An Unladylike Murder, page 15
part #1 of Jessica Sloan Mystery Series
“Until the conversation, I thought of those damn things as a solution in search of a problem.”
Lieutenant Brown walked in and everyone stopped talking.
“Cutter, glad I caught you.”
“What’s up, Lieutenant?”
“This morning I got calls from the Police Commissioner and Governor telling me to solve this case post haste. Apparently, technology CEOs throughout the state are suddenly nervous. They’re hiring all the security they can find to guard themselves and their buildings. I was told they are even bringing in people from back East.”
“As you can tell from the murder board, we’re still in the fact finding stage.”
“I know, but it’s my job to make sure the shit from above keeps rolling down to where it belongs.”
Cutter watched Brown walk out of the room before he turned to Sloan. “Do you have any good news for me this morning, Sloan?”
“Jill’s company finally emailed me the list of patients that died while using their product.”
Cutter felt he might finally have a break in the case. “How many are on that list?”
“Twenty-seven.”
“Jesus. That seems high. I guess Jill’s product really did have problems.”
Sloan tried to temper him. “Don’t forget the people using the product were sick to begin with.”
“Do we know if any of the relatives have complained or started a lawsuit?”
“All twenty seven victims have a relative suing the company in a class action lawsuit. They also sent over the associated email, snail mail and texts with threats against Jill and others in the company.”
“Were any individuals making threats?”
“Three who were also on the list of twenty-seven.”
“You and I should interview them.”
“I’ll call and set them up.”
Jessica started making phone calls.
Half an hour later, Jessica looked at John. “The lawyer from Jill’s company just sent me an email with the list of all employees who have been terminated by the company or have left of their own accord over the last year.”
Cutter looked back at her. “How big is the list?”
“Eighty-four.”
“Yikes.” He lowered his voice. “I think I’ll ask Garcia and Lee to do those interviews for us. What do ya’ll think?”
“Why?”
Cutter said, “If I was an ex-employee, why would I kill her? There are plenty of good paying jobs out there for a medical or techy person. I would think they could get a job within a week or even sooner. Now if the company had been successful, then maybe, just maybe, one of them could be pissed off because then they would have missed a huge payday. But since the company is failing, my gut says it doesn’t make sense for someone from the company to have killed her.”
Sloan went along. “I’m okay with that because after Garcia and Lee interview everyone, they’ll enter the information into the database and iPoirot will find out if there’s any connections we’re missing.”
“You mean if it ever gets to work. Meanwhile, why don’t you set up meetings with the three relatives who threatened Jill.”
“Gotcha, I will.”
Chapter 38
Garcia and Lee wanted to get out of the office. “We’re going to visit Jill Gillberry Technologies to see if they could help us narrow down the list of eighty-four ex-staff who might have wanted to see Jill dead.”
“Sure, go ahead.”
The company’s lawyer turned Garcia and Lee over to the Human Resources Manager.
When asked, “Which ex-employee would be most likely to harbor hatred towards Jill or the company?” the Human Resources Manager said “That would have to be Frank Graham.”
“Can you please give me a copy of his file?”
“Do you have a warrant?”
Garcia grinned as he handed it to her. “In fact, I have a warrant for all eighty-four. So while you’re at it, you’d better make us a copy of all their files.”
“It’s going to take awhile.”
“We’ll wait right here.” Garcia raised his eyebrows at her.
When they returned to the Homicide Division they showed the files to Cutter and Sloan.
“If you don’t mind, Sloan and I will interview this Frank Graham while you do the others.”
“Sure.”
Sloan telephoned Frank who agreed to be at the station by three that afternoon.
Cutter changed his mind and told Sloan that she could interview Graham alone. “Oh, and when the relatives arrive, you should talk to them as well.”
“Okay, thanks.”
Sloan greeted Frank Graham. “Thank you for coming in.”
“I didn’t realize I was coming to the Homicide Division. Why did you call me? What is this about?”
“I just have a few quick questions. Let’s talk in an interview room, shall we?”
Sloan ushered him inside where they sat across from each other. “My name is Detective Jessica Sloan and I have asked you to come in today to talk about Jill Gillberry and her company.”
Frank became visibly agitated. “I should leave.” He stood up.
Sloan was firm. “Please sit down, Frank. This shouldn’t take more than a few minutes.”
Frank sat, but on the edge of his seat as if he was going to bolt.
“Did you used to work at Jill Gillberry Technologies?”
Jessica watched as Frank’s Adam apple bobbed as he swallowed. “Do I have to be here, legally, or can I leave?”
“It’s true,” Sloan said. “You don’t have to answer any questions. But if you don’t, I’d have to wonder why you’d refuse to assist in a murder investigation.”
“Is this about what I wrote on the internet? It is, isn’t it?” Frank squirmed in his chair.
“Can you first confirm that you worked there?”
“Yes, I was an idiot and took a job there.”
“What’d you do for them?”
