Zero Day (17 page)

P
ULLER’S EYE GAUGED IT
to be about fifteen thousand square feet with a central block and two wings emanating from that core. It looked like a Parisian cathedral dropped in the middle of West Virginia. The Trent mansion was on the very top of a hill that apparently held no coal deposits, because the land was still intact. The road up was laid with heavy cobblestone-style pavers. A gate awaited them at the entrance to the formal grounds that were enclosed by a six-foot-high wrought iron fence. There was an armed guard at the gate. He looked like a long-retired cop, Puller thought. Fat and slow. But he could probably still shoot halfway straight.

As Cole slowed the cruiser Puller said, “Gates and guards. Man needs protection?”

“Like I said, coal companies are never popular, least at the places where the coal comes out. I’m sure they’re a lot more popular where there aren’t any mines or lopped-off mountaintops.”

The guard must’ve been informed of their arrival, because he opened the gates and waved them through.

“Good thing we’re not here to kill the guy,” said Puller. “The rental cop just made it pretty easy.”

“He takes his orders from Trent. Like most folks around here.”

“You trying to tell me something?”

She said, “I said most folks, not all. And certainly not me.”

Up close the house looked twice as big as it did from a distance. A maid in a domestic’s uniform opened the front door. Puller half expected her to curtsey. She was Asian and young, with delicate
features and dark hair that was tied back in a neat braid. She escorted them along a hallway of immense proportions. It was wood-paneled with large portraits professionally hung on the walls. For a second Puller thought he was actually in a museum. The floor was tumbled marble in a maze of colors. Cole’s cop boots clicked on its surface. Puller’s combat boots absorbed all the sound of his footfalls as they were designed to do.

He said to Cole, “I thought you said he was rich. I was expecting a much nicer place than this.”

Cole obviously didn’t appreciate his humor and didn’t answer, keeping her gaze straight ahead. They passed a staircase. Puller’s gaze slid up it in time to catch a teenage girl staring back at him from the top of the stairs. Her face was plump, her cheeks crimson. Her hair was a tangled mess of highlighted blonde tresses. An instant later she was gone from his view.

“The Trents have kids?”

“Two. Teenage girl and eleven-year-old boy.”

“I take it Mom and Dad aren’t exactly ready for Social Security.”

“Trent is forty-seven. His wife is thirty-eight.”

“I’m glad they’re young enough to enjoy their money.”

“Oh, they enjoy it.”

The maid opened a door and directed them inside. She closed the door behind them. Puller could hear her timid footsteps pitter-pattering down the hall.

The walls were upholstered in a dark green fabric. The floor was cherry wood with a satin finish. Two squares of oriental rugs covered parts of it. The chairs and couches were leather. The window treatments blocked most of the light from outside. The chandelier was bronze, held a dozen bulbs, and looked to weigh a ton. A large table sat in the middle of the room with an enormous flower display in a crystal vase resting on top of it. More paintings were on the wall here. They looked old, original, and expensive.

Everything was tastefully done. It had been a careful eye that had coordinated all of this, thought Puller.

“Have you been here before?”

“A few times. Social occasions. The Trents have a lot of parties.”

“So they invite the working class to their soirees?”

Before Cole could respond to this the door opened and they turned toward it.

Roger Trent was six-one and quickly eating himself to obese status. His neck was thick, his chin had a twin, and his expensive suit could not hide the width of his waist. The room was cool and yet he was sweating.

Maybe from the long walk down the hall, thought Puller.

“Hello, Roger,” said Cole as she put out a hand for him to shake.

Puller shot her a glance that she ignored.

Roger?

Trent snarled, “I’m getting tired of this shit, you know that?”

“Well, death threats are pretty serious,” said Cole.

The coal baron glanced up at Puller. “Who the hell are you?”

“This is Special Agent John Puller from the Army CID back in Virginia,” answered Cole hastily.

Puller put out his hand. “Nice to meet you,
Roger
.” He glanced at Cole in time to see her grimace.

The men shook hands and Puller came away almost believing he’d just held a fish.

“Death threats?” said Puller. “How did they come to you?”

“Phone calls.”

“Did you happen to record them?” asked Cole.

Trent gave her a patronizing look. “The recording only works if you
don’t
answer the phone.” He sat down in a chair but didn’t motion for them to do the same.

“We can try and trace them,” said Cole.

