Gone Too Far (Devlin & Falco #2) - Debra Webb Page 0,32
No one else had mentioned any concerns.
“Did Mr. Kurtz say he was worried about anything in particular?” Falco asked for clarification. “Or was this your personal feeling or assessment?”
“He didn’t say anything,” Caldwell admitted, “but something was wrong. He wasn’t himself. I’ve known him too long not to have noticed. So yes, this was my own assessment based on what I saw.”
“Any reason to believe he had financial problems?” Kerri asked, no matter that the bank and credit card statements she and Falco had pulled showed a hefty savings and practically no debt. “No recent breakups, personally or professionally?”
Caldwell shook his head. “Leo was set. He’d saved well and invested even better. He didn’t need to keep running this place. He did it because he loved it and wanted to keep us all in jobs. He’d been single since his partner died.”
“No one he dated or went out with even occasionally?” Falco asked.
“No one. I don’t think he felt the need. This place was his life since he lost Perry.”
“Perry was his life partner?” Kerri knew the answer already, but confirming was always the best practice. Perry Sager and Leo Kurtz had been together for thirty years. Neither had extended family, only each other and this place.
“Yes,” Caldwell said with a nod.
“You can’t think of any reason,” Kerri pressed, “that explains this worry or distraction you noticed?”
Caldwell shrugged. “In my opinion, it was probably Tara. I don’t think she was living up to his expectations in her new position as assistant manager.”
Now they were getting somewhere.
“I’ve been thinking about Tara,” Falco said. “Of all the employees here, you’ve worked for Kurtz the longest. Why weren’t you his assistant manager? Why Tara?”
Exactly, Kerri mused.
“My ticker,” Caldwell explained. “I’m on medication for my blood pressure and my heart. If I’m going to keep working, my doctor says I have to limit the stress. Leo wanted me in the position, but I had to turn him down.” He sighed. “I couldn’t take the risk.”
Falco glanced at Kerri, and she threw out the next question. “Why didn’t you mention your concerns about Mr. Kurtz the first time we spoke?”
He sighed again, gave his head a shake. “I was in shock, I guess. And it didn’t seem relevant when compared with murder. But then the idea just wouldn’t let go. It kept eating at me. I had to tell you, whether it was relevant or not.”
“You didn’t talk to Tara about this?” Falco presented the next logical query.
Another shake of the older man’s head. “I didn’t see the point. Especially now. If she wasn’t living up to his expectations, it was irrelevant with him gone.”
Understandable. Kerri said, “We’d like you to make a list of any friends or close associates Leo had—besides his employees. If you have phone numbers, that would be great as well.” If he had concerns, as Caldwell suggested, maybe he’d shared them with a friend.
“Sure thing, but I have to tell you, we”—he patted his chest—“were Leo’s friends and associates. Outside this place, he always said that anyone else was just an acquaintance.”
McGill had said basically the same thing. “Any names you can come up with may prove useful.” Kerri passed Caldwell her card. “We may have other questions later.”
“Of course.” He nodded adamantly. “Anything I can do to help. I loved Leo like a brother.”
Falco pushed back his chair and stood. “Thank you, Mr. Caldwell. Please call if you think of anything else.”
“Believe me, I will.” Caldwell got to his feet. “I want whoever did this caught. Leo was a good man. He didn’t deserve to go out this way.”
When he’d exited the stockroom, Falco said, “That leaves us with only Lucky Vandiver.”
They had saved him for last. Mostly to make him sweat. McGill had stated that the young man and newest employee of Leo’s was a coke user. He had a couple of public intoxications on his record. One public disturbance. Clearly the man had issues, including a temper.
“Let’s find out what he has to say,” Kerri said.
Falco walked to the door that separated the stockroom from the retail shop. He opened it and stuck his head out. “Yo! Vandiver, you’re up.”
Her partner waited at the door until Vandiver swaggered in, then he closed it with a firm thud.
Vandiver took a seat across the table from Kerri. Falco leaned against the wall a few feet away. Kerri allowed a moment to visually assess the twenty-three-year-old. Shaggy blond hair. Bloodshot blue eyes. He looked as if he hadn’t slept in