Homewrecker Ch. 04

"So once I realized that," I said, "some other ideas came to my attention. Three of the other four suspects, Andrew Adams, Charles Caldwell, and Earl Edwards, had Mob ties. Darryl Dawson really didn't have Mob ties, unless you consider being a lobbyist for the State Legislature to be 'mob ties' of its own kind." I made air quotes at that, and everyone chuckled.

"But Dawson had been attacked BY the mob, in a manner of speaking." I continued. "Ramon, Castro, and Partners of Southport had Mob ties, and I just never quite could get it clear if Mrs. Dawson hired them or if they had gone to her first regarding her divorce. And she took up residence in Southport after her divorce."

"So Dawson was sticking out like a sore thumb now, in my mind." I said. "And as the information was developed, one more thing became clear: Edwards had not really had much relationship with Beryl. Andrew Adams and Charles Caldwell had, but they didn't show any signs of hating Beryl, and they either had time or previous opportunities to do something about her, but never had. So as Detective Rodriguez astutely said, Caldwell was not a likely suspect. And neither was Adams."

I then said: "I know what you're thinking... I knowwwww what you're thinking. What about Bart Bell? you are thinking. And you are very much right to think that. We had two major suspects, and Bell was almost too obvious."

"However..." I continued, "there were some things nagging at me about Bart Bell. First, like Adams, he'd had plenty of time to go after Beryl, and when she was in the City or Southport... so why here and why now? And the other reason was that even though Bell is a hothead and talks a little too much for his own good, he never showed previous animosity towards Beryl. He didn't have a long-running relationship with her, just a red-flag encounter. Maybe he didn't even really know who she was when he had sex with her all that time ago."

I went on: "And Bart Bell is mentally weak, as those who set him up realized. I knew I could be wrong, but I just did not see him getting up the cojones to kill Beryl, and certainly not by the method with which she was killed."

"So as I was saying," I said, "as the information came in, I could see that there was one suspect who developed a really strong relationship with... or maybe I should say 'crush on'... Beryl Angel. And that was Darryl Dawson. He bought her gifts, he readily divorced his wife... who I suspect he married to help advance his inroads with the politicians, but she didn't like going to the parties and was of no use to him... and he moved in with Beryl. But only two months later... she up and left him."

I continued: "Our Intel Division dug deep, and found some restraining orders taken out by Beryl Angel, as opposed to against her. One was sent to the wrong name: James Russell Dawson, Darryl's brother. When Darryl persisted in contacting her, and possibly began making threats, she went to the Southport Police. They found out the mistake, and she swore out a second restraining order. But as a lawyer, and probably with some help, he was able to make that second restraining order disappear from view."

Cindy said "And Beryl was in fear of her safety and maybe even her life the last few months."

"Exactly." I said. "She went home to Southport, possibly because she hoped her uncle's extended family, that being the Southport Mob, might be able to help her or protect her. And she probably was safe in Southport. But she was enticed out of Southport, to our County here."

"If he loved her, why did he kill her?" asked Mary Milton.

"I think love turned to obsession, then hatred." I replied. "When Beryl left Darryl, he was devastated. He attempted to pursue her, and may have been warned off by Charles Caldwell and the City Mob, and ultimately she filed for a restraining order. I'm not sure where he snapped, maybe when he got the second restraining order with his name on it, or maybe Orrin B. Taggart had some people 'talk' to him, but at some point he decided that if he couldn't have Beryl, no one would."

"So what about Bart Bell, sir?" asked Roark Coleman. "I mean, I was ready to throw him under the jail and throw away the key." There were murmurs of agreement.

"And that is testimony to how well he was being framed." I said. "I told him what I'll tell you... Bart Bell was very, very lucky that my eyes were already firmly affixed upon Darryl Dawson. It would have been all to easy... maybe lazy, but definitely easy... to just charge Bell, wash our hands of it, and read of his execution by the State at Jacksonville State Prison a few years from now."

I said "Deborah Wilkins planned to frame Bart Bell as the patsy, and ironically that is what put me onto her trail as part of it all. It really was obvious that she had to be involved in some way. After all, she had all the room keys, and she made a point to say that the keys were in a box where anyone could get at them. She was trying to set up plausible deniability and reasonable doubt, there. She made the room assignments, and so she knew exactly who was in what room."

