Bonnie Glock: Magical Private Investigator

Chapter Five

The Alibi

"Can you explain why an actor by the name of Leon Gibson was looking for you?" Moriano asked.

Mrs. Kishman shook her head, "I've never heard that name before."

"So you had no notion that Mr. Gibson was looking into your infidelity?" Bonnie asked, ignoring normal polite social cues.

Mrs. Kishman pressed her hand against her clavicle with a gasp, "What? I have never been so rudely accused of anything in my life."

Moriano glared at Bonnie as he said, "I apologize for my partner's blunt remark, Mrs. Kishman. What she means is, do you know why anyone might've hired Mr. Gibson to look into your personal affairs?"

"No. I can't say that anyone I know would have any reason to suspect me of being a harlot," she responded while looking scornfully at Bonnie.

"Clearly someone did if Gibson came looking for my help," Bonnie said, matching Mrs. Kishman's bitter tone. She kept her hand at the ready. She wouldn't let Mrs. Kishman get the drop on her if things turned foul.

"I can assure you that I am a committed wife and I don't know why anyone would suggest otherwise," Rachel said firmly.

"Is your husband home, Mrs. Kishman?" Moriano asked politely.

"He's out of the country at present. He'll be flying home tomorrow," Rachel said.

"Do you have proof of his absence?" Moriano asked.

Rachel raised an eyebrow at him and Bonnie took the opportunity to butt in, "How would you describe your relationship with your husband Mrs. Kishman?"

"Glock," Moriano hissed.

"We just need to rule him out as a suspect. You see if anyone were suspicious enough to hire a person to look into what you do with your free time, your spouse makes the top of that list," she said.

"You think my husband hired this man and then killed him?" Rachel asked, baffled.

"That's one theory," Bonnie said emphasizing the singular. Bonnie felt that the witch knew what she was hinting at, that her normal partner couldn't sense what she did and Mrs. Kishman was her number one suspect.

Rachel abruptly stood up from the dark gray linen sofa across from them. Bonnie's hand flinched to her holster but stopped when she saw the woman meant them no harm. As she exited the living room to retrieve her husband's flight information, Moriano whispered harshly, "Bonnie, you need to knock it off. You're going to make her clam up. You do realize she is our number one suspect?"

Bonnie bit at her lower lip in frustration. She wanted to tell Moriano what this woman was capable of, that Rachel Kishman was a witch and that magic was involved in Gibson's murder. Yet as much as she wanted to divulge this information, she knew she had to play by the normals' rules. Moriano needed forensic evidence connecting their suspect to the crime. After they made an arrest, Bonnie would use her contact in the Magic Intelligence Agency to intervene as they always did in cases where a witch or wizard was caught breaking the law and using magic on normals.

Before Bonnie could argue with him, Rachel returned with several pieces of paper. Handing them to Moriano, she said, "Here's his flight itinerary. If you call the airline, you'll see he boarded the departing flight."

"Thank you, Mrs. Kishman," Moriano said. As he reviewed the itinerary, his phone rang and he excused himself to answer.

Taking the lead on questioning, Bonnie asked, "Where were you last night starting around ten?"

"I was at Club Deluxe from nine until well after midnight, then I took an Uber home," she said, showing Bonnie her phone.

Glancing at it, Bonnie could see an Uber receipt. "And if we go to Club Deluxe, the bartenders will confirm your story?"

Mrs. Kishman nodded, "The band was Barrio Manouche."

"We'll see," Bonnie said with a glare.

"Bonnie, we gotta go," Moriano said, breaking up the two women's aggressive staring contest.

Bonnie rose from the tightly upholstered wing chair taking one last look around the plush décor of the Kishman's living room and said, "Don't leave town anytime soon, Mrs. Kishman."

Detective Moriano repeated her comment in a more polite way, informing her it would be suspicious if she fled during an ongoing murder investigation.

Back in the confines of Moriano's midnight-black Charger, Bonnie asked, "Why did you make us leave?"

"That was Kat. They got a lead from Gibson's personal effects. A ticket stub from last night's show at the Deluxe."

"Why aren't you arresting that woman then?" Bonnie asked.

"We need hard evidence, Glock. I can't just arrest someone because they were at the same club. Besides, that woman doesn't even own a gun," Moriano said, turning his laptop to show her Rachel Kishman's clean record.

"She's involved," Bonnie said ignoring the screen. "You asked me to work this case with you, and I'm giving you my honest opinion. If Kishman didn't do it, she knows who did."

"How could you possibly know that?" Moriano questioned.

"You said it yourself. I have a way of solving the unsolvable. If you want to question my methods that's fine, but I know she's had a hand in this."