Innocent in Death

  Instead she contacted her commander’s office for permission to give an oral. She’d deal with the written later. Check with Morris, she added as she headed out again. Take another pass through Williams’s apartment. Put Feeney on the electronics.

  She knew what to do, how to run the case. How to close it.

  It was the rest of her life she didn’t know how to run.

  She took the glides up. She may have felt looks aimed her way, but it was better than having them drilled into the back of her head in the confines of the elevators.

  Whitney’s admin avoided her eyes altogether. “You can go right in, Lieutenant. He’s expecting you.”

  Whitney sat behind his desk of command, big shoulders, big hands. His face was somber, his dark eyes direct. “Lieutenant.”

  “Sir. I believe there may be a break in the Foster homicide that connects it to the drowning death of Reed Williams.”

  He sat back as she gave her report, let her complete it uninterrupted. “You opted not to bring Allika Straffo in for questioning.”

  “Not at this time. We wouldn’t get anything out of her, Commander. I think pressuring Mosebly will give us more juice. While they both have motive and opportunity, it’s easier to see Mosebly helping the vic into the water—or under it. They both had something to lose, but the tone of Straffo’s statement prior to being informed of Williams’s death gives it credence. She could have used the time between the murder—”

  “If it was murder.”

  “Yes, sir, if it was, she could have used the time to prepare, to plan how she would deal with questioning. I’m still looking at her, but Mosebly fits more cleanly.”

  “And Foster?”

  “It’s possible Williams poisoned him. Williams doesn’t like being pushed, and we know Foster pushed, at least on one occasion, on the sexual activities. With this new information, that Williams had been sexual with Mosebly, and if we can verify that Foster was aware of that, it turns it. Mosebly had more to lose. Foster’s knowledge compromised her position, and her sense of authority. Nobody likes their private issues made public, particularly by those under their command.”

  “True enough.” His eyes remained level with hers. “Use it, and squeeze that juice.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “My wife and I watched you on Nadine Furst’s new program last night.” He smiled a little. “You did very well. Your demeanor and your answers were a credit to the department. Chief Tibble has already contacted me this morning to say the same.”

  “Thank you, Commander.”

  “It’s good public relations, Dallas, and you handled yourself. It can be…difficult to become a public figure, to maintain and handle the inevitable invasions of privacy that go hand in hand with any sort of notoriety. If you feel, at any point, that pull and tug is affecting your work, I hope you’ll speak to me about it.”

  “It won’t affect my work.”

  He nodded. “I’ll observe the interview with Mosebly, if possible. Otherwise, I’ll review it at the first opportunity. Dismissed.”

  She started out.

  “Dallas? Gossip is an ugly and insidious form of entertainment. Maybe that’s why people can’t resist it. A good cop knows it has its uses, just as a good cop knows it’s often twisted and pummeled into a different shape for the purpose of the purveyor. You’re a good cop.”

  “Yes, sir. Thank you.”

  Though she knew he’d meant it kindly, the sting of embarrassment plagued her all the way down the glides.

  Her pocket ’link signaled a message straight to voice mail before she stepped into the bull pen. She drew it out, saw from the display it was from Roarke.

  The urge to simply delete without checking made her feel small and cowardly. She cursed, and played the message.

  His face filled her ’link screen, and those lethal blue eyes burned into hers. “Lieutenant. I didn’t want to disturb you. If you can carve out some time today, I’d like some of it. If it’s not possible—or you’re just too bloody stubborn to make it possible—I expect to have your time and attention tonight. At home. I’ll end by saying this much. You piss me off, and still I love you with everything I am. I’d best hear from you, Eve, or I swear I’m going to kick your ass.”

  She stuffed the ’link back in her pocket. “We’ll see whose ass gets kicked, pal.”

  But her heart had twisted again—in pleasure or in pain, she just didn’t know.

  “Hey, Dallas.” Baxter pushed away from his desk, strode after her. “Ah, nice job with Nadine last night.”

  “You got something to say to me that applies to a case, Detective?”

