Rausch & Donlon - Can Be Murder 02 - Love Can Be Murder (6 page)

He was going to make her love him. One way or another.

****

It was mid-afternoon by the time Jo and Frisco wrapped up their work at the Capitol in St. Paul. They walked toward the front entrance, but Jo hesitated when she saw the parking lot was still filled with television vans, reporters, and camera crews.
No need to be part of the ten o’clock news. The brass can handle the news conferences.
She turned to the guard next to the door. “Any chance this place has a back door?”

He looked out to the scene in the parking lot, and said, “Sure does. Hang on a minute. I’ll radio for Al, and he can show you to the loading dock area. It’s where they deliver food for the Rathskeller, the café in the basement.”

As they waited for their escort, Frisco said, “So, now we’ll head to interview the widow, right?”

“Yes, she’s already been notified about her husband’s death, so at least we don’t have to deliver the bad news. I’m sure she’s going to be surrounded by people who aren’t going to be happy we’re questioning her.”

Frisco frowned. “And that would be a problem because …”

“Tanya Freemont comes from an old-money family. One of the oldest. Her great-great-great grandfather was Cornelius Reynolds, a crony of James J. Hill, the railroad baron. Reynolds started out in lumber, moved into flour mills, and then expanded from there. Today, the family’s net worth is in the billions. Tanya lives in the family mansion on Summit Avenue in St. Paul.”

“A lot of money and power behind the widow, then.”

“Yes. And they aren’t going to appreciate that we are questioning one of their own about her husband’s murder, especially if we treat her like a suspect.”

“What about Lee Freemont? Was he old-money, too?”

“Not at all. State Rep. Freemont went to college on a scholarship, where he met Tanya. He certainly married up.”

Their escort appeared just then and showed them the back service entrance. “This way, folks.”

As they followed Al through the various corridors of the building, Frisco said, “Why don’t we just go in my car? I’m parked in the back lot. I can drop you off after our interview.”

“Perfect.”

They got into Frisco’s police-issued Chevy Caprice and drove down John Ireland Boulevard from the Capitol toward the Cathedral of Saint Paul. They veered left onto Summit Avenue, a wide boulevard strewn with Victorian mansions built by railroad and lumber barons. After checking the address, Jo directed him to the wrought-iron gate of the Reynolds mansion. A private guard sat on a stool just outside the fence. They flashed their credentials to the guard and he waved them in.

Frisco whistled when they drove up to the carriage house in the back. “This reminds me of the mansions on the North Shore in Duluth. Can you imagine having the kind of money it took to build this place back in the day?”

Jo smiled. “Not a chance.”

They were greeted at the door by a tall, bony woman who said, “This is not a good day for visitors. Might I suggest you come back next week?”

Frisco cocked his eyebrow as if to say, “Guess you were right about the cold reception.”

Jo pulled out her badge and showed it to the woman. “I’m afraid this can’t wait. We are investigating the murder of State Representative Freemont, and we need to speak to his wife.”

The woman’s lips curved downward, as if she had tasted something sour. She said, “Very well, please follow me.”

Jo and Frisco trailed behind the tall woman to a double door. She turned to them and said, “I will let Mrs. Freemont know that you wish to speak with her. Please wait here.”

Frisco’s eyes wandered around the sumptuous hallway while they waited for the woman to return. He ran his hand along the polished woodwork of the doorframe, clearly admiring the workmanship of the previous century.

A few minutes later, the thin woman stood aside while they entered the massive library, and closed the doors behind them.

Tanya Reynolds Freemont stood at one end of the room, in front of a large mahogany desk. She was more petite than Jo expected. Having seen her in various campaign ads for the state representative, Jo expected her to be youthful and commanding. In person, Mrs. Freemont looked frail and depleted.
Of course, intense sorrow will diminish anyone.
Jo felt a surge of compassion for her and wondered if anyone could fake this look of utter grief.

Flanking the widow were two men, both dressed in expensive suits.
Looks like she’s already lawyered up.
That made it easier for Jo to begin her questions.

