Chapter 9
The city police station is busy, bustling with all sorts of people in and out. Some, less willing than others, being dragged in shouting and yelling with their cuffs snapped tight.
Just being in one of the bland interview rooms has Kara feeling uneasy. She’s spent so much of her life trying to avoid being in one of these places, always fearing that one day her father would land her in one, lying to save his ass.
The irony that she chose a career where she would need to support other people in these scenarios is not lost on her.
So, here she sits next to her rather prolific client, nose filled with his crisp cologne as they wait to be seen. Her mind races with ways to make sure nothing, absolutely nothing the police come up with sticks to him in any way. While Kara doubts Dietrich has anything to do with the torture ring offshoot from the Dark Mirage , she doesn’t doubt that he’s done something, at some point in his life to make the cops want his ass.
She’s seen the way officers look at him with some form of reserved dislike that they can’t truly express.
Dieter’s hand suddenly settles on her bouncing knee, stilling it. His palm is warm. “Chill.” He says coolly, without looking at her, thankfully removing his hand. “You know these types sniff out any sign of nervousness. If you’re nervous, we’re not in control.”
Damn him, he’s right.
“I am in control.” Kara bites her lower lip. “Remember what we talked about. Don’t answer anything that doesn’t pertain to your involvement with the financing of the Dark Mirage . We’re here about that and nothing else.”
Checking his watch in a show of boredom, Dieter leans back in his chair. His collection is enviable. As is the tailoring of his fine suit. Kara needs to find out who dresses him so that they can dress her next .
The interview room door opens and Kara feels her heart begin to race even as a friendly face appears. Ray Wellis gives her a grim nod as he enters the room with his partner, who is far less amenable. “Kara. I wish we were meeting under more pleasant terms.”
Smiling tightly at him, holding onto her power mask, the one she needs for this meeting, she replies, “Maybe next time, Detective Wellis.” Making eye contact with the harsh older woman beside him, Kara gives a grim smile of recognition. “Nice to see you again Detective Collins.”
The woman huffs and makes no response. The first time she met Kara, she’d been certain Kara was a prostitute on the rougher side of town, thanks to Nicholas Havenwood-Calais and his limo full of licentious whore-hounds.
“Mr. Bittinger. Are you aware of why you’re here?” Ray asks Dieter to begin the interview.
“I’m sure it has to do with my previous investments in Paxton Brooker,” Dieter says calmly, relaxed in his seat. “As I’m sure my lawyer has told you, I’m eager to assist in any way I can.”
Don’t lay it on too thick, Dieter , she thinks.
Folders and papers make their way to the table.
“Talk to me about these documents,” Detective Collins asks, tapping one bitten fingernail at the papers.
Dieter’s eyes flicker down to look at the papers laid before him. “It looks like finance agreements.”
Ray’s mouth twitches in subtle annoyance. “How perceptive of you. Look closer. These are assets that you are known to have financed for Paxton Brooker.”
A noncommittal shoulder lift. “Sure. Pax is good at starting up clubs and bars and making them profitable. My team writes a contract, I fund him, and-”
“And he pays heavy interest to you?” Ray interrupts rudely, dislike plain as day in his gaze.
That devious fox grin makes its appearance on Dieter’s face. “I know it’s hard to remember, but I am not a charity.”
Detective Collins pushes forward a document with an image of a warehouse, along with a deed in Paxton’s name. “The charitable type would never fund this sort of endeavor. And fund it you did. Because you like profit .”
Kara looks down at the documentation stating Paxton received a loan backing his purchase. Unease stirs, unwelcome. She can’t look at Dieter, can’t say anything in front of the police. You didn’t give him the money for this, you ass , she finds herself thinking in a panic. You better not have.
Despite the anxiety tugging at Kara, Dieter remains unfazed. “You assume much, thinking I always know exactly what Paxton does with the money I give him.”
“You don’t vet the sort of ventures he gets into before attaching yourself to it?”
“I’m not the sort of man to have the time. Other people do that for me.” Dieter smiles pleasantly even though his eyes remain cool. “ So many people come to me for financing, you understand? How can I recall what was what? If Pax buys a warehouse for storing product, I don’t question it. I’m not going to go there personally and make sure that’s what he’s using it for.”
“Storing product?” Ray says coldly. “Try storing people for torture!”
