Friday, September 19th
Trinity police station, 8:45 am
Before going back to the Kilton Motor Company the following morning, Jason Grant went to the police station to talk to David Hogan, the agent who had supervised the preliminary investigation on the scene of the crime the previous night. Before going to bed, he had called Hogan to tell him what he had learned from his conversation with Andy Cooper.
As soon as he entered the police station, they told him that David Hogan was waiting for him in his office. He entered the small room where he spent most of his days when he was not travelling for his investigations. Hogan was sitting on a chair in front of his desk. Jason went to sit opposite David just in front of a big window overlooking the lake.
“Hello, David,” he said curtly. “What can you tell me about the murder? Have you got the results from the lab or the autopsy?”
Hogan was used to the brusque ways of his superior and he didn’t mind; he admired Jason Grant, considered him a gifted investigator and trusted Jason’s opinions on the cases, even if they contrasted with his own. He had learned that Grant was very seldom wrong.
“The result of the autopsy has not arrived yet but I think the cause of death is pretty obvious. The computer technicians have analysed the database of the two computers and the strange thing is that, in the files from Cooper’s computer everything seems in order, while in the victim’s files there are some irregularities. It is as if the shortage had been found by Brown and not by Cooper. And yesterday night, while we were searching Brown and Cooper’s office we found two envelopes full of money in Cooper’s desk drawer. This could give Cooper a motive…” Jason was listening intently to what Hogan was telling him because it was exactly contrary to what Cooper had told him the day before.
“Any fingerprints on the envelopes and the banknotes?” Grant asked.
“Too many fingerprints but the funny thing is that there are no fingerprints of Cooper. Maybe he used gloves… On the contrary, on the paper-knife there are only Cooper’s fingerprints…”
Jason seemed perplexed and doubtful. He asked Hogan, “Did Brown have any relatives? I think Cooper told me last night that he has a sister somewhere…”
“Yes, he has a sister who doesn’t live in Canada. She lives with her husband in England. We called her and she said she would pay for the funeral, but she could not come to Canada now because her mother-in-law is seriously ill. She seldom heard from her brother anyway.”
“OK, I want you to investigate the life of Brown; it seems he was a gambler and always in debt. I want to know a little more about his way of living, his friends, girlfriends and so on. Have you talked to anyone at the Kilton Company?”
“No, yesterday night it was deserted and I thought you would go there today. This morning Kilton called and asked me about the investigation. I asked him if he knew anything about the money in the drawer and he seemed surprised. He said that Cooper, being the auditor, had access to the company bank account but he seemed not to believe him capable of subtracting money. Do you want me to go there and talk to him?”
“No, don’t worry, I am going to the Kilton Company now. I have already called and they told me Kilton is back and he is waiting for me. Let me know what you find out about Brown.”
“Of course, I will start immediately!”
While Hogan was leaving, Jason called him back, “David! One more thing…” Hogan retraced his steps to the office.
“Yes?”
“Last night, when you arrived at the scene of the crime, did you notice any lights on in the reception console?”
The agent thought for a moment before replying, “No, no light was on, why do you ask?”
“Oh, I just wanted to check on something. Thanks, David.”
The agent left and Jason remained a little longer in his office. When he was sitting there he could not help but look at the beautiful face who was smiling in a frame on his desk. It was a photo of a pretty young girl, blond with green eyes, who couldn’t be more than eighteen or twenty years old. He sighed sadly before standing up and preparing to leave.
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXlk071mPpv
Trinity, Kilton Motor Company, 9:30 am
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEukgoBIRxE
Jason Grant arrived at the Kilton Company. In the daylight he could see the building and the surrounding property better than the previous night. On the corner of the road, there was a parking lot just for the employees in front of a big industrial building. Before parking his car, the detective made a tour around the block occupied by the structure completely. The ground floor was entirely surrounded by windows and it was devoted to the display of cars on sale. The other section of the parking lot was for customers, and near the building, there were rows of used cars. The first floor of the large structure was occupied by the offices of the employees and by the large office of the manager. This was the part Jason had briefly visited the previous night, the scene of the crime. The basement of the building was the garage where the mechanics fixed cars and there was a section where the manager kept his car when he was at work. There were two shutters at the rear of the building; one for the company garage and the other for the manager’s garage. Opposite the garages, there was a popular gym where many people living in Trinity went. Apart from that, there were only industrial buildings around because this was not a residential area.
Jason parked his car in the customers’ section and entered the building. The receptionist looked at him and he showed her his badge.
“Detective Jason Grant of the Homicide Department,” he introduced himself in a professional tone.
“Mr Grant, the manager, Mr Kilton, has just arrived and he is waiting for you.” Jason was looking at the big console with interest.
