Chapter Forty-One
“We meet again,” Rosemarie Cogen said when the door to the interrogation room opened and Audrey Packer and Chad Remington walked in. “Aaron, this is the charming couple who came to my penthouse with the sad news that Terrance had passed away.”
“Hi, Aaron,” Chad said to Aaron Jessup, the attorney Rosemarie had brought with her.
In legal circles, Jessup, a partner in one of Oregon’s most prestigious firms, was considered to be the equivalent of a navy destroyer outfitted with nuclear warheads. Chad knew him when he was a US attorney who sent heads of drug cartels to federal prison.
“Afternoon, Chad, Audrey,” Jessup said.
“I’m afraid we’re going to convey more bad news during this visit,” Chad said to Rosemarie.
Rosemarie smiled. “I’ll have to make up my mind about that after you tell me why I’m here.”
“Let’s get the Miranda warnings out of the way,” Chad said before going through them. “Do you understand your rights?”
“Yes, you did an excellent job explaining them.”
“So, Chad, why is Mrs. Cogen here?” Jessup asked.
“We know she killed her husband,” Audrey said.
“I didn’t,” Rosemarie answered.
“Do you have an alibi for the evening Mr. Cogen was killed?”
“Why, do you have a witness who can prove—I believe the legal requirement is ‘beyond a reasonable doubt’—that I murdered Terrance?”
“Walter Zegda might be mad enough at you to testify.”
“Who?” Rosemarie answered.
Chad took out a photograph of Walter Zegda and showed it to Rosemarie.
“Mr. Zegda is a fellow member of Mensa.”
“Oh, Walt! I do know him, but not well. I’m sure we chatted a few times, but I don’t remember any specific conversation. Why do you ask?”
“Walter Zegda is a notorious criminal and drug dealer who is the leader of a motorcycle gang called the Lucifer’s Disciples. The same gang your dead husband was using to launder the profits from his scams.”
“My goodness. I would never have guessed. Don’t those people have tattoos and beards and dress in leather? Because Walt was always quite presentable when he attended our meetings.”
“You can cut out the act, Rosemarie,” Audrey said. “We know you and Zegda used your husband to steal millions. Then you killed him when an investigation started, because you knew he was weak and would implicate you as soon as he was arrested.”
“I still haven’t heard any evidence that links my client to her husband’s murder,” Jessup said. “Or to Walter Zegda, for that matter, other than their Mensa memberships.”
Chad decided to bluff. “Thomas Horan was struck with the marble statue your client used to murder her husband. He’s recovering his memory, and he saw your client in a mirror just before she struck him.”
Jessup laughed. “Is this the same Thomas Horan who claims that he was abducted by aliens?”
Chad looked at Rosemarie. “You know, we will find the money and be able to link it to you.”
“I don’t see how you will be able to do that when I have no idea what happened to Terrance’s ill-gotten gains. But waste the taxpayers’ money if you must.”
“I have a question for you,” Audrey said. “Right now, we’re executing a search warrant at your penthouse, your Dunthorpe estate, and the gun club where you practice. Do you think we’ll find the rifle you used when you tried to murder Mr. Zegda and did kill Wolf Larson?”
“How sneaky. I could have saved you a lot of time. You won’t find what you’re looking for, because I never tried to shoot anyone. Why would I try to shoot Walt?”
“I think you knew we were closing in on him and were afraid he’d talk if he was arrested.”
Jessup frowned. “I wouldn’t have thought you two would pull a stunt like this. You could have asked Mrs. Cogen for permission to search, and she would have let you in without a warrant. She has nothing to hide.”
Audrey looked at Rosemarie when she answered Jessup. “Then she won’t have to worry about Mr. Zegda when he learns that you spent an hour talking to me at police headquarters.”