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The chronological order of my stories is as follows:
Todd I was leaving because of that sexual harassment asshole Dembo. I had to tell him at one point that if he put his hand on my ass again, I'd shoot him dead. And he was driving business away: his patients were telling my patients of his sexual harassment issues."
"But couldn't Gloria have fired him?" I asked.
"Yes, but he was threatening to make a public issue of it if he was kicked out. And that might have cost me getting on Staff, might have exposed my affair with Richard, and would've hurt the practice badly. Also, Hartwell is making inquiries about getting on staff at City Hospital; if he goes, it really is all over for us."
"So Gloria's death hasn't helped you, has it?"
"No, in fact it may hurt me opening my own practice, though I'm still going to be on Staff at University Hospital."
"So why didn't you tell me all this before?" I asked. "You only made vague references to Dembo, you didn't tell us about Hartwell at all."
"I didn't lie to you, though, Commander." said Muncey. Seeing the look on my face, which was scorn and anger, she continued: "Look, I understand that you are the cops, you're doing your job, which is to find Gloria's killer... and nothing else. But I had, and have, my life and future to think about. I told you Dembo was making female patients uncomfortable, which was true. But if I tell you he sexually harassed me and I threatened to kill him, you're looking at me as a murder suspect, you're publicly investigating Dembo and that Wurtzburg bitch is blabbing it all over the airwaves on her newscasts. Our practice is a shambles as it is with Gloria's death, and I did what I had to do."
I had nothing else to say. I began collecting my things and getting up, and Paulina did the same. She went outside before I did. As I got to the door, I turned, feeling more sad than angry as I said "Dr. Muncey, I am... grateful to you and your medical skills for taking care of my wife's health last autumn. However... at this point, I think it would be a most very good idea if you find new employment... outside of this County. Goodbye, Doctor."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Dr. Richard Searles was looking pale and haggard as I entered Interrogation-B with Paulina. I read him his rights, telling him that it was a precaution.
"Dr. Searles, would you please tell me the full nature of your relationship with Caroline Muncey?" I asked. Searles winced.
"We've... had a sexual relationship at times." said Searles. "Not güvenilir bahis since October, though."
"But you helped her get on University Hospital's Staff?" I asked.
"Sure, and your wife was an advocate for Caroline after Caroline performed your wife's surgery so well last... September, was it?"
"Did you ever plan to leave your wife for Dr. Muncey or at any other time?"
"No." said Searles. "Like I told you before, things with my wife were getting better the last few weeks."
"So why didn't you tell me about this affair when I talked to you earlier?"
"Come on, Commander." said Searles. "You had just told me my wife was dead. I was in shock; I'm still in shock about it now. And I didn't lie to you, I didn't deny that I'd had an affair. But how would it have looked if I had told you about Caroline then? You might have arrested me on the spot. I didn't deceive you, but I sure didn't want to be figuring out the rest of my life in a jail cell."
"No, you didn't lie to me," I said, my voice severe, "but it is fortunate that I had already figured out you could not have done it, and who likely did. If it had been just about any other Detective, you probably would have been arrested, especially once the affair with Dr. Muncey came out."
"Tell me this, Doctor," I said, "why did you take out a loan of $200,000 four years ago?"
"To pay off a debt." said Dr. Searles. "It had nothing to do with this case. I will say nothing more about it, and if you press, I'll invoke my Fifth Amendment rights."
"Again, Doctor, it is most fortunate for you that I know the truth already." I said. "You were paying off another woman that you were having an affair with. Maybe she was blackmailing you, maybe you were paying her to get an abortion. I don't know, and it doesn't matter for this case."
I got up. "I'm going to go see if I can get Justice for your wife, Dr. Searles. Again, I truly am sorry for your loss. She died because she was concerned for a patient's health, and tried to help that patient without knowing that her caring was what would lead to her death. You indeed lost a treasure far greater than anything Caroline Muncey, or any other women for that matter, provided for you sexually. Good day, Doctor." With that I left, leaving Dr. Searles with a frown on his face.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Okay, now it gets tricky." I said to Paulina. We entered the rarely used Interrogation-C room.
"Dr. Clifford," I said, "I am going to read you your rights, as a precaution." I did türkçe bahis so, then asked if he wanted outside counsel. He declined.
