A Little Death in Dixie, page 26
“What kind of papers?”
The judge patted Gloria’s hand. “Just some documents that allow me to look after your mother’s interests.”
“Something like a power of attorney?” Mercy said, knowing full well that’s what he was after.
His jaw tightened. “Well, yes. There are several types of powers of attorney.”
She nodded. “I understand. Mother, this is really none of my business. It’s your money.”
“It’s your father’s money, and you’re a smart business woman. I want your opinion.”
“All right,” she said, even though she felt the trap closing. “To be sure you’re both protected, I’d recommend you discuss the matter with your own attorney before you sign.”
Gloria’s smile continued. “Buck is my lawyer. He wants me to sign now.”
“Okay, let’s go inside, read through the papers, and the judge can answer any questions we may have.” She thought she had offered a diplomatic solution until she caught the flash of anger on Overton’s face.
“I have a meeting this morning with the Director of Police Services to discuss your sister’s case. Of course I could cancel.” He stared pointedly at Mercy.
You son-of-a-bitch. You are up to something, she thought.
“Don’t you dare cancel,” her mother said. “That was thoughtless of you, Mercy. Buck’s time is too important to waste explaining papers. Buck, sweetie, if you have a pen, I’ll sign those papers now. You need some coffee, and my mouth’s watering for a taste of that Brie.”
Chapter Forty-Four
Thursday, 7:49 a.m.
Billy was pumped for the early meeting he’d book with Hollerith. He pulled out his best suit, buffed his oxfords, and gave himself a close shave. He needed the lieutenant on his side today, figured if he suited up instead of showing up in his usual Blues Alley, sax-player-hand-me-downs, he’d have a better chance of getting what he wanted from Hollerith. He straightened his tie and checked the mirror. Hollows under his cheekbones. Bloodshot eyes. Not the look he was going for. He’d been up half the night going over Sophia’s file, and then, for the third night in a row, he couldn’t sleep.
But this was the first morning he’d felt steady on his feet, no headache, no edginess. His case against Dupree was shaping up, one he could hand over to Carey, the assistant D.A., by tomorrow if Hollerith agreed to send him to Austin today.
He grabbed his keys and opened the door to see Mercy walking up the ramp with Caesar on a leash. She wore running shorts and a tank top. Her face was tight with anxiety.
“What’s happened?” he said.
“I can’t deal with my mom and that damned judge. And T. Wayne is . . . ” She pressed her palm to her cheek. “Oh, God, I really need to talk. I didn’t know where else to go.”
She was catching it from every direction. He wanted to put his arms around her but fought the urge, knowing his history with Sophia was between them.
He led her around to the afterdeck, called the office to delay his meeting with Hollerith, and then joined her at the railing with two cups of coffee. She relaxed a little. They drank coffee and watched a towboat jockey a line of barges between the bridge supports until she was ready to talk.
“Overton pushed my mother into this spur-of-the-moment wedding, then showed up with a power of attorney this morning,” she said.
“Is it a general power of attorney or limited to specific acts?”
“He wasn’t giving out those kinds of details.”
“If it’s a general power, he could use her money to buy a car, sell stocks. If it’s limited, he can do only the specific things listed. Did she sign under duress?”
Mercy gave a short laugh. “Of course. He dangled a wedding ring in front of her nose.”
“Very funny. Sounds like she’s made up her mind to trust Overton with her money, and she doesn’t need your approval to do that. The good news is your mother can revoke it at any time. Get your hands on a copy and see what it says.”
“I tried. Mother acted like I was a villain for suggesting we read it.” She sipped her coffee. “I’m trying to be rational about this. I’ve met the judge under extreme circumstances so maybe I’m overreacting, but we’re constantly crossing swords. He’s so manipulative.”
“He’s a respected judge, a good man to have on your family’s side.”
“He’s also a son-of-a-bitch.”
Billy smiled to himself. Mercy must be giving Overton fits. The judge wouldn’t appreciate a strong woman questioning his actions. “Can you talk to your mom at all?”
