Chapter Seven
CHAPTER SEVEN
S am directed him toward the “quick” way, as if such a thing existed in her city even late on a Sunday, the most endless day ever, and sat back to text Gonzo for specifics about where she was going.
He responded with an address on Webster Street Northwest, near the National Conservatory of Arts.
What do we know?
Husband came home from being gone all day to find the wife dead in the bathroom attached to their bedroom.
Reminds me of Ginny McLeod.
Funny, I said the same thing to Cam.
Ginny McLeod had been found dead in her garage by her husband when he returned from playing golf. She’d later been tied to a massive fraud that’d been the motive for murder. They’d closed that case right before Nelson died and their lives changed forever. Ah, she thought, remember that? And they’d thought things were crazy before. Haha. They’d been na?ve babies before Thanksgiving made them her bitch.
She smiled at the thought of telling Nick that, but her smile quickly faded when she recalled what she was keeping from him .
Her phone rang with a call from Malone.
“You got the word on Crestwood?”
“Headed there now.”
“I’m sending Dominguez and Carlucci to meet you. Turn it over to them and go home.”
“Thank you, Jesus.”
“That’s Jake, but you can feel free to call me Jesus.”
“Haha, everyone is a comedian today.”
“Me and who else?”
“Cruz, as usual, and Vernon.”
He caught her eye in the mirror and smiled.
“Where are we with the Rodriguez investigation?”
“Early days. We met with the roommate, and Haggerty’s team is heading over to his apartment to execute the warrant for Juan’s electronics and other evidence. Cruz is trying to track down the FWB.”
“The what?”
“Friend with benefits. How old are you?”
“Old enough that I haven’t had one of those in thirty-three years.”
“You don’t need one. You’ve got a wife, the ultimate FWB.”
“Go home, Holland. You’re getting punchy.”
“Yes, sir. Thanks for sending the cavalry.”
“Great arrest today, Lieutenant. Archie has footage of it from one of our cameras.”
“Awesome,” she said dryly.
“It was indeed. Wait until you see it.”
“I’m picturing a water buffalo taking down an unsuspecting ant.”
“That was my thought exactly! How’d you know that?”
“I’m ending this call.”
His laughter echoed through the phone as she slapped it closed. Fools. She was surrounded by them, but thank God for the gallows humor that kept her mind off the secret she was keeping from almost everyone who mattered to her .
Her phone buzzed with a text from her stepmother, Celia. Thinking of you! Had a nice chat with the kids earlier. They said you were working all day and had arrested a bad guy. Good for you. The gals and I are having a blast in LA. Today we did Rodeo Drive and felt very fancy. We pretended to be Julia in Pretty Woman and generally made a scene. Next to San Fran. Miss you all!
Sam smiled at the vision of Celia and her sisters prancing around in Beverly Hills. Miss you, too . So glad you girls are having a blast. You deserve all the fun and good things. Glad you got to chat with the kids. They miss you, too, but everyone is doing well, and Mom is holding down the fort for you.
Glad to hear!
When you get back, I want to talk to you about an idea I had for Ninth Street. Nothing urgent.
I’ve got time if you do. What are you thinking?
Ever since the home invasion incident at Avery and Shelby’s, everyone is looking for safer living situations. We’re going to rent our place to Gonzo and Christina. I thought yours might be good for Freddie and Elin, but only if it works for you. Not sure if you’re ready to cut the cord, so feel free to say no. Of course you’ll have a home with us no matter where we end up afterward.
Afterward, Sam thought. After their time in the White House ended in the far-off future.
I like the idea. Let me think about it while I’m gone. I think I might be ready to cut the cord. I don’t want to live there without your dad, and I love being with you guys and the kids. Seems silly to have the house sitting there empty if someone could be using it.
And you could make some $$.
True… I’ll be back to you about this. It’s a great idea!
Enjoy every minute of your trip. Love you!
Love you, too! Sent some pics to Scotty.
I’ll check them out when I get home. Be safe and have a blast!
Celia and her sisters were spending a month touring the West Coast before their Alaskan cruise in May.
Sam would never admit to wishing she had a smart phone so she could see the pictures now, but if she kept the thought to herself, no one would ever know she’d had it. As the long day caught up with her, she rested her head against the back of the seat. She could never wait to get home to Nick, but tonight she was filled with apprehension about how she’d handle things with him.
Her conversation with the chief ran through her mind. Maybe they’d told her not to tell him knowing she’d never keep this from him . Was that the case? Would she be doing the right thing for him and the country by telling him what she knew? She’d give anything to know what the right thing was, but she was sure of one thing—keeping this from him wasn’t an option. If she did, she feared the very foundation of their union might crack beneath them. From the beginning, he’d hated when she kept things from him, even if she was doing it to protect him. She physically shuddered at the thought of real trouble with him. She’d never be able to handle that.
