Smash Cut (23 page)
Authors: Sandra Brown
Tags: #Legal, #Suspense, #Fiction, #General, #Georgia, #Thrillers, #Rich people, #Atlanta (Ga.), #Trials (Murder), #Legal stories, #Rich People - Georgia
When Derek arrived at the barbecue joint across the boulevard from the Pine View Motel, Dodge was seated at the counter facing the window where he had a full view of the motel and surrounding buildings. Derek sat down on the stool beside him and pushed away a plate of stripped bones and congealing sauce.
Dodge said, The ribs arent bad.
No thanks.
The restaurant staff was serving up plates of barbecue and side dishes to a dozen or so diners, but neither the servers nor their customers were aware that a police stakeout was taking place.
Keeping his voice low, Derek said, I spotted two squad cars at the end of the block.
Theyve got one at the other end, too. Plus two on the street behind the motel. And them. Plainclothes.
Derek followed the direction of Dodges nod. An unmemorable sedan was parked in front of the lounge. In the glow of a neon sign, Derek distinguished two silhouettes inside, a man behind the steering wheel, a woman in the passenger seat.
She used to leak information to me, Dodge remarked offhandedly.
Used to?
We had an arrangement.
What kind of arrangement?
An arrangement. But it went south. If we talk to her, dont let on like you know.
My lips are sealed.
The arrival of Sanford and Kimball suspended conversation. Derek and Dodge watched the two detectives park in front of the motel office. Kimball got out of their car and went inside. It was like looking into a goldfish bowl. She dinged the bell on the desk. The Korean woman parted the strings of beads acting as a curtain that separated a back room and approached Kimball, who flashed her badge.
Derek said to Dodge, Part of the deal I made with Sanford. If she cooperates and gives Kimball the key, they wont report her to Homeland Security.
You believe that?
Probably not.
Kimball left the office sixty seconds after going in, brandishing the room key. Sanford left their unmarked car where it was. Together he and Kimball walked along the row of rooms facing the street, turned the corner, and proceeded down the long leg of the el, appearing in the pools of yellow light cast by overhead fixtures, disappearing in the dark patches between.
When they were several yards away from the last room, they moved more cautiously until they were in position on either side of the door. Sanford tapped on it with the barrel of his service weapon. Nothing happened. He said something, then tapped the door again. When still there was no response, he bobbed his head toward Kimball, who leaned forward and fit the key into the lock. Then they moved with speed, swinging the door open and rushing inside.
The two plainclothes officers exploded from their car and ran toward the room, pistols drawn.
Lets go. Derek burst through the door of the barbecue joint at a run. He sprinted across the boulevard and made it easily. Dodge was puffing by the time he got across. He was keeping up with Derek, but his labored breathing sounded like the exhaust of heavy machinery.
They had almost reached the room when the two plainclothes emerged from it. There was no sense of urgency about them now. Their guns were back in their concealed holsters.
Seeing Dodge, the woman pulled up short. What the hell are
you
doing here?
I found him. Called it in.
Congratulations. But youre too late. He isnt here.
Shit! Derek hissed.
Her partner looked at him. Whats it to you, Perry Mason? Then to Dodge, Are you still working for him?
Hes got a good medical plan.
The cop spat on the pavement, then struck out along the breezeway. Ill be in the office.
When he was out of earshot, Dodge asked the woman, Can you get us into that room?
You asshole.
Dodge exhaled a long breath. I had to go, Dora. I got a call.
You stiffed me with the check.
The counselor here needed me ASAP.
That dinner cost me twenty-two bucks.
I said I was sorry. Come on now. Dont be mad.
She glanced over her shoulder toward the open door of Billy Dukes room. Soon as Sanford sees you, hes gonna shit.
Hell feel better after.
Dont tell him I saw you first.
Youre questioning the manager? Derek asked.
She glared at him suspiciously. Maybe I am.
Ask her
Dont be telling me my job, Mr. Mitchell.
Dodge stepped closer to her. He wouldnt think of it, Dora. But if you learn anything interesting
Forget it, Dodge. I dont want Kimball on my ass, either. She started walking away.
