An Unladylike Murder, page 19
part #1 of Jessica Sloan Mystery Series
“Not yet.”
“Then Lee and I’ll try to chase it down.”
Sloan turned away from her computer. “Let’s talk this through. We know that both of the guards walked her to the Ladies Restroom as the intermission came to an end. Jill went inside and found an empty stall. We need to determine what happened next. The logical options are that one or more of the three women who left killed her. Or, perhaps when the three women who were inside left, the main guard rushed in, found Jill, hit her on the head with his gun then pulled out the syringe and injected it into her thigh. It would have killed her quickly.”
Garcia asked, “What if another woman came to use the restroom?”
“The second guard would have prevented her from going inside.”
“Go ahead Sloan, you’re doing well.”
She flashed a smile at John. “Once he was finished, he would have left, telling the second guard Jill was dead. Then he called 911.”
“So you’re saying that instead of protecting her, they’d been waiting for the opportunity to kill her.”
“They were both licensed to carry handguns, why use a syringe?”
“To throw us off our game. Here we are looking for a female and it could have been one of the guards all along.”
“That syringe isn’t small. How was the guard able to carry it around without it being noticed?”
“Probably under his sports coat. With all of his muscles, anyone spotting the bulge of the syringe would think it was another roll of muscle, if they thought about it at all. I’m sure he put on gloves to prevent fingerprints on the syringe.”
Cutter grimaced. “That’s my fault, I should have had him empty his pockets when I interviewed him and before I let him go.”
Garcia spoke up. “There’s still one big hole in your scenario.”
“What’s that?”
“How did he know that he was being hired to protect Jill?”
“That’s a very good question. It was either elaborately planned or a spur of the moment opportunity crime. In order to be spur of the moment that would mean that someone was carrying around a handgun and syringe… I don’t buy it.”
Cutter leaned back against the table. “The only person who knew exactly where and when Jill was going to be, was David Coyne.”
“Not true. Once the limo driver, actor and guards were hired, they knew as well.”
“And what motive did any of them have?”
“iPoirot just told us that Sonia and the guards are related. Assuming iPoirot is right, then they could have conspired to get revenge for Renata’s death.”
“If that’s true then what do we do next?”
“Now you and I have to prove everything you just made up. In order for this to go to court, we have to gather all the facts. We cannot offer opinions or guesses in a court of law. As detectives, we can only testify to what we’ve discovered and relate specific details. So the first thing we need to do is to get wiretaps on Ben and Carl Lopez as well as Sonia. Sloan, why don’t you pretend you’re calling a wrong number and place a call into all of their phones to make sure they’re still working before I ask for the wiretaps.”
“I’m on it.”
Chapter 49
Sloan showed Cutter how to use a phone app to have a food delivery service bring lunch to the four of them.
“That’s easy, actually.”
The order was for three double Cheeseburgers with fries and a garden salad with dressing on the side.
They’d cleared the table of notes and folders to make room for the food.
Garcia swallowed a fry. “Did you hear about the Giant’s game last night?”
Lee wiped sauce from his lips then asked, “Why, what happened?”
“They were behind by three going into the bottom of the ninth and got a grand slam to win.” To celebrate, Garcia downed a french fry dipped in ketchup.
Cutter pooh-poohed the excitement. “I wouldn’t get too hopeful. This is an odd year. They only win in even years.”
Brown knocked on the doorframe. “Good afternoon. I hate to interrupt the sports news but I understand iPoirot found a connection for us.”
Sloan put down her salad fork. “That’s correct, Lieutenant, the new software did its thing. It crossed upset relatives with those who’d attended the theatre and connected the two. It didn’t care if anyone had an apparent alibi.”
“Who did it connect?”
Jessica pulled up iPoirot on her screen and went over it with Brown.
When she finished, Cutter said, “Now that we have a firm lead, we can go back and try to get more facts. That’s something iPoirot can’t do. Years of experience are still the most formidable tool in a detective’s arsenal.”
Brown was affronted by Cutter’s comment. “And when you learn to use the new technologies to speed up the process and augment ambiguous gut feelings, your arrest and conviction rates will go up.”
Cutter, Garcia and Lee stayed silent.
Jessica said, “I agree.”
With a smile, Brown said, “Good. Now, I have a meeting so I’ll leave you to solve this case.”
Once she was gone, Cutter took control.
“Personally, I hate change. Now having said that, Garcia and Lee, I’d like you to go back to all of the syringe suppliers and see if one of the bodyguards or Sonia bought a 200cc version. Dig down on Sonia, as well as Ben and Carl Lopez. Do they own any property; what do they drive? I want to know about their bank accounts, credit cards and telephone records.... While you’re at it you may as well see if Coyne, Simon Ratner, Dale Lint, that actor guy or Agi the driver bought a syringe.”
“We’re on it, Cutter.”
