Too Many Suspects

by E B Corbin

“That’s all right. I believe the situation is no longer as urgent as it once was, but just in case, there’s a cabin on your land near the northern border that we may need permission to search.”

  “First, it’s my wife’s land. And second, what on earth do you need to search that old shack for?”

  “We did an aerial surveillance of the county in trying to locate two missing children. The data indicated that the cabin on your, er, your wife’s property had seen some traffic in the past couple of weeks.”

  “You think these missing kids are hiding on our land?”

  “No, sir. They’re not exactly missing, they’ve been kidnapped.”

  “Kidnapped? Is the FBI involved?”

  “No, sir. But the local police and DSS agents are searching for them. And time is running out. We have another lead at a local campground, but we’re not certain the children are there.”

  “Well, I’ll have to contact my wife. I’m sure she’ll have no objection. Should I call you or someone else once I get her permission?”

  “You can contact me. I’ll be in touch with the others.”

  The judge hesitated before saying, “Perhaps it would be better if you’re here when I make the call. My wife may be more receptive if you explain it to her.”

  “I’m afraid that’s not possible right now. I’m at the police station getting ready to take over communications. Gertie leaves in about thirty minutes and someone has to be here.” Roxanne turned to see Gertie waving her hands for attention. “Can you hold on one minute?”

  Roxanne put him on mute and said, “What is it?”

  “I’m more than willing to stay as long as necessary. In fact, I’d prefer to stay,” Gertie said. “I’m familiar with what needs to be done and Lord knows how you’ll mess up my system.”

  Roxanne’s lungs deflated as the truth sank in. If the woman didn’t believe she could handle it, she might as well take the dispatcher up on her offer. “If you’re sure you don’t mind…”

  “I don’t mind at all,” Gertie assured her.

  “Let me finish this call, then I’ll contact Callahan and let him know what’s going on.” Roxanne turned away and reconnected with the judge. “Sorry, I’ve just been informed that I’m not needed here, so I can come out if you think it will help.”

  “It might make all the difference. Claire, my wife, is often hard to get along with and she makes it clear that I’m not in charge of this property. If I granted permission, she could very well object. We don’t always see eye to eye on things.”

  “I’ll be there as soon as I can.” She clicked off and immediately punched the contact for Callahan to tell him what she was doing. He wasn’t thrilled with the new scenario, but they still hadn’t caught sight of the kids. Plus, even though it was doubtful, there was always the chance Pearse and Seamus weren’t the kidnappers.

  Sam and Henry had studied the maps again before they came to relieve Ron and Tiffany. They hadn’t found any prospects with as much potential as the judge’s property. If the site at the campground didn’t work out, they needed to check out the other cabin, and authorization was imperative.

  Roxanne felt she had no choice but to join the judge. The two of them stood more of a chance of convincing his wife the search needed to be done.

  Callahan made her promise not to go near the cabin without backup. She told him she had no intention of playing the hero. “Be careful. I don’t want anything to happen to you,” he cautioned her before he clicked off.

  In ten minutes, Roxanne pulled into the driveway at Mockingbird Manor. A black SUV in the driveway gave her momentary goose bumps but she parked alongside it ignoring her uneasiness. There were probably a thousand black SUVs in the area and nothing indicated that this one had been following Roxy and Conor.

  Also, a Supreme Court Justice had no reason to be taking potshots at her. In all her time here, she barely had any contact with him. Taking a deep breath, she approached the heavy oak front door.

  At the last minute, she slipped her phone from her bag, set it to Record, and stuck it in her pocket. It might be prudent to have some proof of any oral agreement to search the cabin. If nothing suspicious turned up, she didn’t want any blowback from the judge or his wife.

  The door opened before she reached the top step. She recognized one of the men from her first encounter with the judge. Still dressed in a dark suit, the driver stepped aside, motioned her in and closed the door. She remembered pegging him as a bodyguard when she last saw him. Knowing someone competent was around if needed, she felt her jitters subside.

