Read Online Sam Kincaid 01 - The Commission by Michael Norman - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Michael Norman
Ads: Link
said that he worked with the dude, but I can’t be sure.”
“So what did the three of you do when you were together?” McConnell asked.
“Well, Levi was kind of a watcher, a voyeur, I guess you’d call it. That’s what attracted him to the club in the first place, I think. He liked to watch. He liked to watch me masturbate. With this Jerry, it was the same thing. Levi got off watching me do the guy. Once, I did them both at the same time, but mostly he liked to watch me get him off. I finally told him I didn’t want to do it anymore so he stopped bringing the guy around. He didn’t like it, but he never brought the dude back.”
“So, you never saw this Jerry again, is that right?”
“Yeah, that’s right.”
“Just a few more questions, Ms. Winkler, and we’ll be finished,” said Kate. “When and where was the last time you saw Levi alive?”
“I saw Levi last night at the motel. I had the night off, and his wife was out of town, so we agreed to meet at six-thirty. He actually didn’t get there until a little after seven. He’d stopped at a Mexican restaurant we like and brought some takeout dinner for us.”
“Which Mexican restaurant?”
“Rosa’s Cantina on Ft. Union Boulevard.”
“Did he act nervous or upset about anything? Was he behaving in a normal way?”
“If he was upset about anything, I sure didn’t notice it. I’ve thought about that a lot today, and last night seemed just like any other time we’ve been together. We talked, ate dinner, and then had great sex. We watched TV in bed together until I fell asleep. I woke up about midnight and Levi was gone. I didn’t know anything had happened to him until one of my girlfriends called. She heard about it on the news this morning.”
“Do you have any idea who might have killed him?” Kate asked.
“None whatsoever,” replied Winkler.
“Tell us about your relationship with John Merchant. Is he still your boyfriend? Are you still seeing him?”
The look of surprise on her face told us that she wasn’t expecting to be asked about John Merchant. “You must’ve been talking with Mommy Dearest. She never did like Johnny much. As to your questions, the answers are no and no. He’s not my boyfriend any longer, and I quit going out with him three or four months ago.”
“Was he aware of your ongoing relationship with the victim?” I asked.
“Look, if you’re suggesting that Johnny had something to do with Levi’s murder, I don’t think so. It just isn’t his style. Johnny’s possessive and insecure, but he wouldn’t kill anybody.”
“Is that so, Ms. Winkler? Isn’t it true that John Merchant has quite a temper? In fact, hasn’t he hit you before? Isn’t it also true that Merchant is on probation with the Corrections Department for almost beating a guy to death here at the club because he thought the guy was flirting with you?”
“Okay, so he’s got a temper. That doesn’t make him a killer. He never hit me. If Mommy Dearest told you that, she’s a liar. Johnny is fucked up in a lot of ways, but I’m telling you, he’s no killer. As to whether he knew about my relationship with Levi, how would I know? I sure didn’t tell him. But sometimes I got the feeling he was following me, almost like he was stalking me. A couple of times he’d just show up unannounced at my apartment, or be waiting in the club parking lot when I got off work. I told him to stay away, but he just ignored me.”
“Ok, Ms. Winkler, just one more question. Is John Merchant a smoker?”
“Yeah, probably a pack a day. Why?”
“Which brand does he smoke?”
“He’ll smoke any damn brand he can get his hands on—whatever he can find on the cheap or bum from somebody.”
I gave Winkler a business card and encouraged her to call if she thought of anything else.
***
We immediately headed back to meet Owens and Burnham, who were pulling surveillance duty at our suspect’s home. It was time to roust John Merchant and really
“So what did the three of you do when you were together?” McConnell asked.
“Well, Levi was kind of a watcher, a voyeur, I guess you’d call it. That’s what attracted him to the club in the first place, I think. He liked to watch. He liked to watch me masturbate. With this Jerry, it was the same thing. Levi got off watching me do the guy. Once, I did them both at the same time, but mostly he liked to watch me get him off. I finally told him I didn’t want to do it anymore so he stopped bringing the guy around. He didn’t like it, but he never brought the dude back.”
“So, you never saw this Jerry again, is that right?”
“Yeah, that’s right.”
“Just a few more questions, Ms. Winkler, and we’ll be finished,” said Kate. “When and where was the last time you saw Levi alive?”
“I saw Levi last night at the motel. I had the night off, and his wife was out of town, so we agreed to meet at six-thirty. He actually didn’t get there until a little after seven. He’d stopped at a Mexican restaurant we like and brought some takeout dinner for us.”
“Which Mexican restaurant?”
“Rosa’s Cantina on Ft. Union Boulevard.”
“Did he act nervous or upset about anything? Was he behaving in a normal way?”
“If he was upset about anything, I sure didn’t notice it. I’ve thought about that a lot today, and last night seemed just like any other time we’ve been together. We talked, ate dinner, and then had great sex. We watched TV in bed together until I fell asleep. I woke up about midnight and Levi was gone. I didn’t know anything had happened to him until one of my girlfriends called. She heard about it on the news this morning.”
“Do you have any idea who might have killed him?” Kate asked.
“None whatsoever,” replied Winkler.
“Tell us about your relationship with John Merchant. Is he still your boyfriend? Are you still seeing him?”
The look of surprise on her face told us that she wasn’t expecting to be asked about John Merchant. “You must’ve been talking with Mommy Dearest. She never did like Johnny much. As to your questions, the answers are no and no. He’s not my boyfriend any longer, and I quit going out with him three or four months ago.”
“Was he aware of your ongoing relationship with the victim?” I asked.
“Look, if you’re suggesting that Johnny had something to do with Levi’s murder, I don’t think so. It just isn’t his style. Johnny’s possessive and insecure, but he wouldn’t kill anybody.”
“Is that so, Ms. Winkler? Isn’t it true that John Merchant has quite a temper? In fact, hasn’t he hit you before? Isn’t it also true that Merchant is on probation with the Corrections Department for almost beating a guy to death here at the club because he thought the guy was flirting with you?”
“Okay, so he’s got a temper. That doesn’t make him a killer. He never hit me. If Mommy Dearest told you that, she’s a liar. Johnny is fucked up in a lot of ways, but I’m telling you, he’s no killer. As to whether he knew about my relationship with Levi, how would I know? I sure didn’t tell him. But sometimes I got the feeling he was following me, almost like he was stalking me. A couple of times he’d just show up unannounced at my apartment, or be waiting in the club parking lot when I got off work. I told him to stay away, but he just ignored me.”
“Ok, Ms. Winkler, just one more question. Is John Merchant a smoker?”
“Yeah, probably a pack a day. Why?”
“Which brand does he smoke?”
“He’ll smoke any damn brand he can get his hands on—whatever he can find on the cheap or bum from somebody.”
I gave Winkler a business card and encouraged her to call if she thought of anything else.
***
We immediately headed back to meet Owens and Burnham, who were pulling surveillance duty at our suspect’s home. It was time to roust John Merchant and really
Similar Books
