Part 14 (1/2)
”But how do you feel about Sandra leaving Tracy some of her estate?”
”I'm still trying to digest that Tracy even existed.”
”Of course.” Clay nodded. ”Again, how are your finances?”
”We have debt that we're trying to pay down.”
”According to your husband, you two are doing just fine.”
”That's because he doesn't pay the bills.” She wiped her nose, then sighed. ”Look, we're keeping our heads above water, but there never seems to be enough money. Even with both of us working. Daycare is expensive. Living in Chicago is expensive.” She shook her head. ”I'll admit the inheritance from my mom will help with our debt, but honestly, I'd rather keep the debt if that meant I could spend one more day with my mom.”
”What about your sister and her husband?”
”I don't know about their finances. My sister is very private when it comes to money.”
Mathews nodded. ”Many people are, but she doesn't have a problem showing it off.” He thumbed at his chest. ”Even this old geezer knows a name brand when he sees it. I have a feeling the clothes your sister and brother-in-law are wearing tonight are equal to my weekly paycheck.”
”They like nice things and can afford it. I don't begrudge Lea for that. I'm happy for her.”
”Your husband doesn't seem happy for them,” Mathews said. ”He seems to think they're credit cards are maxed and that your sister's car is going to be repossessed. Know anything about that?”
Oh, no. Celeste's chest tightened with unease. Dale had never said anything to the detectives about Lea's maxed-out credit cards or repossessed car. But she had. Celeste had told both George and Clay what Dale had said the day she had gone to Kelly's to pick up the girls for daycare. Kelly had been in the room when her husband and sister had argued. Would she remember the argument or that Celeste had witnessed it?
”It doesn't surprise me that Dale would tell you those things about my sister and brother-in-law. It's no secret Lea and Dale hate each other. He makes nasty remarks about her or to her face whenever he has the chance. It's embarra.s.sing.”
Clay slid the notepad and pen toward Kelly. ”Can you give us the name and number of your boss? We'll need to verify that you were working from home. We'll also need your computer so our tech guys can confirm you were logged into your boss's network.”
”Whatever you need, my husband and I will cooperate,” she said, then quickly wrote on the notepad. When she was finished, she pushed it back to Clay. ”Will we still be able to have my mom's memorial service tomorrow?”
”Yes, ma'am. Once the medical examiner is finished with his findings, we'll let you and the funeral home director know.” Clay stood, then opened the door. ”Thank you for your cooperation. I'm sorry for your loss. An officer will take you to your husband. You two are free to go.”
As Kelly left the room, Celeste noticed fresh tears streaming down her friend's face. Her throat tightened and she had to look away. She couldn't imagine the thoughts running through Kelly's head.
”Here.” Jamie offered her a box of tissue. ”Hang in there. We only have one more interview left.”
A few minutes later, Jamie looked away from her computer and toward the mirror. ”Here we go.”
Celeste glanced to the mirror and noticed Lea was already seated at the table. Her face was unusually pale and dark smudges underscored her eyes. ”I need to get home to my daughter. Will this take long?” she asked the two detectives.
”Not if you cooperate,” Clay said, then proceeded to ask her questions similar to what they'd asked the others. ”So you and your husband don't own a gun and you can confirm he was home with you Tuesday night.”
”Yes, exactly.”
”Where were you Wednesday?”
”I dropped my daughter at the daycare around eight to make my eight-thirty, one-hour ma.s.sage. From there I had a manicure and pedicure.” Her chin wobbled slightly. ”Then I stopped by my mom's for a short visit.” Lea pressed the back of her hand to her mouth as if trying to compose herself. Moments later, she said, ”After I left my mom's, I did a little shopping before meeting a friend for lunch at Del Frisco's.”
She pulled a thick Gucci wallet that matched her purse, then began pulling out receipts. ”Fortunately I haven't cleaned this thing out in a while,” she said, sorting through the receipts. ”Here's one for the ma.s.sage, another from Nordstrom, and the restaurant.” She set a bright red paper on the desk. ”This is the parking ticket I got while I was having lunch.”
Detective Mathew's picked up the receipts and ticket. ”The parking ticket is time-stamped at two forty-five.”
”Yes, the restaurant closes for lunch at three.” Lea put her wallet away. ”After I left, I picked up Zoe from her daycare, then went home. Belle Enfant is the daycare I use. They can tell you exactly what time I picked up my daughter.”
”This is very helpful and we appreciate your cooperation.” Clay opened the file in front of him. ”Just a few more questions and you'll be on your way. Do you know this woman?” he asked, and gave her the driver's license photo of Tracy.
She studied the picture. ”No. Do you think she had something to do with my mom's death?”
”Not unless her ghost did it,” Mathews said.
She looked between the detectives. ”She's dead? How is she connected to my mom?”
Detective Mathews pointed to the picture. ”Tracy Saunders is your mother's daughter.”
Lea quickly looked back to the photograph. ”Impossible.”
”I can a.s.sure you it's true. DNA tests from nine months ago confirmed it.”
”Nine months? How can this be? Why wouldn't my mom tell us?” She set the picture down and rubbed her temple. ”Never mind. What happened to this woman?”
”Tracy was murdered, which is why we want to autopsy Sandra. It's just a little too coincidental that both women died within hours of each other.”
Lea picked up the photo again. ”I agree one-hundred percent. But I can't imagine who would want my mom or this woman dead.”
”Three people stand to gain a lot of money, once your mother's will is read. One of them is dead.”
”My mom included this stranger in her will?”
”How do you feel about that, Mrs. Westfield?” Clay asked.
”Honestly? Angry, betrayed. It was her money to do with as she pleased, but to keep this secret from us? I don't understand why she wouldn't have told my sister and me. Wait, does my father know? Kelly and I haven't been able to get in touch with him and he didn't show up at the funeral home.”
”That's because he and his girlfriend are currently on a cruise in the Caribbean.”
”Nice of him to tell us he was leaving the country.” She gave the photograph back to Clay. ”I'll give you anything you need to help find out who did this. I'm sorry someone murdered my...half-sister, but I hope you're wrong about my mom. Dying from cancer was hard enough to swallow, suicide was even worse. But murder?” A tear slipped down her cheek and she quickly swiped it away. ”My mom suffered so much during the past few years. She didn't deserve to have someone take her life.”
As the detectives wrapped up the interview, then ushered Lea from the room, Celeste leaned into the chair. ”I was wrong.”
”Not necessarily,” Jamie said, as she saved the video recording.
”They all had an alibi and each one of them was willing to cooperate.” Celeste jumped when the door opened, then quickly stood as Clay and Detective Mathews entered the room. ”I'm sorry. I really thought-”
Clay held up a hand. ”Nothing to be sorry for. Did you pick up on anything during the interviews?”
”Nothing.” She pressed a fist to her queasy stomach. ”I feel horrible I just put those people through all of this.”
”Don't,” Detective Mathews said. ”We know for sure Tracy Saunders was murdered. Even if the ME finds that Sandra had indeed committed suicide, Milwaukee PD would have interviewed the four of them anyway. Again, the timing of both deaths are just too coincidental.”