AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Some of his organs were friable. That’s the word the ME used. Weak. Eventually he would have died from one of those organs giving out. Probably sooner than later. That also according to the ME.” He paused on purpose. “But what killed him was a severed artery.”
She swallowed. “How long would it have taken?”
“Hmm, not long. But there was blood on his hands, tissue under his fingernails.”
She snapped her head around to look at him.
“That’s right, Mrs. Speakman. Your husband fought for his life.”
Rodarte actually enjoyed telling her that. Finally he got a reaction out of her. Her chest rose and fell on a quick little breath. She pressed the Kleenex against her mouth.
“He lived long enough to struggle with his attacker,” he continued. “Have to admire him for that. Him, paralyzed from the waist down, battling a guy with Burkett’s size and strength. He never had a chance, but he put up a brave fight.” Leaning forward, he placed his hand over hers. “Are you all right?”
She yanked her hand from beneath his. “I’ll be fine.”
“I know this is hard for you.”
“Is there anything else, Detective?”
“You can make arrangements for burial now.”
“Thank you.”
“Just contact the funeral home. They’ll know what to do.”
She nodded.
He stood up and moved to the railing that enclosed the gazebo. Staring out across the well-manicured landscape, he said thoughtfully, “Do you think Burkett attacked your husband suddenly, in a jealous rage? Or do you think they quarreled over the money?”
“Money?”
When he came around, she had removed her sunglasses and was staring up at him inquisitively.
“Didn’t I mention the money to you?”
“What are you talking about, Detective? What money?”
“The cash. In the navy blue box. It was on your husband’s desk in plain sight when the crime scene unit got here. They nearly shit when they—I’m sorry. Pardon the expletive.” He gave her a feeble smile. “See? Just thinking about it rattled me. It’s not every day you see that kind of money all heaped together. Half a million in one-hundred-dollar bills.”
Her lips parted soundlessly. She stared into near space for several moments, then shifted her gaze to a shrub loaded with big blue flowers that looked like pom-poms. He didn’t know what you called the flowers, but he knew how to define Mrs. Speakman’s reaction. She was stunned to hear about the half mil. More specifically, she was stunned to learn he knew about it.
“Half a million dollars in cash,” he said. “Sitting right there. It’s under lock and key in the evidence room now. You’ll get it back. Unless it turns out to be ill-gotten funds of some kind.”
“Ill-gotten?”
“Drug money, something like that.”
She turned back to him and stood up suddenly. “Listen to me, Detective Rodarte. My husband wasn’t involved in anything illegal, and if you were to check his financial portfolio, you’d realize just how ludicrous that allegation is.”
“You said he had a meeting with Griff Burkett here in your home. That’s how you two met.”
“What bearing does that have on this?”
“You said you didn’t know what they talked about.”
“I still don’t see the relevance of—”
“Burkett was found guilty of racketeering, Mrs. Speakman. So I was thinking that—”
