The Other Path
Chapter 68
"I'll go in alone," Esposito proposes, pulling into the small lot adjacent to the Veterans for Human Rights storefront. "These guys will be a lot more likely to holler at a fellow vet."
"All right, Bro," Ryan agrees. "I can keep searching online while you see what you can pick up."
Esposito tucks his badge into his pocket before entering the organization's headquarters. He's not surprised at the spare furnishings. Vets get used to getting by with the basics. No one's at the table that appears to serve as a reception desk, but he picks up a leaflet outlining the group's purposes. The mission statement is clear enough: "Eliminating suffering the richest country in the world shouldn't tolerate." That goes pretty well with a cry of "Pain Won't Defeat Us!" he considers silently.
A man with long hair but a military vibe emerges from a door in the back. "Can I help you?"
"I have a buddy who said you guys would be the ones to talk to. My sister's sick. Some nights she's up just screaming in pain. And there's medicine that could help her, but her insurance won't cover it. She's been trying to pay for it herself, and I've been helping as much as I can. But it's not enough. When I came back from Afghanistan, I had some problems, and I'm just getting on my feet again."
"I hear that," Esposito's greeter replies, extending his hand. "Artie."
"Javi. You were over there?"
"Iraq. But seeing our families suffer isn't what we f***ing fought for, is it?"
"Sure the f**k isn't," Esposito responds. "But what can we do about it?"
"We can stay on the government's ass," Artie explains. "We push for affordable drugs. We testify to Congress and raise money for a lobbyist to be a voice against the pharmaceutical companies. And right now, we help people get to Canada so they can buy what they need at a better price. You could get in on that. We need drivers who are strong enough to help people in and out of vehicles. Interested?"
"I might be if I can fit it around work. I haven't had my job long. I don't want to lose it and not be able to help my sister at all."
Artie nods. "I understand, Bro. Our people are having a meeting here tonight at nineteen hundred. We'll be going over the details of our next caravan. You could come see if you can help us out."
"I'll be there," Esposito promises.
Lanie looks up from the body. "I don't see any apparent wounds, and the position suggests a seizure. Mr. Robinson could have died of natural causes. I won't know without an autopsy."
In a nearby chair, Rick continues stroking Cronut. "With an unlocked door and a dog never out by himself, alone at the park? That doesn't make sense."
"No, it doesn't," Kate agrees, entering the room. "What happened?"
"Alexis and I found this sweet canine. Actually, he found me. His name is Cronut. After talking to Mrs. Nachas at the bakery, we were trying to take him home. He pushed his way into this apartment and discovered Robinson like that."
"Where's Alexis?"
"She has class, an exam. She gave the uni her statement before she left. But she said she'll come to the precinct later if you need her."
"Lanie, how long has Mr. Robinson been dead?" Kate queries.
"About three hours. I can be more exact after I get him back to the lab."
Kate gazes at Cronut, pressing his body hard against Rick. "We should call animal control for him."
"No way!" Rick protests. "He's had enough trauma without losing his new friend."
"Which is you."
"Do you see another one?" Rick retorts. "We can take him home with us until we know more about Mr. Robinson. He might have family or friends who'd want to adopt Cronut. Until then, it would be cruel to lock up a grieving pooch."
"And that's the only reason you want him to stay with us?" Kate questions. "You've been wanting a dog since you lost Royal to Kay Cappuccio."
"Since we both lost Royal to Kay Cappuccio," Rick reminds his wife. "And I admit Cronut and I hit it off. But he really does need a friend right now."
"All right," Kate agrees. "I can take you two in my unit. And you can buy whatever Cronut will need. We shouldn't take anything from this apartment until Robinson's case is settled one way or another."
Rick grins. "I knew you'd come through. And for your reward, I have one of Mrs. Nachas' chocolate cakes."
"The kind with the cherries?"
"You know it."
"There are a few things you need to understand around here," Rick explains to Cronut after Kate's returned to the precinct. "I'm perfectly OK with you joining me on the couch. I'll be spending a lot of time there for a while yet. I got shot, but you don't have to worry about that. I'll be fine. But Mama Kate doesn't like dogs on couches, or at least, she doesn't admit she does. So, you'll have to be careful around her. I'm a pretty easy-going fellow, but no wet noses on my keyboard, and none where it will leave embarrassing spots, either. And when Mama Kate's around, do what she says. Trust me. We'll both be happier that way. She's a wonderful woman, the love of my life. But it can take her time to warm up to someone. In my case, years," Rick adds under his breath. "Got that?"
Cronut barks before sticking his muzzle under Rick's hand. "I know, it's hard to lose a friend. And I bet Mr. Robinson was a good one. But I promise, Mama Kate and I will do our best to find out what happened."
At Lanie's ringtone, Kate immediately picks up her cell. "Kate, Robinson was poisoned."
"Damn!" Kate exclaims. "I was hoping he died of natural causes, and we could close the investigation. Ryan and Esposito are busy with the Berensen case, so I'll be the lead on this one, at least for now. How was he poisoned?"
"Strychnine. Someone dissolved it in alcohol and put it in his coffee. I found one of those caramel creamers with the coffee in his stomach. The sugar could have covered up the taste."
"Could it have been a suicide?" Kate asks.
"I doubt it. Robinson was taking several medications, including sleeping pills. If he wanted to kill himself, he could have overdosed on those instead of going through the complications of taking strychnine. He would have died peacefully in bed."
"Still, I'll have to eliminate the possibility. How fast would the strychnine have taken effect?"
"Fifteen minutes to half an hour. And if his seizures were severe, he wouldn't have been able to call for help."
"Anything else?"
"There weren't any marks on the body that would suggest violence. If he argued with anyone, it didn't get physical."
"And if Cronut let a killer near Robinson, he must not have seen them as a threat. So if someone did give Robinson the poisoned coffee, it was probably someone Cronut recognized."
"That's for you to figure out. Too bad the dog can't talk."
"Yeah," Kate considers, "it is. Right now, Cronut may be the only one who knows who could have given Robinson that coffee. But I'll have CSU go over Robinson's apartment. Maybe they'll come up with some prints."
"Good luck on that, Kate. I'll call you if I find anything else you can use before I issue my prelim."