The SUV coming to a stop jarred her out of her thoughts.
“This is as close as we can get,” Vernon said.
“Good enough.”
“I’ll go with you.”
She wanted to tell him that wasn’t necessary, but she knew it was pointless. There was no way he’d let her go to a murder scene alone, especially since Freddie wasn’t with her. A few months ago, she would’ve chafed at that. Now she was comforted by his presence. Funny how that happened.
“What a day, huh?” he asked as they walked toward flashing lights a block and a half away.
“Yep. Sorry to keep you so late.”
“Are you kidding? This is the most fun I’ve ever had on this job.”
She turned to him, stunned. “Really?”
“Yes, Sam, really. Security is often super boring. Rote routine. Redundancy. There’s none of that on your detail.”
“Well, thank you. I think. ”
“You’re more than welcome,” he said with a low chuckle.
“I bet your other subjects haven’t had you out running the streets at nine o’clock on a Sunday night.”
“No, they haven’t.”
“I’m sorry to keep you away from your family all day.”
“It’s fine. My wife and daughters were away for a spa weekend, whatever that is, and weren’t due home until tonight anyway.”
“A spa weekend,” Sam said with a sigh. “How do I get me one of them?”
“Ma’am… You’re the first lady of the United States of America and a badass detective. If you want a spa weekend, have a spa weekend.”
“I can just, like… do that?”
“I can’t tell if you’re being serious or not.”
“I guess it never occurred to me that I could.”
“When we get back in the car,” he said, “I’m gonna tell you something important.”
“Thank you for the warning.”
Patrol Officer Clare lifted the yellow tape for Sam and Vernon, who ducked under it. “Good to see you, LT.” He’d matured a bit since Sam had last seen him and now looked more like a man than a boy.
“You as well. What’ve we got?”
“White woman, age forty-six, found dead in the bathroom off the main bedroom on the second floor.”
Sam glanced at the house, which was a large white colonial with black shutters. She’d known a few kids who lived up here when she was in high school and had envied them their leafy streets and grassy yards. There’d been no yards on Ninth Street. As much as she loved Capitol Hill, she could picture them living in an area like this after Nick left office. The kids would want a yard after living at the White House, with all its grass and open space.
She followed Officer Clare into the house, aware of Vernon following her but giving her the space to work that she needed. He remained in the foyer while she and Clare went upstairs. “Have you called the ME?”
“Yes, ma’am. Dr. Tomlinson is on the way with his team, as is Crime Scene.”
Haggerty and his people would be up all night with two new cases demanding their attention. “Excellent. Thank you. Where’s the husband?”
“My partner is with him on the back porch.”
He led her into the main bedroom, which was huge and lovely, with one of those cathedral-ceiling thingies. They cut through a massive closet with a fancy chandelier, custom built-ins and an island in the center with more drawers and cubbies. A robe was tossed over the counter on the island. They entered an opulent bathroom, where a naked woman lay on the floor in a pool of blood under her head. A bath towel was in a pile next to her, and slippers were on the floor, as if they’d been waiting for her to come out of the shower. Patrol had left her uncovered so Sam and her team could see how she’d been found.
As Sam approached her, she was saddened for a woman she’d never met and would never know. “What’s her name?”
“Elaine Myerson. Mother of two teens. She works for a lobby firm.”
“What’s their issue?”
“The husband said oil.”
“Do people kill over oil?”
“Um, I’m not sure, ma’am.”
Sam missed Freddie. He would’ve known the question was rhetorical. She squatted next to the body for a closer look at the bloody injury to the back of her head that’d ended her life. “This feels personal. Overtaken while coming out of the shower. Vulnerable.”
“Yes, I suppose so.”
“Any sign of a murder weapon?”
“No, ma’am. We did a quick look through the house but didn’t see anything. And there was no trail of blood or anything like that.”
“If it’s in the house, the CSU detectives will find it. What about cameras?”
“We saw some positioned around the house and outside, but we’ll need the homeowner to provide access. We haven’t asked for that yet. We wanted to wait for you.”
“I’ll talk to the husband about that. Good job, Officer Clare. Thank you.”
“Thank you, ma’am.”
Detectives Carlucci and Dominguez arrived as Sam stood to her full height and swayed ever so slightly as exhaustion overtook her. She blinked them into focus, Carlucci tall and blonde, Dominguez petite and dark-haired. “Glad to see you, ladies. I’m ready to hand off to you.”
“Thirteen hours later, you must be toast,” Carlucci said.
“That’s a good word for what I am.” Sam caught them up on what she knew so far. “I’d like to talk to the husband while one of you takes pictures. The other can come with me.”
“I’ll do the pics,” Gigi said.