Have you forgot that I let you be on top?
She kept walking but gave Dodge the finger over her shoulder.
Dodge chuckled. Feel the love.
He followed Derek toward the open door of the motel room. Hearing them, Sanford turned away from the closet where he was rummaging. He placed his gloved hands on his hips. Thank you for the tip, Mr. Mitchell. But that doesnt entitle you to join the party.
Everybody know everybody? Dodge asked. No one responded.
Derek said, Any sign of Billy Duke?
Billy Wood, Kimball said as she emerged from the bathroom. Like her partner, she was wearing latex gloves, but her hands were empty. Thats how he was registered. He paid for a months rental in cash when he checked in, ten days before Wheeler was shot. The owner has seen him only once since then. She spotted him carrying a bag of trash to the Dumpster around back.
You only talked to her for a few seconds, Dodge said.
The detective smiled. Im good.
Then why couldnt you find him?
Kimball gave him a drop-dead look. Sanford looked annoyed with all of them. Why did you have your man looking for him, Mr. Mitchell?
I have a vested interest.
I heard you are no longer representing the Wheelers.
Im not.
Then why are you so hot to find this guy?
No comment.
Has it got anything to do with your dog?
Derek looked sharply at Kimball, whod asked. She shrugged. Word circulated today. Im sorry. Truly.
Strangely, Derek believed her and was touched by her sincerity. Thanks.
Goes for me, too, Sanford said. Horrible thing for someone to do.
Before any more could be said about Maggie, Dodge asked about the referenced Dumpster. You got people searching it?
Kimball slipped back into her detective persona. Were not amateurs. Officers will sift through everything in it, but it may have been emptied since Billy Duke, or whatever his name is, took out his trash. The lady at the desk wasnt sure of the day she saw him. Before all is said and done, someone might pull landfill duty.
What about a car?
Unknown, Sanford said.
Our lady at the desk says she never saw him in a car, Kimball said. He probably parked it somewhere within walking distance but came and went from the room on foot. Weve got officers canvassing the area.
Dodge grunted his pessimistic outlook on that. This neighborhood, youll need informants. Be prepared to spend some money.
Apparently the detectives agreed, because neither disputed him.
Derek left the investigators to their shoptalk. He hadnt stepped over the threshold because, if there was evidence to be found, he didnt want to contaminate it. He was absorbing what the detectives and Dodge were saying, but he was also trying to get a feel for the room and the man whod occupied it.
It was a sad quarters, with obvious patches in the plaster walls and water stains on the ceiling. The bed was unmade, and the sheets looked dingy, like theyd been slept on for weeks without being laundered. If Duke had been taking out his own trash, maid service must not have been included. Behind Kimball, through the open door of the bathroom, Derek could see towels lying on the floor as though theyd been negligently dropped or cast aside.
But in the whole of the space there wasnt a single personal belonging, nothing that wasnt a permanent fixture in the room.
Hes not just out, hes left, he stated despondently.
Sanford frowned. Seems so. No clothes in the closet. Nothing in the bureau drawers.
Nothing in the bathroom except a stench, Kimball said. Apparently the plumbing isnt that efficient.
Did you check the bathroom sink? Dodge asked.
Beads of water are still there, Kimball said. So he couldnt have been gone that long.
Is there a window in the bathroom?
Not large enough for an adult person to squeeze through.
Ive been watching the place since six-ten this evening, Dodge told them. He didnt come out of that door since then. So he had to have been gone when I got here, but not so long that the sink had time to dry.
Midafternoon? Sanford ventured.
Dodge raised one shoulder in a laconic shrug.
Im less interested in what time he left than where he went, Derek said impatiently.
Wed like to know that, too, Sanford said.
But we still dont have anything tying him to that shooting. He might be just a guy on a business trip.
Derek didnt think Kimball really believed that any more than he did. Who, on a business trip, pays by cash instead of a credit card?
And goes by two names, Dodge added. Two that we know of.
With asperity, she said, I get it, I get it.
Derek looked around the squalid room. The vibe Im getting from this place is that it was his den, a place to hide.
Im with you. Dodge indicated the metal trash can. Empty.
