Major Crimes (15 page)

Chapter 19

Chelsey

Fists banging on my front door woke me. Normally, Snickers would’ve been there to alert would-be intruders of my makeshift security system—a German Shepherd with big teeth. But I hadn’t picked up Snickers from my parents’ house yet.

I tossed the covers, slipped on my flip-flops, and covered myself with a robe. I shuffled down the hall to the door and looked out the peephole. Several men in blue were there to provide me with a wakeup call.

I combed my fingers through my hair, tightened the tie on my robe, took a deep breath, and cracked the door open. “Yes?”

“Chelsey Alton?” The man before me was a county sheriff’s officer.

“Yes.”

He handed me an envelope. “This is a warrant to search the premises.”

“Search the premises for what?”

“We have reason to believe Bryson Kelly is hiding here.”

I stood back from the door, allowing them entry. I read through the warrant. Standard template language. At least they didn’t know where Bryce was yet.

The men tore apart my house while I remained near the front door. I chuckled at some of the hiding places they searched. Under the couch, in the oven, and under the bathroom sink. I wondered if a five-foot-eleven guy could actually fit in any of those spots.

When they were through, one of the officers attempted to interrogate me. I knew my rights, and I knew I didn’t have to answer. I was afraid I’d slip up under pressure, but I kept my cool.

“Do you know the whereabouts of Mr. Kelly?”

“No.”

“Have you been in contact with Mr. Kelly?”

“No.” I wondered if they had access to my cell phone records. I wished I had called Bryce yesterday from the prepaid phone. I guessed if they were able to see my calls, they wouldn’t know the number I dialed was Bryce’s prepaid cell. Unless they called it and he answered. No, Bryce wouldn’t have answered a number he didn’t recognize. If they asked me about it, I would’ve said I was calling various witnesses for a case I was working on as a private investigator. I wasn’t on trial. I wasn’t under arrest. It wasn’t necessary for me to tell the truth. And it wasn’t a complete lie—I
was
working on a case.

“Do you realize that if you know the whereabouts of Mr. Kelly and you don’t inform us, we can arrest you for hindering an investigation? You were seen with him two days ago.”

I doubted they could prove I knew anything. “I did see him two days ago. I also tried to convince him to turn himself in. What else did you want me to do? It’s not like I could’ve hauled him in myself. Do you know for sure that he’s a murderer anyway? What proof do you have?”

“Ms. Alton, allow me to inform you that Bryson Kelly is a dangerous man. He is not the man you may think he is. He had motive and opportunity to kill Chief Wallace. Please exercise caution if you find yourself in his presence. Here is my card. If you see or hear from Mr. Kelly, we’d appreciate a call.”

“Sure thing, officer, but what motive did he have?”

“I’m not at liberty to discuss the case with you.”

“Understood.”

The officers left, and I closed the door behind them. I wondered what the officer meant when he said Bryce wasn’t the man I thought he was.

My cell phone rang. I rushed to grab it from my purse. I had forgotten to charge it last night, so it was on its last leg.

“Mommy! I wuv you!”

“Oh, Mandy! I love you too!”

“Where are you?”

“We are in New Jersey.”

“Really? You’re back in New Jersey? You’re not in New York anymore?”

“No. We left.”

“How was New York?”

“It was fun. It was great. It was really, really fun. I got a penguin. Mommy, I want to go to the zoo next year, when I’m younger.”

“When you’re older, you mean.”

“No, when I’m younger. When I’m four. I want to go to the zoo and to New Ork.”

“Oh, okay, sweetie.” Talking to a three year old wasn’t always easy.

“Here’s Daddy.”

Hearing the word “daddy” made me cringe. Randy was anything but a “daddy.” My blood boiled thinking about how he abandoned his daughter, only to return three years later and seem like a hero in her eyes. I wanted to puke.

Randy got on the phone. “Hey, beautiful.”

I shuddered. “Don’t think you can just waltz back into our lives and everything is hunky dory.”

“There’s no reason at all why we can’t try to get along for Mandy’s sake.”

I didn’t want to get along with Randy, but he was right. I needed to act like an adult. I didn’t want to act like an adult. What I really wanted, more than anything, was to pull a Lorena Bobbitt on him.

“Why did you leave New York? I thought you were going to be there until Sunday.”

“My parents had plans. I can still keep her ’til Sunday, right? I wanted to take her out to Dutch Wonderland or somewhere fun.”

“I hope you’re taking care of her.”

“What do you mean? Why wouldn’t I be taking care of her?”

“Gee, I don’t know, Randy. Maybe because you didn’t take care of her the first three years of her life.”

“C’mon now. How many times do I have to say I’m sorry?”

