Mystery At Mystery Lake Ch. 02

I had Detective Sergeant Julia Rodriguez and Detective Roark Coleman listen and watch through the one-way glass. I didn't realize it, since Teresa and I had already gone into the room, but Chief Moynahan joined my Detectives in the anteroom to watch and listen.

"So, how can I help you?" I asked as we sat down opposite the two women. They looked at each other, and Silvia nodded. Virginia took a cellphone out of her purse and slid it across the table. I put on latex gloves, then picked it up.

"That's Sage's cellphone." Virginia said. "I'll let Silvia tell the story about it."

I said "Let me guess first. Seeing that there is no cover nor protective shielding, I suspect that was taken off this phone and put on Sage's new phone... which we recovered from your husband Wade yesterday. Sage brought you this phone, Mrs. Garrett, after videoing or photographing something. I suspect that what is on this phone is why Sage was abducted... and then was forced to consume an oxycontin tablet laced with fentanyl. I would venture a guess that it has something to do with your impending divorce proceedings." I paused and looked up at them, then said "How did I do?"

"All too well." said Virginia Madison. "Silvia?"

Silvia Sage was still distraught over the loss of her daughter, but she was calm and composed as she spoke to us. She started: "Let me start way, way back. I was dating Wade 20 years ago. I was also dating other men. Wade's company was doing well, and he had some money. I did not have my inheritance trust fund yet, so when I became pregnant, I told Wade that he was the biological father, even though it was very likely he was not. He asked me to marry him, and I accepted, and a few months later Sage was born."

Silvia: "If it had not been for Sage, I probably never would've married Wade, nor stayed with him very long. We did not have a lot in common, and he was lousy in bed. I dutifully went with him to his company functions, endured being propositioned by lecherous men like Mitt Willis and his son Matthew, and Lawrence J. Gordon of Satco Engineering. I don't think Wade would've cared if I'd slept with them; he all but encouraged it. But they were odious, and I wanted nothing to do with them." (Author's note: 'Falsely Accused' and 'Price No Object' for Lawrence J. Gordon.)

Silvia: "Wade was never abusive towards me, and he loved Sage like I did, going to her school events, doing homework with her, and buying her things even when I thought it was best not to, such as getting her a car. Sage was fairly athletic, and made the County High basketball team, but mostly warmed the bench. But he went to all the games."

Silvia: "Despite both Wade and myself being college graduates and plenty enough intelligent, Sage showed absolutely no interest in her studies. She barely graduated high school, and was not accepted into the University nor City U. She did show interest in nursing, and was accepted into Town Technical Institute's Nursing program, and she was doing well."

Silvia: "As I said before, my marriage to Wade was pretty much a sham. We stayed together mostly for Sage's sake. And I... well, I needed more, a lot more, than Wade could or would give me in bed. I began having... encounters, especially with younger men, men around Sage's age. You remember Carl Ryder and that young man Peter? I had affairs with both of them, though I wasn't trying to get pregnant or anything like that." (Author's note: 'The Babymaker'.)

Silvia: "What I never realized was that Wade was planning and laying the groundwork to divorce me just as soon as Sage turned 18 and moved out. He was providing her with an apartment, even though I'd suggested she continue to live with us. But it soon became apparent why he'd done that... he served me with divorce papers, and kicked me out of the house on Reservoir Drive."

Silvia: "I hired Virginia here when she was part of the Women's Law Firm of Dewey, Burnham & Winn, and retained her when she went to the Madison & Ives Law Firm. Uh, maybe you should explain the situation to them from here, Virginia."

"Sure." said Virginia. "Unfortunately, Wade Garrett had everything mapped out, planned out, and put in place so that he could take Silvia here to the cleaners. The business was his; he'd started it before the marriage, and it was the one thing he had an iron grip on in the prenuptial agreement. And per that agreement, whoever got custody of Sage would have the house... but once Sage turned 18, there was no custody to be had." She explained some more details, then said "Silvia?"

Silvia said: "Wade often spent a lot of time over at his factory in the Pottsville area, and he would stay in the company's apartment over there. During those times, I'd often have 'afternoon delights' while Sage was in school or out with her friends. I was discreet... well, I thought I was..." Her voice trailed off.

