Read Online Unwanted Company - Barbara Seranella by Barbara Seranella - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Barbara Seranella
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this
case, to the detective assigned to a homicide that seemed pretty
open-and-shut. Caroline had shown Mace St. John, a cop who saw the
world in black-and- white, that there were also shades of gray. Her
actions and words had saved Munch a certain future in prison.
Caroline and Mace had gone on to fall in love and then marry.
Last Christmas Munch had considered penning a long
letter to Caroline. In it she would explain how she'd saved the
little girl and took her in as her own. The adoption was without
benefit of a judge's sanction. Munch had done some investigating into
what was involved in a legal adoption. One of the requirements was to
track down other relatives and get them to sign off their rights.
Munch wasn't prepared to take that risk. As far as she was concerned,
any kin of Asia's had relinquished their rights to the kid by not
being aware she was being used to transport dope. No court was going
to tell her different.
The letter had never been sent or written. Not that
she didn't trust Caroline; she just had too much at stake. What if
the right and legal thing to do would be to put Asia in foster care
until the matter was settled formally?
Cassiletti cleared his throat, pen poised over his
open notebook, obviously anxious to get to business. "So why did
you call the number you had today?"
" I was hoping to reach a customer I did a run
for last night."
"Why?"
"What?" She was afraid he was going to ask
that. "Why did you need to find your customer?" He looked
down at his notepad. "Raleigh Ward?"
"Yeah, that's the one. He told me he was going
to need the car again, but he forgot to reserve the times."
" So you thought you'd track him down."
" Yeah," she answered reluctantly. He made
it sound like she was stalking the guy.
" Have you ever been to Apartment 103 at 1500
North Gower in Hollywood?"
" Is that the building off Sunset?"
"Yes," he said. He was watching her closely
now. This must be the question that mattered.
"I was at that building last night, but I didn't
go inside any of the apartments. Was that the number I reached you
guys at?"
" Why were you there?" he asked. There was
an edge to his voice. He had that cop tone that expected, no,
demanded unquestioning submission. Obviously he'd learned a thing or
two in the seven years since they'd last met.
"My client picked up some women there. We
dropped them off later." She let her eyes widen a little."Don't
tell me they were involved in a murder?"
" I really can't comment."
"C'mon, who am I going to tell?" she said.
His face dropped all expression, and she knew she
wasn't going to budge him. The lines were pretty clear on who was in
the club and who wasn't. Cops only let civilians get so close to
them.
" Can you recall the exact times you were at the
building?" he asked. "I also need the names and
descriptions of everyone in your party"
She picked up a sheet of notepaper and handed it to
him. "I already wrote it all down for you. Mace asked me to."
He took the paper and read it with poorly disguised
surprise. "All right. Uh . . . thanks. This will be a big help."
He folded the paper twice and put it in his suit pocket. "Can I
look at the limo they used last night?"
" Why?" she asked.
He raised an eyebrow.
She resisted the urge to look out the window. "It's
out on a run with one of my drivers," she said.
"When will it be back?"
"That's hard to say
right now. Why don't you give me one of your cards, and I'll call
you."
* * *
Cassiletti called in his report by land line to Mace
St. John. Police radio frequencies were easily and constantly
monitored by newshounds and thrill seekers. The two men agreed to
meet at the Culver City address Munch had given them. When they got
to Raleigh Ward's apartment, no one answered their knock. A neighbor
who had been home all morning remembered seeing the apartments
occupant leave in a limousine.
" This guy likes to live right," Cassiletti
commented.
" I'll meet you back
at the office," Mace replied.
* *
case, to the detective assigned to a homicide that seemed pretty
open-and-shut. Caroline had shown Mace St. John, a cop who saw the
world in black-and- white, that there were also shades of gray. Her
actions and words had saved Munch a certain future in prison.
Caroline and Mace had gone on to fall in love and then marry.
Last Christmas Munch had considered penning a long
letter to Caroline. In it she would explain how she'd saved the
little girl and took her in as her own. The adoption was without
benefit of a judge's sanction. Munch had done some investigating into
what was involved in a legal adoption. One of the requirements was to
track down other relatives and get them to sign off their rights.
Munch wasn't prepared to take that risk. As far as she was concerned,
any kin of Asia's had relinquished their rights to the kid by not
being aware she was being used to transport dope. No court was going
to tell her different.
The letter had never been sent or written. Not that
she didn't trust Caroline; she just had too much at stake. What if
the right and legal thing to do would be to put Asia in foster care
until the matter was settled formally?
Cassiletti cleared his throat, pen poised over his
open notebook, obviously anxious to get to business. "So why did
you call the number you had today?"
" I was hoping to reach a customer I did a run
for last night."
"Why?"
"What?" She was afraid he was going to ask
that. "Why did you need to find your customer?" He looked
down at his notepad. "Raleigh Ward?"
"Yeah, that's the one. He told me he was going
to need the car again, but he forgot to reserve the times."
" So you thought you'd track him down."
" Yeah," she answered reluctantly. He made
it sound like she was stalking the guy.
" Have you ever been to Apartment 103 at 1500
North Gower in Hollywood?"
" Is that the building off Sunset?"
"Yes," he said. He was watching her closely
now. This must be the question that mattered.
"I was at that building last night, but I didn't
go inside any of the apartments. Was that the number I reached you
guys at?"
" Why were you there?" he asked. There was
an edge to his voice. He had that cop tone that expected, no,
demanded unquestioning submission. Obviously he'd learned a thing or
two in the seven years since they'd last met.
"My client picked up some women there. We
dropped them off later." She let her eyes widen a little."Don't
tell me they were involved in a murder?"
" I really can't comment."
"C'mon, who am I going to tell?" she said.
His face dropped all expression, and she knew she
wasn't going to budge him. The lines were pretty clear on who was in
the club and who wasn't. Cops only let civilians get so close to
them.
" Can you recall the exact times you were at the
building?" he asked. "I also need the names and
descriptions of everyone in your party"
She picked up a sheet of notepaper and handed it to
him. "I already wrote it all down for you. Mace asked me to."
He took the paper and read it with poorly disguised
surprise. "All right. Uh . . . thanks. This will be a big help."
He folded the paper twice and put it in his suit pocket. "Can I
look at the limo they used last night?"
" Why?" she asked.
He raised an eyebrow.
She resisted the urge to look out the window. "It's
out on a run with one of my drivers," she said.
"When will it be back?"
"That's hard to say
right now. Why don't you give me one of your cards, and I'll call
you."
* * *
Cassiletti called in his report by land line to Mace
St. John. Police radio frequencies were easily and constantly
monitored by newshounds and thrill seekers. The two men agreed to
meet at the Culver City address Munch had given them. When they got
to Raleigh Ward's apartment, no one answered their knock. A neighbor
who had been home all morning remembered seeing the apartments
occupant leave in a limousine.
" This guy likes to live right," Cassiletti
commented.
" I'll meet you back
at the office," Mace replied.
* *
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