Save me, p.25
Save Me, page 25
Detective Chellel’s statement hit Alexis like a punch in the chest. Her brother had been on the verge of being arrested. How desperate might that knowledge have made him?
No. She knew Mark. No matter what was happening in his life, he wouldn’t have gone as far as suicide.
Alexis surged to her feet. “Well then, you would have been arresting the wrong man. And I’m going to prove it.”
Chapter Fourteen
TJ guided Alexis from the police station, his arm lightly at her waist. Her determination with the detective had impressed him and, if he was being completely honest, turned him on a little. There was nothing sexier than a strong woman standing up for what she thought was right. Walking close enough to her now that the flowery scent of her perfume engulfed him wasn’t doing anything to cool his desire for her, but Alexis didn’t seem to be suffering from the same affliction.
She tapped away on her phone, engrossed in whatever she was doing on it, as they exited the police station. He let her be and focused on getting them back to the car.
“We need to go to the MGM and talk to Jessica,” Alexis said as he slid into the driver’s seat of the rental and turned over the engine.
“We’re supposed to meet with Noel Muscarelli, the former TalCon employee Shawn hooked us up with, remember?”
“I know, I know, but you said that meeting was set for noon. That gives us more than an hour and a half. The MGM is fifteen minutes from here. I don’t want to wait any longer to find out what Jessica knows.”
TJ pulled out of the parking space and headed for the garage’s exit. “We don’t even know if Jessica is at work now. You really didn’t know anything about Mark’s gambling habit?”
“No, nothing at all. Jessica mentioned that she worked at the MGM when she and Mark came to visit me last year, but I had no idea. I mean, it didn’t even cross my mind that Mark...”
“Of course not. Why would it? Okay,” TJ said, shifting into the right-hand lane when he saw the sign announcing the entrance ramp for the highway was less than a half mile away. “We’ll head to the MGM and see if Jessica is working. At the very least, we might be able to find out when she is working and we can return then.”
He drove the fifteen minutes to the casino and paid the exorbitant parking fee for a nearby garage.
The MGM was located at the National Harbor, an area that had undergone an extensive revitalization, some might say gentrification, over the last decade. The décor was elegant and upscale. In addition to the casino and hotel, the space boasted a luxuriously appointed spa, several bars and lounges, retail stores, and a bevy of high-end restaurants.
“This place is gorgeous,” Alexis said, craning her neck to take in the splendor of the main entrance.
“Gorgeous and huge,” TJ responded. He closed a hand over Alexis’s elbow and led her toward the casino floor. “These places usually have a lounge off the casino floor. Our best bet is probably to sit there and get the lay of the land first.”
He was right. There was a lounge that overlooked the casino’s main floor. A waitress approached only seconds after they’d taken a table that allowed them a clear view of the floor. She took their orders, a club soda for him and sparkling water for Alexis.
Alexis scanned the casino floor. “I don’t see Jessica.”
“There’s no guarantee she’s here,” TJ said. “For now, we need to look like we’re just a couple enjoying our drinks and thinking about losing a little money.”
Alexis looked at him. “Couple? I thought you didn’t do the couple thing?”
His lips quirked up. “Just this once.”
“Lucky me,” Alexis replied, her voice husky.
The waitress returned, putting an end to the charged moment. It was just as well. He needed to focus. He’d seen a photo of Jessica Castaldo in the background, information on her that he’d gathered, but that didn’t mean it would be easy to spot her. If she was even there, which was still an open question.
A question that must have been lingering on Alexis’s mind too. “Maybe we should ask our waitress if Jessica is working today?” She nodded at the waitress’s retreating back.
“Alexis Douglas?”
Alexis’s gaze shifted over his shoulder.
TJ turned to find a tall Latino man with dark hair that grazed his shoulder headed for them.
The man swept Alexis from her seat and kissed her on each of her cheeks before stepping back and holding her at arm’s length. “Muñeca, what are you doing here?”
