Chapter 2
CHAPTER TWO
We took the elevator to the fourth floor. Soft jazz played through the ceiling speakers, and it seemed inappropriate for the soundtrack of a crime scene.
She looked up as we approached. “Sheriff. Doc.” She stood and peeled off one glove. “This is a fun one. Vic is in the master bedroom. Hell of a mess. We’ve left it for you. I’ll bring the team in once you’re done.”
“What do you mean by a fun one?” I asked.
“Maybe interesting is the right word,” she said, shrugging. “You don’t see what’s in there that often. People are messed up.”
I knew what Daniels was trying to say. It’s not that she actually thought finding a dead body was fun for anyone involved.
But when you deal with the dark side of death as often as we do, you start to see the same modes and patterns.
And if Daniels thought the body was interesting, my curiosity was definitely piqued.
“Find anything?” Jack asked.
“Not much so far. Male victim. Ex-girlfriend and her friend are the ones who found the body. They’re downstairs. Building manager is in 401 if you want her. Jessica Contreras. She’s got the details on the victim.”
“Want to talk to her or look at the body first?” Jack asked.
“Let’s talk to her,” I said. “I want a picture going in. Especially if this is going to be interesting.” I arched a brow at Daniels.
“Heard you got a new lab, Doc,” she said.
“Something like that,” I said. “This will be my first homicide in my new space. Come visit some time.”
“You crazy?” She laughed hard enough that tears came to her eyes. “I don’t need a front row seat to your autopsy table. This is as close as I want to get. Besides, I heard you don’t have good ventilation.”
I sighed. This was true. “That’s just mean.”
She was still chuckling as Jack and I headed down to the door at the end of the hall.
Jessica Contreras answered the door of 401 before Jack finished knocking.
She was mid to late thirties with dark hair pulled back in a sleek, high ponytail.
Her black blazer was buttoned over a red-and-black polka-dot blouse and red capris.
Nerves shone behind her eyes, but that wasn’t unusual when Jack and I showed up at someone’s door.
“Ms. Contreras?” Jack asked.
“Yes.” She stepped back to let us in. “Please, come in. I’ve been expecting someone to come by.”
Her voice had a little-girlish quality I found especially irritating.
The condo faced the park, and through the original factory windows I could see the fountain running, the iron benches along the path, and a dog walker cutting across the grass.
The inside of her condo ran warm and personal—a gallery wall of framed botanical prints, a bookshelf packed with well-read books, and a deep-cushioned sofa in burnt orange with a cerulean throw folded across the arm.
A glass of water sat full on the counter bar next to an open laptop, and a barstool was pulled out where she’d been sitting.
“I’m Sheriff Lawson, and this is Dr. Graves, our county coroner.”
She faltered at that announcement and looked at me quickly, emotion making her mouth quiver.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I just can’t believe this is real. Can I get you something? Coffee, water?”
She didn’t wait for us to answer, but set two mugs on the counter and filled both with coffee from the pot. She set cream and sugar on the kitchen table, so Jack and I took that as an invitation to sit down.
“You’re the building manager?” Jack asked.
“Since we opened,” she said. “Four years come October. My office is on the ground floor, but I live here, so I’m available around the clock.
I decided to work from home this morning.
This has never happened to me before. Someone dying here, I mean.
We learn about procedures during training, but it’s not the same as it happening on your watch.
” She wiped down the counter with a dish towel even though it didn’t need it.
“There’s nothing to be nervous about, Ms. Contreras,” Jack said. “Why don’t you sit down and answer a few questions for us, and then we’ll let you get back to work.”
She sighed with relief and said, “I’d appreciate that.
” She took the chair across from us. “I manage a few other properties in the area as well, and it’s the beginning of the month.
Things are always crazy when rent is due.
” And then she remembered she’d left her own glass on the counter, so she got up and brought it back to the table.
“I switched to water. I’ve already drunk a pot of coffee since the cops showed up.
God, I can’t believe Wade is dead. He’s so young. So…vibrant.”
“Just to be clear, Wade is the owner in 403?” Jack asked.
“Yes, Wade Rivers. He’s lived here since the building opened.
One of our original residents.” Something softened in her face when she said it.
“He was an excellent resident. Quiet, respectful, never a noise complaint. Most of our residents purchase their units outright, and he’d opted to do that, so I didn’t handle his payments.
But I assume he was up to date on everything. The HOA rules here are very strict.”
“Did you know him well?” Jack asked.
“As well as a building manager knows a resident.” Her cheeks flushed and she smoothed the front of her blazer.
“We were friendly. He always spoke and said hello. Many residents don’t.
They just treat me like a piece of the furniture or like the concierge here to serve them.
But Wade was different. Always attentive.
He asked questions, and seemed to genuinely want to know the answers. ”
“When did you last see him?” Jack asked.
“Yesterday evening. Around quarter to seven. He was coming in with grocery bags as I was locking up my office downstairs.” She folded her hands on the table. “He held the elevator for me. We rode up together.”
“How did he seem?” I asked.
“Fine. Normal.” She paused just a beat too long. “Happy, maybe. He was in a good mood.”
“Did he say anything about his plans for the evening?” Jack asked.
“Just that he’d had a long day and was ready to relax.” She glanced toward the window. “He was looking forward to the holiday weekend. It’s rare the studio is closed, so he was looking forward to time away. He asked if I had plans.” She hesitated and then added in a soft voice, “I don’t.”
“Was he alone?” Jack asked. “Did he come inside with anyone?”
“It was just him,” she said.
