Read Murder in the Supreme Court (Capital Crimes Series Book 3) Online
Authors: Margaret Truman
And just as straight faced, he said, “The cleaning woman hasn’t been in, joint’s a mess—”
“You don’t have a cleaning woman.”
“I surrender.”
***
In his apartment, which was fully as much of a mess as he’d warned it would be, he took an old blanket off of the couch. “Keeps the cat hairs off. Sit, but watch out for the middle, a bad spring.” He put on the stereo. “Drink?”
“Love one.”
When they’d settled in with their drinks, he said, “Vera told me Clarence looked like Robert Redford. Not in the morgue he didn’t. I didn’t go into that. I’d already put her through enough in the courtroom. God, it was eerie, Poulson there, then her showing me how she shot Sutherland…”
They sat on one end of the couch, drinks in hand. One of the cats rubbed against her leg.
“Martin,” she said, “do you think it’s over?”
“Yes… well, our part in it anyway. Tell me about your scene with Laurie Rawls.” After he had told Susanna what Vera had said about Laurie, Susanna had approached Laurie. To try to talk her out of what she intended to do…
“I went to her apartment. Of course she was very different from what she’d been the other times we’d been together. All self-assured and hard. Until I told her that you were ready to press blackmail charges against her.”
“What did she say?”
“At first she hung tough, said I was bluffing. I told her that besides having enough evidence to make a solid case, a few leaks to the media would ruin her White House chances anyway.”
“And?”
“She quickstepped into Miss Sugar again, even managed a few tears. Told me as a woman I ought to
understand
… she was only trying to look out for herself in a tough man’s world.”
“And?”
“I’m afraid I almost hit her. What I told her was to stuff it, that if she didn’t resign from the Court, turn down the
White House job and get out of town I’d make it my career to make sure she went to jail. I think she believed me.”
“Good deal. And of course the White House wouldn’t touch her now anyway, and she knows it.”
“Do you know what still bothers me, Martin? Jorgens is still President and Poulson is still Chief Justice.”
“Susanna, we solved a murder. After that, it’s life goes on. Speaking of which,” and he reached for her.
“Hold it, detective. I’m still
talking
…”
“I know. All right, look, you could leak the story to some buddy reporter about Poulson having been in an institution and that President Jorgens knew about it when he nominated him for Chief Justice.”
“I couldn’t—”
“Of course you couldn’t.”
“Besides, there’s Childs. He’s still an inspiration to millions of people. His story would come out, and in the worst possible light.” She sipped her drink. “Do you think Dr. Sutherland knew Vera Jones had killed his son?”
“I think so. Boy, what a rat he was, his own father wouldn’t turn in his murderer.”
“Did she say so to you? I mean that the doctor knew?”
“She as much as said it, and it was pretty clear anyway. But what do I do with that kind of information? I could bring charges against him for obstructing justice by withholding information about a murder investigation, but that’s not in the cards. It’s been billed as a crime of passion. That way nobody’s boat gets rocked. And it’s a better defense for Vera… God knows, she deserves all the breaks she can get. Besides I’ve got other things to worry about, like a pregnant daughter, my pension and two mangy cats… What about you, counselor?”
“I’m thinking of taking off.”
“You just got here. And this was your idea, remember?”
“I mean to California, idiot. And I do remember—”
“No, damn it.”
“I talked to my ex. It hasn’t been so easy for him, trying to start over again, taking care of three kids. It’s time I took them on, grew up. I think a new start might be good for all of us.”
He didn’t know what to say except, “Want another drink?”
“Please.”
When he came back from the kitchen with the refills, she asked him more about what Vera Jones had told him before her formal interrogation.
“I really felt for her,” he said. “Still do. She snapped in the courtroom when she was with Clarence that night, like she did at first the night she confessed. Funny, she lost control, shot him, then collected herself enough to return the gun to Conover’s chambers, using keys Clarence had with him. More, she goes back to the courtroom and puts the keys in his pocket. It’s ironic that Clarence had Poulson’s file with him that night, only she didn’t know it. She thought he only had the file Justice Conover had built on his wife. Vera returned it to Conover’s chambers too, along with the gun and Poulson’s file, which is now back in Dr. Sutherland’s office where it belongs. She could have taken it that night but didn’t have her wits about her enough for that. Or maybe she was scared to be stopped going out and having it found on her. I guess that was it…
“Well, after seeing the phony file Sutherland showed us. I thought so. He was surprised, you’ll remember, so that left Vera as the only one who could have taken it, and then tried to cover her tracks with retyped stuff. That’s why I decided to follow her myself. I got lucky.”
“Not so lucky… for a cop you’re pretty smart… By the way, what did you think about the decision in
Nidel
v.
Illinois
?”
“What did you think?”
“Well, you know my sentiments, but more than anything.
I think I was especially pleased to see Justice Conover get well enough to vote. He’s a good man and has had a rough time.”
“Must be a blow to the White House,” he said.
“I guess, but like you say, there are more important things—like your kids, mine, our lives—speaking of which, detective, enough of this talk, let’s get down to cases.” She moved over close to him on the couch.
“Not here, the spring…”
“Doesn’t a bachelor detective have a bedroom?”
He did, and after shoving the cats from their way, proceeded to show her, and to put thoughts of California, at least for the moment, far, far out of her mind.