“I was a programmer. I should have quit after my first month.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Because for the first thirty days everyone is on probation. I later found out that if you leave after that, they blackball you and make it so you can’t get a job elsewhere.”
“How long were you there?”
“Eight months.”
“Why did you leave?”
“Because Jill Gillberry was a she-devil to work for. Her money wasn’t worth the hell she put all of us through.”
“Can you give me an example?”
“Nothing any of us ever did was good enough for her. Then, when that article appeared about someone dying, because her device didn’t work, she became even more insane. She told us all that we weren’t working hard enough to get her device to do more. The problem was that what she wanted it to do and what it could do, weren’t remotely possible. It wasn’t any of our faults.”
Sloan glanced up at one of the cameras.
Big stuff.
Then she turned her attention back to Frank. “But you did quit.”
“I did.”
“So why did you post that Jill and her company should be, and I’m quoting you, ‘taken out and shot’?”
“Because every time I applied for another job I listed them as a past employer. And every time that someone called Gillberry Technologies, they would only tell them, that yes, I worked there, but that I left under suspicious circumstances. When they would ask for more information, they would be told they couldn’t say anything as they understood the police said it was an active investigation.”
Sloan’s face expressed her surprise. “Did you report this to the police?”
“I did, but nothing came from it. Jill’s company denied that it happened and the company that I was applying to suddenly didn’t want to get involved.”
“I can see why you became upset.”
“Exactly. After the third time, I just lost it and made that damned post.”
“But you have a new job now?”
Frank nodded.
“Did Gillberry stop blackballing you or how did you finally get your job?”
“Instead of saying that I’d worked at Gillberry, I lied and said that I was travelling in South America during the time period.”
Cutter smiled. “Smart thinking. One last question. Where were you last Monday evening?”
“Monday… I was working late on a project that needed to be finished by the next morning.”
‘Can anyone verify that?”
“There were six of us working on the code.”
“Until what time?”
“Until eleven.”
Sloan passed a pad of paper and a pen to Frank. “Please write down the names and contact information of the six people you were working with that night. Then you can leave. ”
Chapter 39
At 4:35, p.m. Jessica was starting to worry that the first relative wasn’t showing up. She was about to phone the woman when her phone rang. “Detective Jessica Sloan.”
“Si, this is Sonia Rodrìguez and the traffic is heavy. I’m just about to park. I should be there in ten or fifteen minutes.”
“Thank you for calling to let me know. I’ll see you in ten minutes then.”
Jessica updated John.
“Let’s use interview room one again. Just do as you did with Frank. Keep it friendly.”
“Since they supposedly lost children or husbands to Jill’s product, how much sympathy should I show them?”
“It’s not your job to comfort them, it’s to determine if they were involved in a murder. However, once they realize you’re viewing them as suspects, they won’t be eager to comply with you.”
“I understand.”
Jessica placed Sonia Rodrìguez in the room and left to tell John.
“What kind of mood is she in?”
“Seemed fine to me.”
“Good.”
“Does she have a lawyer with her?”
“No.”
“Then get to work.”
When Sloan returned to the room, Sonia was sitting with her hands gripped in front of her. Her jaw was set.
“Sonia, as I said earlier I’m Detective Jessica Sloan.”
Sonia snapped at her. “Why did you make me drive all the way up here to San Francisco?”
I need to stay calm.
“First of all, just to confirm, Renata Rodrìguez was your daughter, correct?”
Sonia stared straight ahead. “I told you that on the phone. When you asked me to come up here, I didn’t realize I’d have to drive in rush hour. I never drive in rush hour. It took me over two hours. Why am I here?”
She’s deflecting and trying to hide something.
Jessica tried to calm her by speaking softly. “I want to talk to you about your daughter and how she died.”
“You’re wasting your time. I already know how she died, she was killed by Jill Gillberry.”
“That’s what I’d like to talk about.”
“Just be quick about it. I haven’t got all day.”
“How did Renata die?”
“She suffered from atrial fibrillation.”
“I’m sorry but I’m not a doctor. What exactly is that?”
Sonia placed her hand over her heart and closed her eyes. “It’s an irregular and often rapid heart rate. It can increase the risk of stroke, heart failure and other heart-related complications.”
“Why do you think Jill Gillberry killed Renata?”
“For weeks, Renata had heart palpitations, shortness of breath and weakness. But that damn thing she wore said she was doing fine.”
“The file that Jill Gillberry Technologies sent over to us says that atrial fibrillation itself usually isn't life-threatening.”
“What they didn’t tell you is that it often requires emergency treatment which she didn’t receive because that damn device said she was fine.”
Sonia was twisting her hands. “Renata was having palpitations, chest pains and was feeling dizzy. The damn thing was defective. She developed blood clots and died as a result. It was as if Jill Gillberry killed Renata, herself.”
“I read in the file that in order to use the product, Renata had to sign a waiver and a release document that made her sign away any ability to sue Jill Gillberry or Jill Gillberry Technologies.”
