Evil Intent
Page 16
“Do you think it’s ok to talk about this with her? I mentioned something quickly to Bob and we’d like to offer her and Richard a little get away to our place in Florida.”
“That sounds like a lovely idea. Go ahead and say something. We all want to help her. I’m sure everyone would support the idea, too.”
About 20 minutes later, everyone was back at the card tables again, when Samantha, who was sitting at Kathryn’s table, said to Kathryn, “Bob and I have an apartment in Palm Beach and not planning on using it in the near future. We thought you and Richard could perhaps sneak away for a few days. It would do you both good to get a little sun and fun. How about it, guys? You are more than welcome.”
“That’s so nice of you, Sam, but I am so busy at work, I doubt I could get away, and Richard’s calendar is far worse than mine.”
“Well, please just think about it. Even if just a weekend, it would do you good. You’ve got to try and get away from thinking about those tragic events”.
“Thank you, but I don’t know.”
“How about, Kathryn and I talk, Sam? We’ll think about it, than get back to you and Bob,” Richard said staring at Kathryn and trying to read her facial expressions.
“That’s fair, Richard. We just want to help.”
“We know you do,” said Kathryn. “Richard and I will consider it, I promise.”
“It’s a good idea, Kathryn,” said Maggie. “You two need time together.”
“The crazy part of it is, at first, my feelings were only about the poor victims - their death, I mean. It was so sad and horrible. But, now I feel frightened, because there is something in my company that I just know is connected to all this. I just can’t figure it out.”
“Maybe you’re not supposed to figure it out, dear,” said Harriet. “Let the police do that.”
“The police are doing a very poor job so far.” Kathryn mumbled.
They chatted some more, but most everyone could see the frustration and stress in Kathryn’s face. Finally, they picked up the pace of the game, and stayed at it until they finished, a little earlier than normal. Once everyone called it a night, Sam and Bob and Lauren and Carl, said their goodnight, and left rather quickly.
“You look so tired honey, why don’t I just get a cab to take you home? You need to go straight to bed,” Richard said.
“Why don’t you take Kathryn downstairs now, Richard? You’re right, she needs to get home and sleep. Harriet and I will clean up for you,” Maggie said.
Richard did exactly that. On the street, he hailed a cab, told him to cut through the Park at 72nd and get her home quickly. It was already 10:47 PM. He gave Kathryn a kiss, gave the cabbie twenty bucks, the headed back up to his apartment.
“Thank you ladies, you’re wonderful,” Richard said when he returned to his apartment.
Maggie and Harriet said goodnight, and left Richard alone.
“Hey, Jennifer, where are you going? You’re not leaving are you?”
“No, of course not. I’ve got to pee. I’ll be right back,” she said, struggling to get on her feet.
Jennifer already had quite a bit to drink and was swaying once she stood up.
“Where the hell am I? I forgot where all the bathrooms are in this place?” She thought.
A handsome young man in a charcoal suit, white silk shirt, standing nearby answered the beautiful lady. “Just go down this hall. Second door on left is a bedroom. There’s one inside there.”
“Thanks, what’s your name? You’re cute.”
“Crow. My friends call me Crow.”
“Hi! I’m JE.”
Jennifer Ann Ellington, was rich, single, and drop dead gorgeous. She was a fashion model who worked for an exclusive modeling agency on Madison Avenue. Most New Yorkers may not necessarily recognize her name, but they would all recognize her as the girl depicted in billboards, magazines, or certainly, the popular half naked girl pulling her pants down on the side of every city bus, just so you would know what brand of underwear she wears. Yep, New York City’s famous underwear girl was none other than Jennifer Ann Ellington, or JE as the street knew her.
When she finished, she opened the bathroom door, only to be surprised to find a couple had taken up residency in the room, and we’re having sex on the bed.
“Hi.” JE said to the guy when he looked up.
“Hi gorgeous. Do you want to join us?”
“No thanks, not my thing.” She said, even though she had probably been with more threesomes, girl-girl, boy-boy, girl-boy-girl combinations than Carter has peanuts. Jennifer was definitely on the wild side, although tonight, she was rather tame, indulging only in hard liquor, and plenty of it.
She barely found her way back to her friends, no thanks to several guys hitting on her along the way or offering her a joint, coke, another drink or whatever else might capture her attention. Finally, she spotted her friends, together on a leopard-skin sofa.
She had been hanging out with a girlfriend who models with her - several other girls she knew in the industry were there as well - and two very cool, sexy guys who they met there that night. The girls had been invited to a party some multimillionaire held at his Manhattan Brownstone - a small, five story, $35 million dollar pad decorated to the hilt. Jay was a phenomenal photographer all the ladies in the business knew and liked. They also came to like the wild parties he typically hosted. Once in a wild, the parties had a tendency to get way out of hand, like the time early this summer when everyone ended up completely naked in Jay’s roof-top pool indulging in the wildest orgy imaginable.
“Have you been here before, Rick?” Jennifer’s girlfriend said to one of the sexy guys.
