Person of Interest (11 page)

Leaving the house, Everett glanced back. Annabelle watched from the window as they hurried to his SUV.

She had provided the motive Everett needed to make his case against the special agent. If Mason learned Tammy was seeing Vernon Ingalls, he could have gone into a fit of rage and shoved Tammy down the stairs.

Natalie was right. Mason could have murdered his wife.

* * *

Natalie shivered involuntarily thinking of Tammy and how she had been pushed to her death.

“Are you cold?” Everett asked.

She shook her head. “I shivered because of what we learned. My heart breaks for Tammy. She screamed for help, but I didn’t react fast enough.”

“You ran next door and banged on the door. Then you called the military police. We’re the ones who didn’t arrive in time.”

“Did you know Mason may have been involved when you got the call that night?”

“We knew there had been an argument at his quarters.”

“So you were thinking about how to protect one of your own.”

“Frank and I had our eyes open. We weren’t hoodwinked by Mason or because he was a CID special agent.”

“You heard what his sister said, Everett. Tammy was running around on him. I told you about his behavior toward me in Germany. If he thought his wife was unfaithful, no telling what he would do. Even push her down a flight of steps. Seems to me you have a reason to consider him a very likely suspect in his wife’s death.”

“After we talk to Vernon Ingalls, I’ll call Frank.”

Natalie let out a deep breath. In a roundabout way, Everett had admitted she was right, yet she didn’t feel relieved or elated. She kept thinking about Tammy lying at the foot of the stairway. Instead of jubilation, she was overcome with sorrow.

TEN

A
s they wound their way through Decatur, Everett glanced at one of the side streets and spied the Peach Grill. “Annabelle mentioned Danny Owens’s restaurant. Let’s talk to her brother before we visit Mr. Ingalls.”

They parked in front of the restaurant and hurried inside. The place was eclectic, a mix of country casual and upscale yuppie with stainless steel tables and chairs and rustic hand-painted signs on the walls.

A server greeted them. “Would you like a booth or a table?”

“We’re here to talk to Danny Owens. Can you get him for us?”

“Your name?”

Everett held up his identification. “Criminal Investigation Division, Fort Rickman, Georgia.”

The woman hustled into the kitchen and returned with a tall man, early forties, on her heels.

He held out his hand and introduced himself then motioned them to a booth in the far corner, away from the few customers that were seated closer to the door.

“Is there a problem with one of my staff?” he asked as they sat.

“That’s not why we’re here,” Everett said. “We’re trying to locate your sister, Janet.”

Surprise registered on his face. “Is she hurt? Is something wrong?”

“We need to talk to her.”

“Janet doesn’t live in Decatur.”

Everett nodded. “I understand she moved to Pennsylvania. Could you give us her current contact information?”

“Mind telling me what this is about?”

“She was married to Mason Yates.”

Danny nodded. “That’s correct. He was a louse. I told her it was a mistake, but she refused to listen to what I had to say.”

Danny hadn’t let go of his anger. “When was the last time you saw your sister?”

“Janet hasn’t been home since her divorce was final, and I don’t blame her. Mason was caustic then. I doubt age has improved his outlook.”

“You seem to harbor a lot of animosity toward your former brother-in-law.”

“He was despicable. I wouldn’t cross the street to see him.”

“So you haven’t seen him in how long?”

Danny’s chest deflated. “Actually I saw him about a month ago. He came in here for a sandwich and beer.”

“Did you talk to him?”

“I made it a point not to talk to him.”

“Have you left town in the last twenty-four hours, Mr. Owens?”

His eyes widened.

“Just answered the question, sir. Where have you been in the last two days?”

“Working here in my restaurant. I stay late and arrive early in the morning. Why? Did something happen to Mason? If so, he deserved what he got.”

“It wasn’t Mason. It was his wife. She died yesterday.”

The brother shook his head, visibly saddened by the news. “I knew Tammy. She was a good woman.”

“How well did you know her?”

“She moved here after college and taught in the local school system. The teachers used to come to the Grill on Friday nights. That’s how we met.”

“Did you date?”