“When the garage shutter is open, is there a light on in the console?” he asked abruptly.
The receptionist looked at him and answered, “Yes, there is a light for the workshop shutter and a light for the manager’s garage shutter.” While she was talking, she showed Jason the two LEDs that were now off. “The light goes off when the garage door closes automatically,” she continued.
“When you arrived this morning, do you remember if one of these lights was on?”
The receptionist didn’t show any reaction to these questions. “No, no light was on, but no one uses the garage at night and Mr Kilton had left the office early in the afternoon yesterday to go to Oshawa on business.”
Jason thanked her and took the elevator to the first floor. The company seemed to be working as usual, even if an employee had died and another one was in prison. Jason couldn’t help thinking that it was strange or at least it was a little tactless but he didn’t want to judge this behaviour, at least not before talking to the manager.
The manager’s secretary met him in the corridor and led him to the manager’s office. She was a pleasant woman in her fifties, of medium build and not very tall. She wore large glasses and looked very professional. Jason stopped her before reaching Kilton’s office door.
“May I ask you a few questions?”
The secretary - Alison Lewis was written on her name tag - became visibly nervous.
“Of course, but I was not here last night and I can’t be of any help. When I arrived this morning I learned what had happened and I am still shocked. Brown was always kind and friendly to me. I will certainly miss him…” After a pause, she added, “And Andy has always been so considerate and gentle to everyone, I can’t believe he has killed his colleague.”
“Can you tell me exactly what the main tasks of Cooper and Brown were? I understand they were both accountants but did they have specific duties?”
“Yes, Brown took care of the invoices and the supplies and he had contact with the suppliers and Cooper was the auditor and registered the data Brown passed to him.”
“How many people work here?”
“There are five sales clerks and five people in the office, including me, of course. In the garage, there are ten mechanics, if I remember exactly.”
“Thanks, Miss Lewis. Do you know if Brown and Cooper had problems, did they argue or quarrel?”
“I have never heard them arguing and they were always on good terms. I don’t think they met outside the office, they led completely different lives.”
While Miss Lewis was speaking, a tall man opened the manager’s office door. He was a sturdy man in his early fifties, bald with a stern expression on his face and a general air of superiority and self-confidence. Jason thought that it was certainly not easy to work for him, because he had a certain way of looking at the secretary that was very off-putting and cold.
“Miss Lewis, I told you to usher the detective in, not to entertain him. You must be Detective Grant. Please come in.”
Miss Lewis was certainly used to Kilton’s manners because she seemed totally unfazed. “Mr Grant, this is Mr Kilton,” she said smiling, and she went to sit at her desk.
“Please, Detective, come in and sit down!” the manager said politely while he closed the door. Jason entered the office that was very large, with a big desk in the middle in front of the window, two tall bookcases on opposite sides of the room, a sofa in a corner with two armchairs and a small table next to the desk with a coffee machine and some mugs on top.
Mr Kilton went to sit behind his desk and invited Jason to sit in one of the armchairs opposite him.
“I am very sorry for the death of your employee, Steve Brown,” the policeman started politely.
“We are all saddened and shaken and you surely have wondered why we are open today,” Jason sensed the nervousness of the manager and his fear of the detective’s judgment. “We had some appointments with prospective customers and I am waiting for the arrival of some new cars so I had to open the company even if I would have desired to close at least for a day of mourning.”
“Mr Kilton, what time did you leave for Oshawa yesterday?”
“I left at around four p.m. I went home to pack my bag and I left for Oshawa. I planned to go to a meeting of car dealers in order to get in touch with prospective buyers and sellers. Since I was to finish late, I booked a room in a hotel and I came back this morning. My wife didn’t call me last night to inform me because she knew I was busy and she thought it was useless for me to come back last night so I was informed by my secretary as soon as I arrived.”
“Did you talk to Mr Brown or Mr Cooper before leaving, Mr Kilton?”
“Mr Brown called me a few days ago to tell me that he had noticed that Cooper was worried. He had heard him say on the telephone something about money taken from the company accounts. I told him to look into the matter and then yesterday he reported that he had discovered some irregularities. I asked him to call Andy Cooper and tell him I wanted to talk to him today to clarify things with him. Cooper has always been an honest man and a good accountant and I believed there would be a logical explanation for his actions, something we could easily work out together. But when I called the police station this morning, an officer told me that they found money in Cooper’s office desk drawer, so I don’t know what to think!”
“What about Brown? Did you trust him? Did you check the accounts personally to verify what he had told you?”
“Brown and Cooper have worked in this company for many years and I have never had any reason to complain about them or their work. They are very precise and thorough and I have always trusted them. Yes, I checked the accounts this morning after calling the police, and I am sorry to say that there was a money withdrawal from the company account signed by Cooper a few days ago. I would never have thought that he would be able to do such a thing. Certainly, he had a reason, maybe he needed money. What saddens me is why Cooper did not come to me to ask for help. I could have given him an advance to his salary.”
