Part 20 (1/2)
Nick sat across from me. ”We gave Zukovski a chance to give us his partners' names for a ”get out of jail free” card, and he didn't take it. I think he was working alone. He saw his chance when Dominique collapsed and grabbed the diamonds, which she always wore glued to her face like a mask in the last act, before the ambulance left the theater.
”The real killers, I suspect, pulled over on their way to the hospital planning to take the diamonds from her in the stolen ambulance only to find that the diamonds were already gone.”
”Who called nine-one-one?” I asked.
Nick shrugged. ”n.o.body seems to know.”
”Or they're not talking. Can you run voice recognition software on that call?”
”Done. Same setup as your call.”
Nick opened another beer. ”Zukovski's plan sucked. That's why I caught him so fast. The real killers were more thorough in their planning-not counting Zukovski's last-minute theft-which is why we haven't nailed them yet.”
”You caught Zukovski because he's dumb?” Werner said. ”Doesn't say much for your skills.”
I was afraid they were going to get into it again. ”What about Ursula Uxbridge, herself?” Nick asked, ignoring Werner's taunt. ”Same motive: the lead role in an off Broadway production?”
I shook my head. ”I don't think she can spell motive, much less plan a murder. However cozy she looked on Pierce Pierpont's arm, that was an act. Pierce was using Ursula to tick off Ian-her father-and Ursula lapped up the diamond magnate's attention. She's a bit of a pin tuck. No substance and more than a few st.i.tches short of a seam. Murder seems too complicated for her, career or not.”
”Madeira Cutler,” Werner said, shaking his head. ”I do believe that you're a natural-born sleuth, whether I think you should be or not.”
Forty.
Whether it's the past or the present, all my ideas come from what's going on around me . . .
-ANNA SUI ”Thank you, Werner. I'll take that as a compliment. A natural-born sleuth, hey? Hear that, Jaconetti?”
”I do, and I'd like to throw natural-born vixen into the pot. You're enjoying us b.u.t.ting heads over you, aren't you?”
What girl wouldn't? ”Are you b.u.t.ting heads over me? I hadn't noticed.”
Both men cracked a smile.
”I mean, why would you?” she asked on second thought. ”It's friendly head b.u.t.ting, isn't it? Which is definitely better than the other kind.”
”If you're fis.h.i.+ng for compliments,” Nick said, ”you won't get them here. You're one scary sleuth.”
I raised my chin. ”A sleuth should scare the perps.”
Werner chuckled. ”But should she scare the police and the FBI?”
Nick gave Werner a nod. ”Good point. She's pretty much a loose cannon when it comes to sleuthing, don't you think?”
”Hey, are you calling me a flake behind my back, right in front of me?”
Nick tried to look innocent. ”Only on some points.”
”But you're smart and amusing, too,” Werner said.
”And we both want what's best for you, ladybug, so think of us as covering your back.”
”d.a.m.ned straight,” Werner added. ”And the head b.u.t.ting, that's us jostling for position back there.”
I stood to look down at them, my hands on my waist. ”d.a.m.ned if your abuse didn't end up sounding like a compliment. Anyway, murder case, remember? Try this clue on for size. I think Gregor Zukovski was a decoy.”
Werner stood and stretched his legs. ”A decoy. Good point. He could have taken those diamonds where?”
”Plaidivostock,” I said.
Nick growled. ”Slovenia!”
”Okay, don't get your boxers in a bunch.”
Werner coughed. ”He could have taken the fake diamonds to Slovenia to throw the police off the trail while the real diamonds were being stashed somewhere else.”
”Lytton, you're good. I never thought of that.”
Werner looked surprised. ”Isn't that what you meant by decoy?”
”No, I meant that Gregor was a decoy boy toy. Dominique didn't love him. She was in love with Victor Pierpont.”
”Ah,” Werner said. ”The old double-decoy routine.”
Nick gave Werner the old double take. ”Victor Pierpont? Do you mean Pierce Pierpont?”
”No, Pierce is Victor's son. Dom loved Pierce's father, Victor, who died two weeks ago. He lived upstairs at the Pierpont Mansion in a retro seventies apartment.”
”Why didn't I know about this?” Nick asked.
”Because you went to Plaidivostock and missed the funeral. Pierce told me, personally,” I added, ”that his father died of cancer, but that was a bald- faced lie. Dom told me that Victor was cancer free after his treatment. Nick, can you have the FBI take a look-see into Victor's death?”
Nick sat straighter. ”On what evidence or at least on what veneer of pretense? They need a reason to investigate. Tax dollars and all that.”
”What, the death of a millionaire diamond mine owner who supposedly died of cancer when he was cancer free isn't enough? You've got motive: His son lied about what killed him. So they match his medical records to cause of death. Can't cost the taxpayers that much.”
Nick flipped open his cell and made a few calls. ”What else do you have?” he said when he was done, looking from me to Werner.
”Don't look at me for answers,” Werner said. ”I was only there to keep Mad out of trouble.”
”Fat lot of good you did,” Nick mumbled. ”You got her into trouble.”
”h.e.l.l-lo. I'm in the room. And that's another bone I have to pick with you, Jaconetti. What's with sending a babysitter to look after me? Whatever happened between me and Werner is your own fault, you know.”