MURDER AT THE PIER (A Sister Sleuths Mystery Book 1) (8 page)

"Whole thing sounds pretty confusing for Juan."

"It was. After Juan was dismissed, there were no more
occurrences of missing inventory. Juan's direct supervisor never felt Juan was
responsible and would have liked to clear any doubts about Juan. Unfortunately,
it was easier for everyone to let the matter drop rather than incur Neal's
displeasure by investigating further."

"It sounds like Neal may have had an ulterior motive
in terminating Juan."

"I thought so at the time. But if that was true, I
never figured out what Neal was up to."

"Speaking of thefts, was your company ever hit by the
Construction Site Burglars?

"Yes, but we were lucky. A forklift was stolen from
one of our sites. But Neal asked me to review the insurance coverage on all of
our equipment the week before the theft so our loss was fully covered when it
happened."

"Fortuitous timing on Neal's part," Tom
suggested, skepticism registering in his voice. He didn't believe in anything
happening by accident or chance when it came to crime.

"Yes, it was, wasn't it?" Amanda lowered her head,
deep in thought.

Tom gave her a moment to consider what she had told him,
wondering if she would see the connection in the sequence of events.

"Let's get to
the purpose of my visit." Tom pulled a picture from his shirt pocket.
"This appears to be a picture of Neal taken at a local event. First, can
you tell me where this picture was taken?

"It's the annual ‘Protect Our Marine Life’ charity
event. They hold it at the Fairgrounds by the Boardwalk to bring attention to
the whales, dolphins, and other aquatic life dying or being killed because of
the pollution in the ocean. This picture was taken in front of Santa Rosa Hall,
the big hall equipped with a full kitchen. They can fit more than three hundred
tables in the main room and they fill all the tables every year. It's a very
successful event."

"There are six facilities at the Fairgrounds. How do
you know this is Santa Rosa Hall and that event?"

"Neal's standing in front of his car. Look closely.
Directly behind him is the entrance to the building. Attached to the large
window above the door is a dolphin, the signature banner for the event."

"Good eye, Amanda. Now for a tougher question. Can you
guess who the other person in the picture might be? It could have been someone
saying hello, or it could have been someone he took to the event. Would his
calendar indicate who he was with?"

"I don't need his calendar. I can tell you he attended
the event alone. He had purchased a higher priced ticket to sit at the table
with some of the city bigwigs: the Mayor, the Planning Director, and a member
of the City Council. He told me he wasn't taking a date because he wouldn't
have time to mix pleasure with business. Knowing Neal, he had his own agenda
that night," she suggested coyly. "It wouldn't have included any
concern for dolphins."

"One last question." Tom handed the folded scrap
of paper to Amanda. "Any idea what these numbers are? Did Neal have an
office safe, locker, or a room he kept padlocked?"

"These numbers look familiar. Give me a minute while I
go check something."

Tom waited impatiently, tapping his fingers on the
conference table. He knew his chances of catching the murderer decreased with
each passing day. He badly needed a breakthrough in this case.

Amanda returned to the conference room beaming. "We're
in luck. Those numbers are the combination for a locker in the employee gym. Neal
asked me to make a note of his number in case he lost or forgot it."

Tom's jaw gaped: "The employees have a gym?"

"The entire sixth floor of this office building is a fitness
center for employees and their families. Mr. Carson is a strong advocate of the
theory a healthier person is a happier, more productive person. He maintains a
vigorous exercise program himself and wants all of his employees to have access
to the level of fitness he enjoys. The center offers free weights and machines,
aerobics classes, even a kids club to entertain children while their parents
work out."

"Very generous of him."

"His generosity reaps benefits. Our company has a
remarkably low rate of sick days and on-the-job accidents."

"I need to see Neal's locker."

"I can take you down to the
sixth
floor and help you find it. You can stay for a workout if you like,”
she added with a coquettish grin. “Tone your six-pack, not that it needs
toning."

"Maybe another time," he smiled. Following her from
the conference room, Tom unconsciously sucked in his stomach.

He was quiet on the
elevator, deep in thought.
It seems unlikely Neal's gym locker is going to
reveal the incriminating evidence whoever vandalized Neal's condo seemed intent
on destroying. On the other hand, there’s little likelihood of that person
knowing of the existence of the locker. It may, indeed, have provided safe
storage.

