Falafel Jones - Max Fried 02 - Payback's a Beach (13 page)

“I’m worried about him. He doesn’t handle defeat or criticism well.”

“Who does?”

“If you hear from him, please have him call me. It’s not like him to stay away from home like this.”

“Sure.”

“Thank you.”

I closed my phone and turned left onto Third Avenue. It was lunchtime more or less and Ed said we’d meet and eat so I made another left onto Atlantic Avenue towards Bobbi and Jack’s. I saw Ed’s car as soon as I pulled into the small, unpaved lot.

By the time I covered the short distance from the door to the bar, Jack had already placed my Amberbock beer and an empty cup in front of me. The man on the next stool whistled and said, “Now, that’s fast service.”

I turned to him and said, “Jack likes to get me in and out fast before I start annoying the other customers.”

The man’s smile disappeared and then he moved two seats down the bar.

Jack laughed, “Boy, I could use you at closing time.” Then he pointed to the patio deck on the sand between the bar and the ocean. “Your buddy’s here.”

“Ed?”

“Yeah, the guy you helped solve those murders.” Jack reached across the bar and slapped me on the arm to show he was just kidding.

“Thanks.” I emptied my bottle into my cup and walked out onto the deck. A lone guitarist with a pencil mustache was performing southern blues numbers on the patio stage. He wore a black pork pie hat and 1950s style sunglasses to coordinate with his music. I found Ed and Brenda at a table in a corner not readily visible from the bar.

Ed looked up from his sandwich as I approached. “Hi, Max.”

I sat down and said to Ed, “Sheila’s looking for you.” He nodded as if he already knew.

I turned to face Brenda. “How you holding up?”

“I thought I’d feel better after the drug test, but…”

Ed took a bite from his pickle and then handed it to Brenda.

She brought her knees up to her chin, put her heels on her seat, and placed one hand on the opposite ankle. “I still feel like a suspect, especially after that search warrant.”

Ed said, “No worries. They didn’t find anything.”

I thought about Torres’s comment regarding the connection between Brenda and Fisher. It looked like he wasn’t going to leave Brenda alone so I said, “Maybe we can do something to help that.”

Brenda took a bite of the pickle.

Ed brightened, “You found something?”

“Maybe three things.”

“Spill.”

“First, a guy at the East End Yacht Club in New York says that Fisher took Captain Bucky from the DeepSea Doodle for about $500,000. Second, an East End PD Detective Snyder wants to talk to Fisher about a half a mill in gold. Third, Captain Bucky from the DeepSea Doodle crossed under the drawbridge at 9:20 pm.”

Ed said, “That fits. The M.E. puts the time of death at 9:30 pm so Bucky made the bridge opening just in time to kill Fisher. Coming down the inlet, he could have sailed right past Fisher’s boat.”

Brenda said, “Better to eat a pickle than to be in one. So, now can we call the police and tell them to leave me alone?”

Ed and I looked at each other. I suspected we each had the same thought and then Ed voiced it. I was glad I didn’t have to be the one to say it.

Ed said. “We can call but that’s not going to get you off the hook. At the very least, Torres will want to talk to the folks in New York, see the bridge log to prove what we claim, and talk to Bucky. Even then, it may not be enough. I’m afraid you’re still a suspect until he arrests somebody else.”

I said, “We have to tell him what we’ve got and see if he’ll search Bucky’s ship for the gold.”

Ed said, “Yes, and if we give him that to chew on, I think he’ll hold off arresting Brenda.”

Brenda put her feet down from her chair and her voice went up, “You think he’ll hold off on arresting me? You think?”

“Calm down, doll. Trust your old man on this one.”

I held up my hand. “Hang on a second, Ed. Not that we don’t have compelling information here but first, what’s up with you and Torres?”

Ed gave me a puzzled look.

“I just came from Captain Fleming. He seemed to think that Torres violated procedure and may have compromised the investigation. That’s not like Torres. What’s going on?”