"Doctor, I want you to be truthful with me: your wife was not at home all night last Monday night-Tuesday morning, was she?"
Clifford paused, contemplating things, then shook his head, his eyes introspective.
"Dr. Clifford, let me spell it out for you." I said. "I have a very strong case that your wife murdered Gloria Searles. And if you're not telling me the truth, as you have not been to this point, you become an accessory to that murder. Now I don't think you had anything to do with it, but I'm not going to play games, either... was your wife at home all night last Monday night and Tuesday morning?"
I saw a tear form in Clifford's eye and he laughed a bitter whimper of a laugh. "Doctors." he said, more to himself than to me. "They took my future away from me years ago. And now a doctor, however well meaning, has taken my life away from me now..."
I waited, letting Clifford marshal his thoughts. I knew he was at a huge crossroads in his life. Finally, he said, his voice barely a whisper. "No, Commander. Darla and I argued that night, and she left around 1:00am while I calmed down with some... good smoke, shall we say. She left her cellphone at home, as she often did, and I had no way to reach her. But I swear to God, I had no way of knowing what she was going to do..."
He then straightened up, took command of himself. "But I want immunity from prosecution if you want me to testify to that."
Paulina looked at me expectantly. I just shook my head.
"I can't allow that, Dr. Clifford." I said. "The best I can do... is to get the ADA here to give you 25-to-life... for the murder of the pharmacist, Lockhart."
The look on Paulina's face was priceless. But the look on Clifford's face, seeing that I knew, was even better. His eyes were wide with shock, his mouth gaping. He just about fell out of his chair as he was losing control of his body. He rallied, pulling himself together.
"Well, I have to admit that's a funny one, Commander Troy." Clifford said, his voice almost a series of gasps. "Remind me not to play poker with you, seeing your skills at bluffing."
I smiled, one of those smiles that perps did not want to see. "You must not know of any little reputation I possess, Dr. Clifford, if you think I'm bluffing." I said. "You're going to have plenty of time to play poker, though... in State Prison. Now here's the bottom line up front, Clifford: you güvenilir bahis siteleri give us Darla, you give us what we want to know, and you'll get the leanest sentence possible for your own crimes. But if I walk out of here and go talk to her, and she takes the deal, you'll be looking at the death penalty."
After a moment, John Clifford looked at me and said simply "I call. I'm calling your bluff. If you think I killed anyone, you prove it."
"I will." I said as I got up and walked out, Paulina hustling to follow. Officers came into Interrogation-C and arrested Clifford and took him through the booking process as I and my entourage strode down the hall to Interrogation-1... it was time to confront Darla Clifford, the murderer of Dr. Gloria Searles.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The lawyer H.J. Lynch had somehow managed to get himself back into representing Darla Clifford. So be it. I was looking forward to him seeing this.
I re-read Darla her rights and made sure to comment that it was being recorded on videotape, as this interview would be. I introduced myself and Paulina Patterson, being as formal and meticulous as I could, almost to the point of a formal Japanese tea ceremony ritual.
"Mrs. Clifford," I said, "We've taken your husband into custody. If he starts singing like the bird I suspect he is, he'll get a deal and you will get the death penalty when you're convicted of murdering Gloria Searles. However, if you cooperate, including the conversations you had with your husband while under house arrest that will show his intent to go out and kill the pharmacist Lockhart, the ADA here is willing to offer you a deal in exchange for your truthful testimony at trial. Do you need a moment to confer with your lawyer?"
"No sir." said Darla. "I will tell you everything. I don't need the deal; I don't care if I live or die."
"Darla, I have to advise you-" started Lynch, but Darla stopped him.
"No, I'll talk to them." she said. "You can go."
"I'll stay here anyway," said Lynch, peering at me, "to make sure this police officer doesn't abuse your rights." Paulina's face showed her anger, but I concentrated on Darla, who had tears coming out of her eyes.
"I... I had no intention of killing anyone." she said. "I was scared, I thought my life was over, and I just didn't know what else to do."
"Dr. Searles was asking you about the bruising on your leg, and she connected it to your use of birth control pills, didn't she?" I asked.
"Yes sir." Darla said. "When I saw her talking to my husband, I was scared to death she was going to tell him. Doctors are like that, can't trust them to shut their fucking mouths, unless it's to keep from confessing to malpractice. You can ask my husband about that."