“You saw him go into his condo?”
“No, actually,” she said. “He walked me to my door and waited until I’d unlocked the door. He was a gentleman like that. I assume he went back to his place after.”
“Did you hear any unusual noises last night? Voices or shouts? Anything from his condo?”
“No, but I wouldn’t have. Every condo is soundproof.
” She paused and said, “I wish I had heard something. Maybe he’d still be alive.
” Her composure cracked and her hands fisted on the table as she looked down at them.
“I’m sorry,” she said again. “I’m not usually this emotional. I’m having trouble processing.”
“It’s okay,” Jack said. “You never know how you’ll handle something like this until you have to. You’re doing fine. Did he have any regular visitors?” Jack wrapped his hands around his mug, but he still hadn’t taken a drink.
“I don’t track guests,” she said. “Residents are allowed to have however many guests as they’d like.”
“But you have someone at the front desk,” Jack said. “And cameras. Surely there are people you notice if they’re a repeat visitor?”
“The concierge is at the desk from seven to seven,” she said.
“And then after hours the lobby is key fob entry only, or a resident can release the locks from their condo if they’re expecting guests.
But to answer your question, yes, this is a small building.
You do start to recognize those who come and go.
We’re trained to be attentive and pay attention, usually because of theft. ”
“And what have you noticed about Mr. Rivers’s guests?” Jack asked.
She picked at the edge of her thumbnail. “I told you before, he’s very friendly. Personable and a gentleman. And he was very attractive. That lends itself to a certain lifestyle.”
“What do you mean by that?” I asked.
“I mean Wade loved women, and women loved him. He wasn’t the kind of man who settled down. He gave everything to his career, and there was nothing left over for a real relationship.”
“So are you saying there were a lot of women in and out of Wade’s condo over the last four years?” Jack asked.
“Yes, but not all of them were romantic interests,” she said stiffly. “I know he also gave private Pilates lessons out of his condo. Which technically, he wasn’t supposed to do, but I didn’t report him. It wasn’t a big deal.”
“How many women?” Jack asked.
“I couldn’t say,” she said.
“How about in the last month?”
She paused and her lips tightened. “Things changed a few months ago. He moved a woman in with him. Paige Marsh. He filled out all the paperwork to add her to his condo and listed her as his roommate. He gave her a fob for the building and a key to the condo. I was shocked to say the least. I’d only seen her a couple of times before.
I thought she was one of his clients. But he said she was a friend who was going through a hard time and needed a place to stay.
He was a kind and generous man, and he was an easy target for those who’d take advantage. ”
I arched a brow at the intensity of her loyalty. And also her obvious dislike for the woman.
“You think Paige was taking advantage of him?” Jack asked.
“Of course she was,” Jessica said adamantly. “She had a good job in the medical field of some kind. She was always wearing scrubs. And she drives a Tesla. She always had it plugged in at the chargers we keep in the covered parking. Four months is a long time to mooch off Wade’s hospitality.”
“And he and Paige never had a sexual relationship that you know of?” Jack asked.
She rolled her eyes and shook her head. “Not for lack of trying on her part. When she wasn’t in scrubs she hardly wore any clothes at all.
Always trying to show off her body, thinking Wade would be into her because she’s fit or something.
But I saw through her ruse pretty easily.
Besides, I saw her with a guy a couple of different times.
Always when Wade was at work too. One time I was heading to the elevator and she was letting the guy out of the condo.
She was only wearing a bathrobe. She didn’t look happy to see me. ”
“Any other long-term guests besides Paige?” I asked.
She thought for a minute. “Now that you mention it there was a woman when he first moved in. Her name was listed on his agreement, and he’d introduced her as his girlfriend.
But that didn’t last long. Maybe a couple of weeks.
Actually, she caused quite a scene in the lobby yelling and throwing things.
She did some damage and broke a window. Said he was cheating on her and just went crazy.
I was still new to the job, so it left an impression. ”
“You remember her name?” I asked.
“I can look it up,” she said. “I’d really forgotten all about it until you asked.
I was going to call the police, but Wade was mortified by her behavior and he begged me to let her go.
He promised to pay for all the damages. He just said it had been a rough breakup and she wasn’t in her right mind.
And he did pay for everything. He even apologized to all the residents and gave them free passes to his studio for a month. ”
“Very generous,” I said.
“I told you.” She looked at me accusingly and I decided the best course of action was to drink my coffee so my face didn’t give away my thoughts. I wasn’t a good poker player, though I’d improved considerably over the years.
“What about cameras?” Jack asked. “Someone was able to get into Wade’s condo and kill him, despite the key fobs and man at the front desk. What’s the setup look like?”
“We’ve got cameras in the lobby, front entrance, parking area, elevators, the mailroom, and the pool. There’s no coverage on the residential floors. The residents voted against it when we opened. Privacy concerns. The footage runs on a thirty-day loop. It’s all still there.”
“We’ll need access to all of it,” Jack said. “I can get a warrant if that makes it easier for your employers.”
“I’ll go ahead and give you access,” she said. “But send me the warrant so I’ve got the paperwork to send to corporate. I watch CSI. I know these first hours are crucial for the investigation, and I don’t want to hold anything up.”
“We appreciate that,” Jack said, and I almost laughed at the small twitch at the corner of his eye.
There was nothing more detrimental to law enforcement than amateur detectives who watched too much crime television. We’d once had a guy take his own set of fingerprints and tape them down on paper, which essentially ruined every viable print we could have gotten at the crime scene.
Law enforcement would be easy if it wasn’t for the people.