Another Word for Murder (14 page)

“You should have persuaded her to call us, Poly—crates,” Lever finally offered. The use of the nickname removed some of the edge of harshness from his tone.

Rosco shook his head. “You heard her, Al. There's no persuading Karen Tacete. I was caught between a rock and a hard place. I was treating her like a client. She deserved the kind of confidentiality I'd give anyone else—”

“We were going to give the situation another day and then tell you, Al,” Belle interjected. “Rosco and I felt like total heels keeping this a secret…. When we saw you at Lawson's yesterday morning—”

“So, that's what was eating you both. I assumed you guys had had a fight—”

“Karen phoned us. Told us to butt out after she got the first ransom call,” Rosco added. “That was Sunday afternoon; almost evening really, by the time we picked up the message. Apparently, the kidnapper was quite clear in his threats to harm Lily, as well and insistent we stay away from NPD or the FBI. When we saw you on Monday, we knew nothing about the Corvette and the drop at Gilbert's …”

Lever laid a hand on Rosco's shoulder. “It's not your fault that Tacete's dead, Poly—crates. Historically, the lower the ransom demands, the more brutal the perps. It's almost as if they're doing the job for kicks. And leaving witnesses behind is rare.”

Rosco shrugged but didn't otherwise answer.

“Look, buddy, we don't know how this thing went down. Maybe whoever was holding the doc
did
release him…. Maybe this was an accident, pure and simple. A high-powered car and a notorious curve. Or maybe Dan escaped and was being pursued…. Who knows? The goons could have drugged him, too…. Carlyle will be able to make that assessment in a day or so. But whatever happened, you can't go around blaming yourself. You didn't send Tacete into that ravine.”

Rosco nodded. “Yeah, I know … but I still don't like to see innocent people get raked over the coals on account of what I did or
didn't
do.”

“That's law enforcement, pal—as you well know. It comes with the territory.”

“Which is why I prefer dealing with situations like hoods doing simple things like swiping pricey cars from swanky eateries.”

“Yeah, but some of those jerks are into more than grand larceny, Poly—crates. It's not hard to graduate to homicide.”

Throughout this exchange, Belle had remained silent. “There's something else you should know, Al. Yesterday, I received a peculiar crossword. It had been hand-delivered to my office at the
Crier.”
She paused in thought before continuing. “What made it unusual was that it was the third I've received that employed a nursery rhyme theme. The other two came to the house—which is also strange, although I didn't think much about it at the time … only that the coincidence of receiving two puzzles submitted by two constructors who both used Mother Goose is noteworthy.”

“And you're certain there were two separate constructors?”

“One submission used a P.O. box for a return address; the other constructor had an email address.”

Al nodded. “Which doesn't necessarily prove anything. Both permit a degree of anonymity. What about the one you got yesterday?”

“There was a street address … I think …” Belle frowned. “To tell you the truth, Al, I didn't pay much attention. I was too focused on what I believed might be a sinister message…. Karen's phone call had gotten me worried about Lily's safety, too; and the weird similarity of crossword clues and solutions only heightened my concern…. Then Bartholomew interrupted me—”

“Where are the puzzles now?”

“At home.”

“I'll tell you what; why don't you bring them down to the station house, and we'll have them scanned for prints. Then I'd like you two to talk to Carlyle, and tell him everything you've told me.”

Rosco groaned.

“I know … I know, Poly—crates. Mr. Personality, he ain't.”

“It's not that, Al. I can handle rude and overbearing when someone's good at their job. But Carlyle's sloppy—you know that. He's made too many mistakes in the past.”

Lever sighed. “I'm not going to disagree with you, but as long as his brother remains mayor of our fair city … well, what can I say?”

“What time do you want us, Al?” Belle asked. She touched Rosco's arm as she spoke. It was a gentle, wifely warning. Carlyle's reputed errors were no longer her husband's responsibility or concern.

“Let's say noon? Right now, I'm heading over to Smile! to talk to Jack Wagner.”

“
Jack Be Nimble
,” Belle mused aloud. “That was one of the clues in yesterday's puzzle.

