Chapter Ten
On Friday afternoon, Lexi invited Cooper to accompany her to a groundbreaking ceremony for a mixed-use development in downtown Phoenix, near the thriving Roosevelt Row Arts District.
The dual real estate developers partnering for the project—which would comprise more than fifty thousand square feet of office, retail, restaurant and residential space—were the Kenniston Group and Wolftyn Senmoore Developments.
She was one of several architects in on the design, including her friend, Pamela Rennick.
Lexi introduced her to Cooper. “Pamela and I attended U of A together and we’ve been friends ever since.”
“Cool.” Cooper grinned and shook her hand. “Nice to meet you, Pamela.”
“You, too,” she said, offering a smile.
Lexi was sure that she would need to satisfy Pamela’s curiosity about Cooper.
And would be happy to do so—eager to share news about her romantic involvement with the FBI agent who had awakened new desires within her.
But that would have to wait as they turned to the podium, where Mayor Toni Alonso—fortysomething and medium-sized with a dark blonde A-line bob and square glasses—was starting to speak about the massive development project.
Standing beside her was Jarrod Inzunza, the managing partner for Wolftyn Senmoore Developments, who was next to his wife, Brooke Inzunza.
Jarrod, tall and handsome in his early fifties, had brown hair in a curtain cut, gray eyes, and was smooth-shaven.
Brooke, on the other hand, around the same age, was petite and thin with fiery long, wavy red hair and blue eyes.
Lexi thought they made a cute couple. She was sure others would see her and Cooper the same way once they went public with it, now that things had begun to heat up between them.
Lexi glanced at members of the city council in attendance, along with Gilbert Jacquin, the City of Phoenix’s special projects administrator, and senior project manager Terry Morikawa and development associate Jessalyn Cordero of the Kenniston Group.
Turning to Cooper, Lexi smiled and said with appreciation, “Thanks for coming.”
He grinned back at her and responded, “Happy to do so. This is your world and I’m glad to be a part of it. Not to mention, the more developments in town and revenue and investments generated from it—the better for everyone.”
“I agree,” she said, and mused reluctantly, except where it concerns greed, bribery—and even murder.
“So do I,” Pamela seconded with enthusiasm. “All roads in architecture have to begin somewhere. This is a prime example of that.”
Lexi flashed her teeth. “Sounds like someone with skin in the game.”
Pamela chuckled. “Guilty as charged.”
Cooper said with amusement, “Looks like the moment everyone has been waiting for—”
They watched as the mayor, Jarrod, Terry and Gilbert—all wearing hard hats—used ceremonial ground-breaking shovels to dig into the soft dirt, with local dignitaries and others in attendance cheering them on.
AFTER LEXI HITCHED a ride home with Pamela, Cooper headed out to the Phoenix Children’s Hospital on East Thomas Road, where he was meeting with Special Agent Frank Magistretti.
Frank had learned that Mitzi Roscorla, the building inspector who took over Horace Eckhart’s assignments, had a sick daughter who was being treated for a blood disorder.
The concern was that Mitzi, under financial pressure for the treatment, might be vulnerable to exploitation by the same crooked unsub or unsubs in the construction industry who latched on to Eckhart.
Cooper hoped they might stop her from doing something she might regret—for the sake of her daughter, Kristen. And if the building inspector had been approached by someone, they wanted to know who it was, when and where.
Coming upon Frank in the lobby, Cooper asked, “Where is Mitzi now?”
“With her daughter,” he replied. “From what I understand, she visits Kristen every day around this time before heading back to work.”
Just as Cooper was wondering if they should wait and question her on the job or at home, they spotted the building inspector as she entered the lobby.
“Let’s see if she’s been compromised,” he said thoughtfully.
“Yeah—and if so, by whom,” Frank concurred as they approached her.
Cooper had already removed his badge and credentials when he asked, “Mitzi Roscorla?”
Mitzi regarded him, ill at ease. “Yes?”
“FBI Special Agent Reid and this is Special Agent Magistretti,” Cooper told her. “I wonder if we could have a word with you?”
“May I ask what this is about?” she questioned.
“Horace Eckhart,” he replied, as a basis for any potential culpability on her part.
“Uh…okay,” Mitzi responded tentatively, meeting his steady gaze.
Frank looked at her. “Why don’t we find somewhere to sit—”
They went to the cafeteria on the main floor, and sat in chairs around a small circular table.
