Break-In Ch. 04

I said "And you need to understand, Mrs. Maple, that if what you tell me now, in this statement, is found to be false, the Immunity Agreement will be considered to be broken." Tia and Fowler nodded that they understood, and I signed the Limited Immunity Agreement with them.

"The floor is yours, Mrs. Maple." I said.

Tia began: "I don't think I said anything false, earlier, but I just wanted to make sure. Tom and I met while we were both in School. We really hit it off, and I pretty much moved into his apartment within two weeks. I knew he'd been banging a lot of women before we met, and I had no illusions that he would have affairs after our marriage."

Tia: "I also knew that his plans for his business were good ones, and I knew where my bread was buttered financially. And it's not like I was some naive little virgin when we met, nor am I some kind of devout, pious woman that believed I should be held to the standard of monogamy."

Tia: "When Tom started up the business, I began working for the company at a small salary, barely more than minimum wage, pretty much as Tom's assistant. As business got better, he hired a more competent assistant... and yes, she was competent in the sexual skills she performed on Tom as well as being a good workplace assistant. And I began doing the 'devoted wife' things... going to the Ladies Auxiliary meetings, working on charity drives, always to promote the good name of Maple & Hogue."

Tia: "And I was an 'asset' to Tom with his clients. He never asked me to sleep with anyone, but there were a few gentlemen customers that I liked and had no problems taking to bed. And I secured several good contracts with that... 'personal touch'... and Tom never had a problem with it."

Tia: "When Harriet Hogue came into the business, I helped her with the transition, and we became friends, as well. She took over leadership of the charity drives and stuff... the only person she couldn't dominate and control was Mrs. Myrtle L. James... that old lady is very nice, but she should've been the CEO of a railroad company, what with the tight timetables she runs everything on. Anyway, I pretty much became known as Harriet's (air quotes) 'little helper'."

Tia: "Harriet became very domineering over me, and it really grated on me. But Tom said to just go along with it, that Harriet meant well, and she liked me a lot, and she was a great asset to the company. I also knew she was an asset to my husband's sexual pleasure, though I made sure to never see them together... so I can't testify that I know they were having sexual relations. And as long as Tom came home to me every night, and rocked my world in bed, and bought me nice things... it was all good."

Tia: "Harriet also controlled Chuck completely, but she really did love him. Last Christmas, Tom and I and Chuck and Harriet were at BigPharmaCorp's big Christmas party, and Chuck was drinking pretty heavily. Harriet had stepped away, and he told me that he and I were alike, because we were 'Harriet's Helpers'."

Tia: "I asked him what he meant, and he said that the way she treated me on charity drives was the way she treated him 24-7. I asked him why he let her boss him around so much, and he said 'I'm used to it. It's not so bad, and I can go do some computer programming when I want to get away from her'. And then Harriet came up and made him go home with her. I don't know if she heard what he said to me."

Tia: "But let me move on to the important stuff: three years ago, Tom told me that he was going to have to stop paying me my small salary, because they were bringing in a new guy that might end up being a partner, and he needed the money to pay that guy. No big deal. And Stanley Locklear was a nice guy. Customers liked him, and he did good work on the ad campaigns he did."

Tia: "And then... there was Marla. Marla was... well, I'll be honest: she reminded me of a woman that came out of a trailer park, put on a nice dress and heels, and tried to fool everyone into believing she was high-class. She was beneath Stanley, and I didn't really see what he saw in her, but c'est l'amour, I suppose."

Tia: "Marla was very friendly with Tom, and with Chuck. She was nice to me, and I was nice to her. But she and Harriet did not get along at all. Part of the problem was that Marla would try to talk to Chuck, even flirt with him, and Harriet was very jealous of that. And another problem was that Harriet couldn't control Marla. She couldn't really control Stanley, either; he'd push back if she got too bossy with him."

Tia: "Anyway, things began going downhill from there. Very slowly at first, but I could just... feel it, if you know what I mean. Tom had never been much of a drinker, mostly socially, and sometimes wine with dinner, but he started drinking more. Not heavily; he didn't get shit-faced or anything, and he never got violent or anything. But there was just something... there."