Virginia took it up again: "Mr. Garrett had hired private investigators, and they got enough to show a pattern of infidelity on my client's part. And with that, he looked to get the houses, the cars, everything, and leave her penniless in the streets. He was even trying to get the money from the trust her parents had left her, since she inherited after they were married. Fortunately, it's been ruled that that can't be touched, so she'll have that money---"

"But it's not that much!" Silvia said. "And Wade told us both last summer that he was not going to pay for the second year Sage's schooling at TTI, nor for her apartment. She asked him why he was cutting her off, and he told her... ruthlessly, without a shred of compassion... that he'd secretly gotten some DNA from her hairbrush, cheek-swabbed himself, and had tests run... and that she was not his daughter.

Silvia: "Sage and I got an apartment and she went to work to help pay bills, but we also had to get another car, stuff like that. But the main effect was that Sage became bitterly angry at Wade, for his treatment of her as well as his treatment of me."

Virginia said "We also hired investigators, to see if we could catch Mr. Garrett in flagrante delicto, and thus we would be able to lay some claim to the house and the cars and her jewelry. But he was careful, and though he had visitors, we never could get any proof. And that brings us to now."

Silvia said: "Last Wednesday, Sage went over to Wade's house, the one on Reservoir Lake, to get some of her personal belongings that had been left there when she moved out. She's long known the secret backup codes to the gate, so she let herself in rather than call in and announce her presence. And even though Wade had changed the locks on the house, Sage knew where he'd hidden the spare key, and used it to get inside."

Silvia: "Once inside, she heard noises in the master bedroom. She snuck up, and found Wade in bed with a woman and a man. Sage got her cellphone out and recorded them, and she got a good thirty minutes of footage."

Virginia said "Sage brought the cell phone to her mother, and they brought it to me. I had them buy another iPhone, and didn't even let them transfer the number. Sage did take the cover off and put it on her new iPhone, though."

Teresa would tell me later that my face looked grim as I said "May we download the contents of that phone into our evidence servers?"

"Yes." Silvia said. I had them sign a written consent form, then Lt. Mary Milton came in to download the phone. Silvia Garrett looked astonished in a skeptical way when she saw the purple-haired woman come into the room, and even more astonishment when I introduced her as a Lieutenant in the Town & County Police Force.

After the information was downloaded, Teresa and I watched the video. "As I live and breathe." I said when I saw the statuesque, beautiful blonde woman. "That's Jayne Hallerton." We'd crossed paths with her a number of times. (Author's note: 'In Black And White'; 'Fathers And Sons'.)

Teresa said "That guy, I remember him from the Cardinal O'Leery case last year. He was one of the young priests in the City Cathedral when Father Romano went in and arrested the Cardinal." (Author's note: 'Deliver Us From Evil', Ch. 03.)

The video had been showing Wade Garrett fucking Jayne Hallerton in the missionary position, and I could see why Silvia Garrett didn't think much of him; a beautiful woman like Silvia (and Jayne, for that matter) deserved more than a three inch cock, and that was a generous assessment of Wade Garrett's inadequate size.

Next came what Roark Coleman would identify as the 'spitroasting'. Jayne was on her hands and knees, and she was licking and sucking Wade's pathetic little penis and equally unimpressive balls while the young man fucked Jayne from behind with his much larger cock.

And then Jayne got out of the way, and Wade and the young man began engaging in a soixante-neuf... with each other, while Jayne watched. I let Teresa watch that by herself.

"Easy to see why that young guy was one of Cardinal O'Leery's favored acolytes." I said sardonically. "So Sage brought that video home to you, Mrs. Garrett. And you brought it to Virginia here, is that right?"

"Yes." Silvia said. "We took it to Virginia on Thursday morning. She didn't even hand it back after taking it from us, though she let Sage keep the cover. After that, we went to the Mall to the Apple Store, and got Sage a new iPhone."

I said "Virginia, I'm sure this would've changed the situation regarding the divorce. Did you file any papers or motions?"

Virginia said "No, I hadn't had the chance to. I reviewed the video, and began putting together the package to file this week. And then Sage was found..."

"I understand." I said. "Okay, I appreciate you bringing this to us."

Silvia Garrett said "Commander, I'm not dumb. It's obvious that Wade had something to do with Sage's death. It was obvious since her phone was ringing in his pocket! Will you be able to bring him to Justice?"

