The Last Move
Page 27
“No. My father and Mr. Bennett are at the medical examiner’s office. They’re trying to get Gloria’s body released.”
“If you don’t want to talk to us, we understand,” Kate said in a soft voice. “We know this is a terrible time. I’ve lost a parent, and I understand how painful all this can be.”
“You lost a parent?” She slid her hands into her pockets. The gesture signaled she was closing off.
“My father,” she said. “He was also shot to death.”
“For real?”
“I was younger than you. Seventeen. We were in a parking lot, and a guy came out of nowhere and shot him. It’s tough. Tore my family apart.”
Kate’s tone was almost friendly. There was empathy behind the words but not the softness he’d seen when she spoke to Alyssa.
Tears welled in the girl’s eyes. “I don’t know what I’d do if I’d seen it. I think I’d go insane.”
Kate didn’t speak, but she’d moved a half step closer to her as if trying to forge an invisible bond by simply creating closer proximity between them.
Isabella swiped a tear away as she glanced around. “Look, my father and Mr. Bennett aren’t here so come inside. It’s not like I’ve anything to give away.”
“Thanks,” Kate said.
Mazur allowed Kate to go first, and he trailed behind, happy to let her take over the line of questioning. She didn’t appear as stiff and controlled as she had in front of the cameras, and some of the tension had melted from her shoulders. Still, she was wound tight.
They sat in the spacious living room, Isabella on the couch with Kate close by. He settled in the chair across from them to give them space.
“Isabella, I hate to ask questions.” Kate absently touched the worn bracelet on her wrist. “But I have to.”
“Ask,” the girl said, shifting her body toward Kate.
“I was reading your father and stepmother’s financial statements. Nearly all their money is gone. Did either of them talk to you about money troubles?”
“Gloria ran the money show. A couple of times I asked her about it, but she said I shouldn’t worry. She said she had a talent for making money grow.”
“But kids hear things,” Kate said. “Surely Gloria and your father discussed money.”
“I heard them arguing when I was home over summer break. Dad wanted to pull out some cash but said their joint account was almost empty. She wanted to know why he needed the money right now, and he said he shouldn’t have to clear purchases with her. She told him he would have to wait a few weeks.”
“Do you have any thoughts on what was happening?”
“I don’t know. Gloria and Dad’s relationship had been kind of cool this year. They seemed to annoy each other. Nothing big. Just lots of little things. I asked Dad, and he said not to worry. It was regular couple stuff.”
“Was there anyone hanging around your father or stepmother who bothered you?” Mazur asked. “Anyone who would want to hurt them?”
“Not that I knew, but like I said, they always kept me separate from the business. I wanted to work in the dealership during summer breaks when I was in high school, but Gloria never would let me. She wanted me taking a class. Said my brain was my best asset.”
“What about the trips to Laredo to see her mother?” Kate asked. “Your stepmother was driving down to check in on her mother weekly, correct?”
“Gloria was going to Laredo? That’s weird.”
“What’s weird about it?”
“Gloria was always good about paying for Nina’s nursing home, but she didn’t visit her often.”
“Did they have a falling out?” Kate asked.
“Gloria never talked about it except once about five years ago. She’d had too much to drink and said Nina never approved of her marriage to my father.”
“Why was that?”
“My mom had only been dead about eight months when they got married. And Dad is fifteen years older than Gloria. Gloria said Nina thought it was a cursed match.”
“Nina said cursed?” Kate asked.
“Gloria also said that Nina was old school and believed Dad should have been in mourning for at least a year.”
“Do you remember your mom?” Mazur asked.
“Faint memories. I’ve pictures of us. In fact, Gloria took a bunch of pictures of Mom and me and put them in this beautiful scrapbook. It was really touching.”
“Your father said Gloria had a condo in Laredo so she had a place to stay when she visited,” Kate asked.
“Gloria has had the condo there for years.”
“What was it for?” Mazur asked.
“Her trips into Mexico.”
“Why did she go to Mexico?” Mazur pressed.