  The man led her to the room the judge used as an office when he was in residence and tapped lightly on the door.

  “Come in, come in,” the judge called.

  Roxanne tried to hide her surprise at Judge Walters’ appearance. Instead of the business suit she expected to see, he wore old man jeans topped with a faded Harvard sweatshirt. “Roxanne, it’s good to see you. I’m sorry to hear that children have been kidnapped in what I consider my town. Can you tell me their names? A personal touch might help with Claire.”

  Without invitation, she sank into one of the chairs in front of his desk. “Len, Jr. is fourteen and his sister, Sasha, is eleven.”

  “My, they’re a little old to be held captive. Do you think there’s a chance they just ran away?”

  Roxanne took offense at his remark. “Adults have been kidnapped and held. Why would a fourteen-year-old be any different? They might not be toddlers, but that doesn’t mean they’re not scared to death.”

  “Yes, yes, I guess you’re right. Sorry, I just assumed they were younger.” The judge used both hands to pat the air. “I don’t want to give Claire any misleading information.”

  Roxanne wondered why he seemed to pussyfoot around calling his wife but thought it best to be patient. “Their parents are Leonard, the chef at the diner, and his wife, Tamara.”

  “What did they do to endanger their children?”

  “They didn’t do anything. I think it was a desperate attempt to get the five million from Roxy.”

  “Then she’s located the money?” Judge Walters steepled his fingers and stared at them for a few seconds. “I hadn’t heard that. When did this happen?”

  Roxanne marveled at the judge’s assumption that small town gossip moved at breakneck speed. That wasn’t always the case. Especially when the parties involved were dead set on pulling off a surprise of their own. “She just located what was left of it yesterday.”

  “What was left of it? How much did she find? Are you sure it’s the IRA money?” The judge’s questions came out rapid fire before he caught himself. “Sorry, that came out wrong. It surprised me that she found the money so soon after the children were kidnapped.”

  “It’s pure luck that she found it at all,” Roxanne said, a little shocked by his outburst. Why was he so interested in the money? She released a pent-up breath. Perhaps he believed, like Tiffany, that Roxy should turn it over to the authorities. “But the kidnappers seemed to assume she had it all along.”

  “That’s a huge sum to carry around. What did she do with it? Is she sure it’s out of harm’s way?” the judge asked. This time he seemed genuinely concerned. “I can lock it in the safe here if she’d feel more secure.”

  “Thank you, but since it took her so long to find it, I’m certain she wants to keep it close at hand.”

  Walters shook his head. “That’s foolish. It won’t be long before everyone in town knows she has it. You never know what someone will do for that amount of money.”

  Roxanne tensed as she thought of the suitcase in the trunk. She couldn’t wait to give the car back to her mother.

  “Roxy can handle it, I’m sure.” The topic made her uneasy. “Shouldn’t we call your wife now?”

  “Oh, yes, I meant to mention that I tried earlier. Seems she had a hair appointment and won�
�t be back for another hour or so. Sorry you had to come out here prematurely.”

  Roxanne locked her jaw to keep from screaming. “I thought I mentioned that time is of the essence. Doesn’t she take a cell phone with her when she goes out?”

  “Probably. I’m afraid I don’t have that number.” The judge slapped his hands on the oversized desk. He called the man who’d greeted Roxanne at the door. “If you’ll excuse me for just one moment, I’ll check to see if Gordon has her number. Sometimes he drives her when I don’t need him.”

  With growing frustration, Roxanne watched the judge walk out of the room. Why was he giving her the runaround? She sighed and slumped in the leather chair. Her phone was still recording; no sense having the battery go dead before she could talk to Claire Walters. She reached into her pocket to turn it off.

