Homewrecker Ch. 03

I noticed that on the refrigerator door, held with magnets, were photos of her with her uncle Jimmy The Creek on the River Rose, one with her, him and Orrin B. Taggart, a couple of her in her younger days with women of the same age as her at the time. But nothing recent, no photos, no shopping lists or notes.

"The place looks lived-in," I said,"but it was kept pretty clean. Nothing on or in her desk, either."

"Got something!" I heard Cindy call out. We all went to the back bedroom, which was the master bedroom of the home. Cindy was wearing latex gloves as she held up a 20-gauge shotgun.

"This was sitting right next to her bed." Cindy said. "There's also a .38 Special revolver under her pillow."

"Identical to the one found in her purse at the crime scene." I said as I examined it. "She was armed to the teeth, as well as spending extra on that alarm system."

Cindy's iPhone chimed, and she read the text. "Beverly had this particular alarm system installed four months ago." she said.

I nodded. "She was scared of something..."

Part 13 - The Iron Crowbar's Detectives At Work

Meanwhile...

Lieutenant Jerome Davis and Detective Julia Rodriguez were driving in a dark gray, unmarked TCPD car towards Midtown. The car was equipped with Police radio, a laptop, and a powerful motor that didn't have restrictor plates. Blue lights were embedded in the windows and grille if they were needed.

As they approached Midtown around 9:30am, nearly two hours after leaving TCPD Headquarters, Julia said: "Intelligence Branch got a ping on Darryl Dawson's cellphone. He's in his office... pretty early on a Saturday."

"Billable hours." said Jerome.

They pulled into the parking lot of an office building in one of the better locations of Metro Midtown, northwest of the inner city along the River. A couple of spaces over was a black unmarked car. As Julia and Jerome got out of their car, the occupants of the other car got out of theirs.

"Hi guys!" said Midtown Police Detective Nell Bell. With her was Detective Steve Ruger.

"Hey, glad you could meet us here." said Jerome as everyone shook hands.

As they walked towards the office building front doors, Nell Bell said "I've got some information for you that I pulled up on Beryl Angel and Darryl Dawson."

"Great." Jerome said as Nell went up and punched in a code to unlock the glass front door. "How did you?..."

Nell smiled as she said "Commander Troy gave me the manufacturer's code. I also have the Fire Department's code if we needed it."

"Iron Crowbar don't play." said Jerome. They went to the offices of Prodder, Ryder & Reems, P.C. The front hallway door was locked, but Nell had the code, and they walked on in. Only one office was occupied in the otherwise empty suite.

"Mr. Dawson?" Jerome Davis said as they came up to it. Steve Ruger stayed a little behind, watching the rest of the office.

"Yes?... er, how did you guys get in here?" asked Darryl Dawson. He was completely unlike his late brother Rusty from the 'Pink Panther' case. Darryl was handsome, fit, relatively slender and tall, with a full head of dark brown hair and a winning smile that reminded Julia of Todd Burke. One could sense his aura, again completely unlike his loser brother.

"The door was unlocked." said Jerome, perhaps not letting on that he was using 'unlocked' as a verb, not as an adjective. Dawson didn't look very happy about it.

"Mr. Dawson," said Nell Bell, exhibiting her badge, "I'm Detective Nell Bell with the Midtown Police. This is Lt. Jerome Davis and Detective Julia Rodriguez of the Town & County Police. We'd like you to help us out on a case they're working on?"

Dawson had gotten up and shaken hands with Davis perfunctorily, but he turned on the charm with Julia. "Hello." he said to her. "How can I help you? Oh, please, sit down."

Jerome and Julia took the seats in front of the desk, and Nell Bell sat down on the sofa behind them. Jerome said "Mr. Dawson, do you know a woman name Beverly DeAngelo?"

"Sounds familiar, but it doesn't ring a bell with me... pardon the pun, Detective Bell." said Dawson. Nell smiled wanly at the joke.

"What about Beryl Angel?" asked Julia.

"Oh! Her... I didn't realize they were the same person." said Dawson. "Yes, I know who she was, and I heard she was murdered yesterday. Is that true?"


"How'd you hear that?" Julia asked incisively.

"My colleague Gwen Munson told me." said Dawson. "She was up there defending a woman that your Police Department arrested. Gwen said it was 'yet another mistake by the Iron Crowbar's Police Force'." Neither Jerome nor Julia batted an eyelash at that, and both noticed that Dawson had been watching them closely to gauge their reactions.

