Nathan March Investigations - Book 1: Jaded Justice - episode 9

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Book One
Jaded Justice

Episode Nine

Elliot Sheridan breathed a sigh of relief as he read the note his clerk had delivered to him in court during a hearing. Taking a ten minute break he ordered Tyrone, John, and George into his chambers. After each read the note which announced that the fire at Vista View Motel produced a body positively identified as Lawrence Godfrey, by his sister who recognized a tattoo on his left arm, John placed a call to Nathan.

“Nathan March, here,” said Nathan into his cell phone.

The news he heard next while still on route to his home, if true, would change everything and Nathan knew it. His reaction was slow, he paused and immediately he knew that this was a rouse. He told John that he expected that Lawrence Godfrey along with Miriam Sheridan was feeling very arrogant and free right now, while another person had probably fallen victim to them both.

The next call he received was from Elliot who demanded to have John and George removed as he was certain the police were correct in accepting the identification of a next of kin. Tyrone could handle Miriam as his security people at the Sheridan mansion, as well as the household help, were all on high alert since Miriam escaped from Roosevelt Rehabilitation Hospital.

When Elliot turned his cell phone over to John it was so that Nathan could order him and George back to Guilford, an order which John reluctantly accepted and obeyed.

“We’ll see you back at Guilford in a little more than an hour sir,” said John as George listened and knew something just didn’t feel right.

After arriving home, Mickey sat in the kitchen with Dina and a very peaceful Nathan March as Dina informed Nathan, that a transfer of funds from Judge Elliot Sheridan had arrived in the Nathan March Investigations account, earlier this morning.

“You’re not buying Godfrey’s death by fire scenario are you sir,” asked John as he and George Lopez arrived and joined Nathan and the others at the kitchen table, eating the cinnamon breakfast loaf Dina had baked.

“Not for a second,” said Nathan. “A man who successfully takes out three people and eludes police all this time without being seen or leaving a trace of himself, suddenly dies because he dropped a cigarette and set his room a blaze. I don’t think so. I do know that the state police and the locals are probably celebrating, but they are wrong,” Nathan added.

“Didn’t a relative identify a birthmark on the body,” asked Sam Weiss.

“I’m betting that the “relative” was someone Godfrey hired maybe even Miriam herself disguised, produced the appropriate phony identification. Don‘t forget his whole future depends on the police believing he’s dead,” said Nathan.

“I’m still worried about the judge,” said John.

Dina spoke up to answer. “I just informed Nathan that the judge’s transfer of funds arrived in Nathan‘s account, along with his email thanking Nathan for everything. So you’re officially off the case,” said Dina.

“The PTA is on my payroll, so I’d like you three to hang around a bit longer until they locate Miriam. I still feel a talk with Audrey will be productive, but I’m going to see her in person, because she deserves to know that I suspect that Tom Mason is probably the one who expired in the Vista View Motel. It may help her to feel safer sharing everything with me,” he added.

“I’ll make the travel plans to Concord by charter,” said Mickey.

“Good deal,” said Nathan.

“Before you go boss I think you should know that Sam here deserves a bonus because he’s taught me a lot more than printing out emails and keeping the household finances straight. Now I can hold my head up knowing that Evelyn’s not the only housekeeper with great computer savvy,” said Dina proudly.

“For sure our Dina’s a quick study and with the notes she took and all the night time hours she’s spent on the Internet, I can tell you Nathan she’s as good at one gets in tracking people, places and things by computer. By the way I‘d watch her and that new night guard you hired boss. He‘s been spending lots of off hours in the kitchen, and she joined him for a movie I heard,” said Sam teasing Dina unmercifully.

“I have competition do I Dina my love,” said Nathan dropping a kiss on her forehead as he left his seat.

“Hardly sir we just have lots in common,” she said nervously.

“Uh oh Nathan, I don’t like the sounds of that at all,” said Mickey.

“My widowed aunt said the same thing about her husband’s best friend and those two have been cohabitating for twenty years now,” he added winking at Nathan as he left the room.

“Oh go on the lot of you,’ said Dina busing herself by loading the coffee cups in the dishwasher.

Nathan noticed the sparkle in Dina’s eyes as she spoke of Dennis Cleary, a rather good looking man and quite fit for seventy years of age. He made a note to himself to speak with him again, especially if he was courting his cherished housekeeper. Dina was family and Nathan and Mickey would need to be sure of Dennis’ intentions before they let them get too serious.

---

Rory Sorenson was more than happy at the thought of Nathan March interviewing his daughter in person, especially when Nathan hinted that although the police hadn’t confirmed it, he wanted to notify Audrey that Tom Mason might not be among the breathing.