Ed held up his empty cup and asked Brenda. “Doll, can you get us a refill, please?”

She took the cup. “Max?”

“No, thanks.”

Ed watched her walk away and shrugged. “I phoned him, said I had a court order, and I wanted to see the boat.”

“And he knew you’re Brenda’s father?”

“Yes.”

“McCarthy is a pretty common name. How did he know?”

Ed looked away at the surf lapping at the sand and said something.

“What?”

He turned back to face me. “Yes, I told him I was Brenda’s father.”

“Why’d you tell him? Wouldn’t that discourage him from letting you on the boat?”

“It could have but it didn’t.”

“Why not?”

Ed took a deep breath and then exhaled. “You’ve only been here a short time. You probably don’t know about Torres’s daughter, Angela. She lived with his ex about 90 minutes north of here. A few years back, Jacksonville police arrested Angela for drug trafficking, selling a couple of oxycodone pills to an undercover at a party.

Torres went berserk and broke all the rules trying to prove her innocent but he couldn’t help her. She was guilty. She confessed to get the minimum mandatory sentence, three-years in a state prison and a $50,000 fine. It ruined her life, not to mention her father’s.

When he was broke and facing departmental charges, I represented him in a hearing. I saved his job but he changed. When he came back, he became a hard nose. Did everything by the book with no leeway for anyone. Her guilt broke his heart and I don’t think he’s trusted anybody since.”

“And you used that heartbreak to get on the Amante?”

“Nobody tampered with anything. Yeah, I pulled some heartstrings to get a look at the boat. I’m not proud of it, but I did what I had to and I’d do it again. Ed pulled out his cell phone and dialed. After a moment, he said, “This is Attorney Edward McCarthy. I’d like to speak with Detective Torres, please.”

I helped Brenda unload the drinks from the tray she carried and turned to watch Ed. He held his finger vertically over his lips while he made eye contact with me and then with Brenda. He pressed the speaker button on his phone and I heard Torres say, “… a lawyer. You should know that’s not enough. We can’t get a warrant based on uncorroborated hearsay.”

I saw the desperate look on Ed’s face so I motioned for the phone. Ed handed it to me. “Torres, this is Fried.”

“What, you got me on speaker or something? Who else is listening?”

I said, “No, one.” I didn’t see the point of telling him, his prime suspect was sitting next to me. “Listen, what if we had additional evidence?”

“Like what?”

“Well, a bridge tender’s log that places Bucky on scene at the time of death. Also, if you can find evidence Fisher stiffed Bucky and owed him money, you could show a judge Bucky had motive.”

“The bridge log is good but even if I had proof Fisher had Bucky’s money, so what? Lots of people owe money and don’t kill anybody.”

Ed leaned into the phone, “Detective. You don’t need a closed case for a warrant. You only need probable cause.”

Torres said, “Geez, I hate speakerphones. One of you at a time is bad enough.”

I said, “How about a credit card receipt? If Fisher purchased a crucible for melting gold that would make Detective Snyder’s statement more credible.”

“Yeah, it would but how do you know Fisher used a credit card?”

“I don’t, but there’s only one way to find out. Run his cards and see what he bought this week.”

Torres paused as if considering my proposal and then he said, “OK, Fried. This may be worth the effort, but you better not be making this up to protect your client.”

I disconnected the call and handed Ed back his phone. He placed it gently on the table, as if it was suddenly very important and extremely delicate. Brenda leaned forward with her bent elbows pressed against her waist. “So, now what?”

“Once again, we wait.” Ed let out a long sigh. “Who wants another round?”

We sat with fresh, untouched drinks and made small talk but I think we were all uneasy. I noticed Ed and Brenda making furtive glances at the clock and at Ed’s cell phone. I noticed because I was doing the same thing. Even though we knew it would happen, we jumped when the phone finally rang.

Ed picked it up and pressed the speaker button. “Hello?”