"What was your relationship with Beryl Angel?" asked Jerome.

"Ex-girlfriend." said Dawson. "I'm sure you've found this out already from Court records, but I was in a relationship with her and my ex-wife found out about it and filed for divorce. To be honest, it was the best thing that could've happened to me; I finally got rid of that nagging bi--- er, witch of a wife. She was useless to me."

"You called Beryl an 'ex-girlfriend'." said Jerome, not allowing Dawson's words about his wife distract the Lieutenant from the course of his interrogation. "What was she to you? A casual fling? Mistress?"

"We were dating, and it was pretty hot for a while." said Dawson. "I moved in with her after my wife filed for divorce and kicked me out of the house. Beryl moved out a few months later. It was amicable; she wanted to move to the City, and I wanted to stay here."

"You set her up in that apartment here in Midtown?" asked Julia. "Bought her a lot of nice stuff?"

"Well.. yeah." said Darryl with a shrug of his shoulders. "I was generous to her. Didn't hurt me financially, if that's what you're getting at."

"Did you and Beryl have a working relationship beyond the personal one?" asked Julia.

"I don't follow?" said Darryl, making his face look confused.

"Did you work together on any business projects?" asked Julia. "Did you cooperate on any money-making things?"

"Oh." said Darryl. "No, we were dating, and that's it. Why?"

"Do you think someone might've tried to set you up, using Beryl to ensnare you?" asked Jerome.

"I don't think Beryl was trying to trap me in any way." said Dawson. "But you make a point about that. I know that my wife was working with a law firm from Southport. Ramon, Castro, and Partners. They're a sleazy firm, rumored to have Mob connections. They're the ones that hired a P.I. to catch me with Beryl."

"When was the last time you saw Beryl?" asked Jerome.

"Uhh... it's been a while." said Dawson, seemingly searching his memory. "I've seen her a couple of times after she moved to the City, and that was within a few months of her moving up there. So yeah, it's been a while."

"Do you know of anyone who might have wanted to harm Beryl?" asked Julia. "Back when you were dating her? Or more recently?"

"No, I can't say that I do." Dawson said. "I know she had a checkered past, and she may have gotten back into drugs or prostitution and crossed the wrong person. But I don't know anything that could help you on that."

"Sir," said Jerome, boring in, "where were you Thursday night and early Friday morning?"

"At home." said Dawson. "I'm sure you've gotten cellphone ping data already. And you can check the GPS on my car, if you like."

"Yes, let's do that." said Jerome quickly.

They went outside, and Dawson signed the consent form to allow his car to be searched and GPS to be downloaded. Steve Ruger searched the car as Jerome downloaded the GPS data with the app on his Police iPhone, which surprised Dawson. "I didn't know you could do that on a smartphone like that." he said.

"Not every Police Department can." replied Nell Bell.

Julia Rodriguez said with special clarity: "You should tell your colleague Ms. Munson that this is just one more reason why criminals should not commit crimes in the Iron Crowbar's County, Mr. Dawson."

Once Jerome was done, Dawson said "Is there anything else? I need to be going; I have an appointment coming up." He turned to Julia and extended his card. "Why don't you give me a call sometime. Let's meet for a drink."

Julia took the card, but said "If I call, it'll be for professional reasons. My profession."

Jerome also quickly stepped in, extending his own card as he said: "If you can think of anything else that will help us, give me a call." Dawson took the card, and seemed disappointed that Julia did not give him one. The Detectives watched as Dawson got into his car and drove away.

"Well, that was very... interesting." Nell Bell said. "What did you guys think?"

"He was playing the psychology game hard." said Jerome Davis. "He'd sorta answer but not answer a question, then ask us something back. It may just be the lawyer in him, or it may be more."

Julia said: "I noticed he kept dropping suggestions to try to steer our thinking, like suggesting she got back into prostitution or drugs, and playing the sympathy card by telling us his wife kicked him out. And he was lying like a dog in the shade about stuff, too."

"Is his colleague Gwen Munson like that?" asked Steve Ruger.

"Oh, God." muttered Julia Rodriguez. "She a thousand times more annoying and nitpicky. But she's also better at the game than Dawson is."

Jerome said "Charles Caldwell also tried to suggest Beryl was getting back into prostitution, though as a madam. Wonder if there's something to it?"

"Why don't we go back to MPD Headquarters," said Nell Bell, "and I can give you that info we got..."

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

Meanwhile...

