A Classic Case of Murder: Detective Crime Mystery Suspense (Ben and Mark Detective Investigator Mystery Series) (5 page)

“Like I said, you need to talk to Cindy and Tucker. How would I know anything about them if they weren’t in on it?”

“But
how
are they involved, Luke?” Mark asked, trying to pry the information from the angry man. “Why do you call Carrie, who was loved by so many, a liar and a cheat? You are the only one who knows her that way.”

“You need to talk to Tucker and Cindy.” Luke sat back in his chair and stared at them through furious eyes. “They wanted her money! They needed it to keep up what they were doing!”

Mark slapped the table with one hand and sighed. “Officer, see that this man is charged with murder and put him in a holding cell.” He looked at Ben as they stood up.  “I’m going to call Cindy Lockhart and Tucker Campbell in. You try to track down this Jackie and ask her to come in, as well.”

“Yes, sir.”

Three hours later, it was pushing dark. Three more interrogation rooms were now taken, with Cindy, Tucker and the elusive Jackie sitting across tables from police officers. Jackie was sitting with a public lawyer while Cindy and Tucker both had their own solicitors.

Cindy looked very nervous when Ben came in to talk to her. He sat down and started the tape machine next to him.

“It seems you may know more about this than you originally said, Cindy.” Ben was disappointed and he frowned at her. “What do you know? What is this business about money? How do you know Luke?”

“I told you I don’t know anything.” Cindy said defiantly, though she would not meet Ben’s eyes.

“But you do, Cindy. We know you do. Don’t you think Carrie deserves to have this solved? Don’t you think she deserves the justice?”

She refused to look at him.

“I thought she was your friend.”

“She
was
my friend.” Cindy said, weakly.

“Then why aren’t you being honest with us?’

She was silent once more.

He sighed, hoping Mark was having better luck with Tucker and Jackie.

Tucker wasn’t talking. Mark had spent almost an hour trying to get him to say even a few words but he refused. He wouldn’t express guilt or innocence. Mark gave up and tried Jackie, whom he hadn’t spoken to yet at all. When he went in the room, he was somewhat surprised to see her. She didn’t look like the same type of person as her friends. As Cindy had mentioned, she had several large tattoos on her arms, bright colored hair and several piercings in her face.

“Jackie Fossey?” he said, sliding in the chair next to her and nodding at the PL, who responded with his own nod.

“Yes. You are investigating Carrie’s death, aren’t you?” Jackie’s voice was low and rough, as if she had smoked too many cigarettes in her lifetime.

“We are.”

“Well, I didn’t do it! I wouldn’t have ever killed Carrie! She was my friend! A real friend! I don’t have many of them!”

Mark nodded and spoke reassuringly. “We have the killer in custody. But we need to find out why this happened for more evidence. We don’t want any foul-ups in this and he may not have been the only one involved.”

“It was that creep, Luke, who did it, wasn’t it? They finally did it.” Jackie shook her head violently and sat back in the chair, pressing her fingers against her eyes.

“Please, Jackie, tell us what’s going on here.”

“It’s all because of that money. If Carrie hadn’t had so much of it, she’d be alive now!”

“What do you mean? I thought she wasn’t wealthy.”

Jackie snorted and followed that with a sharp laugh. “Who said she wasn’t? Of course she was wealthy! Her books sold like wildfire! She has money coming out of her pores!” She broke down into tears. “I mean had! Oh Carrie!”

Mark allowed Jackie time to get herself together, offering her a tissue from the box on the table. She took it and sniffed.

“Please Jackie. Tell us what’s going on.”

“Carrie had an investment business on the side. She would put her money into businesses and get a percentage of their stock.”

“Yes, we know about that. And Cindy is her accountant.”

Jackie looked at Mark angrily. “Yes! That… that… Oh!” Jackie slammed both fists down on the table. “I should have said something before!”

“Never mind that now.” Mark said. “Continue please. Now is the time.”

“Cindy has been working Carrie’s books for over a year. She takes Carrie’s money and invests it where she wants or just plain steals it! She’s been…she’s been having an affair with Tucker for years! And when Tucker’s business started to falter earlier this summer, Carrie said she didn’t want to put any more money into it. It hasn’t been making a profit but it’s been taking a lot of Carrie’s money. And she never even used the gym!”

“So Cindy was funneling Carrie’s money into Tucker’s business without Carrie’s knowledge?”

“Yes. I found out about it and was going to tell Carrie.”

“Did you?”

“No, I was afraid.”

“Why do you think they killed Carrie instead of…pardon me, killing you?”

“Because Cindy is getting a lot of Carrie’s money in her will. With Carrie dead, they would have it all anyway!”

“It sounds like you might have been next on the list if they knew you knew what they were doing.”

“Why do you think I’m moving? Why do you think I’ve been laying low? I never would have thought they would
really
kill Carrie! I don’t want to die, too!”

“Would you be willing to testify to all of this?”

“I’ll do anything you need me to do!”

Mark nodded. “Thank you, Jackie. You’ve been a great help.”

“If Luke was the one who did the murder, will you be able to get Tucker and Cindy, too? Like for conspiracy or something? I don’t want to be murdered!” Jackie looked terrified.

Mark patted her hand. “Don’t worry, Jackie. We will put them behind bars. You will be safe. Thank you for telling us the truth. Carrie would be proud of you.”

Jackie lowered her head to cry. “Poor Carrie!” She repeated. “She was such a good lady.”

Mark nodded. Money could make good people turn bad too easily.

He got up and left Jackie mourning her friend with genuine tears.

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