Knife Edge (A Dead Cold Mystery Book 27) by Blake Banner (most inspirational books of all time .TXT) 📗

destroyed the heart. That was the prima facie cause of death, pending a thorough examination. He would send a copy of his final report to Frank and to me by email.

After some wrangling between the local chief and Inspector John Newman at the 43rd, the local PD handed the case over to me as part of my current, active investigation, in exchange for the promise that I would send them a full report once the case was closed. The local crime scene team moved in to dust and photograph, and a couple of uniforms stayed on to take statements from all the women who had been in the toilet when the body was discovered, before they were allowed to go home or continue shopping. The statements told me nothing I didn’t know already.

Dehan arrived when I was examining the lock of the cubicle, where the door was propped against the wall. I looked up as she approached.

“It’s not broken, but Lisa told me the door was not locked when she pushed it open.”

“Lisa?”

“The shop assistant I paid forty bucks to, to see if Emma was in here.”

She went and stood looking in at the cubicle. “Is she tall and slim and attractive?”

“I wouldn’t know. I have eyes only for you. So, they both came in here to freshen up. Emma went into the cubicle, there was nobody else in the toilet, so Margaret seized the opportunity, leaned in before Emma could lock the door, and pumped four rounds into her heart. Then left at the hurry up.”

“Jesus, Stone. This is like trying to untie the Gordian Knot with woolen mittens over amputated fingers.” She turned to face me and sighed. “She’s behaving like somebody who is tying up loose ends. But what loose ends has Margaret Wagner got? Is she the one who was blackmailing Brad? Is that why he set her up in the clinic? As part of the payoff? Jeez, I tell you Stone, I’m getting brain-ache.”

I nodded. “Tying up loose ends is right. We need to go and talk to Brad. There’s an outside chance he knows where she would go. If anybody can tell us about her, it’s him.”

“But hang on a minute, Stone, am I alone in wanting to know what possible motive she could have for wanting to kill Sonia? Emma I get, at a stretch, though why she would want to kill her now, after all these years, precisely when the police have started looking at the case again, beats me. But at least there is the age-old motive of jealousy. But Sonia? Why?”

“No, you’re not alone, Dehan. It’s just that we have no one to ask right now. Let’s go ask Brad. Until we find Margaret Wagner, he’s the only person who might know.”

She stared around the toilet for a moment, like somebody she could ask might appear on one of the walls. Then she sighed again.

“Yeah, I guess.”

“Ride with me. We’ll collect your car tomorrow.”

Dehan talked and I listened all the way back to the Bronx. By the time we got there and walked into the stationhouse, things were about as clear as they had been when we’d left Macy’s in White Plains. We had Brad taken up to interrogation room two and went to get some coffee.

When we entered the room five minutes later he stood up. His face was flushed and his eyes were bright with anger. Dehan placed a cup of coffee in front of him. He ignored it.

“What the hell do you think you’re playing at? I demand to see my lawyer! If I am not under arrest you cannot keep me here! I have cooperated with you in every way possible, but I have been here over three hours!”

We sat and watched him in silence until he sat down. When he’d done that he said, “I am waiting, Detectives. And I should warn you I am not without influence in this town.”

“Dr. Mitchell,” I paused, “there is no easy way to say this. Your wife was murdered today.”

At first he frowned, squinting, like we were stupid and he didn’t understand what we were saying. Then his skin turned gray as the reality of it set in.

“Emma? What are you talking about? How…? I mean…” He looked from me to Dehan and back again. “I don’t believe you. Are you sure? Where is she? I want to see her.”

“Yes, we’re sure, Dr. Mitchell. That’s why you’ve been kept waiting so long. We wanted to talk to you both, but when we went to get your wife, she was not at home or at work.”

He was still incredulous. “Where was she? What happened?”

“We’re not sure. We’re hoping you can help us explain it. She was at White Plains.”

“White Plains? What the hell was she doing there?”

“She called Dr Wagner. Dr Wagner left the clinic to go and meet her, saying she didn’t know when she’d be back. It looks as though they met in White Plains.”

“She met with Margaret? What for?”

Dehan answered. “We don’t know, Dr. Mitchell. That’s what we are trying to tell you. Can you think of any reason why your wife would call Dr. Wagner and arrange to meet her there?”

His frown was growing deeper. “Well, why don’t you ask her? What does Margaret say?”

“Margaret has disappeared.”

“What?” Neither of us answered. There was a heavy silence in the room. He said, “What are you telling me?”

I leaned forward, holding his eye. “Dr. Mitchell, is there anything you need to tell us about Dr. Wagner? Anything you feel we ought to know?”

“No! No! Why? Just tell me what’s happened!”

“We found your wife at Macy’s, in the ladies’ toilets, in a cubicle. She had been shot four times in the heart with a .22. We’re waiting on ballistics, but it seems to be the same weapon that was used to kill Sonia.”

“Dear God, sweet Jesus…”

He sank back in his chair. After a moment he covered his face with his hands and began to sob. Slowly he curled