“I'll keep my eye out for candlesticks while I'm there.”

CHAPTER 18

When the electronic buzzer of Smile! rang announcing that the practice's front door had opened, Bonnie O'Connell's reaction was one of startled fright. She jerked upward in her office chair and made a sound that was half-whimper and half-sob. Her eyes were already red and swollen from crying, and the tissue in her hand was saturated. With blurred vision, she watched a heavy-set, balding man—one she didn't recognize—cross the waiting area and approach the reception desk. He had an intense expression and a purposeful stride, both of which she mistook for anger.

Believing that the visitor was a potentially violent person and that the situation could turn dangerous, she depressed an under-counter button that sent a silent alarm back to Dr. Wagner's office, alerting him that there was an unexpected and unwanted visitor who was clearly not there for dental work. When the man reached Bonnie, he placed his right hand under his jacket as if he were reaching for a gun. She was so shaken that she let out with a small scream—a noise that in turn startled the single patient already ensconced in the waiting area.

“My name is Lieutenant Al Lever. I'm with the Newcastle Police Department. I'd like to speak to Doctor Wagner.” Al removed his identification and placed it on the counter as he spoke.

Bonnie's response was to begin weeping afresh. She yanked additional tissues from a box, daubed her eyes, and inclined her head toward the desktop while the alerted Wagner hurried into sight, his right arm held awkwardly down at his side, a small caliber semi-automatic pistol clenched in his hand. Lever lifted his ID into the air and uttered a level “Police officer!”

Wagner marched irritably into Bonnie's work space and set the gun on her desk. “I have a permit for that. It's in my office. We've had two burglaries.” He wrapped his arms over Bonnie's slumping shoulders. “It's okay, Bon, relax … take some deep breaths. In and out, slowly. C'mon, there … nice and slow…. Now, let's lower your head…. I know it's been a terrible morning…. ” He looked at Lever and growled, “What is it you people want? Can't you see that she's been upset enough for one morning?”

Al returned his ID to his jacket. “My name is Lieutenant Lever. I take it you're Doctor Wagner?”

“What right do you have coming barging in here?” Wagner snapped. “I already sent everything over to Doctor Carlyle.”

Lever turned and glanced at the waiting patient, who was giving the situation his full attention. “Is there a place we can talk privately?”

Bonnie was now trembling uncontrollably. Wagner brought her to her feet and steadied her. “It's okay, Bon; take deep breaths.” He looked toward his patient. “This is going to take a few moments, Mr. Parsons, but I'll be with you as soon as I can.” Then Wagner returned his antagonistic stare to Lever. “We can talk in Dan's examining room. I believe my receptionist needs to lie down for a little while.” Wagner guided Bonnie down the hallway to Tacete's dental office and helped her into the examination chair while Lever followed in silence.

“Suffice it to say that your medical examiner's phone call came as a terrible shock,” Wagner said as he slid a metal stool next to Bonnie's prone form and sat. “It was also delivered in a most callous and inhumane manner. Surely, there are better methods for requesting dental records than announcing a brusque ‘We think we found your partner's charred remains.'”

Al's response was a stifled sigh.
Not if you're Herb Carlyle, it isn't
, he thought.

“I gather you're here to confirm that the body in that car crash
was
Dan's?” Wagner continued.

Al leaned against the formica counter top and folded his arms across his chest. “Yes, I'm afraid that's true. I'm sorry.”

A fresh wave of tears filled Bonnie's eyes, and she began to tremble once more. Wagner reached for a box of tissues and handed it to her. He then stood, opened a wall cabinet, and removed a jar of pills. He shook a number of them into his palm and handed them to Bonnie. “Why don't you take these? They'll relax you.”

At first, Al had assumed that Bonnie and Jack were husband and wife. Despite an age difference, which he estimated was close to twenty years, the relationship seemed far more intimate than boss and office staff; and Wagner had no compunction about comforting the young woman physically. But Lever now noticed that while Wagner wore a wedding ring, Bonnie did not. He watched the dentist fill a paper cup with water and gently touch it to her mouth. Jack Wagner appeared a great deal more concerned with her well-being than with his partner's death.

