Dead Drop

by Emma Rose Watts

  “Nothing out of the usual. He worked hard. Drank harder and came in late. That was his pattern.”

  “And how did he view your son?”

  “They chatted,” she said then shrugged.

  “Did they get on?”

  “Of course they did.”

  “Strange, I got the sense that your son didn’t like him.”

  She pulled another cigarette out, stubbed out what was left of the last and fired up another. Nancy was obviously nervous. “Look, detective, my son wasn’t exactly thrilled with me getting married to Nick. He loves his father Mike. He wanted me to stick around but there is a point when I had to make a decision for me. You can’t stay in a loveless marriage,” she said. Skylar thought about Jenna’s relationship with Darryl.

  “Do you know a guy named Darryl Harlow?”

  “Never heard of him.”

  “Tattoos. He was there that night.”

  She shrugged. “There were a lot of people there that night. I hope you are following up with all of those because I would hate to see you wasting your time on me.”

  “Oh it’s never a waste, Ms. Hammond. Nope. You’d be surprised what I learn from what is not said.”

  Nancy tapped more ash into the ashtray. “Look, are you going to arrest me?”

  “Haven’t decided yet. Lying to police, giving false information is a criminal offense. Section 837.05, Florida Statutes. Yep. However, I might be prepared to overlook that if there was something, oh in the way of information you could provide about Keith White.”

  “What do you want to know?”

  “Did you hear or see the argument between him and your husband?”

  “No. I didn’t. If they had one I left before that.”

  Skylar nodded. “Look I’m going to recommend you head on down to the police station and revise your statement. I would do it but it’s probably best it comes from you. I think that will say a lot about you at a time when the eyes of justice are honing in you.”

  “Me? But I didn’t do it. Okay I left out the part about me going to Ruby’s but I had a good reason. I didn’t want to be humiliated.”

  Skylar pulled a face and cocked her head to one side. “Humiliated.”

  “You live in Carrabelle, do you not, detective?”

  “I do.”

  “Then you know how gossip can spread like a weed.”

  Skylar pursed her lips and nodded. “Reputation. Your son did say you cared a lot about what people thought of you.”

  As Skylar headed for the door, she cast a glance back. “By the way, how are things between you and your ex?”

  “Good. As strange as it sounds we are on speaking terms. We have our moments but doesn’t anyone who goes through a divorce?” She stubbed out her cigarette and got up. “Is that it? Are you not arresting me?”

  Skylar looked out at the room full of hairdressers. As it stood they didn’t have anything concrete on her beyond her leaving that part out of her alibi.

  “That’s it for now. Just don’t go anywhere, okay? Oh and you might want to speak to your son.”

  With that said she walked out and made a motion with her head for David Manning to follow her outside. He was in the middle of doing his books. He laid his pen down and got up from the front desk and followed her. Skylar walked over to her cruiser and leaned against it.

  “Which one is your vehicle?”

  “What?”

  “Your vehicle?”

  David turned and pointed to a black Ford Escape. There wasn’t a mark on the front end, and there were no other vehicles in the lot that were damaged. “Two nights ago, after work. Where were you?” Skylar asked.

  “Out having a drink.”

  She looked at his hand and saw a wedding band. “Does your wife know?”

  He looked back to his store. Nancy was looking out while working away on her client’s hair.

  “Well?” Skylar probed him deeper.

  He sighed. “Look, we all have our relationship issues. The things we hide from those we love, and people we come to for a listening ear.”

  “So Nancy’s your listening ear, is she? Or the one you love?”

  He dropped his chin. “I was at the bar with Nancy, I then dropped her off at home around six.”

  “And then?”

  “I went home.”

  “And you were in all night?”

  “The ball game was on. So yeah.”

  “I’ll need to confirm that. Can I get your wife’s number?”

  He got this real concerned look on his face. “You’re not going to tell her about me and Nancy having a drink, are you? She wouldn’t understand.”

