AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“By all means.” She lowers onto her ball and clasps her glittered hands together. “You have the floor, Detective.”
“Arun Savese was a thirty-nine-year-old husband and father of two. He worked in the pharmaceutical business and attended a conference held by your convention center a little over a week ago.”
Her eyes hold mine. The almost red sheen of mud, following my every word. Every shift of weight, because this fucking ball forces me to lock my stomach muscles in or roll to the side. “The Evicta Conference.” She nods, so long dangling earrings flip forward. “Yes.”
“Arun has since passed away from what the homicide team suspect was some form of poison.” I sit forward, my posture less than poor, and set my elbows on my knees. “We believe he was exposed to this poison during his time here, inside this building, or during his travels home.”
“Mr. Savese stayed in this hotel?” She speaks as though in a question, but leaning to her left, she taps the keyboard of hercomputer and brings up whatever screen shows her occupancy. “Yes, I see. He checked out the day after the Evicta Conference, as did most of all those who were also in attendance.” Bringing her focus back to me, she curls her lips higher into a pleasant smile. “Have you investigated the cab he took from here to the airport? Or the plane he flew home in? Or the cab he took from the airport to his residence?”
“My partner is working every angle. He’ll ask the appropriate questions to ensure he receives adequate answers. At this point in time, my task is to speak to you, and anyone else you might think a suitable contact for this investigation.”
“Well…” Sitting back on her ball, the rubber outer, squeaking against her legs as she shifts, she places her hands together again and smiles all the way up until her eyes wrinkle. “I suppose I can give you my thoughts.”
“Please do.” I take out my phone and open the notes app, since I don’t have the real thing today. “Give me whatever you can, then perhaps point me in the right direction for where we should go next. I’m led to believe this conference was centered around a new drug on the market that fights cancer?”
“Yes. Evicta. That’s what they’ve labeled it. Something about victory?” She lifts her shoulders in a shrug. “As I’m certain you’ve heard, the drug touts victory for cancer patients. No more sickness. No more nausea. No more hair loss.”
“You don’t believe the marketing pitch?”
She scoffs, the sound is soft and small. But her point comes across instantly. “I have family members who’ve perished from cancer, Detective. The chemotherapy ravaged their bodies and left them weak.”
“So you don’t believe the marketing materials for chemotherapy, either?”
“No. I do.” She tilts her head slightly to the side. “At least we know what chemo will do, right? It’s a poison itself, and thegeneral goal is to poison one’s body strategically, a tug of war waged against the cancer. The winner is the one left standing at the end.”
“And Evicta?”
“There’s an old proverb, Detective. Anything that is said to be too good to be true…”
“Probably is,” I finish with a nod. “Got it. Can you tell me what you witnessed during the conference? Who did you notice? Did anything feel off?”
She shakes her head, gently side-to-side. “I work in the back end, Detective. I ensure rooms are outfitted correctly. I inspect AV equipment and confirm things are where they should be, when they should be there. I noticed hundreds of unfamiliar faces inside this building, but that’s my everyday life. There was no drama that I was made aware of. My staff have mentioned nothing off. I do not recall meeting Mr. Savese directly, and to be quite frank, if I’d never heard from Detective Fletcher yesterday, I doubt I’d have given this conference more than a passing thought for the rest of my days.”
She shifts on her ball, lifting one leg over the other and exhaling a gentle sigh. “We’re in Montego Bay, Detective Malone. We see new faces every single day of the year. Most often, those faces are white, middle-aged, and make enough per year to be exceptionally comfortable. Far more comfortable than most of the staff who served them. I don’t mind taking the time to speak with you, but I’m afraid I’m not sure I can be of any help.”
“You didn’t meet Arun personally?” I scramble for an angle. Something we’re not seeing yet. “You don’t recall seeing him at all?”
“No. And if not for the photograph Detective Fletcher sent over, I wouldn’t have any clue what Mr. Savese looks like. We simply didn’t cross paths. He wasn’t loud enough, or demandingenough, to be put on my radar. He was just…” She lifts her hands in a shrug. “Not particularly special.”
I spend another ten minutes with Veronica and dig in, in search of something, but when my time is up and my Minka Mayet alarm clock ticks closer, I dash out of her office and make my way downstairs, past an indoor waterfall that cascades to the ground floor with a noisy splash. Bringing my phone to my ear at eleven forty-five, I start toward the tall revolving doors at the front of the building, only to swing around again as my call connects and shiny baubles sitting in the window catch my eye.
“Detective Fletcher,” Fletch answers. “What’d you find out?”
“Hang on.” I bolt across the lobby and skid to a stop in front of what I suppose is a mini stall, set inside an expensive building. Just like those outside, this one overflows with sun catchers and necklaces. Rings. Bracelets. Bangles, hats, and sunglasses. But unlike those outside, almost everything on this rack matches the glitters that Veronica Cain wore.
I spare a quick glance for the crafty owner and peruse his options, then I snag a trio of bangles that shimmer in the sunlight pounding through the window. “These, please.” I place my selection in the man’s hand, then a pair of sunglasses on top, and crush the phone between my ear and shoulder. Reaching back to my wallet, I take out enough cash to cover the cost of the jewelry, plus a little extra on top, since Veronica’s chastising comment on incomes around here still clings to the back of my mind.
“Archer! Stop shopping and talk to me.”
“Thank you.” I accept the shopkeeper’s small paper bag and exchange it for cash, then I spin on my heels and speed out of the building. “I needed a gift. Calm the hell down.”
“You’re shopping for souvenirs during a homicide investigation!”
“I’m on my honeymoon and sneaking out on my wife,for you. So yes, I’m buying souvenirs, and guess what, dipshit? You can pay for them. That’s your gift to Minka.”
He scoffs in the back of his throat. “The moment I’m buying Delicious jewelry, Arch, is the moment I’m expecting her to bemywife. And with that status comes perks.” He pauses for a moment, grinning. “Send me a picture of her in a bikini.”
“Stick a knife in your mouth and headbutt the wall.” I push through the doors and emerge into belting sunlight that smacks me in the face. Jogging down the steps, I start my trek back toward the lingerie store. “You already tried the marriage thing, bro. You failed. You don’t get to horn in on mine now.”
