One Dog Too Many (A Mae December Mystery) (15 page)

A
t ten in the morning Detective Nichols and Deputy Robert Fuller arrived at the architectural firm of David Allison and Steven Fanning and asked the receptionist if either Mr. Allison or Mr. Fanning were available. She went to check and returned to say that Mr. Fanning would be out shortly. She seated them in a reception area with red chairs, black tables and a tall black vase filled with bare branches. The modern building had enormous glass panel windows and a view of the downtown Nashville skyline. This was expensive real estate.

Steven Fanning came briskly into the room with his hand outstretched. He was a slim, relatively short man with a buzz cut and an intense look. After shaking their hands, he showed them into a conference room with an enormous rosewood table and red chairs. There was a sideboard with coffee, tea, hot water and china cups. Steven poured three cups of coffee and invited them to be seated.

Detective Nichols said, “Mr. Fanning, we’re here regarding the death of Ruby Mead-Allison, your partner’s wife. We’d like to talk to you about the evening of March fifteenth.”

“Certainly. I’m happy to help out. I don’t see what I could tell you that would be pertinent. I need to check my calendar. I’ll get my secretary.” He pushed a button on the clear glass panel on his side of the conference table, and a tall, brown-haired woman came into the room.

“Linda, could you tell these men about my schedule for March fifteenth?”

She opened the planner in her hand. “March fifteenth was the day you were meeting with the representatives from Dymond Development Corporation all afternoon. You took Mr. John Rogers and Miss Stephanie Wilson to dinner at Café Margot.”

“Thank you.” Steven Fanning rose and ushered her out.

“What did you do after dinner?”

“We left the restaurant about nine o’clock and I escorted Miss Wilson to the Hyatt. John Rogers lives in Nashville but Stephanie is the corporate representative from Memphis. When we got to the hotel, she asked me to join her at the bar for a nightcap and I did. I left the bar around ten thirty and went straight home. I was at home the rest of the evening with my wife, Robin.”

“When you drove home, did you come from the north or the south end of Little Chapel Road?”

“I always drive in from the south end.”

“So, you must have driven past Ruby Mead-Allison’s house on your way home?”

“Yes.” Steven’s glib demeanor was rapidly being replaced with caution.

“It would have taken you half an hour to drive home from the Hyatt, meaning you drove past Mrs. Mead-Allison’s home around eleven?”

“Yes, that’s about right.”

“When you drove past her home, did you notice your partner’s car in her driveway?”

“It was dark but I think I saw David’s car. They have separated but I know they saw each other from time to time. My wife hoped they were getting back together.”

“You weren’t surprised to see your partner’s car there?”

“No. Although David was originally planning to have dinner with us, Ruby called at the last minute and David decided to have dinner with her. I was pretty pissed, actually. He’s the chief architect for the buildings Dymond Development is planning to construct. David said Ruby wanted to talk about their divorce. He was trying to work out something that they could both agree to, in terms of a property settlement.”

“I’d like to point out a contradiction in your story, if I might,” Wayne Nichols said quietly.

Steven swallowed audibly and then nodded.

“First, you told me your wife thought David and Ruby were getting back together, but Mr. Allison told you he couldn’t go to dinner because he wanted to work out a property settlement with Ruby.”

“Yes, well, you know how women are.”

“Actually I don’t. Suppose you tell me.”

“Well, David and Ruby were our neighbors. Since their separation, David has been staying at our house. We have three small children and David is taking up one of the bedrooms. Obviously, Robin hoped for their reconciliation or a divorce. She wanted David out of the house. She was starting to press him about how long he’d be staying. My daughter doesn’t like bunking with the boys.”

“David told you he needed to skip an important business meeting to work out a property settlement? That shouldn’t have required a late night visit to Ruby’s house. So, what did you think when you saw his car in Ruby’s driveway?”

“I was already irritated with him and when I saw his car, I was furious.” Steven’s fair skin flushed an angry red.

“You drove up your street and saw David’s car in Ruby’s driveway. What happened then? Mr. Fanning, I want to caution you—this is a murder inquiry and the night you saw Allison’s car in the driveway was the night she died.”

Steven was taken aback and seemed to choose his words carefully. “What did I do? What could I do? I drove past, cussing like a sailor.”

“You didn’t drive into the driveway? Why don’t you take a moment to gather your thoughts, Mr. Fanning, and tell me what really happened?”

There was a pause. “You’re right. I did drive in. I sat there in the driveway in my car thinking about what I should do. I was going to go in and talk to him, to both of them. However, I’d told Robin I’d be home by ten, and I knew she’d be none too pleased with me anyway. In the end, I drove home. Robin can tell you I was with her all night.”

“Earlier you said you thought it was David’s car in the driveway. Couldn’t you immediately recognize David’s car?”

“I’m sorry, Detective. Yes, I knew it was David’s car.”

“I’m going to ask you again what you did when you drove into the driveway. Did you go up to the house?” The detective paused and watched Steven Fanning closely. “Remember, I’m going to be talking to your wife about the time you arrived home and I’m very good at knowing when people are lying to me.”

Steven took a deep breath. His voice was steady. “I watched the house until David came out and got into his car at almost eleven thirty. By then, I’d moved my car out of the driveway and parked it on the street in front of Ruby’s place. When David drove down the driveway and headed toward my house, I followed him. I pulled into my driveway right behind him. When he got out of the car, we had an argument. David was very upset about his encounter with Ruby. Then Robin came outside and said we needed to come into the house. She told us to quiet down. We both came in. She got us drinks and left us in the living room. I didn’t leave the house again all night.”

