Liquid Lies Part 28

A few hours later, Jacob and I left the veterinarians. We had waited until the surgery on Skipper's leg was done. The doctor wanted to keep him overnight.

"What really p.i.s.ses me off is this. If whoever it is has something against me, then deal with me. Stop hurting innocent people. Jeez. Hurt a dog? Who would do something like that?" I ranted to Jacob as we made our way to Estelle's.

"Or maybe you're getting close to finding the killer, and the killer is feeling the pressure and getting sloppy," Jacob said as we walked. "But you're right. Who would ever want to hurt a dog? I guess some people are so driven they place their own needs above anything or anyone else."

"I guess so," I said. "But why?"

"They'll hurt anyone who gets in their way. It's like they're obsessed. People don't mean anything to them. It's like people are dispensable p.a.w.ns on their way to obtain power." Jacob held my hand.

The sun had just set. There was an orange glow left in the sky. Everything was bathed in the soft light. The smell of barbeque on grills wafted in the air.

I stopped in my tracks. "Oh my G.o.d. Jacob. It all makes sense now."

"What?"

"Power. Get ahead. Drowning. Swim scholarship. It was just the start." I almost hopped up and down with excitement. "He was with McNally when I was on the speaker phone, and he heard me taking about the shortcut through the empty lot. It's him."

"Slow down." Jacob stopped and held my shoulders. "What's going on?"

"You and I are going fishing tonight. We're catching the killer," I said.

"We are?" he asked.

"Yes. And it's a big fish too." Excitement built in me like a roller coaster going over the edge.

"Big fish?"

"The mayor."

"Whoa." Jacob put his hands up. "You think the mayor is the killer?"

I poured it out. "Here's what I think. His sister, Vivian, told me their family was poor. I don't know if it bothered her or not, but it seemed status mattered to her brother, Charles or, as we all know him, the mayor. She had told me some childhood stories about his cousin. At the time I felt sorry for him. The tragedy he endured. But now, I see it differently."

"How so?" Jacob asked.

"The mayor has killed before."

"Really?" Jacob raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, I think so."

"How so?" Jacob asked.

"He killed his cousin Don and made it look like an accident. And this all makes sense to me now." I almost tripped over the words. They were coming out of my mouth so quickly. "You see, his cousin Don got a full college scholarship. Charles was runner up. Charles killed Don, so that he would get the scholarship. You see, that's how a poor kid like Charles was able to attend a top college and break away from his impoverished small town life."

"If he killed his cousin, I just don't understand why no one figured it out," Jacob shook his head.

"Oh, but I think that Vivian did. I think while she was here for Francesca's funeral, she might have begun to piece it together. Anyone who got in his way in his quest for more power had to be eliminated. He thinks he's untouchable. Remember that athlete who killed his ex-wife and her lover? They're arrogant and narcissistic. They have power and money. They think rules don't apply to them." I kicked a stone. "But the mayor won't get away with it anymore."

"That's why we need to get the police involved. Let them sort this out. But I don't think anyone will believe that he killed Francesca." Jacob shook his head. "His own daughter? C'mon now."

"Especially his daughter. He knew McNally got her pregnant. I bet the mayor was p.i.s.sed. He probably confronted McNally. But McNally had something over the mayor. Shady business dealings or something. I'm not sure. The mayor knew that if anything came out, his world would disintegrate under his feet. So he took matters into his own hands. He had to get rid of Francesca. For both his and McNally's sake." My heart raced. I paced back and forth while I talked.

"It still seems a little far fetched," Jacob said.

"Oh no. It makes perfect sense. It all makes sense now." I bit my lower lip. Mark knew. "It wasn't 'ask father.' It was 'axe father.'"

"Isn't that the same thing?" Jacob asked.

"No. Mark knew the mayor was the killer. That's why the mayor killed him. Mark figured it out. His last words to me were 'axe father.' I didn't know until now what that meant," I said. "I thought it was a-s-k father. But it was a-x-e father. Listen, it has to be the mayor. He had access to your locker to plant your necklace."

"I guess," Jacob said.

"Then the mayor was with McNally today when I called, so he knew about my meeting and also my short cut. A day ago, I had I left the mayor a message that got cut off after I said I knew who the murderer was. I bet he thought that I knew it was him, when at the time I suspected it was McNally."

"This is a lot to take in."

"Yes it is. But I'm right." I squeezed his hand.

"How are you so sure?"

"He lured me with Skipper," I said. "Still, it wasn't too smart for the mayor to use Skipper as bait. I mean, Skipper would defend me if anyone attacked. And Skipper did defend me. I bet the mayor has a bite mark on his arm. I just know it."

The words were tumbling out of my mouth. "The mayor must be under tremendous pressure and might not be thinking clearly at this point. He is so not going to be governor."

"CiCi, calm down. I agree with your theory," Jacob said. "So, let's go to the police,"

"To accuse the most powerful man in this city?" I paused. "They may not be too excited to confront the mayor without proof."

"Then we need to somehow trap him into a confession. Let's set the bait," Jacob said. "Blackmail him."

"How?" I asked.

"Let's tell him we have proof that he killed Francesca."

"Let me think." I paused and racked my brain. "Proof, like what?"

"Security camera footage or something?"

"Good. But, wouldn't the police have found that?" I said.

"I guess so." He ran his hand through his hair.

