The Associate

by Phillip Margolin

  "Do you think this woman was involved in Gene's murder?"

  "Yes, we do," Billie said. "That's why we're here. Kate has a theory about why Mr. Arnold was killed and she thinks you can help us find out if it's correct."

  Alvarez spread his hands. "Anything I can do . . ."

  Kate took Bernier's photograph out of the envelope she was holding and set it on the table. Alvarez showed no emotion as he studied the photograph.

  "Is that Melissa Arnold, Gene's wife?" Kate asked. "The woman who was supposed to have been kidnapped and murdered seven years ago?"

  Alvarez nodded slowly. His eyes never left the photograph.

  "Here's what Billie and I think happened," Kate said. "When the FBI botched the arrest at the drop site, McCann got away with the ransom money, but Lester Dobbs was arrested. Dobbs cut a deal and named McCann, the only other person in the plot that he could identify. McCann was arrested quickly, but not before he hid the ransom money.

  "I'm guessing that McCann refused to tell Melissa where the money was unless she got him out of jail. There was also the threat that he would cut a deal to save himself. That's when Melissa conceived the brilliant idea of faking her kidnapping.

  "Looking back, Melissa had to have been involved. When she faked her own kidnapping, she only asked for seventy-five thousand dollars, instead of the million dollars she asked from you. Seventy-five grand was an amount that Gene Arnold could cover from his retirement account. Melissa would have known Arnold's financial situation."

  "Of course," Billie interjected, "Melissa's kidnapping was only a smoke screen to cover up the real reason for her plan: the destruction of her court reporter notes, which would force the judge to order a new trial. After she murdered Lester Dobbs, the court had to let McCann out of jail and she was able to kill the only witness who could identify her and get away with the money. No one thought Flynn was involved, so he was home free. Even McCann might not have known. And no one was looking for Melissa, because everyone thought that she had suffered the same fate as your wife.

  "Then Mr. Arnold saw Melissa and Flynn in Bernier's photograph and flew to Portland. He phoned Flynn from his hotel the day he landed. Flynn or Melissa killed him and burned the body in the lab."

  Alvarez shook his head. "I can't believe it, but it must be true."

  Kate studied him carefully. She was certain that her news had not come as a surprise.

  "It's too bad we can't find Melissa," Brewster said. "Whoever burned down the lab was bitten by a rhesus monkey. The medical examiner has a swab with material she found on the monkey's teeth. If we had Melissa we could run a DNA test that would prove she was at the lab. We also have an impression of the monkey's teeth that we could match to any bite marks she has on her shoulder."

  "Do you have any leads?" Alvarez asked.

  "Actually, we do," Billie answered. "It's another reason we came to see you. Claude Bernier called me, yesterday. His conscience was bothering him. It seems that a Hispanic gentleman visited him the day after Kate told you about Mr. Bernier's photograph. He called himself Juan Fulano. I'm told, by a Hispanic friend, that Juan Fulano is the Spanish equivalent of `John Smith.' Is he right, Mr. Alvarez?"

  "Yes."

  "Fulano wanted to purchase a copy of Bernier's photograph, but he paid Mr. Bernier to do something else. Can you guess what that was?"

  "I have no idea," Alvarez answered coolly.

  "Mr. Fulano asked Bernier to hold off sending us the photograph until he gave the okay. Paid extra for the favor. Then, the day after Melissa Arnold disappeared, Fulano gave the okay to send the photo to Portland. Interesting, no?"

  "I'm afraid I don't follow you."

  "Don't you, Mr. Alvarez?" Billie asked. "You know, I made some inquiries about you to police acquaintances in Mexico and Arizona. They say you're straight now-have been for a while. But they say you ran with a very rough crowd early on. The type of people who would think nothing of abduction or murder."

  Alvarez did not act offended by the accusation. "Your information is correct. I was very wild in my youth. But those days are behind me."

  Billie stared hard at Alvarez. He returned the stare without blinking.

  "If I asked you to predict the future would you hazard a guess for me?" the homicide detective asked.

  "I have no psychic powers, Detective."

  "I give you my promise that your answer will stay with the three of us."

  Alvarez considered Billie's request for a moment. "Ask your question."

  "My department has limited funds. I'd rather spend them on crime fighting than on a wild-goose chase. What would you guess my chances are of finding Melissa Arnold alive?"

  As Alvarez thought about the question he looked at the two women. They stared back impassively. Alvarez made a decision.

  "Melissa is a very clever woman, as you have discovered. My guess would be that someone so clever would be able to disappear without a trace. Whether she is alive or dead is not for me to say, but I would guess that she will never be found."