Tia: "Tom had me stop going to dinners with him to meet clients, and he told me to not sleep with any of them anymore, so I didn't. I don't know if that was a reason we lost a couple of clients, or if it was dissatisfaction with the results of Stanley's campaign ads, but Harriet told me last Spring that things had really slowed down since the previous Autumn. Harriet also told me that Marla and Stanley were in marriage counseling... and that it'd be really good for Stanley if they did get divorced."

Tia: "Just a few weeks ago, Harriet invited me to lunch... an invitation I could not refuse... and she told me that she thought Tom was having an affair with Marla, and that she, Harriet, was telling Tom and Chuck that they needed to get rid of Stanley in order to get Marla out of our lives. I told her that I thought Tom was better than that, but that I understood how she felt about Marla."

Tia: "That very night was the night Tom told me that he and Chuck didn't think Stanley was working out, and they were going to let him go. That was also when Tom admitted that the company was not doing as well as it had been, and that we should prepare for the possibility of our own income being less as he worked through the lean time to come. When I suggested I find work, he said that wasn't necessary."

She stopped talking, then realized we were watching her. "And that's everything." she said.

I said "Thank you for that information. I have a few questions. You said you denied it to Harriet when she told you that your husband and Marla Locklear were having an affair, but my question is: did you know or suspect that your husband was having an affair with Marla?"

Tia said "Again, I have no proof of anything. Tom mentioned once that it was Marla who first introduced him to Stanley, so I realized he must've known Marla already. And who knows what happened between them in the past?"

I said "After Harriet told you her suspicions about Tom and Marla, did you ever talk to Stanley about them?"

"No." Tia replied. "I had no proof, and I thought Stanley might confront Tom, and then it would be ugly for both our families. I also figured Harriet was was trying to get me to do her dirty work for her and tell Stanley, and when I didn't she would tell Stanley herself. So no, I didn't say a word to either Tom or Stanley about what Harriet said."

I nodded, then said "Do you know if your husband and Chuck Hogue had reciprocal insurance policies on each other? So if one died or was incapacitated, the other would collect from the insurance company?"

Tia said "Yes, they did. And I happen to know that it was a three-way policy, and Harriet was a beneficiary, as well."

"Ah, thank you for that." I said. "Was Stanley Locklear ever a part of the reciprocal policies?"

"He was," Tia said, "but he was removed from it several months ago, at the end of December when the policies were renewed. Tom said at the time that it was a cost-saving move, but they must've been thinking ahead about firing Stanley."

"So it appears." I said. "Mrs. Maple, do you know a man named Peter Frost?"

Tia shook her head, then said "No, that name is not familiar to me." I could see that either she was telling the truth, or she should be an award-winning actress.

I said; "If there's nothing else, I really appreciate you coming in and talking with us." I took out one of my cards and slid it across the table to her. "If you think of anything else, anything that all, that might have bearing upon their deaths, please give me a call."

Tia took the card and put it in her purse as Julia and I stood up and said "Officer Burrell will escort you back to the front lobby. Thank you again for coming in." With that, Julia and I exited into the anteroom and closed the door behind us.

"Sir," Julia said, "why didn't you ask her why she came in and voluntarily made that statement?"

"Didn't I do that?" I asked back. Julia looked blank for a second.

"The insurance policies?" Teddy Parker asked.

"Yes, good catch." I replied. "That's some of her reasons for coming in. And I didn't need to ask the rest of it; it's pretty obvious, is it not?"

"I hate it when you do that, sir." Julia said, and only half-humorously.

"Think about it." I said. "In the meantime, we have a visit to make... to Harriet Hogue..."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

9:50am, Friday, June 11th. I was driving my Police SUV towards the home of Harriet Hogue. Teresa was riding shotgun.

"So who won the boxing match?" I asked as we pulled out of the Police Headquarters parking lot.

"I did, technically." Teresa said. "But what happened was that Cindy got into the ring before we could put on our armor and dropped her crowbar on the mat and said, quote, 'I yield. I understand your loyalty, and you are not the opponent I need to be facing in this ring', close quote."

"Hmmph." I said. "She wants no part of me right now. But I appreciate you sticking up for me. And I will tell you everything, just not right now." Teresa nodded and said no more.

