Chapter 17
T he ringing sound pulled Michelle from a dead sleep. Okay, it wasn’t really a dead sleep, more like fits and starts as she dreamed of death. The nightmarish turn her slumber took led to visions of Nick being gunned down in the alley instead of Garmen.
Cliff was still alive. Barely. She’d checked with the hospital before she’d come home, which was well past the time the bars closed. He had made it through surgery and was in Critical Care. A cold sweat covered her body as she flipped off the covers and grabbed her phone. “Yeah?”
“Junior’s the key.”
“Nick? What time is it?”
“Early. Sorry. I couldn’t stop thinking about something my father said tonight.” Nick’s voice trailed off.
Or maybe it was her fuzzy sleep-brain. She eyed the small numbers on her phone. Four-thirty. “Why are you awake?”
“I always get up at four.”
“Well, that’s a strike against you.” She mumbled, but by his chuckle, he heard her.
“I was into mile three on the treadmill when something my father said when I got home last night struck me. By the way, did you know our parents gossip like old ladies? Your mom filled in my dad on all about the events of last night. ”
Michelle shook her head. Was she dreaming? Nick was calling her before the butt-crack of dawn. And he was babbling. Her brain definitely needed caffeine, but it focused enough to remember why he called. “She did? Never mind… Junior?”
“We all wondered if Senior was going to leave his business to Junior someday. Junior is on a thin thread with his dad. But according to a golf conversation with my father last summer, old man Silver gave him one last chance.”
“What?” Her brain had finally spooled up. She turned on the light and sat up in bed, waiting.
“Junior’s inheritance is based on how well the mall does over this fiscal year.”
“So how does that connect the sleigh and murder?”
“It seems Old Horace gave Junior several shares already.”
“That doesn’t make sense. If he owns part of the mall, why is he in the maintenance department?”
“It seems, Junior has one year to prove himself or the shares revert back to daddy.”
“Okay, but that isn’t a reason to tank the biggest sales event they have.” Either his logic was flawed or her brain was still in sleep mode.
“Right, but it seems old man Silver didn’t even trust Junior with a few shares of the business and put a clause in the contract that states his son can’t sell the business unless its profits drop, and they have a record loss.”
She rubbed her eyes and blinked. “Is that only in effect if Junior becomes full owner, or does it mean he can sell off his current shares if the business tanks in this trial period?”
“That’s the same question I have. I don’t know.” His voice came out in broken breaths. He must be upping his speed on the treadmill.
Man, the sound had her clenching her thighs. She bit her lip .
“I don’t think he told Junior about the clause. Dad said it was Senior’s way of seeing if he would take care of his baby, the mall. After Junior’s stint in the slammer, he didn’t think his son could handle the mall on his own. He has been talking to a management company to take over the rest of the business if Junior fails. He’s planning to take the mall public and sell his stock next year.”
“What I know of Junior, if he had any chance at fast cash, he would take it. That includes selling off his inheritance. Junior has to know. That would be a strong motive for ruining the festival.”
“Not to mention murder. According to Dad, the mall has been turning a nice profit even in this down economy, and the Christmas festival is the second biggest sales weekend of the year.”
Michelle’s mind whirled with thoughts. Junior didn’t mention any of this during his interview. Which means he didn’t know or was in the thick of it. “I need to talk to Junior.” And Jim. Her brother needed to know about this. She grabbed her laptop from the bedside table and pulled up her file. She scanned her notes from Horace Silver’s interview, both hers and Jim’s. No mention of this stipulation in Junior’s inheritance. One brief mention of him planning to retire next year.
“Mickey?”
“Sorry.” She rubbed her forehead as she thought. “This is all hearsay. I need proof. Not to mention proof that Junior knew about it.”
“I will talk to Mr. Silver today.”
“No. Not yet. Shit.”
“What?”
“I’m on desk duty until they get ballistics back on my gun. I can’t interview anyone officially until I’m cleared.”
“What about the gunpowder residue? Did they find any? ”
“No. That’s why I’m not in processing or on suspension.” She typed a quick email to Jim. “I need to talk to Jim. He can pull Junior back in for another interview.”
“Let me know if I can help. I have a nurse coming to check on my dad today. If she gives the okay, he will move back to his house and have in-home visits for the next couple of weeks. Ava has a dance practice this morning and the bake sale after, then has a sleepover at her friend Keisha’s tonight.”
“I’ll let you know. And Nick, thanks.” She ended the call. She might be on a working suspension, but the key word was working. Throwing off the covers, she grabbed clean clothes and headed for the bathroom. She had a lot of stuff to do today and no time to waste.
