Chapter Thirty-three
Kate decided it was long overdue to have a talk with Richard Miles. She called him and told him she had a few things that remained unclear and hoped he might be able to shed some light on them for her.
She gave Richard a choice to either come to the station or she could come to the house.
Richard said, “My neighbors get nervous when they see police cars in front of someone’s house, why don’t I stop by the station?”
Kate agreed and told him to come when it was convenient for him. She didn’t want to sound any alarm bells, she just wanted to know his take on Vicky and her husband. She wanted to be careful and let Richard come out with information on his own.
Richard showed up and just as she had done with the others she had questioned, Kate met him at the front entrance of the station and escorted him back to the interrogation room.
Richard made a comment, ”Interrogation room, I must really be in trouble.”
Kate replied, “It is really the only room we have to talk to, sorry if it looks daunting.”
Richard said, “Tell me how I can help you.”
Kate said, “I want to talk to you about your sister-in-law Vicky. I have some events that need to be explained.”
Richard said, “Wouldn’t it be better to just ask her?”
Kate replied, “I have a few times and would again, except she chose this time to take a trip to the Bahamas.”
Richard replied, “If only I had been so clever.”
Kate said, “We would’ve waited for your return.”
Richard replied, “Of course.”
Kate asked Richard if he would like something to drink and he replied, “If you want my DNA, just ask, I would voluntarily give it to you.”
Kate replied, “I would have gotten a court order if that was what I wanted. I am simply asking if you want something.”
Richard replied, “Point taken, I am fine and do not require anything.”
Kate asked, “Were you aware there was a Halloween party right before Halloween at Vicky’s and Mark’s house with Linda, Mark and Vicky there?”
Richard replied, “I did know and I of course was out of town at the time and didn’t attend.”
Kate responded, “Yes, I know that, I have confirmation of that from several sources. What can you tell me about Vicky and Mark’s relationship?”
Richard replied, “You must mean the whole Mark is gay thing, Yes I knew.”
Kate said, “You were aware that Vicky liked to dress up in clothes and a wig that made her resemble Linda.”
Richard replied, “I knew she tried. To most anyone that knew Linda, Vicky was a cheap knockoff.”
Kate laid the blackmail photo out on the table and asked, “Have you ever seen this photo?”
Richard replied, “I haven’t seen it but it is obvious that isn’t Linda. Where did you get it.”
Kate said, “It was in a safety deposit box with a blackmail letter. Vicky said it was Linda’s box.”
Richard replied, “I think you will discover that even if Linda’s name is on the paperwork, Vicky was the one to actually rent it. Who was supposedly being blackmailed? It is obvious it wasn’t Linda and Mark doesn’t give a crap who Vicky sees.”
Kate asked, “Would you happen to know who the man is in that photo with Vicky?”
Richard asked, “Have you asked Vicky?”
Kate replied, “She says she doesn’t know his name. She says it is a random stranger.”
Richard said, “That doesn’t seem right to me. She has a stable of regulars and Mark uses her to entertain clients once in a while, but I have never heard of her going on the prowl for strangers.”
Kate asked, “Are you saying, whoever this is, most likely, is known to Vicky. Is there a chance that Vicky was deliberately trying to make someone think she was Linda?”
Richard replied, “Anything is possible, Mark and Vicky live in a dark world.”
Kate asked, “Would you know of anyone who would have a list of the men that Vicky kept company with?”
Richard replied, ‘I am not aware of anyone with enough energy to keep such a list.”
Kate thanked Richard for his time, Kate gathered up her notes and photos and made a note that she needed more investigation of Vicky and Mark. Kate decided to contact some of Vicky’s friends that she had already talked to in case someone knew who the men were that Vicky saw regularly.
The only conclusion Kate came up with so far was that nothing was adding up. She knew she had to be missing something. Cindy asked, “Now, what do we do?”
Kate replied, “We need to stop thinking one sided and go back and look at evidence. Linda’s murder may have nothing at all to do with Vicky and Mark’s lifestyle. It may just be something unrelated.”
Kate gathered the notes from original interviews. She found copies of surveillance footage and autopsy photos. The evidence box was full of everything they thought might be relevant. Kate told Cindy she was going home to work on homework.
Since Sean had been released from the hospital, Kate thought he might be a good source of rational thought. He was familiar with the early part of the case. Kate picked up her phone and called Sean’s phone. Haley answered and Kate asked if she could bring some of the case work she had for an opinion.
Haley said, “You can bring it but just don’t work him too hard, he is still pretty weak.”
Haley opened the door to Kate, before she even had a chance to knock. Kate carried her evidence box into the room where Sean was sitting in a wheel chair.
Kate said, “We finally got into the safety deposit box and found these photos and the blackmail note.”
Sean glanced down and asked, “Wow, so is that our victim?”
Kate replied, “No, if you look closely you will see she is wearing a blonde wig. It is actually the victim’s sister, Vicky.”
Sean pulled the photo closer and then said, “Oh yes, I see the dark hair under. The man is Richard though, right?”
Kate paused and asked, “What makes you think that is Richard?”
Sean replied, “Look at that shirt laying nicely on that chair. Richard was wearing that shirt the first time we talked to him. I wanted that shirt.”
Kate had to take a seat as she thought about her new discovery. She said, “I think you are right and that gives us the motive. Richard was sleeping with Vicky, Linda found out and wasn’t as forgiving as Mark was. How did he do it from Vegas and how do I prove that is him in the photo?”
Sean said, “You have to revisit his alibi, and maybe even take a trip to Vegas to investigate the receipts.” Kate got up to leave and Haley walked with her to the front door.
Haley asked, “Was Sean helpful to you on the case?”
Kate replied, “He may have just solved it.”
Haley said, “Thank you for bringing it. I think he needed this.”
Kate loaded the evidence in the car and drove to her own house. She had a lot of thinking to do. She would call Cindy later and tell her.