Detectives Roark Coleman and George Newman went into Interrogation-1 at County Jail. The second security guard that was arrested with Deborah Wilkins was brought in. His name was Bernard Collins. Coleman read him the rights from the card.

"Look." said Roark. "We know you're not the one that resisted arrest. I freely admit, the charges on you are thin, and you're likely to be let go."

"But your fellow security man, Rollin Heller," said George Newman, "he's in a world of hurt. You don't want to be attached to him at the hip."

"I might add," said Coleman, "that your calls to MegaTech have gone unanswered. They're not sending you an attorney. Now you can risk being assigned a public defender, or you can help us out and talk to us, and you'll be free to go."

"All right, but I reserve the right to invoke at any time." said Collins. "What do you need to know?"

Newman said "Are you a MegaTech employee, or with a security company?"

"MegaTech employee." said Bernard. "I get sent to events with the advance team, and usually work with Deborah Wilkins personally."

"Did Ms. Wilkins ever say why MegaTech Industries came here for their big conference?" asked Coleman.

"No." said Bernard. "All I heard was that Elliot Sanders chose the location. And this isn't one of our biggest conferences; it's pretty top-heavy with upper-level executives."

"What room was Deborah Wilkins in Thursday night?" asked Newman.

"I think she was in 806." said the security man.

"Was she alone in her room all night?" asked Newman. "Or did she have a... 'friend' with her?"

The security man looked pained, but finally said "I don't know for sure, I never went up on that floor. But for the last few months, a guy has been staying with her, one of the guys on the 'Alicia' smart device team. His name is 'Bell'... 'Bart Bell', I think..."

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

"Cut me a deal." said the first security man, whose name was Rollin Heller. "I'm not talking until you give me a deal that includes no jail time."

"Let's hear what you've got first." said Roark Coleman.

"It doesn't work that way." said Dexter Epstein, who had been assigned (in his correct turn) to represent Heller. "Put something in writing, and then he'll tell you his truthful story."

"You're an idiot, Epstein." said Roark, getting up. "And you just cost your client ten years of freedom, because he's going to jail for felony assaulting Police Officers. No deals. We're done here." Newman got up also, and they started walking to the door.

"Wait!" yelled Rollin. The Detectives turned and he said "What do I have to do?"

"Nothing." said Newman. "Your lawyer just blew it for you. You're going to prison. Ten years, no chance of parole."

"Can I fire him?" begged the security man. "Come on! Work with me, here!"

"I can't tell you to fire your attorney." said Roark Coleman. They left the room and went into the anteroom.

"Not bad, guys." said Paulina Patterson, who had been watching from the anteroom. "Of course you've pretty much destroyed any real chance of putting him behind bars."

"Ma'am, we just want him to talk." said Coleman. "If he doesn't, what were the chances this thing would go to full trial, anyway?" Paulina conceded the point.

Five minutes later, Epstein called on the phone to the Duty Desk, who called Coleman. They went back into the room, this time with Paulina. Epstein was red-faced from the asschewing he had just endured.

The security man said "I may can't fire this guy, but just ignore him. I want a deal. Give me a deal and I'll tell you everything I know..."

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

10:30am, Saturday, November 16th. The four Detectives came into Midtown Police Headquarters. The Duty Desk Sergeant asked them to go to the Police Chief's Office.

"Hi guys." said MPD Chief Frank Soltis when they got to his office. "How's Chief Moynahan doing up there in your County?"

"Good morning, sir." said Lt. Davis. "Chief Moynahan's doing great. He said to tell you hello."

Soltis said "Chief Moynahan was to me what the Iron Crowbar is to you guys. Did you get any good information from Dawson?"

"Maybe, sir." said Julia Rodriguez. "But it may have been more what he didn't say, than what he did."

Nell Bell said "He was also very eager to volunteer information we didn't even ask for. Very strange for a lawyer."

"Why don't you guys go get something to eat." said the Chief. "Keep the receipts and I'll comp you..."

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

Meanwhile...

Roark Coleman and George Newman came into Police Headquarters, and went to the Monitor Room, where Paulina Patterson and Captain Tanya Perlman were. Tanya had watched the interrogations at County Jail from the Police Headquarters Monitor Room. Ah, the marvels of modern technology...

"The security man who tried to assault us sang like a canary once he heard the words 'ten years in prison'." said Coleman. "He admitted that Bart Bell and Deborah Wilkins had been 'seeing each other' for a few months, and that Bell went to Wilkins's room with her Thursday night, about 10:00pm. They got into the elevator together at 7:00am Friday morning and he wasn't on any camera footage during the night."