***
Michelle plugged her computer into the dock and scrolled the mouse to wake it up. Bold numbers popped onto the screen. She groaned. It was still too early to be awake. A message notification lit up, and she clicked it and read Jim’s email. Junior Silver was still in holding.
“Yes.” She pumped her fist.
Ryan Daniels’ head appeared over the top of her cubicle wall. “You’re in early.”
She jumped. “Oh, hi. I needed to check on a few things.”
He nodded. “I heard you had a bit of action last night.”
“You could say that.” She slouched back. “I still don’t know who shot Garmen. Hell, it could have been a random shooting for all I know. I have no idea where the shot came from, and if it was meant for Garmen, how would they have known he would be in that alley?”
“Good question. ”
“Yeah, I have lots of questions, so I thought I’d come in early and go over the case notes. Jenkins and Brannon were knocking on doors when I left the scene.”
“Well, good luck. I just got done with paperwork and I’m finally heading home.”
“Time to go curl up with the misses.”
“I wish. She’s on a twenty-four-hour shift. It’s just me and Karma. Unfortunately, that dog hogs the bed.” He covered a yawn with his hand.
She chuckled. “Sweet dreams.”
He waved and left. Michelle closed her eyes. She should go home and get a few more hours, but this case was getting more complicated by the day. Blinking the sleepy vibes away, she opened the first case note and started to read.
The next time she checked the clock, two hours had passed, she had a page of scribbles, and still had no idea who would have known Garmen was in that alley. She could think of motives, but had nothing to back them up.
She dropped her pen, and it rolled to the floor. “Crap.”
As her face came close to her notepad, a word grabbed her attention. Songbird. That’s what Ernie said Cliff called his girlfriend. But that wasn’t why it was written on the notes. This songbird was the name of the bar that happened to have a back door on that alley.
“Could it be where he was headed?” She scanned through the file to find Brannon’s notes on the canvassing. She stared at the wall and replayed her pursuit of Garmen step by step. He was halfway down the alley by the time she had rounded the corner. Her focus was pinned to him. She couldn’t say if any of the doors were open. Could someone have propped an alley access open a few inches and shot? Would she have seen the door close ?
“Shit.”
Jim strolled into her cubicle. “Cheer up. I was coming to tell you we got your ballistics results back. Your sergeant should be letting you know you’re cleared for patrol again. Not to mention working the Santa sleigh case.”
“Good.” She scooped up her notes and grabbed her coat. “See you later.”
“Hey, where you off to?” Jim whirled as she zipped by him.
“I’ll let you know if I find anything.” Michelle was out the door by the time his grumbling reached her ears.
***
Michelle checked the time. The club didn’t open for an hour, but she’d seen a car parked in the spot next to the back entrance. With as much force as possible, she knocked on the door. Two minutes and several raps later, she heard the lock click. The steel door cracked open an inch. The eye that peeked out widened in surprise, and the door opened. “Officer?”
“Good morning. I have a few questions. Were you working last night?” She asked the man with graying temples and a thin stature.
“I’m always here. I own the place.” He stepped back and allowed her to enter. “I don’t know what I can tell you that I didn’t already tell the other officer.”
This must be Joel Stigman. She’d read his statement. He was working the front door as his bouncer had called in sick. He didn’t hear the shot over the music. “I just have a couple more questions.”
He gestured for her to continue .
“How often is this back door used?” She pulled out her tablet to make notes.
“The employees use it. They come in the front as my manager and I are the only ones with a key, but they sneak out for a smoke on break.”
She glanced around and noticed the brick by the door. “Does the door automatically lock?”
“Yes. If they don’t prop it open, it will lock behind them. And when someone’s in the middle of a set, they could bang on it all night and not be heard.”
“You said you were up front and didn’t hear the shot?”
“Yes.”
“Could I get a list of the employees working at the time of the shooting last night?”
“Sure. I will grab the schedule and be right back.” He slipped into a small office and she heard keys clicking on a computer. A minute later, he was back. “I don’t know if it will do you any good. I can’t imagine any of my employees being involved in a shooting.”
“Probably not, but they may have seen or heard something. Thank you.” She took the list he had printed and scanned it. Ten people were working last night. She didn’t have a list of the patrons here, but they wouldn’t have access to the back door, most likely. Besides, one name popped out at her. Margarita Smith.
She thanked him again and exited through the back door. Looking at the scene with new eyes, she played the scene over again. Could Garmen’s girlfriend had known he was coming to the back door? Would she have shot him? And why?
It looks like she would be doing a little shopping today.