The Triple Tragedy

Lisa started wailing and Riley was unable to get a coherent statement out of her. Giving up he said, "Why not lie down on the couch here while I look at your husband's tools in the garage and lets revisit that question when I finish browsing around there. O.K.?"

She whispered, "Yes," and then continued with a low level guttural sound as she lay in the fetal position petrified with fear.

By this time Riley was really pissed off that he had allowed Thurston to rouse him from his evening at home to babysit a slut wife, who wouldn't talk. With a flashlight in hand, he carefully looked at tools and containers and hardware supplies and saw absolutely nothing that was different from any other man's tools stored in his garage, just more of them. He looked carefully at the tracks where the automatic door's rollers were snug against, first on one side. He saw no roller tracks that indicated that the door was ever off track. He then looked at the other side and one of the track flanges had been bent out and then bent back in so that as many as four of the rollers could have been bumped off track allowing entry from the outside into the garage. Once that was achieved the trespasser could have easily put the rollers back in place and straighten up the flanges with several tools Tom had neatly laid out, picked up the murder weapon, and exited through the house. If the Perp were wearing gloves, there would be no tracks inside the garage. Except, the initial break performed from the outside could not have been made by a gloved hand. Riley smiled to himself and suddenly came alive.

He took several pictures using flash of the flange showing that it had been bent out then bent back in. He texted the best one to Thurston. He then dictated the caption into his iPhone 'Case against Tom Dominick not solid as initially thought by police. Suggest they have a fingerprint specialty crew completely canvas the garage door in and out side on the passenger side where the roller track flange has been bent out and then re-bent into place. Its as if someone else broke in stole and used Tom's specialty hammer to commit the murder.'

By this time Lisa had gotten up from the couch and was standing at the garage door. She had heard Riley dictate the message into Siri on his cell phone and began loudly crying again.

Riley came back into the house from the garage and sat down beside her on the couch asking himself, ["What the fuck is wrong with this slut now?"]. Forcing himself to be completely calm, he asked, "Lisa, are you ready to answer my last question now?"

"I can not. He will kill me. Mr. Riley. I heard your conversation and I know who breached that garage door because he has the strength of a gorilla. But if I tell you, he will kill me. He called me early in the evening and told me those very words."

Riley asked, "Who will kill you? Lisa, this goes no further than me. I promise you the police will not find out who you suspect from me."

She thought for a moment as if she were expecting her imminent death and began talking rapidly. She said, "There is a Wholesale Hospital Supply salesman, George MacDonald, and we have been lovers once a month during the past five years while locked together in the high-value items store room at the hospital where I work." She concluded by saying, "Last Wednesday I was very keyed up about my dance partner Gerald and our two division championship wins and didn't want to go into the high value room. But we did for one last time and afterwards I told George I wanted to break off our monthly affair to try once again to make my husband love me. MacDonald calmly agreed and I felt free and clear."

Riley suddenly felt nauseous and excused himself to use the bathroom. When he returned, he asked, " What terrified you so much, Lisa?"

"Just before Mr. Thurston called, George MacDonald called me on our home phone - the first time in five years - and said, 'If you get me involved in a murder investigation, I am coming after you.' That's all he said and hung up." After Lisa named his company, she said, "He is 6'7" and can crush my whole body with his two hands. I am a dead person. So be it. But now its even worse! I realize now that my husband didn't murder my dance partner, it was George because he is so strong until bending the metal guiding the garage door rollers would be nothing for him. I feel so rotten now that poor Tom has taken my treacherous behavior resulting in my coldness to him in our marriage bed for all these years, all the while supporting me in my effort to become a top dancer - both morally and financially - and was arrested falsely because of my treachery. Mr. Riley, I am so ashamed until I want to die."

"Lisa, you and Tom will get past this. That is no way to talk. Look. Dawn is coming up as we have been talking and visiting all night. Both of us are desperate for sleep and we are hungry as well. I need to take a walk to clear my brain while I figure out what our next step is. At this point I can only say that you might die, Lady, but it won't be from the hands of a supply salesman. If you are up to it, fixing us some breakfast would be nice so we can eat when I return from my walk. "

"I am up to it and will have it waiting."

