog Day type of scenario.
“I was wondering if you had spoken with Jennifer Nobilini since you’d gotten back into town.”
“No. I had considered it, but I didn’t see the need in bringing all of that pain back up for her.”
“That’s considerate.”
“Any reason you ask?” DeMarco asked.
“For that very reason. It’s a very touchy topic. She fears that’s how the town sees her now. The widow with the husband that got shot in the back of the head. I think she gets depressed whenever it comes out in conversation. We may not be best friends by any means, but I do care for her. Just looking out…”
Kate understood that, but she also wondered if Jennifer might still be holding something of a grudge against the FBI not finding her husband’s killer eight years ago.
“Do you think you will speak with her?”
“I don’t know,” Kate said. “And if I were, I can’t exactly tell you about the details of our investigation when it concerns other people.”
Missy nodded, but looked a little put off.
Kate could feel herself growing aggravated. Rather than responding in any way, she simply gave a quick nod and turned away. “Thanks again for your time, Mrs. Tucker,” she said. “I know it can’t be easy.”
When she was outside and headed down the porch steps, she didn’t realize that her entire body had gone tense until DeMarco closed the door behind them and caught up with her on the sidewalk.
“You okay?” DeMarco asked.
“Yeah. I just…I still feel like she’s hiding something. I think more people might know about the affair. And as of right now, I really do wonder if we should speak to Jennifer Nobilini after all. Damn, I hate this town. I know that’s an immature thing to say, but it is what it is.”
“She never got answers,” DeMarco said. “She probably still needs someone to blame. And without a killer tucked securely behind bars somewhere…”
“I know, I know.”
But as they got into the car, DeMarco taking the driving duties this time, Kate’s anxiousness slowly faded away and became something else. She thought about Frank Nobilini’s murder and how she had come across some of the same obstacles while dealing with that case: a lack of clues, a perfect life with no scratches or rough edges anywhere. Everything about that case had been exactly similar to Jack Tucker’s, right down to the way in which they were murdered.
So why would it stop now? If everything had been the same so far, maybe this new development would be the same, too. What if there was some secret affair buried in Jennifer Nobilini’s past, too?
Stop painting everyone in this town as an adulterous demon, she told herself. Just because the seemingly perfect Tucker family had a provocative skeleton in their closet doesn’t mean everyone does.
Still, the discovery of Missy Tucker’s affair had thrown her for a loop. And then, when they had gotten here to question her, Missy had specifically asked about Jennifer Nobilini. Given the situation, it did make sense; Jennifer had apparently called her, ju
st checking in on a recent widow who was enduring the same pains and sorrows Jennifer had faced.
True, Kate thought, looking back to the Tucker house as DeMarco pulled away from the curb. But what if?...
CHAPTER TWENTY
Kate grabbed the most recent printouts from the printer as DeMarco looked through the handful of sheets that had already been sent through. She looked unconvinced but the tiniest bit excited.
“Okay,” DeMarco said. “Explain to me one more time how this isn’t a huge assumption.”
“I never said it was anything other than a huge assumption. But it hit me as we were leaving the Tucker house. Everything about the Nobilini case and the Tucker case have been exactly the same. Everything. The way they were murdered, the location the bodies were found, the perfect marriage, a great job, perfect life, same town, and on and on. And now, today, we get this bombshell that Missy Tucker was actively involved in an affair up until not very long prior to her husband’s murder. No one expected it or would have thought it could happen. So rather than assume it’s the one thing that makes the cases different and being content with that, maybe we need to consider the fact that it might just be yet another similarity in the cases.”
“Yes, but you already said that there was no adultery with the Nobilini case.”
“I did. And before we spoke with Jasmine Brooks, we didn’t think there was any adultery in the Tucker case, either.”
“Okay, so what am I looking at?” DeMarco asked. “I see men’s names and a few handwritten notes.”
“This is a list of the people I spoke to regarding the Nobilini case. The conversations took place over a span of about three months. I think it came down to about twenty-two people.”
“So what are we looking for?”
“I think we’d be better served to try to find friends of Frank Nobilini rather than Jennifer. You’ve seen it yourself so far—people are very hesitant to share dirt on a widow. But if we go after this sort of information under the task of trying to solve a man’s murder rather than digging up dirt on his widowed wife, I think we have a better chance of getting information. What we need to do is find a few men on this list that still live around here and that seemed willing to talk openly when the case was still open.”