Dressed completely in blue and looking vulnerable, Audrey Mason sat across from Nathan starring into the fireplace in the den trying to make sense of why she found Tom Mason so attractive that she broke her father’s heart by running off with him.

Nathan could only smile with his senses telling him that within a very brief period of time the beautiful blonde young woman with the bright blue eyes, would be in love again with someone who deserved her.

“Tom was not the brightest or the best provider, but he was different, you know exciting. Like all very sheltered girls, I guess I found him absolutely irresistible. I’m not excusing staying with him when I knew he had to be doing something wrong, it’s just that he could make me believe the things he said would come true. Now I know I believed him because I wanted to so badly.

“In a short while I learned that my father’s friends in Manchester were coming home from dinner parties, operas, or festivals to find their homes vandalized.

“I knew that Tom was out every night with his friend Larry supposedly drumming up investors for a new business, by wining and dining them. Finally I checked and found that the vandalism happening all around Manchester and Tom’s entertainment schedule for his clients, were identically timed down to the last break in.

“I should have come forward then, but I believed Miriam when she told me in our heart to heart telephone conversations that the judge beat her and confined her to the house in Manchester most of the time. No one would believe her she said because of his social standing, and besides she said most believed she married him for his money, which she swore to me she hadn’t.

“She honestly convinced me that she had simply made a mistake marrying the judge instead of Larry. She said she was happy with Larry and his pretending to be this Lincoln Aubrey, kept them together while Larry earned enough money to get her free of Judge Sheridan. I rationalized that the insurance companies were good for it and no one was actually getting hurt, so I kept my mouth shut, because I wanted to keep my marriage together and I wanted our baby to have a father.

“Once I knew what was going on for certain, I found a way to keep from setting up any more of Dad’s friends. I told Tom that because of the vandalism, I’d heard a lot of the summer visitors had hired topnotch security teams and Larry agreed that they had better cut their losses and stop immediately.

“Not too long afterwards I heard Tom on the phone with Larry he was furious with a man named Phelps. For some reason he believed he was cheating them. Tom said it was up to Larry to get their money. That’s all I knew, that’s all I still know Mr. March,” said Audrey feeling like a dumb fool.

Nathan March knew she was telling the truth and now he had to tell her the truth behind Tom Mason’s lies, and it wouldn’t be pleasant.

Over the next ten minutes Nathan told Audrey about Miriam and Larry’s marriage, their divorce and Miriam’s marriage to Elliot Sheridan without being sure she was legally divorced. On and on he gave her the truth about Tom’s role in it all and the greed that probably led him to believe he was on the way to becoming a very rich young man. It was a story of five people, three of whom intended harm to the other two, those two being herself and the judge. Nathan backed up everything with facts that fit together perfectly and couldn’t be refuted.

Audrey’s sobbed out loud and her face became blotched and red, as her eyes swelled from crying. Rory Sorenson hearing his daughter’s sobs entered the den pretending to put more logs on the fire, and stayed at Audrey’s request. She laid her head on her father’s chest as she insisted on hearing everything and he tenderly supported her.

“Miriam and Larry are celebrating now, because it wasn’t Larry who died in that fire, we all saw on the news. More than likely it was Tom. I’m sure that Godfrey’s fake relative will claim his remains, as soon as the police say they‘ll release them. Then she’ll bury the ashes under the name of Lawrence Godfrey and that way Larry Godfrey and Miriam can be home free, with Godfrey assuming Tom Mason‘s identity,” said Nathan confident he had the facts in perfect order.

Looking devastated, Audrey Sorenson-Mason sat up and dried her eyes and in the place of the self-pity Nathan witnessed earlier, he now observed a determination that told him she’d heard every word he’d spoken, and wouldn’t be denying her contribution to the nightmare she’d narrowly escaped.

“I believe that I can help you Mr. March and maybe if I do I will be able to forgive myself for all the harm I did, because I loved someone that was so wrong for me,” said Audrey.

“I can’t let you get involved any deeper. Your father’s already suffered far too much and so have you,” said Nathan sincerely.

“Audrey and I discussed restitution to the friends whose lives were so disrupted by the acts of vandalism my son-in-law committed. Neither of us want them to take any kind of a loss and you know I can well afford to at least compensate them financially,” said Mr. Sorenson.