“I leave the detective work to people like you,” Dieter replies with a hint of attitude. “Are you expecting me to go walk into every single operation I’ve ever financed and check to confirm what is there? Aside from the paperwork and contracts signed by legal? When would I have the time? I would have to fly all over the world to achieve such a feat.”
Ray’s jaw clenches.
Sitting up straighter, Kara pushes her own piece into the matter to support Dieter’s callous words. Callous, because she doesn’t like them, but she knows the reality of such things. “Detective Wellis, surely you can understand. When people like my client are asked to invest, they are given paperwork, assurances, sales pitches, contracts…there isn’t always something to see . You invest based on the word of who you invest in. My client has done a lot of business with Paxton Brooker; he had no reason to be suspicious of one small investment.”
Detective Collins gives her a dry look filled with aversion. She’s always given Kara that look, even all that time ago when she first visited her in the hospital that dreaded night Kara unknowingly met Nicholas Havenwood-Calais for the first time. Collins probably is still convinced that Kara is a call girl of some sort. No doubt. “Your elaborations are unnecessary.”
Scowling, Kara leans forward with both hands on the table, saying, “It’s my job to defend my client. I can elaborate all I want. It’s what I’m paid to do. Move on to more questions.”
Dieter cracks his neck idly, enjoying her waspish tone in his defense.
Ray sighs and shifts through more documents and folders. When he looks up again, he asks, “Where were you Friday, April 27th?”
Dieter’s head tilts curiously and he opens his mouth-
For whatever reason, Kara senses she’d rather he not answer. An ill-omen hovers. “My client is a busy man; he will have to consult his rather busy calendar in order to answer to the fullest extent. Why? ”
Ray takes a long gulp from his can of Red Bull. He never quits with the caffeine, good grief. “You may have heard. One of the chief witnesses was found dead in her home, the same day it was determined we would be interviewing her about her involvement in the torture videos.”
Trying to keep a neutral face, Kara mentally considers where the cops are trying to go with this questioning. It points to bad things. How can she stall?
Dieter’s eyes narrow slightly, his expression going otherwise flat and unamused. “I’m a murderer now, is that what you’re saying? I thought we were here about Paxton Brooker’s financial endeavors. Bit of a bait and switch, Detective Wilkins.”
“It’s Detective Wellis,” Ray corrects shortly. He opens his mouth to say more, but there’s a harsh knock on the door, just as it swings open unceremoniously. A haggard, older man in a poorly fitted suit sticks his head in and scowls at Ray. His badge glitters on his belt.
“Wrap this up now.” The older man nods to Dieter with an apologetic look. “I’m sorry about all this. Formalities and all.”
Dieter beams disarmingly. “I understand, Captain. You’re just doing your job.”
Ray looks askance. “But, Captain, we’re-”
“No buts.” The older man shakes his head dismissively. “You’ve had your time with him. This interview is over. Now .”
Detective Collins rubs her eyes in frustration, cursing under her breath.
Kara frowns. Can he really just end it like that?
“I hope all is going well on your path to the Commissioner title,” Dieter says politely as he stands up from his seat. “It’s been a long time coming.”
The Captain’s face freezes a bit, as if unsure of what to say, then nods shortly. “Thank you, Mr. Bittinger. Have a good day.”
Kara stands up and situates herself, mulling over the strange exchange.
“One last thing,” Ray says, keeping them from leaving. “Do you recognize this man?” He pushes a black and white photo across the table towards Dieter.
Dieter glances down at it, emotionless.
This is pushing the envelope. Her client has been dismissed.
Kara stands up and slaps her hand over the face that stares up at them. “What is the relevance to your case with Paxton Brooker and my client financing him?”
Ray seems surprised by her sharp interruption. “This man is a known trafficker who may or may not be involved with the torture ring that operated in the warehouse. He’s a dangerous man with a reputation that has followed him from the darkest prisons of South America.”
How dare Ray blindside her like this? Trying to pin trafficking on her client now? Trying to tie him to criminals?
This hardens her resolve. “You brought my client in here to discuss the matter of if he knew what Paxton Brooker was doing with the warehouse when he funded it. My client answered already. We will not be answering questions about actually running the torture ring!”
On the table, a swarthy man stares up from the photo, multiple tattoos crawling up his neck, tattoos on fingers that Kara is certain she’s seen holding a cigarette. Dieter may have never seen him before, but Kara has.
She’s certain of it.
Outside her window at night.