After Bonnie swallowed the pills, Wagner turned to Lever. “Okay, you've delivered your bad news. Now if you don't mind, I think we could use some time alone. Feel free to let yourself out.”

“There have been other developments you should know about.” As Lever spoke, he tried to observe the reactions of Bonnie and her boss, but both seemed wholly perplexed at the news.

“Developments?” Wagner asked.

“We have just learned that Doctor Tacete's disappearance was the result of an abduction.” Again, Lever took a moment to watch for a reaction, but confusion was still the only emotion he read on the two faces. “We suspect that Dan Tacete was attempting to flee his captors when he drove off the road. Either that, or he was drugged when they released him and he blacked out or lost control of his vehicle. Whichever the case, I intend to pursue this as a homicide until I learn differently.”

“Certainly, you can't suspect that we're involved!” Wagner stated indignantly.

“When you say, ‘we,' Doctor, you're referring to yourself and—?”

“Ms. O'Connell, here.”

“I see,” Lever said. “And why would the police department suspect such a thing, Doctor?” Al paused a moment. “May I ask what your relationship is?”

“I've already told you. Bonnie is the receptionist at Smile! I would think that's rather obvious.”

“Which means your relationship is of a professional nature only?”

Wagner's jaw tightened. “What do you mean by that question?”

“I just wasn't certain if you were married or not—”

“Lieutenant, I'm a busy man and seriously understaffed at the moment. I'm going to have to ask you to leave now.”

Al held up his hand. “I don't want to get off on the wrong foot with you, Doctor Wagner. You're a respected professional in this community, and I can't imagine you being involved in a fairly penny-ante kidnapping. However, your business partner is dead, and someone has made off with a bundle of cash. Time is of the essence if we intend to catch the people responsible. That's why I would like your full cooperation.”

Wagner pondered what Lever had said, and after a moment he seemed to settle down. Whatever he had given Bonnie had worked like a charm, and she was now in another world, humming softly and seemingly unaware that there were other people in the room.

“All right,” Wagner said, “what do you want to know?”

“For starters, do you have any idea who might have decided to kidnap Dan Tacete? Clearly, it was someone who was familiar with his routine.”

“How much money did they get?”

“Twenty-five thousand dollars.”

Wagner smiled briefly and shook his head. “Whew, that
is
penny-ante stuff. I can get that much money out of a single mouth if I can find enough problems.” He rubbed his chin as though in thought, but Al felt the gesture was superficial and insincere. “Dan did pro bono work down at the Bay Clinic. Many of his patients were the men at the Saint Augustine Mission. Twenty-five grand would be an enormous amount to those low-lifes. The people who walk through this door? Hell, they run up that much on their VISA cards each month.”

“I intend to visit the Saint Augustine Mission, Doctor Wagner, but I find it difficult to imagine that someone who is homeless would have the wherewithal to accomplish a crime of this scope.”

“Well, I have no intention of grilling my patients, if that's what you're suggesting.”

“I'm not suggest—”

“Rob,” Bonnie interrupted in a dreamy voice. “Where has Rob gone to?”

“Who's Rob?” Al asked.

“Just calm yourself, dear,” Wagner said to her. “Don't try to speak.” He then looked at Lever. “She's been sedated, Lieutenant. I don't think you should take anything she says seriously.”

“Do you know who this Rob is?”

Wagner suppressed an irritable sigh. “Dan had a patient by the name of Rob Rossi. Another one of his charity cases. Or close to.”

Lever looked past the dentist. “What can you tell me about Rob, Ms. O'Connell?”

“Lieutenant, she's in no condition—”

“Bartender … kinda cute…. He didn't …” Bonnie giggled lightly, then dozed off, allowing Wagner to speak for her.

“Rossi failed to appear for a scheduled appointment with Dan. There's no more to the story than that. And it's behavior that's not uncommon within a certain element of Dan's clientele…. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've kept Mr. Parsons waiting long enough—”