A Body to Spare

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A Body to Spare Page 6

by Sue Ann Jaffarian


  Dev laughed and took a gulp of beer before answering. “I didn’t know for sure until just now. Thanks, Odelia, for confirming my suspicions.”

  To my left, Greg swore softly under his breath. Clark joined in Dev’s laughter and held his glass of club soda up to him in salute. “No flies on you, Dev,” Clark said as Dev lightly clinked his beer glass against Clark’s icy tumbler.

  “Come on now,” Dev said to the entire table. “I am a detective, after all. And a pretty good one, I might add. You were all just a little too secretive about Clark’s job, so I took a stab at my suspicions.”

  “So are you going to interrogate Clark until he gives up Willie’s location?” I asked with concern.

  “Go for it,” Clark said with a grin, “because I honestly have no idea where he is physically.”

  Again, Dev laughed. “Bringing Proctor in would be a nice way to cap off my career, but I know he’s your friend and has helped you out of trouble on numerous occasions. He’s also paid back all the money he stole, so let the feds find him. Frankly, I don’t care. I just wanted you folks to know that I was on to you.” He took another sip of beer. “I have just shy of two weeks left on the job, and I intend to slide right through them by cleaning up old cases and completing reports. I swear, I’m going to shoot anyone who even thinks of committing a homicide in Newport Beach before I leave.”

  I was going to point out the contradiction of his words, then thought better of it.

  “Then it’s a good thing Odelia was in Long Beach when that body was found in her car,” my hubs said with a chuckle. “Better Fehring than you, right, Dev?”

  “I’ll drink to that,” Dev said, taking another swig of beer. “Although what’s up with that?”

  Our waiter returned and took our orders. We were at the Macaroni Grill in Seal Beach, a favorite restaurant for everyone at the table. Dev chose this specific location because it was convenient for us. After dinner, the plan was to head to our place for dessert and coffee. Little did I know that this might also be his going-away party.

  Excusing myself from the table, I went to the ladies’ room and called Zee and told her what was happening. “So if you and Seth want to come by our place in about an hour or so, please do,” I told her. “It might be our last chance to say goodbye to Dev.”

  I heard her say something to Seth. A few seconds later she returned to our call. “We’ll see you then,” she said. “Thanks for letting us know. We love Dev almost as much as you and Greg do. And don’t rush dinner. I’ll use my key and start the coffee when we get there. What else do you need?”

  “Nothing,” I told her. “I pulled out the regular coffeemaker for tonight. It’s on the counter. There’s cheesecake and a fruit salad in the fridge.”

  When I ended the call, I tried to think of others who might want to congratulate Dev and say goodbye. He may not want a big deal made about his retirement and move, but this wasn’t about him—it was about people who cared about him. He would just have to suck it up for an evening. I called Greg’s parents and Sally and Jill. All said they would be there. Jill said she’d bring something to add to the table; I didn’t argue. I’ll take her baked goods anytime they’re offered. It was too bad Steele and Mom weren’t available. After a short hesitation and a quick pee, I called Fehring.

  “Odelia,” she said, answering on the second ring. “Don’t tell me: you’ve found another body, this time buried in your back yard.”

  “Cute, Andrea, but no. This isn’t an official call, hence the use of your first name.” I paused, then jumped right into the purpose of my call. “Did you know that Dev is moving to Seattle in about two weeks?”

  There was a long pause. “No, I didn’t. When did you find that out?”

  “Just now. Greg and I are out to dinner with him. My brother’s here too. Dev just dropped the moving bomb on us.”

  “Wow,” was all she said. “Is he getting back together with Beverly?”

  “Yes.” I cut to the chase. “But here’s the thing.” Quickly, I told Fehring about the impromptu going-away party, and just as quickly she said she’d be there.

  “Did you fall in?” Clark asked when I returned to the table.

  Greg snorted. “You’ve been single too long, Clark. You never ask a woman that.” I gave my husband a peck on the cheek for being such a smart boy.

  Shortly after I returned to the table, our salads were served. “We can fill you in, Dev, while we eat,” I told him. Our salad dishes were cleared and our entrees served by the time I finished telling Dev the details of finding Zach Finch and his background.