  “Not really. I just…Listen, Dallas, you don’t want to pay attention to—”

  She closed her office door in his face, but not before she saw the look of concerned sympathy on it.

  She put another lock on the lid of her emotional box, sat and focused on writing her report until she got the signal that Arnette Mosebly had arrived.

  When she walked in, Mosebly scowled. “Really, Lieutenant, I assumed we’d do this in your office.”

  “You haven’t seen my office. There’s barely enough room for me in there, much less the three of us. Appreciate you coming in.”

  “I want to cooperate, both as a private citizen and as principal of Sarah Child. The sooner all of this is cleared up, closed away, the better for the school.”

  “Yeah, the school’s important to you.”

  “Of course.”

  “Just let me set up. Record on. Interview with Mosebly, Arnette, conducted by Dallas, Lieutenant Eve, and Peabody, Detective Delia, all present, in the matter of the death of Williams, Reed, on this date.” Eve took her seat. “Ms. Mosebly, are you here of your own volition?”

  “I am. As I said, I want to cooperate.”

  “And we appreciate it. To ensure your protection, I’m going to read you your rights.”

  “My rights? I don’t—”

  “It’s routine,” Eve said casually, and ran through them. “Do you understand your rights and obligations in this matter?”

  “Of course I do.”

  “Okay then. Again, we appreciate your cooperation.”

  “Reed’s death is a shock to all of us, a loss for all of us,” she added. “Particularly coming so close on the heels of Craig’s.”

  “You refer to Craig Foster, who was murdered in the school you head.”

  “Yes. It was, and is, a tragedy.”

  “Oh, sorry. You want coffee or anything?”

  “I’m fine, but thank you.”

  “Both these men,” Eve continued, “Foster and Williams, were known to you.”

  “Yes.” Mosebly folded her hands neatly on the table. Her nails were perfectly manicured and painted a pale coral. “They served on the faculty of Sarah Child, where I stand as principal.”

  “Are you aware that Reed Williams was questioned in the matter of Foster’s death?”

  Her jaw tightened into a stern expression Eve imagined laid little licks of fear in any student’s belly. “We all were, yes. I was aware you’d spoken to him, and that he’d been arrested on other charges.”

  “The possession of illegals, specifically two banned substances that are most commonly used in sexual activities.”

  “They’re rape drugs.” Mosebly’s mouth went razor thin. “It’s appalling. I respected Reed as a teacher, but this information about his personal life…It’s shocking.”

  “You confronted Mr. Williams on this matter.”

  “I did.” And here was the pride and authority in the lift of her chin, the chilly hauteur in her eyes. “When he was arrested and charged, I contacted our board of directors to inform them of same. It was agreed that Reed be immediately suspended, that his resignation be called for. If he refused to tender it, I was to begin termination proceedings.”

  “Those are complicated and often difficult. And given the circumstances would generate considerable undesirable publicity for the school.”

&nb
sp; “Yes. But under the circumstances, there was no choice. The students are our first priority, in every matter.”

  Understanding the rhythm, Peabody poured a cup of water and offered it to Mosebly. “Some parents had already pulled a couple of your students,” Peabody commented. “You’ve probably had to reassure plenty of others. It’s happened under your watch. You must have gotten some heat from the board, too.”

  “The board’s concerned, of course. But has been very supportive.”

  “It would’ve murked it up even more, though, if Williams made a stink. You know how it is, Lieutenant, somebody gets out of line, then tries to take the whole ship down with him.”

  “People like that,” Eve agreed, “they don’t want to go down alone, and don’t care what they break on the way. You stated earlier that you’d seen and spoken to Williams this morning, in the pool area.”

  “Yes. I was leaving as he came in, and I reminded him—firmly—of his suspension, again asked for his resignation, and explained the consequences should he refuse.”

  “How did he respond?”

  “That he was confident his lawyer and his union rep would block any termination.” She shook her head in obvious disgust. “I left him there to contact the chairman of our board, and had decided to have Mr. Williams removed by security.”

