C Weaver - Silent River

Robert sat across the dining room table from Jake. Barbara and Lorene moved around in the kitchen, talking while they made dinner. The two men laid out the possible scenario of the Stevens’ death.

“We have a family that suddenly disappears, and a possible motive with a fourteen-year-old daughter who might have been pregnant.

After Robert nodded, Jake continued. “We have a list of people with opportunity and connections to people who could have done it.” He pointed at Robert, who took up the story.

“We have James, who is friends with Kelly’s brother, Calvin. James is outgoing and thinks he’s a lady’s man. His father’s known to have connections to organized crime members. He’s also a member of a Masonic lodge. This particular group has a membership that includes the fathers of some of James’ other friends.”

He looked at his pad. “Royal Kaeding, Brody Williams, and Michael Ramsey. Some of these fathers are also known to have connections to organized crime associates either in business dealings or socially. The fact that the connections are also members of the same lodge is noted.” He tapped his finger farther down on the page.

Jake held his hand up to gain attention. “I have a note here. I’m not sure if it’s a lead or a corroboration of connection.” He frowned. “Remember the neighbor who talked about a cab being in front of the Stevens’ house that morning?” Robert nodded. “Then we had the man coming home from the night shift, and a cab was parked in front of his driveway. He saw a man in the cab, and his hat was pulled down over his face. He watched from his front window, as someone came running from the house, jumped into the cab, and it sped away. The rear was slightly fishtailing in the wet street.”

He paused, then continued. “I checked the cab companies, and none had a fare reported in that area. But!” Jake stared down at the page, “I discovered one of our boys, Walter Comstock, has an uncle who owns the Black & White Cab Company. Walter drives a cab now and then for pocket money. I asked around if he was driving for the company that night. The dispatcher said he was not on the clock, but he came in early asking for a car to drive a friend to the airport. He didn’t give the dispatcher the address he went to or let her know when he returned it.” He looked up at Robert. “Unfortunately, the cab was back in service the next day.”

“Jake, please call and ask to see the last mileage for the night before and the mileage for the start of the next day it went back into service. See what that might bring up.”

“Sure.” Jake made a note to call.

“Jake, it’s not a priority. If someone went into the Stevens’ house, what did they get or what were they looking for? We have no way of knowing either, without knowing for sure who went in.”

Jake nodded. “The only reason to go into the house would be to take away incriminating evidence. If it were James, he’d been in the house and could have removed anything. He’d know where to look for what he wanted.”

“We’re missing the November cash ledger. Could that have been something one of them would want? Karl kept detailed records of expenditures. What would he have written there that someone wouldn’t want anyone to see?” Robert asked.

Jake pointed his finger at Robert. “The doctor. Karl would have written the payout for Kelly’s doctor visit and the doctor’s name. He wouldn’t expect anyone but himself to see it, so why hide it?”

Robert nodded. “Good point. Make a note of that.”

“We have Angie’s list of notable party attendees.” Robert continued from his notes. “That includes the boys mentioned above with ‘Roy’ as one of the possible rapists, one Royal Kaeding. We have Brody Williams in the car, then Mike Ramsey and Wally. That’s Walter Comstock. Then David, one David Fenton is my guess, entertained her and began to get her drunk. He might have introduced her to drugs. Royal, aka Roy, had a part in the rape too.” He tapped his pen on his upper lip. “This hole is deep. We have probable cause to question the guys again, but they’ll bring a bevy of lawyers with them, and their lips will be sealed.”

Jake looked up from the pad on his lap. “So, we have an unknown male with many male accomplices at one party who rape a young girl and another male who is having consensual sex with a minor. Said minor comes up pregnant, and the father finds out. He coerces said daughter to tell him the name of the man and father confronts the man.”

He looks up and Robert holds up a finger. “What if Karl didn’t go to the young man? What if he called the father for a meeting?”

Jake made a note. “It doesn’t change anything. We have a son or father meeting with Karl. Let’s surmise the meeting.”

Barbara stepped into the room, after listening at the door. “I can tell you the father of the boy probably offered to pay for an abortion. My guess is that Karl would have agreed, but he would also want some payment outside of that to take care of his daughter. He’d want the boy to pay for what he’d done. He might have asked for too much.” She leaned on the table looking at the two men. “He might have said they didn’t want the abortion, but to pay for her to go away and have the baby, give it up for adoption. Then she could come home but never be contacted by the boy again.”

“That’s another scenario. We’ve no way of knowing exactly what was said, offered, or accepted. Whatever it was, the boy’s father wanted no loose ends. No baby that might show up later, no loose lips by Kelly who might tell what happened, or she might still have feelings for him and show up demanding that he marry her,” Jake offered.

Lorene came into the room. “Elizabeth is down for the count. Let’s eat. I guess asking not to talk shop would be a waste of my breath.”

“Sorry, Lorene, this whole meeting is about this case.” Barbara squeezed her friend’s arm.

Lorene smiled and waved her hand in the air. “I know; it was just wishful thinking.”

Barbara led the way to the kitchen table and turned to face them. “I know you do this every day. This one case is different.” She looked at Robert and reached for his hand. He gave it to her. “I’m sorry, but I have to say this. What do you have to keep them from going after all of us?” She looked at each of them. “They vandalized Robert’s house. What’s to stop them from doing that to Lorene’s or mine? What if organized crime might be involved and we’re in the same danger as the Stevens family?”

No one answered at first. Jake pulled Lorene into his arms. “I promise we won’t poke the bear. Robert will take what we have to the chief, and we’ll see what he wants to do with what we know.” He kissed the top of her head.

A couple of days passed after the dinner at Jake’s house. He’d typed up the report and made sure it was in the chief’s hands. That same afternoon he got a summons from Arnie. Robert knocked at Chief Arnie’s office door.

“Come in!” the gruff voice demanded. He continued. “What have you been up to?” Arnie half stood, leaning across the desk as he shook the report in Robert’s face.

Robert sat down. He didn’t say anything but watched his superior resume his seat none too easily. Beads of sweat on Arnie’s forehead showed his agitation, and he pulled a handkerchief from his pocket to wipe his face.

“Where did you find all this information? You know I can’t submit this. You know I can’t file this report.” Arnie blustered, shaking his finger at Robert with one hand and pounding his fist on the paper with the other.

“I wondered if you’d say that. I figure one of the boy’s fathers must have been talking to you. Did you get your payment or hush money?” Robert’s voice was low and soft, but nonetheless accusatory. He didn’t care if Arnie fired him. He felt sure that wasn’t going to happen.