“She had clients down there who liked the high-end cars. Some paid top dollar, and when they did she sometimes would personally deliver the cars to them.”
“That’s some service.”
“Some of the cars cost over one hundred grand. She took care of clients like that because she said they’d come back to her when they had more money to spend.” The young woman frowned. “Do you think she was killed for one of the cars?”
“She wasn’t driving an expensive car. It was at least six years old and very nondescript,” Mazur said.
“Gloria usually doesn’t drive old cars,” Isabella said. “Not her style at all.”
“How was your stepmother feeling physically?” Kate asked.
“Fine, I guess. I saw her a month ago when she came to see me in Washington, and she seemed fine. She got a little tired her first night in town, but said it had been a long day. By morning she was fine. Why do you ask?”
“The medical examiner found a mass in your stepmother’s uterus,” Kate said.
Isabella’s head cocked. “What, like cancer?”
“Yes.”
Isabella blinked. “She never said a word to me. Are you sure? She would have told Dad, and he can never keep a secret.”
“The medical examiner is positive,” Kate said.
Isabella shook her head. “Jesus. She looked fine the last time I saw her. She was her usual self. Always on, if you know what I mean.”
“Can you explain?” Kate asked.
“I mean she was wearing makeup and had extra smiles. Although she could be like that when she was stressed.”
“What do you mean?”
“When she was worried, she always tried harder to be perfect. When the tough gets going, she put on more makeup. I guess now that I know about the cancer, that explains why she was upset.”
“When was she upset?” Kate asked.
“Christmas last year. I finished up exams early and arrived home a few days before they expected me. She was up in her room, listening to music and looking at pictures. I asked her what was wrong, and for a second I thought she was going to tell me. Then she smiled and said she was fine. I never saw her like that again.”
The front door opened and closed hard. Hurried footsteps echoed in the foyer and into the living room. Mazur rose and faced Mr. Sanchez.
“What are you doing here?” he demanded as his gaze skimmed to his daughter.
“It’s fine, Dad,” Isabella said as she rose. “They were just talking to me about Gloria.”
Sanchez crossed to his daughter. “I told you not to talk to them unless Bennett was here.”
“If you don’t want to talk to us, we understand,” Kate said in a soft voice. “We know this is a terrible time. I’ve lost a parent, and I understand how painful all this can be.”
“You lost a parent?” She slid her hands into her pockets. The gesture signaled she was closing off.
“My father,” she said. “He was also shot to death.”
“For real?”
“I was younger than you. Seventeen. We were in a parking lot, and a guy came out of nowhere and shot him. It’s tough. Tore my family apart.”
Kate’s tone was almost friendly. There was empathy behind the words but not the softness he’d seen when she spoke to Alyssa.
Tears welled in the girl’s eyes. “I don’t know what I’d do if I’d seen it. I think I’d go insane.”
Kate didn’t speak, but she’d moved a half step closer to her as if trying to forge an invisible bond by simply creating closer proximity between them.
Isabella swiped a tear away as she glanced around. “Look, my father and Mr. Bennett aren’t here so come inside. It’s not like I’ve anything to give away.”
“Thanks,” Kate said.
Mazur allowed Kate to go first, and he trailed behind, happy to let her take over the line of questioning. She didn’t appear as stiff and controlled as she had in front of the cameras, and some of the tension had melted from her shoulders. Still, she was wound tight.
They sat in the spacious living room, Isabella on the couch with Kate close by. He settled in the chair across from them to give them space.
“Isabella, I hate to ask questions.” Kate absently touched the worn bracelet on her wrist. “But I have to.”
“Ask,” the girl said, shifting her body toward Kate.
“I was reading your father and stepmother’s financial statements. Nearly all their money is gone. Did either of them talk to you about money troubles?”
“Gloria ran the money show. A couple of times I asked her about it, but she said I shouldn’t worry. She said she had a talent for making money grow.”
“But kids hear things,” Kate said. “Surely Gloria and your father discussed money.”
“I heard them arguing when I was home over summer break. Dad wanted to pull out some cash but said their joint account was almost empty. She wanted to know why he needed the money right now, and he said he shouldn’t have to clear purchases with her. She told him he would have to wait a few weeks.”