“I already had my people do that.”

“And?”

“Disposable phone calling card.”

“Okay. How many threats, when did they come, and what phone number were they called into?”

“Three. All around 10 p.m. the last three nights. All on my cell phone.”

Puller asked, “You have caller ID?”

“Of course.”

“And you answer calls where you don’t recognize the number?”

“I have many business interests outside this area and even in other countries. It’s not unusual for me to receive such calls and at odd hours.”

“How many folks have your personal cell phone number?” Cole asked.

Trent shrugged. “Impossible to tell. I don’t give it out freely, but I’ve never tried to keep it a secret either.”

“What were the contents of the threats?”

“That my time is coming up. That they’re going to see that justice is done.”

“Those were the exact words? Each time?”

“Well, I don’t know if that was it verbatim. But that was the gist,” he added impatiently.

“But the call said
they’re
going to see that justice is done? Meaning more than one person?” asked Puller.

“That was the word they used.”

“Man or woman’s voice?”

“I’d say it was a man’s.”

“Gotten threats before?” asked Puller.

Trent glanced at Cole. “A few.”

“Like this? I mean was it the same voice?”

“Those other threats weren’t by phone.”

“What then?”

Cole cut in. “We investigated those. And they were dealt with.”

Puller gazed at her for a few moments before turning back to Trent. “Okay. So why do you think they’re threatening you?”

Trent rose and looked at Cole. “Why is this guy here? I thought it was just going to be you.”

“We’re working a homicide case together.”

“I know that. I spoke with Bill Strauss. But what the hell does that have to do with my situation?”

“Well, one of your employees, Molly Bitner, was also murdered.”

“Again, I don’t see a connection. And if she’s dead I doubt she’s the one threatening me.”

“Did you ever meet her?” asked Puller.

“If I did I don’t remember. I’m not even sure what office she worked in. I don’t get down to that level of employee.”

Puller resisted the urge to knock the man through a wall. “You have another office around here?”

“I have several.”

Cole said, “Roger, they were blasting on Sunday night at the operation near where the murders occurred. Why Sunday and why at night? You would’ve had to get a special permit for that.”

He looked at her with incredulity. “How the hell should I know? I don’t schedule the blasting. I pay other people to handle that.

“Right. Okay. And who would that be?”

“Strauss should know.”

Puller said, “Then I guess we’ll talk to Strauss.”

Trent glared at Cole. “I just want you to deal with my situation, okay?”

“I will look into it, Roger,” she said sharply. “But in case you haven’t noticed, I’m dealing with a bunch of murders.”

He ignored this. “I’m sick of people targeting me just because I’ve been incredibly successful. It’s pure jealousy and I’m tired of it. Hell, I’m the only reason Drake is still around. I’m the only one who creates any jobs here. These losers should be kissing my ass.”

Puller said, “Yeah, I’m sure your life is very hard, Mr. Trent.”

Trent’s features turned dark. “You obviously don’t have what it takes to build a fortune. The vast majority of people don’t. You have a small number of haves and the rest have-nots. And the have-nots think everything should be given to them without working for it.”

Puller said, “Yes, sir. There are a whole bunch of lazy have-nots in the Middle East right now just living the good life off your taxpayer dollars.”

Trent’s face reddened. “I didn’t mean that, of course. I’m a big supporter of our troops.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a flight to catch.”

“Flying out of Charleston?” asked Puller. “Bit of a hike from here.”

“I have my own jet.”

“Right.”

Trent walked out, slamming the door behind him.

Puller looked at Cole. “Is he always so cheery to be around?”

“He is what he is.”

“Earlier death threats? You checked them out? Did you find who did it?”

“That investigation is closed. And he’s right, you really aren’t part of this one.”

“You asked me to come.”

“I shouldn’t have.”

“Are you that scared of the guy?”

“Don’t go there, Puller,” she snapped.

The door opened.

It wasn’t the maid. It wasn’t Roger Trent. It wasn’t the teenage girl Puller had spotted earlier. The woman was in her thirties. She was petite, dark-haired, with lovely, delicate features that seemed too perfect to actually be genuine. Her dress was of simple design but the material was obviously costly. She carried herself in a confident manner and her eyes seemed to take everything in.

Puller had seen a pair of eyes like that before.

He looked at Cole and then gazed back at the woman. And then he glanced back at Cole.