“She signed it because she was looking for a lifeline.” Tears appeared in both of Sonia’s eyes. “We couldn’t afford to send her to a real doctor. If we had the money and she wouldn’t have had to use that damned device, she’d be alive today.”
Sloan pulled a piece of paper out of a manila folder and put it in front of Sonia. “This is a copy of the letter you sent to Jill Gillberry. In it, you threaten her life.”
While trying to compose herself, Sonia responded. “I’d just lost my baby girl and I admit that I was angry. These people should be made to be accountable for the damage they do to people’s lives.”
Her eyes were glistening. “We aren’t lab rats that no one cares about.”
Sloan sensed she was getting close to the truth. “How were you going to kill her?”
Sonia started to sob. “I wanted to, but I couldn’t. Now that she’s dead, I hope that Satan has special horrors in mind for Jill Gillberry’s soul.”
Sonia made a sign of the cross.
“Where were you on Monday night?”
It took several seconds for her to respond. “I was at my sister’s house with her husband. They live not far from me.”
Jessica passed Sonia a piece of paper and a pen. “Please write down their names and address for me.”
Sonia wiped her eyes then awkwardly picked up the pen as if she had arthritis in her hands. Sloan watched Sonia scrawl onto the paper.
She’s in pain.
There’s no way she could have held the syringe to inject Jill.
It wasn’t this poor woman.
As Sonia finished, she passed the paper back to Jessica. “Do you have any children, detective?”
“No.”
“Well when you do, you’ll pray that they don’t die before you do.”
“Thank you for coming in Sonia. You can go now.”
Chapter 40
As Jessica returned to the squad room John Cutter walked up to her. “Nice job with Sonia Rodrìguez. I’ve got your next interview waiting on hold on your phone.”
Sloan had tracked down the wife of Sean Helm. Helen Helm had moved back to Minneapolis, Minnesota and was refusing to fly back to San Francisco. It was either trying to get Brown to approve an expensive trip or do the interview by telephone.
Jessica sat in her chair, took a deep breath and pushed the button on her desk phone. “Mrs. Helm?”
“Yes.”
Her voice is hard.
“My name is Jessica Sloan and I’m a Homicide Detective in San Francisco. How are you today?”
“Homicide Detective? Why are you bothering me?”
Sloan could feel the tension zapping through the phone line. “I understand that your late husband, Sean Helm, died from leukemia while wearing a Jill Gillberry Technologies device.”
“Does this mean that you’re finally investigating my husband’s murder?”
“I’m sorry for your loss but no, we’re looking into the death of Jill Gillberry.”
The phone line was silent for several seconds.
“Then why did you bother to call me?”
“Jill’s company gave us a copy of a letter that you sent to them threatening Jill Gillberry.”
“So what? Did you read it? She killed my husband. That bitch’s device was supposed to monitor my husband’s white cell count… It was all a sham. It didn’t work. She killed Sean. Now I’m a widow. I wanted revenge… Instead, I moved back to my parent’s home here in Minnesota. Now, I just want to be left alone to grieve in peace.”
Jessica could hear the sobbing.
I wish I could see her.
“I’m sorry but I need to ask you where were you on Monday evening?”
“I just told you. I was here in Minnesota.”
“I need you to tell me your parent’s names and give me their phone numbers and address so I can confirm your whereabouts with them.”
Helen told her.
“Do you have any relatives here in California?”
“No.”
Jessica heard rustling and then a man’s gruff voice. “This is Helen’s father. I can vouch for her being here full time for the past six weeks. Please leave all of us alone. If you want more information, you’ll need to contact my attorney. If you bother us again, I’ll be going to the press to tell them how the San Francisco police are hounding a grieving widow causing her to suffer an emotional crisis.”
“I’m…”
The line went dead.
Jessica looked over at John who’d been listening in.
“So much for Helen. Just as well, we need to hit the road if we’re going to miss any of the traffic.”
Thanks, John.
Chapter 41
Saturday
The next relative they wanted to talk to wouldn’t agree to drive into San Francisco. Ralph Kerry lived sixty-three miles away in the East Valley town of Tracy.
Even though it was a reverse commute and a Saturday, the traffic was at a crawl.
Sloan and Cutter were travelling on Highway 580 East.
It was close to seven in the evening as they passed Dublin. The commuter rush was still heavy.
They were passing the end of one of the BART rapid transit arms.
Cutter said, “Don’t you live around here somewhere?”
“I do.”
“You have a long commute.”
“The rents are a little cheaper over here.”
“Wow, look at the size of that outlet mall.”
“It’s very busy. They even have busloads of Asian tourists that they bring in here to shop, every day of the week.”
Once they passed Livermore, all they could see was hilly, ranch land.
Tracy isn’t part of the Bay Area. It’s way out in San Joaquin County.
By the time they found the Tracy exit, they were beginning to feel they were well on their way to Sacramento.