She rolled her eyes. “Mother only listens to Sophia. I’m more like a possession than a daughter. She named me after a car, for God’s sakes. After the accident, she stopped calling me Mercedes and switched to Mercy. Talk about a fall from grace.”
He watched the bright chop bounce off the side of a passing cabin cruiser. Another shining example of the damage mothers inflict on their children. At least Mercy had escaped. Sophia had been doomed from the start. He swallowed some coffee, wanting to keep the anger out of his voice. “Mind telling me about the accident?”
“I was carrying a big fish bowl. I tripped. The bowl shattered and I fell into the glass. Slashed my cheek to the bone. The intern who sewed me up botched the job. This was the best repair a plastic surgeon could do.” She studied the bridge. “Mother can’t seem to stop blaming me for ruining my face.”
“Let’s get something straight. You’re beautiful, a total knock out.” And to hell with your mother, he thought. “By the way, I prefer the name Mercy. It suits you.”
She shrugged, staring at the water. “It’s certainly less to live up to.”
“I know you’re worried about the power of attorney, but Overton has a reputation to protect. He’s not going to do something stupid. And I’ve had a couple of talks with him. He seemed sincere about helping your family.”
She straightened off the railing, suddenly angry. “He’s playing you too. He wants to get you kicked off the case. He says you’re going after T. Wayne because of the way Casey died.”
That’s bullshit, Billy thought. “How about you? Do you think I’m biased?”
Her gaze shifted away from him. “I don’t know.”
Now he was angry. “You should know. Dupree left a loaded gun where his son could find it then blamed your sister for his death. He might as well have shot her too.”
“I believe you’re making Overton’s point.”
She was right, and it pissed him off. “Like hell I am. I make the best case I can against a suspect no matter who it is, and Overton knows that.”
“Overton doesn’t want his wife’s son-in-law indicted for murder. Everything he does is for his own benefit, not for T. Wayne and certainly not for my mother.” She passed her cup back and forth between her hands, looking uncomfortable. “The other day at lunch, he brought up T. Wayne’s past as if it mattered. I couldn’t tell if he was baiting me. I asked T. about it, and he downplayed the issue.” She glanced at him. “Is there a problem?”
“Do you know about Dupree’s first marriage?”
Her mouth dropped open. “What? When?”
“Right out of university. About a year into the marriage, he beat her up. Broke her arm, cheekbone, ribs. He pled No Contest to domestic assault, and she divorced him. He has a history of getting drunk, getting violent.”
She put a hand on the railing to steady herself. “You’re sure?”
“It’s a matter of record. Look, I worked several hours last night going over Sophia’s case. I hope to have some definitive answers by tomorrow.”
She swayed, still holding onto the rail. “It’s all happening so fast. I don’t know what to believe or who to trust. It’s really hitting me now. My sister may be dead.” She stared across the water.
Then she looked over at him. Her eyes begged him to say that Sophia was okay. He couldn’t do that. No matter what happened over the next few days, Mercy was going to be hurt the most. He could give her part of the truth now, or he could give her all of it. He decided to get it over with.
“I think your brother-in-law paid to have your sister murdered. I think he hired a pro, which means we may never find her body. It’s harder to get a conviction without a body, but that doesn’t make him less guilty.”
She shook her head, stunned. “I don’t believe it. I can’t. You have actual proof?”
“I’m sorry, I can’t discuss the details.”
“Because you think I leaked the van information?”
“No, the leak came from inside my department.”
“Who would do that?”
“A lot of people had access to the file. The real question is why. This case is making a lot of important people look bad. With the election in six weeks, they want it out of the headlines.” He tossed the last of his coffee into the river. “I’m sorry, Mercy, I have to go. I have a meeting with my lieutenant. I have to move fast on information I got last night.”
“Wait a minute, you can’t drop a bomb like this and leave. What if someone else grabbed her? That article said bad things are happening to women all over this city.” She blinked. “You can’t even prove she’s dead.”
