Execution of Innocence (5 page)

The next day at school they didn’t even speak of it.

CHAPTER FIVE

At the police station things were heating up. After talking to Hannah, Sharp and Riles got flagged back into the autopsy room by Dr. Kohner. The coroner spoke to them while standing beside the body. He seemed afraid to move too far from it in case it stood up and walked away. Dick’s brain sat in a stainless steel basin like a lump of gory pain and continued to bother Sharp, as did the stench of blood and death. Dr. Kohner looked as excited as he ever got, which was not saying much.

“I just received preliminary blood work on the late Richard Spelling,” he said. “The alcohol content of his blood was point-two- eight.”

“He was drunk,” Sharp said.

“He was completely smashed,” Riles said.

“That's good, we can use that, I think. Anything else?”

“Yes.” Dr. Kohner lifted Dick’s right arm to point out two scratch marks stretching from the wrist to the elbow. They weren't deep but they definitely were not self inflicted. “I missed these at first, I don't know how.”

“I think you were just anxious to saw open his head,” Sharp said.

Dr. Kohner smiled thinly. “Probably correct. Every good examination should start with the brain. But that aside, let me offer you my professional opinion on these scratches.” He paused for effect. “They were made by a female in the midst of a struggle with the deceased.”

“How do you know? Nail polish?” Riles asked, bending closer. “I don't see any.”

“There was a trace amount,” Kohner said. “I've scraped it free and saved it for later identification. Also the marks—their narrowness—would indicate female nails.”

“Hannah has on nail polish,” Riles mused.

“Hannah did not kill her brother,” Sharp said. “Charlie is our suspect.”

“For all we know Charlie is dead,” Riles said. He nodded to the coroner. “Thank you, Dr. Kohner. Keep us up to date.”

“I will keep you up to the minute,” Dr. Kohner said, turning back to the body.

In the hallway, their favorite place to talk, the detectives huddled.

“We should see if Mary or Hannah’s nails are broken,” Sharp said.

“I already looked,” Riles said. “Both girls' nails are intact. What we should look for is skin under their nails.”

“We’d have to arrest them to do that,” Sharp said. “Mr. Spelling wouldn't give us permission to examine his daughter. Are we ready to take that step?”

“No. We need more facts. Besides, which one of them would we arrest? Charlie’s still our main suspect, even with the nail polish.”

“Do you really think he's dead?” Sharp asked.

“It's a possibility,” Riles paused. “Let’s get back to Mary. We ought to be able to shake her up a bit with this new finding. Also, remember to play Hannah’s testimony against her own.”

“Mary might be too smart for that,” Sharp said.

“That remains to be seen,” Riles said.

But they were stopped in the hall before they got to Mary. A deputy brought them a witness. Her name was Linda Hoppe and she acted as if she were bursting to talk to them. On the short side, with her thin dark hair tied up with a steel pin that could have been classified as a dangerous weapon if it were any bigger, she looked like she knew something that could harm Mary or Hannah. Sharp and Riles were quick to usher her into a little office to talk to her. They turned on the tape recorder after Linda said it was OK.

“Are you two like detectives?” she asked.

“Yes,” Sharp replied. “We're both lieutenants.”

“Oh, that's so cool. I bet you carry guns and everything?”

Sharp nodded. “And we keep them loaded. How did you hear about Richard Spelling’s death?”

Linda waved her hand. “It’s all over town.”

“It's the middle of the night,” Riles protested.

“It doesn’t matter. Dick was a big dick—but, I mean, he was school president. And to just get wasted like that, it’s so cool. I mean, it’s so dramatic, like the guy is only eighteen or whatever and he has a bullet in his brain.”

Sharp and Riles looked at each other and tried not to groan.

“You told the deputy you had something important to tell us,” Sharp said. “What is it?”

Linda grinned with excitement. “I know who killed Dick.”

“Who?” Sharp asked.

“Mary Dammon.”

Riles coughed. “Why do you think it was Mary?”

“Because I was sitting right behind Mary and Hannah in Day Glow Donut two nights ago when Mary told Hannah she was going to kill Charlie.”

Sharp tried to keep a straight face. “But it's Dick who’s dead.”

“I know that! But if she was going to kill Charlie then she was probably the one who killed Dick.” Linda paused and looked a tad worried. “Don't you think?”

