by Rick Reed
“That’s all I ask,” Claudine said and they both knew the other was lying.
Mrs. Day came back, sat down heavily beside Jack, and said, “I don’t think I can take much more of this,” she said. “Reina… I just… I can’t lose my daughter too.”
She broke down into tears and Jack put his arm around her. “We won’t let anyone else hurt Reina, Mrs. Day.”
Her face came up sharply. “You can’t promise that. We’ve already lost so much. That asshole should never have called me. He should be in prison for what he did to my boy.”
Jack said, “We don’t know this is related to the other cases.”
“I do. He found out somehow that I went to the news. He’ll kill us all. I shouldn’t have called you, Miss Setera. I’ve changed my mind. I’m not going to do this.”
Jack wondered what Mrs. Day thought would be done. Didn’t she understand that Dick would be talked to by the Chief? But Mrs. Day was right about one thing. The timing fit. Reina calls Benet Cato and then they make an appointment with Claudine. Reina doesn’t show and they come to the Chief. Dick finds out and storms out of the Chief’s office. Next thing you know, Reina gets pounded and her purse is possibly stolen. Maybe to get the recording.
Claudine Setera reacted just as Jack knew she would. “Mrs. Day,” Claudine said, “Let’s see Reina together first. If this is her decision also and you want me to drop this, I will. But I would like to hear it from her and at least see how she’s doing. If you don’t want to put any of this on the air I’ll honor your wish.”
Jack thought that what Claudine would really like to do was get some unguarded quotes from Reina. But it was really up to Mrs. Day and Reina at this point. Nothing was off the record as far as the media was concerned.
Mrs. Day asked Jack, “Did you find her purse?”
Chapter 8
Reina had asked her mom to send the detectives back. She wanted to talk to them alone. Mrs. Day accompanied them, leaving an unhappy Claudine alone in the visitors lounge. Jack was sure Claudine would be waiting for them when they came out.
Reina was propped up in bed with the covers pulled up to her chin. The television was tuned to Channel 6’s weather report. The perky weather girl must have used grease to slide into the tight-fitting dress. She was announcing, “Partly cloudy with a chance of rain,” with a brilliant white smile.
A bandage covered the left side and top of Reina’s face and head. Her upper and lower lips were split. She was holding an ice pack to her face. An ugly red and dark purple welt peeked from under it. Her hair was long and thick and blond where it wasn’t sticky with blood.
“Sit down, Mom. You’re making me nervous,” Reina said.
Reina lowered the ice pack. The white of her left eye was bloodshot. Scleral hemorrhage. Jack knew the medical term because he’d had a few himself over the years.
“Does it hurt?” Jack asked.
Reina put the ice pack back on her face. “I’m not laughing.”
“I’m Detective Murphy and this is—”
“I know who both of you are. And the nurses told me all about you. Mom said she met with your Chief of Police this morning. Did he assign Max’s murder to you?”
“He did. What did the nurses say?”
“They said you were a frequent flier,” she said and winced. Her free hand went to her split lips.
“It’s not that bad,” Liddell said. “I mean, you’ll hardly notice in a few days. A little makeup and—I guess I’d better shut up now.”
Jack said, “Your mother said you wanted to talk to us.”
“Did you find my purse?” Reina asked.
“No,” Jack said. “A witness thought he saw the person that attacked you take something.”
Reina closed her good eye. “I was afraid of that. The recording I was going to play during my interview at Channel Six was in my purse.” She used her arms to adjust her position on the mattress, but it was painful to move.
Mrs. Day said, “I’ll get the nurse to bring you something.”
“No, Mom. I’ve taken Tylenol and that’s all I can have.” To Jack she said, “Detective Murphy, the man who did this and stole my purse is connected with Max’s death. I’m sure of it. I don’t know how he could know I was going to Channel Six, or how he knew to take my purse, but it wasn’t a robbery. Have you ever heard of someone getting robbed and beat up in a cemetery?”
Actually, Jack had heard of that exact thing, but it wouldn’t help her to hear that.
