There was nothing yet on Pitt or the woman in his office. The murders happened too late to report.
But his DNA was on the scene. That was certain.
He needed to update and expand his database about the victims and possible suspects.
It was almost three when Calvin shut down his computer.
Chapter 21
Dale got to the office after eight. He hadn’t slept much the last three nights. For almost twenty-four hours now the new homicide investigation had consumed his life. His mind felt sluggish, but he had a team of thirteen people to run.
As he walked to his desk on Thursday morning, he went over in his mind what he thought to be true: Pitt had something or knew something. He might have known who was behind the Grant killing or had been involved and his murder had been a cover-up. Either way, Dale blew it. He hadn’t gotten the information out of the bookie.
He found his team huddled around Jimmy, probably telling a tall tale. They quieted down when they saw Dale. Had they been talking about him?
“Craig, fill this up.” Dale held his mug out to his youngest and most inexperienced officer. Dale smirked when he saw the cup. The mug, which read “#1Dad”, had been a gift from his wife after Sammie birth.
The kid moved on command, bringing back the mug filled to the brim with steaming coffee.
“All right, folks,” Dale started. “What did we find out? Parker?”
The young officer stepped forward. “Pete and I interviewed Grant’s first wife and his son and daughter. They were all cooperative. Grant and the ex were having no problems and Grant had been making all his payments on time. She said she still can’t believe what’s happened.”
Officer Duncan took over. “We took your advice and paid particular attention to the son. We hit the whole family with the description of the will right away. Shawn, Melanie and the former Mrs. Grant all said they knew about the terms of the will. Grant had told them about the changes he made after his second marriage.”
“By all reports, Shawn and his sister, Melanie, loved their father very much,” Parker added.
“Shawn, of course, has been running the Greek with his father for fifteen years,” Duncan said, “and told us he was in no hurry to have his father retire and turn full operational control over to him. The mother said Shawn had taken the divorce harder than the girl, but he had always loved his father. He didn’t like or trust Linda then and doesn’t now. He even thinks she’s capable of having been involved in his father’s killing.”
Dale’s brow rose, but he said nothing.
“Shawn despises Sanders, as his father did,” Duncan said, “and started hating him more when he kept pressuring his father to sell the Greek. Shawn said he could see how much that was wearing down his dad. He was hesitant at first, but then he mentioned the rumors that most of us have heard that Sanders was having an affair with Linda Grant. Of course, he didn’t have proof. He, as well as the women, thinks Sanders may also have been involved in his father’s murder.”
As Dale listened, he realized Shawn probably didn’t know he was a suspect. He gained too much from his father’s death.
“Shawn Grant’s alibi checked out?”
Duncan nodded. “He was at the casino the night his father was murdered. Melanie is attending med school at Harvard and was seen by many people. All three family members have solid alibis.”
Dale nodded. “But any of them, including Linda, could still have hired a killer.” He steepled his fingers. “You’re next, Ramirez.”
The Puerto Rican woman stepped forward. “Smith and I talked with Grant’s employees, who had nothing but good things to say about their boss. All of the employees were sad to hear what had happened. We ran background checks on each employee. Not one casino employee has a criminal record. The alibis are being checked, but it doesn’t seem like an inside job.” She added an endnote. “There was one thing though. The Greek Casino employees knew that Sanders was bidding to purchase Grant’s casino. The employees were very happy that Grant wouldn’t budge. They didn’t want to work for Sanders.”
He turned back around. “Lucas.”
Derek Lucas sat on the edge of the desk and read his notes with his partner standing behind him. “Lawrence and I hit every competing casino. We have no proof, but no one appeared to be a perfect slasher. Any of them could have paid a killer, of course, and they do seem to hate one another. But nobody slipped up and said something especially bad about Grant. In fact, everyone respected him even though no one liked the competition.
Dale addressed his team. “Right. So now go back and look at who they might have hired—local muscle and out-of-town talent. Check Linda Grant too.”
Dale signaled to Lucas to continue.
“Have you ever met Ace Sanders?” Lucas asked.
Dale knew it wasn’t really a question, but a dramatic way to set up what Lucas was going to say next.
“He’s a piece of work. We weren’t able to interview Sanders himself. He wasn’t in his office at the Golden Horseshoe or the Midas yesterday afternoon. So we walked around the casinos and spoke with some of his employees. They’re terrified of him. A few admitted that at the time of the Grant murder, they were busy working and couldn’t know whether Sanders was really in his office or not. When we went to the Midas, his other casino, same story. He wasn’t there and no one was talking.”
Dale wasn’t surprised. Sanders was cautious and smart. He thought Sanders looked good for this, maybe too good.
“Harper and Elliot?”
The team that had been staking out Calvin Watters’ apartment had nothing to report. Watters hadn’t returned to his home and Dale suspected that he never would.
Watters was the only suspect who had disappeared. That didn’t look good.
“Why don’t you two go home and catch up on some sleep. I’ll call you when I have another assignment. Great job, guys.”
Harper and Elliot nodded, their eyes droopy, and left the group.
Before continuing to his next team, Dale turned to his partner. “Jimmy, find Watters.”
Jimmy went off to work the phones.
Dale went on. “Officer Morris?”
“We searched and dusted Grant’s casino office and I mean we checked everything. Sorry, Dale, but we found nothing. Everything is locked up in evidence with the stuff from Pitt’s office.”
Dale was about to hand out new assignments when he heard his name being barked out from across the room.
“Dayton!” The sergeant stuck his round bald head out the office door. “Get your scrawny ass in here!”
“Oh, yeah,” Craig spoke up. “The sarge wants to see you.”
Dale saw the sergeant through a cloud of cigarette smoke in his glass-partitioned office. Even though smoking in public spaces was banned, the sergeant didn’t look worried about a complaint. He had just returned to work a week ago from a heart attack. His red face, and by the way that he was pacing about, told Dale that he was on the road to another one. The sergeant had started chain-smoking again and was showing no effort to hide it.
“Okay, people.” Dale acknowledged his group. “I know it seems like we have nothing, but we knocked off most of the obvious. Now the real work starts. Good work with your first assignments. I’ll be back.”
“Sure thing, Terminator,” Ramirez said.
Dale walked into his sergeant’s office as the boss held the door for him. After he had entered and took a seat, the sergeant slammed the door.
“Dayton, why the hell hasn’t Calvin Watters been picked up yet?” He spit as he barked out the words.
“Well, Sarge, we haven’t been able to track him down.”
The sergeant was smoking, nail chewing and almost ready to explode.
“It seems that Watters has friends on the street willing to protect him. For all we know, he may have already left town. He could be anywhere on the map. What are you doing about it?”