Final Act (31 page)

“No, he doesn’t.  I find it hard to believe he would invite anyone into such a secure room but you would have to ask him of course.”

“I’ve already have.  I
asked for a copy of the
Visitors Log
but he refused.  I have a warrant for the log and will serve it to him when I leave your office.”

“Visitors Log?  I didn’t realize one was being kept, but Jim’s a careful man, I shouldn’t be surprised.  So, those tours, perhaps I have given more than I remember.”

“Rather something of a coincidence that both your ex-wife and Mr. Parson’s wife both worked closely with Jeffrey Stone and that you and Mr. Parsons both had access to hydrogen cyanide, the poison that killed him, don’t you think?”

Mr. Sutton sighed and rubbed his hands against his face.

“How well did you know Jeffrey & Catherine Stone?”

“We lost contact over the last two years, of course, but before that, Eleanor and I were very close with them.  Surprising how divorce not only separates spouses but friends as well.  Clearly they considered Eleanor to be their friend as I never heard a word from them over the years, not even a card at Christmas.  Jeffrey worked hard and deserved his kudos
but
I
wouldn’t give him any as a husband.  He was forever chasing women, an obsession with him.  Catherine was an excellent person, remained loyal to him despite his philandering.  I respected her.”

“Were Eleanor and she close friends?”

“I wouldn’t say close,
but
they
did see a
lot of each other socially
. 
Eleanor’s focus was on her career, certainly not on her marriage or daughter.”

So, the man’s bitter.

“As for Jeffrey and I, we were
close back then, good
friends.  The back-slapping, heavy drinking, lots of fishing in the summer and ice hockey in the winter, kind of friends.  You know, when Eleanor told me about his murder, I can’t say I was surprised.  I figured his womanizing would do him in some day.  But
the news of Catherine’s murder, now that was a shock. I can’t imagine anyone hating her enough to kill her.”

He stopped talking and stared off into space. Shirley knew it was best not to fill the silence. She lowered her head and wrote in the notebook.

“I didn’t know the third victim;
d
o you think you have a serial killer on your hands?”

“We’re not sure at this stage, Mr. Sutton.  Your wife, Eleanor, was she close with Jeffrey?”

“A kind way of asking if I thought she had an affair with him.  No, she didn’t.  That would require a degree of passion and caring on her part.”

“
Y
ou divorced two years ago.  Was it an amicable
?”

“I wouldn’t say it was amicable but it was necessary.  The two of us had different interests.  She focused on her career and I focused on my business.  We failed in our marriage and as parents.”

“You
r
daughter, Sybil,
she died around the time of your divorce, didn’t she?”

“
Yes, in a
stupid, senseless car accident.  She was driving too fast, failed to make the corner, and went over
an
embankment
- k
illed instantly. Something terrible happened to Eleanor
after our daughter died
.  She was
a bit
indifferent
as a parent, but she took her death hard.  I
miss Sybil and I regret not being a good parent.  I know I don’t deserve it but I have been given another chance.  I’ve remarried and my wife is expecting her first child.”

Shirley looked at the two silver framed pictures on his
credenza;
one was of a stunning brunette woman and
two small children; the other was a picture of an attractive teenage girl.

“Is that a picture of Sybil?”

“Yes.
”

“
A beautiful
girl.  What a tragic loss.”

Sutton sighed and
glanced at his watch.

“I won’t take up anymore of your time Mr. Sutton.  I will leave my card with your P.A.
If you think of anything, no matter how insignificant or trivial it may seem, please give me a call.”

They stood and shook hands.  He took the card and put it in the top drawer of his desk.

Chapter
17

“I’ll take my car, Kate”, Withers said.  “The back seat will accommodate our person of interest better than your sports job.”

Withers sped across town to the theatre.  Kate tried to make sense of the news.  A match on the gun the killer used to shoot at Hanya.  It belonged to Henry Ward.

“I find it hard to visualize Henry stalking a woman and taking a pot shot at her, let alone killing three people”, Kate said. 

“
We have evidence and i
t’s solid; you can look at the registrations papers if you need to”
, Withers said.

“No, I don’t need to”, Kate snapped.  “It doesn’t make him the shooter.  Someone must have stolen it.” 