“Do you know anyone who would want to harm you?” Jack asked.
She was wearing an expensive wedding ring. “No. I don’t, and I’m divorced. I wear the ring to keep from being bothered, and it’s the only thing of value I got out of the marriage. I’m on good terms with the ex. No fights. No children. No financial disputes. No reason to harm me. Whoever did this wasn’t trying to kill me.”
“Miss Day, I’m just doing my job. Checking everything. I have to ask these questions. Was there anything else of value in the purse?”
She came back smartly with, “I see. Do you think I took prescription drugs from the hospital and was in the cemetery to sell them? Is that what you mean?”
“That’s not what I’m asking,” Jack said.
“He didn’t say that,” Liddell added.
“I’m sorry for being so rude. The answer is the usual stuff was in my purse. Driver’s license, credit cards, three dollars cash, some change, hair ties, cell phone. The only thing of value would have been the digital recorder, but you don’t believe that was what he was after, do you?”
Jack and Liddell were quiet. Mrs. Day stood by the bed and patted Reina’s arm.
“Sorry. I’m a little pissed and I hurt,” Reina said.
“Understandable,” Jack said. “What I can tell you is that we have every available policeman searching for the suspect. If you can give me a description, it will help us.”
“What did the witness say?” she asked.
“I need to hear what you remember.”
She took a breath and calmed herself. “I was on Diamond Avenue going west. A dark blue or black SUV was tailgating me. I’m not sure what year or make; they are all the same, except for the ones that are designed like little toasters. It was still right on my tail when I turned onto Kratzville. He crossed into the other lane and zoomed up next to me. I slowed down to let him go around, but he paced me. I couldn’t see his face. I got near the entrance and he took off.”
“You said he,” Jack said.
“It seemed like a man. He was wearing a black hoodie jacket with the hood pulled up hiding his face.”
“Did he seem familiar to you?”
“I didn’t see a face. I thought it was some kid. I’m sure that it was the same man who attacked me.”
“Okay,” Jack said. “Why were you at the cemetery?”
“I was on my way to Channel Six to meet my mother…” Her voice trembled. She took Mrs. Day’s hand and squeezed it. “I’m all right, Mom,” she assured her mother.
“Can’t you talk to her later?” Mrs. Day said.
“Not later. Now. I want to do this now, Mom. I’m okay. Really,” Reina said.
Liddell pulled a tissue from the container by the bed and handed it to her.
“Thank you,” she said and dabbed under her eyes.
“Why were you at the cemetery?” Jack asked.
“We were going to do an interview with Claudine Setera. That reporter at Channel Six news. My mom wanted to go to the police, but I didn’t think it would do any good. I decided to visit my brother and father’s graves before going to the television station. I parked and went to the graves. I guess Mom told you the conversation she had with Richard Dick?”
“She did,” Jack answered.
“I recorded it. I made a couple of copies on thumb drives. I emailed one to
Benet Cato.”
Mrs. Day added, “I gave Claudine one and she made a copy.”
Reina said, “The recorder was in my purse. I was sitting there, getting myself together. I saw someone coming toward my car. It was the black hoodie guy. The one that was following me in the SUV.”
“You’re sure it was a man?”
“Yes. He was white. The hoodie was pulled down so I could see just the mouth and the bottom of the jaw, but it was a man and he was white.”
“Could you tell his size?”
“He was tall. As tall as you are. He was wearing that jacket and I only saw him for a second. Then the back windshield exploded. I ducked. The blasts were loud, like a shotgun and he kept shooting one right after the other. He grabbed me and he hit me and kept hitting me. I must have blacked out, but the last thing I remember was someone yanking on my purse. I woke up in the ambulance and then here.”
“Did you see a weapon?” Jack asked.
“No. But it sounded like a shotgun. I know what they sound like because my dad owned a gun shop.”
Mrs. Day’s voice was thick with emotion. “Harry never let the kids go inside the gun shop and we didn’t keep guns around the house.”
“Dad let me and Max shoot a shotgun once,” Reina said.