“Thanks, Mr Kilton. I don’t have any other questions for now but I would like to have details of your meeting in Oshawa, just to clarify all points in my report.”
“Of course, my secretary will give you everything you need. If you’ll excuse me now, I have to go back to work.”
Jason’s phone rang, he excused himself and answered, he listened for a few minutes and hung up. He turned to Kilton, who was already going to the door, and said,
“They have just told me that you have sent a lawyer to assist Cooper in prison.”
Kilton was slightly taken aback but he recovered immediately and said with a pleasant smile, “To tell the truth, my secretary asked me this morning if we could send one of our lawyers to Cooper and I consented, even if it is not my custom to do these kinds of favours, especially if Cooper has taken money from the company! But as I have already told you, he has always been irreproachable until now and I know his family is not wealthy.”
“That was very generous of you, Mr Kilton. You can go back to your business now, I am sure we will meet again soon,” Jason said, but as he went back to his car, he couldn’t help but think that he definitely didn’t like Kilton and didn’t trust him.
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ92DVosBYYZ
Trinity, Don Bosco High School, 4:30 pm
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO1y4QJCs94
Miriam was surprised when she didn’t see Meg in class because she was one of her most enthusiastic students. Meg often stopped after her lessons to ask her questions and the teacher liked the young teenager. Louise, Meg’s best friend, was in class but she was constantly distracted and it was evident that something was worrying her.
Miriam didn’t have time to talk to Louise after the lesson because Father Mark was waiting for her outside the classroom with a grave expression on his face, which was strange because he was always smiling.
“Miriam, can you come to my office for a few minutes? I need your help.”
“Certainly, is anything wrong?” The serious countenance of the priest was making her anxious because there was certainly something wrong.
She followed him along the long corridor to his office that was next to the staircase. It was a study with walls lined with bookcases, a big mahogany desk in front of the window with a big armchair behind it and two smaller armchairs in front of it. It was so similar to Miriam’s father’s study that, every time she entered, she felt a wave of sadness, and at the same time, she felt instinctively at home. That room in her father’s home was linked to so many memories of pleasant moments spent together with her dad, reading, discussing the events of the day or the news and enjoying the harmony and the love that they shared.
Seated in one of the armchairs, Miriam immediately recognized her student, Meg, who had her face in her hands and was softly crying. Miriam felt that something was terribly wrong with that sweet young girl, who was usually smiling serenely, so enthusiastic about her studies and so eager to learn new things; the ideal student every teacher would want to have in her classroom.
She went to her and knelt beside her, putting her arm around the teenager’s shoulder. Meg immediately buried her head against her teacher’s neck and went on crying, but now the sobs were shaking her and she no longer tried to restrain her emotions. Miriam looked at Father Mark, who was standing on the other side of the desk, watching them. He shook his head slowly and said:
“Meg’s dad was arrested last night for the murder of his workmate. Meg’s dad and the victim worked in Louise’s father’s company. Meg didn’t come to school today because she went with her mum to the prison to visit her dad, but just before your lesson ended, she came to me and asked me if she could talk to you. She has not been able to tell me much because, as soon as she tries to talk, she starts crying. I told her to sit here, hoping you would be able to calm her down.”
Miriam moved the other armchair nearer to the one where Meg was sitting and sat down so that she could keep on trying to soothe Meg. She gently caressed the girl’s hair and waited patiently until the sobs started to subside. In the meantime, Father Mark had sat down on his armchair and was watching the little girl anxiously. He had dealt with teenagers for many years now, and he knew how a predicament such as the one Meg was experiencing could affect the mind and the feelings of a young girl. He silently prayed for Meg and her parents who were facing this difficult time, because he was sure that Andy Cooper was not guilty.
“Meg, please, stop crying,” Miriam was talking tenderly to the girl. “I know it is hard but everything will be cleared and your dad will come out of prison sooner than you think, I am sure.” While Miriam was talking, Meg was shaking her head.
“You must be strong and support your mum now, Meg,” Miriam was going on, “she needs you more than ever before. And you are not alone. I am here whenever you need me, and Father Mark is always ready to help you and your family, you know.”
“Oh, Miss Busati, I don’t know…” Meg was trying to speak but Father Mark and Miriam sensed there was something terribly wrong, something more than what they already knew.
“Meg,” Father Mark leaned forward on his desk, “You know your dad is innocent, you must only be patient and wait for the investigation to end and I am sure Detective Grant will find the real culprit. He is the best detective I have ever met,” he added with a smile.