The weight room was deserted this time of day. Amanda
informed him by six o'clock, all of the equipment would be in use and the
classes filled to capacity. Making their way to the back of the men's locker
room, she stopped and pointed to the largest locker on the far wall.

Tom stopped her as she reached to grasp the lock and dial
the numbers: "Let me do it." He pulled on a pair of latex gloves
before entering the combination.

The locker was crammed but everything was neatly organized.
T-shirts were on hangers; shorts were folded on the top shelf with training
shoes stacked on top of them. There were no pictures, receipts, or papers of
any kind. The only other item was a large plastic bag on the bottom. Tom pulled
it out, emptying the contents on the floor in front of them.

Amanda gasped: "I don't understand."

"What's wrong?"

"These are some of the tools missing from the
warehouse."

"You mean the ones Neal
implied
Juan had taken?
" Amanda didn't answer Tom's question directly.
Shrugging her shoulders, she spread her hands in front of her, shaking her
head.

Their discovery had dismayed Tom as well. Until the pieces
began to click together.

Neal not only dismissed Juan. He himself was the
instigator of the theft which became the implied reason for termination. Neal
had a personal agenda in all of this, and I’m beginning to understand what it
was.

Lea was turning off
her computer when she got a call from Paul. "I'm meeting Tom at the Crab
Shack for a beer after work. Want to join us?"

"Sure. Why don't we order a couple of buckets of
shrimp and crab and that can be our dinner? I'll tell Jon to have Michael over
after basketball practice. They can order a pizza."

"Great. See you at the Shack at 6:00." Paul had
an afterthought before ending the call. "Lea, I have things to tell Tom
about the murder, but it's not an invitation for you to start asking
questions."

"Of course not," she agreed, crossing her
fingers. "But give. What goodies have you come up with?"

"I had to interview someone today about the burglaries
and took the opportunity to eliminate him as a suspect in the murder. You'll
hear about it when I tell Tom."

"See you soon, sweetheart." Lea's finger jumped
from the end call button to her sister's number. "Paul and I are meeting
Tom at the Crab Shack for a drink and eats. Think up a pretense to meet us
there and we can get the latest on the burglaries and the murder."

"I don't need an excuse. I'm planning to stop by
several restaurants tonight to drop off posters. I'm asking owners to display
the posters for the 'Food and Music under the Stars' Fundraiser next
month."

"Great cover. As a heads up, Paul already cautioned me
about not getting involved."

"Then I guess I'll have to be the one to pry
information out of our illustrious Detective."

"Tom's never been able to resist you. Just bat your
long lashes and crinkle your cute button nose. He'll tell you everything he
knows."

Maddy's laugh was infectious. "Oh, yeah. I'm so
irresistible to Tom he's never seen me as more than a friend."

"You're the one who draws that line, Sis, ever since
your divorce. You only let a man get so close before you shut him out."

"Oh, oh. This conversation sounds familiar. Gotta run,
Lea. See you at six."

Lea ended the call shaking her head.
In ways, I hope my
sister finds another good relationship even if she never remarries. In other
ways, Maddy's one of those women who seem perfectly capable and happy living on
their own, calling their own shots. Besides, I can't imagine the man who could
be a match for my irrepressible sister.

* * *

The tall wooden doors of the
Crab Shack opened into a deep room with a bar along one side. Every stool was
occupied. The alluring clink of glasses and ice rattling could be heard above
the buzz.

The zigzag of tables on the opposite side of the room
included couples and family groups. Lea and Paul sat at one of the round tables
sipping beer from frosted mugs, catching up on each other's day. The smell of
marinated fish cooking on the grill wafted over their heads whetting their
appetites.

Lea glimpsed the hostess embraced in a hug with a tall,
blond man wearing khakis and a white button-down shirt. She reached to touch
Paul's arm, nodding toward the entrance. "Tom's here."

The Detective strode through the room with his usual air of
calm authority, scoring attention from the waitresses with the kind of good
looks that stop people in their tracks. Muscles rippled across every part of
his well-toned physique but Lea knew he took care of his body more for his job
than from a sense of vanity. Nodding and smiling at people along the way, he
exuded coolness and quiet self-possession.

Lea waved to get his attention. "It's no wonder he's
considered the second most eligible bachelor in town."

"With the passing of Neal Henderson, he's probably
been elevated to the top spot now," Paul pointed out.

