A Clean Kill

Fourteen

Sometimes it was hard for a detective to know what to do with somebody. Alison Perkins presented such a problem. If her name had popped up in Derek's conversation as the victim's best friend, April would have put her on the to-see list and tracked her down some time down the road. She would have visited the woman in her home. If Alison had been a suspect she wanted to shake up, she'd have taken her to the task force headquarters, where Minnow would be setting up his detective team.

Instead she'd found Alison with the last person to see Maddy Wilson alive. That knocked her up to the top of the must-see list. But where should they go? April's personal relationship with the precinct commander complicated the use of the Seventeenth Precinct's interview room, and the press would be watching there. April wanted to keep Alison away from the Minnow crowd and the media spotlight. That left Alison's home or Midtown North.' She thought it wouldn't be a good idea to let Alison return to her home, where the telephone would distract her and she could show April the door at any time. In the end April opted for her own shop at Midtown North.

Two separate cars brought her and Alison, Derek and Woody, into the precinct, where no one knew they were coming. April and Alison got there first. During the ride in the unmarked car Alison's mood changed. She clutched her gym bag nervously and fussed with her long, unbrushed hair. Her eyes were red and her pupils seemed larger than before. She talked nonstop.

"Wow, is this where you work?" she asked as they went through the precinct door. "This place needs work."

"Home, sweet home," April said cheerfully, nodding at Lieutenant Lester at the desk. He shot her a look that said cranked-up hooker.

She shook her head. Not even close. "This way," she said, leading the way to the stairs. It was faster than waiting for the elevator.

"Okay, no problem." Alison clattered up the stairs loudly in her high-heeled boots.

At two thirty the squad room was empty except for a grizzled man, dressed in many layers of stained clothing and snoring loudly in the holding cell; Dominica, the secretary; and the new guy, Barry Queue. Barry was a cool-looking African-American with a bit of an attitude, six one, shaved head with a few days' growth coming in. He'd been in Intelligence for a while and was unusually secretive about everything. He was on the phone, talking softly.. When the two women came in, he swung around to stare, then slowly raised his hand in salute.

"Wait here for a second, will you?" April told

Alison, pointing to the visitors' bench near the door.

"Where's Derek?" Alison asked anxiously. "I need to talk to him."

"Soon." April stopped at Dominica's desk. "Where is everybody?" she asked.

The secretary of the unit was nearly forty now. She was a single mother who knew everybody's backstory and was helpful to the detectives she liked. She'd slept with a bunch of them over the years, took care of things when they were sick or needed cover. Those who weren't her darlings got the shaft.

"Sergeant Gelo and Charlie are looking for strippers from Spirit," she reported.

Gelo and Hagedorn out together? April's brow furrowed. Hagedorn never left. The man had an unnatural relationship with his computer, and since they made a pair of aces, no one wanted it any other way.

"Yeah. That Gelo has him eating from her—"

"No kidding. What else?" April didn't want to know where Eloise had him eating from.

"The senator's son was released from the hospital a little while ago. His mother got him out. Senator Peret was at a submit in the Middle East. He's flying in tonight. The clip has been on "TV about five times. They're not making any statement until tomorrow." She rattled off the names of other detectives on the first tour, where they were. April listened, but she was thinking about Senator Peret, another high-profile humiliated parent with a kid on drugs. It was tough.

"You want tea, boss?" Dominica finished. "I'll get someone on it." Not her job, but she was a nice person.

"Yes, please. And a coffee for the lady out there."

April smiled, then went to check her desk. There was a pile of messages from people she wished she could avoid. A stack of files of ongoing cases that needed to be addressed. Some directives ' from downtown. Five minor complaints had come in since morning and were waiting for assignment. Wanted posters. Personnel schedules. April did not bring civilians in here.

She left her office and went through to the back where the picnic table, the "TV, and the lockers were. A quick glance at the interview room discouraged her from taking Alison in there. The wastebasket was overflowing and some take-out cartons and empty cups were on the floor. The mixed odors of spoiled food and sweat were particularly offensive. Too bad for Woody. He was going to deal with it, get a uniform in to clean up. She wasn't doing it. Then she stopped at Dominica's desk. She couldn't help herself. She was the CO. "The interview room needs a cleanup."

"Don't look at me," Dominica said. "Cleaning that room isn't my job." Then she relented. "I'll ask someone to take care of it."

"Thanks. I'll remember you on your birthday."

"You always say that, Lieutenant. But this time it happens to be Friday."

April grinned. "I knew that. 1 won't forget you."

"See that you don't," Dominica shot back.