“Jessica, I need you to see if you can sucker in the bodyguards. Pretend to be a big company and say you have celebrities coming into town for a week and that you want to hire them for protection. Tell them price is no object.”
As Jessica left, John’s phone buzzed.
“John, this is the forensics lab. You asked us to go through the Fuchsia Dell possessions of the homeless individual.”
“What’d you find?”
“First we had to assess the material for environmental hazard issues. Then we went through his two suitcases and the junk on the ground within two hundred feet in all directions. I’m sorry, but we didn’t find a scarf, sunglasses, or theatre tickets. We did find a small amount of heroin and a used needle, a dark red wig, two dresses and a red feather boa but the dresses don’t match the one the mystery woman in the video was wearing.”
“Okay, thanks for letting me know.”
Fifteen minutes later, Jessica came back to John.
“Did you get hold of the bodyguards, Sloan?”
“I tried, but I think they’re in the wind.”
“Tell me why you think that?”
“I phoned them at their office and on their cell phones. No answers and the phone numbers are no longer working. Next, I tried to ping their phones. They are either turned off or have been disabled. Next, I checked their website. It says they’re working out of town until further notice.”
“What about their social media accounts?”
“I searched all the major social media accounts for both of them. Benedicto and Ben; Carloz and Carl. If they had accounts, they’ve been deleted. ”
“Isn’t that weird?”
“Lots of people, especially men, stay away from them except to do research to make relevant contacts for their business. Women are more vocal, expressive and willing to share. They use the sites to make connections and stay in touch with family or friends.”
Cutter sucked in his lips. “Okay. We need a warrant to search the Lopez brother’s office and where they live. I want their computers, phones, calendars, correspondence with Coyne and so on. I want anything that might tell us where they are.”
“What about Sonia Rodrìguez?”
“Let’s start with the brothers.”
Chapter 50
Brown knocked on the murder room door and asked Sloan to follow her back to her office.
“I thought you had a meeting?”
“I did and it was short. It was with the company that owns iPoirot. Now that iPoirot is starting to help us, the CEO has asked the newspaper to do a story on iPoirot and how it’s helping the police department. I didn’t want to do it until iPoirot actually started to give us information. Now that it has, the Chief wants you and Cutter to do an interview. Cutter will be introduced as the primary detective on the Gillberry case, and you’ll be positioned as the face of the future of the force.”
“I don’t know Lieutenant, couldn’t we wait until it’s fully operational? Maybe until it actually helps us catch the killer. That way I’d have more to say. And I’m sure Cutter would have something good to say by then as well.”
“How about if the company rep sits with you and Cutter? That way if the reporter gets into technological terms, he could help you out.”
“I’m not concerned about terminology, it’s about actual results.”
Brown was staring at her.
Sloan understood that she had no choice. “Well, if you really want me to, I’ll do it.”
“Good, because I’ve scheduled it for this afternoon. And I’ve told the reporter that he gets no more than thirty minutes with you.”
Thank God, I wore my Leopard-print velvet jacket.
Jessica went back into the murder room. “Cutter, I need you to come with me.”
“Where are we going?”
“To the deli you like.”
As they walked she told him what Brown had told her.
“You’ve got to be kidding.”
“I’m afraid I’m not. The reporter will be here this afternoon.”
“What are we supposed to say? That it spit out one lead for us so far?”
Sloan frowned. “I think they’re hoping for more than that.”
The reporter showed up with his photographer in the squad room.
Brown made the introductions.
Cutter whispered into Brown’s ear. “I think we should put them in an interview room. I don’t want the reporter seeing or photographing our murder board.”
“Good idea, Cutter.”
Ten minutes later, Sloan and Cutter were with the reporter and his photographer in an interview room while Brown watched from the safety of the video room.
“I’d like to start by getting a picture of the two of you looking at the computer screen.”
Sloan had brought in her new iMac desktop with the large screen and logged in.
Cutter sat side by side and tried not to scowl.
The reporter was walking around trying to find a shot he wanted his photographer to take. “I’d like to get the screen in as well.”
Jessica said, “Wait. You can’t do that I’m afraid. The screen layout itself is copyrighted and all the data is highly confidential, so taking a photo of it is not possible.”
The reporter frowned. “Fine. Just the two of you from the side then.”
The photographer obliged them. “Smile.”
“How many years have you been a detective, John?”
“Over twenty.”
“How about you Jessica?”
“This is my first case.”
“You look young to be a detective.”
“I’ve been with the SFPD for over five years and I’ve been trained on iPoirot.”
“Let’s get a shot of them together.”
The photographer got a double face shot.
“Now let me see.” The reporter looked at his notes. “You are using iPoirot to guide you on the Jill Gillberry murder case, correct.”
Sloan tried to find the right words to respond. “I don’t think guide is the best word to use. Perhaps assist us, would be more correct.”