Lea winced. "Don't remind him. You know how he hates
any kind of public attention."

Paul raised his mug in a salute as his friend eased his
lanky frame onto one of four tall bar stools. "Hey, buddy; just in time.
We're getting ready to order a couple of buckets of fish."

"Sounds great. I'm hungry enough to eat a horse."

"In that case," Lea laughed, "we'll double
the order."

"Bring me a beer, please, Sue," Tom told the
waitress who approached their table. "No, go ahead and make it two."

They were discussing softball league standings and the
latest fires in the northern part of the state when Lea stood abruptly, waving
her arm above her head. "Look who's at the front desk."

Paul and Tom swiveled their chairs to watch Maddy handing a
stack of posters to the restaurant manager. Looking casually around the room,
Maddy noted Lea's frantic waving and headed in their direction.

She floated across the room, swaying her hips like a runway
model. With a voluptuous figure and legs which seemed to go on forever, she
attracted her own share of attention. She plopped onto the remaining bar stool
Lea held out for her.

"Look who the cat dragged in," Paul commented,
staring daggers at his wife.

"Hey, Maddy, how's everything?" Tom leaned over
to give her a peck on the cheek.

"Great, Tom, how's yourself?"

"You know my job. I'm either throwing swish balls at
the basketball hoop in my office going stir crazy, or I'm buried, no pun
intended, in dead bodies and burglaries like I am now."

"The whole town's talking, Tom. Making any
progress?" Lea let the question slip out casually. Squirming uncomfortably
under her husband's heated glare, she refused to meet his gaze turning her
attention to the beer Sue poured in front of her.

"Actually, there has been a development. As likely as
it seemed initially, we're reasonably certain now the burglaries and the murder
weren't committed by the same person or persons. There may be a connection
between the two acts, but there's more than one perpetrator."

Paul took a hot roll from the
basket Sue placed on their table. "I'm surprised. How can you be
sure?"

"We got plenty of fingerprints from the van. You'd
think they would have worn gloves, but it's not the first time I've given
burglars more credit for smarts than they deserve."

Tom leaned back in his chair, savoring the buttered roll he
popped in his mouth. "The body was a different matter entirely. No prints
anywhere. Considering the carelessness in dealing with the van, there should
have been. Plus, the footprints didn't match. We discerned three different sets
of footprints around the van and leading to a spot approximately three feet
from the body. Footprints near the body had been hastily covered with sand but
the partial print remaining told us there was a fourth person."

Paul raised his empty bottle, gesturing to Sue to bring
another round of beers to the table. "Were you able to trace the
fingerprints found in the van?"

"Oh, yeah. We've put out an APB for the suspects.
They're local Hispanics."

Paul's heart skipped a beat waiting for Tom to continue.
"Three brothers, the oldest released from prison recently. He was sent up
on similar charges. Guess he didn't learn how to stay out of trouble while he
was doing time."

Maddy's eyes widened. "Wow, we were at the donut shop
yesterday morning and . . ."

Paul jerked his head, cutting a quick, curious look at Lea.
Her hand flew out to grab Maddy's necklace: "Maddy, you didn't tell me you
went ahead and bought this necklace. I love it on you." Looking at the two
men, she put her hand to her mouth. "Oops. Sorry, guys. Didn't mean to
interrupt. What were you saying about the donut shop, Maddy?" She looked
pleadingly at her sister.

"I was saying I had two chocolate donuts so no dessert
for me." She fingered the dessert menu in the napkin holder, as Lea expelled
the breath she was holding.

Returning to Tom's story, Lea didn't hide her contempt.
"And now the oldest brother is getting his younger brothers in trouble,
willing to let them suffer the same fate?"

"Not exactly a good role model, huh?" Tom's eyes
narrowed as he turned to Paul. "Until we found their prints, they weren't
on our suspect list for the burglaries. In fact, from an anonymous tip we
received, your client's employee was at the top of the list." Tom leaned
back, arms folded across his chest. "Fingering . . . or should I say fingerprinting
. . . the brothers lets your client's employee off the hook for those
burglaries. But your client didn't know about the anonymous tip we received so
what made him suspicious of Juan Martinez in the first place?"

"My client had a tip of his own. His site manager
found a note taped to the door of the construction trailer suggesting Juan as
someone they should look into. Jim asked me to intervene as a neutral third
party to determine any possible involvement on Juan's part." Paul signaled
the waitress, pointing at the bread basket for a refill. "After
interviewing Juan, I completely eliminated the possibility of his involvement
in my own mind, but I'm glad your findings have confirmed my judgment."

