Riverside's Perfect Murder

A White Hat

"I wondered if you could check into something for me, Mr. Kinkade."

"Tom please," he said.

"OK, Tom. Could you please look at Dave and Rose Wilkes bank accounts?"

"Do you think Dave was involved? How scandalous?"

Rita tried to keep her face steady, but she could feel the heat rising. "Nothing scandalous," she said thickly, "I am only trying to tie up some loose ends. Now please the accounts."

Tom was typing on his computer as Rita was looking around Tom's office. Barren, nothing personal. No certificates or diplomas on the walls. No pictures except for the photo on his desk.

"Here it is." Tom interrupted Rita's thoughts. "Nothing much to show. There are twenty dollars in their joint account. Dave had a separate account with a few hundred in it, but Rose is not the beneficiary. The beneficiary listed is Jennifer Adams. I don't show an address, and that's strange we are supposed to have a phone number and address for all beneficiaries as you can imagine."

"Did Mr. Wilkes, ah, Dave have a safe deposit box?"

"No, I don't show one for Dave, but Rose does."

"Mrs. Wilkes has a safe deposit box? In her name?"

"Yes, Rose signed the card. See." He turned the screen so Rita could look at the image of the box registration card.

"How long has she had that box?" Rita asked. Mrs. Wilkes lied to Rita, and she didn't like it.

"Looks like ten years," Tom replied.

"I don't suppose you have any idea what's in it?"

Tom looked worried. "No, and we can't open it unless she authorizes it or with a court order. Now if it was in Dave's name that would be easier on account of him being dead and all."

"Court order, huh?"

"It's the only way unless you want to ask Rose," Tom said apologetically.

"No. As you can imagine, this is a difficult time for Rose. Does it show if she has been to see the box recently?"

"Not here. But Mary Jean might know."

"OK, thanks. I'll go ask Mary Jean." He started to get up to follow. "No need to come. I can find her just fine." Tom looked disappointed but sat back in his chair.

Rita made it to the door and turned to ask about the picture on Tom's desk when Joe ran by full tilt. "Joe, what's...." but he was already through the lobby and out the door.

Rita caught up to him outside. "What the hell, Joe?"

"I think he was here," Joe said sounding slightly out of breath but excited.

"Who was here?"

"The Killer." Joe was still looking all around and moving to the corners of the building.

"Wait. What?" Rita was confused.

"He's gone. Come on back I want to show you something that's going to blow your mind."

Rita followed Joe back to the security room. "Rita, this is Rob. He's the security tech guy. Rob show her what you just showed me."

"Joe wanted to see yesterday's film, but as I told him it was already set to the main office, but I asked if he wanted to see today's film. I took it back to first thing this morning and was showing him different images and shots. We got to the part where you two walked in and waited for Mr. Kinkade and then went down the hall, see." He rolled that part of the film.