Sos the one in the bathroom, Kimball told them.
When he cleared out, he didnt leave anything behind, Derek said.
Nothing visible. Sanford reached for his cell phone. Im going to have it dusted for prints. Maybe well get one we can send through databases. Anybody using an alias has probably been arrested and printed at some time in his life. At the very least, well get his real name.
Kimball had moved into the kitchenette, observing out loud, He washed the dishes. And emptied the trash can. But he didnt mop the floor. Its sticky. She ducked down out of sight behind the bar. When she stood up several seconds later, Derek caught the significant look she shot her partner.
Did you find something? Derek asked.
She shook her head. No. We might want to get an ID on whatever this is he spilled, thats all. Then she frowned. Why are you still here? Youre not even a cop, and we told you to leave.
Dodge nudged Derek. You seen enough?
I guess. But he made no move toward leaving.
What is it?
Something doesnt jibe.
What are you two whispering about? Sanford asked.
Ignoring him, Derek took another slow visual tour of the room. His gaze slid past the television set, then sprang back. He realized what had bothered him. Everything else in the room was outmoded, but the television looked fairly new and had a built-in DVD player. Check the DVD player.
Sanford regarded him curiously, but he searched for the remote and found it amid the tangled sheets on the bed. He used it to turn the set on, then went to it and punched the button to open the tray for the DVD. It slid out. Empty.
He looked at Derek expectantly.
Derek sighed with disappointment. Just a hunch.
Dodge said, The ribs arent bad.
No thanks.
The restaurant staff was serving up plates of barbecue and side dishes to a dozen or so diners, but neither the servers nor their customers were aware that a police stakeout was taking place.
Keeping his voice low, Derek said, I spotted two squad cars at the end of the block.
Theyve got one at the other end, too. Plus two on the street behind the motel. And them. Plainclothes.
Derek followed the direction of Dodges nod. An unmemorable sedan was parked in front of the lounge. In the glow of a neon sign, Derek distinguished two silhouettes inside, a man behind the steering wheel, a woman in the passenger seat.
She used to leak information to me, Dodge remarked offhandedly.
Used to?
We had an arrangement.
What kind of arrangement?
An arrangement. But it went south. If we talk to her, dont let on like you know.
My lips are sealed.
The arrival of Sanford and Kimball suspended conversation. Derek and Dodge watched the two detectives park in front of the motel office. Kimball got out of their car and went inside. It was like looking into a goldfish bowl. She dinged the bell on the desk. The Korean woman parted the strings of beads acting as a curtain that separated a back room and approached Kimball, who flashed her badge.
Derek said to Dodge, Part of the deal I made with Sanford. If she cooperates and gives Kimball the key, they wont report her to Homeland Security.
You believe that?
Probably not.
Kimball left the office sixty seconds after going in, brandishing the room key. Sanford left their unmarked car where it was. Together he and Kimball walked along the row of rooms facing the street, turned the corner, and proceeded down the long leg of the el, appearing in the pools of yellow light cast by overhead fixtures, disappearing in the dark patches between.
When they were several yards away from the last room, they moved more cautiously until they were in position on either side of the door. Sanford tapped on it with the barrel of his service weapon. Nothing happened. He said something, then tapped the door again. When still there was no response, he bobbed his head toward Kimball, who leaned forward and fit the key into the lock. Then they moved with speed, swinging the door open and rushing inside.
The two plainclothes officers exploded from their car and ran toward the room, pistols drawn.
Lets go. Derek burst through the door of the barbecue joint at a run. He sprinted across the boulevard and made it easily. Dodge was puffing by the time he got across. He was keeping up with Derek, but his labored breathing sounded like the exhaust of heavy machinery.
They had almost reached the room when the two plainclothes emerged from it. There was no sense of urgency about them now. Their guns were back in their concealed holsters.
Seeing Dodge, the woman pulled up short. What the hell are
you
doing here?
I found him. Called it in.
Congratulations. But youre too late. He isnt here.
Shit! Derek hissed.
Her partner looked at him. Whats it to you, Perry Mason? Then to Dodge, Are you still working for him?
Hes got a good medical plan.
