Memories

Chapter 10

It was early the next day and Mike and Connie entered the facility known as Rikers.

They were here to question Jackie Remington, suspect and sister of the victim. As Mike went to put on his Visitor's Pass badge, it inadvertently slipped from his hands, but Connie was able to catch it before it dropped to the ground.

"Good catch!" Mike smiled.

She held out his badge, "May I?" she asked.

Surprised, Mike watched as she casually hooked it the lapel of his suit. She was so close to him that he felt surrounded by the scent of her. He instinctivelyThe pining of the badget was such a tiny gesture, yet when she gave it an extra tap to make sure it was securely fastened, it seemed so private and intimate.

Just the thought of Connie's hands on his chest made Mike's throat constrict and he could only nod his thanks.

They were led into the 'interview' area which was basically a small room with a set of bars at one end, rather like a portable prison. Mike and Connie sat at the two chairs provided next to the worn table. An empty chair was on the other side. They made small talk as they waited for the accused to be brought in.

"Does it feel strange to hear the name Wesley Wright associated with a case after all these years?" Mike asked, as they sat alone waiting.

Connie smiled, "Well, it certainly brings back memories. Some of them annoying. If you remember, that was the first case we'd worked on."

"You mean the first non case we worked on," Mike reminded her.

"Oh, that's right," Connie jested, "Your actual job was a tie sales clerk and you were simply moonlighting as an EADA."

"I'll have you know that my official job title was a sales coordinator for men's clothier," he corrected her.

"I sit corrected!" Connie grinned just as they heard the sound of the jail bars sliding open.

The guard escorted a young stringy blonde haired woman into the room and led her to the seat before he left again, the clanking of the bars making a loud sound. Wearing the usual orange jumpsuit, she had a noncommittal expression pasted on her face.

Introductions were made all around, but the accused seemed bored with the two prosecutors who sat opposite her.

"So what does the DA's office want from me?" Jackie asked dully.

"We are acting in an advisory capacity for the DA's office, Miss Remington," Mike began, "and we have a few questions we'd like to ask you about matters surrounding your sister's death."

"Frankly, I'm tired of answering questions," she stated uncooperatively, "I'm stuck here and there's nothing you can do about it."

"Don't sell us short, Ms. Remington," Connie inserted, "if you can help us understand better the circumstances surrounding your sister's death, perhaps we can talk to the DA about lessening the charges."

Jackie turned to them with a little more interest, "What are you saying? You can drop the murder charges?"

"No guarantees, of course," Mike stated, "but it would be in your best interest to be more cooperative."

"Well, I didn't do it!" she announced, "I didn't kill my sister, but I know who did! It's that damn husband of hers, Wesley Wright that killed her!" continued Jackie, "That lowlife Moneybagger! I've told the police that, but they didn't believe me. Truthfully, I don't even think my lawyer believes that I didn't do it!"

Mike and Connie exchanged glances.

"There is a reason you were arrested and charged, Ms. Remington, " stated Mike, "You, in theory, also have a motive for killing your sister. And you also had a means to do it. So you may want to be more cooperative and answer the questions we ask you."

Jackie heaved a disinterested sigh, "Yeah, sure. What would it hurt? Go ahead and ask your questions."

Mike opened his briefcase and quickly locating the file, he pulled out a copy of the document that Elizabeth Wright had supposedly signed.

"Just for our own information," Mike began, "Could you first explain to us what this is about, Ms. Remington?"

Jackie gave a quick glance at the paper, "It's an addendum," she stated the obvious.

Connie lifted a brow, "And?"

"And it's what it says it is. It's an added clause to my sister's will."

Connie pointedly explained how there was no final punctuation at the end of the addendum.

"So?" Jackie sounded defensive, "I can't believe a teeny-weeny dot on a paper would determine if a will is legal. I think lawyers are just too technical sometimes!"

"The point is," Connie said, "it goes to the intent of your sister. When Elizabeth Wright wrote the last word, did she consider that it was a complete and final will, or did she start to make a will and was interrupted and never finished making the will? As it stands now, words could be added to the will, totally changing its meaning."

Jackie stared at Connie with understanding, "I see what you're getting at, but as far as I'm concerned, she wanted to give me the rights to all her properties."

"Perhaps, but the matter hasn't been determined as of yet," Connie felt she needed to push the issue, "so, why don't you tell us the circumstances of your sister Elizabeth writing the will."

Jackie gave a reluctant sigh.

"My sister has made it obvious that she abhorred that no good husband of hers," Jackie began, "so she finally decided she wanted to amend her will. So I gave her a piece of paper and a pen, and that's what she wrote out."

"Was she interrupted during her writing of the will?" Mike asked.

Jackie hesitated. After all, she wanted the will to stand as is.

"Maybe. "

Connie leaned in, "You're not being cooperative, Ms. Remington."