“No, can’t say that I have, but maybe you two ladies can show me around,” he said glancing over at Jennifer, leaning back into the sofa looking sexy as hell. She was wearing a gorgeous outfit that suddenly became quite revealing the way she was sitting. And, of course, she was wearing one of the lacy, skimpy, panties, in hot pink, she was so famous for.
“Would you ladies excuse me for a second? I just spotted a friend I need to chat with. I’ll catch up with you later,” said the second guy who actually looked like some long haired British rock star.
“Sure, if you can’t find us, check the roof.”
“Come on Jennifer. Rick hasn’t seen this place,” taking Jennifer’s hand in hers and then pulling Rick to his feet. The three of them staggered off searching for the elevator.
When the elevator doors opened, they were shocked with the number of people on the rooftop - small clusters talking and laughing, others dancing to loud rock music, and of course, even four or five brave ones who stepped out of their clothing and were naked in the pool.
“My, my, Jay must have quite the reputation for his naked pool parties,” Jennifer said to her girlfriend.
“Whoa, this place is incredible, ladies,” Rick added.
Naturally, Jay had several more drinks while on the roof. There not only was a standing bar on the roof, but a couple of young, sexy, topless ladies were strutting around in only their Bikini bottoms, high heels, and carrying champagne on a tray. One of the topless girls spotted cute Rick coming off the elevator and immediately came over offering the three of them Champagne, but actually fixing her eyes specifically on Rick. Rick too, had his eyes specifically fixed on one place. All three reached for a glass of champagne.
The three friends found their way to a corner and stood talking, admiring the city views from the roof.
“I need another drink,” JE’s friend said. “Save my place and don’t let Rick get away!” And then she was off.
“You heard her, you’re supposed to preoccupy me so that I won’t escape and find that topless chick,” Rick said reaching behind Jennifer, pulling her toward him. He placed the other hand tightly around her breast while trying to give her a long passionate kiss.”
“Ah, come on beautiful. Let’s have a little fun. I like you!”
“You do? We’ve only met.”
“Yeah, and let me tell you, you are one hell of a hot looking chick!”
“Rick, I think I’m going to get sick,” Jennifer said as she turned, and vomited over the patio railing just as her friend returned.
“Jennifer! Are you alright?”
“I’ll be find,” she said choking. “But, maybe I need to go. I really don’t feel that good. I think I’m drunk.”
“I’ll catch up with you ladies later,” Rick told them as he walked away.
“No, Rick, wait!”
“Let him go,” Jennifer said. “He’s a creep anyway!”
“What’d you say?”
“I said I think I’d better go.”
“No shit. Did you eat anything?”
“I can’t remember.”
“Let me get you some orange juice, Jennifer.”
“No, I’m just going home. I’ll be fine.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes,” said Jennifer staggering toward the elevator as her friend, walked into the crowd searching for Rick.
Jennifer eventually found the front door, and left the party without telling anyone else. The air was cool outside, making Jennifer’s condition only worse. She slowly stumbled along Fifth Avenue, holding the wall, alongside the Park, until she came to her street. She was oblivious that someone was following her. She rounded the corner onto the residential street. It was dark and deserted, but not too much further to her apartment building, when she noticed the man on the opposite side of the street. For some reason, she knew he was watching her. She stopped for a second, turning toward him. He stopped as well, facing her. He was holding something in his hand, as she suddenly felt something very warm and strange inside her body. She instantly wobbled and felt very woozy. She turned and tried to continue walking but was badly swaying now, so much so, it was difficult to walk. Suddenly, she screamed and fell to the sidewalk. The man in the trench coat ran across the street coming closer to her.
“Help me, please. I don’t feel well,”
“You’ll be fine in a few seconds,” the man said.
Jennifer, struggled to get back on her feet, managing to stand. She started walking again.
“Hey, how the hell are you standing, lady?”
She screamed again, as the man quickly grabbed onto her. He reached into his pocket pulling out a large syringe, quickly plunging it into her neck. She grabbed him as if to wrestle him to the ground, her hand reaching up trying desperately to yank the syringe from her body before he could empty its content. Her other hand clawed at his eyes, causing him to cry out, “you bitch!”
She was grabbing his hair, pulling it as hard as she could, when he managed to empty the syringe into her, despite the struggle.
“Die bitch! God damn it, die!”
She was still clutching his trench coat, when she slumped to the ground, her body, knocking the small computer and syringe from his hands, as she slowly fell. Within the next 15 seconds she was dead. The man in the trench coat, panicked, dropping to the sidewalk, scrambling to pick up the broken pieces of the laptop.
“Where is the damn, syringe?” he cried out.
Lifting her body, he spotted the syringe lying under her hips. He snatched it up, along with the computer and ran off.
It was approximately 2 am when someone found the body.
Chapter 22
It was an unusually quiet Thursday, thank God, because Kathryn didn’t exactly get her normal, early morning start. Not feeling well when she awoke, she decided to call the office and leave Barbara a voice mail saying she would be late. When Barbara arrived she took the liberty of calling the various morning appointments on Kathryn’s calendar and canceling each of them, just to be safe. That was all except the quarterly, Corporate Sales call that was to take place at noon. It was a National conference call initiated by Corporate Headquarters for 9 am, California Time. Barbara knew Kathryn would want to be on that call. If there truly was a push to increase revenue, as Ted claimed, it would be discussed during that call. She still had an uncanny feeling Ted’s demands were just bullshit and not initiated by the Corporate Headquarters.