"He could've taken the stairs, couldn't he?" asked Paulina.

"No ma'am." said George Newman. "Those are fire escape stairs. If you go into the stairwell, you can't open any doors to the hallways above the ground floor; they do that to direct traffic flow in case of a fire alarm, and also for security. Also, Bell never appeared on the ground floor hallway videos."

"I'll stick to lawyering and leave the Detecting to you guys." said Paulina. Tanya fist bumped George. Then Paulina said: "Wait a minute. You said Deborah and Bart Bell went to her room at 10:00pm? Before the reception was over?"

"That's what he told us." said Coleman. "Deborah wasn't invited as a participant to the formal reception. She was there early on to make sure everything was in order, then she went to the Event Staff room and made sure everything was good there, then went with Bart Bell to her own suite."

"That is very interesting." said Tanya.

"And one more thing." said Roark Coleman. "We asked if he knew if Kara Zorn was going to come to the conference. His answer was that she wasn't, and she was pissed off that Elliot Sanders had insisted on having it here."

"Oh, that's even more interesting!" said Tanya. Then she noticed something on the monitor and said: "Okay, Bell has been brought into I-1. Go tear him a new one... verbally, that is..."

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

Bart Bell had been brought into I-1 and was handcuffed to the ring on the table. Patrolman Johnson was the Uniformed presence. Somewhat to everyone's surprise, Gwen Munson had come in to represent him, and was talking with him while the Detectives were in the Monitor Room.

Coleman and Newman came in, and sat down at the table. "I'm going to re-read you your rights." said Coleman, who did so from the card. Bart Bell nodded that he understood the rights.

"Okay, Bart." said Coleman. "Where were you Thursday night from 9:00pm to 3:00am Friday morning?"

Munson said "He's already told you that he was at home, and came over Friday morning."

George Newman said "Then we'll add 'lying to Police' to the charges. We have eyewitness testimony that he was with Deborah Wilkins, and that he slept in her room with her on Thursday night. What do you say to that, Mr. Bell? And I'm asking you directly. She's your attorney, not your sock puppet."

"Don't speak." said Munson. She turned to the Detectives, but George Newman raised his hand.

"Time for games is over, Ms. Munson." said Newman. "Mr. Bell here needs to come correct with us, especially if he has any hope of not being charged with the murder of Beverly DeAngelo."

"Oh, come on----" Gwen started, but Roark Coleman cut her off.

"Just stop, Ms. Munson." said Roark. "Let me lay this out for you, Bart. You have motive, and we now can attach means and opportunity. You were at the Hyatt Thursday evening, not at home. We're going to start racking up witnesses among the Hotel staff, and MegaTech can't hide every employee from us forever. You were on the eighth floor at the time of the murder; we've got a witness to that. Beverly DeAngelo red-flagged you; revenge is a powerful motive."

"Even if all that is true, which I doubt, it's all circumstantial." snarled Gwen Munson, her sweet voice mixed with venomous hatred.

"Men have been put to death for less." said George Newman. "A lot less. Bart, it's a strong case. You gotta consider where this is going, dude. If there's anything you can tell us to help yourself, now is the time to tell us."

"I need to talk to my client." said Gwen.

Roark and George got up. "Take your time." said Coleman. "We'll need a few minutes to let the ink dry on the arrest warrant... for murder in the first degree." They left the room, then Johnson left on the other side.

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

At a good buffet restaurant near Police Headquarters, the MPD and TCPD Detectives got their food and sat down at a table. They discussed the aspects of the Beverly DeAngelo case for a few minutes, bringing the Midtown Detectives up to speed.

"The GPS shows his car was parked at his apartment's garage all night." said Jerome as he looked at the data. "For the three days before then, it was in Midtown the whole time."

"I'm not surprised." said Nell Bell. "He never would've let you download the data on it if he'd driven it anywhere that would interest us."

"And it proves nothing." said Julia Rodriguez. "He could easily have found other transportation to our Town & County. We probably need to see if anyone saw him around his apartment building Thursday night."

"And we can help you out with that." volunteered Nell. "So, I take it Darryl Dawson is not eliminated from your list of suspects?"

"Not by a longshot." Julia Rodriguez said. "But I concede that there's nothing that really points to him, at least not above and beyond the other suspects. He had a relationship with her. It cost him his marriage, that by most accounts seemed to be headed for divorce anyway."