I looked her straight in the eye and said "We don't have any proof of anything yet. I was hoping to arrest the two men that were seen burying Sage's body, and see what I could get out of them. Unfortunately, they chose to commit suicide rather than be taken into Police custody. But I can assure you that I will do everything in my power to bring whoever was behind this to Justice."

"Just one more question, sir." Silvia said. "Did my little girl suffer? What... what did they do to her?"

That was a hard one to answer, but I tried: "Ma'am, we know Sage died after taking an oxycontin pill laced with a lethal dose of fentanyl. Your daughter could have been unconscious and not feeling anything---"

"Sir," Teresa interrupted, "why don't you go ahead, and I'll talk to Mrs. Garrett about this. And if you don't mind, send Father Romano in here."

I nodded. "Mrs. Garrett, I am truly sorry for your loss, and again... I will find out the Truth, no matter what it may be." With that, I got up and exited the Interrogation Room. I told Roark and Julia to follow me as I went through the anteroom. We went down the hall to tell Father Romano, and he moved towards the Interrogation Rooms while I led the Detectives down the hall to my office.

When I got to my office, I called Mary Milton. "Have you asked Judge Doss for an arrest warrant for Wade Garrett?... Good... No, I'm sending Rodriguez and Coleman... okay, thanks."

Hanging up the phone, I said to Julia: "Matriculate your way down Courthouse Square and pick up the warrant at the Magistrate Judge's office, then go find and pick up Wade Garrett. And tell Vice Lieutenant Rudistan that Commander Troy requests Officers Madison and Colquitt go with you." The Detectives moved out smartly to complete the TCPD mission...

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

Meanwhile...

Lieutenant Teddy Parker strode into the Major Crimes Division room (MCD), He had a folder in his hand and his face was beet red with anger. He walked up to the desk of Lieutenant Joanne Warner and slammed the folder onto her desk.

"What is this?" Parker yelled, his voice ragged with fury. "WHAT IS THIS?"

Everyone was looking at him in shock. Joanne looked puzzled at first, then looked down at the folder, and her face assumed a look of cunning. Without picking it up, she opened the top cover to make sure it was what she thought it was.

"That..." Joanne said with a voice full of withering derision, "... is my formal complaint against Roark Coleman, for sexual harassment."

"Whaa?" gasped Detective Joan Laurer. Other Detectives and Lieutenant Theo Washington had also gasped.

"You went to HR over Roark using explicitly sexual language during an official meeting? Really?" Teddy Parker yelled, towering over Joanne.

"I warned him the first time he said it." Joanne fired back, getting angry. "And then he said it a second time, and on purpose, in a goading manner."

"And why the fuck didn't you come to me first?" Teddy said... well, he was still yelling. "I'm his direct supervisor! What, you just did an end run around me and ran to Captain Michaels? Huh?"

"You bet I did!" Joanne yelled back. "Actually, I just told Captain Michaels I was filing the complaint, then went straight to HR with it."

"WHY?!" thundered Parker. "Why are you bypassing me like that?"

Joanne said more quietly, but made sure to stare into Parker's eyes as she said "Because I couldn't trust you to do the right thing and bust his ass."

"You damn right I wouldn't bust his ass!" Parker yelled. "He didn't do a damn thing wrong, and you know it! Why the fuck are you doing this?!"

Joanne jumped to her feet and yelled right in Teddy's face: "Because I'm trying to get rid of that son of a bitch! I want his worthless ass GONE!"

Teddy lowered his voice, but it was filled with menace as he said hoarsely "I'm gonna fight you all the goddamned way on this!" He turned for the door, and almost ran into Captain Claire Michaels, who'd just come in.

Claire said: "If you want to come to my office and discuss this, Parker, just knock on my door. But you damn well better not go over my head and go straight to Commander Troy, or I will snap your head back."

"Easy, Teddy." Theo Washington said quietly, seeing the look on his friend and colleague's face... and probably saving Parker's career.

"No worries, Captain." Teddy said, keeping his voice level. "The good news... is that I don't have to. Commander Troy is going to hear about this, and it doesn't have to be from me..."

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

9:00am, Tuesday, May 10th. I was sitting at my desk in my office, drinking yet another cup of coffee. I was hungry, having not eaten since the dinner with Teresa at the University Hotel the night before. But I also knew that if I ate I would be feeling groggy at best, and dozing off at worst.

Teresa Croyle came in, and I just pointed at the coffeemaker. She poured a cup and then sat down in the 'hot chair' furthest from the door. I said "What did you tell Mrs. Garrett?"