“How’re you doing?” Sam asked her.
“All good, LT. Thanks for asking.”
“Glad to have you back to full steam.”
“Glad to be full of steam.”
Sam was thankful that most of the trouble caused by Cameron Green’s ex-fiancée was now in the past for both her detectives and that they could get back to enjoying their new relationship. They still faced a wrongful death lawsuit from the ex’s family, but no one expected that to go anywhere.
“Cover her up after you take the pics.”
“Will do.”
Sam went downstairs with Carlucci and Clare, who showed them through the spacious home to the back porch, where Officer Youncy watched over Mr. Myerson.
The young woman nodded to Sam and Dani as they came out on the porch. “Frank Myerson, this is Lieutenant Holland and Detective Carlucci. They’d like to speak to you if you’re able.”
“Thank you,” Sam said to Youncy.
She sat across from the man on furniture right out of the Frontgate catalog that used to make her wonder who could afford the stuff they sold.
“We’re sorry to intrude at such a difficult time,” she said, “but as you can imagine, the first few hours are critical in a homicide investigation.”
He raised his head and wiped tears from his face. “Homicide?”
“Yes, sir.” He had salt-and-pepper hair and wore a light blue dress shirt with dark trousers. “We believe your wife was murdered.”
“That isn’t possible. Who would kill her? Everyone loves her.”
Sam wished she had a buck for every time she heard someone say that about a murder victim. She could retire early. “Was she having trouble with anyone in her life?”
“No, of course not.”
“You say that like it’s impossible for people to have conflicts with others.”
“Elaine wasn’t like that. She’s a gentle, caring soul. When I say everyone loves her, I mean it.” His eyes filled. “What am I supposed to do without her? She’s my whole world.”
“We’re very sorry for your loss. Where were you today?”
“I was at a day-long staff retreat in Bethesda.”
“Can someone confirm that for us?”
He glanced up at her, seeming surprised. “You certainly don’t suspect me. I didn’t hurt her. I adored her.”
“I understand, but if you can help us establish your alibi, we can move on to other suspects.”
“You can contact my assistant. She can confirm my whereabouts today. ”
Sam wrote down the name and phone number he gave her. “Was she with you?”
“Yes, she was there. The retreat began at eight, ended at five, followed by dinner. I got home about thirty minutes ago, and… I found her.” He broke down again. “How can this be happening?”
“I know it’s a lot to process all at once. We noticed you have cameras positioned around the house and grounds. Is there a way to gain access to the recordings?”
“There’re no recordings. Our daughters are adamant about not being recorded in their own home.”
Shit, Sam thought. That would’ve been too simple. “What was your wife up to today?”
“She went out to do some errands. She texted around three to say she was home.”
“How did she come and go to the house?”
“Through the garage. She had an opener in her car.”
Sam made a note of the detail.
“Officer Clare mentioned you have teenagers.”
He nodded. “Two girls, fifteen and seventeen.”
“Where were they today?”
“I… I don’t know. Elaine manages them.”
“It’s getting kind of late. Where are they?”
“I’m not sure.”
“Have you contacted them since you found their mother dead?”
“No, I haven’t. I… I don’t know what to say to them.”
“We can call them for you if you’d like,” Dani said.
“You can?” He visibly brightened and then crumpled again as he shook his head. “I can’t let a stranger tell them this. I’ll do it.”
“Do you have somewhere you can stay tonight?” Sam asked.
“What? We can’t stay here?”
“No, sir, this is a crime scene, and our detectives will need full access. ”
“I, uh… I have a sister in Bethesda. We can stay with her.”
“We’re going to need you to call the girls and ask them to come home right away, but don’t tell them why.”
He gave her a confused look.
“We’d like to be here when they’re told.”
She could tell he still didn’t understand that they wanted to witness the children’s reactions to hearing their mother had been murdered.
“Who else has access to the house?”
“No one. Just the four of us.”
“No cleaning people or anyone who works part time for you?”
“Elaine likes to do the cleaning herself. She says it relaxes her.”
“So no one else has the code to the door?”
“No.”
“Would the girls give it to their friends?”
“They were told not to.”
“I’ll let you call your daughters.”
“We can take it from here, LT,” Carlucci said quietly while Mr. Myerson took out his phone to make the calls to his children.
“Are you sure?”
“All good. Go home.”
“I’m going to leave you in Detective Carlucci’s capable hands, sir.”
He held his phone to his ear. “Elaine… My Elaine admired you very much.”
“That’s nice to hear. I’m sorry again for your loss.”
“Thank you.”
Sam walked back into the house, taking the weight of his grief and sadness with her. She knew what it was like to confront the sudden death of a loved one and wouldn’t wish it on anyone.
Vernon stood inside the front door, waiting for her.
“Let’s go home, Vernon.”