  “I don’t think many women would. Then again had you been out with a group maybe she wouldn’t have anything to worry about.”

  He reached into a pocket, pulled out an old receipt and scribbled on the back a number for his house and handed it to her. “She hasn’t been well. And Nancy was a listening ear. A friend. That’s all. Think what you will, detective, but not everyone sleeps around on their wife.”

  “Are you referring to Nick?”

  David pursed his lips and folded his arms. “If the boot fits.”

  Skylar tapped the air with the receipt. “If everything checks out, my lips are sealed. You have my word.”

  Chapter 16

  Ms. Gonzales was a widow living in a cramped mobile home in Bamboo Mobile Home Park just west of Pembroke Park. It was a quiet, tidy neighborhood filled with mostly elderly residents and blue-collar workers. Palm trees swayed in the breeze as they pulled up in the rental on Charles Road four homes down from Bo’s place. They didn’t want to spook him and they’d already told his mother that no harm would come to him if he came quietly. Unlike some mothers that Harvey had dealt with in the past, Bo’s honestly seemed to care about his future. On the phone she kept repeating that he was a good kid but had fallen in with the wrong crowd. That kid was forty-six years old, certainly old enough to know right from wrong.

  “You know he’s going to be on the lookout,” Hanson said. “Probably best if you go on down, and I’ll wait here with the vehicle.”

  “Why?”

  “That way if he bolts I can cut him off. If he drives out of here into that traffic we’ll lose him.”

  “Ye of little faith,” Harvey said tapping the steering wheel.

  “Baker.”

  “Okay,” he said throwing his hands up. Anything for a peaceful life. Harvey pushed out of the vehicle and Hanson slid on over. “Oh and if anyone offers you a drink, get one for me,” he said.

  Harvey looked back at him, one eyebrow rose. “Really?”

  “What? I’m thirsty. It’s hot out.”

  He shook his head as he walked away. Harvey approached the mobile home that was positioned at an angle. All of them were like that. Her home had an orange tree out front and the walkway and steps leading up to the front door were painted in bright red. With a blue door, cream-colored sides and white window it really was an eyesore. Harvey gave the door a knock with the back of his hand and stood back. A minute or two later a woman in her early seventies pushed open the screen door.

  “Yes?”

  “Ma’am, we spoke on the phone. Detective Baker.”

  “Oh yes, come on in.”

  She led the way inside and the first thing that caught his attention was the dank smell of weed. It was awful. The woman, who was around five ten in stature, and thin framed with a gaunt face, took a seat in front of the television. Some talk show was playing. She turned down the volume and eyed him as she reached for her cigarette from a tray that was already jam-packed with stubs and a half-eaten apple.

  “He’s not back yet but he shouldn’t be long.”

  “Ms. Gonzales, how long has your son been here?”

  “Several weeks. After that bitch took him for all his money he didn’t have a place to stay. I don’t have much room here but as long as I’m breathing he will always have a roof over his head.”

  Harvey nodded sc
anning the room. There were several framed photos on the counter. She must have caught him staring as she said, “That’s him when he was fourteen. He was a wild kid and tended to run with the wrong crowd at times but he has a heart of gold. He’d never harm anyone.”

  “Is that so?” Harvey said. Parents could be naïve at times. How many criminals had disappointed their mothers? How many would have been ashamed to have their parents know what they had done while chasing the green? Harvey would have taken a seat on the sofa but it was covered with stacks of old newspapers, piles of laundry and dirty dishes that she obviously hadn’t got around to cleaning.

  “How’s he been since the divorce?”

  “Down in the dumps. Besides the odd visit to the store he rarely comes out of his room. He sits with me and plays cards but lately it’s been getting less frequent. What was this you said about his ex-wife dead?”

  “Yeah, that’s why I’m here to see him.”

  “You don’t think he’s responsible, do you?”

  “No, we know who did it. I mean, we can identify them but we don’t have names. I thought he might be able to shed some light on it.”