Riles sighed. “Can you give us the context of Mary's remark to Hannah?”

“You mean, like what else did she say besides wanting to kill Charlie?”

“Exactly,” Sharp said.

Linda frowned. “I don't know. That was a few days ago. I just know she was real mad at Charlie and she said she felt like killing him.”

“So she didn't exactly say she was going to kill him?” Sharp said.

“What's the difference? She wanted to kill him or she was going to kill him. I mean, everyone in town knows Charlie's dead, too.”

“It's three in the morning,” Riles muttered. “Why isn't everyone in town in bed?”

Linda beamed. “Because this is so exciting! It’s better than 'Court TV.' Maple has a real live celebrity now!”

“Who?” Sharp wanted to know.

“Mary Dammon, of course. I know she wanted to go to Stanford and be somebody, but this way she’s loads more famous, and right away.” Linda paused and leaned forward. “Will I get to go to court and testify against her? Do you think there’ll be national TV coverage?”

“I think we’re getting a little ahead of ourselves,” Sharp said. “Why was Mary upset at Charlie?”

Linda sat back and stared at her fingernails. “Because he was pissed at her for going out with Dick behind his back.”

“When did Dick go out with Mary?” Sharp asked.

“Last week. They went to the Sadie Hawkins dance together. Didn't she tell you?”

“No,” Sharp said.

Linda slapped the table. “See! I told you she was lying. She must have killed them both. Do you think she’ll get the death penalty? She’s eighteen, you know. They should gas her brains out. Dick was a great guy.”

“But you just said he was a dick,” Riles said.

“He was a total dick. But he had a great body. I mean, he didn’t deserve to die.” Linda paused and her eyes sparkled. “Have you seen his body? Is it all gross?”

“Linda,” Sharp said with forced patience, “do you have any idea where Charlie is now?”

Linda considered. “Lying facedown in a pile of snow deep in the woods?”

“We’re asking you,” Sharp said. “Not testing you.”

“But I told you, I think Charlie’s dead. Why don't you ask Mary where she dumped the body.”

“Because Mary doesn't think Charlie’s dead,” Sharp said.

“Well, she's lying, you know. Just because she's pretty and everything doesn't mean you should believe what she says.”

“Do you believe Hannah was in on these ‘double’ murders?” Riles asked quietly. Linda firmly shook her head.

“No. Hannah loved her brother. I mean, she was his twin. Twins are supposed to love each other. I read that in my psychology class.”

“When you were in the doughnut shop,” Sharp asked, “did Hannah say anything to indicate she was mad at either her brother or Charlie?”

“No. Mary was doing all the talking. She said she was going to kill them both.”

“But you just said she said she was going to kill Charlie,” Sharp said.

“I told you I
think
she killed them both. Wasted the bastards.”

“Now they’re bastards,” Riles said.

Linda brushed away the contradictions. “All boys are bastards, at least when they’re in high school. All they think about is sex.” She paused. “I know for a fact that Dick had sex with Mary the night of the dance.”

“How do you know?” Sharp asked.

“I saw them doing it out in the school parking lot. In the dark and the cold.”

“You saw Mary and Dick engaged in sexual intercourse?” Sharp asked.

Linda thought for a moment. “Well, I saw them kissing like they were about to do it. Other kids saw them, too. You can ask them if you don’t believe me.”

“Why shouldn't we believe you, Linda?” Sharp asked.

She was annoyed. “Because you keep asking me questions like you think I’m making all this up. I’m not you know. I didn't have to come here. It's not like I'm hoping to be on TV tonight or anything.”

“Let's try to get back on track,” Sharp said. “You say Charlie was upset with Mary because she went to the school dance with Dick. Is that correct?”

“I told you, Charlie was pissed. He wanted to kill Mary.”

“Did he?” Riles mumbled to himself. But Linda jumped.

“Is she dead, too? Did she commit suicide? Wow, Mary is so dramatic.”

“Mary is alive and well,” Sharp said dryly. “Hannah is with us as well. Now let's clear up this point. Why was Mary at the dance with Dick instead of with Charlie, her boyfriend?”

“Because she wanted to do it with Dick?” Linda asked.

“We're asking you,” Sharp said.

“Why don't you ask Dick? No, he's dead, you can’t ask him. Why don’t you ask Mary?”