  Then Alvarez shrugged and his features softened. "But the police have all sorts of modern devices I know nothing about. Really, crime detection is not my area of expertise."

  Billie stood and Kate rose with her. "Thank you for your time, Mr. Alvarez," the detective said. "Kate has told me how deeply you loved your wife. I'm sorry if we uncovered old wounds."

  Kate picked up the photograph and replaced it in the envelope. Alvarez did not glance at it.

  As soon as the women were out of sight, he entered his office and closed the door. Then he took a copy of Claude Bernier's photograph from a wall safe concealed behind a small painting. He studied it one last time, then set it on fire. As Melissa Arnold's image burned, Alvarez turned toward the photograph of Patty Alvarez that stood in a prominent place on his desk. A tear appeared at the edge of Alvarez's good eye. He made no effort to wipe it away. He dropped the burning photograph in a wastepaper basket and watched it turn to ash.

  "It's over, Patty," he whispered. "It's over."

  Chapter Fifty-Three.

  "Come in, Joe," J. B. Reed said as his secretary showed Joe Molinari into his corner office. Reed was puzzled by Molinari's visit since he was not working on any of Reed's cases. To be honest, he only remembered Molinari's name because his secretary had told it to him when she buzzed him to say that one of the associates wanted to talk to him.

  "What can I do for you?" Reed asked as Molinari sat down. He noticed that Molinari did not seem nervous or deferential the way most of the new associates were in his presence.

  "Something is going on that you need to know about."

  "Oh?"

  "Just before he died, Mr. Briggs fired Daniel Ames." Reed's features clouded when Molinari mentioned his friend's murder and accused murderer. "That was wrong."

  "I don't see how any of this is your business, Mr. Molinari," Reed snapped.

  Molinari met Reed's fierce gaze and returned one of his own.

  "It's my business," Joe said forcefully, "because Dan is a friend of mine and someone has to tell you what he's done for this firm and Geller Pharmaceuticals."

  _ _ _

  Daniel was engrossed in a thriller when J. B. Reed and Isaac Geller walked into his hospital room. Daniel paused in mid-sentence and stared, as surprised by their appearance as he would have been if Mark McGwire and President Bush had strolled into his room.

  "How are you feeling?" J. B. Reed asked.

  "Okay," Daniel answered tersely.

  "I've come to apologize for agreeing to have you fired," Reed said.

  Daniel waited for Reed to go on. The senior partner saw how tense Daniel looked and he smiled.

  "I don't blame you for being very angry with our firm, but we didn't have the whole picture until Joe Molinari explained everything to me."

  "Joe?"

  Reed nodded. "You have some very loyal friends at Reed, Briggs. I've also spoken to Kate Ross. Molinari came to my office two days ago and read me the riot
act. Said the firm owed you an apology. When he finished explaining what you'd risked for our client, I called Isaac immediately."

  "I don't believe I'm exaggerating when I say that your actions may have saved my company, Mr. Ames," Geller told him. "If Flynn's scheme had worked we would have had to take Insufort off the market and I can't begin to imagine how much the company would have lost paying off legal judgments."

  "I know there is no way to repay you for what you've gone through," Reed said. "The disgrace of being fired, the time you spent in jail, not to mention being shot . . . It's terrible, and I sincerely regret any part Reed, Briggs had in your ordeal, but Mr. Geller and I want to try to make it up to you. I want you back at the firm and we're prepared to give you a hefty raise."

  "And Geller Pharmaceuticals wants to reward you with a substantial bonus," Isaac Geller added.

  Daniel was stunned and did not answer right away.

  Reed smiled broadly, fully expecting Daniel to leap at his peace offering. After all, what young lawyer in his right mind would reject a chance to work at Reed, Briggs?

  "I know this must come as a shock, so there's no reason to rush your decision," Reed said. "Concentrate on getting well and call me at your convenience."

  "I am overwhelmed by your generosity," Daniel said, thanking both men, "but I don't need any time to think. Actually, I've had plenty of time to think while I was in jail and while I've been recuperating. I appreciate the offer to come back to Reed, Briggs, but I don't really fit in at the firm. I respect the work you do, but I would be more comfortable working at a smaller firm, one that represents the type of person I grew up with, people who don't have anyone else to look out for them."

  "Surely you must see how much good a company like Geller can do," Reed said, amazed at Daniel's rejection of his generous offer.

