Chapter 19
Eddie
‘I just want to go on the record,’ said Harry, ‘to say I think this is a bad idea.’
For a moment I said nothing, and dug my hands deeper into my overcoat.
We stood together in silence gazing up at the brownstone home of Vanessa and Patrick Vanderpool.
It was dark, but not late. And this wasn’t a social call.
We hadn’t yet climbed the porch steps to knock on the door.
No one had noticed our presence. It would be the easiest thing in the world to just walk away.
But I couldn’t. I had one of the richest and most powerful men in the world standing on my neck, and willing to put his boots on the throats of the people I loved if I didn’t do what he wanted.
There was no way out. Not yet.
I had questions.
Especially after Bloch and Lake’s investigations.
Why were Carey and Larkin on this case? Who had put them there? And who had cleaned the crime scene where a young woman had been murdered and her body mutilated? And what the hell did all of this have to do with Vanessa Vanderpool?
‘Knowledge is power,’ I said.
‘If you think you’re going to get the truth here, then we’ve come to the wrong place.’
‘I didn’t say I’d get the truth. Clients lie. Most of them. We just need to figure out why.’
I put one foot in front of the other until I was facing her front door and rang the bell.
An intercom and camera were fixed to the wall beside me.
‘Who is it?’ said a male voice.
‘Eddie Flynn and Harry Ford for Vanessa,’ I said.
Silence.
I heard footsteps on a hard floor. The door opened.
Patrick Vanderpool wore a pale blue shirt, with a stiff white collar.
Red silk braces held his gray pants high above his hips.
He had a wide mouth and angular lips, a sharp nose and keen blue eyes.
His hair was graying, and naturally curly; he kept it short and swept back.
He wore a gold pinky ring with a black square and some kind of symbol on it that I didn’t recognize.
It was on the same hand as his wedding ring.
No other jewelry, no tie. His cologne was powerful enough to make a camel sneeze.
‘Mr. Vanderpool, we’re your wife’s lawyers. We need to see her,’ said Harry.
He stood there for a moment, his hand on the door, as his gaze shifted between me and Harry. He seemed to linger on Harry.
‘Did she call you and invite you over?’ asked Patrick.
‘No, we need to see her right away,’ I said.
‘She’s in bed,’ said Patrick.
His eyes widened, and lips parted as Harry stepped inside the house and said, ‘You’d better wake her up, then.’
He looked like he was trying to find the right words to get rid of us. I followed Harry inside before he could find them.
‘It’s important, Mr. Vanderpool. Let her know we’re here,’ I said.
The door slammed closed behind us, and Patrick marched past, arms swinging.
‘Wait in the living room,’ he said.
The living room had two couches facing each other, with a coffee table in between. A gold-trimmed mirror hung above a grand marble fireplace, and a bay window overlooked the street.
I sat next to Harry. We listened to Patrick’s leather shoes on the stairs, and when he was far enough out of earshot, I said, ‘Charming, isn’t he?’
‘Buchanan and Duff have told him there’s a potential for this murder to come back and bite him on the ass. We’re the outside help. That means we are the ones who might be doing the biting. He’s right to be a little wary of us,’ said Harry.
‘You always see the good in people.’
‘Why do you think I took on a conman as my clerk when he was fresh out of law school?’ asked Harry.
‘Ouch.’
‘Be careful what you say in here. Let’s take her out of the house. Go back to the office. This is not the place for a hard conversation,’ he said.
Footsteps on the stairs. Two sets. One heavier, one much lighter.
Patrick led Vanessa into the living room. He had his left hand in hers, down by his side. She had changed into navy linen pants, a white T-shirt and sandals. I saw Vanessa tug her wrist, as if to get Patrick to let go.
But he held on, tightly. They sat together on the couch opposite us.
‘Mr. Flynn, Mr. Ford. Is everything alright? Is there a problem with bail? I wasn’t expecting you,’ she said.
‘We need to talk, Vanessa. Say, Mr. Vanderpool, would you mind?’ asked Harry, in as polite a way as possible, to subtly suggest that he take himself elsewhere.
‘Would I mind what?’ asked Patrick, narrowing his eyes. There was a little fastball in that question.
‘We need to talk to our client in private,’ I said. ‘If that’s okay? It shouldn’t take long. Maybe you could make some coffee.’
‘I don’t make coffee,’ he said. ‘And whatever you’ve got to say to Vanessa you can say to me.’
His eyes locked on to me. I realized that I hadn’t yet seen the man blink.
I understood how some people would find him intimidating.
I didn’t speak. Neither did Harry. We just sat on the couch.
There was no other way we could put it other than to tell him to get the hell out.
I saw Vanessa noticing his demeanor. Saw the realization in her eyes.
She knew her husband better than almost anyone, and she had that keen ability to read her spouse’s moods. She spoke slowly and softly.
‘Darling, they need to talk to me privately,’ said Vanessa.