He shrugged. “We went out a few times.”

“How many is a few?”

“Okay.” He wiped his hand over the tabletop and then glanced up. “We dated seriously for five months.”

“What ended the relationship?” Everett asked.

“Mason. He came home on leave and stayed with his sister. Somehow he and Tammy connected, and as the saying goes, the rest is history.”

“So Tammy broke off a relationship with you and started seeing Mason.”

“That’s right.”

“Did Tammy know your sister had divorced Mason?”

Danny nodded. “That didn’t seem to bother her.”

“It must have been hard to take when Tammy dumped you for him.”

Danny steeled his jaw. “I got over it.”

Noticing he didn’t wear a wedding band, Everett asked, “Have you ever been married?”

When Danny shook his head, Everett glanced quickly at Natalie and then back at the brother. “How did your sister hook up with Mason?”

“She went to Georgia State and lived in Atlanta. Mason was stationed at Fort McPherson.”

“Which closed a few years ago,” Natalie added.

“Exactly. They met at a bar. Janet liked the idea of a military guy. He was older and promised her the world.”

“Are you still carrying a grudge against Mason for stealing Tammy?” Everett pressed.

Danny bristled. “Of course not.”

“Especially since he had divorced your sister.”

“Janet has moved on with her life. So have I.”

“Where’s your sister live now?”

“In Dahlonega. She remarried. Her husband works at the university in town. They have a couple kids. She doesn’t need to reopen her past.”

“We just want to ask her some questions.”

He pulled in a deep breath. “And I don’t want her hurt.”

Everett leaned across the table. “Tell us how to contact her, or we’ll bring in the local authorities and see if pressure can be put to bear.”

“That’s intimidation.”

“Sir, women have died. We’re gathering evidence. Talking to your sister might provide a clue into who’s involved.”

“It’s Mason, isn’t it? You think he’s involved.”

“Why do you say that?”

The guy shrugged. “I always thought there was something strange about him. Janet was young and naive. I was her big brother trying to keep her from getting hurt. I didn’t do enough.”

“You can’t change a person’s mind when they’re determined,” Natalie offered.

“Janet thought she loved him, but I knew that was a mistake.”

Everett sighed. “We just want to talk to her, sir.”

Danny nodded, and his shoulders sagged. He wrote her address on his business card and shoved it across the table. “I hope I won’t regret this.”

Everett read the address. “Her married name is Queen?”

“That’s right. Her husband’s name is Neal. They moved back to Georgia from Pennsylvania.”

“Thank you, Mr. Owens. You can be sure justice will be served.”

“Just so Janet isn’t hurt.”

“By the way,” Everett added. “Did you see Tammy when she was staying with her sister-in-law a few weeks ago?”

“Only once. She stopped in the Grill with a local lawyer.”

“Do you have a name?”

“Vernon Ingalls.”

“How’d they seem?”

“Very cozy.”

Everett pulled out his business card and handed it to Danny. “You think of anything I might need to know about Mason Yates or Tammy, call me. And don’t leave town. I may need to talk to you again.”

“Look, I didn’t have anything to do with Mason for years.”

“You served him lunch a month ago.”

He nodded. “That’s right.”

“Then you’ve had contact with him. I’ll be in touch.”

They left and hurried to the car. A case was being built that painted Mason in a very bad light. Vernon Ingalls was a lawyer. Was Tammy seeing him because of a rekindled interested in an old boyfriend or because she planned to divorce Mason?

Surely Mr. Ingalls would have the answers they needed. At least, that was Everett’s hope.

* * *

Pulling to a stoplight, Everett’s cell rang. Natalie held her breath as he raised the phone to his ear after checking the screen. His face revealed nothing. Either he didn’t know the caller, or he was trying to hold his emotions in check. “Special Agent Kohl.”

He paused. “Thanks for getting back to me.”

The light changed and Everett stepped on the accelerator. “You told them the CID in the US wanted the case reopened?”

The call must involve the
polizei
in Germany.

“Thanks, Tyler. Let me know when you hear anything.”

He disconnected and glanced at her. “That was Tyler Zimmerman in Vilseck. The German police will review their files and will share any information they have with our folks on post.”

