Chapter 11
The pleasant aroma of baking cinnamon sweet rolls and the meaty flavor of sizzling pork sausages were tickling Steve's nostrils and his flavor buds were excited. Maureen was determined to make her sweetheart a superb breakfast and she was busy in her kitchen producing a magnificent morning repast. She was dressed in her teddy and her low-heeled slippers. She looked so sexy with her scanty nightgown with a kitchen apron and her heeled slippers, just like a Playboy centerfold. Steve rolled over in bed and slowly opened his eyes and enjoyed the view he was gazing on. Maureen looked so much like the little housewife she so much desired to be, and at the same time, showed the attractiveness of her sexy body.
“Wake up, darling. Breakfast is nearly ready and you really need all the energy you can get to start your day,” Maureen stated as she leaned over the bed to gently wake Steve up. As she did this, her sexy body was a pleasant sight to his awakening eyes. He reached up and placed his arms around her and dragged her down on top of him and he started to plant kisses on her moist lips. His hands caressed her firm breasts and he encouraged Maureen to desire his sexual advances as much as he wanted.
“I love you, babe,” Steve uttered as they rested in the bed. Steve gently passed his fingers through her hair and caressed her mouth with his lips. He smiled as he gazed into her green eyes. “This is what I want to do every morning for the rest of my life. I could just lay here beside you and enjoy a wonderful life with the most beautiful woman in the world.” She kissed him hard for that compliment and then pulled away and rose from the bed. “I have a wonderful breakfast planned for you, my wonderful one, so, take your shower and meet me in the kitchen.”
Steve reached out and let her hand slip away as Maureen rearranged her night gown and proceeded to the kitchen to finish preparing a delicious breakfast. Steve slowly rolled out of bed and walked into the shower and the cool waters on his face were enjoyable and awakening. As he was shaving, the smells of the sweet rolls and the sizzling of the cooking sausages were making his taste buds savor and he hurried a bit to join Maureen in the kitchen.
“That sure smells great, gorgeous,” he stated as he gave Maureen a passionate hug and a hard kiss on the back of neck. With his hands caressing her breasts, he drew her close to him and bit her on the edge of her ear. She then convinced him to sit down and she started to serve him a great morning meal.
“Steve, wear your nice tie with the red stripes on it today. It'll look very good with your dark blue suit you're wearing. Hanks has us visiting Headquarters this afternoon to file a report on the progress on the Smith-Hughes case, and I have permission from the Captain to interview Detectives Ciminelli and Hannigan who are coordinating the investigation.”
“I’ll be honored to be your subject for tonight's broadcast, but please show my best side, doll,” he replied as he chewed on the delicious pork sausages on his plate. After asking for a refill of her great coffee, he proceeded to clean his plate of every morsel of cinnamon sweet roll and sausage on it. He smacked his lips to show his delight. “Just great, sweetheart.”
“Steve, is there anything new in the Smith-Hughes case or will the interview be a waste of our time? I don't want to rehash the same material we were given last week,” questioned Maureen as she sipped on her coffee.
“Darling, if the Captain allows us to open up, I'll gladly give you a great scoop, but I don't know at this time what I can reveal publicly. We're close to an indictment and ... putting this case to rest,” he remarked as he gently placed his hand on her arm and blew a kiss to her. She smiled and planted an understanding kiss on his hand.
• • •
The Squad Room was very active this morning, as many of the detectives of the Homicide Department were busy attempting to solve their cases. When Steve arrived, Linda had already finished some work and was at her desk doing some preliminary work on the MacGyver murder case. As Steve approached her, she closed the file and proceeded to put it away in her desk.
“Did our reports arrive yet, Linda?” questioned Steve, as he calmly checked his phone calls on his desk.
“They promised me that they would have them here before noon,” replied his partner. Linda then walked over to the coffee table and poured herself a hot cup and offered Steve one, too.
“Thanks, but I just had two cups already this morning,” replied Steve as he slowly relaxed at his desk.
“You look sharp this morning, Steve. How come?” Linda commented as she placed her coffee cup on her desk.
“WKWL will be here sometime this afternoon to interview the two of us on the Smith-Hughes case. If you want to return home to pt on something different, I'll cover for you,” Steve replied with a smile.