‘It shouldn’t take too long,’ said Harry. ‘Brewing a pot of joe would take your mind off things, and help warm up this old man.’
‘Patrick doesn’t know how to make coffee, I’m afraid,’ said Vanessa.
We didn’t say anything. I guess growing up rich means you don’t have to make your own coffee. I wanted to ask if he knew how to wipe his own ass, but I decided now was not the time.
He got up, suddenly, the fingers of his left hand still interlaced with Vanessa’s right.
He pulled her up with him and strode to the door, practically dragging her out of the room.
I leaned back on the couch so I could get a better view.
In the hallway, Vanessa yanked her hand away, breaking his grip, but instantly he took hold of her other wrist.
Harry, who was also leaning back, took hold of my arm as I tried to stand. He pulled me back down. I looked at him and he shook his head. Harry knew me well enough to spot my triggers. I kept my anger in check. Just.
Patrick’s grip tightened.
I stood up. Took a breath. Tried to de-escalate.
‘Vanessa, maybe we could go somewhere private to talk. Also, for your husband’s sake, I think it might be better if you stayed somewhere else for a few days.
The press haven’t found out about your arrest yet, but it’s coming.
I’m sure Patrick doesn’t want paparazzi camped outside the house.
There’s a lot of media outlets that would love to run this story. That wouldn’t help his election hopes.’
They whispered, and I couldn’t make out what they were saying, but Patrick let her go.
‘You’re right, Eddie,’ she said. ‘I’ll just go pack a bag,’ and she darted around him and ran upstairs.
Patrick stared at me. Once Vanessa was out of earshot, he spoke.
‘Since when are you so concerned about my political career?’
Harry came out of the living room, said, ‘We want what’s best for Vanessa, and her family.’
‘She’s your client. Not me. Don’t get involved in my affairs,’ he said.
‘I met your father today. He was concerned about the Molly Green case affecting the family. You’re right, Vanessa is my priority, and you are her family. So I guess I should be following your father’s advice and try to protect all of you.’
‘I don’t need your protection.’
‘Of course not, Patrick,’ I said.
‘It’s Mr. Vanderpool. You know who my father is. You know how powerful my family is,’ he said, spittle flying from his mouth. His blood was up, his shoulders tensed, eyes locked on me. ‘Show me some goddamn respect,’ said Patrick.
My fingers curled into fists.
‘Sorry, Mr. Vanderpool,’ I said. ‘I don’t care who your daddy is. If I ever see you hurting your wife again, I’ll knock you the fuck out, with all due respect.’
He froze.
Uncertain what to do.
‘Let’s go,’ said Vanessa as she appeared in the hallway, carrying an overnight bag and a coat in her arms.
She didn’t look at her husband as we left.
Not one word was spoken.
Which said a lot.
I sat in the back of Harry’s car with Vanessa.
‘Thank you,’ she said. ‘I know you mean well. But you shouldn’t have done that.’
‘Is he always like that?’ I asked.
‘Sometimes.’
‘Has he hit you before?’
She looked out the window at the city.
I said nothing. She said nothing.
We drove on in silence for a time. I realized that tonight was not the time to ask her hard questions. I needed to know more about the prosecution’s case. Then we could all lay our cards on the table.
Harry asked her what hotel she wanted to stay in, and that it should be somewhere out of the way. Somewhere she had never been to before. We settled on a Hilton Garden, and Harry made a left and headed downtown.
‘You need to lie low until this case is over. Don’t call anyone else apart from me.’
‘What about the other lawyer, the woman, Voss.’
‘I need you to fire her, but not yet. For now let’s ghost her. I need time to think.’
‘So what happens now?’ she asked.
‘Now we wait for the prosecution evidence. Your father-in-law has all kinds of powerful friends. This trial will come on fast. Voss will help move that along. Once we know exactly what kind of case the DA has, we can fire Voss, start investigating and get ready for the fight. I don’t want to ask you a lot of questions right now.
Let’s do it later, when we know more. But there is one thing.
Have you ever heard the name Teresa Chase? ’
‘No, should I have?’
‘One of your husband’s political opponents mentioned the name. Said they knew about her. My investigators have come up a blank, so I thought you might know.’
‘Sorry, I never heard the name before,’ she said.
‘What was Patrick whispering to you before we left?’ I asked.
She turned to look at me, and I saw again the fear in her eyes.
‘I can’t say it.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘I can’t tell you.’
‘You’re safe with me, you know? It may take some time for you to properly feel it, but I actually do want to help you, Vanessa.
I’m not doing this for money, or my reputation, or for some kind of bullshit publicity.
I only take cases on when I want to help someone.
I think you need help. I think you’re holding a lot back.
I can’t help you if you won’t tell me the truth. ’
She glanced away, through the raindrop-speckled windows, lit with the lights from the hotel.
When she turned back, the fear had dissipated. She had made a decision.
‘It’s been a difficult day. Give me some time. Let me get my head clear. And then I’ll tell you everything.’