  "I do, and I know how sleazy and dishonest a lawyer like Flynn can be, but you'll always be able to find top-notch lawyers to represent your clients, Mr. Reed. You pay for the best and you get the best." Daniel smiled. "I don't know where I fit in, but I'd like to try and level the playing field a little."

  "Well, if that's what you want, you must do what you think is best. But the offer is open if you change your mind."

  "Thank you. I appreciate that."

  Reed started to leave.

  "You know, there is one thing you two can do for me, if you're still feeling generous."

  "What's that?" Isaac Geller asked.

  Chapter Fifty-Four.

  Daniel woke up slowly to the sound of the surf. When he opened his eyes he could see sunlight through the thin curtains that covered the picture window in the bedroom of the beach house. He stretched and smiled. The first thing Amanda had said when Judge Opton dismissed all the charges against him was, "I bet you've never had a job interview like this before." Then she offered Daniel the use of her beach house so he could get away from Portland and the press. His interview with the rest of the partners at Jaffe, Katz, Lehane and Brindisi was set for next Wednesday.

  Daniel hoped that he would get the job with Amanda's firm, but he had no regrets about turning down J. B. Reed. Amanda Jaffe had let him see firsthand that there was another, better, way to use his law degree. Still, Daniel had not walked away from his meeting with J. B. Reed and Isaac Geller empty-handed. Alice Cummings would not have to worry about Patrick's medical expenses anymore. Daniel had sold Isaac Geller on the public relations benefits that Geller Pharmaceuticals would reap by agreeing to help Alice's son. Daniel didn't want any credit for the good deed. Knowing that Patrick would have a chance at a normal life was payment enough.

  Daniel rolled onto his side and noticed that Kate was not in bed. In the past few days he had learned that she was an early riser. Daniel smiled at the thought of her.

  Amanda's house stood on a bluff overlooking the Pacific, which was calm today. Last night, Kate and Daniel had sipped hot buttered rum and let the heat from the bedroom fireplace warm them while they watched a brutal storm assault the beach. This morning, the sand was littered with driftwood.

  Daniel washed up and found Kate on the phone in the kitchen. She smiled when he walked in. He poured a glass of orange juice and sat down at the kitchen table while Kate finished her call.

  "That was Billie," she said as soon as she hung up. "She found out some more information about Gilchrist. Her name was originally Melissa Haynes. Her father was a colonel in the army. He was away a lot and she grew up wild. Billie says she had a string of juvenile arrests, some involving violence, but her father used his influence to get her out of most of her scrapes.

  "When she turned eighteen Melissa left home and moved to California. She married an actor wannabe, but the marriage lasted less than a year. She went to secretarial school, then learned how to be a court reporter. Gene Arnold met her during a deposition in L.A."

  "Is Billie certain that Renee was Flynn's partner?"

  "She'll probably never be able to prove it, but everything makes sense if Renee was the mole at Reed, Briggs. She was in a perfect position to slip the Kaidanov letter into the discovery and send Amanda the videotape. If Kaidanov called Briggs at his office to arrange the meeting at the cottage, Renee would have answered the phone and could have eavesdropped on their conversation. But there's something else that convinces me that Renee is guilty.

  "We were never able to figure out why Arthur Briggs wanted April Fairweather to meet him at the cottage on the night he was killed."

  "Right. It made no sense, since her case and the Insufort case were totally unrelated."

  "I'm certain that Briggs never wanted Fairweather at the cottage. Renee was in the waiting area when Fairweather saw you blow up at Briggs. I bet she heard Briggs leave the message on your answering machine asking you to meet him at the cottage. I think Renee told Fairweather to go to the cottage so she would see you leaving after Briggs was murdered. With you as the main suspect, no one would look at anyone else. But better still, Renee knew that your lawyer would use the videotape to thoroughly discredit Fairweather when she was under oath, assuring another hefty attorney fee for Flynn that she would share."

  "Renee probably made the anonymous call that tipped off Zeke Forbus about my call to her."

  "That's my guess. But I don't think we'll ever know for certain."

  Daniel stood up and took Kate in his arms. "I don't want to talk about the case anymore. We're out here to forget about it."

  "If you don't want to talk about the case, what do you want to do?" Kate asked mischievously.

  "I'd like to kiss you, but I'm afraid you'll use your self-defense moves on me."

  "I might if there was a bed nearby."

  "I guess ugly women need judo to get a handsome guy like me in the sack."

  The next thing Daniel knew, Kate was behind him and had him in a hammerlock. The idea of resisting never entered his mind.

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  Document creation date: 12.9.2012

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  Phillip Margolin

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