“Probably a million more times—I’m not sure I can forgive you.”

“Now, Chelsey. I told you, I’m trying. I’ll do whatever it takes to make up for it.”

“Are you bathing her? Are you washing her clothes? Her hair? Are you making her brush her teeth?”

“Alright, mama bear. I get it. You hadn’t been away from her until now. But I won’t let you down.”

“We’ll see about that.”

“I’ll call again tomorrow.”

“Yup.”

We hung up. I felt like crushing the phone, but if I played Humpty Dumpty with it, I’d be without my phone again. No reason to take out my frustrations on the phone. On the other hand, I was happy my phone lasted long enough for me to talk to my baby. I sighed. I missed her more than anything.

After plugging the phone into the charger, I retreated to the shower to get myself ready for the day. I had a long day ahead of me trying to collect DNA samples. I had a feeling it wasn’t going to be fun or easy.

As the warm water flowed over my body, I thought about the men in my life. One was missing in action. One was a murder suspect. And the third, Mandy’s father, was the least trustworthy person I’d ever met.

If nothing else, I learned that I’ve grown strong over the past few years. I was a secure, independent woman. Quite frankly, none of those men were in a position to make a good significant other for me. I was better off being single. I wanted to set a good example for my daughter. Show her I could stand on my own two feet. Show her that women don’t need men for a house, a car, or to be happy. And I certainly didn’t need a guy who wasn’t ready or able to be there for Mandy and me.

* * *

Showered, dressed, and armed with plastic storage bags, I was ready for my journey to collect DNA evidence. Even though Freddy told me not to bother with the men because he was sure a woman was to blame for Archie’s murder, I couldn’t let go of this thing with Drew. So Garfield, New Jersey was my first stop.

I grabbed my car keys and retrieved my phone from its charger. I saw there was a missed call from Bryce. I decided to call him back another time. I knew he’d offer to help me collect evidence, but this was something I needed to do on my own.

Hopping into the car, I drove the hour to Garfield. I pulled into the parking lot for the Garfield City municipal building and marched inside to the clerk’s office window. I asked the curly-haired woman at the window to see Drew and was told I could have a seat in his office to wait.

I took the opportunity to look in his trash can. I was in luck. There was a used Starbucks cup in the trash. I whipped out a plastic bag from my oversized purse and stuck my hand in, turning the bag inside out so that I could grab the cup without touching it. I probably should’ve brought gloves.

Having just zippered the bag and placed it into my purse, Drew walked in.

“Chelsey? What are you doing?”

“Who me? Um…nothing.”

Drew wrinkled his forehead. He was trying to figure me out. “What are you doing behind my desk? Most guests would’ve taken a seat in the chair designed for guests on the opposite side of my desk.”

“Oh. Sorry. I was just checking out your digs.” I quickly changed the subject. “I actually came here to apologize.” I moved out from behind Drew’s desk.

“Shocking, coming from you, and long overdue.”

“You could say ‘thanks for the apology’ instead of being so snotty.”

“Do you blame me? You’re the strangest bird I’ve ever met! And I didn’t even hear an apology yet!”

“Well, here it goes. I’m sorry I thought you could’ve had something to do with Archie’s murder. My boss is convinced a woman is to blame.”

“Oh, I see. You didn’t come to the conclusion yourself that I was innocent. Some apology.”

“Maybe if you were more forthcoming with me, then I wouldn’t have thought what I thought.”

“Forthcoming? About what?”

“Where you were the night Archie got murdered.”

Drew rubbed both of his hands over his face. “Chelsey. You’re a wacko. You know where I was that night. I was at Archie’s retirement party and at the after-party.”

“I mean after the after-party.”

Drew rolled his eyes. “I already told you I had a baseball game to watch.”

“Drew, there were no baseball games in the area that night. I know you’re lying, but what I don’t know is why.”

“I don’t owe you any explanation, but you’re dead wrong.”

“Then explain it to me.”

“I’ll explain it to you if you promise that you’ll never come here again, never call me, never speak to me, and never bother my sister, anyone in my family, or any of my friends ever again.”

“Fine. You have my word.”

“My nephew was playing in the Little League World Series.”

It was my turn to wrinkle my forehead. “But that was in California. It’s not like you caught a plane to Cali in time for the game.”

“No, Chelsey. I didn’t hop on a plane. I drove to my parents’ house where we watched the game on television together.”

“But it was so late at night.”

“You’re forgetting there is a time difference between here and California.”

“Oh.” I hung my head. Drew was telling the truth. I could easily verify it. I already knew his sister was in California.

“Yeah, oh.”

“I’m truly sorry.”

“Now it’s time for you to keep your promise.”