Mrs. Freemont stepped forward to greet them, holding out a well-manicured hand. A diamond-encrusted tennis bracelet slid down her thin arm and glistened in the sunlight coming through the high windows. “I’m Mrs. Freemont.” She waved a hand toward the two men on either side of her and said, “These are my attorneys, Theo Stanford and George Wilcox. They’ve been most kind in assisting me since I received the news. Thank you for your attention to my husband’s murder …”

The widow swallowed hard and tears began filling her eyes. Theo Stanford offered her a tissue and patted her on the shoulder.

Jo squared her shoulders and said, “Mrs. Freemont, please let me begin by offering our sincere condolences.”

“Thank you so much,” Tanya Freemont said as she delicately dabbed her eyes.

Wilcox stepped forward and said, “Can’t all this wait? This is a very bad time for the family. There are a lot of details to take care of.”

Ignoring the attorney, Jo looked pointedly at the widow and said, “Mrs. Freemont, please. Why don’t we have a seat on the sofa, where you’ll be more comfortable. We have several items to cover with you and I promise we’ll be as brief as possible.”

Stanford puffed up his chest and said, “What kind of items?”

Frisco jutted out his jaw and said, “Investigation items.”

Mrs. Freemont put a restraining hand on Stanford’s arm and shook her head. She turned to Jo and said, “Of course. Agent Schwann, is it? Anything to help you discover what happened to my husband.” She briefly faced each of her attorneys and said, “It’s all right, I can handle this myself. I will speak with the two of you in the morning.”

Both men blinked a few times. Wilcox finally sputtered, “Mrs. Freemont. I must insist we stay. Someone needs to protect your rights. As your attorneys, it’s imperative we be present during this interrogation.”

Tanya Freemont smirked and said, “I highly doubt I am going to be put under a hot spotlight. I have nothing to hide.”

Inside, Jo cheered. It was always easier to ask questions when a witness or potential suspect was alone.

After a few more protests, Wilcox sighed and said, “As you wish. However, we will adjourn to the next room, in case you should change your mind.”

“Thank you, George. You’ve been most kind in all of this.”

After the attorneys departed, Mrs. Freemont motioned to the couch and said, “Please be seated.”

Once they were settled, Jo began. “Do you know if your husband had any enemies? Recent threats, perhaps?”

Tanya frowned. “I’d be hard-pressed to find any person holding a political office who hasn’t acquired some opposition along the way. Public office isn’t all about doing what’s popular. It’s about doing what’s right.”

Frisco shifted a few times, looking uncomfortable in the stiff-backed chair across from the sofa and said, “Are you saying your husband had received threats?”

“Yes, Detective. He did. Although, I’m sure he kept me in the dark about most of them so I wouldn’t worry. However, I’m not naïve.”

“Who would have detailed knowledge of these threats?” Frisco asked.

“His head of staff, Kim Clark. I can provide you with her phone number.”

Jo was curious about Tanya Freemont’s composure. She knew bereavement appeared in different forms and this woman was probably trained at an early age to be unflappable. But Jo wanted to throw her off her game a bit, so she said, “Can you tell us about your personal lives?”

“What would you like to know?” Tanya said flashing her brilliant blue eyes at Jo.

“For starters, how long have you been married?”

“It would have been thirty-eight years next month.” She clasped her hands in her lap and said, “Look, let’s just get through these uncomfortable questions, shall we? My husband and I have not always enjoyed the smoothest relationship. Early on in our marriage, Lee worked for my father. They rarely saw eye to eye, and Lee traveled away on business a fair amount while I stayed home raising the children.”

She grimaced and then continued. “And yes, I know what you are thinking. There were times when Lee wasn’t the best husband.”

Mrs. Freemont stopped and dabbed her eyes again, but it seemed to Jo that the woman was using her tissue as a prop to collect her thoughts. Jo looked over at Frisco, who watched the widow very closely, his face betraying nothing.

Tanya continued, “We went to a marriage counselor. This was, let me see, I guess about twenty-five years ago, around the same time Lee entered politics. Ever since then, we’ve had a marriage that’s been the envy of our friends. Lee is …”

Her chin quivered and she took a deep, shuddering breath before continuing, “
was
a good father and a good husband. I don’t know how we will go on without him. But that’s what he would have wanted.”

Frisco scribbled down some notes and said, “Mrs. Freemont, could you please tell us where you were the last several days?”