  “I remember when that kid went missing,” Dev said with a shake of his head when I finished.

  “I do too,” added Clark. “Every law enforcement agency in the nation was on the lookout for him. It’s always been assumed the kidnappers killed him after getting their payday.”

  “The question is,” Dev said, a bite of spaghetti with Bolognese sauce dangling from his fork, “where has he been all this time?”

  “And why was he dumped naked?” I asked, tossing my question out there for consideration along with Dev’s.

  “The naked part could have something to do with him not being traced,” Clark explained to Greg and me while Dev nodded. “Clothing can sometimes be used to track someone’s last few locations through brands, fibers, and things like that, not to mention a catch-all for trace evidence from the murderer.”

  “Tell me, Odelia,” Dev said. “Did you see any noticeable marks on the body?”

  “You mean like bruises or stab wounds?” asked Greg.

  “Yeah, those,” Dev clarified, still looking at me, “or maybe a tattoo.”

  Greg dug out his cell phone. “Here’s the pic of the body that Grace sent me.” He handed his phone over to Dev, who examined it while he continued eating. Nothing like a dead body to spark an appetite. Made me wonder what went best with a corpse—red or white wine?

  I closed my eyes to think about the brief glimpse I saw of Zach Finch, then shook my head. “I didn’t notice anything specific, but I wasn’t exactly given a chance to examine the body. I was in a lot of shock, and he was folded like an origami crane. I do remember his skin being very pale. And his hair was dishwater blond.”

  “Wasn’t he grabbed in Illinois?” Dev aimed this next question at Clark as he handed the phone back to Greg.

  “Yeah,” Clark confirmed. “I looked up the case last night. He disappeared after a football game at his high school.” We ate on autopilot while Clark gave us the rundown he’d found on the kidnapping. “According to reports, Zach went to the game with friends who were old enough to drive. Just a bunch of high school guys, no girls. They said they dropped him off at home after the game, but Zach’s parents claim he never came home that night.”

  “But there was a ransom demand?” asked Greg.

  “Yep,” said Clark after swallowing some eggplant parmesan. “The kidnappers demanded two million dollars. The whole thing was kept pretty quiet media-wise during that time. The parents paid the ransom, and the kid was never returned. That’s when the whole thing went public.”

  “So who exactly are this kid’s parents?” I asked as I doodled in the sauce of my mushroom ravioli with the tines of my fork.

  “His father is Alec Finch. He’s a big finance mogul. His company owns several mortgage companies, investment firms, stuff like that,” Clark said. “At the time of the kidnapping he headed an investment company that specialized in backing international construction, some of it questionable. One of the theories was that some thugs from overseas grabbed the kid, but that was never proved.” Clark wiped his mouth with his napkin. “Even with the two-million-dollar hit on the ransom and the economic downturn, it hasn’t slowed Finch down. He’s expanded his holdings over the years.”

  “I think I’ve read about him in the Wall Street Journal or someplace like that,” said Greg. “He keeps a very low personal profile, doesn’t he?” He’d stopped shoveling chicken cannelloni into his
mouth and was reaching for more bread. Generally, my husband keeps a sharp eye on his weight to make it easier for him to be more mobile. I knew that tonight’s feast would be paid for by extra time in the gym over the next few days. Greg had the discipline I lacked when it came to fitness, but he never got on my case about it. I thought about grabbing more bread but changed my mind. Extra exercise time wasn’t a price I was willing to pay, and there was dessert waiting at home.

  “Yes,” Dev answered. “From what I’ve read about this Finch guy, he’s a big wheeler-dealer but likes to remain behind the scenes pulling strings. He almost never grants interviews.” He turned to Clark. “Is that the same guy?” Clark nodded.

  “Something’s been bothering me,” I announced to the table.

  “You mean something besides finding a dead body in the trunk of your car, sis?” Clark stared at me with amusement. “Or are you getting used to this sort of thing?”

  Dev nudged Clark with his elbow. “Just wait for it, Clark. This is normal procedure for Odelia.”

