Another Dead Republican (8 page)

I said, “The children need to be protected from all this.”

The three kids had clustered around Veronica. They stood silent and wide-eyed.

My mom said, “We’ll take care of them.” Mom’s a brick. She and my dad ushered the kids into the hall. The three kids were very used to my mom and dad so the comfort level was sufficient to cause less disruption than might have been.

Veronica stepped into the hall with my mom and dad and the kids. Mr. and Mrs. Grum evinced no interest in their grandchildren.

Mr. Grum pointed at Scott and me. “These two don’t belong here. They were out of control earlier. They have no status and no place.”

Out of control? I was having a Kafkaesque moment, presented with a complete distortion of reality. It wasn’t just his opinion. It was a complete misrepresentation of what had gone on.

Scott said, “Mr. Grum, why would you say something that was blatantly false and provably not true? Tom and I were both here. You have no witnesses.”

Mrs. Grum spoke, “I was here. I heard and saw it all. Those two were out of control.”

Scott, who always tried to see the best in people, just stood there with his mouth agape.

Enid Achtenberg said, “When I walked in, Mrs. Grum was not here. When I walked in, these two gentlemen,” she pointed at us, “were calmly standing behind the large desk.” She pointed at Mr. Grum, “He was breathing so hard and had turned such an awful color, I was seconds away from using my cell phone to summon paramedics.”

Detective Brendstin asked, “Why would Mr. and Mrs. Grum claim such a thing if it were not true?”

Achtenberg said, “And at a time like this! I agree. It makes no sense. Maybe you should ask them since it is provably false.”

Mr. Grum said, “These people don’t belong here. Officers you need to do your duty.”

This was getting nuttier every second.

The door to the hall opened. We heard Veronica telling the children in the hallway, “I’ll be with you in just a few minutes. I have to talk to these detectives. Go with Grandma and Grandpa. We may have to stay here instead of go out.” She thanked my mom and dad and returned to the room. Veronica stood to my left and slightly behind Scott, Achtenberg, and me.

Mr. Grum said, “We really need to get this settled and wrapped up as quickly as possible.”

Achtenberg asked, “Have they arrested someone?”

Brendstin, the bigger detective, said, “No.”

“Do you have a suspect?”

“No.”

Mr. Warner said, “Do we really need to bother the family at a time like this?”

Not bother the family in a murder investigation? I began to get a feeling that I was lost in unreality, very much like Oz but with no charm, no magic, and no heroines or heroes.

Brendstin said, “We have some questions.”

Achtenberg said, “What exactly do you need, detectives?”

Veronica took my hand.

The cops said, “We need statements from everyone.”

Achtenberg said, “I am not an attorney for anyone here but Veronica Grum. Is she under arrest?”

“No.”

“I understand you interrogated her earlier.”

Brendstin said, “Yeah. We talked with her.”

Achtenberg said, “Then that should be sufficient. She won’t be talking to you any further. Certainly not until she has had time to confer with me.”

Mr. Grum said, “We’re trying to find out who killed my son.”

Achtenberg said, “We all want to know that. We all also know that the most likely suspects in a murder are the family and acquaintances of the deceased. Now, I know what my client is going to do. She is going to be silent.” She pointed at Scott and me. “These two gentlemen just arrived after being called by my client. They can’t possibly add anything to your investigation.”

Brendstin said, “We gotta talk to everybody.”

Mr. Grum said, “We need to minimize any scandal. We have to all cooperate.” He pointed at Achtenberg, “She has no official standing in this family. Who invited this lawyer here?”

Veronica spoke up, “I did. I will do precisely what she says.”

Achtenberg put a hand on Veronica’s hand. “In a few minutes my client is going to return to taking care of her children. I think those three youngsters have to be our major concern. They’ve just lost their father. Detectives?” She used a tone that dared them to disagree, more authority in it than all Charles Dudley Grum’s bombast.

Mrs. Grum said, “We’ll take the children to breakfast.”

Veronica spoke immediately. “No, I want them here with me.”

Mr. Grum said, “Well, really, you can’t keep them away from us.”

Mrs. Grum’s voice rumbled. “Edgar is looking down at you from heaven. Would he like seeing you acting like this?”

Veronica began turning nearly as purple as her father-in-law had been a few minutes ago.

Achtenberg broke in. “My client will be making all the decisions regarding her family. Her decision is for them to be here with her. That should be sufficient for all involved.” She glared at the Grums, then turned her stare on the detectives.

None of them raised any objections.

“We should all leave this room,” Mr. Grum said.

Veronica said, “No, Tom and Scott are going to stay here.” She placed her hands on her hips and glared at them. She was adamant and there was nothing they could do.