The widow directed her gaze to the detective and raised an eyebrow. “Am I under suspicion?”

“Just covering all bases, ma’am.”

“Very well. Up until my husband’s disappearance, I was traveling extensively throughout the state, campaigning on his behalf. I came home immediately when I received word that he was missing. You can corroborate my story with our pilot and the rest of my staff.”

Jo stood up. “Mrs. Freemont, thank you for your time. I will follow-up with Mr. Freemont’s head of staff, as you suggested. We will let you know if we discover anything new. Again, you have our sincere condolences.” Frisco followed her lead.

Tanya Freemont rose. “Let me know if there is anything else you need, Agent Schwann. Please find my husband’s killer. ”

* * *

As soon as they were back out on the driveway, Frisco said, “Wanna grab a pizza at Red’s Savoy? Wife’s out of town with the kids visiting her sister up north.”

Jo pulled back the sleeve of her jacket and peeked at her watch. She thought about her promise to call John, but really was in no hurry to have that conversation. Besides, she realized she hadn’t eaten since grabbing a banana and yogurt on the way out the door that morning. “Yeah, sounds good. I’m starving.”

Frisco drove through the downtown area, and pulled into the chain-link enclosed parking lot of Red’s. Once inside, it took a minute for Jo’s eyes to adjust to the dimly lit restaurant and the stale scent of old cigarette smoke which clung to the upholstery of the booths.

Jo said, “Only been in town a few months and you’ve already found one of St. Paul’s institutions. I’m impressed.”

Frisco loosened his tie and replied, “Doesn’t take long to discover the cops’ favorite hangouts.”

A waitress who looked like she had been with Red’s since the day it opened in 1965 came to their table. She was tall and wiry, with frizzy hair teased within an inch of its life. Evidently not much on small talk, she dove right in. “What’ll ya have?”

After they gave their order, they enjoyed a pitcher of beer while they waited for the food.

“So, Frisco, how do you like the Cities so far?”

“Not bad. Can’t say I like all the friggin’ traffic and the house prices compared to Duluth, but I gotta say, it’s working out okay so far. The guys on the force know their stuff. I mostly just keep my head down and do my thing. I am still getting used to the flow here. Never was one for that political BS at the station.”

Frisco took a swig of beer and then fidgeted with the drink coaster. After a few moments, he continued, “Anyway, we’re all getting used to life in a big city. And my wife loves her new job.”

Jo heard a melancholy note in his voice. “So, you relocated here for her work. What does she do?” Jo questioned.

“Katie’s the head ER nurse at United Hospital. It was an offer she couldn’t turn down.”

Jo watched Frisco, who continued to study his beer glass. She thought about the problems she and John were having because their careers were located in different parts of the country. “Must’ve been a tough decision, just the same,” she said.

“Yeah, well. Whatcha gonna do? She got a big bump in salary and was fed up with her old boss. It was the right decision for her.”

Jo tilted her head, staring into Frisco’s eyes. “But maybe not for you?” she quietly said.

Frisco looked away. He drained his glass and reached for the pitcher. “Oh, I don’t know. Plenty of crimes in the big cities, as you know.” After refilling his glass, he set the pitcher down and said, “It is what it is.”

She helped herself to a refill and changed the subject. “So, what did you think of the widow?”

“Seems like the type of woman who never forgets her public face … you know? Always making sure she says and does the right thing at the right time. I’m sure it was the way she was raised in that big, fancy house.” he said with a shrug and continued. “But, my gut tells me she didn’t do it.”

“I agree. Obviously, we’ll check out her alibi. Still, she doesn’t strike me as a vengeful wife. If he was cheating on her, she could have easily divorced him, and cut the purse strings. I’ll bet those attorneys made sure the family money was well protected with an iron-clad pre-nup. What are your other impressions about the case so far?”

“Well, the state representative damn sure wasn’t murdered in the spot where we found him. Tomorrow, I’ll run through the backgrounds of all the people with access to the Capitol.”

“Including the construction workers, right?”

Frisco took a swig of beer and said, “Yup. Actually thought I’d start with them. After all, they come and go at odd times. And the guards wouldn’t think much about seeing them around. Anyone with a hardhat, work boots, and a rolled up set of blueprints could probably just stroll on in there …”