The cop spat on the pavement, then struck out along the breezeway. Ill be in the office.
When he was out of earshot, Dodge asked the woman, Can you get us into that room?
You asshole.
Dodge exhaled a long breath. I had to go, Dora. I got a call.
You stiffed me with the check.
The counselor here needed me ASAP.
That dinner cost me twenty-two bucks.
I said I was sorry. Come on now. Dont be mad.
She glanced over her shoulder toward the open door of Billy Dukes room. Soon as Sanford sees you, hes gonna shit.
Hell feel better after.
Dont tell him I saw you first.
Youre questioning the manager? Derek asked.
She glared at him suspiciously. Maybe I am.
Ask her
Dont be telling me my job, Mr. Mitchell.
Dodge stepped closer to her. He wouldnt think of it, Dora. But if you learn anything interesting
Forget it, Dodge. I dont want Kimball on my ass, either. She started walking away.
Have you forgot that I let you be on top?
She kept walking but gave Dodge the finger over her shoulder.
Dodge chuckled. Feel the love.
He followed Derek toward the open door of the motel room. Hearing them, Sanford turned away from the closet where he was rummaging. He placed his gloved hands on his hips. Thank you for the tip, Mr. Mitchell. But that doesnt entitle you to join the party.
Everybody know everybody? Dodge asked. No one responded.
Derek said, Any sign of Billy Duke?
Billy Wood, Kimball said as she emerged from the bathroom. Like her partner, she was wearing latex gloves, but her hands were empty. Thats how he was registered. He paid for a months rental in cash when he checked in, ten days before Wheeler was shot. The owner has seen him only once since then. She spotted him carrying a bag of trash to the Dumpster around back.
You only talked to her for a few seconds, Dodge said.
The detective smiled. Im good.
Then why couldnt you find him?
Kimball gave him a drop-dead look. Sanford looked annoyed with all of them. Why did you have your man looking for him, Mr. Mitchell?
I have a vested interest.
I heard you are no longer representing the Wheelers.
Im not.
Then why are you so hot to find this guy?
No comment.
Has it got anything to do with your dog?
Derek looked sharply at Kimball, whod asked. She shrugged. Word circulated today. Im sorry. Truly.
Strangely, Derek believed her and was touched by her sincerity. Thanks.
Goes for me, too, Sanford said. Horrible thing for someone to do.
Before any more could be said about Maggie, Dodge asked about the referenced Dumpster. You got people searching it?
Kimball slipped back into her detective persona. Were not amateurs. Officers will sift through everything in it, but it may have been emptied since Billy Duke, or whatever his name is, took out his trash. The lady at the desk wasnt sure of the day she saw him. Before all is said and done, someone might pull landfill duty.
What about a car?
Unknown, Sanford said.
Our lady at the desk says she never saw him in a car, Kimball said. He probably parked it somewhere within walking distance but came and went from the room on foot. Weve got officers canvassing the area.
Dodge grunted his pessimistic outlook on that. This neighborhood, youll need informants. Be prepared to spend some money.
Apparently the detectives agreed, because neither disputed him.
Derek left the investigators to their shoptalk. He hadnt stepped over the threshold because, if there was evidence to be found, he didnt want to contaminate it. He was absorbing what the detectives and Dodge were saying, but he was also trying to get a feel for the room and the man whod occupied it.
It was a sad quarters, with obvious patches in the plaster walls and water stains on the ceiling. The bed was unmade, and the sheets looked dingy, like theyd been slept on for weeks without being laundered. If Duke had been taking out his own trash, maid service must not have been included. Behind Kimball, through the open door of the bathroom, Derek could see towels lying on the floor as though theyd been negligently dropped or cast aside.
But in the whole of the space there wasnt a single personal belonging, nothing that wasnt a permanent fixture in the room.
Hes not just out, hes left, he stated despondently.
Sanford frowned. Seems so. No clothes in the closet. Nothing in the bureau drawers.
Nothing in the bathroom except a stench, Kimball said. Apparently the plumbing isnt that efficient.
Did you check the bathroom sink? Dodge asked.