The Grums wanted us out, an excellent reason to stay. Their presence in the house was somewhat understandable. Their insistence on us leaving this room was totally suspicious. Their obvious connection with the police, beginning to be worrisome. Something was in this room they did not want us to see: a key to the murder, a key to the family’s finances, a secret drug stash, the lost treasure of the Incas, one of the stuffed animals was secretly crammed with treasure, or hints to how they kept power and stole elections in Harrison County? I suppose I could speculate pointlessly and endlessly.

Veronica, Scott, and I stood stock still in the room. Achtenberg motioned to the cops and Warner, “Could I see you for a minute, in the hall? And maybe the Grums could wait in the living room.” Her calm intransigence was met with grim acquiescence.

As they were leaving, Achtenberg turned to us, “Wait for me, please.”

Warner and Achtenberg were talking a mile a minute as they pushed through the door.

When they were all gone, Veronica let out a sigh. “I’ve got to get to the kids.”

“Mom and dad will handle them until it’s time to go.”

Veronica said, “We’re staying here. I want the walls of my home around me, and who knows what my in-laws will try next.”

“Good idea to stay,” I said.

And if she’d decided to leave, I’d have said, “Good idea to go.” Support for her was paramount, not choosing to believe I knew best about what she should do or say. If she wanted opinions, she’d ask.

FOURTEEN

Wednesday 9:58 A.M.

A few moments later Achtenberg returned. She, Veronica, Scott, and I ensconced ourselves in the dead-animal den.

Veronica said, “This is a nightmare.”

Achtenberg said, “I’m sorry for how awful this has been for you.”

Veronica turned to all of us. “I don’t understand what is going on.”

I said, “The cops are acting oddly. The attorney for the Grums consulted with the police about their investigation?”

Achtenberg nodded. “That’s certainly the impression I got from all that.”

Scott asked, “The Grums have that much power in this community?”

Achtenberg raised an eyebrow. “Are you kidding? Murder and politics in this county? They don’t have “that much power” as you so quaintly put it. They have all the power.”

Scott asked, “To actually cover up a murder, to direct a police investigation?”

Achtenberg said, “I talked to my one contact in the sheriff’s department as I was driving over. He was terrified to talk to me. Terrified. Something is not right. All I got from him was that the murder happened at the campaign headquarters, and that it was a single gunshot to the head.”

Veronica gasped.

I asked, “Do you want us to stop talking about this?”

Veronica wiped her tissue over her forehead, got another one from the box on the desk, pressed it to her face. When she finally looked at us, she said, “I just want to get through this. I want to know what is going on. Are you saying they…they…that sounds like an execution.”

Achtenberg took her friend’s hands. “When I was out in the hall with the cops they were oddly aggressive about your movements, Veronica. I mean, yeah, the wife is always a suspect, but there just seemed something off kilter about it to me. At the same time they seemed awfully deferential to the Grum family.”

“Could they have enough influence to steer a murder investigation?” I asked.

Achtenberg said, “Yes.”

Veronica said, “They wouldn’t do that.”

I wanted to shout, yes they would, don’t you get it yet? What I did say was, “We need to examine every possibility. We don’t want false accusations starting.”

The thought struck me that maybe the family had started making accusations, had already tainted the cops, the investigation, or leaked bizarre nonsense to the media. I had no doubt they’d accuse Veronica if it served their interests.

Veronica stood up. “I have to get to the kids. I don’t have much money.”

I handed her all the cash in my wallet.

I said, “We found at least one bank that Edgar had funds in. The account had both your names on it.” I dug out the statements we’d found from First State Bank of Harrison County. She glanced over them. I asked, “Do you have the check book for that, an ATM card?”

She shook her head.

“Scott and I will look for them.”

Veronica put her hands to her face. “I can’t handle any more of this. You guys handle all that money stuff, please. I’ve got to be with the kids.” She stood up, squared her shoulders, marched to the door, opened it, paused, turned to us, and said, “I want the Grums out of my house.”

“We’ll help,” I said.

Achtenberg said, “Let me handle it.”

At the door, we met my mom and dad and the kids. Mom said, “We were just coming to see what was going on.”

Veronica said, “We’re for sure staying here.”

I said, “We’re going to invite the Grums to leave.”

My mother said, “Good.”

For her a very strong comment.

But when we got to the living room, all the Grums, their lawyer, and the detectives had departed. The same or similar lone cop car sat in the driveway.

Veronica, my mom and dad, and the kids headed to the kitchen.

Achtenberg, Scott, and I returned to the office.

FIFTEEN

Wednesday 10:00 A.M.

The three of us sat and looked at each other for a moment.

I said, “This is screwed up.”

Achtenberg said, “If I know the Grums, it’s going to get worse.” She shook her head. “I’ll never know what Veronica saw in him.”

I said, “I completely agree. She must have complained about him.”

“Mostly she defended him. When we had coffee, she’d say that he rebelled against the family. That he wasn’t like them. That he wanted to get out from under them.”

I added, “I never saw any evidence of that.”

“Nor did I.” Achtenberg sighed. “They met because of me. I will always regret that.”

“How’d that come about?” I asked.