Where Are You Now?

62

T he horror of the recording of Leesey’s final good-bye to her father had shaken even the hardened detective squad to the core. Catching the serial killer before he could strike again had become a burning need for each of them. Over and over, the full squad reviewed every fact that had come to light during the investigation.

On Wednesday morning, they were crowded into Ahearn’s office again.

Gaylor was reporting his findings. Benny Seppini’s story had checked out. He was seeing Anna Ryan, the separated wife of Walter Ryan, a police sergeant who was known for his heavy drinking and volatile temper. Anna Ryan confirmed that she had been speaking to Benny Monday night two weeks ago and expressed to him her fear of her husband. When told that Benny claimed he had been parked in his car outside her apartment building, she had smiled and said, “That’s just what Benny would do.”

“That doesn’t mean Benny didn’t get an emergency phone call from DeMarco that night,” Ahearn pointed out. “But we’ll never prove that.”

Ahearn began reading from his notes. In the several days since he had been followed by plainclothes detectives, Nick DeMarco had done nothing unusual. His wiretapped phone conversations had been mostly business-oriented. Several from a real estate agent confirmed that his Park Avenue apartment was for sale. In fact, an offer had been made that he said he would consider. He had tried to phone Carolyn MacKenzie half a dozen times, but she had obviously turned off her cell phone. “We know she was on her way to Martha’s Vineyard,” Ahearn said. “DeMarco didn’t know, and he was getting pretty worried about her.”

Ahearn looked up to make sure he still had everyone’s attention. “Carolyn went to see her brother’s ex-girlfriend, Dr. Barbara Hanover Galbraith, but she didn’t stay long. The husband wasn’t up there. Then, when the family came into the hotel where Carolyn was staying, she bolted and drove home. Carolyn didn’t get any calls in the hotel. She hasn’t used her cell phone from the time she left town Monday, after she saw the Kramers, till now.”

“She was crying when she left the Kramers’ Monday morning. We have a picture of her leaving the building. Then a guy followed her to her car. This is a shot of him with her.” Ahearn put down his notes and handed photos to Barrott. “We checked him out. His name is Howard Altman. He works for Derek Olsen, who owns a bunch of small apartment buildings, including the one Mack lived in. Altman didn’t start the job until a couple of months after MacKenzie disappeared.”

The pictures were passed around and put back on Ahearn’s desk. “Our guys went back to see the Kramers Monday afternoon.” Ahearn’s voice was increasingly weary. In his head, he could not stop hearing Leesey’s cry, “No, please don’t…” He cleared his throat. “Gus Kramer said he told Carolyn that his wife saw Mack at that Mass when he left the note in the collection basket and that he was a killer and she should leave them alone. Carolyn started crying and ran out.”

“The first time we saw her,” Gaylor said, “Mrs. Kramer didn’t tell us that she saw Mack in church the morning he left the note, because she didn’t have her distance eyeglasses with her so she couldn’t be sure it was him. Then Monday afternoon she said that now she’s convinced it was Mack. Do we believe her?”

“I don’t believe anything the Kramers tell us,” Ahearn said flatly, “but I don’t think Gus Kramer is a serial killer.” He looked at Barrott. “Brief them on what Carolyn MacKenzie told you when you met her in the garage this morning.”

The dark circles under Roy Barrott’s eyes had given way to deep pouches. “We had it out in the garage. She swore that her brother is innocent, that just because Leesey used his name doesn’t mean she wasn’t made to say it. She said she’s going to comb every statement we make or have made and read every word that’s been published, and if she finds anything that says her brother is a killer, she will sue until the cows come home.” He paused, rubbing his forehead. “She told me she was a lawyer and a damn good one, and she was out to prove it to me. She said that if her brother was guilty, she’d be the first to turn him in before he ends up in a shootout, and then she’d work like hell to create an insanity defense for him.”

“Do you believe her?” Chip Dailey, one of the newest detectives, asked.

Barrott shrugged. “I believe she believes he’s innocent, yeah. I also now believe she’s not in touch with the brother. If he’s the one who called her mother’s apartment using Leesey’s cell phone, it’s just another one of his games.”

Ahearn’s phone rang. When he answered, his expression changed, then he said, “Be sure there’s no possibility of a mistake.” When he broke the connection, he said, “Lil Kramer spent two years in prison when she was twenty-four years old. She was working for an elderly woman. When the woman died, a lot of her jewelry was missing. Lil was convicted of stealing it.”

“Did she admit it?” Barrott asked.

“Never. Doesn’t matter. She was convicted at trial. I want her and Gus Kramer brought down here now.” He looked around the room. “All right. You all know your assignments.” His eye fell on Barrott, who was almost asleep on his feet. “ Roy, go home and sleep. You’re truly convinced that Carolyn isn’t in touch with her brother?”

“Yes.”

“Then forget tailing her. We know we don’t have enough to detain the Kramers, but once they leave here I want both of them followed.”

As the squad turned to file out, Ahearn said something that he had not been sure he was going to share. “I’ve listened to that recording at least one hundred times. This may sound crazy, but we’re dealing with a lunatic. You hear Leesey scream and then a gasping, gurgling sound, but then he disconnected her cell phone. We didn’t actually hear her die.”

“You seriously think she’s still alive?” Gaylor asked incredulously.

“I think the guy we’re dealing with would not be above that kind of game, yes.”