Daniel Annechino - Hypocrisy

Dupree yawned.

“Want me to continue?” T.J. asked.

“I’m fine. Just need to refocus my eyes.” Dupree rubbed her tired eyes and yawned again. “After Dr. Crawford’s murder, several pharmaceutical companies expressed a desire to partner with Horizon and continue with the research. Dr. Mason claims that a group of companies tried to bribe him with what they called a ‘cash incentive’. He decided to go with Hyland Laboratories—a pharmaceutical company that earlier tried to hire Maggie Hansen. If Horizon does ultimately partner with Hyland, Dominic Gallo, Lentz’s step-father, Deputy Director of the FDA, will work closely with them.

Dupree stood up and reached for the ceiling.

“Sure you don’t want me to finish?” T.J. asked. “I’m sitting here like a bump on a log.”

“I need you to be sure I’m giving an accurate account of the investigation and to add anything I might miss.”

“So far, you’re spot on.”

“Great.” Dupree glanced at her watch. “If we’re lucky, we’ll get out of here just on time for breakfast.”

Dupree fingered through a few more pages. “Let’s get back to Maggie Hansen.”

“After checking her bank statement and phone records, we discovered that she called the pre-paid cell phone in Cassano’s possession three times and also called Michael Adelman, CEO of Hyland Laboratories in Albany, New York three times. Hansen allegedly told Cassano to get rid of the pre-paid cell phone once their business was completed. Cassano claims that he threw the phone in the East River.

“Because Hansen went to the top of the list as a suspect, we secured a warrant and searched her apartment. We found Michael Adelman’s business card, and written on the back was 650K, a phone number, GCI Trust, Ltd., and what appeared to be an offshore bank account number. Hopefully, Brenda will be able to determine if, in fact, the number on the back of Adelman’s business card is a bank account number. And if it is, find out whose name is on it.”

Dupree closed the folder. Her eyes took on a haunted look. “There is also the issue of the two envelopes I received.” She balled her hands into fists. “No doubt Hansen’s handiwork.” The mere thought of it, welled her gut with anger. The audacity of this woman to place Dupree’s life in danger infuriated her beyond words. But she had to remain calm and in control. She’d learned that unrestrained anger is a homicide detective’s nemesis, that it compromises objectivity and logic. So close to cracking this case wide open, she had to put her personal feelings aside and not lose sight of her only goal: putting Dr. Crawford’s killer behind bars.

“Anything else to add?” Dupree asked.

“You nailed it, Amaris. But as you were recapping, two things occurred to me. First, if either of us has any doubt that Hansen is capable of violence, let’s not forget that when she attended college, she beat the shit out of her roommate and was charged with assault. And it just happened to be over a guy. So, with the little triangle between Lentz, Dr. Crawford, and Hansen, who knows just how far Hansen might go? Second, nearly all of the key players, persons of interest, and witnesses are somehow intertwined.” T.J. picked up the folder and opened it. He pulled out a blank sheet of paper and removed a pen from his shirt pocket. Across the top of the paper he wrote, Crawford, Mason, Lentz, Hansen, Gallo, Cassano, Tesler, and Adelman. He drew a circle around the names and then drew lines from each name to any other name where an association existed.

“Anything jump off the page?” T.J. asked.

Dupree studied the chart. “As if we needed more reason to believe that Hansen was in the thick of things, she’s in some way connected to everyone except Tesler. And Tesler’s only connected to Cassano.”

“I think that in the morning, when we show up unannounced at Horizon and bushwhack Dr. Mason, Michael Adelman, and Dominic Gallo, this whole investigation is going to come together.”

“I agree,” Dupree said. “But if we don’t track down Hansen…”

T.J. nodded. “Yep. We’re kind of screwed.”

Dupree stood up and rocked her head from side to side and she could hear her neck crack.

“A little tension there, Amaris?” T.J. asked “You have no idea.”

“Sit back down. I’ll bet I can help.”

“Sure you can.”

“Seriously, I’ve won awards for my chair massages. I give a one-hundred percent money back guarantee.”

After what Brenda had observed and the face touching incident, Dupree really felt self-conscious. “I’ll take a rain check.”

“Please let me give it a try.”

Reluctantly, she gave in. “Okay, you’ve got five minutes.”

He got to work immediately.

“Your muscles are twisted into knots, so for me to loosen them up, I really have to crank on you. Tell me if this is too much for you to handle.”

He squeezed the top of her shoulders with his fingers and palms. And in a circular motion, he worked his thumbs deep into the taut muscles.

Dupree moaned as his hands worked tirelessly and she could feel the muscles begin to relax. She couldn’t remember the last time anyone had given her a massage.

“Am I doing okay?” T.J. asked.

“More than okay.”

He continued for another few minutes and Dupree felt so relaxed her head dropped forward and she nearly fell asleep.

“If you don’t stop, I’m going to fall on the floor and break my neck.”

“Feel any better?”

“One thousand percent better. I think you missed your calling.” Dupree stood up and felt a little wobbly.

“You all right?” T.J. asked.

“I’m fine. I just need to get home, take a warm bath, and crash.”

“Sure you’re okay to drive?” T.J. asked, a look of concern in his dark brown eyes. “I’d be happy to drop you off at your place and swing by in the morning.”

“That’s sweet of you. Really. But I can manage.” Dupree suspected that T.J.’s offer represented more than a ride home. He’d never admit it, but he wanted to assume the role as her bodyguard.

“Listen to me, Amaris. I need to be sure that you make it home safely. I know you’re a big girl and you can take care of yourself, but—”

“I’ll be okay. Trust me.”

“What time do you want to meet in the morning?” T.J. asked.

“You okay with eight a.m.?”

“Works for me.”

“We can check with Brenda first thing,” Dupree said, “update the captain on what’s going on, and then head over to Horizon. That should be interesting.”

“And maybe if we’re lucky, somebody will spot Hansen.”

“Let’s hope.”

Dupree turned to leave, but T.J. stopped her.

“No heroics. Call me if you need anything .”

“Even if I want a quart of Ben & Jerry’s at three a.m.?”

“Only if you share.”

When Dupree turned the key in the door to her apartment, she felt a dull ache in her stomach.

Cat stew .

She opened the door slowly, holding her breath, hoping that her little buddies would greet her. True to their nature, Ben and Alex were waiting impatiently, each vehemently protesting her long absence. She’d never been so happy to hear them complain. The chorus of meows wouldn’t stop. Dupree glanced at their food bowls and both were licked clean.

“I’m so sorry, kitties. I guess I haven’t been a good mommy, have I?” Dupree dropped her handbag on the kitchen table, and gave both cats a generous helping of Fancy Feast—their favorite—then gave them fresh water.

“My turn,” she said as she set a wineglass on the counter. She knew better than to drink on an empty stomach, but she wasn’t at all hungry, which was a rare event.