“Antonio. It’s so good to see you. I’m just down for a visit.” Alexis said, obviously flustered, but the smile on her face made it clear she was happy to see Antonio, whoever he was.
“Well, this is an amazing surprise, then.” Antonio pulled Alexis in for another hug.
TJ stood, jealousy knotting his stomach.
Alexis pulled out of the other man’s arms and stepped back. “Antonio, I want you to meet my friend, TJ. TJ, this is Antonio. He and I went to culinary school together.”
TJ moved to Alexis’s side and shook the hand Antonio extended.
“Are you two staying in the hotel here?” Antonio asked.
“Oh, no. We got a place somewhere else,” Alexis said, uncertainty in her eyes.
“Good.” Antonio leaned in and lowered his voice. “This place is way overpriced. Trust me, I’m the pastry chef at a restaurant here and you don’t want me to tell you the difference between what it costs to make our signature dessert versus what we charge the guests.” Antonio laughed good naturedly.
TJ found himself warming to the man even though he was standing much too close to Alexis and looked as if he should be on the cover of a magazine instead of in a kitchen. “You two must stay for lunch. I’m not on duty until later this evening, but I’ll make sure the kitchen takes care of you.”
Alexis’s gaze slid to TJ’s face. It was almost as if he could read the thoughts going through her mind. Antonio could be just the person they were looking for to help locate Jessica.
TJ nodded, letting her know he was on board with her asking Antonio about Jessica.
“Antonio, we’re not just here to visit.” Alexis pulled her phone from her pocket and pulled up the photo of Mark, her, and Jessica. “We’re looking for this woman. Jessica Castaldo. She’s a cocktail waitress at the casino here and she was dating my brother. It’s very important that we speak to her.”
Antonio peered at the photo. “I’m sorry, I don’t know her. A lot of people work for the hotel and casino. If she’s dating your brother, wouldn’t he know how to get in touch with her?”
Sadness clouded Alexis’s eyes.
“Mark died two months ago,” TJ said.
“Oh, muñeca.” Antonio clasped his hands together, prayer-like. “I’m so sorry to hear that.”
“There are questions.” TJ picked up the conversation again when it seemed that Alexis would not. “We’d really like to talk to Jessica, but we don’t have a working phone number for her and she’s moved out of her apartment. We were hoping to catch her at work.”
Antonio made a face. “That might be tricky, but let me see what I can do.”
Antonio strode away into an area behind the lounge’s bar where their waitress seemed to have also disappeared. TJ and Alexis reclaimed their seats.
Curiosity and jealousy getting the best of him, TJ queried, “Muñeca?”
Alexis’s brow arched. “Antonio calls all his female friends muñeca. It means doll in Spanish.”
“His friends?”
Alexis’s lips turned up into a smile, and he knew she knew he was jealous. “Yes, his friends. Antonio is something of a flirt, but he’s been married for I don’t know how long. Since before I met him. And he and his wife are sickeningly in love.”
“Oh, well, that’s nice.”
Alexis’s grin grew. “It is.”
She was still smiling when her gaze shifted over his shoulder again.
He turned to find Antonio heading their way again, this time with a woman in tow. She wore the same basic uniform as their waitress wore, a short black skirt, white top and heels.
“Guys, this is Stacey. Stacey, this is Alexis and her friend TJ.” Antonio made the introductions. “Stacey knows Jessica.”
“Yeah,” Stacey said, looking from Antonio to TJ before her gaze finally landed on Alexis. “She used to work here, but she quit about three weeks ago. Maybe a month. I’m not sure. We don’t always work the same shifts.”
TJ shared a glance with Alexis. “She quit,” he pressed. “You’re sure?”
Stacey nodded. “Yeah, absolutely. Our manager was pretty upset. She didn’t give notice at all. Just called in right before she was scheduled to start her shift and said she wasn’t ever coming back. The rest of us had to cover her shifts for the rest of the week. Made a little extra, but it was annoying just the same.”
“Do you have a phone number or address for Jessica?” Alexis asked.