By mid-afternoon, Kathryn actually found herself yawning. Perhaps due to the slow day, or her restless nights and bouts of sleeplessness, or just because of the over abundant amount of stress she felt these days. Regardless of why, she was just about to take a walk to get a cup of coffee and try to wake up, when Barbara quietly approached her desk.
“Your two best friends from the NYPD are here to see you again. What should I tell them?”
“Unfortunately Barb, I don’t think I have a choice. Show them in, I guess.”
Moments later Detective Peters and Detective O’Donnell appeared in her office.
“Sorry to bother you again Miss Becker, but we have a few more questions we need to ask you, if you don’t mind.”
“That’s quite alright, detective. Please, come in. Good afternoon, Detective O’Donnell. Have a seat, gentlemen.”
“Thank you,” the detective said. “We’ll try to be quick, Miss Becker. Would you by chance, happen to know a Miss Jennifer Ellington?”
“Ellington? The name rings a bell, yes, I think I might?”
“You think you know her?”
“Well, I don’t know her personally, I know of her. Isn’t she the famous model? I think her picture is on all the City buses.”
“Can you tell us where you were last evening?”
“Yes, of course. I was with friends at a Bridge game. We were playing cards.”
“And, specifically, where was that?”
“An apartment on East 66th Street. What is this all about?”
Detective Peters looked at Sargent O’Donnell, raising his eyebrows.
“And, about what time did you leave the card game?”
“I don’t know, perhaps 11:00 o’clock, maybe a little later.”
“Then, where did you go?”
“I took a cab straight home. I live in the upper west side.”
“Was anyone with you? Or anyone home?”
“No. Why?”
“You were alone in your apartment?”
“Yes!” Kathryn started to get nervous and frustrated again, slightly raising her voice.”
“I assume there are witnesses that can support your statement?”
“Statement? Why, are you asking me all these questions?”
“Miss Ellington was found dead last evening.”
“Oh my God! Where? How? And....” Kathryn paused, with a puzzling look on her face, “you believe I had something to do with that? Where was she found?”
“East 68th Street. She was found dead, lying on the sidewalk.”
Kathryn suddenly looked like she had seen a ghost.
That’s two blocks from where I was. What are they thinking?
“What the hell makes you think I had something to do with this?”
“Just routine questions Miss Becker. We believe this murder is related to your case on file.”
“My case? You mean The Cafe 63 murder!”
“Yes, that one. Do you by chance own an Apple MacBook Air?”
“No, I don’t!”
“Are you aware of anyone in your office who may have one? Or, perhaps your company uses them?”
“You said murder? Miss Ellington was murdered? How is that related to the other deaths?”
“Miss Ellington, was wearing the same type of diabetic pump as the waitress, Lois Stanton. Miss Ellington died of an insulin overdose just as Miss Stanton did. Again, Miss Becker, about the computer? Are you aware of anyone in this office with a MacBook Air?”
; “No sir. What does that computer have to do with the murder of that poor girl?”
“We don’t know ma’am. It’s just that we found something at the scene of the crime. Just a hunch ma’am. We have to ask.”
“Detective, you said with certainty that Miss Ellington was murdered, but your presumed connection is to Lois Stanton, not the young boy who was shot. Are you officially saying Lois was murdered too?”
“Yes, Miss Becker. Both of these cases are now officially classified as a homicide.”
“Oh dear Lord, you’re thinking there is a problem with my company’s device? The Diage AU003 Insulin Pump? That would be a disaster detective.”
“We’re not saying that ma’am. We don’t want to cause a panic by any means. We think these people were murdered by someone. The same someone. We are not accusing your company of any wrong doing.”
“And, how is all that related to a computer?”
“There was something found at the scene, a computer accessory, that works with a MacBook Air. We thought maybe you could help us.”
“What do I know about computers? You need to talk with Dr. Anton Andreyushkin, Russell Valmont, or Eric Halsey. They’re in charge of all the computer stuff. Anton is the executive who heads up the division. Besides, he’s the one who invented the damn pump!”
“We just might do that, Ma’am, but we wanted your opinion.
“My opinion? I have no clue about a MacAir, whatever you called it. Maybe the gizmo you found had nothing to do with the murder. Someone else may have dropped it or maybe it belonged to Miss Ellington. Why are you so sure there is a connection, Detective Peters?”
“We don’t know. Like I said, it is just a hunch. Two women, both wearing a pump made by your company die of an insulin injection. That’s odd. We thought maybe a computer containing information accessed from your company files, exists and includes names and personal information of people either using the pump, or associated with the pump in some way. Whoever did this may have been carrying a computer, and dropped something at the scene of the crime. Only speculation ma’am at this point. But we have to ask. I hope you understand.”