Fifteen minutes later, Riley returned and said, "Lisa, the conversation about a Supply Salesman never happened. Listen carefully, it never happened!"

"O.K., Mr. Riley, I trust you. Now lets eat."

Afterwards Riley sat on the couch dozing. He was awaiting a call from Thurston early this morning, and didn't want to leave the distraught lady. Lisa had retired to her bedroom. He was awakened out of his dozing about 10:15 with a sound of a car stopping in front of the house. It was the sleaze attorney, Thurston, and another man he didn't recognize. The stranger unlocked the door with his key as both came into the room. Thurston said, "Tom Dominick, meet Private Investigator Sidney Riley. You can thank him for being freed this morning."

Tom pumped Riley's hand and profusely thanked him. Riley said, "Lisa might have finally fallen asleep after a very bad night as you might imagine."

Tom excused himself and went up the stairs to their bedroom and closed the door behind him. Thurston said to Riley, "You've earned your pay this time. Thanks for taking the initiative. A fingerprinting crew will arrive here about 11:00."

"Thurston, about that. If a single set of prints not belonging to one of the Dominick's shows up, try to have them identify it via the National and state Database. If that doesn't work, ask J.J. Kersh or his administrative assistant to call me after 2:30 this afternoon. I might be able to help."

Riley arrived at his home, bathed and shaved, and collapsed in his bed turning off all ringers. At 2:30 P.M. his alarm went off. He turned on his ringer and there were no messages. He got up and refreshed himself and later sat down to drink a breakfast yogurt when his cell phone rang.

"Sidney Riley."

Jenny Young, who was the State Police Detectives Division Administrative Manager, said, "Sidney, there was one set of spurious fingerprints but they had no match at National or State. "

Riley thought for a moment and said, "Will you ask Chief Kersh to post on local news that 'police are looking for the person who left the prints on the garage door. They have identified him but so far are unable to find an address for him.' My goal is for him to start running scared thinking that the police are closing in on him. Also, I need an enormous and armed officer to meet me at the Dominick house just before dark in case the Perp doesn't believe he left fingerprints anywhere on these premises and concludes that Lisa told them who the assailant was. In that event he will be after Ms Dominick and probably Mr. Dominick as well."

Riley was still feeling like hell, baby sitting a slut wife trying to protect her life that wasn't worth saving. But, he backed out of his parking place and began his inner conversation while driving back to the Dominick house: ["Well, if I get all of Thurston's referrals that will be a nice chunk of money I can make. And he promised...just like any two-bit politician and would be politician promises. But I am committed."]

James Goodfellow weighed 355 pounds without appearing obese, and could easily move across the floor like a dancer. His senior partner was 15 year veteran of law enforcement who weighed 175 pounds. Sidney Riley and the two policemen met at the same time in front of the accused's house and knocked on the door. Lisa opened it and smiled broadly at Riley and welcomed the three of them inside. Tom came down and met them as well to spell out his plan for the evening. He said, "Lisa and Tom will stay upstairs while the two policemen and I will watch silent TV programs with captions and zero volume downstairs.

The husband spoke up and said, "I don't want to be alone in a room with Lisa because I am sick and very upset myself. I have been puking for two hours and feel like its the end of the road for me. So do you mind if I watch TV with you guys?"

The senior state policeman had a sense of panic on his face and looked at Riley, and asked, "May we have a private word, Shamus?"

Once they were upstairs, the Cop said, "Apparently two men were poking his slut wife completely unknown to the poor husband, who was just paying for the parties. If there is another murder committed while my partner and I are here, my career is over - and it will be a cold day in Hell before Chief Kersh gives you another referral. I insist that you stay with the distraught woman and the husband stays with us."

Riley answered, "The cuckolded husband is so fucking weak since his insides have been kicked out, until he can hardly stand up. He is no threat to Lisa. Besides, when they are alone and he has regained some energy he could still bash in her head in anger."

