Thursday, March 18th
Rosary Police Station, 9:00 a.m.
John Steele arrived at the police station after taking Alan to school. He went to the first floor, and he found Neil with his agents.
Neil turned to him and smiled. “Hello, John! David has collected all the names of the people who can confirm the family members’ alibis. I was sending my agents to speak to each of them. Is that ok for you?”
John had already noticed that Neil, although he was his superior, always informed him of what he intended to do. McKinley did not act as a boss, but as a colleague. The more John got to know him, the more he liked him as a person and as a policeman. He was calm, patient, considerate, and he noticed everything.
He immediately answered: “Of course. Has Nolan Lewis’ ex-wife come back to Rosary yet?”
David answered: “I have just called Mr. Lewis, and he told me he has been able to contact her this morning. She will be in Rosary this afternoon. I have already asked Mr. Lewis to put her in touch with us immediately.”
Neil told John: “I would like to talk to Father George and to Anna personally.”
John didn’t let him finish the sentence: “I had the same idea. I hope you don’t mind, but I asked my wife to reserve a table for us at the trattoria.”
Neil smiled and nodded.
John went on: “And, before lunch, we can go to speak to the priest. I would like to talk to him and to Anna about Robin, because this morning Tony drove him to school. He was so sad. I don’t think he slept tonight, but Tony told me that Robin’s father insisted on him going to school regularly. He said he had to go to his office, and he didn’t have time to spend with his son!”
Neil looked at him with a perplexed expression on his face and replied: “I think Robin will need support and affection. I have the impression he doesn’t receive any from his family. Yesterday he told me he is alone in the world, now that his grandmother is dead.”
John shook his head and said: “Anna’s son-in-law, Mark and I have been thinking of talking to Nolan for a while. We didn’t want to intrude, but now...”
***
Father George’s home, 11:00 a.m.
John and Neil arrived at Father George’s home next to the church, and they parked the car. They crossed the street and rang the doorbell. Father George came to open in a few seconds, and he smiled at the two policemen.
“Hello, John, hello Neil. Come in, please!”
They went into the spacious open space that was the dining and sitting room. The priest led them to the two sofas facing each other under the window. He said kindly: “Would you like something to drink?”
John and Neil exchanged a glance, and John answered for both of them: “No, thanks, George. We are sorry to come to you without notice, but I think you know what happened yesterday to Mrs. Lewis.”
“Of course, what a terrible thing! How is poor Robin? I wanted to visit the family tonight to offer my condolences, but I am not very familiar with them. I have seldom seen them in church, apart from their father’s funeral and Robin’s baptism.”
Neil said: “We know that Mrs. Lewis often spoke to Father Luca.”
“Yes, after the Sunday Mass, she used to stay a few minutes with Father Luca and talk to him. She was very sad when he died.”
“Do you know if they talked about a person Mrs. Lewis was going to meet?”
“Now that I think of it, Mrs. Lewis came to me last week. She wanted to know if Luca had left something, some notes or documents that were important to her. We went together to Luca’s flat, but there was nothing. I told her that what was in the car when he was found had been given back to his mother, and she said she would ask Anna. Then I don’t know if she did.”
John said: ” In the car there was nothing, just his driving license and his mobile phone in the pocket of his jacket.”
Father George looked at the two men and said: “I am sorry, but Luca never told me anything about a person Mrs. Lewis wanted to find.”
John looked at the priest and added: “We have come here for another reason, haven’t we, Neil?” Neil nodded, and John went on: “Yesterday Robin was the one who found his grandmother dead.” Father George’s eyes widened, and he commented: “Oh, my God!”
“Neil went to Stacey’s bedroom and was able to convince the poor boy to leave his granny and go downstairs, but nobody took care of him, apart from Tony and Barbara. Not a word of comfort from his father or his aunt.”
George shook his head and sighed: “I must confess this doesn’t surprise me. Robin is a sad lonely boy, even more lonely since his mother went to live in St John. There is something in Barbara that he hasn’t been able to accept yet. Thanks for telling me, I will try to speak to him on Sunday when he comes to the mass with his schoolmates. But the people who can really help him are Anna and her family. Silvia and Mark are always kind to him. ”
Neil said: “We are going to talk to them now, both about the information Mrs. Lewis was looking for, and about the support Robin needs. His grandmother was surely very important to him, but Robin is not an orphan, he has his own family!” John and Father George exchanged a surprised glance, because Neil seemed to be speaking about himself. He had a sad expression on his face.
