“Nonetheless, I’d like you to help, if you’re willing.” Her voice broke and she paused a moment. “My husband was a good man and I want his killer found and stopped.”
Annie asked the woman to hold and went to the kitchen where Jake sat at the table, reading the newspaper. She explained the phone call and the caller’s request.
“We have nothing pressing right now,” Jake said. “It won’t hurt to talk to her.”
“What can we do the police can’t?” Annie asked.
Jake shrugged. “Who knows?”
Annie realized, as the head of RHPD robbery/homicide, this would be Hank’s case. He was as capable as any detective, and better than most. Nonetheless, they could look into it.
“We’ll go and see her.” Annie said, and went back to the office. She made arrangements with Mrs. Shaft to visit her right away.
She hung up the phone thoughtfully. If they chose to take the case, she knew Hank would be willing to share any information he had with them. He often said they were on the same side, so why keep secrets? Justice was more important to him than territory.
Although some cops in the precinct objected to their close relationship with the homicide detective, Captain Diego didn’t argue all that strenuously. Their success was his success, and gave him another notch in his belt. The captain had recently gone so far as to offer them positions as auxiliary constables—which they had politely declined.
It didn’t take Jake long to get ready. He picked his keys from a wicker basket in the kitchen, tucked his cell phone in its holder, and stood by the front door, waiting for her.
Annie shut down her computer, changed her clothes, and grabbed her handbag containing a notepad, a digital recorder, and her cell phone, along with a variety of other necessities.
Jake had tired of waiting and pulled the Firebird from the garage, revving it up when she got in.
A few minutes later they parked in front of Maria Shaft’s residence, went up the walkway, and rang the bell.
Mrs. Shaft opened the door, they introduced themselves, and she ushered them in.
A man standing by a brick fireplace at the far side of the living room turned when they entered, approached them, and held out a hand. “Rocky Shaft. Werner’s brother.”
The man looked to be midthirties, casually dressed, with a long, solemn face as grim and unsmiling as Maria’s. They both appeared to be under a lot of strain, understandable given the circumstances.
They shook his offered hand and he waved toward the couch. Mrs. Shaft sat in a matching chair while Rocky stood by her side, one hand on the back of her chair, a perpetual frown on his face.
Maria Shaft spoke first. “I talked to Detective Hank Corning earlier. He’s been helpful in answering our questions, but I feel, with your help there might be a better chance of finding Michael Norton before he disappears forever.”
Jake smiled. “We don’t know Michael Norton or anything at all about this. Maybe we should start at the beginning, Mrs. Shaft.”
“I’m sorry. Of course.” Mrs. Shaft offered a faint smile, leaned forward, and clasped her hands in her lap. “Michael Norton is the suspect in my husband’s murder, but he’s nowhere to be found.” She paused. “Please call me Maria.”
Annie removed the digital recorder from her bag, switched it on, and sat it on the coffee table between them. “I hope you don’t mind if I record this?”
“I don’t mind at all.”
“Please tell us everything you know, Maria,” Annie said.
Maria Shaft stopped often to wipe a tear or stifle a sob as she explained how the murder was believed to have taken place and exactly who the suspect was.
Rocky stood, unmoving all the while. When she finished, he crossed his arms and said, “I know this Norton character. He’s bad news. My brother finally got his life straightened out and things were going good for him.” He looked down at Maria. “Weren’t they, Maria?”
She nodded and wiped a tear. “He was a good husband.”
“What about a motive?” Annie asked. “What reason would Norton have to kill Werner?”
“I’ve been thinking about that,” Rocky said. “Perhaps Norton is involved in something criminal again. Maybe he approached Werner about helping him, and Werner threatened to turn him in.”
“But weren’t they friends?” Jake asked.
Rocky shook his head emphatically. “After prison, they went their separate ways. As far as I know, they haven’t seen each other for a long time. But I could be wrong.”
“Are you convinced Michael Norton is the killer?” Jake asked.
“The police have evidence against him, and given his history, I believe so.”
“But why would he run?”
“Perhaps he was afraid the witness saw his face,” Annie suggested.
Jake looked at Annie. “Could be that. Or maybe there’s something else Norton’s afraid will come to light.”
Annie picked up her recorder, shut it off, and dropped it into her handbag. “We’ll have to work on some thoughts and see what we come up with.” She stood. “We’ll do some preliminary investigation and let you know.”
Jake stood. “Don’t give up on the police yet. Hank Corning is a friend of ours and he’s a good cop.” He looked at Annie then back at Maria. “Between us and Detective Corning, we should be able to track this guy down.”
Maria rose and smiled. “Thank you. I can’t bear the thought of that man going free after what he did.”
They shook hands and Rocky escorted them to the door. “Don’t worry about payment,” he said. “Werner had some savings and I’m willing to kick in. Just find my brother’s killer.”
“We’ll do all we can and let you know,” Jake said, as he and Annie stepped outside.
They got in the car, and as they drove away, Annie said, “I’m still not so sure about this case. Hank’s quite capable.”
Jake looked at her and shrugged. “I’m willing to stick at it unless something else pops up.”
Annie nodded. “Let me go over my notes and I’ll let you know what I think.”
Chapter 12
Tuesday, 12:18 p.m.
HANK HAD DROPPED into Richmond Distributing and talked to everyone there who knew, or worked with, Werner Shaft. The story he pieced together was that Shaft came into work on Monday, clocked out as usual at 7:00 p.m., and hadn’t been heard from since.
Most of them had displayed shock when they learned of his murder. It seemed Shaft was well liked, a reasonably good warehouse manager, and nobody could think of anything unusual or suspicious happening that day, or any other day, involving him.
Werner’s brother, Rocky, was at work that day as well, and the story was much the same—business as usual. He was there until 7:00 pm on Monday, and Tuesday morning he clocked in but left shortly thereafter, presumably when Maria called him regarding the murder of his brother. Hank hadn’t interviewed Rocky—that would be forthcoming.
King had obtained the list of Michael Norton’s family and friends from Norton’s wife, Tammy, and he would be doing a series of interviews. He’d likely be gone most of the day. Hank didn’t hold out much hope for results at that end. It seemed unlikely Norton would kill somebody, then hide out at one of the most obvious places.
When Hank got back to the precinct, he was pleased to see the ME’s report regarding the murder of Werner Shaft waiting on his desk. He picked up the folder and underneath it were the forensic and ballistic reports. Jameson had kept his word and processed the evidence in record time.
He leafed through the ME’s report, slipped the summary page from the stack of papers, and browsed it. Her findings on Werner Shaft weren’t a surprise. The observations Hank made at the crime scene proved to be correct.
Report of Findings on the Death of Werner Shaft