I continued: "But there was more, and another reason to suspect her. I did some checking on the arson of her parents' home in Racine through my FBI account, and found that the insurance would go to her, and that it really was a suspicious fire. And Lieutenant Milton had found out that Deborah had been in Chicago at the time... and Chicago and Racine are pretty close to each other. And that led me to realizing that if Deborah Wilkins had the capacity to murder her parents, she could easily have the mental capacity to be involved in Beverly DeAngelo's murder."

Me: "So I don't know if Deborah got Bart Bell hired, or if that was just Kara Zorn doing Kara Zorn things... after all, it really is a good idea to hire him as a speech therapist for the company's foreign employees, and he was even helping Elliot Sanders's Chinese wife."

Me: "And as a side note... I made a mistake with that. When I mentioned Bart Bell's name to Elliot Sanders, he asked 'Who?', and I thought he didn't know the name and was lying to us. But that was my bad: he was just shocked at hearing the name of the employee who was helping his wife with her English diction."

"Anyway," I went on, "Deborah seduced Bart Bell and had him wrapped around her finger---"

"Whipped, if you know what I mean." said Cindy Ross. Many people laughed.

"Thank you." I said. "I wasn't going to say it, but yes. And she was having sex with Darryl Dawkins on the side. So they came up with the scheme to tell Beryl to come up and be introduced to Mr. Dalton. Beryl bit... and maybe was reassured by Deborah that nothing would happen to her in this County, if such reassurance was needed. Beryl came up, Darryl ambushed her from the bedroom, killed her, then left."

I said "But he got a bit cute about leaving behind other clothes to attempt to paint a scene... that was his flair for the dramatic coming to the fore. And I should've realized that something was wrong right then... would Beryl do a strip tease for one of these five men she'd left after being the Homewrecker that destroyed their marriages? She knew them, and she especially knew Dawson and was afraid of him. So that ended up working against him."

A moment later I said "So... any questions?" As always, that got some laughs.

"I have a questionnnn, if I may." said Chief Moynahan. "How complicit is MegaTech Industries in all this?" There were murmurs amongst the Detectives.

"It's hard to tell, Chief." I said. "I think the answer to that might lie in why MegaTech chose to come here, to our Town & County, for their conference. And I don't know the answer to that. And to be candidly honest, it's probably something best left to those at the Federal level. Would you not agree, Commander Croyle."

"I agree. Boss." said Teresa. The room erupted in laughter.

"So it wasn't Mob-related?" asked Cindy Ross.

"You know, you bring up an interesting point. But you already have a green crowbar, so don't go asking for a blue one." I said, to some 'polite' laughter. "It is very possible that Beverly wasn't just being a Homewrecker... she might have been spying for the Southport Mob. Why bother with Earl Edwards, who didn't have the money to keep her up like she liked? Charles Caldwell was, and is, a rival to Orrin B. Taggart, who would love to take over the City's transportation like he controls Southport's. And Darryl Dawson was an inroad into the politicians of Southport, but whatever reasons she found to leave him outweighed her willingness to do that."

"Sir," said Lieutenant Jerome Davis, "did you ever find out who called in the Room Service order, that led to the body being found?"

"Good question." I said. "No, but I have a sneaking suspicion that we're back to the Mob, or someone that... that..."

"Uh oh, reverie time." said Cindy. "We should give out crowbars for whoever can make him go into one of those."

"Funny." I said, as I came out of it. "Okay, let's eat our ice cream and get back to work. Get your paperwork for this case done, so I can get mine done..."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Why did you say we should leave MegaTech's reasons for coming her to the Feds?" Tanya asked as my Angels gathered in my office for a very delayed Angels Meeting.

"Palmyra County." I said. (Author's note: 'Long Cool Woman'.) "It occurred to me that someone didn't want Kara Zorn here, so it was arranged to be in this State. Also, I very much suspect they didn't want it in the City or Midtown because of Mob influences, and thought that by having it here, the Mobsters would stay out of my County. But that backfired... big time."

"Unless someone wanted Deborah and Darryl to get caught." Teresa said. "Set them up just like they tried to set Bart Bell up. After all, someone called into Room Service to cause us to find the body and begin investigating."

"Keep up with those ideas," I said, "and you'll have to choose what color crowbar you want to carry around with you." Cindy and Tanya laughed.

"So, are you going to give that back?" Cindy asked as Teresa held up the blue crowbar I'd given her.