“I suggest we contact a new friend of mine, Detective Moynihan of the State Police and ask his advice. Audrey all you did was inadvertently provide information to your husband that he used to vandalize others. There’s no crime in being naïve, and no wife can be forced to testify against her husband. When we can give them the name Phelps they will probably find out that he’s the man who was hired to fence the stolen goods for Tom and Godfrey, and that knowledge will lead them to Miriam and Godfrey now,” said Nathan.

John and George arrived in the same SUV to provide protection for the Sorenson’s as they traveled the three hours to Manchester State Police Headquarters following Nathan March’s car. Audrey sat beside her father and her personal strength was back, as well as her sense of responsibility. Rory Sorenson thought his heart would burst with pride as he realized that his daughter had found herself again and he would have her near him, for the rest of his life.

---

There it was again a flash like something dashing by the large windows in the kitchen at the Sheridan home in Concord, New Hampshire. Evelyn Dunn knew that no one was going to penetrate the property now that Tyrone had laid down the law about security being “tight” until the current crisis was over. Still the hair on the back of her neck tried to make her aware that something was coming, and it wasn’t good.

The seasoned chicken pieces from two large birds she would serve later were sautéed to give them color as usual. She placed them in the large glass baking dish on top of the cracker, egg and onion stuffing, covered the dish and placed it in the oven to bake for forty minutes.

When she swung around from the stove, Evelyn’s breathe caught in her lungs. A blonde Miriam stood pointing a pistol at Evie, who could feel the last minutes of her life ticking away.

“Surprised Evie,” said Miriam, “Like my new look?” she asked not really caring one way or the other.

Tyrone had coached Evelyn in survival techniques and now her eyes darted everywhere looking for a weapon of opportunity.

Had Miriam paid attention and not been so caviler about the deadly weapon she had, she would guessed what was going to happen with the large pot of boiling water holding the gizzards and chicken heart that were cooking in it. She would have seen Evelyn grab it, but she didn’t until the blazing hot contents of the pot, found her face and splattered her chest and stomach.

Evelyn wasted no time running from the kitchen and the scream Miriam had let out as she was burnt by the hot water, brought Evelyn and Tyrone smashing into each other in the large front room.

“It’s her Tyrone, it’s her,’ said Evelyn.

Elliot heard it all himself from his library and headed to the kitchen behind Tyrone, ordering Evie to find a place to hide.

Ninety minutes later a search of the property and the house produced nothing. Miriam had escaped under their noses, and Tyrone was furious enough to start yet another brand new search.

Evelyn stood up after cleaning up the mess she’d made when she threw the pot at Miriam. No one would have known anything had taken place when she was through, as the kitchen was clean and filled with the smell of spices and chicken baking in the oven.

Later, she found herself in the judge’s embrace, feeling like a child after a nightmare. The judge’s soothing voice and warmth made Evelyn feel better, and soon she sat down now being plied with merlot by the judge, who insisted she needed it to relax.

“How could she have gotten in sir?” asked Evelyn.

Before the judge could answer Tyrone entered the kitchen again carrying a woman’s shoe and looking pleased and frustrated at the same time.

“Miriam’s I presume,” said the judge.

“Yes sir that’s my supposition,” said Tyrone who continued to inform the judge that he’d found it in the large drainage hole meant for the run off. It was probably in place since the house and servant’s quarters were built, more than a hundred and twenty five years ago. It had provided Miriam with an entry out of any guard’s view, and it ended nearly outside the kitchen so she traveled that distance totally unseen.

It was simply overlooked because it was to the side of the brick exterior wall and as many times as Tyrone had walked the property as a guard, he had never realized it was there. A squirrel’s tail caught his attention as the squirrel was going into the drain through the grating that a suffering Miriam found difficult to put back in place properly. The circumference made it a tight squeeze but Miriam had accomplished it and done so probably a lot more than once. However under his orders, his men had permanently sealed it off minutes ago.

“Why would she come back knowing the manpower that is on the lookout for her?” asked Evie.

“She never was one to avoid a challenge,” said the judge.

---

Using a lap top and seated at a desk at his leased property, Adrian Phelps was breathing a lot easier now that the stolen jewels, paintings and antiques were in the hands of eight very prestigious and enthusiastic buyers who had all accepted the same delivery date and made payment in full. He had learned his lessons and taken all the time necessary to make arrangements, to bring everything full circle.

Couriers and van drivers from numerous agencies over a period of eleven weeks, had arrived at the rented warehouse, picked up and delivered packages never knowing they had million dollar cargo in their possession marked fragile. Eight phone texts confirming eight different bank transfers to the Cayman Island Bank, were received and verified and only then did Adrian, transfer a half million dollars as arranged into the supplier‘s Cayman account.

