Chasing Suspect Three (29 page)

“She could be in South America by now. The
judge didn’t take away her passport. Also, some talk of missing
drug-buy money. You know anything about that?”

“Officer, I have no idea how that three
hundred grand got in my purse.”

“One of these days, you’ll go too far.” He
chuckled into the phone.

It occurred to her perhaps she had already
gone too far. “Ask the FBI about the money. They’re the ones who
lost track of it.”

“Heppard says to ask you.”

“Hey, I’m not running his investigation. But
I’ll tell you this, Eddy. Someone found the moneybag in the
freezer. The gang doesn’t have it, because they’re still looking
for it. It’s up here in Park Beach, and I’ll bet you Margo,
Claudia, or Richie has it. Anyhow, the murder has been solved. Why
do I care who has the missing money?”

“Because you’re Sandy Reid. Goodbye,
buddy.”

She turned to Martin and started explaining
about how she had located Adela Sevilla in Miami. He was genuinely
thrilled and interrupted several times with, “Bravo!” Then she
explained, she was now living under the threat of criminal
prosecution and being sought by a U.S. Marshal.

That brought a sick expression to his face.
He thought a minute. “So, Adela gave you the name, Gerardo Diaz. If
the word gets out she blew the whistle on the drug gang, she’s a
dead girl. You’re going to protect your source regardless of what
they do to you.”

“And now that I’ve told you, you must take it
to your grave. Also, keep secret the fact that I even located
Adela. Don’t ever mention her name. If no one knows I found her,
then no one will start wondering if she is my source.”

“I understand completely. Thanks for sharing
that. Still, I don’t see how you’re going to keep her a secret. You
can’t spend your life in jail.”

“I don’t see how I can avoid going to jail.
It isn’t unusual for judges to use the threat of jail to get people
to testify. But I’ll never give out Adela’s name. That woman put
her trust in me. Maybe after a few months in jail, the judge will
consider releasing me.”

“I’ll get you the best lawyer possible.”

“There’s more to the story, Martin. This
summons problem of mine didn’t have to happen. I gave Agent Heppard
the name of the killer and asked him not to name me as the source.
It was getting late, and he didn’t think I should drive through
Miami after dark, I wasn’t’ thrilled with the prospect either. He
asked me to sleep with him overnight in his apartment. Nothing
wrong with asking. A girl can always say no. Here’s the
unbelievable part. When I refused, he said either come across or he
would have a summons issued forcing me to reveal my source. No way
would I consider doing that with him.”

“Decidedly sad to think there are men such as
that out there. Simply sordid and an insult to suggest you’d do it.
Incredible. He could have easily protected your privacy, but he
wanted to hurt you for turning him down. A woman can’t even have
lunch with some men, or they’ll get the wrong idea. You gave that
man absolutely no reason to think you had any interest in him at
all.”

She didn’t respond to that.

He had never seen her worried like that. “I’m
sorry it happened to you, Sandy.” He thought he should change the
subject. “But I don’t get this. You found the murderer. Why are we
still here doing this surveillance gig?”

“I’m just grasping at straws. We now know
Gerardo Diaz was the killer. Did he come up here to Park Beach
searching for John and met Margo and Claudia? And they knew him as
Richie? That is certainly doubtful. The guy was a full-time
consulate employee in Miami. No, Diaz was up here in Park Beach for
one purpose, whack John and grab the money. We now know Diaz was
killed still searching for the money.”

“So now we’re trying to find the money?”

“It’s all about the money now. Remember,
Margo came up with ten grand cash for me overnight. The woman
wearing sunglasses and a scarf, who had the messenger service
deliver ten grand to us, must have been Claudia.”

“That’s right. Even though it didn’t match
her description, she owns a beauty spa and wig shop and can change
her appearance daily,” he said.

“More than likely, she is involved. Let’s
assume she’s guilty of something until proven innocent. She might
lead us to Margo or the money. And apparently, Richie is still out
there. One of them must have the money.”

He snapped his fingers. “Now I see what Sandy
Reid is up to. You couldn’t nail Claudia for the murder, so you’re
thinking you’ll get her some other way. You’re hoping she’s caught
and is put away for having the stolen money. This isn’t about the
money. It’s about revenge. It’s about her daring to go after your
man.”