Jackie shrugged, "Liz gets tired easily and during that time, I think she may have rested, but she went right back to completing the will."

But she did not sound convincing.

"I think I've heard enough," Mike said, getting up, along with Connie.

"Wait!" Jackie sounded desperate, "You're leaving; you're not going to help me?"

Connie looked directly at her, "You need to be truthful with us or we can't help you."

Jackie looked as if a myriad of thoughts was running through her mind. At last, she took a very deep breath.

"If you must know, " she admitted, "Elizabeth was writing the will when Irene, the housekeeper, opened the door to check up on her. Elizabeth didn't want Irene to know what she was doing, so she slipped the piece of paper down under the bedcovers. When Irene left, Elizabeth needed to close her eyes because she was exhausted. After a while, I realized she was actually asleep. That's when I took the paper from under the covers and when I looked at it, it seemed finished...and so...I took the sheet and I turned it over to the lawyers," she said at last, "did I do something wrong?"

"You may have taken the document away from your sister prematurely," Connie said

"Well, I'm not a lawyer, so how was I to know?" Jackie defended herself, "but I swear, she meant what she wrote AND I did NOT kill her for the inheritance! I loved her! These past few years my sister has been living in a hell on earth and no one seemed to care but me. And now she's dead!"

A single tear formed in her eye and Jackie took a moment to wipe it away.

Mike nodded, more convinced than ever that Wesley Wright was involved.

"Tell us about the night surrounding your sister's death if you can, " Connie stated, as gently as possible.

"Oh, that," Jackie said grimly, "Well..my sister had a restless night. When the doctor had left the previous night, he had given me four pills that Elizabeth was to take. I left it in a saucer next to her bed. It was during this time that Liz insisted on changing the will, and that was of her own accord. Then at eight am, she was given the tablets that the doctor had prescribed. By ten-thirty Liz had wakened and was violently ill. The housekeeper had called the doctor who came over and suspected arsenic poisoning. In view of my sister's weakened condition along with the fact that she had absorbed so much of the arsenic before her stomach could reject it, she couldn't pull through. By 11:30 that morning, she was dead."

Jackie had thinned her lips and more tears began welling up in her eyes.

"Was Wesley Wright present in the house?" Mike asked.

"You bet he was!" Jackie wiped the last of her tears, "and I know he was the one who poisoned her!"

"The only problem with that logic, "Mike stated, "is that according to everything we know about their marriage, Elizabeth Wright would never allow Wesley Wright close enough access to her in order for him to administer the pills."

"During my bathroom or breakfast break, he could have easily gone in and slipped my sister some arsenic pills!" suggested Jackie, until she saw their expression, "Yeah, I can tell that the two of you, like the police, don't believe me either. That I had an easier access to give the pills to Liz. But I didn't kill her."

"The problem with the theory of Wesley Wright sneaking in to give her the pills is just too risky," Connie said, "he had no way of knowing when you'd be back...and what if Elizabeth Wright had waken up when he had entered?"

Jackie sighed, "I know...but," she looked hopeful, "all I know is that I didn't kill her. You MUST believe that he was somehow involved in the murder. Please!"

Connie didn't want to give false hope, so she responded with, "We're still investigating that possibility, Ms. Remington."

.

It was a calm, clear night. The stars were blazing down steadily, but it paled into insignificance from New York City's street lights.

Mike and Connie were in his office well past working hours. An opened flat box of pizza laid in the middle of the desk between them, two slices left.

Connie was thinking how nice it was to spend some quiet time alone in the solitude of the office. It stood in sharp contrast to the hustle and bustle of the daytime shift. Now it was unhurried and comfortable, the outside lights casting off a soft glow to his office.

She somehow became mesmerized by Mike's hands as he took a slice to put on his plate. Connie always knew that Mike held some kind of attraction for her from the first day he saw her at Macy's, but lately, images of him seemed to seep in her memory and she had to force herself to concentrate on the case.

"So if it were up to you on this case, whom would you prosecute?" Connie wanted to know as she took a sip of her drink.

Mike put down his piece of pizza after taking a bite, "If I told you, you would think I was being biased."

"So you think Wesley Wright is guilty for this murder despite no evidence of him even being in his wife's room?"

"Well, if he did decide to kill her the same way he tried to seven years ago, " Mike remarked, "he would at least be guilty of stupidity. Let's start with that."

Connie smiled, once more telling herself to stop being fascinated with everything Mike said.

"So where do we go from here?" she asked.

"Wellll," Mike seemed to be thinking, "I see that the Jackie Remington's case is slated to begin tomorrow. Maybe as consultants we should sit in on the case and see how it goes. What do you think? How would you like to go with me and observe?"

By the pleased look on her face, one would think she was being asked out on a date.

"I would love to," Connie gushed.

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Courtroom testimony next!

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