  Next to me Greg laughed, but when I shot him a death ray glance, he shoved a bite of food into his mouth.

  “We’re all ears, Odelia,” Dev said, urging me to continue.

  I continued toying with my food as I formed my thoughts into a clear picture. “If this Zach was kidnapped so many years ago and his father is such a big deal, why hasn’t his death been on the news yet? All they’ve said is that an unidentified body was found in a car in a Long Beach car wash. It’s being treated almost as non-newsworthy as a kitten up a tree.”

  “Are you complaining that your name’s been kept out of it?” asked Dev with surprise. “Wasn’t it enough that your backside and car were all over the news last night and today?”

  “No, not at all,” I quickly added. “The more they forget about me, the better. But the finding of a kid, long missing and thought dead, is very big news. Look at all the media around those kids that pop up years after they’ve been abducted.”

  “I’m not involved in this case,” Dev said after taking a drink of his beer, “but I can offer up a possible explanation.” Our attention turned to Dev, giving him the floor. “Nothing about Zach’s identity would be given to the press until his family is informed of his discovery.”

  “Dev’s right,” Clark agreed. “From last night’s digging, I also learned that Zach’s mother went into a deep depression after the kidnapping and committed suicide a couple of years later. So until they can reach Alec Finch, the identity of the body will not be released to the news.”

  “Is that why they’ve kept Odelia’s name out of the news too?” asked Greg.

  “Most likely,” answered Dev. “She knows it’s Zach from the questioning, but the police don’t want the press hounding her for information.” Dev looked at me. “You didn’t tell anyone about Zach, did you, Odelia?”

  As I thought about the question, I felt a blush creep up my neck and over my face like a quickie fever.

  “Uh-oh. From the look of her,” said my husband, “I’d say she did.”

  Now everyone’s eyes were on me. “Yes,” I said, confessing to my sin. “I told Jolene and Jill at work, and Zee.” Then I quickly added, “But I told them all not to say anything to anyone. And Mom knows, of course.”

  “I’d say you can count on Jill and Jolene telling their spouses,” said Dev. “What about your mother, Odelia? She has that gossipy blog.”

  “I threatened to lock Grace up if she blogged about it,” said Greg with pride.

  “And I reminded her before she left our house last night,” I added, “that she could not talk about it on her bus trip today either. She wasn’t happy about any of our warnings, but if we’re lucky and she’s smart, she’ll comply.”

  Clark snorted. I turned to him. “What?”

  “Nothing,” Clark said and pushed the last of his meal between his lips and chewed.

  “Considering that the press has yet to come calling on Odelia,” noted Dev, “it might be safe to say that they still don’t know about Zach, but that won’t last long. Someone somewhere is going to talk. It might even be a leak inside the police department or another video could pop up with a clear photo of Odelia or of the corpse. Hopefully, they’ve been able to contact Alec Finch by now, so expect the news to explode any time.”

  “And Odelia’s name with it?” asked Greg with concern.

  “Maybe. Maybe not,” answered Dev. “Depends on how much information is released.” Dev looked at me. “Do the car wash people know your name?”

  I nodded. “Maybe not off the top of their heads, but I’m a regular and belong to their frequent wash program, so I’m in their computer system. If they go through that day’s sales, they could figure it out.”

  “A few dollars slipped to one of the car wash people and your name is out there, sis,” said Clark. “So expect it to go public at some point.”

  I put my fork down and played with the stem of my wine glass. I needed to get my mind off of future media harassment. So far my name had been mentioned very little when it came to my escapades, and I wanted to keep it that way. I brought up another subject. “Maybe this does have something to do with Willie.” The three men kept eating on autopilot, but their eyes were on me. “I mean,” I continued, “if Zach’s dad was some big mover and shaker in investments, maybe he and Willie did cross swords at some point. It still doesn’t explain why anyone would know my connection to Willie, but it might be something worth looking into.”