“Do you have any thoughts on what was happening?”
“I don’t know. Gloria and Dad’s relationship had been kind of cool this year. They seemed to annoy each other. Nothing big. Just lots of little things. I asked Dad, and he said not to worry. It was regular couple stuff.”
“Was there anyone hanging around your father or stepmother who bothered you?” Mazur asked. “Anyone who would want to hurt them?”
“Not that I knew, but like I said, they always kept me separate from the business. I wanted to work in the dealership during summer breaks when I was in high school, but Gloria never would let me. She wanted me taking a class. Said my brain was my best asset.”
“What about the trips to Laredo to see her mother?” Kate asked. “Your stepmother was driving down to check in on her mother weekly, correct?”
“Gloria was going to Laredo? That’s weird.”
“What’s weird about it?”
“Gloria was always good about paying for Nina’s nursing home, but she didn’t visit her often.”
“Did they have a falling out?” Kate asked.
“Gloria never talked about it except once about five years ago. She’d had too much to drink and said Nina never approved of her marriage to my father.”
“Why was that?”
“My mom had only been dead about eight months when they got married. And Dad is fifteen years older than Gloria. Gloria said Nina thought it was a cursed match.”
“Nina said cursed?” Kate asked.
“Gloria also said that Nina was old school and believed Dad should have been in mourning for at least a year.”
“Do you remember your mom?” Mazur asked.
“Faint memories. I’ve pictures of us. In fact, Gloria took a bunch of pictures of Mom and me and put them in this beautiful scrapbook. It was really touching.”
“Your father said Gloria had a condo in Laredo so she had a place to stay when she visited,” Kate asked.
“Gloria has had the condo there for years.”
“What was it for?” Mazur asked.
“Her trips into Mexico.”
“Why did she go to Mexico?” Mazur pressed.
“She had clients down there who liked the high-end cars. Some paid top dollar, and when they did she sometimes would personally deliver the cars to them.”
“That’s some service.”
“Some of the cars cost over one hundred grand. She took care of clients like that because she said they’d come back to her when they had more money to spend.” The young woman frowned. “Do you think she was killed for one of the cars?”
“She wasn’t driving an expensive car. It was at least six years old and very nondescript,” Mazur said.
“Gloria usually doesn’t drive old cars,” Isabella said. “Not her style at all.”
“How was your stepmother feeling physically?” Kate asked.
“Fine, I guess. I saw her a month ago when she came to see me in Washington, and she seemed fine. She got a little tired her first night in town, but said it had been a long day. By morning she was fine. Why do you ask?”
“The medical examiner found a mass in your stepmother’s uterus,” Kate said.
Isabella’s head cocked. “What, like cancer?”
“Yes.”
Isabella blinked. “She never said a word to me. Are you sure? She would have told Dad, and he can never keep a secret.”
“The medical examiner is positive,” Kate said.
Isabella shook her head. “Jesus. She looked fine the last time I saw her. She was her usual self. Always on, if you know what I mean.”
“Can you explain?” Kate asked.
“I mean she was wearing makeup and had extra smiles. Although she could be like that when she was stressed.”
“What do you mean?”
“When she was worried, she always tried harder to be perfect. When the tough gets going, she put on more makeup. I guess now that I know about the cancer, that explains why she was upset.”
“When was she upset?” Kate asked.
“Christmas last year. I finished up exams early and arrived home a few days before they expected me. She was up in her room, listening to music and looking at pictures. I asked her what was wrong, and for a second I thought she was going to tell me. Then she smiled and said she was fine. I never saw her like that again.”
The front door opened and closed hard. Hurried footsteps echoed in the foyer and into the living room. Mazur rose and faced Mr. Sanchez.
“What are you doing here?” he demanded as his gaze skimmed to his daughter.
“It’s fine, Dad,” Isabella said as she rose. “They were just talking to me about Gloria.”
Sanchez crossed to his daughter. “I told you not to talk to them unless Bennett was here.”