Back on the visitors' bench, Alison Perkins was

shaking her foot and beginning to look scared. "You can come in now," April told her. She'd opted for classy and took the woman into her office.

At her desk April set up her tiny tape recorder. "I'm going to tape this," she said, and told the machine who was there, where they were, and what day and time it was. Then she asked Alison her name, address, and phone number.

Hugging her bag, Alison responded, then added, "I have to go in a minute. I don't feel well."

"Okay. Alison, I'm going to ask you some questions about Maddy Wilson."

Alison swiped at her nose. "I think I have the flu."

"Maddy Wilson was a close friend of yours?"

"Yes," Alison said, looking at the machine.

"How well did you know her?"

"Better than her fucking husband did. She was my best friend. We talked every day, usually more than once."

"When was the last time you saw Maddy?"

"Yesterday. We went shopping." Alison glanced at the Wanted posters on the wall and grimaced. She made a little whimpering sound. "I feel bad."

"Where did you go shopping?" April asked.

"Yesterday? Bergdorf's. They're having a great sale." She didn't look too enthusiastic about it.

"Really?" April was surprised. She had no idea that rich women went to sales. "What did you buy?" she asked, curious.

"Jesus, this isn't anything like Law and Order," Alison erupted.

"No, this isn't a TV show," April chided gently. "Now, Alison, you know Maddy really well. What was she was like?"

"Oh, she was great. Didn't you see the pictures of her? Great legs, great hair. Great taste. You saw the house, I'm sure. Maddy was just great."

"Uh-huh. Beyond her looks, though. What kind of person was she?" April had patience—she'd dealt with people like this for years.

Alison thought for a moment. "She was into health and fitness, of course. Very into maintenance. She took care of herself really well. We both do. You know how importantmaintenance is."

April smiled. She did indeed.

"Men get distracted easily," Alison said, shaking her foot, pretty distracted herself. "You know, successful, rich, always making a new deal. The older they get, the younger they like their women."

"Did Wayne like them young?"

Alison frowned. "And she was funny! She could do Donald Duck at the drop of a hat. It always cracked the kids up so much." She looked up at the ceiling, stuck the bag behind her in the chair, then leaned against it, covering it with her body.

It was clear she realized that she had something in common with the men on those Wanted posters. April made the decision not to nail her with the substance abuse right off the bat. "What about Wayne? Did he fool around?" she asked again.

"Oh, sure."

"Did Maddy know?"

"She worried about it practically constantly."

"Was he sleeping with Remy?"

"Oh, of course. Maddy told me many times that

Remy was trying to take over. 1 told her what to do." Alison scratched her neck somewhere behind her ear. "I wouldn't put up with that kind of shit in my house."

"Did Maddy take your advice?"

"She called me early this morning very upset. She left a message for me to call back at nine. 1 called her back but she didn't pick up. Now that 1 think of it, she might have been on the line with Jo Ellen."

"Who is Jo Ellen?"

"Oh, Jo Ellen places people." Alison reached for the bag, then thought better of it and shoved it back behind her butt. "Aw, shit. This is horrible. Do you have a bathroom here?"

April ignored the question. "What agency does she work for?"

"Anderson. Jo Ellen Anderson. It's her own."

"She placed Remy with the Wilsons?"

"Of course, and the last girl and the one before that."

"How many have there been?"

Alison shrugged. "I don't know. A lot. They never work out. It's always something."

"Tell me about Remy," April said.

"What's there to say? She. comes from Wyoming. She doesn't know how to dress and she doesn't know how to clean."

"Can't clean?" April said. Somebody cleaned that gym pretty well.

"Oh, no, she's a terrible cleaner. The place was always a mess. All she cared about was food and Wayne. 1 have to get out of here."

"Did Remy have any special friends?"

"She and Lynn, my nanny, are very close. Our kids are close. They all spend time together. And there's another girl in the neighborhood, Leah. I don't know who she works for. She hangs around a lot. There are others. You'll have to ask them."

April changed the subject. "What about Maddy's husband? Has he ever hurt her?" April asked.

"Wayne? No! He gave her everything, wanted her to be happy. He built that gym. Wayne would never hurt her."

A uniform called Ulla came in with a mug of hot water and a cup of regular coffee from the deli down the street. She handed the coffee to Alison without asking if it was for her. "You need anything else?" she asked.

"Do you have Sweet'n Low?" Alison asked.

"I could look downstairs," Ulla offered.

"Here, I have some." April reached in her desk and passed two over.

