Chapter Fourteen
All I have to do is get the life insurance policy out of our safe deposit box and then I’m out of here, Fatima thought.
The honking of a car’s horn snapped her out of her thoughts. She grabbed her handbag and shot out of the door.
“First National Bank,” she said as she put her oversized shades over her face. She could feel the cabbie’s eyes peering at her through the rearview mirror, and she grew antsy in her seat as she tried not to stare back. She kept her eyes on the passing scenery out of the window.
“Aren’t you that lady that they’ve been talking about on the news? Mayor Sigel’s wife?”
“Listen, I’ll pay you extra to keep your eyes off of me and on the road,” Fatima replied.
“Not a problem,” the cabbie replied as he turned off the meter, subconsciously knowing that this fare was not one who needed to be documented.
Her heart beat intensely as soon as she saw the building come into view. “Wait here,” Fatima ordered. “I’ll be right back out.”
She walked inside, trying to keep her head lowered to avoid being recognized by the other patrons in the bank. She stood in line and fidgeted nervously until a personal banker approached her.
“Mrs. Sigel, please, I can help you. You don’t have to stand in line,” the white man said.
Fatima looked around and then followed the man. “I just need to get into our safe deposit box,” she said.
“Not a problem,” he replied as he led the way toward the back room where the safe deposit boxes were held.
Fatima reached inside of her purse and removed her key and then handed it to the banker as he located her box and removed it from the wall slot.
“Do you need a private room?” he asked.
“Yes, please,” she answered.
Fatima was escorted to a small room and left to tend to her business. She smiled when she removed the life insurance papers and the knots of money that were hidden inside. She stuffed everything into her purse. She was carrying a five thousand dollar bag, but the contents inside were worth more than gold to her. As soon as Macy’s body was found, she could file her insurance claim. She was about to cash in on a million-dollar policy.
Fatima exited the room and handed the box over to the personal banker and headed for the door.
“Um, excuse me, Mrs. Sigel. Can I interest you in a high interest savings account?” the banker asked as he walked alongside her.
“No, no, thank you. I’m fine,” Fatima replied.
“Please. It will only take a moment of your time, and I promise it will be worth your while,” he stated. She heard a slight quiver in his voice and again turned him down.
“Wait! Um, I just need to get you to sign these papers that your husband forgot to sign last time he was here,” the banker stated.
Fatima saw the banker’s hand shake and thought, What is going on? Why is he trying to stall me?
“I really don’t have time. Another time, I promise,” she said graciously, still trying to be the diplomatic wife in public.
She hurried out of the doors and turned to step toward the cab. Out of nowhere two police cars pulled up wildly, lights flashing and sirens blaring. Fatima froze and her eyes widened in fear like a deer in headlights as two officers jumped out of the car and approached her.
She prayed that they would bypass her, but when she turned back toward the bank and saw the branch manager peering nosily outside, she knew. They had come for her. The bank had been informed that if Macy or even Fatima stepped foot inside, to notify the police.
“Fatima Sigel?” one of the officers asked.
She was so horrified that she couldn’t respond. She simply nodded her head in acknowledgment.
“We need to ask you some questions about your husband. Can we escort you down to the precinct?” he asked.
Fatima saw the cab waiting for her and wanted to sprint toward it, but she knew that with four police officers on the scene, she would never escape them. Oh my God. They know about the kidnapping, she assumed.
The officer grabbed her carefully by the elbow and nudged her toward his vehicle. He opened the door and folded her into the backseat. They drove to the police station in silence, and the only sound that could be heard was Fatima’s shallow, frantic breathing. It took everything in her not to shed a tear.
They took her to a small interrogation room and sat her down inside. Without saying anything, they left the room, leaving her alone and terrified. Her mind began to play tricks on her as she watched the minutes on the clock change.
They know something. Do they know that I’m involved? Oh God. I should’ve never gotten into this. What was I thinking? Macy is too powerful. He has too many friends for me to get away with something like this, she thought as her foot put on a nervous tap dance show as it bounced on the ground.
An hour and a half passed before the door reopened and a police officer stepped inside. “I’m sorry for your wait, Mrs. Sigel, but we have some very important things to discuss with you,” he said.
Fatima nodded her head and avoided eye contact with the officer. He walked behind her and looped the table before sitting down across from her. She felt like prey as he watched her silently, and her guilty conscience began to work overtime.
“We have reason to believe that you know where your husband is and that you are involved with his recent disappearance,” the detective said. “Now, if you know something you need to tell me, Mrs. Sigel... . You could get into serious trouble for withholding information.”
Fatima felt the tears stinging her eyes as they accumulated. They were too full to contain and inevitably escaped as they rolled down her cheeks.
The officer pulled a handkerchief out of his inside jacket pocket and handed it to Fatima. She accepted it and dabbed at her face as her bottom lip quivered.
“Just tell me what you know,” the detective said.
“I didn’t want to be involved in it. Case made me. He kidnapped Macy and has him tied up somewhere for ransom. As soon as the money is delivered, he is going to kill him,” Fatima sobbed.
The detective sat back in his chair in shock. He turned toward the double-sided mirror and looked at his comrades, who were undoubtedly watching on the other side.
He had definitely gotten more than he had bargained for. He was just there because he thought that a loyal wife was harboring Macy and could point them in the right direction. He was investigating Boomer’s murder, but because of Fatima’s statement, now he was aware of Macy’s dire predicament. She had just added a kidnapping and completely separate case to his load.
As soon as Fatima spoke Case’s name, the detective knew who she was talking about. The LAPD had been trying to hem the known but elusive drug kingpin for years.
“What relationship do you have with Case?” the detective probed.
“He’s ... he was my son’s father,” she admitted.
“So the two of you conspired together to kidnap and murder your husband? Maybe because you were angry with him over something else?”
The questions just kept coming and coming. Fatima made the mistake of not asking for an attorney and just kept answering and answering.
“I didn’t want him dead. I swear! I was confused. My son had just been killed. It was a mistake. Please, you have to believe me,” she pleaded.
The detective nodded his head and rose from the table. “I’ll be right back,” he said.
He left the room as Fatima quivered in fear. The detective was met by his captain and a few of his comrades. “Looks like we have a twisted tale of murder, corruption, adultery, and kidnapping on our hands,” the captain said.
The detective shook his head. “Who would have thought? She basically just sealed her fate. I had no reason to suspect her of anything until she just opened her mouth. We need an arrest warrant for Case, and we need to find Macy Sigel. She just helped me collar the two biggest criminals in the city.”
The detective peered back into the room and then looked back at his captain. “What do you want me to do with her? Should I have the D.A. cut her a deal for cooperating?”
The captain shook his head. He wasn’t going to extend any gratitude to Fatima. This was the type of investigation that careers were catapulted off of. “No. Arrest her for accessory to kidnapping. She’s the mayor’s wife. The press is going to have a field day with this one, boys. Pull out your best suits and make sure your uniforms are clean! We’ve got ourselves a case!”