“Was Mr. Allison in the house the remainder of the night?”

“I think so, but I can’t say for sure. My wife and I have a bedroom fan, and unless one of the kids opens the bedroom door, we don’t hear much. I guess he could have left, but I don’t think he did. He was more depressed than angry. He changed clothes, I know. Got into jeans and a t-shirt. When I went up to bed, he was sitting in the living room, downing shots of Johnnie Walker Black. When we woke up the next morning, our daughter, Tiffany, told us that when she got up Mr. Allison was still asleep on the couch.”

“When you went to bed, leaving Mr. Allison drinking in the living room, did you notice the time?”

“Yes, it was right around one.”

“When you got up the next morning, did you notice whether he was wearing the same clothes he had changed into the previous night or not?”

“I didn’t actually see him. By the time I came into the kitchen, David was in the shower. You’ll have to ask my wife.”

“Okay. That’s enough for now. We’ll be speaking with Mr. Allison, and we may be back to ask you some more questions. I want to remind you to hold everything you told us in confidence. Do not discuss this matter with anyone, not your wife, your partner, nobody. Do you understand?” His tone was gentle, but very firm.

“Yes.” Steven looked Wayne Nichols in the eye. “I understand clearly. You have my word, Detective. I won’t talk to anyone else about this.”

As the officers walked down the hall toward Allison’s Office, Deputy Fuller turned to Wayne Nichols. “Man, I don’t know how you do it. Mr. Fanning was hostile and defensive. He didn’t want to tell you anything. Then by the end of the conversation, you got him to open up and give you a lot of information. How do you do it?”

“We can talk about this when we get back into the car.” Wayne knocked on Mr. Allison’s office door.

David Allison needed no introduction to Detective Nichols or Deputy Fuller. He said hello without shaking hands and waved them into his office.

The two officers sat in dark gray chairs facing David’s teakwood desk. The office was decorated in gray striped wallpaper with an entire wall of windows. A framed photograph of Ruby sat on the console behind Allison. Her red hair was the only spot of color in the room. The pale gray carpeting made the office feel as it were floating off into the cityscape beyond.

Detective Nichols looked at David across the desk. “We’ve already talked to you about Ruby’s death. I want to ask you again to describe your movements on the night she died.”

“I already told you and I see no reason to do so again.” His tone of voice was cool. David was plainly irritated by their visit.

“Mr. Allison, the first time we talked you didn’t tell us the truth about your whereabouts.” Wayne Nichol’s voice was soft but pitched perfectly to raise David’s fears. “We know you took Ruby to dinner at the Bistro at six forty-five. You left the restaurant around nine. We also know you drove to her house, arriving around nine thirty. You stayed at her house until at least eleven thirty. Ruby died that night.”

David took a deep breath. He gripped the arms of his chair.
Nichols noticed sweat on his temples.

“Do you deny that this accurately summarizes your actions on the night of March fifteenth?” Wayne kept his voice soft and almost kindly.

“No, you’re right.” David again took in a breath and exhaled. He seemed to relax a bit.

“You originally told us that you attended a dinner meeting. However, we now have positive identification from the wait staff at the Bistro, identifying you as Ruby’s escort. We have your credit card slip showing that you paid for dinner. We also spoke with your partner, Steven Fanning. He said he drove by Ruby’s house around eleven and saw your vehicle there. Do you have anything you’d like to add?”

“Only one thing. Ruby was alive and well when I left her house that night.”

“Why didn’t you tell us all of this earlier?”

“I knew I’d be a suspect, especially if I admitted that I was with her until almost midnight. I was scared.” He scrutinized his desk.

“I understand, but now you have a bigger problem. Because you didn’t tell us what really happened that night, we’re more interested in you than ever.” There was a pause, and then he leaned forward. “Mr. Allison, look at me. Tell me what really happened between you and Ruby the night of March fifteenth. This is going to be worse for you if you don’t tell me everything.”

David was pale now, but his voice seemed to strengthen as he spoke. He met the detective’s eyes. “At the restaurant, Ruby told me she was pregnant. I was stunned. We had tried to have a child for about four years. After a couple of minutes, I was thrilled and hoped this would perhaps get her to consider reconciliation. Detective, I wouldn’t have killed my pregnant wife. I regret lying to you, but I’m not a killer.”

Wayne leaned back in his chair and nodded. “Go on.”

“The chef stood right by our table when Ruby told me she was pregnant. He overheard and offered me a congratulatory after-dinner drink. I was on cloud nine when we left the restaurant.

“About an hour later, when Ruby poured us wine at her house, I asked her if she should be drinking, since she was pregnant. She got angry and said it was none of my business. I told her I thought it was, since she was carrying my child. She told me then that I wasn’t the baby’s father.” His last words were almost inaudible.

“Did she tell you who the father was?”

“This is how pathetic the whole thing was. I never even asked. I told her I still wanted her, wanted us to get back together. I even said I was glad about the baby.”

David’s face was full of pain as he looked into the detective’s eyes. Wayne nodded at him as if he understood. “What happened then?”

“Ruby wasn’t interested. She didn’t intend to get back together. After I saw that she couldn’t care less about my offer, I was so humiliated I decided to leave. I drove to the Fannings’ house. Steven had parked his car right where Ruby’s driveway exits onto Little Chapel Road. When I got to Steven’s house, he pulled in behind me and jumped out of his car. We got into a big argument.”