Cooper peered at the building inspector and, without prelude, said tersely, “We’re investigating public corruption allegedly perpetrated by Horace Eckhart, which I’m sure you’ve been made aware of?”
Mitzi nodded. “Gretchen Blanchett filled me in on the allegations against Horace,” she said of the assistant director of inspections. “I don’t know what this has to do with me?”
Hopefully nothing, Cooper thought, but wasn’t in the business of making assumptions.
He squared his jaw. “We need to know if anyone has offered you money, gifts or anything else of value—in order to cut corners, expedite permits, look the other way or some other means of receiving favorable treatment in your role as a building inspector in charge of the approval process in compliance with building codes and the like.”
Mitzi batted her eyes. “No one has tried to bribe me,” she asserted. “If so, I would have turned them down.”
Frank leaned toward Mitzi and, furrowing his brow, said toughly, “We’re aware that you have a sick daughter.
And that you’re struggling to deal with the bills not covered by your insurance.
I suspect that it didn’t take much for whoever had Eckhart on the take to learn about your predicament—and offer you a way out—so long as you played ball.
If this is the case, now would be the time to come clean and let us help you—”
“It isn’t the case!” Mitzi raised her voice an octave.
“I haven’t been contacted by anyone to take Horace’s place—if that’s what you’re getting at.
Yes, my daughter is very ill, and it’s been tough on me to deal with.
But I swear to you that I would never commit a crime to pay for her treatment with money I didn’t earn or borrow through legitimate means.
I have no wish to go to jail—or end up dead like Horace—and not be there for my daughter when she most needs me.
If there is someone else in our department accepting bribes, you’ll need to look elsewhere. ”
Cooper saw no indication of wavering in her tone or expression. He couldn’t help but imagine the gut-wrenching pain of having an ill child. Who wouldn’t do anything to help that child? But there were always other ways to deal with such than violating the public trust in committing a crime.
Beyond that, Cooper regretted that he and Melanie never got the opportunity to bring children into the world. Maybe with Lexi the possibility was there and their children would enjoy all the wonderful things that might come their way.
Cooper handed Mitzi his card. “If anyone should approach you with an offer for money or anything else of value in exchange for your cooperating on a building project, let us know.”
“I will,” she promised, before they ended the questioning.
Outside the hospital, Frank shrugged. “If nothing else, she’ll think twice—in case desperation and opportunity mixes like the ingredients in a dirty martini—before she decides to do something stupid and takes a bribe and the consequences that goes with it.”
“You’re right about that,” Cooper concurred. “Doesn’t mean that whoever corrupted Eckhart won’t try the same with another building inspector. If someone else isn’t already on the take.”
“Yeah, there’s always that to consider in the scheme of things.” Frank scratched his chin. “Some developers and their associates are clearly willing to stoop to any level to gain the upper hand on the competition.”
Cooper sighed thoughtfully. “That includes murder,” he stated, knowing that the two men who offed Eckhart were still on the loose. And had to be regarded as armed and dangerous.
LEXI WAS GLAD that Pamela volunteered to give her a lift home when Cooper got a call and had to leave the ground-breaking ceremony abruptly.
Duty called, and Lexi needed to get used to this if they wanted to be successful as a couple.
Just as he would need to adjust to the demands that her profession could put on a relationship.
On her covered patio, Lexi sat with Pamela on teakwood upholstered Adirondack chairs. Both were holding goblets with white wine.
Pamela peered over her wineglass and asked inquisitively, “So, what is it you’re not telling me about Cooper Reid—other than the obvious, that you like him?”
“You’re right about liking him,” Lexi confirmed, knowing this moment was coming. “We’ve been seeing each other for a short while.” It somehow seemed longer to her. Did it to him, too? “Aside from that, Cooper’s an FBI special agent,” she told her flatly.
Pamela cocked a brow. “Seriously?”
“Yes.” Lexi tasted the wine. “In fact, Cooper’s investigating the death of the building inspector, Horace Eckhart—and whether or not it involved Horace’s suspected venture into public corruption.
” She eyed her friend. “That’s actually how we met.
Cooper questioned me about Horace and anything I knew or didn’t know. ”
“I see.” Pamela sipped her wine. “So, I take it you passed the innocent-of-any-wrongdoing test with flying colors?”