“And who do you think set Henry up?”

“I know it’s a woman behind the killings.  The poison, the revenge theory, trolling the homeless looking for a
killer, all the ear marks of a
woman.  She set Henry up.”

“Wh
at woman?”

“I don’t know yet.  But I will find her.  I know I’m right.” 

Withers
looked worried. 

“I know how valuable cops’ instincts are but I believe you are mistaken. 
It might be best if you weren’t part of the interview team, Kate.  Y
our scepticism
may
interfere
.
”

“No,
I want to take part. M
y record should indicate my professionalism.
”

Withers said
nothing;
he was fond of Kate, but leery of her volatility.

Pulling the car up in front of the theatre, Withers placed the police card in the window and the two entered the building. 
Withers nodded to the cleaner
who was
vacuuming the front foyer of the
t
heatre. 
They entered the main body of the theatre and
walked down
the
centre aisle
.
 
A group of four
people
stood centre stage and three
more sat
third row back, centre aisle.

“I don’t believe this”, Charlotte said
.  “Bad enough there’s a manic trying to kill off everyone connected with the theatre without the police interfering with the rehearsals.  We go live in two evenings.  Enough is enough.” 

Andrew, Eleanor, and Henry
turned
in their seats
and looked at the two officers.

“Good
afternoon
folks”, Withers said nodding at
stage and the three seated in the third row.
“Sorry to interrupt
.
”

“
Good
afternoon
,
yourselves
officers
.  This is a surprise.  I wish
I could say it was a pleasant one
”,
Henry said.

“Well said
,
sir.  I’m sure you won’t find it a pleasant one
indeed.  We’re her
e
to escort you to the
station.
”

Deadly silence, every ear straining to follow the conversation.

“Really?  Is this something I need to call my lawyer about?”

“
That’s u
p to you
,
sir.  We’re just here to bring you along
.
”

“Tell you what.  I don’t really need a drive.  My car is parked around the corner.  I’ll finish up the scene with these good people and drive straight down.  Promise.”

Kate, losing patience, spoke
.

“
I
mpossible.  You need to y
ou accompan
y
us back to the station
now
.”

Henry turned to
Andrew.
“Finish up the scene while I go see what this is all about
.
”

“Anything I can do for you Henry?  Do you want me to call your lawyer”
, Eleanor asked.

“No, thanks
, I’ll manage
. 
You and Andrew s
ee to the rehearsal.
O
pening night
’s drawing closer
and they haven’t nailed it down yet.”

He turned to Kate and Withers.

“Do you think it would be acceptable if I followed you to the station in my car?”

“Well,
that
mi
ght work if we switched up and we
followed you.”

“Afraid I’ll abscond?  How
interesting.
Very well, I’ll go first and don’t
worry;
I’m not
very good at
running road blocks.”

He stood, nodded to
Andrew, Eleanor and those
assembled on the stage, and
followed the two police officers out of the theatre.

“Okay guys.  You heard Henry.  Let’s get to it.”

“Have a heart
, Andrew”, Brenda shouted from the stage. “
Give
them a break.  I doubt if
any of us could concentrate right now. 
Besides,
I need a cigarette.”

“You haven’t smoked in years
,
”
Andrew said.  “And you heard what the boss
said;
we need to be ready for opening night.
  So loosen up, let’s take it from the top.
”

Eleanor sat quietly and thought about Henry.  They must have the evidence to take him in for questioning.  Or is it a ploy?  Are they going to take each one of us in
again
, one by one?  If the plan is to psych us out, it’s working.  This soon has to end
.
  My stamina is weakening, Henry is a wreck
,
and
the actors are losing their focus.
Andrew’s the only one holding it together.

She turned her mind to the play. 
James
’
portrayal of Willy Loman as a hollow man, one who fills himself with borrowed lives, is stunning.  The problem is how Charlotte chooses to portray his wife.  She doesn’t get the woman’s resiliency, how she remains undeceived and copes with home truths.  Henry and I agreed it was too late for a replacement. 
Andrew is sharp and can assume the Director’s mantle until Henry comes back, if he comes back. 
If any of us survive this.

***

The three detectives stood in front of the two-way mirror
and
look
ed
at Henry.