Suspicion clouded Stacey’s eyes. “I don’t know if I should be giving that kind of information out.”
Alexis pulled her phone out of her pocket again and turned it toward Stacey.
“This guy, Mark, he’s my brother. He was also dating Jessica. He passed away recently, and he left something for Jessica. I want to make sure she gets it.”
TJ managed to stifle his surprise at the lie that fell so easily from Alexis’s mouth, but Antonio frowned. Thankfully, he kept quiet.
The suspicion in Stacey’s eyes evaporated. “Oh, I recognize him. Good guy. I’m sorry for your loss.”
“You knew my brother?”
Stacey’s forehead crinkled. “Knew is too strong. He played here a lot, though, so I served him a bunch of times. Good tipper. Terrible gambler.”
“Why do you say that?” TJ pressed.
Stacey threw a glance over her shoulder. But they were the only people in the lounge. Even their waitress had disappeared. “Well, I mean, the deck is stacked against you anyway, right? The house always wins and all that. But some people never really get that through their heads. Winning becomes a challenge they just can’t let go of. I mean, that’s how it becomes an addiction, right?”
“You’re saying my brother was addicted to gambling?”
Stacey shot another quick glance over her shoulder. “You’re his sister, so you deserve to know. Some of the gamblers with serious problems, they go to this guy, Chamberly, when the casino stops giving them credit.”
“A loan shark?” TJ asked to clarify.
A small gasp escaped Alexis’s lips.
Stacey nodded. “I saw your brother talking to him once at a bar down the street. Chamberly is persona non grata in the hotel and casino, so he does his business out of the Blue Bull Bar. I think he owns part of it or part of the owner,” she scoffed. “That’s all I know.”
Stacey didn’t have a current phone number or address for Jessica or a full name for Chamberly. She wished them luck before sauntering away.
Antonio reissued his offer for lunch, but they took a raincheck. They had a half hour to make it back to Alexandria for their meeting with Noel.
TJ paid their bill and he and Alexis began the drive back to Alexandria. He used the speakerphone to call Shawn on the way, briefly updating him on what they’d learned at the casino.
“So could you see if you or Tansy can dig up a current address and phone number for Jessica Castaldo and whatever we can find on this Chamberly? A full name would be great, for starters.”
“Chamberly. I’ve heard of him, although I thought he operated in Atlantic City. I guess the new casino on the harbor was too good of an opportunity for him to pass up. He’s a predator,” Shawn said with more than a little disgust in his voice.
TJ shot a look across the car at Alexis. “Is he dangerous?”
Shawn grunted. “No more so than any loan shark. Generally, these guys might work a guy over, but murder is bad business. Brings police attention, and dead men don’t pay.”
Alexis let out a deep breath. “So you don’t think he could have killed Mark?”
“I didn’t say that, but it’s not likely.”
“Can you get us a meeting with him?” TJ asked Shawn. The silence on the other side of the line went on and on. “Shawn, are you still there?”
“I’m here. I can reach out to a few people and see what I can do, but are you sure about this?”
“I think we have to talk to him.” He glanced at Alexis again, hesitating to say exactly what he was thinking while she was in earshot.
Shawn didn’t have any such misgiving. “We have to consider that Mark might have stolen Nimbus as a means of paying off a debt to Chamberly.”
“No!” Alexis exclaimed.
“It’s a possibility we have to explore,” TJ said at the same time.
Alexis shot a look his way. “Mark would never do something like that.”
“Sweetheart, there’s only one thing we’ve learned so far, and that is that Mark had a lot of secrets. If you really want to get to the bottom of his death, we have to look into everything.”
The interior of the car was quiet for a full minute. Even Shawn remained silent on the open line.
“Fine,” Alexis spat finally. “We’ll talk to this Chamberly person. We’ll turn over every rock and when we do, I know we’ll prove Mark’s innocence.”
TJ hoped for Alexis’s sake that would be the case.
