The River Murders Read online

  SERGEANT JEFFRIES BROUGHT Natty out to me in the waiting area. He left him in handcuffs, but neither of us complained. I knew this meeting was a huge breach of protocol. He moved to the end of the counter to give us some privacy, which also made me wonder what his exact relationship with my mother was. It might make for an interesting conversation when I saw her later that night.

  It wasn’t the first time I’d seen Natty in custody. I know it isn’t shocking to think a drug dealer might’ve been arrested more than once, and Natty had even done a ten-month stint in Ulster Correctional. Still, I didn’t like looking at him in handcuffs.

  Natty seemed calm enough as he said, “Did you get a chance to talk to Lise? What did she have to say? Will she be at my bail hearing in the morning?”

  “She said she’ll be there. She also said they recovered the gun that was used to kill Pete and that they have your fingerprints and possibly your DNA on it.”

  Natty sat back, deep in thought. But he didn’t deny it like I was hoping he would. Finally, he said, “I know I played with his 9mm at his house one afternoon. I was visiting Katie and he had left the gun on a dresser.”

  “Do you know how that will look? That’s just not a good explanation for why your fingerprints were on the gun. Plus, no one will believe you weren’t sleeping with her.”

  “It’s a better explanation than me using it to shoot Pete.”

  “But that’s the conclusion everyone will jump to. Especially after they discover you and Katie are involved. No one knows, right?”

  “No. We were going to tell Pete about it soon and now she wants to wait a respectable amount of time before we take it to the next level or tell anyone. She’s really upset about Pete, but their marriage was over a while ago.”

  “I don’t understand it, Natty. I’ve never seen you googly-eyed over a woman before.”

  “Katie is different than any woman I’ve ever met. She could make me a better man. She’s honest and decent. That’s a lot to say about anyone. She’s an occupational therapist who works with autistic kids. That’s why she has all the stuffed animals around the house. I could see myself settling down with her.”

  “Would you keep your current career if you settle down and had kids?”

  That made Natty think. Sometimes I wondered if my brother ever considered the future. He looked at me with total sincerity and said, “I think I’d like to try something else. The paramedics are all so nice to me and they do important work. I wonder how hard it would be to become a paramedic.”

  I let him consider his dream life for a little bit, then brought him back to reality. “What can I do to help you now? Is there anything you can think of that might have led to Pete’s death?”

  “Just his business with Alton. The stuff I already told you about. Alton Beatty isn’t anything like he seems. That’s a guy that might be able to provide answers. He just might not want to.” Then Natty took my arm and said, “I’m not worried. I didn’t do it and I have faith in Lise. But Katie won’t move on until she knows exactly what happened to Pete. I need you to find Pete’s killer for her. That’s all that matters now.”

  CHAPTER 12

  BY THE TIME I was back in Marlboro it was pitch-black outside and there was a light snow starting to fall. I don’t know if it’s because Marlboro is my home-town or that I was just glad to be out of Newburgh, but I felt a sense of relief when I pulled into my mother’s driveway.

  She still lived in the simple two-bedroom house where Natty and I grew up. She kept our bedroom the same so if either of us needed a place to stay we always had a bed. So far, I’d only taken her up on the offer a couple of times while I was on leave in the Navy. Natty had used the house to escape the police and avoid sticky situations with other drug dealers. I would hate to be the drug dealer who thought he could barge into my mother’s house without her permission.

  I knocked on the door as I opened it and called out, “Mom?” It’s never a good idea to surprise my mom.

  She stepped out from the kitchen and said, “Bill Jeffries already called me and caught me up on everything. He even worked it out for Natty to call me and managed to get your brother into a private cell at the county jail.” She had a slight hitch in her voice, but was still her usual, efficient communicator. Then she said, “I talked to Pete’s mother. She doesn’t believe Natty had anything to do with it, either. I told her you’d figure it all out. She’s been out of her head with grief. Pete’s sisters stayed at the house around the clock to comfort her.”

