The Babymaker Ch. 02

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

"Did she help herself?" Teresa asked after the Sheriff and Paulina left, and the Angels Meeting started.

"Was that the right thing to do?" Tanya added.

I said "It's not my business at stake, but I wouldn't have done it that way. First of all, KFXU's viewers likely did not watch KXTC's sewage, so they didn't know anything until Cindy herself pretty much told them. And KXTC's loyal viewers would rather be run over by your Tank than have to watch KFXU. And second, it's the old adage: when in a deep hole, the first thing to do is 'stop digging'. Cindy... did not stop digging."

"This... this won't hurt her business, will it?" Tanya said. "People will understand, won't they? They're not going to let the dirty Press win, will they?" Her face fell hard as she saw the look I gave her in reply...

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

Cindy returned to Ariel's apartment. Ariel and Wanda were sitting on the sofa, having watched the newscasts. "How'd my interview with Priya look?" Cindy asked.

"Do you want the truth, or do you want me to tell you what you want to hear?" replied Ariel.

"I'll take 'the truth' for $100, Alex." Cindy replied.

Ariel said "I don't think you mitigated the damage. I think we're really going to lose business."

Cindy said "Well... you're the one that insisted on making them get a subpoena."

Ariel rose to her feet and shot back: "And why didn't you fight the subpoena? Why the hell didn't you hold out, make them show cause? You could have, you know!"

Cindy said "Because we would've lost! And it would've looked a lot worse for us if we were fighting it!"

"It looks bad now!" Ariel all but yelled, her face red with anger. "At least our customers would've understood if they thought we were trying to protect them, instead of just throwing them to the dogs!"

"Are you calling Police Officers 'dogs'?" Cindy said menacingly, squaring up to Ariel. "I'm one of them, you know. And I've lost my career over this, for the two of you."

"That's not what I meant, and you know it." Ariel said. "And you're deflecting from the issue here... that you could have fought that subpoena like hell!"

Cindy said: "Let me say it again: I'm a cop. I know how the fucking process works, and I know how the Press works. KXTC was hell-bent on hurting us as much as they could, the truth notwithstanding. We fight the subpoena, and that same fatass KXTC reporter would be yelling 'Why are they fighting the subpoena? What do they have to hide?'. And nothing else would've changed; we'd still lose the fight and we'd have to give the client list to the Police."

Cindy continued: "The only way we could've kept the Press out of it is to have voluntarily given the TCPD the data, and the Press never would've known! And the only reason I didn't give them the information voluntarily is because the two of you fought me on it!"

"Oh, so you're putting this on us?" Ariel started. "You gotta lot of nerve------"

"Ariel... ARIEL!" Wanda said, finally getting Ariel's attention. "Let's just concentrate on Carl's funeral right now. We can deal with... the rest of this later."

Ariel patted Wanda on the shoulder, and turned and went to her bedroom. Wanda and Cindy were just looking at each other as if across an interplanetary distance. Finally Cindy said "I... I've got to go to work. Let me know if there's anything I can help with."

She turned to leave, her Vibe screaming to her that this partnership, for which she might have sacrificed her Police career, was ovah...

Part 11 - Crime and Politics

10:00am, Wednesday, September 30th. I received a phone call on my personal iPhone. It was Alison McFarland.

"Hey," she said, "I found out some stuff about Lamar Linder and his wife. They're at the Lakeside Inn & Suites in Nextdoor County. The Republicans, what you call the 'Establishment', are having strategy meetings this morning, and a luncheon with the spouses. There's supposed to be a Press Conference after the luncheon, with Lamar Linder and Wilson Hammonds."

"That's fantastic." I said. "Thanks a lot, Alison."

"Sure." Alison said. "Er, can I ask you one question?"

"Uh... you may ask." I said.

"I was afraid you'd say that." Alison said, though humorously. "And the question is... did KXTC's dirty lowball report hurt Cindy's business?"

"This is completely off the record." I said. "My answer is that I genuinely don't know how it's affected her business. Also off the record, the Police haven't gotten any flak about it that I know of, and we'll see what happens going forward..."

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

"Ah, crap." said Lamar Linder into his cellphone during a break in meetings. "Okay, batten down. I'll get out of here." After disconnecting, he found Wilson Hammonds and said "I've got to get out of here. The Iron Crowbar is on the way, and he'd just love to make a public scene."