Father George thought for a few moments. Then he turned to Neil: “Last Sunday, when the children were coming out of the church after the mass, Robin was with Mario, and they came to tell me that they liked your volleyball training very much. It was one of the rare times I saw Robin smile. He asked me something about you, where you are from, if you have any children. I found it strange because I have never seen Robin interested in a person or an event. He is usually concentrated on his drawings and his books ...” He stopped for a moment and then added tentatively: “Neil, what I am trying to say is that YOU can give him support. If he asks to talk to you, can I call you?”
Neil smiled and didn’t say anything for a moment. He thought back to the way Robin had let himself be comforted by him, and he hoped he would come to him, because he was sure that Robin knew something he hadn’t said yet, something connected to his grandmother’s death.
He answered simply: “Of course, George. Whenever he needs to talk to me, I will come immediately. And I will try to talk to him next Saturday.”
***
Rosary, Anna’s Trattoria, 12:30 p.m.
A grinning Bruno was coming out of the kitchen of the trattoria, when John opened the door, followed by Neil.
“Welcome!” He said immediately, ”Benvenuti. I think Jennifer has reserved that table under the window for you!” He added, pointing at a table for two in a corner.
Jennifer came out of the kitchen at that moment. She approached the two men, and she kissed her husband on the cheek. “Hello, John. It’s a pleasure to see you, Neil.” Neil smiled at her.
She led them to the table, and she left the menu. Bruno came to them and said, before going back to the kitchen: “May I suggest the special for today? Lasagne alla Bolognese. They are delicious, deliziose.” Neil and John couldn’t help smiling at the natural geniality of the Italian man. Bruno’s face clouded for a moment when he added: “I cooked lasagne today because they were Mrs. Stacey’s favorite dish. A terrible thing, isn’t it? Terribile davvero.” With these words, he left to go back to the kitchen, without whistling or humming as he usually did.
When they were drinking their coffee at the end of a delicious meal, Anna came out of the kitchen and started to go from table to table. She asked everyone if everything was alright, if they had liked the food: this was her way of creating a family atmosphere. She had never wanted just to manage a restaurant, but to create a meeting place, where people enjoyed themselves and relaxed, where they could talk to each other. That was the reason she had never had loud music in the trattoria. She didn't like places where the music was so loud that you couldn’t speak to the person sitting next to you.
She smiled at the two policemen who were waiting for her, and she approached the table.
“Hello, John, hello, Neil.”
Neil said politely: “Good afternoon, Anna. When it is convenient, could we talk to you? We know you are working, and we don’t want to disturb you, but there is something we need to ask you.”
Anna took a chair from another table and sat down immediately. People were beginning to leave the trattoria, and there were only two couples left in the opposite corner.
“Don’t worry. The trattoria is almost empty. Is it ok if we talk here?”
John answered, after watching the two couples stand up and leave: “Yes, it’s alright, isn’t it, Neil?”
Neil nodded and started: “I think you know what happened yesterday to Mrs. Lewis!”
Anna sighed and said: “Yes, it’s terrible. This morning, Tony came here after driving Robin to school. He looked worried and asked me and Silvia to try to comfort the poor boy. That child was so close to his grandmother.”
Neil said: “Yes, it is very sad, and Robin needs a lot of support.” He waited for a few moments before going on. “Father George told us that Mrs. Lewis was looking for something that your son had left. Some notes or documents connected to a person she wanted to meet.” He noticed Anna’s troubled look, and he hastened to add: “Anna, we are sorry because you are trying to get over your terrible loss, but we have to know if that person has something to do with Mrs. Lewis’s death. We wouldn’t have asked you if it wasn’t important.”