“I suppose there is some of that. I could
excuse that diary business by saying all’s fair in love, but it was
certainly low class. And I’m all straight with Chip now. He didn’t
want anything to do with her before and doesn’t want anything to do
with her now. Aside from all that, her hands are dirty somehow with
that money. I just know she’d be attracted to it like a cannibal to
a fat man.”

“Fair enough. Count me in, A hunting we will
go.” He looked around at the traffic and down the alley to the spa.
“See what I mean about this being a great spot to park. Well, I’ve
been sitting here all morning and she hasn’t left.”

“Maybe sitting here is foolish. Thanks for
helping me. Why don’t you take off? I’ll come back over around
quitting time and follow her home or wherever.”

“She’s usually at the spa until late. You
might be sitting here after dark.”

“That’s all right. This little red car is
somewhat conspicuous in the sunshine,” she said.

“Very well. Remember, I’m busy on Sunday. I’m
taking the family over to Blue Cypress Lake.” His grin went from
ear to ear.

Just then, a sheriff’s patrol car passed in
front. She stiffened for a second remembering that a U.S. Marshal
was looking for her. This was absurd. She dialed Jaworski back.
“Hey, Eddy, I’m not hiding from that federal summons. If they
contact you, tell them to come and get me.”

J
ust after
nightfall, Sandy sat comfortably but bored in her strategically
positioned car listening to the drone of Crazy Charlie and his
all-time top one hundred on the radio and fighting sleep. Watching
from her spot in the public parking area, she suddenly noticed the
tail lights of Claudia’s BMW come on as the car backed out of the
alley parking space. Although the street ran between them, she
ducked down as the BMW’s headlights flashed directly at her while
paused before turning right onto the street. She waited and pulled
out after the BMW, feeling safe in following two cars behind.
Unlikely she’d catch Claudia playing with the money somewhere, but
there was always hope.

After two miles, the cars approached a major
intersection. If she were headed home, she would be making a right
turn. Sandy then passed one car to leave only one car between in
case Claudia made the next light and she didn’t. They all were
waiting at the red light when Claudia unexpectedly pulled ahead and
made a right turn on red. As the BMW turned the corner, Sandy could
see the driver. It didn’t look like Claudia. It definitely wasn’t
the flowing shoulder-length blonde hair of Claudia; it was more
like the dark frizzy hair of...Margo?

Margo driving Claudia’s car? An APB was out
for Margo’s car, so Sandy didn’t expect her to be driving it.
Heading for Claudia’s? Had Margo been hiding in the beauty spa?
Didn’t make sense. They hated each other. Geez, sure did look like
Margo.

When she finally got a green signal, it took
her three blocks to get back in position with one car between them.
At every opportunity, she tried but couldn’t get another clear view
of who was driving. Not Claudia, she was now convinced of that, and
she couldn’t imagine Claudia lending her car to Margo. Then again,
she had a strange cast of characters on her hands.

They were the only cars passing through the
quiet neighborhood approaching Claudia’s apartment. Afraid of being
detected, Sandy turned her headlights off for the last two blocks.
A warrant was out for Margo’s arrest, so she’d avoid her own
apartment. Apparently, she was hiding out with Claudia.

The BMW turned into the dirt street behind
the apartment. Sandy also turned and coasted to a stop. She watched
the driver park, and saw a dark-haired woman go in the rear door.
She wished she were closer. She was now confused, the woman didn’t
actually look like Margo.

She counted to ten then went to the rear door
and slowly opened it. The hall was unlighted, but the weak light
from the street filtered in through from the front entranceway. She
remembered Claudia’s apartment being at the front. She went to her
door and listened. Nothing. She took a deep breath and knocked.

Sandy was startled as the door instantly
swung open. She gasped as she saw Claudia standing there with a
smirk on her face, a wig in one hand, and a revolver in the other.
“What’s the matter? You don’t like brunettes?”

She was still shocked and trying to get her
thoughts together, when Claudia grabbed her arm, yanked her into
the apartment, and pushed the door closed. “You thought Margo was
here?” She threw the wig on an end table. “Sit down on the floor,
on the carpet over there.”