  If his wife truly owned and controlled Mockingbird Manor, the office she sat in showed no sign of a feminine touch. Law books crammed the bookshelves. The fifty-six volume Lexis Law publications filled the top two shelves. Below, the Summary of PA Jurisprudence 2d and the PA Keystone loose-leaf volumes appeared to have had more use. On another shelf various magazines covered everything from business law to constitutional law.

  Roxanne wished she had access to even a portion of these research materials. She knew that the Lexis Law set cost close to twelve thousand dollars and wondered if the judge bought it or the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania had a budget for the justices. Either way, Walters had expensive taste.

  The immense leather-topped desk had to be worth a fortune. To say nothing of the leather chairs facing it. The one she sat in caressed her body like a lover’s embrace. She’d never felt anything so supple. As she reclined in the soft leather and waited for Walters’ return, she hoped she didn’t fall asleep.

  Arguing voices came from outside the room but faded before she could discern the words. She shifted her position to view the hall through the open door, and thought she caught a glimpse of Gordon rushing past with a shiny object about the size of the suitcase which contained the money.

  She started to rise when the judge hurried back, his face flushed. He closed the door carefully and Roxanne thought she heard the lock click. Her foot began drumming on the floor. She fought off a feeling of panic. As she tried to slow her breathing, she told herself she was in the vacation home of a Supreme Court Justice. Surely nothing untoward would happen.

  But Judge Walters’ smile now came across as a smirk. His eyes glinted with malevolence even though he refused to look at her. Roxanne knew then without a doubt that he’d found the suitcase full of money in Roxy’s trunk.

  She tried to hide her anxiety with a casual question. “Did you get your wife’s number?”

  “What?” The judge jerked to bring himself out of his reverie. “Oh, Claire’s no longer important.”

  “Are you willing to give your permission for the search, then?” It was becoming more difficult for Roxanne to keep her voice from quivering.

  “That’s not necessary, either.” Judge Walters paced around the room, seemingly lost in thought. Every once in a while, when a gleeful expression spread across his face, he quickly smothered it. When a tap came at the door, he rushed to unlock it.

  Gordon stood at attention in the hall. “It’s been taken care of.”

  “You’re sure?”

  “He won’t cause any more trouble.” Gordon glanced at Roxanne as he spoke. The impersonal look made her blood run cold. “What do you want to do about the other thing?”

  “Two other things,” the judge corrected. “I’m undecided. What would you recommend?”

  “You know what I think.” The muscular man crossed his arms and stood with his feet spread. “I think we shouldn’t take the chance.”

  “Give me some time to analyze the situation. In the meantime, get everything prepared. We’ll need to leave very soon.” The judge dismissed Gordon with a wave of his hand and returned to pacing.

  Roxanne felt her pulse pounding in her head. She knew trying to reason with Walters would not help. She knew, as well, that nothing good would come about when the judge finished his pacing. He picked up his desk phone and punched the intercom. “Bring them to the main house.”

  She could no longer sit quietly while her heart thundered. “What are you doing? Who’s coming?”

  Walters turned to her as if he had forgotten she was there. “I’m making the final preparations.”

  “For what?” Roxanne didn’t care for the expression on his face nor the sound of his voice.

  “I’ll be leaving soon and I no longer need you or my little friends.”

  She struggled to make sense of his words. Why had he needed her? And who were his “little friends”? Dare she even ask? Maybe if she steered the conversation to safer ground, he’d leave his dark insinuations behind.

  “Are you going back to Harrisburg?”

  He laughed. “Oh, my dear, you are so naïve. I almost regret what I have to do. However, I can’t leave any loose ends, and I’m afraid you’re one of them.”

  - 28 -

  Roxanne could no longer control the tremor in her voice. “I don’t understand.”

  “You will, soon enough.” The judge began ripping pages from the expensive set of Lexus journals and scattering them on the floor against the walls.

  Roxanne watched in silence trying to understand what was happening. Had the judge totally lost his mind? She decided there was no point in pretending she hadn’t seen Gordon with the titanium suitcase. She took a calming breath. “You found the IRA cash in Roxy’s trunk.”