  “He—”

  Before she could finish the front door opened and in came Bo with two bags of groceries in his hands. “I got the fruit you wanted, Ma…” His eyes bounced from her to Harvey and then he dropped the bags and bolted out the door.

  “Bo!” his mother cried out at the same time as Harvey. Not wasting a second, Harvey raced after him, bursting out into the sunshine only to have a flower pot thrown at him. It smashed on the ground and Bo took off down the road heading in the direction of Hanson. Harvey didn’t need to indicate to him, he was already ready. As Bo came running down the road, he glanced back to see where Harvey was and wasn’t paying attention to the driver’s door that had been opened. There was a loud thud as his body collided with it and he hit the ground. Hanson was on him quickly, flipping him onto his front and slapping cuffs on him just as Harvey came rushing up out of breath.

  “I didn’t do anything.”

  Hanson hauled him to his feet and pushed him up against the SUV while reading him his rights and checking his pockets for any weapons or drugs. He squirmed in Hanson’s grasp.

  “Settle down,” Harvey said placing a hand on his shoulder and keeping him against the SUV. Hanson pulled out of his pockets and placed on the hood of the SUV, one pack of Marlboro Lights, a lighter, forty dollars, some loose change and a stick of gum. “Are you aware that your ex-wife was murdered today?”

  He turned his head, a look of shock, perhaps bewilderment spread across his face. “That’s impossible.”

  “Well it’s happened. She’s dead. We are going to bring you in to see if you can identify the men that were caught on camera fleeing the scene.”

  “They didn’t work for me, if that’s what you’re insinuating.”

  “I didn’t say they did.”

  “They are probably from the Outlaws group.” He then looked real worried. “How did you get this address?”

  “You ex-wife. It was the last number she dialed but I’m guessing your mother didn’t tell you that.”

  “I was out,” he replied before Hanson led him around to the back of the vehicle and put him inside. Harvey turned at the sound of his mom’s voice. Harvey waved to her and told her that there was nothing to worry about. They were going to question him down at the station and they would keep her updated. That obviously didn’t cut it as she shuffled down the road telling them to wait.

  Harvey remained outside the vehicle while Hanson got in to keep an eye on Bo.

  “Ms. Gonzales, I’m going to give you my card. If you have any questions contact this number but right now it’s probably best you go back inside and leave this to us.”

  She tapped on the window. “Is there anything you need?”

  “Mom, just go in,” Bo said looking mortified by the whole experience. Several of the neighbors had come out to gawk. Bo’s mother turned to head back and told them to mind their own business. That was one fiery lady.

  Chapter 17

  “What did you do with all that money?” Skylar asked Keith White. After finishing up with Nancy she’d headed back to the department to find out why he’d lied to them.

  “I told you it’s gone. I don’t have it anymore,” he said from across the table in the interview room. Skylar glanced at the one-way mirror. Behind it were Reznik and Davenport. She hated conducting interviews in front of people, especially top brass.

  “I realize that. What did you spend it on?”

  “The casinos in Miami. Some of the money was used to get my business off the ground, the rest was spent down at the casinos.”

  “Strange. According to Wendy Owen you paid them back every cent except for the last time you got a loan.”

  “Who said that?”

  “Oh don’t play that card. You know full well. She was married to Bo Gonzales.”

  “Oh, that Wendy.”

  Skylar shook her head, she could tell he was holding back.

  “Look.” He stared at the one-way mirror then back at Skylar. “I had a string of good luck. You know when I first went to Bo and got a loan it was just for my business. I paid it back, and then I got into visiting casinos and well you know how things go. I hit a bad patch and needed more money to feed my addiction. Bo was there. They always gave me money. I started winning back and it seemed like I couldn’t fail. I would go in there with a couple of thousand and come out with double the amount but then I would blow through my winnings. Yeah, I know what they were saying down at Rapid Loans. That I had some gig going but the fact was I was winning and losing. I just happened to be on a very good winning spree and I decided to go big.”