  Then I noticed her eyes were red and I realized she’d been crying. That was not my mother. I had seen her mad plenty of times. That was terrifying. But I’d never seen her worried or sad before. I always assumed it was her training as a nurse. Natty or I would suffer some sort of injury like a broken arm and she’d talk to us like she was making lunch and never show emotion. This was unnerving.

  She came out in the living room and gave me a hug. Then she said, “This is bullshit. They’re just trying to clear a case quickly. Murder? No way. Not my Natty.”

  “But you had no problem believing the narcotics charges over the years.”

  “That was just business. I’d be a fool to think Natty wasn’t a dope dealer.”

  “Drug dealer.”

  “What?”

  “Nothing,” I mumbled, realizing this wasn’t the time to debate semantics.

  My mom said, “I know exactly what Natty is. He sells drugs for a living. Christ, he even tried to steal some OxyContin once when he visited me at the hospital.”

  I cringed, imagining what my mother had done to him. When she didn’t offer any details, I had to say, “What did you do?”

  “I tore that stupid earring he used to wear right out of his lobe.”

  The image was unsettling, but at least it solved a mystery. I had wondered why he had abruptly stopped wearing the earring. He also stayed down in Newburgh for a while after that. I guess so he had time for his ear to heal and he wouldn’t have to answer a lot of questions.

  My mom said, “No, my Natty would never kill anyone. He’s basically a good boy.”

  That made me think about what Sergeant Jeffries had said about a parent’s pride. I also thought about all the favors he’d done for Natty the last few hours, from getting him a private cell to allowing me to see him at the station. I blurted out, “Are you dating Bill Jeffries?”

  Mom didn’t hesitate. “Yes. Yes, I am.”

  I was a little shocked by her honesty. She had always kept her love life hidden from Natty and me. I just stood there, speechless.

  She said, “Are you shocked I can attract a man?”

  “No, not at all. It’s just that I don’t think about you and men. I mean, you are my mother.”

  “Are you too old to start calling someone Dad?”

  “Yes. And besides, you were always both to me. A better mom and dad than any man could ever be.”

  My mom started to cry in front of me. Something I’d never seen. Then she gave me a hug. You’re never too old to appreciate a hug from your mother.

  CHAPTER 13

  THE NEXT DAY, as soon as I finished my paper route, I headed to Tina’s Plentiful for some breakfast and a place to think. Thank God my official booth was open, so I plopped down, already considering what I could do to help my brother.

  The place was nearly empty this morning because snow was starting to build up on the roads. After a few minutes, while I was still lost in thought, Alicia placed a plate of eggs and ham in front of me and a bagel on the other side of the table. Then she slid into the booth.

  Alicia said, “You look like you need some protein and company.”

  I smiled at her insight.

  “You left so fast yesterday I didn’t get a chance to tell you what a wonderful thing you did for Mrs. Ledbetter. She and her daughter stayed here an hour, then went back to her house. It was beautiful.”

  I gave her a smile. This was exactly the sort of thing I needed this morning. Something light and frie
ndly before I headed down to Newburgh.

  Alicia said, “I get off just after lunch today. Are you free? Would you like to do something?”

  My guess was that with a face like hers, she rarely had men turn her down. And I wanted to be here when she finished her shift. More than anything I could think of. But I thought of my brother sitting in the county jail and Pete Stahl’s mom crying over her dead son, and I summoned the courage to shake my head.

  “I’m sorry, Alicia. My brother’s gotten into some hot water down in Newburgh and I couldn’t face my mother again if I didn’t do everything I could to help him.”

  “Your brother Natty, the drug dealer?”

  Finally, someone was up on the current lingo for the job description. I nodded my head, still feeling the regret for turning down an offer to spend time with this beautiful girl.

  “I hope you’ll give me a chance to make it up to you as soon as I can. Maybe a nice dinner and movie up in Poughkeepsie.”