“Alright, assist it is. How well is it assisting you then?”
Cutter and Sloan looked at each other. Sloan said, “It’s already shown us that it can find connections faster than a human can.”
“Interesting… Since you’ve been a detective for over twenty years, how is iPoirot changing your job, John?”
“It’s supposed to be making us more efficient.”
“Is it?”
“Ask me in a year or so.”
The reporter seemed to be surprised.
Cutter realized he’d screwed up. “I was just pulling your chain. The truth is that it can process multiple databases and find connections in seconds making finding killers much faster.”
“So, you’re excited to be working with Jessica and iPoirot, then?”
“Absolutely, yes.”
The reporter looked away.
Okay, Cutter’s not going to give me anything. Let’s try Jessica Sloan.
“Jessica, is iPoirot everything you thought it would be?”
“It’s still early, but it looks very promising.”
“Earlier you said that it was already making associations faster than a human could. Could you elaborate for me? Has it found the killer?”
“Once it assists us in finding suspects, our work doesn’t end. We still need to assemble a case that the prosecutor can take to a jury.”
“So, you’re saying that it hasn’t found the killer yet?”
“As John said, it’s making us more efficient.”
The reporter scratched the back of his head. “How do you like being the future of policing, Miss Sloan?”
“It’s an honor.”
“I imagine that trying to work in the future while partnering with an old hand like John Cutter must be tricky?”
What do I say?
“John is a tireless detective who has a great track record of resolving cases. It’s an honor to have him as my partner.”
Sloan saw a partial smile forming on her partner’s lips.
“And how about iPoirot.”
“iPoirot has already shown itself to be capable of finding connections and critical information faster than has been possible in the past.”
Brown knocked on the doorframe. “Time’s up.”
As soon as the reporter left, Brown told them that they had both handled the questions well. “Good work, both of you.”
Cutter asked, “Can we get back to tracking down our suspects?”
“Please do.”
Chapter 51
Wednesday
Tick. Tock.
The next morning Sloan found the newspaper open to page six on her desk. It had a large headshot picture of her and Cutter as well as the sideview with them looking at the computer screen.
“Have you seen this, Cutter?”
“Unfortunately, yes. Let’s get back to work. I already called our part time actor, Dale Lint.
He should be here any minute now.”
Sure enough, Dale arrived a minute later.
Cutter told Jessica to join him in the interview. “You’ll be able to better evaluate his body language being up close.”
They clicked their cameras and entered the interview room together.
“Good morning, Dale. Thanks for coming in. We just have a few follow up questions for you.”
“Sure.”
Jessica sat directly across from Dale.
John sat between them at one end of the table forcing Dale to look at Cutter as soon as he started to talk.
“When you and Jill arrived at the theatre, what did the bodyguards say to you?”
“They seemed to know we were coming and who we were. They said to call them Ben and Carl.”
“How did they act when you arrived at the theatre?”
“I don’t know. They sort of puffed themselves up and went into their security act. They made us walk between them all the way to the seats. It was like a scene from one of those political thriller movies.”
“You seem to remember the details well.”
“I admit that I was paying attention just in case I ever get a role as a bodyguard.”
Cutter and Sloan shared a brief smile.
“How about when you were seated?”
“The two of them were constantly looking around at the aisles and those seated around us. I figured it was standard bodyguard stuff. I must admit they made me feel safe. Not that I was worried about anything happening, mind you.”
“Can you walk us through what happened at the intermission.”
The actor had a blank expression for several seconds.
Jessica had dated a few good looking young men like him. In her limited experience, she’d found God didn’t normally endow males with both good looks and brains.
“The cast had finished a big number that had lots of singing. The audience was applauding, then the lights dimmed and the curtain closed.”
“Then what happened?”
“We all looked at each other. I asked Jill if she was enjoying the performance. Since I’m an actor, I was hoping she’d ask me what I thought of the performances or if I knew any of the cast.”
“Did she?”
After he didn’t answer, Jessica prompted him again. “How did she respond?”
“She seemed to have been elsewhere, if you know what I mean.”
“Why do you say that?”
“She crunched up her cheeks for a brief second then looked down at her hands. It was as if I wasn’t there.”
“Did the guards say anything?”
“Not really.”
“Did you notice anyone talking to the guards?”
“Nope.”
“Did you see anything.”
Dale sucked in his lips. “Well, I did see the guard that was sitting on the aisle lean in to Jill and he whispered something. I assumed he asked her if she wanted to use the Ladies Room as she stood up right away and left. One of them told me to stay and both of them left with her.”
Cutter spoke. “Was that Ben?”
“Yes, I believe it was.”
“When was that?”
“I wasn’t timing it or looking at my watch. I’d guess over three quarters of the way through the intermission. Both guards left me alone and went with her.”
“Did anyone talk to you?”
“No.”