Anna put a hand on Neil’s arm and said: “You are really very kind, Neil. My son is always in my heart, whether you mention him or not, so … don’t worry. Yes, Stacey came to me last week. I think it was Tuesday. She was embarrassed, just as you are now, because she didn’t want to mention Luca, but she seemed really eager to know if the police had given me some notes or documents that Luca may have had in his car. I said that the police hadn’t given me anything apart from his cell phone. I went to fetch it for Stacey, and I gave her a phone number. It was recorded with the initials, maybe of a name and surname. Stacey seemed to recognize them. If you wait a minute, I will fetch Luca’s mobile phone. There was only one number I didn’t know. That was the one I gave Stacey.”
When she left the dining room, John looked at Neil and said: “I knew I had to investigate further into the death of Father Luca.”
Neil asked: “Wasn’t it a car accident?”
“Yes, Neil, but there was something that kept tormenting me. I will show you the photos of the scene of the accident when we are back at the police station, if you don’t mind.”
“Of course, but … did you mention your suspicions to the family?”
“Yes, after a few days, I spoke to Anna, but I think it was so painful for her that she didn’t even want to think that someone could have wanted her son’s death. And she is right. I can’t imagine anyone who didn’t like Luca. He was loved and admired by the entire community...”
At that moment, Anna came back with the mobile phone. She turned it on, but the battery was really low. She had just the time to show them the number, before the phone died.
Neil put it into the pocket of his jacket and said: “Thank you, Anna. I will give it back to you, after we have been able to see the number.”
Anna answered: “Don’t worry. I don’t need it. And I promise I will try to help Robin. I have already told Tony that Mark is going to pick up my grandchildren and Robin from school. We are going to prepare a snack for them, and Tony will come here and drive him home. I hope that staying with us will give him a little comfort.”
John smiled and said: “That’s a wonderful idea. I was sure you wouldn’t leave him alone…”
“Let’s hope his mother comes back. He was so happy last Monday, when she came after the cooking lesson.”
John interjected: “His mother is coming back now. We are waiting to talk to her. Yesterday afternoon she didn’t answer the phone.”
Anna commented bitterly: “That’s strange, because last Monday she couldn’t take her eyes off that phone. Robin was trying so hard to attract her attention, but she didn’t seem to notice him.”
Neil and John shook their heads. Neil’s phone vibrated in his pocket. He excused himself and answered. He listened and replied: “Ok, we are coming ...”
Turning to John and Anna, he said: “Speaking of the devil ... Mrs. Dana Lewis is at the police station. She says she is in a hurry, and she is making a fuss. Billy told her we would be there shortly. I think he was able to calm her down when he confirmed that inspector McKinley is the same one she saw on TV.” He stopped, and John and Anna started to laugh. ” Let’s go, John. I would never make Mrs. Lewis wait too long. She is a fan of mine.” He winked at John and they stood up.
John asked: “Anna, were Nolan and Margaret here for lunch yesterday with a customer?”
“Yes, they were both here with a man I have never met until ... I think 2.00 p.m.”
“Thanks, Anna.”
Anna said: “Wait a minute, Neil. I have something for you.”
She went to the kitchen and came back with an envelope, followed by Silvia, who was carrying a small packet. Silvia said, smiling at the inspector: “This is a portion of lasagne for you from Bruno. He didn’t want to disturb you. He had to go because he had an appointment.” Neil smiled and took the packet. He said: “Thank Bruno for me, please. He was very kind.”
Anna gave him the envelope, and she said: “And this is Luca’s photo to hang in the gym.” Neil lowered his gaze and tried to overcome his emotion. He took the envelope with great care, and he said in a faint voice choked by emotion: “Thanks, Anna, I know how much this means to you.”
“Thank YOU, Neil, for your kind idea!”
When the two policemen had left, Anna wondered why, every time Neil was in front of her, she had to resist the impulse to embrace him. She knew that sooner or later she would not be able to avoid it. Why did she feel that this man was lonely and needed love and care? For all she knew, maybe he had a girlfriend or a wife who would join him soon. She shook her head and locked the door of the trattoria.
***
Rosary Police Station, 2:30 p.m.
Neil and John arrived at the police station. The agent at the reception counter told them that Mrs. Dana Morgan was waiting in the interrogation room, and she looked impatient and nervous.