Beads of water are still there, Kimball said. So he couldnt have been gone that long.
Is there a window in the bathroom?
Not large enough for an adult person to squeeze through.
Ive been watching the place since six-ten this evening, Dodge told them. He didnt come out of that door since then. So he had to have been gone when I got here, but not so long that the sink had time to dry.
Midafternoon? Sanford ventured.
Dodge raised one shoulder in a laconic shrug.
Im less interested in what time he left than where he went, Derek said impatiently.
Wed like to know that, too, Sanford said.
But we still dont have anything tying him to that shooting. He might be just a guy on a business trip.
Derek didnt think Kimball really believed that any more than he did. Who, on a business trip, pays by cash instead of a credit card?
And goes by two names, Dodge added. Two that we know of.
With asperity, she said, I get it, I get it.
Derek looked around the squalid room. The vibe Im getting from this place is that it was his den, a place to hide.
Im with you. Dodge indicated the metal trash can. Empty.
Sos the one in the bathroom, Kimball told them.
When he cleared out, he didnt leave anything behind, Derek said.
Nothing visible. Sanford reached for his cell phone. Im going to have it dusted for prints. Maybe well get one we can send through databases. Anybody using an alias has probably been arrested and printed at some time in his life. At the very least, well get his real name.
Kimball had moved into the kitchenette, observing out loud, He washed the dishes. And emptied the trash can. But he didnt mop the floor. Its sticky. She ducked down out of sight behind the bar. When she stood up several seconds later, Derek caught the significant look she shot her partner.
Did you find something? Derek asked.
She shook her head. No. We might want to get an ID on whatever this is he spilled, thats all. Then she frowned. Why are you still here? Youre not even a cop, and we told you to leave.
Dodge nudged Derek. You seen enough?
I guess. But he made no move toward leaving.
What is it?
Something doesnt jibe.
What are you two whispering about? Sanford asked.
Ignoring him, Derek took another slow visual tour of the room. His gaze slid past the television set, then sprang back. He realized what had bothered him. Everything else in the room was outmoded, but the television looked fairly new and had a built-in DVD player. Check the DVD player.
Sanford regarded him curiously, but he searched for the remote and found it amid the tangled sheets on the bed. He used it to turn the set on, then went to it and punched the button to open the tray for the DVD. It slid out. Empty.
He looked at Derek expectantly.
Derek sighed with disappointment. Just a hunch.
Ariel sprayed on perfume, checked herself in the mirror one last time, and grabbed her bag. After the ice cream binge three nights ago, shed decided that she wasnt going to let one jerk make her fat. As her daddy used to say, the only way to get over being thrown is to get back on the horse.
She was going out, and she was going to have a good time.
And, by the way,
Up his!
She was careful to lock the dead bolt behind her. As she was making her way to her car, her neighbor across the street called out to her. Inwardly she groaned, but she waved and called, Hello, Mrs. Hamilton. The elderly lady lived alone and apparently was lonely. She often waylaid Ariel, usually when she was in a hurry. Or so it seemed.
Ariel, hold up!
Having been taught to respect her elders, Ariel tossed her purse into her car but waited while Mrs. Hamilton limped over.
Your flowers look nice, Ariel said as she approached. Mrs. Hamilton had the best-looking yard on the street and boasted of doing all the work herself.
Thanks, sweetie. She placed her age-spotted hand against her chest as though to help her catch her breath. Im worried for you.
Whys that?
Usually Mrs. Hamilton asked if she was eating right, chided her for staying out too late, urged her to use sunscreen. So she was taken aback when the old lady said, A man came looking for you today, while you were at work.
A man?
I think he was on drugs, she said in a whisper. I didnt like the looks of him at all.
What did he look like?
Ariels heart began to thud as her neighbor described Billy Duke to a tee. Not as shed first known him, but as hed looked in the hotel security camera photo.
What did he want?
I saw him snooping around your house, peering in the windows, banging on the door. I yelled across at him, told him you werent home and couldnt he see that?
Any other time, the image that conjured would have been comical, but Ariel didnt feel like smiling.
He came tearing across the street. I beat it inside and hooked the latch on my screen door, but he waved his hands and started shouting like a crazy man, Please, help me!
