She was still alive. He had to wait until his morning shift to check on her. This hadn’t happened before. How would Tamara’s mind deal with it? She was so pretty. He watched from behind the glass window as the nurse adjusted the I.V. drip. Tamara was still unconscious, although the doctors couldn’t understand why. When she woke up, exactly what would she remember? Would she still be under his influence? This was uncharted territory, but he couldn’t worry about it now. It was a sign that it was time to move to the final phase.
<><>
“Coffee, Sam?” Captain Robinson was treating Sam with kid gloves. Now she understood why Jake hadn’t slept that well last night. He hadn’t even gone to bed, just slept in the recliner in the study. She had to wait until this morning for Jake to tell her about Sal Marino. Another cop had been the one who assaulted her in the parking lot of the Family Christian Center.
They were lined up in the front row of the viewing room. On the other side of the one way mirror sat Sal Marino, clueless as to why he had been asked to stop by and to bring his union rep. Earl McKinley was a seasoned veteran of the CHPD with a flabby body and a brush haircut. Robinson had brought in coffee for both Marino and McKinley. With the microphone on they were able to hear that Marino thought this was all about the Nina Logesta case.
She watched Jake refill his cup for the fourth time. Robinson had sandwiched Jake between her and Frank as though fearful two people were needed to keep Jake from launching his body through the glass and into Marino. The door to the interview room opened and the look on Marino’s face was priceless. Chief Dennis Murphy rarely did interviews so the fact that he was in the room made Marino nervous. He looked at the union rep who was just as apprehensive. Trailing behind Murphy was a woman in a dark pant suit and starched white shirt. Her no-nonsense hairstyle was short and peppered with gray and her friendly smile had a tendency to make people relax. They took a seat across from the two men. Murphy set three file folders and a tape recorder on the desk in front of him.
“That’s Meredith Stowe, head of Internal Affairs.” Robinson sat down next to Sam. “Now the show begins.”
<><>
Murphy opened the top file folder and spent several seconds reading. He then brought out a Mont Blanc pen and set it next to the folder. Meredith calmly sat next to him, hands folded in her lap, her eyes roaming from the words in the file to the two men across the table. Marino leaned back and folded his arms across his chest.
The chief pressed a button on the recorder, stated the date, time, and the names of everyone in attendance. He didn’t look at Marino. Instead he spoke to the file folder. “Where were you four nights ago, around eight o’clock in the evening?” He picked up the pen and waited.
“Probably at Izzy’s. I usually stop off for a couple with the boys. They often ask me for advice on a case.” Marino shifted his gaze to Miss Stowe but all she gave him was the same reassuring smile.
“Can anyone corroborate that?” Murphy scratched something on the report in front of him.
“Sure. The bartender, several co-workers. Reese Banks was one of them. He’ll vouch for me.”
“Where did you go from there?”
Marino finally looked at the one-way mirror, his eyes narrowed as though finally wondering who was in the viewing room. “Home. Can I ask what this is about?”
McKinley checked the time on his watch. If it had been anyone other than the chief of police and head of I.A., he would have been demanding to know what was going on and ushering Marino out of the door.
Murphy scratched more notes on the paper. “Did you go anywhere near the Family Christian Center that night?”
Marino froze but recovered quickly. “It’s not in my district but I’ve heard of it. No, I wasn’t anywhere near that part of town that evening.”
Murphy picked up a color photograph. Meredith unfolded a pair of red framed glasses and put them on. He held the photo long enough to make sure the Internal Affairs Director had it embedded on her retinas. Then he set the picture in front of Marino and his union rep. “Do you know Samantha Casey?” The photo was one of the ones Anya had taken before Benny had cleaned up Sam’s wounds. Her face and hair were covered in blood, as was her coat and tunic top. Murphy let the two men get a good look at the photo, then set another next to the first. This one showed the right side of Sam’s body where a bruise was already forming.
“Don’t think I’ve ever met her but I believe I have heard of her.”
“What does this have to do with Sergeant Marino?” McKinley had finally found his voice but it came out forced, as though he hadn’t read the playbook for dealing with the top rung of the ladder.
“Sam used to be a detective sergeant here at the Sixth. In working on a couple alleged suicide cases she came across one from your district.” Murphy set aside the first folder and opened the second. “Nina Logesta was a case you had worked.”
“I have never spoken to her about it, although I would have been more than happy to fill her in.” Marino smiled, but it was more of a smirk as only one corner of his mouth appeared to work.
“She spoke with a former partner of yours, Reese Banks. Did he happen to mention that the case you quickly ruled a suicide she determined was incorrectly handled?”
Marino shrugged and turned to McKinley whose own shrug said he didn’t have a clue.
“So you didn’t follow Miss Casey to the Christian Family Center four nights ago?”
“Hey.” Marino held both hands up. “I have never met this woman and no, I did not follow anyone to that part of town four nights ago.”
McKinley cleared his throat. “Were there any witnesses who saw Detective Marino near that area?”
