Mars said, “Why don’t you two run that down? I’m going to try to connect with Rachel. She left me her cell phone number.”
“We want to be around when you do,” said Decker.
“Okay, but you can’t be hovering over me. I’ll let you know what I set up.”
“We can wire you up again.”
Mars shook his head. “No, I don’t want to chance her finding a wire on me. That will blow everything.”
“Okay,” said Decker reluctantly. “But be careful.”
Mars gave him a thumbs-up as he left them.
Lancaster watched him go. “Don’t worry, Decker. He looks like he can take care of himself.”
“I’d worry less if he were going into a bar fight with five big guys. Melvin would win that battle for sure.”
“Then what are you worried about? He’s not going into a fight with five guys. He’s meeting up with one woman.”
“That’s what I’m worried about.”
“So, what are we going to do next?”
“Something you can’t help me with.”
“Why not?”
“Like I said, it has to do with Susan Richards. And what I want to check also involves Rachel Katz. You can’t work that part of the case because of Earl.”
“Earl was Rachel Katz’s alibi for Meryl Hawkins’s murder. Not for what happened to Richards.”
“But do you think Childress will see it that way?”
“Who gives a shit?” In a bit of gallows humor, she added, “Next year I might not even remember who he is.”
“Okay, if you’re sure.”
“I am. But how is Katz involved in Richards’s disappearance and murder?”
“Someone impersonated Richards so Agatha Bates could ID her. And both Rachel Katz and Mitzi Gardiner are the right height and build. From a distance and with a long coat and hat on, they could be mistaken for Susan Richards. Especially by someone whose eyesight isn’t the best, like Bates.”
“You really think that one of them killed Richards and took her place after sticking the woman in that suitcase?”
“Either we prove it is true or we don’t.”
“Who’s first? Katz or Gardiner?”
“We’ll leave Katz for Melvin right now. Let’s go talk to Gardiner.”
“She’s not obligated to tell us anything.”
“Then let’s hear that from her.”
“Are you going to just point-blank accuse the woman?”
“You’ve never appreciated the subtle side of my personality, Mary.”
Lancaster looked surprised. “That may be because I’ve never seen it, Amos.”
“Well, hang on, because you’re about to.”
Chapter 48
“OKAY, THIS IS HARASSMENT, damn it.”
Decker and Lancaster were standing on the front porch of Mitzi Gardiner’s home, while the woman stared angrily across at them over the width of the doorway.
“I can understand your feeling that way, Ms. Gardiner. But the fact is, we’re doing our best to solve multiple homicides connected to your father, and, like it or not, you’re one of the best resources we have. We just have some questions for you, and we’ll make them as painless as possible. I promise.”
Lancaster looked incredulously at Decker, having obviously never seen him talk this way to any suspect or person of interest.
Gardiner eyed Lancaster. “I remember you. You two worked the case together.”
“We did, yes. And I have to say I doubt I would have recognized you.” Lancaster ran her eye over Gardiner’s long, healthy frame, her elegant clothes, her perfectly coiffed hair, and her blemish-free complexion.
“I know that I’ve changed quite a bit from when you last saw me.”
“You look great.”
“Thank you.”
“And I have to say I never thought we’d end up revisiting this case. But then your father came back to town proclaiming his innocence.”
Gardiner pointed at Decker. “I already told him that was crap. My father just wanted to mess with you. Make you doubt his guilt.”
“We still haven’t found out who killed him,” said Decker.
“You said you were checking with the two widows.”
“Right. Well, one of them was murdered.”
Gardiner gaped and Decker saw her fingers on the door tremble. “Murdered? Which one?”
“Susan Richards. We believe she was abducted from her home and then killed.”
When Gardiner didn’t respond, Decker added, “Can we come in?”
She led them down the hall to the conservatory. She motioned for them to sit while she stood there clasping and unclasping her hands.
“You look pretty surprised,” said Decker.
“Of course I’m surprised. First my father and now Susan Richards.” She abruptly sat down across from them and stared at her lap.
Lancaster looked around the graceful lines of the room. “You have a lovely home.”
Gardiner nodded absently, but still wouldn’t meet their eyes.
Decker took something from his pocket and held it out to her. “I thought you might want to have this.”
Gardiner looked up but did not reach for the photo.
“It’s you as a little girl. We found it in your dad’s wallet. There wasn’t much else in there. I know you said you never visited him in prison, but he evidently kept this photo all these years.”
Gardiner shook her head. “I…I don’t want it.”
Decker put the photo down on the table, face up.
“What are your questions?” said Gardiner, glancing at the photo and then quickly looking away.
“Well, and don’t be offended by this, because we’re asking everyone connected to this case. We need to know where you were when Susan Richards was last seen.”
“You can’t possibly believe I had anything to do with her death?”
“Look, I don’t want to believe that anyone is capable of murder. However, some people clearly are. But I’m not accusing you of anything. I’m just eliminating suspects right now, and we can do that with you if you can tell us where you were.”
“What time are we talking about?”
Decker told her the day and the time in the evening.
Gardiner sat back and closed her eyes. Then she reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone. She brought up her calendar and ran through some screens. Then she seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. “I was at a dinner with my husband. A business dinner. There were six other people with us. It’s here in Trammel. At a restaurant. From seven o’clock until well after midnight.”
“And your husband can verify that?” said Lancaster.
“Do you have to talk to him?” Gardiner said worriedly. “He knows nothing about any of this…of my past life.”
“Well, if you give us the names of some of the other people there?”
“That’s as good as telling him,” she snapped. “He’s built up a great reputation in this area and people trust him. Something like this could ruin him.”
“Well, can you think of someone else who can corroborate your whereabouts?” asked Lancaster.