Philip Margolin - Gone ,but not forgotten

Stewart left at six-thirty. An hour later, Betsy heard a car pull into her carport. She hurried to the door, hoping, irrationally, that her visitor was Samantha Reardon bringing Kathy home. A police car was parked in one side of the carport. A uniformed officer was driving. Ross Barrow got out of the passenger side. He looked troubled. Betsy's heart beat wildly, certain he was here to tell her about Rick's murder.

"Hello, Detective," she said, trying to sound nonchalant.

"Can we step inside, Ms. Tannenbaum?" Barrow asked.

"Is this about Martin's case?"

Barrow sighed. He had been breaking the news of violent death to relatives for longer than he cared to remember. There was no easy way to do it.

"Why don't we go inside?"

Betsy led Barrow into the house. The other officer followed.

"This is Greg Saunders " Barrow said. Saunders nodded.

"Do you want some coffee?"

"Not right now, thank you. Can we sit down?"

Betsy walked into the living room. When they were seated, Barrow asked,

"Where were you last night and today?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"I have an important reason for asking."

"I was home."

"You didn't go out? No one visited you?"

"No," Betsy answered, afraid to mention Reggie Stewart.

"You're married, aren't you?"

Betsy looked at Barrow for a moment, then looked down at her lap.

"my husband and I are separated. Kathy, our daughter, is staying with him for a few days. I've been taking advantage of the peace and quiet to sleep late, catch up on some reading. What's this all about?"

"Where are Mr. Tannenbaum and your daughter staying?" Barrow asked, ignoring her question.

"Rick just rented a new apartment. I have the address written down. But why are you asking?"

Betsy looked back and forth between Barrow and Saunders. Saunders would not meet her eye.

"Has something happened to Rick and Kathy?"

"Ms. Tannenbaum, this isn't easy for me. Especially since I know you.

The door to your husband's apartment was open. A neighbor found him."

"Found Rick? How? What are you talking about?"

Barrow looked Betsy over carefully.

"Do you want some brandy or something? Are you gonna be okay?"

"Oh, God, Betsy said, letting her head drop into her hands, so her face was covered.

"The neighbor has 'already identified Mr. Tannenbaum, so you'll be spared that."

"How did he…?"

"He was murdered. We need you to come to the apartment. There are some questions only you can answer. You don't have to worry, the body's been removed."

Betsy suddenly jerked upright. "Where's Kathy?"

"We don't know, Ms. Tannenbaum. That's why we need you to come with us."

Most of the lab technicians were gone by the time Betsy arrived at Rick's apartment. Two officers were smoking in the hall outside his door. Betsy heard them laughing when the elevator doors opened. They looked guilty when they saw her step out. One of them held his cigarette at his side as if he was trying to hide evidence.

The door to Rick's apartment opened into a narrow hall. At the end of the hall, the apartment fanned out into a large living room with high windows. The lights were on in the hall. Betsy saw the blood immediately. It had dried into a large brown stain. Rick had died there.

She looked up quickly and followed Barrow as he stepped over the spot.

"In here," he said, gesturing toward the guest room.

Betsy walked into the room. She saw Kathy's book bag.

Dirty jeans and a green, striped long-sleeve shirt lay crumpled on the floor in a corner. On the ride over, Betsy wondered if she could fake crying when the time came.

She Deed not have worried.

"They're Kathy's," she managed. "She was so proud, because she packed everything herself There was a commotion at the front door. Alan Page tore into the apartment and went directly to Betsy.

"I just heard. Are you okay?"

Betsy nodded. Gone was the self-confidence Page had seen in court. Betsy looked like she could break into a million pieces at any moment. He took her hands and gave them a gentle squeeze.

"We'll get your daughter back. I'm putting everything we've got into this. I'll call in the FBI. We'll find out who has her."

"Thank you, Alan," Betsy answered dully.

"Are you through with her, Ross?"

Barrow nodded.

Page led Betsy out of the room and into a small den.

He made Betsy sit down and he sat opposite her.

"Can I do anything for you, Betsy?"

Page was concerned by Betsy's pallor. Betsy took a deep breath and shut her eyes. She was used to thinking of Alan Page as a stone-hard adversary. Page's show of concern disarmed her.

"I'm sorry," Betsy said. "I just can't seem to focus."

"Don't apologize. You're not made of iron. Do you want to rest? We can talk about this later."

No. Go ahead."

"Okay. Has anyone contacted you about Kathy?"

Betsy shook her head. Page looked troubled. It didn't make sense. Rick Tannenbaum had probably been killed the day before. If the person who took Kathy was after ransom he'd have called Betsy by now.

"This wasn't a robbery, Betsy. Rick's wallet was full of money. He had on a valuable watch. Can you think of anyone with a reason to hurt Rick?"

Betsy shook her head. It was hard lying to Alan, but she had to do it.

"He had no enemies?" Page asked. "Personal, business, someone in his firm, someone he bested in court?"

"No one comes to mind. Rick didn't get into court.

He does contracts, mergers. I never heard him say anything about personal problems with anyone in his firm."

"I don't want to hurt you," Page said, "but Ross told me you and Rick were separated. What happened? Was he drinking, using drugs, was there another woman?"

"It was nothing like that, Alan. It was… He… he desperately wanted to be a partner at Donovan, Chastain and Mills and it looked like they weren't going to let him. And… and he was terribly jealous of my success. Tears welled up in Betsy's eyes. "Making partner meant so much to him. He couldn't see that I didn't care.

That I loved him."

Betsy could not go on. Her shoulders shook with each sob. It all sounded so stupid. To break up a marriage over something like that. To leave your wife and daughter for a name on a letterhead.

"I'll be sending you home with an officer," Page said quietly. "I want to set up a command post in your house.

Until we learn otherwise, we're treating Kathy's disappearance as a kidnapping. I want your permission to put a tap on your home and office phones, in case the person who has Kathy calls. We'll cut off any call from a client as soon as we know it's not the kidnapper. I'll have the office tapes erased."

"Okay."

"We haven't released Rick's identity yet and we aren't going to let the media know Kathy's missing until we have to, but we'll probably have to give out Rick's name in the morning. You're going to be hounded by the press."

"I understand."

"Do you want me to call someone to stay with you?

There was no longer a reason to keep Kathy's disappearance from Rita.

Betsy needed her more than ever.

"I'd like my mother to stay with me."

"Of course. I can have an officer drive her to your house."

"That won't be necessary. May I use the phone?"

Page nodded. "One other thing. I'll explain what happened to judge Norwood. He'll set over the Darius hearing."

Betsy's heart leaped. She had forgotten about the hearing. How would Reardon react, if it was set over?

Reardon was holding Kathy because of the hearing. The longer it was put off, the greater was the danger that Reardon would harm Kathy.

"I'm going to work, Alan. I'll go crazy if I just sit at home."

Page looked at her oddly. "You won't want to tackle anything as complex as Darius's case now. You'll be too distracted to do a competent job. I want Darius more than I've ever wanted anyone, but I'd never take advantage of a situation like this. Believe me, Betsy. We'll talk about his case after the funeral."