Murphy ignored the union rep, moved the two photos down and set a third one next to it. “Our medical examiner took skin and blood samples from under the victim’s fingernails. Her attacker first slammed her face into the brick building. When she was on the ground, he kicked her. It appears she was able to scratch her attacker on his right ankle.”
“I’m sorry, Chief Murphy, but is she accusing me? Because I have to tell you, it wasn’t me. She’s probably setting me up in order to discredit my investigation.”
McKinley motioned at the photos on the table. “Why didn’t she call the police or go to the hospital? Why the M.E.? Something sounds off here. Why didn’t she file an official report?” His jowls quivered as he spoke and looked to Marino for acknowledgment that he was doing his job. Marino just stared.
Meredith slowly removed her glasses and set them on the table. “I’d like to see your right ankle.” Her smile had been slowly diminishing since the first picture.
Somehow Marino was able to retain his composure. “Sure,” he said with a smile. “Although I have to tell you. I have a cat at home.” He raised his right foot, pulled up his pant leg, then pulled down his sock. “I have had numerous scratches from this cat. Got him from a shelter.” He pulled his sock back up and set his foot down, confident his explanation was sufficient.
Murphy ignored the display as though it were of little interest to him. He placed the DNA report on the table in front of them, pausing to make sure the Director saw the results first.
McKinley saw Marino’s name on the report, then glared at Marino.
“I didn’t really want to get into this,” Marino started. “Casey and I are having an affair.”
“Seriously?” Murphy had to struggle not to laugh. If he had a shovel he’d throw it at Marino and tell him to dig his grave a little deeper. “You’re going with that excuse?”
Meredith motioned toward the photo of Sam’s bloody face. “Are we to assume she likes it rough?”
“She was fine when she left me. Someone must have followed her from my car, probably her husband.”
Murphy’s poker face revealed nothing. “And the DNA under her nails?”
“Well.” Marino flashed a half smile. “We weren’t exactly in the traditional position.”
The Director spoke right over Marino’s last words. “When did the affair start?”
Marino tilted onto the chair’s back two legs, confident his fast thinking had just got himself out of a jam. “Six months ago.”
A smile tugged at the corners of Murphy’s mouth. Meredith caught the movement and leaned back, returning her hands to her lap. “Was this before or after her son was born?” Murphy asked. Marino opened and closed his mouth, his brain trying to think fast. The front legs of the chair slammed down. “Sam gave birth to a son six months ago. Not exactly a time when a woman thinks of having an affair.” Murphy sighed, tiring of all the lies. He gathered up the photos from the table and placed them back into their respective folders. “Oh. Did I fail to mention the woman you slammed into the brick wall and kicked while she was on the ground is fourteen weeks pregnant?”
Meredith remained silent but couldn’t hide her disgust. Marino avoided her eyes and opted to glare at his union rep, waiting for him to do his job. “Sounds like a case of he said/she said,” McKinley said.
Murphy opened a final folder, ignoring McKinley. “I spoke with Fiona Vasquez this morning.”
“Who?” There wasn’t a hint of confusion on Marino’s face. He obviously didn’t remember all of his conquests.
“She was Nina Logesta’s roommate, the only witness you bothered to speak to after Nina’s body was found. She was quite forthcoming about your relationship.”
McKinley snapped his gaze toward Marino. “You slept with a witness?”
“The case was closed and, yes, we dated a few times. So what?”
“Sam Casey interviewed Flo Dempsey. Your relationship with the roommate obviously distorted your assessment of cause of death.” Marino didn’t have any response to that. “Add that dereliction of duty to your assault on a former police officer and…”
“You don’t have any proof,” Marino yelled, then realized whom he was talking to. “I want a hearing with the Board of Police and Fire Commissioners. We’ll see who they believe.”
“Your shield, detective,” the Director said. “You left your gun and holster with the desk sergeant so I’ll get them from him.” She held out her hand.
“That’s it?” Marino shot out of his seat. “You’re just going to take that bitch’s word over mine?”
“Sit down, Mister Marino.” Murphy had already stripped him of his title. “And I believe the Director asked you for your shield.” After Marino reluctantly slumped into his chair and tossed his shield on the table, the chief continued. “I don’t like bad publicity any more than the mayor. Press gets ahold of this and they’ll have a field day. Now, you can either have your day with the commissioners and all that publicity that comes with it, and I can pretty much predict you won’t win this one. You will lose your job, it will be on your record and you pretty much won’t be able to work in law enforcement again. Or, you can accept a one month suspension without pay, after which you will be transferred to the Second and work a beat.”
“A beat? You’re putting me back in a patrol car?”
“I’ll let you sit here and give it some thought.” Murphy turned off the recorder, gathered up his folders, and nodded to Meredith. Before he left the room he glanced at the mirror and made a motion with his hand. McKinley tossed a disgusted look at Marino and trailed after Murphy.
Marino had no sooner slammed his fist down on the table when the door opened and Jake walked in.