Mrs. Day was shocked. “He never did.”
“Yeah, he did, Mom,” Reina said. “And Max had his own shotgun, but Dad made him keep it at the store under lock and key. Dad let him shoot targets sometimes. I know, because Max used to bring the targets home and show me. He was pretty good.”
“I didn’t know,” Mrs. Day said.
Jack imagined Mrs. Day didn’t know a lot of things about her seventeen-year-old son.
Reina squeezed her mother’s hand. “I miss them too, Mom.” To Jack she said, “You said you’d tell me about the witness.”
Jack said, “Before I do, I need you to tell me one more time about the SUV that followed you to the cemetery.”
“It was him. He was wearing a black hoodie, a jacket or a pullover sweatshirt. I didn’t see him that well. The guy in the car was wearing the same hoodie. It would be too much of a coincidence they were different men, don’t you think?”
“Did you see anyone else at the cemetery when you drove in? Anyone out by a grave? Any other vehicles?”
“There was another man in the cemetery. A retired firefighter. He heard shots, but he was pretty far away. He saw the guy hitting you and he thought the guy stole something before he ran away. He gave a similar description you did, but he didn’t see any vehicle.” He didn’t tell her that George was wearing a black hoodie jacket. For now, George was just a witness. Jack didn’t suspect him, but he’d have to be checked out. Everyone was a suspect until they weren’t. That’s what they taught you in Detective 101.
“You’re not going to find him, are you?” Mrs. Day said. When neither Jack nor Liddell answered right away, she said, “I knew we shouldn’t have gone to the police. Harry was right.”
Jack said, “We haven’t had a chance to read the case files yet. I’ll talk to the Chief and ask him to assign your case to us, but it would really be better to have other detectives work it. If it’s not related to our cases it will slow us down.” To Mrs. Day he said, “Mrs. Day, are we still on for one o’clock? We can reschedule, considering what’s happened.”
“Hell’s bells,” Mrs. Day said. “One o’clock at my house. Reina needs to rest and she can’t do that with me standing around crying. I’ve got my husband’s notes and such.”
“We’ll be there at one,” Jack said. “Miss Day, you get some rest so we can talk again. I’m sure we’ll be back to talk to you. Maybe later this afternoon, if the doctor says it’s okay.”
“Give me your card,” Reina said and Jack did.
“If you think of something, call the number on the back. That’s my personal cell phone. But try to rest.”
“I’m resting. You’re not supposed to sleep with a head injury. That’s why I can’t have any strong painkillers. But it will help if I can be quiet for a little while. You’ll come back, won’t you?”
Jack assured her they would and he and Liddell left Reina’s room. Claudine was gone and a police officer was sitting on a bench where he could watch the elevator and the door to Reina’s room. His name tag read D. Doolan. Jack never knew what the D stood for because everyone just called him Droolin’ Doolan. He hoped the man’s first name wasn’t really Droolin’.
Doolan stood and said, “Hey, Jack. Liddell. Sergeant Mattingly said I was to guard someone at Deaconess. Security gave me the room number and said you were up here. Who am I guarding and from what?”
“The woman in that room.” Jack pointed at Reina’s door. “She was beat up pretty good and we think it might be a domestic violence kind of thing.”
Doolan wasn’t convinced.
“Okay. I’m lying,” Jack said. “Her name is Reina Day. Someone just shot her car up and beat the hell out of her and stole her purse, so it may have been a robbery. She’s being kept overnight, so I don’t know if Sergeant Mattingly wants twenty-four-hour postings or not. We don’t have much of a suspect description.”
Doolan grinned. “Thanks. I bet Steinburg ten bucks that you would lie.”
“Do you have a description?” Jack asked.
Doolan said, somewhat sarcastically, “White male, black jacket and hoodie. About your height. No one like that is getting near her room. It’ll be pretty damn hard to hide a Desert Eagle under hospital scrubs, don’t you think?”
Jack was a little ticked at his attitude, but grateful for an armed guard. “No one goes in except nurses, doctors, or her mother. There’s an older woman in there with her. Her mother.”