  She smiled and patted my hand. “You’re a good brother and son. That’s more important than an afternoon of wild sex.”

  My head snapped up at that. I smiled and said, “I wish you hadn’t said that. Now that’s all I’ll be thinking about while I’m in Newburgh.”

  “That’s okay. It was just a test to see how important your trip really was. You passed with flying colors. I’m very impressed.”

  A smile spread across my face as I realized just how smart and funny this girl was. Plus, I thought I could get lost in those brown eyes.

  She grinned and said, “Eat up. You’ve got crimes to solve and brothers to rescue. Just remember your promise to take me out when this is all finished.”

  “Then, I’ll have to find a way to clear this up right away.”

  CHAPTER 14

  DRIVING THE STREETS of Newburgh, I wasn’t really sure why I had rushed away from my breakfast with the beautiful girl who wanted to spend the afternoon with me. Snow did little to hide the deterioration of the city. All it did was keep more people inside and maybe a few cars off the road.

  I spent a few minutes watching kids play a game of football in an open field. It was four on four and the two-hand touches were a little on the rough side. They were doing what kids did: having fun.

  It made me think of Pete and the things we did and dreamed about as kids. He used to say he was going to be a sports trainer. Maybe work for the Buffalo Bills. We all had dreams. At least Pete realized he wasn’t talented enough to play football professionally.

  I never knew my limitations. I wanted to be a Navy SEAL. I thought I had all the bases covered. It turned out I’d missed one in order to get there.

  I talked to a couple of people on the streets, using my cash sparingly to buy information. When you’re a paper-boy and a low-paid private investigator, there’s no other way to use your cash but sparingly.

  Each person led me to someone else who gave me a little more information. I wasn’t being particularly discreet, but I was starting to get a clear picture of the drug trade in Newburgh.

  Finally, later in the afternoon, I pulled up to a bar named the Budstop. This was where Alton Beatty ran his business, which apparently wasn’t much of a secret in Newburgh.

  I took a second to survey the building and parking lot. It didn’t look that much different than the bar where my brother worked. I did notice the rented Cadillac in the parking lot and three pickup trucks parked directly in front of the building on the street. I wondered if that had something to do with Alton selling more meth than pot and cocaine.

  I waited until all three trucks pulled away from the bar. All three of the drivers, who came out a few minutes after one another, looked like sickly rednecks. They were thin with sallow complexions. I don’t know much about methamphetamine, but these guys looked like billboards designed to scare kids away from it.

  I parked at the far end of the lot and came into the pub from the side door. I’ve never been much of a bar guy, and this place looked just like the State of Mind Tavern: dark and musty, and no place to be on a crisp winter day.

  After I walked inside, it took a few seconds for my eyes to adjust to the lighting. When the room came into better focus, the big Hispanic guy I had kicked in the crotch was striding toward me from across the room. At least he wasn’t reaching for a weapon. That proved that he had some brains.

  He said, “You and me got some unfinished business.” His voice sounded like a tuba.

  I said, “I’m pretty satisfied with our last transaction. Are your balls still swollen?” I have no idea why I threw that last comment into the conversation. Or why I felt like I had to smile at him. It only pissed him off like I knew it would.

  He squared off in front of me again. Not much different than he did the first time.

  Today I had another test of his abilities in mind. I raised my left hand, just like I had during our first meeting. This time he didn’t take the bait and kept his eyes on me and his big hands near his groin.

  This was another old trick I had learned. I just balled my left fist and hit him with a wild haymaker across his chin. It was spectacular. I felt his jaw shift and his head snap to the side as he staggered backward, finally plopping into a chair next to an empty table.

  Then the bartender and a sturdy-looking guy at a table sprang into action. I saw a flash of metal and realized the bartender had a knife. I didn’t have time to reach into my pocket and draw my commemorative Navy knife. I angled my body to give him the smallest possible target and got ready to show some Navy pride.