"See, you know about maintenance. Are you married?" Alison dumped the powder in her coffee, stirred, sipped, and was distracted. "Ugh. This is terrible coffee. Do you have anything stronger?"

"Sorry about the coffee." April returned to the subject. "Would you say the Wilsons were a happy couple?"

Alison shook her snakeskin boot. "What's a happy couple?"

"I think you know what I mean."

She dipped her head. "Well, they're totally famous. He's a busy man. I have one like that, too. You have to watch them all the time." She glanced at her watch. "I could use a drink. Oops, I didn't

say that." She glanced guiltily at the tape machine. "Don't tell my husband I said that."

"Alison, did Maddy use, too?"

"Excuse me?"

"Alcohol, cocaine, other drugs?" April said as if it were a given.

"Uh, no. Of course not."

"It'll show up in the autopsy if she did," April told her.

Alison looked scared. "Why are you asking me that? I wouldn't know something like that."

"You were her best friend. You did everything together, shared the same trainer, the same employment agency. I think you shared a lot of things. Did Derek sleep with you both, supply you with your drugs?"

"Oh, God, no! Don't drag Derek into this," she wailed.

"No to which?" April asked innocently.

"Jesus. You're intimidating me."

"This is a murder investigation. The truth is going to come out, Alison."

"Well, he didn't sleep with her. I know he didn't."

"How do you know?"

"He liked her, but it wasn't like that. She wouldn't give him the money for his place. It was strictly, and I mean strictly, business with those two!"

"That's not the way I hear it," April murmured.

"Well, let me put that rumor to bed. It was him and me," she said angrily. "Not her and him. Me." Then she realized what she'd said. "Oh, God.

Don't get me in trouble. My husband would kill me."

"Alison, where were you at nine o'clock this morning?"

"I told you. I was at home waiting for Maddy to call me. Jesus, are you crazy?" She pulled her bag back onto her lap, clutching it tightly. "What are you saying?"

"Just wondering how angry you would be if you found out Derek was having an affair with Maddy."

"But he wasn't."

April didn't say anything for a while.

"He didn't tell you he was, did he?" she asked in a small voice.

"What about the coke? Where did she get it?"

"I don't know anything about any coke."

"Don't lie to me, Alison. I can see it in your eyes."

"It's not a big thing. I had a bad day."

"You had a bad day?" April repeated.

"Yeah, my best friend was killed."

"But you didn't hear about it until we came to the gym, right?"

"So?"

"Then where did you get the coke? Was it at the gym?"

"No, I had it with me. . . . Shit." Alison pulled on her ear. "It wasn't about cocaine. Don't make it about that. It's all over the place in the restaurant business. Modeling business. Advertising. Wayne had it around. Believe me, no one would murder anybody over that."

"Somebody's dealing. Who is it?"

"Don't make it about that," Alison begged. "If you go there, you could arrest the whole fucking city."

"So you don't think your boyfriend, the coke dealer, killed her?"

"Shit, I never said he was a dealer, and he would never hurt anybody."

"So you think maybe Wayne got angry when Maddy fired his girlfriend?"

"No! I never said anything about Wayne, either. Maddy's fired girls before, lots of them. It wasn't a big deal. If Wayne liked one of them, he'd give her a waitress job. Nobody lasted long," she said furiously.

"But Remy probably didn't know that," April murmured.

Alison started sobbing. "If Remy did it, then I'm really upset. I can't take any more of this. I have to go home now." She looked as if she might be sick again.

"Well, who else could have done it?"

"I don't know. But Lynn is Remy's best friend. How can I have her in the house now? I'm afraid," she said.

"What are you afraid of?"

"I could be next," Alison cried. "I need protection."

"Why? Who would want to kill you?" April asked.

"They hate us. They wear our clothes. They steal our things. If they can get our husbands, they'll steal them, too," she ranted.

"Are you really at risk? Is Lynn having an affair with your husband?" April asked, wondering at the whole thing. The husbands with the nannies, the wives with the trainer, and cocaine abuse in the mixk. How did it all fit?

"What? What? Is Andrew having an affair with Lynn?" Alison said, sounding panicked. "Are you sure?"

"It was just a question."

"Jesus." Alison broke down sobbing. "Jesus. You got me all mixed-up. I don't know what I'm saying."

April turned off the tape. "I think you need help, Alison."

"No, I'm fine. I'm having a bad day. Please, don't drag me and Derek into this. We didn't do anything wrong."

April didn't make any promises. One thing she did know was Alison's cover was blown on the dope. Derek would flush his stash before they got to his place with a search warrant. But the case had just gotten a little more complicated.