“One more question. Why didn’t you tell me this before when I asked?”

“Because it was none of your business. The police knew, that’s why I’m not a suspect. There were plenty of people with me when Archie was murdered. I didn’t need to explain myself to you.”

“Sorry again.”

Drew nodded and pointed me toward the door.

With my tail between my legs, I fled from the Garfield municipal building forever.

Chapter 20

Bryce

The thought of a girl too young for Archie stuck with me as I logged on to the laptop Frank gave me. I had gotten back to Frank’s house late and crashed. Frank must’ve left the laptop in my room before I got home last night. When I opened it, I saw he left an icon on the desktop that read, “Watch me.” Frank’s sense of humor, I guessed.

I double-clicked the icon. Video from Savoy’s started to play. The time bar on the bottom revealed the video was ten hours long. I sighed. Back at headquarters, I had rookies that could edit the video so I’d only have to watch the clips that included women.
This sucks.
Closing the box containing the video, I clicked on the Internet icon.

After a few keystrokes, the website Chelsey wanted me to look at appeared on the screen. I clicked on the link for May thirty-first. Nearly seven hundred pictures began to load.

This is going to take a while.
Patience wasn’t my strong suit, so I wasn’t sure I had the patience to look through seven hundred pictures or watch ten hours of video, but I was certainly determined. I glanced at my cell phone. The time read eight thirty in the morning. I wondered if Chelsey was awake.

I turned my attention back to the laptop. Groups of people laughing, drinking, and having a good time scrolled along the screen. It was hard to believe one of those happy people was planning a murder. There were lots of women. In theory, no one should’ve been under twenty-one. It was a bar after all. There was an off chance someone could’ve gained entrance with a fake ID. There was also a slight chance that someone underage came in for dinner and never left. They wouldn’t have been carded at the door if they were there for dinner earlier in the evening. Solar thought the woman’s age was between eighteen and twenty-five.

Solar didn’t see anything but a woman staring at Archie. Maybe she didn’t have anything to do with the murder. If she did, all of our suspects would be ruled out. It wasn’t Archie’s teenage daughter—too young, and it wasn’t any of Archie’s ex-wives—too old. Although there was one person…the daughter of the woman Archie cheated with. She could possibly be in the age range of eighteen to twenty-five. I immediately called Chelsey to see if she found any additional information about that person. There was no answer.

“Hey Chelsey, just wondering how you are. Had a question about the Cynthia chick. Call me back.”

With no answer from Chelsey, I dialed Freddy to ask him.

“Yellow.”

“Hey, Freddy, it’s Bryce.”

“Speak to me.”

“Jennifer Pavlica spoke about one of Archie’s girlfriends. A Cynthia. Do you have any information on her or her daughter?”

“I’ll check it out. Have you found something?”

“No. Just a hunch.”

“Chelsey said her name was Tara or Tina or something.”

“Tina Liara?”

“Don’t know.”

“Will you call me when you know something?”

“Ten-four. I’ll call you back when I have the info.”

“One more thing, do you know where Chelsey is? She’s not answering her phone.”

“I have her collecting DNA evidence, remember?”

“Yeah, I remember, but I didn’t think Chelsey was already out doing that.”

“Maybe not, but I have faith.”

“Thanks.”

“Ten-four.”

We disconnected. I thought about the things Solar said. That someone on the police force could’ve committed the murder or that the police were covering for one of their own. That the woman staring at Archie at Savoy’s was young. Add those observations to the fact that Cynthia’s daughter’s name may be Tina, and I concluded we were too quick to dismiss Tina Liara as a suspect. I wondered how hard it would’ve been for Tina to leave her honeymoon, come back to Jersey, kill Archie, and head back to the honeymoon. Something I’d have to check.

Another question popped into my head. Was Lake much younger than Archie? If she was at Savoy’s, she may have kept her distance because of her mistress status. The two of them wouldn’t have wanted to get caught in public together.

I turned my attention back to the computer. I should’ve been looking through the pictures to see if I recognized anyone instead of thinking about oddball theories. Lake
was
on Freddy’s list for a DNA sample, so if she killed Archie, it would be proved soon enough.

Even with enlarging the size of each photo on the laptop screen, it was difficult to see anyone familiar. I clicked to the next picture—a member of the band. I clicked on the following picture. Another band member.
Click, click, click.
All band members.
Click, click, click, click. This is awful. Click, click, click.

“Bryce! Frank! Breakfast!” Geri could wake the Carlsbad Caverns’ hibernating bats with her loud Italian vocal chords. It reminded me of a Facebook post I saw once that said, “I’m not screaming, I’m Italian, we all talk this way.” I smiled.

