Choke (26 page)

“Well, sure I will, but …”

“You want to get some street clothes on?”

“Yes, thanks.”

“Daryl, go to the locker room with Chuck.” Tommy watched the two men leave the room. He leaned against the counter and waited. After a moment, Merk, who had heard everything, got up from his desk and walked over to the counter.

“Tommy, did I just hear right?” Merk asked.

“You did, Merk.”

“You really think he did it?”

“That’s where new evidence leads us. I can’t comment further than that.”

“Jesus,” Merk said under his breath.

“What?”

“I was just wondering where I’m going to get somebody on short notice to take his classes.”

Merk,
Tommy thought,
you’re a sweet guy.

T
ommy looked at Chuck in the rearview mirror. He was wiping sweat from his face with a towel. “Chuck, listen to me,” he said.

Chuck looked up, and his face was haggard.

Tommy pulled over. “You drive,” he said to Daryl. He got out of the car, then into the back seat with Chuck. “This is not as bad as it seems,” he said. Daryl drove off.

“What do you mean?” Chuck asked. “It’s hard to see how it could get any worse.”

“We’re not going to the station; we’re going directly to the courthouse. Your lawyer is meeting us there.”

“I don’t understand,” Chuck said.

“The chief has spoken to the D.A. and the judge. You’re going to be arraigned in chambers and released on bail. You’ll spend the night at my house, then you’ll go back to work tomorrow morning.”

“Now I really don’t understand,” Chuck said.

The judge did not seem at all happy about the proceedings. “This is the damnedest thing anybody has ever asked me to do,” he said. “Do you people think a murder charge is some kind of game?”

“No, sir,” the D.A. said. “I’m acting at the request of the chief.”

“Chief, do you want to tell me what is going on here?” the judge demanded. “You come in here wanting an arraignment in chambers for a first-degree murder charge, and you want the suspect released immediately on bail of a hundred thousand dollars? For a capital charge?”

“Judge, we don’t believe that Mr. Chandler committed this murder.”

“Then why the hell did you arrest him? What the hell is he doing in my court?”

“I’ll let Detective Sculley explain,” the chief said.

Tommy stepped forward. “Your Honor, we’re at an impasse in this case. There is circumstantial evidence weighing against Mr. Chandler, but we believe the murder to have been done by other parties. We believe that these parties have caused it to seem that Mr. Chandler is guilty and that they are waiting for his arrest before making their next move.”

“And what is their next move?” the judge asked, clearly very interested now.

“We don’t know, Your Honor, but we believe they may do something that might incriminate them.”

“So this isn’t really an arrest?”

“Officially, it is; unofficially, Mr. Chandler will only appear to be booked for the crime. Nothing will go on his record, which is exemplary, as far as we are concerned.”

“Is there any material evidence against Mr. Chandler?”

“There is, but we believe it to have been planted by the other parties.”

The judge turned to the D.A. “Is it your intention to
try
Mr. Chandler?”

“Oh, no, sir,” the D.A. responded. “It won’t go that far; we’ll just drop the charges and issue a statement vindicating Mr. Chandler—once we have the real culprits.”

“The real culprits,” the judge repeated tonelessly.

“Yes, sir,” the D.A. replied.

“Well, I’ve certainly never been involved in anything like this,” the judge said, “but I’m looking forward to seeing how it’s all resolved.”

“So am I, Judge,” the D.A. said.

“All right, Mr. Chandler, you’ve been duly arrested and charged with murder in the first degree. How do you plead?”

Chuck looked at his lawyer.

“Not guilty, Your Honor,” the lawyer said. “Request bail.”

“Mr. Chandler, you are hereby released on one hundred thousand dollars bond.” He looked around at the others. “Is that what you all want, gentlemen?”

There was a murmur of assent from the group.

“That’s correct, Your Honor,” Chuck’s lawyer said. “We’ve completed the paperwork for a property bond.” He laid the documents on the judge’s desk.

“Wonderful,” the judge said, signing the documents, “just wonderful.”

Chuck sat at the dinner table in Tommy and Rosie’s new house and ate pasta.

“So, Chuck,” Rosie said, “how you been?”

“Okay, until tonight,” Chuck replied, twirling spaghettini on his fork. “Let me tell you something, you haven’t experienced life until you’ve been arrested on a capital murder charge.”