"You know what?" Teresa said. "I never got a blue crowbar because I was never in MCD and was never Captain of Detectives. So I won't carry one... but I think I'll hold on to this one."

"We're halfway there." I said to Cindy, meaning getting Teresa to join the Crowbar Carry Club.

"Yes we are." Cindy replied. "What color crowbar are you going to give her when she stops fighting the inevitable?"

"Grey Wolf gray." suggested Tanya cheerfully.

"No." I replied, my eyes boring into Teresa's. "Purple."

"We are not amused." said Teresa flatly as a blue crowbar was waved in my general direction.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

After I'd finished my meeting with Tanya and Teresa and they had left, Cindy came back into my office. "I was just curious about that near-reverie you had in Classroom 'J'. I felt the vibe... something struck you."

"You and your vibes." I said.

"You and your reveries." Cindy fired back.

"Touché." I said, chuckling. "Yeah... something hit me. Who would want us to find that body and start the murder investigation? The Mob? Or someone else with an axe to grind against MegaTech?"

"Who else could it be, if not the Mob?" Cindy asked.

"Who, indeed?" I said. "What struck me this morning... is that someone may have given Darryl and Deborah the idea for this crime. What's more, this same entity figured out how to use Bart Bell to give them cover, to be the patsy. Does Deborah Wilkins strike you as being smart enough to put that together like that? Does Darryl?"

"Hell, Don," Cindy said, "nobody I've ever met, outside you and the Consultant of Crime, would be capable of putting something together that brilliantly."

"Exactly." I said. "And that means... not even three and a half years after Westboro's death... and we already have someone working to succeed him..."

Part 21 - Justice Delivered

1:00pm, Monday, November 18th. I was at the Cop Bar, having lunch with FBI Special Agent In Charge Jack Muscone. I was dressed in civilian clothes, gray jacket, white shirt, dark blue tie with little TCPD logos on it, badge on my belt and my holstered gun under my armpit.

We were in the back room, not the 'Command Room', and there were others in the room as the front room was crowded. So we talked in relatively hushed tones.

"The Federal Marshals plucked Deborah Wilkins off the tarmac at the airport when she landed in California." Jack said. "I'm told that Elliot Sanders was absolutely furious, and it almost became an armed standoff with his security people."

"I'll bet he did blow a gasket." I said. "He and Deborah probably thought they were safe when they landed, but--- whoaaaaa... Shut the front door!"

"What?" asked Muscone as he followed my eyes, seeing as I did who had come in and was approaching us.

"Yeah, literally, shut the front door." said Jack Muscone. To our utter shock, State Senators Jimmy 'Coffin' Cerone and Katherine Woodburn were coming up to us.

"Would you gentlemen mind if we share your table for lunch?" Cerone asked politely.

"I don't mind." I said. "But it's Mr. Muscone's party."

"Sure, have a seat." said Muscone. "But to what do we owe the pleasure? I'd think you'd be at Luigi's."

I had gotten up and pulled a chair back for Katherine, being chivalrous. "Thank you, Commander." she said, surprised but pleased. Cerone shook my hand and then Muscone's, and took his seat.

"My doctor says to take it easy on the heavy foods." said Cerone, fooling no one present. "And I hear the 'Jack's Double Cheeseburger Plate' is the best burger in the State."

"You've heard correctly." said Jack. "And what will you have, Senator Woodburn?"

"The Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad is really good." I advised Katherine.

"I'll try it, then." Katherine said.

Muscone placed the orders, then said "So what brings the State Senate to our corner of the world?"

"Political conference at the University." said Katherine Woodburn. "Dr. Lionel Carmela is hosting a number of Democrats. Didn't you get the invitation, Commander?" I chuckled at the joke.

"I don't get invited to the Republican parties, either." I said. "And I think you can call me 'Don', if I can call you 'Katherine'?" Katherine nodded.

"And I wanted to congratulate you on the tremendous job you did, bringing Beverly DeAngelo's killers to Justice, Commander Troy." said Jimmy Cerone. "Truly an outstanding performance."

"I must also congratulate you, Don." said Katherine, though her eyes showed that she wasn't all that happy about it. "You figured out and defeated the best-laid plans of some very smart people."

"Thank you." I said. "It was a TCPD team effort. And Mr. Muscone and the FBI helped us out a lot."