"Yes. But that will be after my watch! I frankly don't give a shit"

Riley said, "O.K., I will stay with her. Let's rejoin the others."

Riley and Lisa adjourned to the lavishly decorated master bedroom upstairs. The bed was unmade and sported the finest silk sheets Riley had ever seen. Fresh flowers were in a vase. The walls were a warm peach color. Ver expensive art work hung on the wall. The P.I. asked himself, ["How could a woman with all this still play the field like a college coed?"] Riley asked her, "May I sit on the couch and you sit in the make up chair?"

"Yes. Of course."

Downstairs the trio were half way into the second TV show when they heard a noise at the front door. That was followed by the sound of broken glass, and that by the sound of the door being quietly opened. After the intruder was completely in the room the former Lineman ran at the intruder on the senior's signal and knocked him against the closed front door like like a bowling ball hits a pin. When the intruder fell to the floor groaning with pain, the Lineman sat on his stomach pinning his hands against his body.

The senior said to the two Lineman, just hold him for the time being. He then went to the top of the stairs and called out Riley's name loudly. She appeared following right behind the P.I. When both saw the the two on the floor, Riley asked, "Can you positively identify this man?

"Yes. He is George MacDonald, a Hospital Supply salesman, who threatened me on the phone yesterday."

The senior Cop asked, "Lisa, will you bring the intruder a glass of water in a very clean glass?"

She brought a large and clear crystal glass with only a little water in it. At first MacDonald refused to take the glass from the policeman but after the lineman crunched a couple of fingers on his other hand he grabbed the glass and drank the water, after which time the lineman took the glass away from MacDonald. The senior detective had his brief case open and produced a spray can of dust. When it was sprayed on the glass and a special light was shined on the glass, the intruder's finger prints were prominently displayed. He then got some sheets of paper out of his brief case and started comparing prints.

"We have the right person in custody. Cuff him, big one."

When the two policemen and the intruder drove away, Riley said to Tom Dominick, "Your and Lisa's lives are no longer in danger. Stand down."

Riley was headed for the door to leave when he turned around and addressed himself to the distraught husband, "I am glad the murderer was caught and a peace loving man like you are off the hook, Tom. But, since I have been in your shoes I know the message written all over your face is that this is the worst day of your life. Please put aside your anger and deal with the outcome of this tragedy in a civilized manner."

Tom said, "For sure, I will get through this. There will be no personal violence towards my wife as I know that is your concern here. But, what can I do to pay you back for getting me freed and ultimately saving both of our lives?"

Riley said, " Tom, pay my invoice for 2 days of work when it comes. And, one more thing for both of you. Visualize a future where all the mental and physical harm you have experienced in your marriage will be a distant memory because both of you will be caught up in living in that future moment. Lisa, please don't tell any more lies to anyone, especially, Tom."

Tom replied, "Thanks. I have already promised myself that that is exactly what I will do based on the sketchy information I already have."

Turning to Tom's errant wife Riley said, "Lisa, my advice to you is never tell a lie - especially talking to Tom."

Lisa said, "Thank you for saving my life. I have promised myself that I will never tell another lie to anyone."

She was crying again now as the Private Investigator walked out the door.

The End.

Epilogue: A few days after New Years I got two Christmas cards from the Dominick's. Tom sent one giving his return address as the home I had visited. His note said, "Thanks again for what you did for me. Please stay in touch." Lisa sent one and referenced her maiden name for any future correspondence. The return address was a rural route in Western Pennsylvania. Her note said, "Thanks again for saving my life - twice perhaps. I no longer dance and have returned to a quiet farm life with my Mother and Dad where I grew up. When they asked about Tom and me, I took your advice and told them that the reason we divorced was that 'I had been unfaithful to Tom, because I never loved him, and that he is in the process of forgetting me and I him.' I will never tell a lie again, as I try to rebuild my life. Thanks for showing me the importance of that. Lisa"