Chapter 46
FORTY-SIX
Amanda sat back and relaxed her posture, meeting Howard’s gaze. “You came with us willingly. You’ve sat there, waiving your right to a lawyer. But you were surprised we suspected you of four felonies, as if you had at least one in mind. What did you think we pulled you in for?”
“I’ve been debating since I’ve been here whether I want to say. There’s no obligation for me to do so, but I will say this much. I figured you’d discover something about me when you were looking into Dominique’s life.”
Amanda clasped her hands on the table. “And what is that?”
“Nah. I’m no longer in the sharing mood. The fact you pegged me as stealing from my own company and accused me of hiring someone to kill Dominique has me changing my mind. I can’t trust either of you. Also, from what I see you have no cause to hold me, so I’m going to leave now.”
Amanda stood and told him, “Please, just five more minutes.”
She left the room with Trent and went next door to the observation room.
Malone was shaking his head. “Without those requisition forms, we have nothing on him in the embezzlement case, and without that, where’s his motive to want Sharp dead?”
“Though he just admitted he feared we would uncover something about him when looking into Dominique’s life.
I, for one, would like to know what that is,” she said.
“I suspect it sheds light on why he’d accept a lowball offer on his family’s firm.
Because given the way he reacted to my question now and the first time we spoke with him, it feels like he was strong-armed into the deal. ”
“I’d like to know too, but we can’t force him to talk, and we have nothing to hold him,” Malone pointed out.
“What if Howard Gabay has an inkling about who was stealing the money from his company?” Trent said, taking things in another direction.
“Based on…?” Malone popped his eyes.
“Trent could be right, Sarge. He has been denying the embezzlement in general terms, saying no one in the firm would do this. But his speech was shaky when he asked what name was on the accounts, like someone came to mind. What if he’s trying to protect this person?
But who would demand such loyalty?” She met Trent’s eye, and it clicked together.
“We know Corey Shea hired the killer for someone. We don’t know who. ”
“But Amanda and I believe that Corey Shea and Howard’s son, Sullivan Gabay, are lovers,” Trent wedged in.
“Could we be looking at the wrong Gabay then?” Malone asked. “If Howard suspects his son is involved in the embezzlement, that would be someone he’d want to protect.”
“It could also explain Shea’s silence. He’d want to protect Sullivan too. And Sullivan would have reason to set up Harris from another slant. He didn’t destroy his marriage, but he broke up his family,” Trent reasoned.
“Let’s say that is the case. Where’s his motive for killing Dominique Sharp?” Malone asked.
“He’s not as happy about her taking over the family firm as he let on?” Amanda suggested one possibility.
“So he puts the money back into the company so it’s certain to stand out,” Trent said, talking this out. “Finch would take the fall and get sent to prison, and Sullivan would get his revenge for Finch breaking up his parents. Also, Sharp might lose interest in the firm.”
“But she didn’t. Maybe Sullivan didn’t know she just received the books on Friday.”
“It sounds like it’s time to bring Sullivan Gabay in for a chat,” Malone said.
“It does, but just give us one moment before we do that.” Amanda was tired of smacking into corners and trying to feel her way out. She wanted to get this case wrapped up once and for all. “I’m going to pop in with Corey Shea to test our theory.”
Trent and Malone followed her down the hall. Malone set up in the neighboring observation room while she and Trent went in with Corey and his lawyer.
“Detectives, it’s about time. My client and I have been waiting here for an hour.” The attorney clearly wanted to be seen as the one in charge.
Amanda didn’t bother taking a seat or responding to the lawyer, and neither did Trent.
“Corey, we have Sullivan Gabay in the other room,” Amanda lied and slowed her speech as Corey met her eye. “He’s talking to us. Is there anything you want to say?”
Corey smiled. “Nah, Sully would never throw me under the bus.”
The lawyer let out a deep sigh and shook his head. Corey didn’t realize he’d just lost his bargaining chip for a deal, and it hadn’t even taken much to get him to part with it.
She resisted the urge to smile. They had both of them. “Why are you so confident he wouldn’t?” Amanda had an idea why but wanted to hear it from Corey.
Corey’s eyes jabbed toward his lawyer.
“You don’t need to be quiet now,” he said in a huff.
“He loves me, and I love him. We’ve been together for a year.”
“Is that why you did as he asked?” Though Amanda wagered cash had some influence in the matter too.
“I would do anything for him.”
The lawyer shifted, again shaking his head. Frustration was coming off the guy, and she couldn’t blame him. In his position, she’d be frustrated as hell. Corey wasn’t letting him represent him or protect his rights. Instead he’d wedged himself into a tight corner.
“And by anything, you are admitting for the record that you hired a contract killer on Sullivan Gabay’s behalf to take out Dominique Sharp?” Amanda perched her hands on her hips.
“Yes.”
The lawyer was now doodling on his notepad, and Amanda didn’t blame him for that either. He might as well entertain himself somehow.
“You are under arrest for conspiracy to commit murder, hiring a hit person, and two counts of murder. And this isn’t over yet.
The number of felony charges against you could increase depending on the course of the night.
” They could already add one for shooting at officers from the incident at Blackburn’s house too.
But Amanda left the room, leaving behind a gaping-mouthed Corey and a disgruntled lawyer.
“We’ve got him,” Trent said to her once they were in the hallway.
Malone left the observation room and ran into them in the hall. “I’ll get Sullivan Gabay brought in.”
“Thanks.” Amanda told the officer that he was to continue to monitor Corey’s laptop, and to have another officer escort him to a holding cell. To Trent, she said, “Now it’s time to catch our killer.”