Cerone said "I knew Beverly when she was just a little child. She lost her way after her parents died, and while Jimmy The Creek did what he could, she followed the wrong path. But she did not deserve to die the way she did..." His voice trailed off, as if he was remembering something, perhaps remembering Beverly from a long time ago.

Katherine said "Any idea why they chose here, your home turf, to commit that crime?"

I smiled. "Funny you should ask that." I said. "We've been wondering about that, too..."

Our food came, and we settled down to eat. "Mmmm!" said Jimmy 'Coffin' Cerone as he tried the double cheeseburger in front of him. "These are even better than their reputation!" He began hungrily consuming his double cheeseburger, enjoying it almost as much as Jack Muscone was enjoying his own.

"The salad is good, too. Very fresh." said Katherine. "Nice suggestion, Don. So... are you ready to write the Budget for us? The Legislature will be in session again before you know it."

"Why do I suspect we won't get a budget passed this year?" I replied as I ate my double breakfast burger. "All we're going to hear about is Impeachment of the Governor."

"Maybe not." said Katherine. "But would you say the SBI-IDE is working out as well as you hoped?"

"It's been up and running for less than half a year." I said. "But yes, I think it's going to be okay."

Katherine said "My office has gotten inquiries about what the SBI can do in a case like those cars stolen from our University students and shipped to Midtown. Cases like that, and Louella Hopper's murder, aren't quite covered by the SBI's current divisions. What do you suggest to remedy that?"

"What we successfully did the last time." I said. "Local agencies working harmoniously together, with the barest minimum of SBI aid to augment them."

"So you don't think a reconstituted SBI-SIS would be a good idea?" asked Katherine. "Agents that can augment and support local agencies on cross-County crimes that don't exactly fit any one SBI division?"

"As you know," I said, "I am not a proponent of an expanded SBI, nor one that comes in and takes over local cases. But perhaps a designation and budgeting for some SBI 'at large' Agents might be the solution."

"Perhaps Mr. Muscone has ideas about that." said Katherine. "I'm sure he's dealt with inter-agency squabbles before."

"Have I ever." said Muscone. "But the lines are a lot more clear with Federal agencies. We enforce Federal laws, and certain crimes that are defined by law to be ours, such as bank robberies and crimes involving the Post Office. If we do come in and take over, it's because it's our jurisdiction in the first place. So the situation is different than a dispute between your SBI and local agencies, as the County Sheriffs are usually the supreme elected LEOs in a jurisdiction."

"Heh heh heh!" laughed Jimmy Cerone. "You're not getting a lot of help there, Katherine. And besides, it's all the Iron Crowbar's jurisdiction, and we're just living in it..."

All of a sudden, the chatter in the main room increased, and Police radios began going off all at once. I saw Patrolman Johnson come back to our room.

"Commander," Johnson said, "there's been a shooting at the Courthouse. In the parking lot."

"Sorry, guys, I have to go." I said as I got up.

"I better go with you." said Muscone.

"Please, go to your duties. I'll take care of the bill." said Cerone.

"Already taken care of." Muscone said as we got up to go. "I run a tab here..."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

We drove up Elm Street, which was the east-west street that bordered the north side of Courthouse Square, and was closed off to traffic. There were a large number of Police vehicles on the street by the Courthouse. I stopped before the intersection, staying out of the way of the other emergency vehicles, and Muscone and I walked up the sidewalk to the scene, which was barely organized chaos. Patrolman Culver let us through the cordon, making the notation of our arrival.

I came up to a large black man in the uniform of a Deputy Sheriff. The gold Captain bars on his shoulders told me he was the Chief Bailiff, and I knew his name was Clark Alexander. As this parking lot was part of the Courthouse complex, he was technically in charge of the scene.

"What happened here, Captain?" I asked as Muscone and got to him, seeing a cloth-covered body on the pavement and a black BMW sedan about four yards past him.

"You guys need to get back... oh, sorry Commander." Alexander said. "Didn't recognize you in that FBI suit and tie."

"Yeah, I get that a lot." I replied, a bit acerbically. "So what happened?"

"These people had just come out the back entrance." said Chief Bailiff Alexander. "They were getting into that Beamer. Two Deputies coming in that door said they heard the shots and turned around. A car had backed out of its parking place and someone had fired out of the backseat or shotgun seat. The Beamer went forward a few feet, trying to get out of the line of fire, but this guy was already hit. The other car took off, going east on Elm."