Geri’s screaming was just in time. My appetite decided it was time for a break. Plus, I was fidgety. I stretched my arms above my head. I had only made it through two hundred pictures of the computer slideshow, and I had a lot more to look at—after I ate.

A mile-high stack of pancakes, a gallon jug of maple syrup, and a five pound box of blueberries awaited my arrival in the kitchen. Geri was busy cooking eggs at the stove.

“How do you like your eggs, Bryce?”

I thought about how I’d eat everything Geri wanted me to eat. “Scrambled.” I’d skip the toast.

“Scrambled it is. The blueberries are from Hammonton.”

I wondered if Geri had driven the hour south to Hammonton, New Jersey, the “Blueberry Capital of the World.”

“I found them at ShopRite.” Mystery solved. Geri did not drive to Hammonton.

I grabbed a plate, forked a pancake onto it, and reached for the maple syrup. I jumped out of my skin when I heard the deep voice behind me.

“That’s all you’re having?” Frank looked disgusted at my selection of a lone pancake.

“To start. Geri’s making me eggs.”

“I might need your help later, Bryce.”

“Sure, Frank, anything.”

“Freddy had me wiretap various phones.”

Since Frank wasn’t law enforcement, I wondered if wiretap evidence would hold up in court. I didn’t voice what I was thinking.

“And you want me to help listen to the tapes later.”

“Yup.”

“No problem. I can probably listen to the audio and check out the Savoy’s video at the same time.”

Even if I wasn’t patient, I was good at multi-tasking. Plus, I hated listening to wiretaps. I spent countless days doing that for work.
Where the hell are my rookies?

“Maybe after dinner.” Frank grabbed a plate and transferred five pancakes onto it.

“Sounds good to me.”

After breakfast, I turned my attention back to the photos from Savoy’s. Looking at twenty-something-year-old women in skimpy clothing throwing themselves at the band members was annoying. Men holding up their beer bottles with their drunken facial expressions were even more annoying. The photos of women sticking their tongues out and the men fist pumping created an entirely new dimension of disgust for me. I decided I was done with bars forever. Not that I felt like I was better than anyone else, but with being nearly a decade older than everyone else at the bar, I felt like I was too old to enjoy those things. What I really wanted was to settle down and start a family. With jail time staring me in the face, I wasn’t sure I’d ever have what I wanted.

An hour later, I was down to the last drunk girl’s photo and I hadn’t spotted anyone familiar. I also didn’t see any photos of myself or Archie. The band played in a different room than where we spent the evening, so the photos didn’t help. There went a ton of hours of my life that I’d never get back. Considering those hours could’ve been some of my last as a free man, I was disheartened.

Pulling at strings to prove my innocence, I typed “Tina Liara” into the computer. I found her Facebook picture. I didn’t recall seeing her at Savoy’s that night. In studying the few photos that were visible to the public, I realized she was much taller than the figure appearing at the deli in the Ford Focus. The other thing I noticed was that she was a blonde. The rest of the female suspects were brunettes. The other suspects were mostly Archie’s love interests. It was clear to me that Archie had a “type,”
so to speak. I would have loved to know if the police found any hairs at the scene of the crime. With me as their main suspect, I doubted it.

Having had enough of sitting at a computer, it was time for me to take action. I grabbed a quick shower and left the house with my glasses and hoodie. I wasn’t sure where Chelsey would go first. I looked up the suspects’ names on the Internet. I couldn’t find Cynthia’s address, but I found Martha’s work address. I headed there first, since I figured that Chelsey would end up there at some point.

* * *

The hour drive to the shore area was relaxing for me. I gave my situation a lot of thought. I felt like I was on an emotional Batman ride at Six Flags. Up and down, up and down, round and round. I was down that morning, but my mood was turning more hopeful. I had faith that Freddy would find enough evidence to create reasonable doubt.

It was nearly noon when I reached the office building where Martha worked. It was a three-story, red-brick building with its own parking lot. I grabbed a parking spot between two SUVs to blend in. I rolled down the windows, switch off the ignition, and waited.

Glancing around, I made a mental inventory of my surroundings. No one had tailed me—that was good. There were four rows of cars. Fifty or so people must’ve been in the building. A few decorative plants adorned the front entrance. The scene was uninteresting. In the process of wondering why the architects didn’t design something more visually appealing, I saw Chelsey pull into the lot.

Given that she didn’t notice me, I once again doubted her private investigation skills. She had a lot to learn or she’d be on the path to finding a new career. I sat tight and watched. When Chelsey moved, I would follow.

If, by any miracle, my innocence was proven, I planned on giving Chelsey some pointers to help her as an investigator. That was the least I could do in exchange for her help. She had done so much for me already. I owed her.