He indicated they should take the chairs in front of his desk.
He looked at them anxiously. “I went by the hospital this morning before I came here. They say Jordan’s stable, and I guess that’s all that they’ll say officially, but the nurse I spoke with seemed optimistic. Nothing’s changed, right?”
He looked at Raina worriedly as he finished speaking.
“Nothing has changed,” Raina said softly. “Not that we know about, anyway.”
He frowned slightly. “What do you think he was doing out in the middle of the Everglades alone? I can’t even fathom how he got out there. I mean, the only logical thing is that someone took him, probably against his will. Do you think this is related to the case that brought you here, Axel? Do you think someone meant to slit his throat? But no, it was a python! I know a dog or a small child could be a nice little morsel for a snake, but Jordan isn’t small. I’m sorry. All of this is just so bizarre.”
“It was a damned big snake. Close to the largest found out there, I’d bet,” Axel said. “Frankly, I can’t imagine how that constrictor might have gotten such a huge meal into his mouth, either. I just know he was wrapped around him. But no, we can’t figure out how he got out there in the first place.”
“Jordan is really one of the nicest guys in the world,” Tate said. “They like to mock lawyers, call us sharks, but that wasn’t Jordan at all. He fought hard and passionately for people. And I can’t imagine why anyone would want to harm him. Me, maybe. I’ve defended some people who probably deserved more than they got. I could see...well, I’ve defended a few murderers. Drug dealers. No matter what the crime, by our justice system, everyone deserves to put up the strongest defense the law allows.”
“You don’t know of any cases where there might have been some bad blood? Someone who wanted to come after Jordan?”
Tate sat back, shaking his head and looking baffled. “We have a meeting once a week. We all go over every case that’s been brought into the firm. Criminal and civil. Jordan’s recent cases have been against corporations, ones with enough money to make settlements. He has gotten the best for his people. But seriously, I can’t think of a situation where anyone would want to come after him.”
“What about his personal life?” Axel asked.
Tate gave him a quizzical look. “Well, you know as much about that as I do. We were all joking at dinner the other night. Jordan hasn’t been serious about anyone in a long time. He does usually show up at events with someone different each time.”
“Did you know he knew Jennifer Lowry, the young woman whose body we found on the embankment just into the Everglades?”
Tate frowned. He shook his head.
“No. I didn’t know he knew her. I mean, he never brought her anywhere. He might have met her at this club he liked to go to. Jordan never liked really loud places. Well, Raina, you know. He loves music, has always loved music, but hates DJs who go from one pounding beat to the next. I can’t think of the name of the place he liked. I went there with him once. He talked to all kinds of people that night. What was it? Oh, Sunshine and Moonlight!” He was proud of himself for remembering the name of the place, but then he paused again. “Oh, God. That means I might have met her, too.”
“He cared about her,” Axel said. “You don’t remember him introducing her to you by name?”
Tate thought a minute and then shook his head slowly. “No. But I only went there with him once. He might have seen her at another time.”
“What about anyone else here?” Raina asked him.
“I think I’m as close as anyone here,” Tate said. He frowned suddenly. “I did just think of something. Sorry—not associated with any outing. Well, yes, I guess in a weird way. The night I was out with him, he did meet someone at the bar. I wasn’t paying that much attention.” He was quiet a minute. “I do wonder if it might have been the poor girl who was murdered. Later that night, he mentioned he might have landed a new client. Jordan handles civil cases, you know, so I didn’t think too much about it. I was going to ask him, but he wandered away again, and I started watching the girl onstage. Solo act that night. Boy, did she have pipes. And she could play a guitar something fierce! I wonder if Jordan ever put anything into the record about a new client? I can look, but honestly, I believe he’ll be able to answer these questions himself before long.”
“Do you mind checking the record?” Axel asked. “It could be important. Jordan was attacked by someone, we’re convinced. Anything that moves this along more quickly will be great.”
Tate nodded to Axel but flashed a smile to Raina. “Anything for you kids,” he said. “I’ll check the records.” He spoke into the intercom. “Karel, will you get me all of Jordan’s most recent files, memos, notes. Anything, please.”
“Of course, Mr. Fielding, I’ll bring his files, but they should all be in the computer, too. They’re password-protected, but—”
“I know his pass code, thanks. I’ll just bring his files up,” Tate told her.
He ended his conversation with another press of the button, frowning as he keyed in what he needed on his computer.
“Come on around,” he told Axel and Raina. “Maybe you’ll see something I don’t.”
They walked behind his desk. Raina read the file as Tate used the touch screen. Jordan kept excellent notes. He was dealing with a case, defending a man with a dog. Two young men had jumped the fence into the defendant’s yard, and the dog had bitten one of them. The young man was suing, and Jordan was defending the dog owner. Countersuing. Why was the man in his yard?
“Strong case here. I met the dog when the man was in the office. Mutt was just defending his home. Jordan will make mincemeat of this,” he said.
He scrolled on.
“Stop!” Axel said.
A notation had caught his eye. Jordan had begun conversations with JL.
Jennifer Lowry? The date seemed right.