They entered the room, and they saw Dana sitting in front of the taciturn and visibly annoyed Billy Nigel. She was looking intently at her fingernails and at her mobile phone.
She raised her eyes when she heard the door open. Billy sprang up from the chair immediately, as if he were in a hurry to leave. He went out and closed the door behind him without saying a word.
Dana fixed her eyes on Neil. As she observed him enter and take a seat across from her, her mobile phone slipped from her mind. She observed the tall man intently, evidently and overtly judging his look from the head to the feet. She smiled charmingly and said: “I have been waiting for more than half an hour. That policeman” she pointed at the door, “didn’t want to tell me why I am here.” Even if she was complaining, she kept on smiling at Neil, ignoring John completely.
John and Neil exchanged a glance, and Neil asked: “Mrs. Morgan Lewis, has your ex-husband told you what happened yesterday to Mrs. Stacey Lewis?”
Dana gave an exaggerated sigh and tilted her head, always smiling pleasantly. “Yes, he told me. I have always warned my mother-in-law that she shouldn’t keep her jewels at home, or at least that she should have used the alarm when she was alone. But she never listened to me. And now...” Dana took out a handkerchief from her bag and wiped imaginary tears from her face.
Neil went on: “I think they have told me you were staying at your mother-in-law’s until yesterday.”
“Yes, my partner, Mike Stone, is away on business this week. So, I decided to spend some time with my son. Since my divorce, I have always stayed at my mother-in-law’s when I am in Rosary.”
“But why did you go back to St. John yesterday?”
“Last Tuesday, I received a phone call from my lawyer’s secretary. She told me I had to sign some urgent documents and that the lawyer would be receiving me yesterday. To tell the truth, I have not signed any documents for some time, but I am aware that I tend to be forgetful, so….”
Neil and John waited patiently for her to go on. She looked once again at her perfectly manicured hands. She leaned forward in her chair, resting her elbows on the table and looking straight at Neil. If she wanted to use her charm on the policeman, she soon realized that he was not impressed at all. He kept looking at her with a kind smile, but it was evident that he was only interested in what she would say next.
After a few moments, she leaned back in her chair and she resumed: “I went back to St. John yesterday morning. Since the appointment was at 11, I went straight to the lawyer. When I spoke to the secretary, she informed me that I did not have an appointment yesterday. I was startled because I had received the phone call. Anyway, the secretary asked me to wait. She called the lawyer who was coming back from the tribunal, but he confirmed he had no documents to make me sign and nothing to talk to me about.”
Neil interrupted her to ask: “But what number called you to remind you of the appointment? The lawyer’s office number? And can I have the name of the lawyer?”
Dana began to look uneasy. Maybe she was realizing now that they were questioning her because she was a suspect.
She replied: “No, it was not the usual number.” With her mobile phone in hand, she scrolled through the call log until her finger landed on an unidentified number. She showed it to the Inspector. He noticed immediately that it was a mobile phone number. John took note of the number on a pad that was ready on the table. Then he gave the phone back to Dana.
She continued: “My lawyer is Mr. Burns, Mr. Harold Burns. He took care of my divorce.” John added the name on the pad.
Neil asked her: “And when you found out that you had no appointment, what did you do? Why didn’t you come back to Rosary? Why didn’t you answer the phone later when your ex-husband tried to call you?”
Now she looked worried. All these questions were making her nervous. She thought for a moment. Then her face brightened up, as if she had suddenly remembered something important.
“I wanted to come back to Rosary, but a friend of mine called me. She didn’t know I was in St. John, and she invited me for lunch. We had lunch in a little restaurant in the center of the town, and then we went shopping. When we finished, I realized it was late. I don’t like driving in the evening because of the traffic. So, I went home. This morning, I heard from Nolan, and I immediately drove back here.”
“But why was your mobile phone off? Why didn’t you answer?”
“As I told you, I was in and out of shops and bars. I was chatting with my friend. When I arrived back home, I found the missed calls, but it was late, so I thought I could call back this morning.”
Neil didn’t seem convinced by this explanation, and he insisted: “But when you saw all those missed phone calls, didn’t you get worried it might be something about your son?”