The reason we were headed to the Hogue home is because Harriet had refused to admit Detectives Rodriguez and Parker into her home, and her lawyer Mr. Garner had told them to leave the premises and not come back without a warrant. And you get one guess who the courier that was personally delivering that warrant to the scene was.

As we drove, Teresa reiterated what we both already knew: "We've been able to talk to a few Maple & Hogue employees, and we got most of their records. There were a few financial records they gave Savannah that weren't in the bundle we got, but there was also a bunch that we got that Savannah didn't. They were emails with clients, and show that there was dissatisfaction with the company's work, and that those clients were going to hire other companies."

Teresa: "Chris Purvis says the company was showing early signs of financial stress. Stanley Locklear was not the only person they were going to let go. They were going to lay off fully half the staff. And from the employee interviews, we know that the employees had no idea that was coming. They were going to do that at the end of the month."

I asked: "Did Purvis or anyone else find any signs of actual financial impropriety?"

Teresa replied "He thinks those little bonuses Tom Maple was giving himself, Harriet, and Chuck were for the purpose of siphoning cash out of the company before it fails. Chris said he's not sure the bonuses are illegal, though; after all, it was their company, and therefore their money. As long as they don't misrepresent anything on their forms to the Government, nor not properly pay their taxes, then it'll be hard to prove criminal intent."

I nodded, then said "And there may be none to prove, anyway."

Teresa said "If I may ask, just what are we looking for? Are you looking for something to exonerate Stanley Locklear? And prove Savannah wrong? And are you looking for something to pin on Marla Locklear?"

I said "Looking for that may be too strong a term. I'm seeking something that will show me the Truth, that will show what really happened, and why two men died. And from there, I hope we'll be able to assign guilt and innocence."

We pulled up in front of the Hogue home and parked behind an unmarked TCPD vehicle and a (marked) Police cruiser. Julia Rodriguez and Teddy Parker were standing next to the unmarked vehicle, and Sergeant Hicks and Patrol Officer Lisa Burrell were in the Police cruiser.

As Teresa and I got out of my vehicle, Julia said "Sir, ma'am, we were met at the door by the lawyer Garner. He told us that Mrs. Hogue would not talk to us, and that we were forbidden to enter the home without a warrant."

"He won't tell me that." I said. "Let's go redirect their suppositions about disrespecting the Town & County Police." Julia and Teddy fell in behind me and Teresa as we walked up to the door. I rang the doorbell.

Nothing happened.

"I am beginning to be irritated." I said. I then found a new use for my crowbar: a door knocker.

*BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!*

"TOWN & COUNTY POLICE!" I yelled loudly. "OPEN THE DOOR!"

After another long moment, I banged on the door again with my crowbar and yelled "TOWN & COUNTY POLICE! OPEN THE DOOR OR WE WILL BREAK IT DOWN!" And just as I was about to give the instruction to forcibly enter the home, it finally opened.

"I already told you---" started the lawyer, Mr. Garner. "Oh, Commander Troy. I'll tell you what I told your Officers. Mrs. Hogue will not speak to you, and you are forbidden to enter without a warrant---"

"Like this warrant?" I said menacingly as I thrust the document into his chest. With the same motion I pushed him back and to the side, and entered the Hogue home. I was followed in by Teresa, the two Detectives and the two Uniformed Officers.

Harriet Hogue was in the main room, seemingly waiting for us. "The Iron Crowbar. Only you could be so bold. What is the meaning of this intrusion into my home?" she thundered, her voice full of malice.

"Oh, there's no intrusion, Mrs. Hogue." I said almost happily. "I'm just executing a warrant... for your arrest. Now we can do this one of two ways. You and I can sit down and have a nice conversation here, orrrr I can have these Officers place you in handcuffs and take you to Headquarters, where you will undergo full booking for Obstruction of Justice, Interfering with a Police Investigation, and Lying to Police."

"I haven't lied to the Police." Harriet stated.

"And refusing to cooperate with the well-known bullying tactics of the Town & County Police is not obstruction of justice." said the lawyer Garner.

"We shall see." I said acidly, then let my eyes bore into Harriet's as I said: "So which of my two ways do you want to play it, Mrs. Hogue?"

Harriet Hogue made no move to have us sit down. She just crossed her arms and said "What do you want to know?"