“Bottom line, just so we’re clear: I’m ninety-eight percent certain that Dupree is responsible for your sister’s disappearance. If I can put him behind bars, I will. Thanks for the heads-up about the judge. I’ll keep my eye on him. I’m sorry, but I don’t have a choice.”
With that, he left, forcing himself not to look back.
Billy ducked under the tape blocking the door of Hollerith’s office. The place smelled like used gym socks. Maintenance workers on ladders were ripping down soggy ceiling tiles covered with black mold. The carpet, the furniture, Hollerith’s framed commendations—everything had been trashed by the condensate leak.
He found the lieutenant down the hall, sitting at the conference table with a laptop and a stack of paperwork in front of him. His jacket hung over the back of his chair and he had his sleeves rolled up, something Billy had never seen before.
Hollerith glanced up when Billy walked in. “Nice suit, Able, but you still look like crap. Have a seat and tell me how you’re doing.”
Billy laid his file on the table and took a chair opposite the lieutenant. “I’m good. The headaches are history. Listen, we need to—”
Hollerith held up a hand. “I got a call from Paul Anderson at Employee Assistance. He said I should’ve placed you on medical deferment last week. He put me on notice. If you blowup, your body parts will fall on me.”
Billy started to laugh, then held back because he realized Hollerith was serious. He cleared his throat. “I’m not planning to blowup, sir.”
“I saw the forensic report you ordered on Lou’s car. Patsy Dwyer could be censured for your unauthorized wash. She’s got kids in college. She risked her job for you. You think about that?”
“I’ll apologize. But come on, Lieutenant, give me a break. You knew I’d go after the facts on Lou, even if we didn’t open a file.”
Hollerith looked at him over the top of his reading glasses. “You disregard my orders again, I’ll do what I have to do. Got that?”
“Yes, sir.” He’d seen the lieutenant have a bad day. This was off the charts.
Hollerith pulled two articles out of his pile. “You see today’s paper?”
“Not yet.”
He handed them over. “Yesterday’s editorial was bad enough. Today the mayor said the department is all but incompetent. And just when I’m counting on you to wrap up this case, Anderson warns me you can’t handle the pressure.”
“All due respect, I haven’t even talked with Anderson, so he’s full of shit. As to the case, that’s why I asked to meet with you. I’ve got it all laid out here.” He pushed the file across the table. Hollerith began to flip through while Billy talked.
“First, Dupree’s marriage was already in trouble when his wife moved her alcoholic mother in on them. He and Sophia Dupree were sleeping in separate bedrooms. Second, the victim’s public drunkenness was hurting Dupree’s career. He assaulted his first wife and it appears he was doing the same to Sophia. Third, Dupree has a girlfriend living in his condo in Austin who is now the beneficiary of his life insurance. Fourth, Dupree recently withdrew twenty thousand in cash and says he gave it to his alcoholic wife to redecorate their house.”
Hollerith leaned back, crossed his arms. “Go on.”
“I have an idea where the cash went. He made calls to Jazzy’s here in Memphis and the Lava Café in Baton Rouge. One is a hangout for gangbangers, the other for the Louisiana mob. I believe he was shopping for a hit on his wife. Jones said TBI has a wiretap on Jazzy’s, so we may get the taped conversation. Dupree’s buddy owns the Lava Café. I don’t know if we can get him to flip, but it’s worth a shot.”
“A contract hit seems out of bounds for Dupree.”
“His wife had no job skills and a history of mental instability. In a divorce she’d get a lot of sympathy from the court and end up costing Dupree a fortune. A hit was his cheapest way out.”
Hollerith closed the file. “Interesting premise. Unfortunately, everything you’ve got here is circumstantial.”
“Switching out your wife for your girlfriend on your life insurance is pretty damned suspicious.”
“It’s persuasive, but not enough to take to Rob Carey.”
Billy expected some resistance, but Hollerith was being a jackass. Billy sucked it up and continued.