Lea nudged Paul's shoulder. "You've always been a good
judge of people, sweetheart."

Tom lifted a beer to his
lips, draining the bottle. His next comment took his listeners by surprise.
"Actually, the fact Neal was apparently meeting the brothers gives us
reason to believe Neal himself was the mastermind."

Paul's face registered shock. "What motive would Neal
have to be involved in something so underhanded? From my dealings with Don
Carson's company, I've seen he treats his employees generously. Surely, Neal's
salary was more than enough to support even his lavish lifestyle."

"You'd think, wouldn't you? I mean, how much does a
single guy need to live comfortably in this small town?" Paul had
obviously touched a nerve involving Tom's pay as a public official.

"It turns out Neal was behind schedule and over budget
on several of Don's projects," Tom explained. "His poor management of
those jobs was threatening to tarnish Don's reputation as well as significantly
reduce the developer’s net worth. From what Ken Crosby told me this morning, Neal
was pouring his own money into the projects to keep Don from finding out what a
bad job he was doing."

"Do you think he was worried about Don firing
him?"

"Probably. It's common knowledge Don thought of Neal
as a second son. But common wisdom also has it Don's going to pass his business
on to his son when he retires, regardless of whether or not his son chooses to
be involved in it. He would never tolerate his legacy being diminished before
that event occurs."

"I still don't see what led Neal to become involved in
the burglaries," Maddy interjected.

"We examined his financial records after his death. It
was obvious from credit card and bank statements he was living way beyond his means.
He'd already been drawing more than his salary from the projects. When they
went over budget, he needed money to pump back in to stop the cash flow
hemorrhage. He turned to an illegal source of cash . . . the sale of stolen
goods across the border. Construction materials were the obvious choice to
steal because he had the knowledge and contacts in the business to pull it
off."

"How did he obtain knowledge of the construction sites?"

"During their high school years, Neal and Don's son
spent their summers working for almost every builder in the County learning the
business. He either had information first hand or was privy to everything he
needed to organize a team of thugs and instruct them explicitly on how to carry
out the thefts."

Lea shook her head as she pushed her empty plate to the
side. "Wow, he was a pretty cool customer, working every day in an
industry he was robbing blind at night. How is his family taking all this? Did
you tell them of your suspicion Neal was complicit in the burglaries?"

"Not yet. I didn't feel a need to add to their burden
at this early stage of the investigation. I was the one to notify the father of
his son's death. From the brief conversation we had, Neal and his father had
barely talked in recent weeks. His second wife, Neal's mother-in-law, had
nothing to offer. She was clearly more concerned with her husband's reaction to
Neal's death than Neal's death itself. I may talk with the father after he's
recovered from the shock, but I don't get the impression he was privy to Neal's
private life. I'm interviewing the sister tomorrow. Maybe she'll know more
about his current activities."

Paul
brought his attention back to Tom's allegation. "If you believe Neal was
behind the burglaries, doesn't that suggest he may have been the one who
provided the anonymous tip about Juan to divert suspicion from himself? And
from the two brothers who were working on the construction site which was
burglarized?"

"Seems to be the logical
conclusion. We may be able to prove it when we get phone records from Neal's
office. A call to the police station and a subsequent call to Jim's site
manager would certainly indicate he was the tipster."

"Maybe Neal arranged to have
the brothers steal small equipment from his own site to set Juan up as a viable
suspect for the burglaries," Paul theorized, leaning his elbows on the
table. "He only needed to keep suspicion off himself and his activities
long enough to finish the projects he was working on for Don. Once they started
pre-selling, his cash flow problems would be over, and the burglaries could
mysteriously stop."

Tom nodded, continuing the
supposition. "Neal had probably instructed the brothers to drive the
stolen goods directly from the heist to the border. The meeting at the Pier
could have been their payoff from Neal before heading out of the County.
Henderson may have already made long-term arrangements for the brothers to stay
in Mexico to make sure neither they nor he, were ever tied to the
burglaries."

"If your theory about Neal
is correct, you've got the burglaries pretty well figured out. That leaves the
murder," Maddy prodded. "But Neal being the mastermind also rules out
a motive for the brothers to kill him."