I said "First, have you ever had sex with Tom Maple? Oral sex, intercourse, any type of sex with him?"

"She's already answered that question." said Garner.

"And she'll answer it again." I said. "And this time, I suggest she answer with the truth."

Harriet said "My answer now is the same as the answer I gave previously. And if you think I'm lying... prove it."

"That'll be easy enough to do." I said. "I have just one other question. I freely admit I can't figure this out... I cannot understand why, Mrs. Hogue, you allowed your husband Chuck to participate in the sexual roleplay with Marla Locklear and Tom Maple. Explain that to me, please."

Harriet's eyes narrowed as she studied me for a moment, only to see I was not bluffing. She finally said "I did not allow my husband to participate in that... disgusting liaison with Tom and that harpy Marla Locklear."

"Come now, Mrs. Hogue." I said with a mixture of Rudistan-'ish' joviality and an underlying current of very serious business. "You cannot know my nickname, and therefore have heard of any small reputation I possess, and at the same time expect me to believe that."

"You're badgering my client now." said the lawyer Garner.

I replied with that 'look' that people do not want to see: "If you think this is 'badgering', just wait until I run her through booking and we continue this conversation in the Interrogation Rooms."

I turned to Harriet Hogue and said "I've been more than courteous to you to this point, Mrs. Hogue, but if you continue to disrespect me this way, you'll go to jail... in fact, never mind. Hicks, Burrell, read her her rights, cuff her, and take her to Headquarters. Put her in I-1, and I'll question her there..."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"You've torn the lid off Hell on this one, Mis-ter Crowbarrrr." drawled the Chief as he and I looked into I-1 through the one-way glass. Harriet Hogue was now wearing a stylish orange jumpsuit as she sat next to her lawyer Garner.

"And if she'd just answered my goddamned questions, she'd be at home now, with no arrest record." I replied as Julia Rodriguez and Lisa Burrell came into the anteroom. "Okay, here we go." I went in, followed by the women. Burrell took up her station next to the door to the Booking and Holding Cell areas.

I sat down opposite Harriet and Julia sat down next to me. I read Harriet her rights from the card. She did not deign to reply when I asked if she understood, so I held the card up to the camera.

"The question still stands, Mrs. Hogue." I said. "Why did you allow your husband to participate in that roleplay event, and have sexual intercourse with Marla Locklear?"

Harriet's eyes narrowed as she glared at me, and she said "Like I said before, I did not allow my husband to have sex with that piece of trailer trash. As I've told your Officers a number of times, I thought he and Tom Maple were meeting for a business dinner, and I had no idea what they were really doing. And like I said before: if you think otherwise, prove it."

"It won't do, Mrs. Hogue." I said. "First of all, we have a massive number of statements that show you were very domineering over not only your husband, but your co-workers, employees, and many other people... but especially over your husband. You controlled every aspect of his life. You wouldn't let Chuck out of your sight, much less your home to go meet Tom nor anyone else. And he appeared to have been comfortable with that situation, and was not prone to making attempts to get out from under you, at least not that I can find."

"And furthermore to this subject," I continued, "you say it was a business meeting with Tom Maple he was going to, but you are part of that business. There's no way you would let Tom and Chuck get together to discuss business over a dinner without you insisting that you be there yourself."

I went on: "You see, that's part of your domineering nature... it's fueled by paranoia. You knew the company was having financial issues. You knew they were looking to get rid of Stanley... and some of that was due to the pressure you were putting on them to get rid of him. So if they're having a business meeting behind your back, without you present, they might very well have been discussing divesting their business of you."

Me: "Maybe Tom wanted to decouple Maple & Hogue from your staffing portion of the business. He would convince Chuck it's for the best, to let you re-establish your own business and have it going even if Maple & Hogue's fortunes go south. And it would let them streamline their business, recast it, reshape it, in order to survive."

Mr. Garner spoke up: "Speculation is not evidence, Commander. And that's all that is."

"True on both counts." I said. "And the point of it is that your client went totally against the grain and let her husband go to a Maple & Hogue business dinner without her. And I'd sooner expect the moon to leave orbit after Storage Site 2 exploded than for her to act so out of character. And the only logical explanation for that... is that she knew her husband and Tom Maple had other plans."