"I'll cover for you." said Hammonds. "But yes, do get away from here. That bastard is poison. Rat poison!" He went back to listening to the meeting as if Linder didn't even exist anymore.

Linder went swiftly went up to his room. Going inside, he found his wife waiting for him. "Danielle, we've got to go. The Police are coming." They hurried out down the hall and down the stairs to a back exit, even as Nextdoor County Police Officers were getting off the elevator to go to Linder's room.

Lamar and Danielle hurried to their car. The fob button to unlock the car did not work. Linder was almost shaking as he put the key in the lock to open the drive side door. Just as it opened, he felt himself being pulled back and the door was slammed shut.

"Going somewhere, Mr. Linder?" said the tall, broad-shouldered redhead in black civilian attire and his near-trademark trenchcoat and Tilley hat... and definitely-trademark red crowbar. Linder saw that Police Chief Molly Evans was standing next to his wife.

"As a matter of fact, we are." said Linder. "I have an important important appointment. Now if you'll excuse us..." He reached for the door.

"No, I will not excuse you, Mr. Linder." I replied. "You're not going anywhere, unless it's in Police custody."

"What the hell do you want, Troy?" Linder asked angrily.

"I want you to make a decision on which of two courses of action you want to take." I said. "The first is that you and your wife come with us for a quiet conversation. The second is that I arrest both of you, transport you back to Town & County Police Headquarters, and perp-walk both of you through a gauntlet of Press cameras. So which way will it be?..."

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

Molly and Julia Rodriguez took Danielle Linder back to the Linder's hotel room, while Lamar Linder took me and Teddy Parker to another hotel room, that was being used for impromptu meetings. The well-stocked bar was my first clue to the nature of the meetings going on there: political horse-trading. At the moment, though, the room was empty.

"Do I need my lawyer?" asked Linder. "And I want my wife to have a lawyer, too."

"Well, we could play it that way, Mr. Linder." I replied. "But if you do, if either you or your wife insist upon an attorney, you will be provided one... at TCPD Headquarters, so that we can record our interviews with you and your wife. And that will all be public knowledge available to a rabidly Republican-hating Press."

I continued: "I'm trying to help you, here, Mr. Linder. I know how the corrupt Mainstream Media is, especially regarding Republicans. They will do absolutely anything, tell any lie, to hurt you just because you're a Republican. I'm trying hard to shield you from that. But I also have a murder to solve, and I'm not going to brook any more interference from you than I've already been given...

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

Danielle Rogers Linder was a very beautiful woman. Her heavy mane of yellow-blonde hair, darker than Alison McFarland's but still very blonde, fell in thick gentle waves over her shoulders. She was 5'7" tall, and her breasts were all natural and large. Her hourglass-shaped body was toned by exercise, and her calves and feet were shapely. Only her thighs, just beginning to accumulate some fat, contradicted the rest of her magnificence. She was the poster child and definition of a 'trophy wife'.

But she was not a 'dumb' blonde; far from it. Her shrewd eyes gave away her intelligence as she observed the two female Police Officers.

Julia Rodriguez read Danielle Rogers Linder her considerable legal rights from the card, then said "Before you ask for an attorney, let me advise you of a couple of things. We separated you from your husband so that our conversation with you can be discreet. We're trying to help you, and him, by avoiding having the Press know we're talking to you. If you cooperate with us, we can keep being discreet. But if you don't, you'll give us no choice but to arrest both you and your husband, which the Press will find out about.

"What's it about?" Danielle asked.

"I think you're an intelligent woman, Danielle, so I'll just cut right to the chase." Julia said. "Does your husband know you were having a sexual relationship with Carl Ryder?"

"The old 'damned if you do, damned if you don't' question." Danielle said. "Kind of like 'does your wife know you beat your kids?' trick... either way I answer, it's a de facto admission of guilt."

Molly Evans said "Detective Rodriguez complimented your intelligence, Danielle. But don't start insulting ours. We know about your relationship with Carl. We're just trying to help you by finding out if your husband knows..."

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

I read Linder his considerable legal rights, then said "Okay, Mr. Linder... do you know a man named Carl Ryder?"

Linder's face fell. "So that's what it's about." he said, then looked up at me and said "How much do you know?"

I replied: "Can I take that to mean that you know that your wife was having a sexual relationship with him?"

