Read Online The Original Alibi (Matt Kile) by David Bishop - Free Book Online

until she proved she could get Eddie released and the charges dropped. She agreed, telling me that Eddie would not live a week if I didn’t pay.”
    “Where and how did you pay?”
    “She instructed me to contact my bank immediately after Eddie’s release to assure they had time to configure the money the way she demanded. I was to pick it up near closing time on the Friday after Eddie had been released with the charges dropped. I was to speak only with my personal banker and not disclose why I wanted the money. The fact that Eddie had been released had been in all the papers so the bank apparently didn’t connect my wanting the money with his predicament. The cash had to be in unmarked bills. She insisted that half of it be in hundreds, the rest in twenties, and nothing smaller, no fifties. I was told that if the bills were marked, Eddie would die. I was instructed to go and get the money alone. Apparently, she didn’t want any younger men with me. I still drove then. Not often, but it wasn’t a problem.”
    “And how did you pay it over?”
    “I was to bring the cash home. She would call me at her choosing. I was told not to grow concerned if I didn’t hear from her for several days, even a week or more, that she would have me under surveillance.”
    “And did you get the call after you got home?”
    “No, before I got home, while I drove the road back here after leaving the bank. From the highway it’s about a mile.”
    “Was it dark by then?”
    “Yes. Not fully. But I had turned on the headlights. The call came on my cell phone. The voice said enough for me to know the caller was the woman with whom I made the deal. She ordered me to stop at a certain point in the road and toss the valise over the side. The cliff there drops about thirty yards to the sand. Then she ordered I pull forward another hundred yards and run the car off the road into a ditch and turn off the headlights. About a half mile from the house there’s a patch of ice plant on the ocean side of the road. The ditch is on the inland side across from there. I couldn’t coax the car out of the ditch so I walked the rest of the way to the house. I hadn’t had my cell phone long and I didn’t think to just call Cliff. When I got back, Charles sent the chauffeur to deal with the car. He had to call a tow truck to pull it out.”
    “Since then?”
    “Nothing. Eddie was free. The bitch had the two million. Nothing whatsoever since.”
    “The police department records show that you insisted that paternity tests be run to establish that Ileana’s unborn son was your great grandson. Why did you feel that was necessary?”
    “Eddie was, is, I think this generation uses the term, a player. Ileana seemed a sweet girl, yet they met in one of those clubs that Eddie frequents. She could have been a player as well. I like to be certain. I learned long ago to reconnoiter.”
    “And the results of those tests?”
    “As you know, they confirmed Eddie was the father. The child would have been my great grandson.”
    “And why didn’t you tell me about the payment for the alibi?”
    “You’re a detective. You came highly recommended, but I wanted to see for myself if you were any good.”
    “And?”
    “Apparently you are.”
    “Are we solid now, General? No need for any more games?”
    “We’re solid, Matt. I’m impressed. Get to the bottom of it. Find out for me.” After a moment, he added, “Please.” The way he said it, well, it wasn’t a comfortable word for him.
    “Now that you’ve observed my bona fides, let’s talk about my fee.”
    “We should’ve discussed that the first night.”
    “No, we shouldn’t. You wanted first what you have now.”
    “Your bona fides?”
    “Yep.”
    “State your fee?”
    “Two hundred thousand plus expenses.”
    “Seems hefty.”
    “I worked my last case pro bono, it averages out. You paid two million to get Eddie free. Seems a dime on the dollar is a reasonable fee to find out whether or not