"The truth." Teresa said, her voice eerily calm and introspective. "She's going to hear about it sooner or later, and it was weighing on her. So I told her that Sage was sexually assaulted by at least two different men, that we were running DNA tests from the rape kit to determine if the two dirtbags that buried her and who died last night were the rapists, that you might be right that she was drugged first, and therefore was unconscious, and to not let it eat her up."

Teresa: "So why -is- she so obsessed with it? I mean... Sage is gone. What good is it doing to obsess on that?"

I said "I think--- oh, hold on." Out of the corner of my eye I had seen Captain of Personnel & Records Janice Holloway come into the anteroom, then step into Tanya's office, which was right next to mine. No biggie; Tanya was Janice's boss. But a second later I was surprised to see Captain Holloway exit Tanya's office, pivot, then knock on my (open) door.

"Come on in." I said. "Have a seat. Get coffee if you like."

"Thanks, sir, but I've had more than enough today." Janice said. She was a beautiful Hispanic woman, relatively tall, lithe, in good shape. And she had finally tied the knot with Teddy Parker on St. Valentine's Day, though she retained her maiden name.

*Whirrrrrrrrrrr*

"I'll have some of that coffee." Tanya said as she drove her wheelchair into my office and stopped on the dime on the floor between the 'hot chairs'... literally; I'd taped a dime onto the floor, and did not cease to be amazed every time Tanya stopped right at the correct spot after flying in.

"If you'll excuse me, sir." Teresa said, getting up.

"No, I will not excuse you." I replied. "Shut the door, then sit back down." Teresa shut the door, then poured a cup of coffee and put in the correct 'pollutants', and took it to Tanya before sitting down herself. This was not asskissing; I had forbade the wheelchair-bound Tanya from pouring coffee herself, since she could not move out of the way fast enough if there was a spill.

"Whaddya got, Janice?" I said.

"Trouble, sir." Janice said, handing me a folder across the desk, which was identical to the one Teddy Parker had, though I did not know that yet. I took the folder and perused the contents, then groaned out loud.

"I do not need this right now." I said. I handed the folder to Teresa, whose eyes widened when she first saw who it was, then squinted as she became irritated.

Janice Holloway said "Teddy (Parker) is furious. He's Roark's direct supervisor, and when I told him about this last night, he about blew a gasket. I told him I'm obligated to investigate it, but that I would bring it to you first, since Warner apparently went to Michaels before coming to HR with the complaint."

"Last thing I need right now." I muttered to myself. "Last thing I need. Okay, Janice, Tanya, what are my options?"

"The first is to do nothing, as always." Tanya said. That was an oft-repeated joke that came from my experience as an Army Officer, that the first option always was to do nothing about a situation. "Seriously, you can just let Janice and me handle it."

"No, that won't work." I said. "The people involved are in my direct chain-of-command. And I don't want to give up control of it, because I was there for both alleged incidents, and this sexual harassment claim is total bullshit. Joanne is doing this to try to get rid of Roark, and I'm getting tired of it. So I have to do something.... Roark can't keep being subjected to false attacks by a Police Lieutenant."

Janice said "I'd recommend you get with the Chief on it first, sir, but you can always dismiss the complaint, especially since you were in the room when it happened and observed it. You can always '86' the file, and let it sit, as well."

"No, I have to take action." I replied. "Okay ladies, you can go. I'll hang onto this file, and get back to you by close-of-business tomorrow. Teresa, stay here a moment." Tanya and Janice exited the office, and went into Tanya's office.

I said to Teresa: "Don't get involved with this in any way. And what I need for you to do is oversee the arrest of Wade Garrett. Put him through full booking, then into Interrogation-3 and let him call his lawyer if the lawyer doesn't come in with him. In the meantime, I have two things to do. First, I'm going to go talk to the Chief about the disaster my mismanagement of MCD has created. And second, we'll be having a meeting with FBI Agents within an hour or two..."

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

10:30am, Tuesday, May 10th. Teresa and I headed to the Main Conference Room, where the Chief and Federal Agents awaited us. Teresa said "What did the Chief say about the situation with Joanne and Roark?"

"He has given me carte blanche to resolve it as I see fit." I replied. "And that's what I'm going to do. Later. Right now, we have Federal Agents to deal with."