  Clark shook his head and swallowed his food. “Willie’s never met him. I checked.” He shot a sideways grin at Dev before continuing. Dev looked at him without so much as a blink. “He says he knows of the guy,” Clark continued, “but they’ve never met in person or on a business level, so he can’t imagine this having anything to do with him. But he did say this Alec Finch has a far reach.” He looked around the table at all of us. “Willie is as concerned and perplexed by the kid ending up in Odelia’s car as the rest of us.”

  “And what about the other possibility?” asked Greg. “Any word there?”

  “None,” Clark said. “We’re still working on that connection.”

  “And what, pray tell, is that connection?” asked Dev. He put down his fork, wiped his mouth with the napkin from his lap, and waited. Dev was not someone who could be sidestepped. I knew from experience that he wouldn’t budge until he got an answer.

  Clark started to say something, but I held up a hand like a low flag. “It’s no secret,” I said to Dev. “It’s something Fehring and the FBI are also looking into.” Dev’s blue eyes settled on me with expectation. “It’s Elaine Powers,” I finally admitted in a low whisper. “They’re wondering if this has something to do with her.”

  A hush fell over the table as if I’d just tried to conjure up Beelzebub in a dark room. After nearly a full minute of silence, Dev picked up his fork and took another bite of his food. Greg chewed on bread. Clark drank some club soda. Finally, Dev asked, “And?”

  I remained still, hoping Clark would field this one.

  “And nothing,” my brother answered. “We’re trying to contact her, but no one has a direct line of communication.” Everyone turned to me, even Greg.

  “I have no idea how to reach her,” I answered, a smidge of defensiveness in my voice. “She just seems to pop up in the oddest places and at the weirdest times.” Finished, I pushed my plate away. “But like I told the police, this really doesn’t sound like her.”

  “No, it doesn’t,” agreed Dev. “Hitmen don’t advertise their work, not to mention she seems oddly protective of Odelia.” He paused. “Unless someone is trying to flush Powers out.”

  “That’s another theory,” I told Dev. “Since there doesn’t seem to be a direct connection to me yet, the cops are wondering if someone is trying to force Elaine or Willie out of the shadows.”

  “The cops are also going back and looking at all of our past run-ins with criminals,” Greg told him. “Just to see if anything clicks there.”


  Also finished with his food, Dev pushed his plate away and took a sip of his beer. Clark and Greg finished their meals, and the waiter came and cleared our plates. When he asked us about dessert and coffee, we waved him off. The check came. Greg grabbed it, but Dev snatched it out of his hand. “I did the inviting,” he said to Greg. “I’ll do the paying.” We knew better than to argue.

  After the waiter took the check and Dev’s credit card, Dev turned to me and said in a quiet, even tone that meant business, “Willie is one thing, but if I catch sight of Elaine Powers, she’s going down. Got that? And I won’t care if it’s on my final day on the job.” He swiveled his head around the table, letting his eyes rest on Greg and Clark in turn before finally coming back to me. “You all got that?”

  seven

  The next morning as I was cleaning up from the impromptu party of the night before, Clark showed up at my front door. “Got some coffee, sis?” he asked as soon as I let him in.

  “It’ll just take a sec,” I said as we headed into the kitchen.

  Clark took a seat at the kitchen table. “I’m assuming Greg’s off to work already since Wainwright wasn’t at the door.”

  “You assume correctly,” I said with a smile as I started a cup of coffee for him. “It was tough getting Greg out of bed this morning, but he was a trooper.”

  Clark eyed me up and down, taking in my sloppy attire. “Nice outfit,” he quipped. “I can see why Greg has the hots for you.”

  I stuck my tongue out at my brother. “You want that coffee or not?” That shut him up.

  The party had been fun and had lasted past midnight in spite of the fact that most of the guests had to be at work this morning. But at least today was Friday so they only had to suffer through one day before the weekend. The surprise guest the night before had been Steele. He’d called from Switzerland to give Dev his personal good wishes after receiving an email from Jill about Dev’s retirement and move. For Steele it was early morning, and he sounded fresh and chipper voicing his congratulations over the speaker on Jill’s cell phone. In spite of saying he didn’t want any fuss made, I could tell that Dev was touched by the outpouring of affection from the small gathering.

 

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