“No, Father Mark,” Meg was trying to say something that weighed on her heart. “This morning, when we arrived at the prison there was a lawyer we have never seen who was leaving my dad.” Father Mark exchanged a quick glance with Miriam, alerted by what Meg was saying. He knew that Meg’s family didn’t have a lawyer because they couldn’t afford one and he had already thought of offering his help, but why was a lawyer already there?
“Dad told us that Mr Kilton’s secretary has asked her boss to send one of the lawyers of the company to help him because she knows that we can’t afford a counsellor. The lawyer had just told my dad that the manager had found evidence of embezzlement in the accounts and that Brown had told him that my dad had taken the money. The police have also found envelopes with money in my father’s desk drawer in his office. So the lawyer advised him to plead guilty because, since there is no premeditation, he could avoid a trial and have a lighter sentence.”
Here Meg couldn’t restrain herself any longer and she started crying once again. It took her some minutes to calm down but her troubled face expressed all the worries, all the desperation, all the disbelief of this young girl who had seen her peaceful family life shattered in a night.
Father Mark spoke slowly but firmly, “Meg, I am absolutely sure your dad is not guilty. He is not guilty of embezzlement and he is even less guilty of murder, and you know that too. The lawyer certainly wanted to present your dad with the different possible scenarios, even the worst, but there will surely be another solution.”
“My dad is confused, he is worried for me and mum and he seems so lonely there in prison without his family.” Meg’s words and her anxiety were really heart-breaking.
Miriam said, “Meg, why don’t you tell us what happened yesterday? Maybe if we retrace the events we can help you. Your dad is certainly innocent and I am sure that, in the end, the truth will come out.”
“My dad told everything that had happened to Detective Grant last night and he said that he had the impression that the detective believed him. You know, Father Mark, many people here in Trinity think that Detective Grant is very tough because he never talks to anyone and he is very serious, but dad told me that he was not cold to him, he just asked him to tell him the truth. And today, the lawyer reproached my dad for talking to the police without consulting a solicitor.”
“Meg,” Father Mark didn’t want to say that he had already talked to Jason, “Detective Grant can seem tough if you don’t know him but I have known him since he was more or less your age and I can tell you that he is a fair man. If he treated your father kindly it means he doesn’t think he is guilty, that’s for sure!”
“But now even the detective must have seen the evidence the lawyer is talking about and my dad is sure that Grant has certainly changed his mind about his innocence!” Meg said, “If you know him so well, Father Mark, tell him to help my dad. I don’t want him to say he is guilty if he is not!”
“He is not!” Father Mark repeated firmly. “You must never doubt this, Meg, never! Now, why don’t you do what Miss Busati suggested; why don’t you tell us what you know?”
The support of the priest and the teacher seemed to soothe Meg who now was not crying and seemed comforted by their words.
“Yesterday night, I was doing my homework and dad was helping me with Mathematics when the phone rang. Mum and I only heard dad’s part of the conversation but it was Steve Brown, dad’s colleague, on the phone. It was strange because he seldom called after work. He asked dad to go back to work because Kilton, the manager, wanted to see them immediately about some problems in the accounts, I don’t know what exactly. My mum just told me that dad was worried because he had found irregularities in the company accounts and he had had a discussion with Steve. Dad had never gone back to the office at that time and I sensed he was worried when the phone call ended and my mum was also perplexed, but Father Mark, you know my father, when he gives someone his word, he never changes his mind. And so he left, telling me to go on with my homework, that he would be back in a short time. Then we didn’t see him come back and we were worried and then…” Her tears filled her eyes and she was not able to go on.
Father Mark didn’t want to force her to speak further because he realized that remembering what had happened made the young girl suffer so much. He offered to drive her home so he could talk to her mum and offer her his assistance. The girl agreed and she thanked her teacher.
“Meg, I would like to come to talk to your mum too. I know she has never met me and I don’t want to intrude at this moment, but if I can help your family in any way, please let me know!”
“Thanks, Miss Busati. I have already spoken so much about you and your lessons to my family! I was so happy with my studies, but if my dad goes to prison, I don’t know…” Father Mark interrupted and said once more,
“Your dad will not be sentenced to prison, Meg! Just be patient and let the police do their job!” He turned to Miriam and added, “Thanks Miriam, I would like to talk to you tomorrow about this situation after I have spoken to Meg’s mum.”
“OK, I will do anything I can to help your family, Meg”
The young girl went down the stairs with Father Mark and Miriam stood outside the priest’s study watching them leave. She was worried for Meg. A young girl who sees her life devastated by such a terrible event must be supported and assisted because teenagers are so fragile. They are just making their first experiences, and the family is essential for them. She prayed everything would be cleared up soon!
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwev6OVBy02
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0pptWKYq89
and then Add to home screen.