“I’m sorry I had to put you through that, Chuck,” Tommy said, pouring him some more wine, “but we had to make it look good for Merk. Nothing I could have said would have been as effective, as the look on your face when I read you your rights. If you had known what we were up to, it wouldn’t have worked.”

“And now you want me to go back to work tomorrow morning?”

“Right. There’ll be a story in tomorrow morning’s
Key West Citizen
announcing an arrest, but withholding your name.”

“You think Merk will take me back?”

“Why not? No one knows but him. And anyway, the last thing he said to me had to do with finding your replacement.” Tommy looked at Chuck’s plate. “You finished?”

“I couldn’t eat another bite,” Chuck said.

“Then why don’t you call Merk now and tell him you’ll be at work tomorrow? After all, we wouldn’t want him to replace you.”

“Okay. How will I explain being out of jail?”

“Tell him you’re calling from the jail, that your lawyer has arranged bail and that you’re being released early tomorrow morning,” Tommy said. “I’ll get on the extension.”

Chuck dialed the number and waited for three rings.

“Hello?”

“Merk? It’s Chuck.”

“Chuck? Where are you?”

“I’m at the jail on Stock Island, but I’m being released tomorrow morning, so I wanted to let you know I’ll be at work at nine, as usual.”

“As usual?” Merk said. “Chuck, when the papers get hold of this, nobody is going to want to take lessons from you.”

“Tommy is doing me a favor; he’s not releasing my name to the papers, so nobody will know. Except you, of course. I’d appreciate it if you’d keep all this under your hat.”

“Well, sure, Chuck; I guess you can keep on teaching, as long as it’s kept quiet. When will the trial be?”

“Not for months.”

“You can get through the season, then?”

“Through the summer, if you want me.”

“Well, sure. I was already looking for somebody; I’ll stop, though.”

“Thanks, Merk; I’ll see you in the morning.” Chuck hung up.

Tommy came back into the room. “You know him better than I; how’d he sound to you?”

“Perplexed,” Chuck said.

“That’s what I thought,” Tommy replied. “One more call to make; this one’s mine.” He looked up the number, held a finger to his lips, and dialed the number.

“Hello?”

“Mrs. Carras? This is Tommy Sculley; how are you?”

“I’m all right, Detective.”

“I hope you’ll feel better after what I have to tell you.”

“I hope so, too,” she said. “What is it?”

“We’ve arrested your husband’s murderer.”

“Well, that
is
good news,” she said. “It’s Chuck Chandler, of course.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“I’m so relieved,” she said. “I don’t know what took you so long; I thought you would never arrest him.”

“It’s only recently that some physical evidence came into our hands; we had to have that before we could move,” Tommy said.

“I suppose you’ll want me to testify,” she said.

“Yes, ma’am. The trial is probably going to be some months away, though. His lawyer will do all the maneuvering he can.”

“But there’s no reason for me to stay in Key West, is there?”

“Oh, no, ma’am; not as long as we know where to reach you. Were you planning to leave?”

“As soon as I sell the house, maybe sooner; I’ve been thinking of doing some traveling.”

“You go right ahead, ma’am; just leave us your itinerary.”

“I’ll do that, Detective. Thank you for letting me know.” She hung up.

Tommy put the phone down and held up a thumb. “Now let’s see what she does.”

Clare dialed the number on her portable phone.

“Yeah?”

“They’ve arrested him,” she said.

“I heard,” he replied.

“The length of hose apparently did it.”

“There was a mention of new evidence.”

“We’ll make our move soon.”

“I’ll look forward to it.”

She hung up, took a deep breath, and sighed. “At last,” she said aloud to herself.

C
huck stood in front of the jail building on Stock Island and waited. He had been smuggled there earlier that morning in the back of Tommy’s car, walked in one door and out another of the facility, and allowed to telephone for a ride. After a few minutes Meg drove up in the Porsche, and he got in.

“What’s happened?” she said, kissing him.

“They arrested me for murder,” Chuck said, “but there’s nothing to worry about.”

“Nothing to worry about!”
she cried.

“Please, Meg, just drive back to Key West Bight; I’ll try and explain on the way.”

“I rode my bicycle to the tennis club and got the car. I’ll have to ride back with you to get the bike.”