Cole said, “How are you, Jean?”

Jean Trent said, “I’m wonderful. How are you, little sister?”

P
ULLER LOOKED AT
J
EAN
T
RENT
and then drew his gaze back to Sam Cole. They weren’t twins. They really weren’t that close in looks. But still, on closer examination, it was evident they were related.

He said, “So Sam’s your little sister?”

Trent nodded. “By two years and two days.”

Cole said, “But people always think she’s the younger one.”

“I have regular massages and my own trainer and chef. You go on stakeouts and high-speed chases and eat crap, Sam. It takes its toll.”

“I guess it does.” Cole added, “So more death threats?”

“What he says.”

“You don’t seem too concerned,” observed Puller.

“Roger travels with a bodyguard. We have more than adequate protection here. He’s licensed to carry a concealed weapon and he does. People around here don’t like him. But no one has ever actually attacked him.”

“If you say so.” Puller glanced back at Cole. “You ready to roll?”

“Let’s go.”

As she passed by her sister, Trent said, “Why don’t you come for dinner tonight?” She glanced at Puller. “And why don’t you come along too?”

“Why?” asked Cole.

“Roger’s going to be out of town and your niece has been asking about you.”

Cole looked a bit guilty at this last comment, thought Puller.

Her sister must’ve noted this too. “Say about eight-thirty? We eat late here.”

“Okay,” said Cole.

“If you get fancy for dinner, I didn’t bring my dress blues,” said Puller.

“We’re actually pretty casual.” She looked at her sister. “Where are you off to now?”

“To see some dead bodies get cut up.”

“Have fun.”

They walked back to Cole’s cruiser.

“How come you neglected to tell me about the family connection?” asked Puller.

“Was it relevant?”

“Who knows what’s relevant until it is or isn’t?”

“Well, now you know.”

“He’s about ten years older than her. Second wife?”

“No. He just married late and she married early. Her kids are his kids.”

“She mentioned your niece. I saw a teenager on the stairs going in.”

“Meghan. She’s fourteen. Awkward age for a girl.”

“And you said they have an eleven-year-old son too?”

“Roger Jr. He’s away.”

“Away where?”

“Military academy.”

“Trent didn’t strike me as the military type.”

“He’s not. He’s far more into private gain than public service. But his son has a problem with discipline and I guess my sister didn’t want to deal with it. So away he went to some place in Pennsylvania where they whip you into shape and make you say ‘sir.’ ”

“Not so bad. Discipline is a pretty good asset for life.”

“Maybe. But I think they gave up on him too early. He’s only a kid. And discipline starts at home. You ship a kid off at that age he probably thinks you don’t give a crap about him.”

“And do they? Give a crap about him?”

“Not my place to know, really.”

“Not close with your rich relations?”

“Who really knows anybody?”

That’s more true than not
, thought Puller. He said. “So, earlier death threats?”

She whipped around, hands on hips. “I told you they were investigated and the case closed.”

“I know that’s what you told me.”

“So why do you keep bringing it up?”

“Because I want to know more than what you’ve told me. That’s generally why I ask questions.”

“Well, I don’t feel like elaborating.”

“Where does your brother live?”

“In Drake.”

“What does he do?”

“Generally as little as possible. Is this an interrogation?”

“I’m just trying to understand the playing field here, nothing more. If I offended you, I’m sorry.”

His frank manner defused her anger.

“Randy’s the youngest. Just turned thirty and sort of lost his way in life. We’re hoping he finds it again. Real soon.”

“I take it no one sent him away to a military academy.”

“Maybe someone should have.”

They climbed into the cruiser.

Puller clicked his seat belt. “Any hits on that guy from your BOLO?”

“None. Something tells me he left Drake a long time ago.”

She clipped her seat belt across her and fired up the engine. “What’d you do with the laptop and briefcase?” she asked.

“On their way to USACIL via military courier.”

“Good place?”

“Best place. You can tell right from the moment you walk in when you see it on the floor.”

“See what?”

“The lab’s logo. Bought it back in the fifties from some guy for a buck.”

“What is it?”

“Detective Mickey Mouse. The guy who sold it was named Walt Disney.”

“A crime lab’s logo is a cartoon character?”

“When you’re that good, who cares what your logo is?”

“If you say so.”

They left the Trent mansion behind and headed back to the real world.