Wicked Deceptions - Amy Cecil Page 0,58
is going with me.” Susie nodded.
He proceeded to Shark’s desk. “Come on, we’ve got a lead on the Halloween homicide.”
Shark immediately got up from his desk, and they proceeded to leave the station.
When they got to Doyle Road in Clifton, they were both shocked and amazed at what they saw when they turned down the long drive toward the home. They expected a large home, considering the address, but nothing prepared them for the property that was before them. The house was a massive two-story home with wings on each side. Also on each side were three-car garages. The driveway ended in a circle with an overhang that jutted from the front of the building, like the ones seen at most high-end hotels. When they parked under the overhang, Daniels cut the engine and looked at Shark. “You ready for this?”
“Yes, sir.” They got out of the car and then walked up to the front door. Daniels rang the bell, but there was no answer. He rang the bell again, and a few seconds later, the door was answered by a tall man.
“Hello, I’m Lieutenant Daniels with the Clifton Police Department. This is Officer Shark. May we come in?”
“What’s the problem, Lieutenant?” the man asked.
“If you would just let us come in, we can talk.” Daniels showed his badge.
“Of course.”
They stepped into the home and asked, “Does Abigail Andrews live here?”
“Yes.”
“When was the last time you saw her?”
“Halloween.”
“And the last time you spoke to her?”
He thought for a moment. “Halloween.”
“So what is your relationship to Abigail Andrews?
“I’m her butler. Have worked for the Andrews for the last twenty-five years.”
“I understand that Mr. Andrews is deceased?”
“Yes. Passed away last fall.”
“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Does Mrs. Andrews have any family that you know of?” Daniels inquired.
“None that I am aware of.”
Daniels looked at him oddly. Brady had told him that she had a sister, so why doesn’t this guy know about her? “Uh, I’m sorry, I didn’t get your name?”
“It’s Bently.”
Daniels nodded. “Well, Bently, Mrs. Andrews never spoke of a sister?”
“No, sir.” He began to fidget. “What’s this all about?”
Daniels looked over at Shark and then back at Bently. “Well, I’m very sorry to inform you but Mrs. Andrews was murdered on Halloween.”
The butler gasped. “That can’t be. Mrs. Andrews is spending the week with friends in the mountains.”
“I can’t really divulge any details, but her body was found at the Colchester Overpass.”
“Oh no, do you think it was the Bunny Man!”
Holy shit, enough already. “No, Bently, I don’t believe it was the Bunny Man. However, you could really help us get to the bottom of this if you could answer some more questions for us.”
“Am I a suspect?”
“Not yet,” Daniels replied, and Shark snickered.
“Perhaps I should call a lawyer?”
“Look, Bently, you are not a suspect. We just need some information about Mrs. Andrews. Anything you could provide us will surely help our case.”
He hesitated for a moment and then replied, “Of course.”
“So, you said you’ve worked for the Andrews family for twenty-five years. From what we’ve gathered, Mrs. Andrews would be in her late twenties, maybe early thirties.”
“She is… I mean, was twenty-eight.”
“And how long have you known her?”
“She married Mr. Andrews three years ago.”
“And how old was Mr. Andrews when he passed?”
“Sixty-eight.”
“So she was significantly younger than him?”
“Yes, Mr. Andrews liked his women on the young side.” He winks. “If you know what I mean.”
Daniels took a deep breath. “So Mr. Andrews has been married before?”
“Yes, just once before, but his first wife died.”
“How did she die?”
“It was deemed that she died of natural causes. He came home from work one day, and he found her lying in their bed, dead.”
“I see.” Daniels raked his hands through his hair. “And what did Mr. Andrews do for a living?”
“He was the CEO of Integrated Dynamics, a defense contractor. He retired when he and Mrs. Andrews got married.”
Daniels looked at Shark, and he assumed that he was thinking the same thing. Their victim was a trophy wife who must have become bored in her marriage and had a lover.
“Do you know how they met?”
“Yes, Mrs. Andrews worked at Integrated. She started out as an intern, and when she graduated from MIT, she was one of their youngest engineers. She was brilliant.” He shook his head sadly. “She was so smart.” Tears began to well in his eyes, but he quickly shook them away. “Anyway, they started an affair at work, and he eventually married her.”
“Did they have a happy marriage?”
“From what