Moment in Time Part 3

Chapter 110

Much Ado About Murder

Part 4

Toro bangs his fists on the table. "I don't know what the hell you're talking about! I was Zane's big brother. I had to protect him, so I made him keep his mouth shut about the B&E we pulled. Told him to make something of himself."

Pushing out of his chair, Esposito leans on the table, staring down at Toro. "That's bull! The prison shrink said you had a hate on – big time – for Zane."

"Yeah, I was pissed off for a while. He abandoned me. Not one visit. No calls. Didn't put any money on my books. Nothing. Just went off to be a star and left me to rot."

"Not just for a while," Ryan interjects. "The limo driver said things got pretty heated when Zane picked you up."

"Yeah, but what the driver didn't hear was our squashing our beef," Toro insists. "Cause Zane apologized, said he would set me up for the rest of my life. He just had to get his financial problems ironed out."

Esposito snorts. "What financial problems? Zane had 10 million dollars in the bank."

"Yeah, but he owed the IRS 15 million in back taxes," Toro returns. "He was going to be broke in like, two months."

"Then why did he walk away from an eight million dollar payday in that Safe Word movie to do Shakespeare?" Ryan questions.

"He swore he had a plan to get paid," Toro claims, "something big."

Rick scowls into his phone. "Mother, are you sure you don't want me to pick you up? It's not good to drive after a shock."

"Richard, I lived through Alexis' kidnapping, being held hostage in a bank, and you and Kate being stalked by a serial killer. I think I can handle Zane's murder. And I'm not driving. Hayley's picking Alexis up to finish some work at the office. She'll be dropping me off at the restaurant. And I couldn't be safer than with those two."

"You're probably right," Rick concedes. "All right, I'll meet you at the restaurant."

"Yes, and Richard, the lot at Ciro's is always full. You should park that new Audi of yours in the structure across the street."

"Roger that, Mother. See you soon."

"So, how did you find this new place?" Ryan asks as he and Esposito head for an overdue dinner break.

"My abuelita is old friends with the family that bought it. Their grandson just graduated from culinary school, and he works there. The mofongo is supposed to be almost as good as my mother's."

"I'll have to taste that to believe it," Ryan declares.

"So will I," Esposito agrees, "but I wasn't about to argue with my abuelita."

Ryan nods. "Wise move. Ooh, moves!" Ryan starts hopping in a circle and waving his arms in the air.

"What are you doing?" Esposito demands.

"Figuring out new choreography for Sarah Grace's play."

Esposito backs away. "Get it together, Bro. You'd be better off figuring out who killed Zane."

Ryan suddenly quits dancing as he catches a reflection in a shop window. "Hey Javi, we're being filmed."

Esposito glances behind him. "That's the stalkerazzi I chased off the crime scene, Jake Cuneo."

"Hey, Jake," Ryan calls, flashing his badge. "Put the camera away!"

"This is a public street. I have a right to be here," Jake claims. "But don't worry, I'm not interested in video of a cop spazzing out. I want the same thing you do: an end to Zane Cannon's story."

"Wait a minute! You've been tracking our investigation by tracking us?" Esposito questions.

"You two are new to the story. I've been working on an exposé of Zane Cannon ever since he dropped out of Safe Word to play Hamlet," Jake explains. "I knew that pretty boy was a train wreck waiting to happen."

"So you've been following Zane?" Ryan asks.

"On and off, ever since he got to New York a month ago."

"So, did you see him the night of the murder?" Esposito demands.

Jake takes a step backward.

"Look, you want an end to your story?" Ryan asks. "Why don't you show us what you've got?"

"Yeah, sure, but I don't work for favors. I want an interview with the killer," Jake declares.

"And I want a baby unicorn with a rainbow tail," Ryan throws back.

Esposito rolls his eyes.

"For my daughter," Ryan rapidly clarifies. "But we're both going to be disappointed, Pal."

"Show us what you've got and when we arrest the guy, we'll let you film the perp walk." Esposito offers. "Deal?" Jake nods.

"Good. Let's take a little walk," Ryan instructs, turning back toward the precinct.

"Hang on, Bro," Esposito protests. "I'm not upsetting my abuelita for this asshole. Let's pick up the mofongo." He surveys Jake's hungry look. "We'll get extra."

Rick is about to get out of his car in the parking structure when an SUV pulls in next to him, blocking him from opening his door. He rolls down his window. "Hey, Buddy. You're a little close. I can't get out." A passenger in the SUV glares ominously. "All right. Never mind. I'll get out the other side."

Rick works to maneuver himself over the Audi's center console and avoid getting poked by the shift. He almost succeeds before settling into the passenger seat. "That's going to leave a bruise." He notices the SUV backing out as he opens the passenger side door. "Great! Now you're going to give me some room." Rubbing his behind, Rick gets out of the car and starts walking toward the exit, only to be grabbed by men from the SUV. He feels a spray on his face, and then nothing.

Jake types on a laptop in the conference room. "I'm downloading the video I took yesterday." He points at the screen. "This was at the theater around four o'clock pm."

"That's about six hours before Zane was killed," Ryan notes.

Two men appear on the screen. "Oh yeah, it's right here," one of them claims.

"You got what I need?" the other queries.

Kate looks over Jake's shoulder. "Who's the guy with the tats?"

"No idea," Jake responds.

"Have him give me a call ASAP," the second man instructs. "All right? Cool."

"No guarantees," the first man replies. "Here you go." He hands over a cell phone.

Jake's voice comes from offscreen. "Who's that? Zane?"

"Yo!" Zane calls.

"Why'd you pay him all that cash for the phone?" Jake queries from the video.

"Come on, give me that camera," Zane commands. "You're going to get us both killed."

Jake-in-person laughs grimly. "Hell, I thought Zane was just being dramatic. I guess I was dead wrong."

"Ok, we're going to need you to leave the room, Jake," Kate instructs.

"Maybe we'll get something on facial recognition," Ryan hopes.

Jake remains in his seat. "It's my story. I'm staying for whatever you get."

Kate's eyes narrow as her voice deepens. "Now, Jake!"

Jake shakes his head as he gets up. "F**k!

As Jake exits, Ryan blows out a long breath. "What did Zane get himself mixed up with?"

"There's only one way to know," Kate replies. "We've got to find the mystery man."

"Yeah," Esposito agrees. "I hope that works out better than finding the mystery woman."

Martha takes another sip of Ciro's house wine and scans the entrance for Richard. He may be late turning in chapters, but he's almost pathologically on time for good pasta. And Ciro's is excellent. She rechecks her watch. She's been waiting half an hour. And her calls to Richard keep going to voicemail. Where the hell is he?"