“All right. You’re not persuaded. That’s why I need to go to Texas today. Dupree’s girlfriend may be in the dark about his wife’s disappearance. Or she could have helped him plan it. I’ll get a clearer picture when I talk to her face-to-face. I’ve checked into flights to Austin. A direct flight out of Memphis will get me there by one. If she knows anything about the disappearance, I want to convince her to testify against Dupree at a grand jury. Or maybe we can use her statement to pressure his buddy in Baton Rouge. All I need is some outside corroboration to make Dupree fold. I need your authorization for the ticket to get things moving.”
“Slow down. My budget won’t allow for a bus ticket much less a plane ticket.” Hollerith pulled out a sheaf of papers. “According to FBI stats, Dupree is only a twenty-four percent match for a second domestic violence incident. He profiled out at two percent as murder for hire. In fact, his wife works out at fifty-eight percent as a walk-away. These numbers say your conclusions are flawed.”
“Let me have a look.” Billy shuffled through the papers, wondering what kind of chump information the lieutenant was throwing around. None of it made sense. Important aspects of the case were missing.
“The cash and the girlfriend don’t show up in this data,” Billy said.
“Dupree said the money went to a decorator’s workroom.”
He stared at Hollerith. “What decorator? What workroom? Dupree wouldn’t hand his wife a roll of hundred dollar bills when he barely trusted her with fifty bucks to buy groceries.”
Hollerith shrugged. “It was a cash deal. Even rich people can’t resist a discount.”
“And the girlfriend?”
“We don’t have enough data to include her.”
“That’s bullshit. If that’s what you believe, you should be willing to buy the plane ticket yourself so I can talk to her.”
Hollerith’s chair skittered back as he stood. “Damn it, what about the guy who’s grabbing women in Holly Springs?”
“Jones is already on it.”
“Has he come up with anything?”
“It’s secondary to—”
He jabbed his finger at Billy, forcing the point. “Answer the question!”
“I talked to Jones this morning, but we didn’t discuss the van,” Billy said calmly.
“You didn’t discuss it.” Hollerith sneered. “What about the attempted abduction behind The Dixie?”
“That was a drunk trying to get some action.”
“You don’t know that. When you add the van and the other kidnapping attempts, it’s a pretty sure bet that Mrs. Dupree was abducted. I want you to go to Holly Springs. I have contacts there who’ll help you sort through what they’ve got. After that we’ll discuss a trip to Texas.”
Billy stood and flattened his palms on the table. “The quickest way to close this case is to get a confession,” he said. “Send me to Texas. The girlfriend will cooperate, or I’ll threaten her with an accessory to murder charge. If there’s something there, I’ll get it.”
Hollerith picked up the phone and barked, “Get Jones in here.” He banged down the receiver, his face flushed with resentment. “Overton called me at home last night. He knows you were on the scene when Dupree’s son was shot. He believes your investigation is biased and wants you off the case. He even hinted that you’ve been involved with this woman. That you interfered with patrolmen who’ve pulled her over for drunk driving. Is that true?”
Billy shrugged. “I felt sorry for her. I gave her my card. I made a few calls.”
“Damn it, Able, Overton scheduled a meeting with Director Mosby this morning. You’ve exposed me to a lot of questions I can’t answer.”
Mercy had been right about Overton. Somehow the judge knew he had a relationship with Sophia and was using it to get Hollerith to dump him off the case.
“Overton’s hands aren’t exactly clean,” Billy said. “He arranged a quickie marriage to Dupree’s mother-in-law, who just came into a big pot of money. The judge is ambitious. The last thing he wants connected to his name is scandal. He’ll do what it takes to keep Dupree from being indicted.”
“You don’t get it. Overton isn’t the problem. You are.”
“I work for you, not Overton. I’m a straight cop. I want to do my job. Send me to Texas.”
Hollerith jammed his hands in his pockets. The words he spoke sounded rehearsed. “I’ve overlooked your insubordination out of respect for what you’ve been through, but I can’t continue. You’re to have no contact with Dupree’s family. Go to Holly Springs. Check out the van. Fax your findings, e-mail them, do what-the-hell-ever you want. But stay out of my sight until I get in touch with you.”