“Okay. I got it,” Doolan said. “Is she involved with the Double Dick shit that’s going on?”
“I’m not going to tell you and you don’t want to know.”
“You guys never talk about anything fun. I guess you can’t say nothing because it’s Double Dick’s ass flapping in the wind. Figures.” Doolan asked Liddell, “How’s little Janie?”
“She’s saying some words already,” Liddell said proudly. “Smart, like her old man.”
“I might point out you work with this guy,” Doolan said, meaning Jack.
“Bite me, Doolan,” Jack said.
Jack and Liddell got on the elevator and when the doors shut Jack said, “He’s right.”
“About Janie being smart like me?” Liddell asked.
“No, smart-ass. Doolan’s right. If it didn’t involve Double Dick we wouldn’t be messed up in this.”
“Do you think an armed guard is really necessary, pod’na? Sergeant is overreacting a little? If the guy didn’t kill her at the cemetery, he sure as hell isn’t coming here.”
Jack said, “Mattingly’s just playing it safe. If he didn’t tell Doolan to babysit, the Captain would have, just for appearance’s sake.”
“Do you think Mrs. Day is right that the police department deliberately or negligently flubbed the original investigation?” Liddell asked.
“I find that hard to believe.”
“Double Dick is involved, pod’na.”
“Good point.” Dick had totally screwed up a stakeout that Jack was running and that had resulted with Jack almost being killed. Dick had caused such chaos that Jack had to chase an armed bad guy down a narrow alleyway in pouring-down rain. He still had nightmares. The blade coming down, gouging along the side of his face, through his cheek and jaw, down his neck and across his chest. Liddell had called him Franken-Jack for months because of the red, jagged scar. But the bad guy was dead, so it evened out.
Murphy’s Law said: Where there’s a Dick, there’s a major screwup.
Jack and Liddell left the hospital and headed for their office. Mattingly would have officers scouring the neighborhoods around Locust Hill Ce
metery for witnesses. Captain Franklin would have already assigned a detective to take witness statements and everything would be funneled to them without telling the officers or detectives squat about Max or Harry Day’s murders from way back when.
“We’re going to piss a lot of people off, keeping all of this under wraps,” Jack said.
“When don’t you piss a lot of people off?”
“Another good point, Bigfoot. You’re on fire today.”
“One o’clock is right around the corner and I’m a little peckish,” Liddell said.
“It’s not even nine o’clock.”
“Tell that to my stomach.” As if on cue, Liddell’s stomach grumbled.
“You win. You pick the place. You drive.”
“Hallelujah! Hey, let me tell you a joke I heard from Johnny Hailman,” Liddell said. Johnny Hailman was a K-9 officer known for his horrible jokes.
“If you tell me, I’ll have to kill you,” Jack said.
* * * *
Claudine Setera had gone to get coffee and was just coming from the nurses’ break room when she saw a uniformed police officer get off the elevator. She ducked back and watched Jack and Liddell come out of Reina’s room down the hall and go talk to the policeman. She knew Murphy had conspired somehow to keep her from talking to Reina and she was having none of it. She went back in the break room and kept the door cracked, but she couldn’t hear what they were saying.
Jack and Liddell got on the elevator and she watched the policeman drag a chair down the hall and take a seat outside Reina’s door. She’d have to be creative.
Claudine straightened her skirt and unbuttoned two of the buttons on her top to maximize the cleavage output to 150 watts. She poured another coffee and carried them both down the hall toward the policeman.
Chapter 9
Warrick County was dotted with stripper pits created by open coal-mining operations. He knew the back-county roads like the back of his hand. He slowed the SUV, preparing for the cut in the brush that led back to the abandoned stripper pit. He and his buddies had partied in the pits in high school. Girls, beer, swimming, pot, more beer, maybe something that made them feel better than all those. He found the cut and turned down a grass and weed-covered path. He drove over some manageable tree limbs downed by a storm. This section of Indiana was known as Tornado Alley for a reason.