"However, you're onto something. The night he killed Francesca, I was on Ken's boat. The mayor must have known there was a boat out there. We were the only one, and we pa.s.sed by his dock. I could say I had footage from that night. It was the maiden voyage of Ken's new boat. It would be an event that someone might record. It's believable." I opened my arms. "Funny thing is, Ken did want to record it, but my video camera was broke."

"Okay, what next?"

"That, I haven't figured out yet." Rats. What now?

"We could lure him someplace, rig up a recorder, and get him to confess," Jacob said.

"But my video camera doesn't work."

"No worry. I've got everything we need at my house. Plus I never leave home without this handy tool." He pulled a Swiss army knife out of his pocket. "Scouts are always prepared."

"You were a scout?"

"All the way to Eagle," he smiled "Good to have you on my team. I need someone who knows what the h.e.l.l they're doing. Because I sure don't." I playfully tapped him in the arm.

"Glad to help out."

"So, you'll get everything you need to set up your video camera on the mail boat. I'll get the mayor to show up and confess." I said. "We have a plan."

I felt restless. I was as keyed up as a kid on Christmas morning, knowing there were presents under the tree.

Chapter Forty-Two.

I called the mayor's house. Juanita said he was in the shower. I told her that it was urgent that he meet me at the mail boat because I had proof of Francesca's murderer. Juanita was curious and wanted to know more. I a.s.sured her she would know soon, but to give the mayor the message immediately.

Jacob had gone to his townhouse to get his digital video camera and some other equipment. Meanwhile, I went to the mail boat to wait for Jacob.

"I got all the stuff we need," Jacob said as he came on board. "My video camera and two memory cards."

"Why two?" I asked.

"We can use this one to record the meeting. The other, you can show the mayor," he said as he handed me a memory card.

"Of course. I almost forgot. I have to show him the proof I claim I have. I'll tell him this has video of the killer on the dock from when Ken and I were on the boat." I held the memory card in the air and examined it briefly. "I'll keep it in my pocket for now."

"And I have everything we need to get our plan to work." He showed me his tool belt and a bag. "I can get this rigged up in no time."

"Let's set it up. My guess is that he'll be here very soon," I said. I told Jacob about my phone call with Juanita.

Jacob set up the camera and turned on the night vision setting. We had it at an angle that would cover the bottom of the deck. We figured even if we couldn't get great pictures, we could at least get audio. Jacob positioned another microphone to better catch the audio.

We tested it out. It all worked.

"Jacob, thank you," I said.

He kissed me. "You can thank me in private later."

"It's a date," I said.

"Look," Jacob pointed toward a figure near the dock. "Your big fish."

The mayor sauntered up the dock that led to the mail boat.

"You hide back there," I said. Jacob entered the control room. For a second, I imagined Mark in there, behind the window with his wild mop of red hair, his crooked smile. I got a little choked up. This was for him too.

"It's show time," I said to myself.

I stood on the lower deck. My hands were cold and sweaty. My heart pounded so loud in my ears, I could barely hear. What the h.e.l.l was I thinking? This could go great or go horribly wrong. After all, the mayor was a killer. He could shoot me. Game over.

But at least it would be on tape. I'd be dead, but he'd be caught. Jacob could bring the tape to the police and it would be finished. Okay. I had to think positive. It had to work.

"Good evening, CiCi," the mayor said as he came on board. The lamplight on the pavilion cast a shadow on half of his face. In the smattering of light I could see that he wore shorts, a polo shirt and boat shoes. His hair was wet.

I had no idea what to say. I had to seem confident. Poised. In control. "Hi Mr. Pike." At least it was a start. Why hadn't I called the police? d.a.m.n.

"So what are you doing out here tonight? Juanita told me you have some sort of proof of Francesca's killer?" He stood about five feet from me. His left hand was bandaged.

I moved back a few inches, to make sure the camera's line of vision would capture his face. "First, thank you for meeting me here. You're always so busy, and I don't want to waste your time."

Jacob was right. At my core I'm nice. I'm thanking a killer.

"You're welcome." He cleared his throat. "But I'm not sure why you asked me to meet you here."

I wondered if the microphone picked up his voice. I spoke a little louder, "Yes of course you'd like to know why I had you come out here."

"Okay then, are you going to tell me?"

"Yes. Of course." I ran my hand over the cool railing, trying to think of how to phrase my next line. My insides were tumbling. "Did you get the message I left the other day?"

He tipped a chair back and forth. "Let me think. Was that when you said you knew who the murderer was?"

"Yes sir." My legs shook under my jeans. I wondered if he noticed. "You see, my fiance, I mean my ex-fiance Ken and I took his boat out Friday night, just after ten o'clock."

The mayor paused before speaking.

Was he thinking about the time, and where he was then?

"He has a nice new boat." The mayor looked at the water. "Bright red. It's hard to miss."

"Good name huh, I Sea You?" I said. My voice quivered. "Intensive care unit, a reference to his job."

The mayor let out a sigh. "Listen, not that I don't like chatting with you. You're like a daughter to me, and I always try to make time for you. But, I have to be at a cook-out in a half hour. I'm the guest of honor. They're raising money for my campaign."

"You just mentioned that I'm like your daughter right?" I felt like I would pa.s.s out. Please let this work. I made sure I talked in the direction of the microphone. "Does that mean you're going to kill me too?"

The mayor stood still. He stopped tipping the chair. His body stiffened. His breathing became shallow. "Kill? Whatever are you talking about?"