“Oh no, Inspector! Robin has my mobile number and, when he wants to reach me, he calls me.” Neil shook his head. The person in front of him cared more about shopping than about a nine-year-old son and didn’t realize how much she made him suffer. He wanted to tell her that Robin had found his grandmother dead, but he judged it would be useless. Instead, he took the pad, and he asked: “Could you tell me the name of your friend? The one you spent yesterday afternoon with, Mrs. Morgan?”
She said immediately: “Yes, of course. I can give you her name and her mobile phone number.” Neil passed her the pad and the pen and she scribbled a name in block letters and a number next to it.
Neil took the pad and said: “Thanks, Madam. Are we going to find you here in Rosary if we need to contact you?”
“Oh no, I had forgotten that tomorrow I have my yoga lesson in the morning. I am going back to St John straightaway.”
John couldn’t help saying: “Robin will be sad. Do you know he was the one who found his grandmother dead?” He stopped because he saw an angry expression on the woman’s face. She answered sharply: “Nolan told me, and I will surely call him when he comes home from school. I don’t need to be taught what I should or shouldn’t do with my son, gentlemen!”
She stood up, and she went out of the room without asking if she was free to go. Neil exchanged a glance with John, which meant: ‘Let her go for now!’
When they were alone in the room, John said: “What do you think, Neil? Do you believe what she says? Could she have killed her mother-in-law?”
Neil shook his head. “One thing I know for certain. Robin was right when he told me he is alone in the world now. I’ll try to talk to him next Saturday, just to let him know that we care for him: Anna’s family, Father George, you and I, at least.”
***
The two policemen went to the first floor, where Neil’s agents were working on their computers. Neil gave Steve Ganderson Luca’s mobile phone.
“Please, Steve. When the phone comes back to life, can you check the numbers in the call log? There should be one recorded with the initials. I think that is the one we are looking for. Maybe we are lucky and that mysterious person will answer and identify herself or himself.”
He turned to his agents and asked: “Guys, have you verified the alibis? Billy,” he added jokingly, “I noticed you didn’t enjoy the company of Dana Morgan Lewis very much.”
Billy looked at him and answered: “Oh, Neil. She kept on asking me about you, if you have a wife or a girlfriend, if you are as tall as you appear on TV, I just couldn’t stand it!”
The other agents laughed, but Billy didn’t share the fun. He told them: “Next time I will leave her to one of you! Then we’ll see who is gonna laugh!”
David spoke to his boss: “Neil, we have talked to the maid’s sister, and she confirmed Carmen arrived at her house at 2:45 p.m. and stayed until she came back. The little child (she is six years old) confirmed that her aunt was there all the time. We also checked, and it takes at least half an hour to drive from the villa to Carmen’s sister’s.”
Billy said: “I went to the mechanic, and he said that Tony brought the car at 2:15 p.m. and stayed there until it was ready, at around four.”
Steve intervened: “I spoke to Mrs. Craig. She lives just a few blocks from the Lewises. She confirmed Barbara was with her until she was called by her husband.”
Bob said: “I wasn’t able to contact Mr. Rossi, because he is away on business today. His wife told me he will come back tonight. She promised to put him in contact with us, but she knew that yesterday he had lunch with Mr. and Miss Lewis and then they had to go to the office to discuss some matters.”
“Ok, thanks, guys. Steve, can you turn on the phone now?”
Steve tried and said: “Yes, the battery is very low, but I can connect it and download the call log.”
“Do it, please, and give it to me. And, David, could you check my fan’s alibi and this phone number, please?” He winked at Billy and gave David the sheet of paper from the pad, pointing to the mobile phone number that had called Dana to confirm her appointment. David nodded and sat in front of his computer.
Neil took all his agents’ reports and took them to his office. He started to read them and to browse for information on his computer, when John knocked on the open door to announce his presence.
“You don’t have to knock, John. ” he smiled at his colleague and saw that he had some photos in a folder.
“Neil, can I show you the pictures of Luca’s car accident?”
Neil took the folder while John was sitting nervously in front of him.