Sandy followed her command. “I guess I need
to practice my surveillance technique. People are always pointing
guns at me. Please understand I’m not after you at all. I’m trying
to help Margo. I need to find her before the police do.”

Claudia rested the revolver on the hassock
away from Sandy and stretched back on the armchair. “Sending your
partner over here snooping around was dumb. Sitting there all
morning watching the alley in his shiny new car was what clued me
in you were on to me. Then later, I walked to the corner and saw
you there in your cute red car. You can play around with Margo, but
it’s different with the big girls. I let you follow me home. Little
Miss Smartass fell into my trap. Is our intrepid investigator
beginning to suspect she might be in trouble?”

“This has nothing to do with you. I was
hoping you might lead me to Margo. Maybe it wasn’t such a great
idea, huh? I’ll leave and not bother you again.”

“Sure, let’s have a cup of tea before you
leave, dearie. Then we’ll kiss and make up. No hard feelings.” She
pointed to the revolver. “You forced me to take drastic action.
You’re just too damn troublesome. You were getting too close.”

“And for that you’d kill me?”

“Wouldn’t you, if you were me? And I stood
between you and three hundred thousand?”

“Don’t screw it up, Claudia. The cops aren’t
on to you at all. You can still get away with it. Of course, now
you have to explain pulling a gun on me. But I can overlook that.
It’s not too late.”

“Except you’re lying. I know you work closely
with the police.”

“That’s not true.”

“It is true. You said to hell with Margo, and
she skipped out. Stand up and take off that dress.”

“I’m not wearing a wire. I’m not taking it
off.”

“I know it looks stylish in a Girl Scout sort
of way, but unwrap it. I’ve heard about you and all your tricky
stuff.” She rested her hand on the gun. “Take it off, now!”

Sandy stood hesitating, looking at the
revolver on the hassock. She had used the same model one afternoon
at the gun range with Chip. He kept talking about the safety, the
damn safety. Even from where she was standing, she could see that
the safety was engaged. That gun could not be fired as is.

She unfastened the dress, slipped it off her
shoulders, and let it fall. She turned about. “See, no wire. Can I
put it back on now?” Maybe she could act as though picking up the
dress, then throw it at her, and go for the gun.

“Not yet, sit back down.” Claudia slowly
shook her head. “Plain white undies? Aren’t you afraid you’ll be in
a car accident?”

“I don’t need sexy underwear. I just get
naked.”

“You won’t be doing any getting naked from
now on—not counting the guy wearing disposable gloves who gets paid
to remove clothes from dead bodies.” She leaned forward. “And look
at you. You ever wonder what it’s like to have tits?”

“Not all men are superficial. Chip doesn’t
complain.”

“How does he even find those?

“He's a detective, remember?” If she lunged
for the gun, she’d need to flip off the safety before she could
fire it. She wouldn’t get that far, Claudia was much closer.

Claudia must have noticed Sandy’s eye
movement. She quickly picked up the gun, clicked off the safety,
and aimed it.

Sandy swallowed hard feeling the first real
throes of terror. “Kill me and you must somehow get rid of my body.
Did you think of that?” Keep her talking.

“It’s all planned to look like the drug gang
killed you. You’ll be a body found in the woods clinging to an
empty diplomatic pouch. I’ll leave a few large bills scattered
around to look like the gang grabbed the money in a hurry.”

“So, you do have the money. Who planned
John’s murder, you or Margo?”

“We didn’t know he’d be killed. I didn’t want
him killed. I could have gotten that money without killing him. I
thought I’d take the lion’s share. He’d have to run off and hide. I
don’t know who killed him.”

“You didn’t know that the drug gang had sent
a man up here after him and the money?”

“My plan was to get all the money. I wanted
Margo out of the way, because she knew about the drug runs and the
money. He screwed up and missed her at the Community Center. Then
after he was killed, I needed to include her.”

“But at first you intended her to be
killed.”

“And to give me an alibi for the time she
would be shot, I set up a meeting with your boyfriend under the
pretense of returning a book of poetry he supposedly gave me.”