Help him?
He said he was desperate to talk to you, that it was a matter of life or death, and did I know where you worked. Hed called your place of employment and they told him you didnt work there anymore.
Ive switched jobs recently. Thank God she had.
He asked did I know your cell phone number, and I told him if I
did
, which I
didnt
, I wouldnt be giving it to him. I threatened to call the police if he didnt scram, then slammed the door in his face. I watched through the blinds, though. He got in his car and drove off. Mrs. Hamilton looked at her with concern. Its none of my business, of course, but he didnt seem the sort you should be keeping company with, Ariel.
Dont worry, Mrs. Hamilton. Im not. She squeezed the older womans hand. If you see him again, call the police.
I certainly will! Be careful.
Ariel assured her that she would, and the old lady returned to her yard. Ariel considered going back inside and calling the police herself to report Billys unwelcome visit. But that would mean involvement, which shed promised herself and Carol that she would avoid. She hoped Mrs. Hamiltons warning had scared him off.
She determined not to let Billy Duke spoil the evening shed planned for herself, but when she entered the glitzy bar, she was still trying to shake off a vague uneasiness.
It got worse when she saw Tony, leaning against one of the cocktail tables in the back of the room, looking impossibly elegant and handsome.
She was going out, and she was going to have a good time.
And, by the way,
Up his!
She was careful to lock the dead bolt behind her. As she was making her way to her car, her neighbor across the street called out to her. Inwardly she groaned, but she waved and called, Hello, Mrs. Hamilton. The elderly lady lived alone and apparently was lonely. She often waylaid Ariel, usually when she was in a hurry. Or so it seemed.
Ariel, hold up!
Having been taught to respect her elders, Ariel tossed her purse into her car but waited while Mrs. Hamilton limped over.
Your flowers look nice, Ariel said as she approached. Mrs. Hamilton had the best-looking yard on the street and boasted of doing all the work herself.
Thanks, sweetie. She placed her age-spotted hand against her chest as though to help her catch her breath. Im worried for you.
Whys that?
Usually Mrs. Hamilton asked if she was eating right, chided her for staying out too late, urged her to use sunscreen. So she was taken aback when the old lady said, A man came looking for you today, while you were at work.
A man?
I think he was on drugs, she said in a whisper. I didnt like the looks of him at all.
What did he look like?
Ariels heart began to thud as her neighbor described Billy Duke to a tee. Not as shed first known him, but as hed looked in the hotel security camera photo.
What did he want?
I saw him snooping around your house, peering in the windows, banging on the door. I yelled across at him, told him you werent home and couldnt he see that?
Any other time, the image that conjured would have been comical, but Ariel didnt feel like smiling.
He came tearing across the street. I beat it inside and hooked the latch on my screen door, but he waved his hands and started shouting like a crazy man, Please, help me!
Help him?
He said he was desperate to talk to you, that it was a matter of life or death, and did I know where you worked. Hed called your place of employment and they told him you didnt work there anymore.
Ive switched jobs recently. Thank God she had.
He asked did I know your cell phone number, and I told him if I
did
, which I
didnt
, I wouldnt be giving it to him. I threatened to call the police if he didnt scram, then slammed the door in his face. I watched through the blinds, though. He got in his car and drove off. Mrs. Hamilton looked at her with concern. Its none of my business, of course, but he didnt seem the sort you should be keeping company with, Ariel.
Dont worry, Mrs. Hamilton. Im not. She squeezed the older womans hand. If you see him again, call the police.
I certainly will! Be careful.
Ariel assured her that she would, and the old lady returned to her yard. Ariel considered going back inside and calling the police herself to report Billys unwelcome visit. But that would mean involvement, which shed promised herself and Carol that she would avoid. She hoped Mrs. Hamiltons warning had scared him off.
She determined not to let Billy Duke spoil the evening shed planned for herself, but when she entered the glitzy bar, she was still trying to shake off a vague uneasiness.
It got worse when she saw Tony, leaning against one of the cocktail tables in the back of the room, looking impossibly elegant and handsome.
CHAPTER
21
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