  Then I heard a shout.

  “Cool it, everyone.”

  CHAPTER 15

  THE MEN FROZE as Alton Beatty stepped into the room from a rear hallway. He had his long hair in a ponytail and was wearing a simple plaid shirt and jeans. He hardly looked the part of the successful drug dealer.

  Both the men froze but didn’t retreat at Alton’s command. As he stepped closer to me he said, “Jerry, Blade, step back.”

  I looked at the bartender and said, “Are you Blade?”

  He smiled and nodded.

  In my experience, a guy usually didn’t get a nickname like Blade for no reason. He stepped back to the bar and I breathed a sigh of relief.

  Now Alton Beatty was right in front of me. He said, “In all the time I’ve known Natty, he never mentioned he had a brother.”

  “I don’t brag much about him, either.”

  “I hear you been askin’ about Pete Stahl. Mind telling me why?”

  I really noticed his twang in simple conversation. “Where are you from? I mean, originally.”

  “Outside Cincinnati.”

  “For some reason I thought you were from New York City.”

  “I went to NYU and stayed after graduation. I moved here from the city a couple of years ago.”

  “Excuse me. NYU? Are you kidding me?”

  Alton gave me a smile of pride and said, “School of Business.” He sharpened his gaze at me and said, “That’s just your New York prejudice. Hear a slightly Southern accent and assume a person’s stupid. I try to use it to my advantage.”

  “How did you get into drug dealing after graduating from NYU?”

  “Easiest way to learn the metric system,” he said, giving me a sly smile.

  I looked around the seedy bar and said, “This place is just like the bar my brother works out of.”

  “You gotta go where the customers are. It’s just smart business.”

  “Like killing Pete Stahl?”

  “Don’t be a dumbass. I worked with Pete. If you’re gonna start throwing around accusations like that, I’ll just refer you to my attorney, Lise Mendez.”

  “Jesus, she the only attorney in town?”

  “Only one worth a shit, and who looks like that.” He stepped closer to me and put his arm around my shoulder. “Speaking of beauties, how’s Pete’s wife, Katie? Is your brother still sniffing around her?”

  CHAPTER 16

  ALTON DIDN’T TELL me a whole lot, and his c
ondescending attitude made me realize it was time to move on. At least for now. It was late afternoon by the time I left the Budstop. Dusk comes awfully early in upstate New York in winter. Especially with the low clouds that threatened more snow. The temperature dropped and I wasn’t prepared for it. I stepped out of the side door and felt the sharp wind. There was ice across the parking lot, so I made my way as quickly as I could without losing my footing.

  Alton hadn’t given me the impression that he was a cold-blooded killer. But greed could do crazy things to people. I still had a lot of questions to ask and work to do.

  I was lost in thought and concentrating on not falling, so I wasn’t paying attention to my surroundings. That’s a mistake in most circumstances and an all-out blunder when you’re investigating a criminal case. I hadn’t noticed anyone else in the parking lot before the man in the ski mask stepped out from behind my car.

  I skidded to a stop, astonished. It was a big guy wearing a thick winter jacket. He didn’t say a word as I just stared at him. Then he moved his right hand and I saw he had a red crowbar in it. It almost looked like a fireman’s tool, but I knew he wasn’t here to fight a fire.

  I’d like to say I was prepared to fight him, but I was no idiot. My training in the Navy and specifically the SEAL class taught me when to evade. This was one of those times. I quickly spun and intended to dart back into the bar, when I felt the hook of the crowbar around my ankle, tripping me on my first step. I fell to the hard, icy asphalt and immediately rolled to my side, just as a blow struck the pavement where I had been lying.

  I was able to scramble forward and gain my footing, but now I was facing my attacker and I didn’t have an easy way to run. He stepped forward with confidence because he was wearing decent boots. I feinted left, then tried to jump to my right. The attacker fell for it at first, and swung the crowbar wildly as I tried to slip past him.