"Yes, I know about it.:" said Linder.

*CHIME!*

It was my Police iPhone, and the text from Julia said "She knows he knows."

"Okay, Mr. Linder." I said. "Let's make our way back to your hotel room." I opened the door and looked out; the hallway was empty. We escorted Linder back to his hotel room. Molly opened the door for us and we went inside.

"Okay," I said, sitting on the corner of the bed as the Linders sat in the chairs, "so you were having an affair with Carl, Mrs. Linder?"

"I wouldn't call it an 'affair'." said Lamar Linder.

"Then what was it?" Julia asked, a bit harshly.

The Linders looked at each other, then Lamar said "I developed prostate cancer three years ago. I didn't have surgery, which would've left me impotent and incontinent. I had the Theraseed implants, like Rudy Giuliani had."

"Radioactive pellets that kill the cancer, and the prostate." I replied. "The palladium isotopes decay to background levels in about six months."

"Right." said Linder. "So I'm not impotent, though it's increasingly hard to get it up without Viagra. But the problem is that as part of my treatment, I had a vasectomy. So I could not give my wife the one thing she wanted: a baby."

"I see." I said. "So you chose Carl to be your sperm donor, Mrs. Linder? And you chose the natural insemination method?"

"Yes." said Danielle. "Carl was handsome, intelligent, and extremely virile. Lamar and I talked about it, and he agreed to the natural insemination method. We had to be discreet due to my husband's political career, so I went to your Town to meet Carl for sex."

"Where did you meet? Which hotel?" I asked.

"The Windham, south of Town." Danielle said.

"And how many times did you and Carl meet?"

"Just once, on Monday morning... as you know."

I nodded. "Did Carl say anything to you about having enemies? About someone wanting to harm him?"

Danielle said "No. And we didn't talk very much. We were mating; he was breeding me. Once we were done, I dressed and left while he took a shower."

I nodded, then looked over at my Detectives, implicitly offering them the opportunity to ask questions. Julia took the opportunity.

"Mrs. Linder," she said, "did you pay Carl to have sex with you?"

"What?!" Lamar Linder gasped.

Julia said "Carl had a significant amount of cash in his wallet when he was killed, and the killer didn't take it. Did that money come from you, Mrs. Linder?"

"Look at her, Detective!" said Lamar Linder. "She doesn't need to pay anyone to have sex with her!"

"I've got this, honey." Danielle said. She then looked right at Julia and said "No, I did not pay Carl to inseminate me. That would be illegal. And even if I did, you could never prove it. So don't even try to go there with us."

"That's the least of my worries right now." I said. "Mrs. Linder, how did you come to choose Carl to inseminate you? How did you meet him?"

"We met at his gym, Town Fitness Centers." Danielle said.

"You're not a member there." Julia said. "And that gym is a pretty long way from your hometown."

Mrs. Linder said smoothly, as if reciting a prepared answer: "My husband had political meetings at the University from time to time, and I would go to the gym to work out. I met Carl there, we talked a bit, and when my husband and I decided on our path, I called Carl and asked him if he would help me solve my problem. And he was very willing to."

Before Julia could say more, I asked: "Mrs. Linder, do you know if Carl was inseminating other woman? And who those women might be?"

"Lord, no." Danielle said. "Again, Carl and I did not talk a lot. And he's discreet; he didn't talk about having sex with other women."

I said "Did you know he recorded your sexual liaison?"

Danielle hesitated, then said "No, I didn't know that."

Julia said "Mr. Linder, did Carl ever contact you? Did he attempt to blackmail you?"

"No." said Lamar. "I'm not sure he even knew that Danielle was my wife."

"I certainly never told him." said Danielle. "And I only told him my first name."

"You didn't give the gym your name when you worked out there?" Teddy Parker asked. "When you gave them your credit card, or had to sign in?"

"No." said Danielle. "I paid cash, and didn't sign up for their promotional emails. And I may have signed in with only my first name, or just scribbled something."

"Do you remember the date or dates you were there?" Teddy asked.

"Uhh, it was sometime this past Summer." Danielle said. "I don't remember the exact date."

Lamar Linder interceded: "We'll have to check our records, and see when I was at the University and Danielle accompanied me. I'll have my assistant check and get back to you."