  Satisfaction gleamed in his eyes. “Yes. It was most thoughtful of you to bring it right to my door. Gordon and Edward have been following you and Roxy for days trying to be on hand when she located the money.” He shrugged. “One of life’s ironies. The minute I called them back for another duty, Roxy discovered what I wanted.”

  Refusing to give in to her fears, Roxanne tried to sound upbeat. “So, you’re going to turn it over to the authorities?”

  The judge’s smile set chills up her spine. “Now why on earth would I do that? I’m the one who contacted an old chum in the IRA to start the search in the first place.” He shook his head and mumbled, “What a mess that turned out to be.”

  “What were they going to do with it?”

  “I convinced my friend it would be grand to start an IRA training camp for young blokes who didn’t know the first thing about fighting for what they believe in.”

  At least Conor and the DSS got something right. Roxanne hoped her expression did not betray her former knowledge. Not only had she heard those plans before, she’d dismissed them as ridiculous. “What changed your mind?”

  “Oh, I never changed my mind. I always intended to add the five million to the rest of my getaway money. It just wouldn’t do to tell my friend the real reason. I came up with the training camp story for my friend. Sounded good to him but then he’s not the brightest bulb in the box.”

  She had a difficult time understanding his rationale. “Why?”

  “Why? Well, to escape my vapid and mundane life. What else? My wife lords it over me daily. It’s her house in Harrisburg, Mockingbird Manor belongs to her family, our children go to her when they need permission for something—never ask me. She controls the disbursement of cash and purchases. I’ve always been the poor pater familia and eventually I grew tired of it.”

  “But you’re the Chief Justice of the State Supreme Court. Surely that counts as an enviable achievement.” Danger hummed around her; she had to force herself to keep talking. Roxanne believed the longer she engaged him in conversation, the better her chances for help to arrive. Callahan, Gertie and everyone at the campground knew where she was. Perhaps if they captured the Irishmen without any major problems, Callahan would come looking for her. For sure, Roxy would be concerned for her car and the cash.

 
He snickered. “People who don’t know any better might fear me and the power I wield. Truth is, the justice who’s been on the court the longest automatically becomes the chief justice. Thanks to my wife’s money and her pompousness, I’ve been reelected twice, served over twenty years more than any other current justice so it’s my title by default. Ask any of the other six, it means nothing. Half the time they don’t even listen to my opinions.”

  Roxanne realized she couldn’t influence Walters to change his mind but she wanted to know his plans. “I don’t understand how you think you’ll get away with it. You’re a public figure. If you disappear, your picture will be plastered all over the news.”

  “I don’t look very important dressed like this.” The judge gestured to his jeans and sweatshirt. “And when my beard grows in I’ll be virtually indistinguishable from thousands of other sixty-nine-year-old men. Besides, I doubt the news in Argentina will care about a missing judge from Pennsylvania.”

  “You’re going to Argentina?”

  “A cattle ranch in the province of Buenos Aires appeals to me at the moment. Of course, I could change my mind on the location, but I like the concept of a cattle baron. At least no one would be telling me what to do.”

  “You know how to run a ranch?” Roxanne asked, dumbfounded at the judge’s plans.

  “Not really, but how hard can it be to learn. There are plenty of ranch hands who’d be happy to take care of it for me. I read where the famous Argentinian grass-fed beef is being replaced by factory farms. I’d be the last of a dying breed.”

  Roxanne heard a commotion in the hall and turned to see Gordon herding two children and a disgruntled large man into the room. Both kids had their hands tied behind their backs and a strip of duct tape covering their mouth. Her pulse hammered at the revelation that Walters had kidnapped the youngsters. “Jesus! You have the kids?”

  “It was a last ditch attempt to motivate your mother to move faster in looking for the money. I have to admit it wasn’t the smartest plan in the world but…” The judge’s shoulders rose then fell. “It was worth a try, just like using you for target practice.”