  “How much?”

  “Two hundred thousand.”

  “Um, that’s a fair chunk of change,” Skylar said.

  “I lost it all. That’s why I gave Nick the tape. It was insurance to make sure that if they found me I had something over him but he went and used it to help Wendy.”

  “That must have burned you, especially when you found out that he was seeing Wendy on the side.”

  “Why would that bother me?”

  “Come on, Keith. Do you want to walk down that road? Wendy told us all about you stalking her, sending flowers, even coming on to her. You were obsessed with the woman.”

  He went red in the face.

  “So let me go out on a limb here. I think you showed up at Ruby’s Bar not just to confront Nick about handing over the tape. You were pissed because he was seeing Wendy and playing around with other women. So let me guess, you poisoned him then left thinking that would be enough, but it wasn’t, was it? When you saw him come out, you drove him off the edge of the road hoping his vehicle would go into the bay but it didn’t. Then you didn’t stick around because maybe someone came by. How am I doing?” Skylar asked.

  “You are way off!” He leaned forward. “I admit I gave him the tape, and I was pissed at him for going behind my back and seeing Wendy but I wouldn’t kill him for that. You have to be insane.”

  “Wendy thinks you are.”

  He snorted and shook his head. “You can’t keep me here. You have nothing on me. I want my lawyer now!”

  Skylar tapped the table. “Yeah that might take a while being as your last one is dead.”

  The door opened. It was Davenport. He jerked his head to indicate he wanted to speak with her. Skylar got up and smiled at Keith. Criminals would say and do anything to get out of jail. He was no different.

  Outside, once the door was closed, Davenport told her to walk with him.

  “Just leave it now.”

  “But sir, we are so close. He had the means, the motive and the opportunity.”

  “So did a lot of people in that place. It’s not enough, Reid.” He took a deep breath. “Anyway, Harvey just got back in touch. They’ve managed to track down Bo Gonzales, and Wendy Owen is dead.”

  “Dead?” She stared back blankly.
“Is Bo responsible?”

  “That’s what they’re trying to establish. I think we can rule out Keith because he’s been in here and unfortunately, Skylar, we did some digging around, Reznik has located footage of Keith at Magic City Casino and they have been able to confirm that he blew through thousands of dollars. He’s telling the truth, Skylar.”

  “But that doesn’t mean he isn’t responsible for killing him. Desperation, jealousy, those can lead people to do all manner of things.”

  “Yeah but his vehicle doesn’t have any damage on it. So unless he used another vehicle and unless we can find some connection beyond him being at Ruby’s on the night, all we have is circumstantial.”

  She nodded. “I’m going to get in touch with Axl to see if he can go back over that footage inside the club. It was grainy. Maybe he can clean it up and work his magic on it. In the meantime, we should have Reznik speak with everyone down at the bar.”

  “Already done it,” he said coming around the corner and joining them. “They all have solid alibis, and the camera across the street at the seafood restaurant confirms that none of the staff including the owner left that bar until a good forty minutes after our victim was dead.”

  Skylar paced then her phone rang. She stuck up a finger to let them know she would be right back and then walked a short distance away. It was the garage.

  “Alright, Jim, hit me with the bad news,” she said.

  “Actually it’s not too bad. You just need an engine thermostat. That’s why your engine was overheating. I can get another one in but it’s going to be a couple of days, or I can search around a few of the auto salvage yards. What do you want me to do?”

  “You know what, leave it with me. I have to make a run over to Tamlin Auto Salvage to speak with the owner. I’ll see if they have one in stock. If they do I’ll drop it off.”

  “You know I can have them send it over.”

  “But you’re going to add an additional cost for that and I’m trying to save money.”

  “I hear you. Okay, well give me a shout and if he has one I should be able to get it fixed up for you within the hour. Seriously though, Skylar, you should consider purchasing a new vehicle.”