The inspector put the photos on his desk, one next to the other, and looked at them attentively. After a few moments, he turned to John and said: “I think I have seen what you are trying to show me. The ground next to the smashed car is clean. There is a broken headlight, but no glass fragments. Someone took great care to clean ... Why? Because there was another car involved? It is very strange. Did you investigate?”
“Yes, I went to all the mechanics in the area with the only little glass fragment I was able to find. It didn’t belong to Luca’s car but I couldn’t find a damaged car, there were no witnesses and, Neil, I must confess that, when I talked to Anna about this possibility, she was so anguished, I… Neil, I know, I am a policeman, but it was such a shock for her. But now...”
“I know that discovering that someone really killed Luca will be another shock for Silvia and Anna, but I think they deserve to know the truth, don’t they?”
John nodded without speaking. Neil went on: “Let’s see who that person is, the person who was so important for Mrs. Lewis, ok? Then we’ll follow that lead and see where it takes us. Don’t tell anything to Anna for now!”
John nodded with a troubled expression on his face. He was more and more certain that Luca’s death was not an accident.
Steve came into the office with a sheet of paper that he handed to Neil. “This is the call log from the phone you gave me.” He announced, before going back to his desk.
Neil scrolled the list. He looked up at John and said: “There is a number recorded with the initials A.S. It is the only one, because all the other numbers have a name: mum, Silvia, George, Mark, Sister Nancy… Yes, I think this is the number that can lead us to that person.” He took out his mobile phone and dialed the number. The call didn’t go through.
Neil looked at John and said: “I will keep on calling until tomorrow, then we’ll try to find more information with the computer. If Father Luca was consulted and acted as a kind of intermediary, I think it was something delicate, and I don’t want to look into it, unless it is necessary. If that person answers and explains what her relation with Mrs. Lewis is, we will see if the connection is relevant or not, ok?”
John answered: “Yes, I think that, since we don’t know anything about that person or about the reason Mrs. Lewis wanted to contact her, it is better to be cautious.”
David came into Neil’s office and said: “Excuse me, I have tried to call ...” he looked at the sheet of paper Neil had given him, “Lynne Abbot, but she didn’t answer. The other number corresponds to a prepaid phone and there is just one call in the call log.”
Neil and John exchanged a glance: “A secretary in a lawyer’s office who calls a client with a prepaid phone? This is really strange.” John said. “Can you locate the phone call?” David answered: “It seems the GPS system has been turned off, because we haven’t been able to locate it.”
Neil asked David: “Tomorrow morning, can you put me in contact with the lawyer in St. John, Harold Burns? I want to talk to him.”
“Ok, Neil, and I will try to contact Miss Abbot again.”
***
Nolan Lewis’ home, 9:00 p.m.
Robin had finished dinner with his father and Barbara. They had kept on talking about his grandmother’s will and the time it would take to be able to receive the money she had left her son. Robin had eaten in silence, hoping they would ask him if he was ok, how he felt. Only Mark had embraced him, when he picked him up at school. He had driven him to the trattoria with Mario and Giulia. They had had a snack together and then Tony had taken him home. At the trattoria he had felt the warmth of a family, the family he missed so much.
After dinner, he had followed Barbara and Nolan to the living room. They had watched the news as they did every evening. Then his father had started watching a film that was far from being suited for children.
Robin had silently got up from the armchair and gone to his bedroom. He had closed the door, and he had thrown himself on the bed, sobbing desperately. After a while, he was able to calm down …
He went to the small coat hanger behind the door, and he took his jacket, the one he had been wearing when he had found his grandmother on her bed. He rummaged in the pocket and took out a shining object. He turned it in his hand and tears rolled down his face. Who could he talk to? He had hoped his mother would call him before he went to bed, he had even expected her to stay in Rosary with him, but his father had said that she had called after she had left the police station to say she would go straight to St. John. What had the police asked her? Did they suspect her? He was so lonely, so dejected.
He wrapped the shining thing in a paper towel and put it into the pocket of his school bag. Deciding to talk to his volleyball coach, Neil, next Saturday, made him feel a little better. When he had seen him next to his grandmother’s bed, he had been so kind to him and had comforted him. He was a policeman, but he was also a caring man. How he wished his father were like him.
ns216.73.216.204da2
and then Add to home screen.