“Workplace harassment?” Raina murmured aloud.
She looked at Axel. “At Dr. Wong’s office?” she asked. “They all claimed to love her!”
Axel didn’t answer.
“Hey, get around, get around!” Tate said worriedly, standing.
Axel comprehended why instantly—the elder Fielding was coming. He grasped Raina’s hand and walked around quickly.
The three of them were standing—Tate behind the desk, properly, and Axel and Raina in front, where they should be—when Jefferson Fielding walked in.
“Well, hello, Miss Raina, and Special Agent Tiger, is it? You are finding out what happened to Jordan Rivera, right?”
“We are, sir,” Axel said. “And Tate has kindly spoken to us. We were hoping he might have an idea of anyone who threatened Jordan in any way.”
The older Fielding looked at his son and smiled grimly. “Well, they are good friends, yes. But of course you know neither Tate, nor anyone in this firm, can give you information on cases. Attorney-client privilege. As much as we’d like to help you, there might be situations in which we are morally obligated to keep silent.”
“Of course, sir,” Axel said. “We would never want anything that wasn’t completely within the law. As a matter of fact, we were just leaving. We do believe Jordan will be out of the coma soon, and when he is, well, he’ll give us whatever we need.”
He turned to Tate. “Thank you for seeing us and we do understand you couldn’t give away any of his client information. Mr. Fielding, good to see you.”
“Thanks, Tate!” Raina said. “Mr. Fielding,” she added, starting past him.
“Amazing,” Jefferson Fielding said.
“What’s that?” Raina asked politely.
“A dog trainer out asking questions with the FBI. Is that legal?”
“Raina is consulting with us on this because of the animals involved,” Axel politely improvised, taking her arm. “Good day, gentlem
en, and thank you again.”
The door was open. They left it that way.
As they started out into the hall, they heard Jefferson say to Tate, “What, she’s sleeping with him now? She’s something to look at, but pure bitch, son. You’re well out of anything with her!”
“Dad, we dated for two minutes years ago,” Tate replied wearily.
Axel saw that Raina’s cheeks were burning. Of course the elder Fielding had meant for her to hear his words.
“I’m tempted to go back and deck him,” Axel said.
“No. He’s just an ass,” Raina said. “I broke it off with Tate, and I guess in Jefferson’s mind, no one does that to his son. Tate and I remained friends. His dad can’t seem to accept that.” She looked at him and grinned. “I’m grateful you were ready to rush to my defense, but seriously? He’s just an ass, and not worth the trouble!”
He grinned at her, and then his grin faded.
“We’ve got to get back to the dentist’s office,” he said.
Eighteen
They left downtown and headed back toward South Miami and the dentist’s office.
As they drove, Raina sighed. “Poor Tate.”
Axel glanced her way, lifting a brow. “Poor Tate? His dad will have him made partner in a matter of a few years. He’s a very handsome young man, pretty much has the world at his feet. But poor Tate?”
“He was ready to help us. His dad is a jerk.” She was quiet. Then she spoke softly. “Jefferson Fielding himself was around that day, thirteen years ago, and he was no kid at the time. He even followed Tate out to the campground, making sure it was safe for his son. I know he embarrassed Tate a lot, always making it sound as if he was elite, being groomed to be an incredible attorney and maybe politician. Tate was okay on his own. Like you said—good-looking, charming. He managed just fine.”
“He’s also grown now. Out of college, well over twenty-one. He could leave, if he chose.”
“I can’t imagine that kind of pressure. My parents were more like belated flower children. They wanted me to do whatever would make me happy,” Raina said.
He shrugged, and then smiled. “Mine were pretty good. They wanted me to know the culture of both the Seminole and Miccosukee tribes, which was fair. According to my dad, the Seminole is a little more liberal and the Miccosukee is a little more determined to hang on to history—and whatever the rest of my mixed-up background might have been. They were great. Belated flower children, too, believing we were all entitled to grow up to be whatever we wanted to be, as well. I guess you’re right. I knew what I wanted from a young age, and they did nothing but encourage me. Maybe it is ‘poor Tate.’ Anyway, he tried to help us. And I saw the ‘JL’ and the note Jordan left. It could prove to be very important.”
Raina gazed out the window as they drove. They were soon back in her general neighborhood, South Miami, and about to park by the dentist’s office.
“Wong seemed truly beloved,” Raina said. “Patients and staff seem to be crazy about him. Do you think it could be true someone was harassing her? It seems the only time she went out was with her friends from work.”
He didn’t answer right away. They’d pulled into a parking spot on the street near the office and his phone was ringing. He glanced her way apologetically and answered it.
He talked for a minute and then hung up, looking at her thoughtfully.
“What?”
“That was Jon. He and Kylie saw Melissa Scarborough, who is about to become Melissa Newton. She was very well dressed and she had them meet her at an upscale restaurant. She was, in Jon’s opinion, determined to help them in any way she could. Too determined. Very nice, crying over Peter, and claiming while they’d been split up, she still loved him, of course. She’d never imagined such a terrible thing. They both thought she was trying too hard. She hadn’t wanted him down in South Florida—too many criminal elements. He was a nice guy, but if he drank too much at a bar, he was prone to get into fights. She was afraid he finally managed to anger the wrong person.”
