Chapter7
The residents are beyond scared and crazy, they aren't controllable moving around the room looking for a phone to call taxies, families, whoever to get them out of there, others are running hollering I gotta pack my bags and more than a few are at the bar drinking in big gulps. It is chaos on steroids.
Deputy, please call the station I need more men here NOW. No one leaves and no phone calls either. PEOPLE PEOPLE PEOPLE, please you have got to calm down, we will never get this solved if you keep carrying on like this.
"Yes , yes, we will need as many officers as can be spared. Send them over as soon as possible, we are also going to need the homicide kit and the corner. Yes yes right away, thank you."
The deputy noticed while he was on the phone the trio moves off away from the body and talk quietly with their heads tightly together. So distracted by all the chaos going on he barely gave it a thought.
Lillian looking down sees something on the floor, and she starts walking as if following it.
George hollers out over the din, "Lillian where are you going?"
"shh shhh I'l be right back. Confused George watches her as she goes out the door.
Still standing in the sitting area of the fire place room, The Captain turns curtly to George, "Mr Smith would like to join me please in my office."
Startled and somewhat nervous, George hesitates a minute before answering. " yes sure no problem."
Both men head for the make shift office. Once in the office, captain motions for George to take a seat and seats himself behind the desk.
Wasting no time the Captain pounces on George, like a cat that has caught a mouse."would you like to tell me about the argument you and Mr Rider had?"
"Just like I told you before, I was angry with Lazlo for getting me in trouble with Miriam. But that ended when he told Miriam that it was him that had let the secret out."
"No I am talking about the argument you and he had this morning before you pushed him down the STAIRS!"
"What, wait, what the hell are you trying to say. I did not push anyone down any stairs and I wasn't arguing with anyone this morning, not here or while I was out smoking."
"Did anyone see you out and about smoking? No, I didn't think so. Tell me were you as friendly with Ms Bentley as you were with this Debi person? Was Miriam threatening to tell your secrets is that why you stabbed her? Come on Mr Smith answer my questions. You might as well get use to them ,you're going to be answering a lot of questions where you're going.
Outside the office door a worried Carlos approaches the deputy.
"Deputy, Lillian, I mean Mrs Cunningham saw something on the floor and she seemed to be following it, but that was a while ago and I haven't seen her come back. I hope she didn't get into any trouble. Also I took a phone message the other day for Miriam, it was a debt collector trying to locate her nephew Andrew.
The deputy not overly interested, and not a bit concerned in Carlos and what he has to say answers him and pretty much dismisses him at the same time. "I will have some officers look around for Mrs Cunningham and as for the phone message I am sure it isn't any big deal."
Not to be ignored, Carlos continues somewhat insistently, "I would normally agree, except Andrew, was here asking Miriam for money and saying he was making a movie with it. Said he was going to use some of us in too. So this morning Lillian said I should call the studio he said was doing the movie and see what they had to say. So I did........"
After a slight pause and Carlos didn't continue, the impatient deputy snapped at him " Well what did the studio tell you?"
"Oh, that there is no Andrew Horiwertz at that studio, and no project that matches the movie I described to them."
"Thank you Mr Maltaban, I will let the captain know, and I will get right on looking for Mrs Cunningham."
In the make shift office an indignant and completely upset George is beginning to think he might be getting arrested "You have got to be kidding me, you actually think I killed 3 people all to keep people from finding out that as a senior citizen living in a retirement home I have girlfriends."
The next words coming from the Captain, prove George's fear was well founded. "I think we are just going to go ahead and sort this out down town. I am placing you under arrest Mr Smith. Would you please stand up and place your hands behind you back."
George does as he is asked shaking his head in disbelief. As the Captain is putting the handcuffs on and starting to read George his rights he is interrupted by a large and extremely loud commotion in the other room.
"Oh what now? Don't tell me there has been another killing, I sure as hell wouldn't want to retire here, the death rate is a bit to high for my liking. Come on you let's go see what trouble there is now, but I am not letting you out of my sight."
In the common area is a sight that the captain wasn't sure was real, or believable, let alone understandable. In the very middle of the room is a messed, bruised and somewhat bloody Lillian sitting on an angry even more bruised Andrew kicking and screaming demanding they get this crazy ole bag off him.
" What on earth?" The Captain is just too stunned to think of anything else to say. Lillian however has no such shortage of words. " Well Captain, I caught this guy running away. He was standing next to his Aunt when we heard her scream, and then he ran away so fast I wasn't sure if I had seen him or not. Then I saw this trail of blood going out the door so I followed it, it led me right to this young man, trying to bury something in the park. Oh yes Captain it, what ever it is, is still in the park, your men should have no problem finding the spot, they will I hope find my purse there too."
A confused Captain still holding tight to his man but looking less convinced then he was just a short minute ago can't help but ask "But why?"
Lillian always ready to show off and prove she is smarter than everyone, was pleased as punch to have the Captain ask her that. " Oh that is easy Captain, Money. Andrew here thought he would end Miriam's golden years early and collect what ever money was left in her estate.
"Why Jessica and Lazlo?"
" Oh Jessica was a happy accident, the poison in the ice cubes was intended for his Aunt, but he really didn't care who got them because a distraction like that could only help him go undetected. Lazlo is, was a snoop and he found something he shouldn't have, or heard something, either way Mr Andrew here couldn't let poor Lazlo talk. No Miriam was his intended victim all along, just to get her last few pennies."
Sputtering, spitting mad that he had been caught, by an old women no less, Andrew almost screamed as Lillian said her last few words." A few pennies? You stupid ole hag, she was worth Millions. Doesn't matter what she told you, my Aunt was one of the richest Women in the United States, and I was her last living relative!"
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