  “You just left him there to paddle around in the pool?” Eve said. “After he’d defied your authority?”

  “I could hardly remove him bodily myself.”

  “Guess not.” Frowning, Eve flipped through her file. “You don’t mention a shouting match with him.”

  “I may have raised my voice, but I’d hardly call our conversation a shouting match.”

  “Really? I like to get good and loud when I argue. Especially when I’m being threatened. You didn’t mention that either. That he’d threatened you.”

  There was a quick flicker as Mosebly’s gaze slid away from Eve’s. “I don’t recall that he did.”

  “You were overheard. He threatened you all right, Arnette. Threatened to make it known that you and he had used that pool for more than swimming laps, had used your office for more than lesson planning. How do you figure the BOD would take that information? How long would you stand as principal when Williams told them you’d had sex with him?”

  “This is absurd.” Her throat worked on a swallow, and her neatly folded hands unlinked to press palms against the table. “This is insulting.”

  “You know, I had to ask myself how it was that a woman so staunch—so proud of her reputation and the school she served—would allow a scumbag like Williams to stay on staff. I wondered about that. You had to know he’d been dipping.”

  “There was never a complaint filed—”

  “Oh, let’s can that, Arnette. You knew damn well he was engaging in extracurricular activities. Your watch.” Eve pointed at Mosebly across the table. “Your ship. But you let it go. How could you bring the hammer down on him for it, when he’d already nailed you?”

  “Rock and a hard place,” Peabody agreed. “Go to the board on it, and you leave yourself wide open. Say nothing and have to tolerate his behavior. Still, the second option preserves reputations.”

  “Yours,” Eve continued, and shifted to sit on the side of the table, crowding Mosebly a little. “The school’s. Did Foster come to you, off record, unofficially, to tell you Williams was harassing Laina Sanchez? Did he ask your advice on how to handle it?”

  “I think…I think I should have an attorney present before I answer any more questions.”

  “Sure, you can pull that chain. Of course, once you do, things are going to get stickier. How do you think that vaunted BOD is going to react, Peabody, when they find out Principal Mosebly needs a lawyer?”

  “Not good.” Peabody pursed her lips, shook her head. “They probably wouldn’t react well.”

  “There’s no reason for this.” Mosebly held up a hand. “We’ll straighten this out here and now. There’s no reason to involve a lawyer or the board.”

  “No lawyer, Arnette?”

  “No. Let’s just…I’ll tell you what I know. Yes, Craig came to me last year. He was upset and concerned. He said Reed had been pressuring Laina for sex, had been making her uncomfortable, and had touched her inappropriately. He said he’d spoken to Reed himself, and warned him, but as he knew Reed had made other inappropriate remarks and approached other staff members, he wanted me to make the warning official.”

  “Did you?”

  “I called Reed in. Yes. He was unrepentant, but he did stay away from Laina. He was annoyed with Craig. And amused by me as shortly after I came on as principal, he…we had a sexual encounter. It was a terrible mistake, a moment of weakness. It should never have happened, and I swore it wouldn’t happen again.”

  “But it did.”

  “Last month, during my morning swim. He came in, got into the pool. It just—we were—things simply happened.” She lifted her water, took a long drink. Then she lowered her lashes. “I blamed myself. I was sick at my lack of judgment and control. Now I realize that it happened because he drugged me.”

  She looked up again, and Eve saw the lie in her eyes, and the calculation with it. “He gave me the rape drug, and I’m sure he did the first time. I held myself responsible, but I wasn’t. No one is under those conditions.”

  “How’d he slip it to you?”

  “He…offered me a bottle of water, as I recall.”

  “While you were doing laps, you stopped, and while treading water, drank water?”

  “I wasn’t in the pool. Obviously I haven’t been clear. I got out when he came in. Though we worked together well enough, I wasn’t comfortable being with him alone in that situation.”

  “But comfortable enough to take a bottle of water from him.”

  “I was thirsty. Then I felt hot and strange. I can barely remember.” She lowered her head, braced it with her hand. “We were in the water again, and he was…I was…”

  Now, like choreography, Mosebly covered her face with both hands and began to weep. “I’ve been so ashamed.”