“Angela checked out all her records, right? She never did come to Florida?” Raina asked.
“We can’t find any records that suggest she came to Florida anywhere near the time he disappeared and was then found. But about a year before they split up, they were here as a couple, vacationing. They spent time in Miami and then over in Naples. Which meant they went through the Everglades, driving from east to west.”
“You said they met at an upscale restaurant and she was very well dressed?” Raina asked.
“Kylie said her clothing was designer and very expensive.”
“But they had been people who made moderate incomes.”
“Right. I’m going to call Angela and tell her there has to be a money trail somewhere,” Axel said.
She was quiet. “If she hired someone to kill Peter Scarborough, wouldn’t that mean she’d have less money? Maybe the guy she’s going to marry is wealthy.”
“Maybe. Jon told me he and Kylie just smiled and accepted everything she said, but they didn’t feel it was sincere. Melissa Scarborough was almost smug, as if she were playing a part. And even if they knew it, there was nothing they could do about it. She suddenly has money, and I’m willing to bet it somehow came from her husband. She had a reason to want him dead. And now, we have Tate letting us see the notes Jordan had in his file. I think someone—no matter how loved Jennifer Lowry might have been—wanted her out of the way. Let’s check out Dr. Wong’s office.”
He turned and she followed him as they entered the building and headed up in the elevator. Axel opened the door and Raina stepped in before him. The reception area was filled with waiting patients and Marci was at the desk. She looked at them with surprise and then frowned, rising and coming around from her desk to greet them.
“Has anything else happened? Do you need something...that can wait? As you can see, we’re really busy!” she said anxiously.
“We went to the club and talked to some people there,” Axel said, smiling. “Sometimes, when a bit of time passes, you think of something more, so we wanted to check in.”
“Of course you’re busy,” Raina said. “How are you managing? You must be short-staffed.”
“Well, thankfully, Roger has been able to step up and fill in on a lot of work Jen always did, and he has a cousin who has been a dental assistant and she’s come in to help. It’s been a godsend, really. Dr. Wong was saying the other day not only were we mourning the loss of an amazing friend, we were down an amazing woman who was like his right hand.”
“Now is a tough time. We understand. We’ll make arrangements to talk later,” Axel said.
He gave Marci a sad smile, completely understanding the situation.
“Thank you!” she whispered.
He had Raina’s hand.
They left the office. Axel seemed grim but reenergized.
“We’re on track,” he said. “I know it.”
“Axel, do you think Roger Martinez arranged for Jennifer to be killed to take her place, to bring his cousin in? There’s just not much money in it. Murder for hire must cost! I don’t think the rewards would equal the cost.”
“It’s not always money. It’s what a person really wants. You’ve seen it before, I’m sure. We all have. Someone who claims to love someone the world seems to idolize—when resentment is brewing beneath.”
“That’s possible. But enough to want someone dead?”
“It’s impossible to tell what people might do or what they might think something is worth. Is it possible to want someone dead? Sick, cruel, yes. But possible. At the moment, we’re looking at two people who might have somehow benefited from the deaths of two others. It’s more than anything else we’ve got, and definitely worthy of pursuit. Come on. Let’s pick up Titan and head out. I want to get to Andrew’s and talk to him and make some phone calls. Get more facts
and figures. Look into the lives of the others, find out just who might have benefited from the deaths of Alina Fairchild, Fran Castle and Hermione Shore.”
“Do we think Roger Martinez had something to do with Jennifer Lowry disappearing because he’s gotten a better job and brought his cousin in? If so, why are we just politely walking out of the office?”
“I’m on a theory right now. We need a lot more legwork and brilliant computer tech people who can find money trails and so on before I can make an arrest. You know that—your brother is an attorney.”
She nodded. Robert always wanted hard evidence he could give a jury. She knew, through her brother, that what you knew didn’t matter unless you could prove it.
“We still don’t know about Brandon Wells,” Axel said. “And tomorrow, kids are coming back out to the Everglades for an overnight camping trip. I want to get Andrew with us, out to the camping area. And Nigel if he can do it. I don’t want a bunch of kids finding the remains of Brandon Wells.”
“Okay. But can we get Titan now?” she asked.
He smiled. “Oh, yes, definitely. We can get Titan.”
* * *
The school camping program was popular. It had been since its inception.
There were dozens of programs in the Miami-Dade and Broward counties on the eastern side of the state, but this particular program happened only once a year.
The same people had been involved forever with others joining in over the years.
By the time they picked up Titan and got to Andrew’s, collected Andrew and reached Nigel, it was after three, but they still had several hours to search the general area where the young people would be staying before darkness fell.
When they arrived after taking a long snakelike backwoods trail off the main road, they discovered Jeremy Gray was already there, among others, setting up his tent and his displays and maps. He greeted them with a bit of surprise, looking from Axel to Andrew and then Raina and the dog.
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