“Did you learn anything new?”

“Not yet. Everything is going through the first stages of agreeing to work together. Tyler assures me he should have some information within the next day or two.”

Would that be soon enough? “You didn’t tell him what we learned about Mason.”

“No reason to share that information with anyone in Germany until everything’s been substantiated. That will take time.”

She sighed with aggravation. “Everything takes time, doesn’t it? Yet Mason’s on the loose”

Everett shrugged. “A lot of things are adding up against him, but we can’t rush the process.”

He touched her hand. Not expecting the contact, she startled.

“Sorry.” His face was wrapped with concern. “You’re upset.”

“Actually, it’s more like confused. I don’t know where you stand in all this. I need someone in law enforcement to navigate the system and find out exactly what happened to the woman in Germany, as well as Tammy. Denise’s death needs to be solved, but I keep thinking it doesn’t relate to the other two women.”

“Unless Mason was your roommate’s mysterious boyfriend.”

Natalie shook her head. “Denise was a smart girl. Mason picks women he can control in some way, either through a work relationship or because they’re lonely. Denise had friends and a good family. I can’t see her becoming interested in an older man. Especially an older married man, like Mason.”

“How long had she been seeing the new guy? Mason’s been on post for six weeks.”

She thought back to when Denise had first started acting secretive. Eventually she mentioned seeing someone new, but Natalie had suspected as much by that time. “The timing sounds right, but I still can’t see them together.”

Checking the GPS on her phone, she pointed to the next intersection. “Turn at the light. Vernon Ingalls’s house should be halfway down the block on the right.”

The residence was a circa 1940s two-story brick with a front porch and side patio. The home appeared to have been upgraded recently with new windows and decorative shutters. Wicker furniture on the porch looked inviting.

Natalie waited until Everett had parked and came around the front of the SUV before she opened the door and stepped to the sidewalk.

Together they hurried up the stairs to the front porch. He glanced over his shoulder as if to check that they hadn’t been followed.

“You worry me when you do that,” Natalie said.

“I’m just being cautious.”

“Cautious and careful, but that still makes me concerned.”

“Don’t be. We seem to be the only ones around.” He tapped on the door.

“We could call him.” She glanced at her phone. “Want me to find his number?”

Everett knocked again. “Let’s check the back door first.”

Together they circled the house. A navy blue, four-door sedan sat in the one-car garage behind the home. A light was on in the kitchen. Everett double-timed up the rear steps to the small stoop. He pulled open the screen and tapped on the door.

When no one responded, he looked through the window.

“See anything?” she asked.

“There’s a glass of what looks like iced tea on the kitchen table, half-empty.”

Again he knocked.

“Excuse me.” Natalie motioned him aside.

“What are you doing?”

“As I understand the law, you can’t enter a building without a warrant unless you’re invited inside.”

Everett raised his brow. “Or unless I suspect foul play.”

“And do you?”

“I don’t think iced tea provides enough reason.”

“Then I’ll rest my hand on the doorknob and see what happens.”

She pulled the edge of her shirt over her hand to keep from leaving prints and turned the knob. The door swung open.

Glancing at Everett, she smiled. “Easy peasy.”

“An open door is reason for law enforcement to get involved,” he said with a nod of approval. “Especially if Mr. Ingalls fails to respond. Stay here while I take a look.”

Cupping his hand around his mouth, he called out, “Mr. Ingalls, this is Everett Kohl, Criminal Investigation Division, Fort Rickman. I’m coming inside, sir, to determine that you’re all right.”

Walking across the kitchen, Everett unlatched the guard on his holster and then peered into the living area. “Mr. Ingalls?”

Even from where she stood on the back stoop, Natalie could see the high ceilings and exposed beams in the main part of the house. Although an older home, it appeared well cared for, with lots of upgrades and a rustic charm she found inviting. Vernon Ingalls was evidently a successful lawyer to afford even the few expensive furnishings she could see from the doorway.

She stepped inside to get a better look, crossed the kitchen and stood for a long moment admiring the lovely decor.