“We will,” Sharp said. “We’ll talk to her in a minute. But before we say goodbye to you we have to ask what your relationship is—and was—to all these people.”

“To Dick, too?” Linda asked.

“Yes,” Sharp said.

Linda played with her fingers. “They're all my friends. I’d do anything for any of them. I mean that sincerely.”

“But you think Mary should be gassed if she killed Dick?” Riles asked.

“Absolutely. Mary’s nice and stuff, but she’s also spoiled. She thinks she’s so pretty and smart. Why, she couldn’t even get into Stanford without doing it with Dick. Everyone knows that, you can ask.”

“What does Dick have to do with Mary getting into Stanford?” Sharp asked.

Linda spoke with exaggerated patience. “Dick’s dad can get anyone into Stanford. That’s why Mary went out with Dick.”

“But you just said you didn’t know why they went out,” Sharp said.

Linda was indignant. “I did not.”

Sharp gestured to the recorder. “We have it on tape, Linda.”

She sulked. “That’s not fair. You use my own words against me. I have the right to remain silent. You cops have violated my constitutional rights. You're worse than the LAPD.”

Sharp and Riles decided it was time to end the interview. They escorted Linda to the door and made her swear that she would not leave town before sunrise. They got stopped once more before they made it back to Mary. Deputy Howard was on the line. He had exciting news. He found the murder weapon, he believed, in the snow in the woods out by the Crossroads. It was a .357, he said. Sharp was pleased with the news but Riles looked worried. Sharp wanted to know why and Riles gestured in the direction of Mary’s interrogation room.

“Do you really want to go home tonight knowing that that girl murdered two young men?” he asked.

Sharp shook his head. “Why two? Are you listening to that Linda? She was a clown. Charlie’s still our main suspect.”

Riles sighed. “I’m beginning to believe he could be dead.”

“There you go again. I don’t get you. Charlie’s dead just because his dad’s gun may or may not have been found? We don't even know it was his gun.”

Riles spoke as if from experience. “A guy is a lot less likely to throw away a gun than a girl. That may sound sexist, and it probably is, but it’s true. Charlie wouldn't have just tossed the gun in the woods not far from the body. If it is his gun.”

“He might have panicked.”

“After he killed Dick?”

“Yes,” Sharp said. “He must have known that to be caught with the gun would be overwhelmingly incriminating. I say he shot Dick and threw the gun and ran.”

Riles gestured in the direction of Mary. “We'll see. I want to talk to her before we all go out to the spot.”

“You want Hannah and Mary to come with us?”

“Yes,” Riles said.

“But why?”

Riles spoke firmly. “I want to see their faces when we get there. When we show them the spot the gun was found. I want to see what they saw—earlier. If they were there.”

“How will we get them out past Spelling?” Sharp wanted to know.

“The back way,” Riles answered and winked.

They returned to Mary, to the interrogation room. She jumped up as they entered and studied their faces. There was no mistaking the scrutiny.

“You were gone a long time,” she said.

“A lot has happened since we talked,” Riles said. “We think we may have found the murder weapon. We're going out to where it was found right now. We'd like you and Hannah to come with us.”

“To the Crossroads?” Mary asked.

Riles glanced at Sharp and nodded.

“How did you know the gun was at the Crossroads?” Sharp asked.

Mary paused. Then she shrugged. “That's where you found the body. I assumed the gun would be there as well.” She hesitated. “Do I have to come?”

“You're under no legal obligation,” Sharp said. “But we think it would be a good idea.”

He didn't say it, but he almost added, “
Now.
”

Now that Mary admitted she knew where the gun had been left.

CHAPTER SIX

The Spelling house was not only large but was beautifully designed as well. Set in the woods on a ridge that offered a view all the way to Mt. Shasta in California, the house was constructed with exposed beams of cedar wood. There were four levels, each sparsely furnished. Mr. Spelling had opted for an open feeling. But each piece of furniture was tasteful and expensive. While waiting to see the important man, Mary sat on a ten thousand-dollar couch beside a table holding an antique Chinese vase. Curiously enough, neither Dick nor Hannah was at home. Mary tried reading a magazine while waiting for Mr. Spelling, but found herself stuck on the first paragraph. She was more than nervous because she realized, as Dick had said, that the rest of her life could depend on this meeting.