Teddy was about to ask something, but I raised my hand to stop him as I said "I would appreciate it if you do send us that. I do need to tell both of you that we are obligated to confirm what you've told us, and we will be investigating you. As discreetly as possible, of course, and if you cooperate, I may can keep the God-cursed Press from finding out anything about it."

I stood up to go, then said: "Oh... Mr. Linder, you should contact my wife, Dr. Laura Fredricson, at University Hospital. She's a gynecologist, but she has treated many men for sexual performance issues. She might be able to help you with your situation."

Julia had noticed what I'd seen out of the corner of my eye: Danielle Linder had visibly reacted to the mention of my wife's name.

"Do you know Dr. Fredricson, Mrs. Linder?" Julia asked incisively.

"Oh!" Danielle said in reaction. "Uhhh, I've heard of her, of course. She's renowned as a psychology professor."

"Thank you for the advice, Commander." said Lamar Linder. "Are we done?"

"Yes." I said. "But I would suggest you both go home to Lexington and stay there. Go to Midtown if you need to, but if you go anywhere else, you need to let the Town & County Police know. Ditto that for you, Mrs. Linder. You should realize that you are both persons of interest in Carl's murder until we can completely clear you."

"We understand." said Lamar Linder. "And thank you for your discretion."

We left the Linders in their hotel room and went to our cars via the side entrance. I thanked Molly for her help, and said I'd talk to her at home later. Julia and Teddy piled into my Police SUV with me, Teddy pulling rank and claiming the shotgun seat.

"So, what did you guys think of that?" I asked them as we began driving home. "What are your observations?"

"Sir," Teddy said, "I happen to know that everyone who visits Town Fitness Centers has to sign in, especially first-time visitors. Even if Danielle paid cash, they would've insisted on an email or a home address, and would have recorded an image of anyone who did not give them that information."

"Yes, I know." I said. "I'm the one that recommended to Cindy to do that, especially after she and Melina were attacked there." (Author's note: 'Russian Roulette', Ch. 01.)

"So why did you stop me from asking more about that, sir?" Teddy asked. "She was getting discombobulated, and we could've pressed that advantage."

I decided to exercise some tough love: "You disappoint me, Mr. Parker. I was hoping you'd become my interrogation guru, as no one else has stepped up. So, teachable moment! Why did I stop you?"

"With respect, sir, that's why I'm asking you, to learn from it." Teddy replied.

I curbed my irritation at the near-insubordination, and said "Okay. First of all, if you'd pressed, they would likely have ended the interview, and in a hostile way. I did not want them agitated, and I was also trying my damnedest to not have to arrest them yet... emphasis on 'yet'. They might have even taken the Fifth, which would've stalled the tremendous progress we have made in this case."

"Progress, sir?" Julia blurted out.

"Yes. Don't you agree?" I replied. After a pregnant moment of silence, I said "Okay, we'll talk about that later. The second thing I want you to think about is this: Town Fitness Centers enters the sign-in sheet data onto their computer database, so even if they don't keep the physical sheets, they have a record. We can get those records and go back and see if and when Danielle Linder went there. And then we can bring her in and ask her some more questions in a much more formal interrogation. So it's better that we use the data we had to get more data we can use to hit her a lot harder at a more appropriate time."

"And third..." I started, but then said "Well, let me ask this first: Detective Rodriguez, what was your analysis of Danielle Linder and our interview with her?"

Julia said "I'm skeptical of her answers, sir. She all but told us we could never prove she paid Carl to inseminate her, which unfortunately is true. The bills weren't sequential serial numbers, so we have no way to trace back a withdrawal she might've made from the bank. And she reacted so strongly to your wife's name that my first thought was that she knew Laura... maybe Laura is her gynecologist."

"I know someone who can find that out." I replied. "And I'll say this. I'm more than just 'skeptical' of Danielle' answers. I think she was straight out lying to us, again and again. And that's my third point, Teddy: You'll be checking the Town Fitness Centers records, but I'm suspecting you're going to find that Danielle did not meet Carl at Town Fitness Centers, nor that she's ever been there at all."

"Then how..." Julia started, then finished: "How did she meet him?"

"Since she's not going to tell us, no matter what," I replied, "that's what we have to find out for ourselves."

Part 12 - Bag Tag

I took Julia and Teddy to lunch at the Cop Bar. Teresa met us there, and we sat at a table in the back room.