“McCarthy? Torres. I got your warrant and a bonus.”

“Great. What? A bonus?”

“I ran that credit card check. It was a good idea.”

“You mean it proved Fisher bought the crucible?”

“Yup, he bought it all right.”

“So, what’s the bonus?

“Somebody used that same credit card at Coronado Gas and Go on Third Avenue, the day after Fisher died.”

“Huh? Who?”

“Don’t know. Someone used it to buy gas at an unattended pump. There wasn’t any sales clerk involved and there wasn’t any camera.”

“But Fisher used the card for the crucible.”

“Yeah, but it looks like Fisher died in a robbery and I don’t see Bucky killing someone for their Visa card.”

I took the phone from Ed. “Torres, let’s say you’re right. The killer took the credit card. Does it make sense he’d use it to buy gas? Don’t thieves use stolen cards for big ticket items they can resell?”

“Yeah, they do. That bothered me too.”

“Do you think buying gas could just be a way to throw us off the trail?”

“Us? What do you mean us?”

“I mean you.”

“Yeah, the credit card could be a clue or it could be a ruse. It’s going to take some time to find out. Meantime, we’ll see if your tip pays off. I’ll get warrants for the yacht club and Bucky’s boat. Who accepts service for the club?”

Ed said, “Me. I’m the club’s attorney.”

Torres snorted, “Of course you are.”

When Ed pulled into his reserved spot in the Coronado Yacht Club parking lot, I saw Torres and Fitzpatrick standing at the club entrance. Ed and I approached while Brenda walked behind her dad. When we came to the door, Torres said, “Blood test came back. Blood on Brenda’s clothes matches the dead guy. I should just arrest her now.”

Ed said, “But you won’t because you want the real killer.”

Torres folded his arms, “And the killer’s name is?”

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Like I told you on the phone, you have three good reasons to consider Bucky. Plus, now you’ve got a new suspect using Fisher’s credit card. If you were convinced Brenda killed Fisher, you wouldn’t be here now.”

“Maybe I just came here to pick her up.”

“No, you’re not that stupid.”

Torres took a step towards Ed but Fitzpatrick grabbed his arm.

Ed drew himself up to his full height, looked down and said, “You see, Detective, you’re screwed. If you decide not to investigate Bucky and to charge Brenda, then I present the evidence about Bucky and the jury thinks you’re incompetent. You investigate Bucky and charge Brenda anyway, the jury sees reasonable doubt. I mean why did you look into him if he’s not a viable suspect?”

Fitzpatrick stepped in front of his partner and held up a warrant. “Look, let’s just do this. Don’t poke the bear.”

Ed said, “Good enough,” took the warrant and stuck it in his pocket unread. We entered the club and walked through to the docks.

When we came to the
DeepSea Doodle,
Bucky and Maddie sat in the cockpit, sipping cocktails. Maddie raised her glass at us, “Oooo, I love a parade.”

Bucky chuckled and said, “Gentlemen, lovely lady, how are you all today?”

Ed said, “Permission to come aboard?”

Bucky stood and saluted, “Yes sir, Commodore,” and offered Brenda his hand to assist her.

Torres took a step forward to board but hesitated. He must have noticed me watching him because he turned to meet my stare. I guessed he might have been remembering his queasiness on the
Amante
so I said, “This is a much bigger ship. It doesn’t sway as much.” I pointed to the lines on the bow and the stern of the ship. “Plus, it’s tied on both ends.”

Torres took a deep breath and placed both hands on the transom to steady himself as he climbed over it. He looked uncomfortable standing on the deck.

After we all boarded his yacht, Bucky pointed at each of us and asked, “So, who’s drinking what?”

Torres displayed his badge. “We’re on the job.”

Bucky looked hurt and turned to Ed, “Commodore?”

“Scotch neat, please.”

Bucky smiled and went to fetch Ed a drink.

Torres looked unhappy. “Hey, we’re here to execute this warrant.”