“Fine, I appreciate your doing this.”

“I don’t understand how you can be so calm,” she said, thrusting the morning paper at him. The headline read:

ARREST IN CARRAS MURDER

Chuck quickly scanned the story to make sure his name wasn’t mentioned. “Whew!” he said when he had finished. “I’m not calm, believe me. I’m more than a little scared.”

“Start explaining,” she said.

Chuck explained. While doing so he made a great effort to follow Tommy’s instructions and not look over his shoulder to see if anyone had taken note of his leaving the jail.

He was at the tennis club on time, showered and ready to teach. Merk was at his desk as usual.

“Everything okay?” Merk asked.

“I think so,” Chuck replied.

“I don’t know how you can be so calm about this. I’d be a nervous wreck.”

“I’m not calm, but I’m glad you thought so. If I can just get through the day with my students, I’ll be all right.”

Victor walked into the clubhouse. “Hey, Merk told me what happened. I’m sorry; anything I can do?”

“I don’t think so. I made bail, and I’m out until the trial rolls around.”

“What’s your lawyer saying about your chances?”

“He’s not telling me a lot, just not to worry. Fat chance of that.”

“He’s right, though; you’ve got to get through this somehow, and worrying isn’t going to help,” Victor said. “Well, my clinic is gathering on the court. You let me know if I can do anything—and I mean
anything
—to help.”

“Thanks, Victor,” Chuck said. He got his racquet and went out to his lesson. He noticed that in spite of hearing what Victor had said, Merk had made no offer of help.

At the end of the day, Victor approached Chuck. “Can I buy you a beer, buddy?”

“Tell you what, Meg is back; why don’t you come aboard
Choke
for dinner? You can bring the wine, and a girl, if you can find one.”

“Love to, and I’ll bring the wine, but it’s a little short notice for a girl.”

“We’ll have you all to ourselves, then,” Chuck said. “Seven o’clock?”

“Seven it is,” Victor replied. “Red or white?”

“Both; why take chances?”

At seven, Victor rapped on
Choke
’s hull with a wine bottle. “Prepare to repel boarders!” he shouted.

“Did you bring the wine?” Chuck called from below.

“Yep.”

“Come aboard, then.”

The three of them dined on pasta and pork chops, and both bottles of wine vanished in due course.

“What did Merk have to say to you?” Victor asked, draining the last of his red.

“Not much; his principal concern seemed to be that none of the customers find out that I got busted.”

“Well, he’s got a business to run, I guess,” Victor said, “whereas all you and I do is show up.”

Meg found another bottle of wine and refilled their glasses. “I think Merk’s a shit.”

“He’s not so bad,” Victor said.

“Oh, Victor,” Chuck said, “you never speak ill of anybody.”

“Well, not while they’re around, anyway. Merk’s been okay to me, though, and I know him pretty well by now.”

Chuck drew on his new glass of wine. Much of the stress of an awful twenty-four hours had drained from him, and he was feeling loose. “I’ll bet I can tell you something about Merk you don’t know,” Chuck said.

“I don’t see how you could,” Victor said. “After all, I’ve been around here for a couple of years, and you’re the new boy.”

“Still,” Chuck replied.

“You got any brandy?” Victor asked.

“Would you get some cognac, please, Meg? The cheap stuff; it’s for Victor.”

Meg brought a bottle of Courvoisier and three glasses to the table and poured them all a slug.

“So, Chuckster,” Victor said, “what could you possibly know about Merk that I don’t? You been sleeping with him?”

“Not likely,” Meg said, resting her head on Chuck’s shoulder. “I’ve been taking up all his time and talent.”

“You told me once that Merk’s ex-wife had stripped him of most of his worldly goods,” Chuck said, sampling the brandy.

“I told you, and it’s true,” Victor said.

“Do you know who the ex-wife, the holder of his former goods, is?”

Victor blinked and had some brandy. “It was before he came to Key West,” he said. “Before I won his confidence. A lady in another part of the world.”

Chuck shook his head slowly. “Nope,” he said, grinning. He sipped his brandy.

“Nope, what?” Victor asked, his eyes half closed. “Jesus, this is good cognac.”

“I brought it from the Bahamas,” Meg said. “Duty free.”

“Free is all that matters,” Victor said. “Was I saying something?”