  “Yeah, I bet. Say you play that tune and we dance to it. What happened when you were done being taken advantage of?”

  “How can you be so callous?”

  “Years of practice and enjoyment. Craig Foster told his wife shortly before his death that he’d seen Williams with someone he shouldn’t have been with. I vote he saw him with you. Foster used the pool routinely.”

  Mosebly closed her eyes. Eve wondered what was going on behind those closed lids. “He did see us. After…after Reed laughed and said that Craig really got an eyeful this time. It was horrid.”

  “What did you do about it?”

  “Nothing. Nothing. I’d hoped Reed was lying. Saying it to make me more afraid, more guilty.”

  “Then, pretty damn conveniently from your stand, Craig ends up chugging bad hot chocolate.”

  “Convenient!” Mosebly’s shoulders reared back, her eyes went hot. “Craig’s death was a tragedy on a personal level and a potential disaster for the school.”

  “Spared your ass, though. With him out of the way, nobody knew about your…indiscretion but Williams. He’s mum on it because he likes his job, the security of it, and the field of play.”

  She swung around the back of Mosebly’s chair, leaned in, leaned hard. “But once that job’s threatened, he’d drag you down into the muck with him. You and the school. You’re a strong, healthy woman, Arnette. A strong, healthy swimmer. I bet you could, especially pissed, find the muscle to drown a man.”

  “He was alive when I left the pool. He was alive.” She grabbed at her water with a hand that trembled. “Yes, I was angry, but I walked away. He could threaten to tell the board that we’d had sexual intercourse, but how could he prove it? It would be his word against mine. The word of an illegals user who had seduced or attempted to seduce members of the staff. Or the principal whose reputation is unblemished? I had every intention of securing his term
ination.”

  “I believe you. And he’s well and truly terminated, isn’t he?”

  “I didn’t kill anyone. I was raped. As a rape victim, I’m entitled to privacy, and to counseling. I’m requesting both at this time. If you make my rape a matter of record, using my name, I can and will sue this department. Unless I’m charged with a crime connected to my rape, you’re required to preserve my anonymity. I want to see a rape counselor. I can’t answer any more questions now. I’m too upset.”

  “As per subject’s request, interview end. Peabody.”

  “I’ll set up the counselor.” Peabody curled her lip as she started for the door. Then she stopped. “Off record, I can say what I want. You’re a disgrace,” she said to Mosebly. “You’re an insult to every woman who’s ever been forced. One way or the other, we’re going to nail your sorry ass.”

  Mosebly lifted her chin as Peabody stomped out. “It’s horrifying how the victim is still forced to bear the guilt of sexual abuse.”

  Eve thought of the child she’d been, of the nightmares that had dogged her all of her life. “You’re nobody’s victim.”

  Bitch. Lying bitch.” Peabody steamed her way down the corridor. “I want to fry her ass.” When Peabody paused in front of a vending machine, Eve waited for her to kick it. Really hoped she would.

  But in the end Peabody dug out credits for a tube of Pepsi, and one of the no-cal variety.

  “Why is she a lying bitch?”

  “Come on!”

  “No, I’m asking you.”

  Peabody sucked on the tube, then leaned back against the machine. “You jolted her when you pinned her on having sex with Williams. She figured she was in the clear there. Then the wheels start turning. Jeez, you could see them. Clack, clack, clack.

  “Bitch,” she repeated, and took another gulp. “She used the fact that Williams got busted for having illegals at his residence. Her reactions were all off, Dallas. There’s no rape victim in her. No misplaced shame or guilt, no anger, no fear, no sign whatsoever of personal violation. Body language, tone of voice, facial expressions. It may pass with her famed board of directors, but it’s crap.”

  Peabody paused for breath, then blew a long one out before she chugged Diet Pepsi. “Williams was slime, but she’s just another form of slime. A user, a manipulator, a coward, and a hypocrite. She’s bitch slime.”