A Brilliant Plan

Chapter 44

Hi, Alex here. Apologies, I switched Chapter 46 on before 44 and 45. Here they are! And on with the story.

FOWLER AND I spent the rest of the afternoon and the early evening giving our statements to the police.

Ron gave us a quick update on Billy Bounce. Had we ever seen him before? No. Fowler and I shook our heads, while I crossed my fingers under the table. They held him on several accounts, mostly the resistance and shooting stuff. Although it appeared that he was some kind of professional thug, he wasn't on anybody's wanted list. Billy Bounce simply asked for his attorney, made his one phone call and within an hour had the best lawyer in town at his side; another hot legal eagle from L.A. was also on the way. Ron speculated that Billy Bounce was a robber among robbers and simply wanted to get the piece of pie for his master. Followed by another quick look at me.

Still denying any involvement with Phoebe's murder, Altward was interrogated several more times. So far, his statement matched the story he gave us.

In parallel, Paul Faulkner was also brought in for questioning. At first, he too refused to talk and waited for his lawyer to arrive. Juanita and I were behind the mirror screen of the interview room while Ron and another policeman tried to pull something, anything out of Faulkner.

"Do you know this man?" Ron was asking. He put down the same photo of Hans Polter we had shown to Altward.

Faulkner didn't even glance at the photo. He folded his arms, "Can I have another coffee?"

Ron tried some other questions to rile Faulkner into an answer, any answer, but no such luck. Faulkner simply stared at some undisclosed spot on the wall. A few minutes later, his lawyer arrived, the serious type with a Hermes silk tie and a calfskin briefcase. He introduced himself as Henry Winston, what fitting irony if you know about fine jewelry. He glared at the mirror screen as if he could make us out behind it.

Juanita whispered, "Has regular lunch with the mayor and plays golf with the chief of police."

"Can I confer a few minutes with my client, Officer?" He inquired politely.

Ron said easily, "We only have a few questions for Mr. Faulkner, no big deal."

"This doesn't have anything to do with the Eastman murders or the break-in at the gallery?" Winston raised a skeptical eyebrow.

"It might," Ron conceded.

"Is there a place where we can have privacy?"

They all got up, Ron showed them out and we heard them shuffling along the corridor, another door opening and slamming. A few moments later, Ron stepped into the interrogation room with fresh coffee and sat down, studying his file. Juanita and I sat down, too, and waited.

Faulkner and Winston met for about twenty minutes and then they marched back into the room. Ron switched on the recorder and stated the names of the people present.

"Who is behind the screen?" Winston pointed at the mirror.

"Detective Garcia, Officer Smithson, police consultant Moonstone and insurance agent Wynn," Ron said. "They all belong to the investigation team. May we begin?"

"Go ahead and ask your questions."

"First, I want to inform you that we have arrested your gallery partner, Andrew Altward, on the counts of killing your security guard, Wally Eastman, and attempted insurance fraud, other counts are pending." He left out the Maximilian part. "He will be officially charged tomorrow." Ron held up his right hand in a stop gesture. "And before you say 'ridiculous,' I further inform you that Altward has confessed to both counts."