In the past Phelps would have had a hardy lunch with his suppliers once funds were received, but not this time. He wanted nothing more than to pay them their fair share, and be done with the whole mess. No one ever threatened him before, and he was sure that he’d been followed more than once as well. For the first time he worried more about those he partnered with, than he did the police.

When his cell phone chimed he looked at the sender information. It was a text message from Godfrey confirming his notification of the transfer of funds into his account as requested. Adrian was sure that when he got home and checked the mirror he’d look years younger, as the worst was over and he could close the books on this one, with the utmost pleasure.

As a fence for years Phelps should have known that it’s never a wise course of action to spend time alone in a large enclosed space, entirely by oneself. While those intending to do harm seem to always feel omniscient, those on the receiving end of that harm, often don’t feel anything following a fatal blow. Adrian Phelps was no different. The blow that knocked him out of his desk chair was so quickly followed by a bullet behind his left ear that he didn’t have time to blink.

His murderer moved Adrian’s very dead body a good distance from the chair took a seat in that chair and with swift keystrokes secured the Cayman information and simply redirected the money Phelps had earned into another account. There was no need to remove any fingerprints since the desktop along with Phelps’ expensive cell phone was going to take a swim in the Atlantic. More than likely the body would be discovered by the real estate agent, when the next month’s rent for the warehouse where it was residing, was not forthcoming.

---

Detective Daniel Moynihan appeared to have aged significantly since Nathan and he first met several weeks ago. His demeanor was almost forlorn as he sat in his office at the State Police, no closer to locating the murderer of the three victims in this case.

“Thank you Mr. Sorenson for coming in with your daughter. Nathan and I agree that your daughter here is not an accomplice to anything, so that any information she shares will go directly to my men in the field, who are trying to locate Mr. Godfrey and Mrs. Sheridan.

“You say you never met this man Phelps yourself?” asked the detective.

“No sir. I did overhear both Tom’s and Larry’s conversation with him, and with each other. They were not happy with him because he was stalling them and both men wanted their money immediately,” Audrey responded.

Directing his comments to Nathan, Detective Moynihan said, “My men are already out in the field searching for an Adrian Phelps, whose background is fencing stolen goods, for which he served prison time twice before. He is a Concord, New Hampshire resident but he’s absent from his business address down town. They’ve looked under every rock, but he’s nowhere to be found at the moment, neither is Mrs. Sheridan or Mason, or Godfrey posing as Mason. No one knows for sure,” the detective added.

Nathan knew the look Audrey was wearing on her face, she’d thought of something and it was significant.

“Oh Mr. March I am an idiot. All I could think of was the disgrace I’d caused my father. If I hadn’t been so worried about our reputation, I would have remembered something very important,” said Audrey.

“Take your time Audrey, don’t force yourself to remember,” said Nathan calmly.

“The only physical activity that Tom took part it was polo and to hear him tell it, he was excellent at it. He would still have played except for a fall he and his animal took together, at a match in Rochester, New York three years ago. He had to have his ankle put together with pins and a permanent steel rod where the horse nearly crushed it.

“Wouldn’t that rod have survived the fire to possibly help identify him?” asked Audrey hoping she was right and they could.

“Yes Audrey it would and I’ll see if I can get that corpse’s location in New Hampshire to the top of list right now,” said Detective Moynihan, smiling with the knowledge that at least he could prove whether Lawrence Godfrey was still alive, or not.

Leaving State Police headquarters, Audrey’s heart was so much lighter. “Did I do alright, Mr. March? Did I make it up to you?” asked Audrey.

“For you my dear the ordeal is nearly over and you have earned a brand new life, where none of this heartache will have any space to hurt you ever again,” said Nathan as Mr. Rory Sorenson wiped away the last tear he too would shed about the whole matter.

---

In a much shorter time than he believed possible, Detective Daniel Moynihan had proof that the much-burned corpse from the Vista View Motel still in the medical examiner’s possession in New Hampshire, was that of Thomas Mason thanks to the identification number listed on the rod in the corpse’s ankle. Now even if an army tried to claim it, that corpse wasn’t going anywhere.

According to Detective Moynihan, that although Wally Finch, and Ursula Mills, were murdered on his watch in Manchester, Massachusetts, Tom Mason’s murder belonged to Concord’s Police in New Hampshire, while Chet Simpson’s murder belonged to Guilford, Vermont. He was convinced that all of them were murdered by Lawrence Godfrey with the help of Miriam Godfrey-Sheridan and now they needed to be found, and issued an invitation to life in prison, without the possibility of parole, in one jurisdiction or the other, and if they were lucky in all three.