Chapter Fifteen
Shawn ended the call with a promise to get back to them as soon as he’d arranged a meeting with Chamberly. Alexis and TJ made the rest of the drive to meet Noel Muscarelli in silence. The weight of being the only one who believed, no, who knew, that Mark was innocent, pressed down on her until she thought she’d break.
TJ found a parking spot in the small, paved lot next to the café. He held the door open and Alexis stepped into the coffee shop where Noel Muscarelli had agreed to meet them. At a little after noon, there were only a handful of tables occupied. The space was small, but she could tell right away that they prepared their own baked goods. The air smelled of sugar and cinnamon. An instrumental pop song she vaguely recognized played too loudly from the overhead speakers.
Noel Muscarelli wasn’t hard to spot. He sat alone, a steaming cup in front of him, his eyes trained on the door of the shop.
Alexis moved toward him, with TJ following closely behind. “Noel?” The man nodded. “Hi. I’m Alexis Douglas. Mark’s sister. Thank you for agreeing to speak with us.”
“No problem.” Noel shook her hand, then turned to TJ. “You must be Mr. Roman.”
“TJ, please.” TJ shook Noel’s hand.
“Can I get either of you something to drink?” Noel asked once Alexis and TJ were seated across the table from him.
“We should be extending that offer to you, but no, I’m fine, thank you,” Alexis replied.
“I’m okay.”
“Oh, okay.” Noel tapped his nails against the side of his cup. “Sorry if I’m a little nervous. When you called to say you wanted to talk to me about TalCon... Well, I don’t have good memories of that place.”
“I’m sure you heard about Mark. His being accused of stealing from TalCon and...” She let the rest of the sentence fall away. She still couldn’t bring herself to say that Mark had committed suicide.
“Yes. It was such a shock. I’m truly sorry for your loss.” Noel looked at her with sadness in his eyes.
“Thank you. TJ was also close to Mark, and neither one of us believes that Mark would have done what TalCon is saying he did. We’re hoping you can help us.”
Noel fidgeted in his chair. “I’m not sure how. I haven’t worked at TalCon for more than six months now.”
“If it’s not too forward, you could start by telling us why you left TalCon. I understand that you worked in the same division as Mark,” TJ said.
Noel leaned back in his chair, seemingly considering how to reply. Or maybe whether to reply at all. He was silent for so long, Alexis started to think he wasn’t going to answer.
“I guess, if you think it would help prove Mark isn’t a thief, which, for the record, I don’t buy.”
Alexis felt her shoulders relax and realized she’d been worried about speaking to Noel. So far, it seemed as if everyone who knew Mark had bought TalCon’s story that he’d stolen from them. She didn’t realize just how much stress having her brother’s name dragged through the mud had put on her.
“I appreciate that.” She smiled across the table at Noel.
“I worked at TalCon in the cybersecurity and engineering division with Mark. We were both senior engineers, and we were both assigned to work on a special program that the company was pouring tons of money into.”
“Nimbus,” Alexis said.
Noel startled in surprise. “Yes. I don’t know how you know that...”
“We spoke with Nelson Bacon and Arnold Forrick yesterday, but they were pretty tight-lipped when it came to Nimbus,” TJ said. “Can you give us a bit more detail about what exactly it is we’re talking about?”
“I don’t know,” Noel said nervously. “TalCon let me go, but my nondisclosure agreement is still in effect. They were very clear about that as they frog-marched me from the building.”
“Noel,” Alexis said, leaning forward and pinning Noel in her gaze. “I promise we won’t tell anyone where we got the information. We have somewhat of an idea about what the program is anyway from Mark’s lawyer.”
Noel hesitated for a moment more before speaking. “It’s software that would allow the user to take over another computer system. Countries aren’t winning wars anymore based on who has the better guns or the bigger bombs. Everything now is run by computers.” Noel leaned forward excitedly. “Think about it. Your electrical grid. The water supply. Every financial institution. All government entities. Everything is online or in the cloud. Everything is on some sort of computer system.”