“Hey, partner, my outfit is just fine for TV. I'm not going to put on the fancy look just for the camera,” Linda returned sharply. “Is Maureen doing the reporting on this interview?”
“It's my sweet darling's show and she would like us to relate more than the Captain related last week, but I informed her that it was up to him, not me.”
“You know the Captain will only allow us to give the normal line -unless he changes his mind on the possible Anderson indictment,” Linda remarked as she finished her coffee. Just then, Agent Anders entered the Squad Room and walked briskly toward the Captain's office, and as he passed Steve and Linda, he signaled them to join him.
“This meeting includes the two of you, Ciminelli and Hannigan. You're part of this matter,” Agent Anders bellowed as he marched pass them. The three of them proceeded to the Captain's office and entered it and sharply closed it's door. The Captain greeted Agent Anders and shook his hand and the four claimed a chair and made themselves comfortable.
“What can we do for you today, Mr. Anders?” the Captain opened the conversation and at the same time started to chew on a new cigar.
“The word· is out that you are near to solving this Smith-Hughes case, and that an indictment will be coming out sometime this week, “ Agent Anders muttered as he ran his fingers across his mouth. He stared at the Captain so as to analyze his body movements, trying to uncover some untold secret on the case. The Captain stared back at him and slowly chewed on his cigar, and then he placed it down on the ashtray in a deliberate manner. “Anders, I know what you really want and why you're here this morning. All I want to know is how in the hell did the White House know about it? Who's the big mouth in this building “that leaks material to you people so quickly?” the Captain sternly stated.
“You're right, I'm here for the President and believe me, their are few secrets in this town. You know that, Captain,” Anders replied. “I have been instructed by President Patterson personally to retrieve any blackmail material Laura Smith-Hughes had on Nancy Patterson.”
“What makes you think we have uncovered any blackmail material that the murder victim controlled?” shot out Steve as he leaned forward in his chair. “We know you retrieved some envelopes from her cars parked in the Watergate Complex garage. What was in them?” he replied.
“You guys have been tailing us, you bastards,” blurted out Linda with some anger. “C.I.A. bullshit. You put that tail on us and have watched every move we make.” She was really mad and she rose from her chair and walked to the window to let off some steam.
“Look detective, when you rattle the cage of the President of the United States, what did you expect? Roses and chocolates in a gift box?” Agent Anders replied sharply. “Nancy Patterson was being blackmailed by Laura Smith-Hughes, not for money but for political pressure. She didn't want the President to run for re-election. She hoped to marry Vice President Anderson and become the First Lady herself.”
“That bitch sure knew how to manipulate people in this town. What would have happened if she had succeeded instead of being rubbed out like she was?” Steve conjectured as he had a puzzling look on his face.
“Oh, I think someone would have iced her before she got even close to those plans of hers,” the Captain replied. “Linda, give Agent Anders the material we uncovered on Nancy Patterson. We don't need it and I want this spying eye off my department.”
Linda went into the cabinet and withdrew the blackmail material Laura Smith-Hughes had on Nancy Patterson. She handed the folder over to Agent Anders and was tempted to hold on to it, but she-quickly changed her mind.
“Thank you, detective Hannigan,” Anders stated as he accepted the folder. “I'm only doing my job folks, just like you would if the Commissioner had ordered you. My boss orders me to do things I don't relish or enjoy, but I have to do it. Forget what you read in this folder. You don't remember anything.”
The Captain rose from his chair and walked over to Agent Anders and patted him on the back. “I'm glad it's in your hands now. I wouldn't want that garbage here any longer than it has to be. It's your problem now, my friend.” He smiled as he stated these words and Steve and Linda could see the strain on Anders's face as he heard them.
“Again, thanks to all of you for your cooperation. I hope we stay friends,” Anders interjected as he was ready to leave. “I hope you close this case soon, for the pressure on the Vice President is starting to show. Even if he isn't indicted, his career here in Washington is through. You can count on it.” He shook the Captain's hand and extended it toward Steve and Linda. They shook hands and Linda wondered when would the F.B.I. stab her in the back again. With her brother Vinnie working there, the mistrust hurt even more.
• • •
When Steve and Linda came back from an early lunch, the , much anticipated
I.D. and forensic reports were lying on their desks. Steve quickly glanced over the results of the reports and Linda did the same.
“Damn,” Steve exclaimed, “the best they could find from that plane are partial prints. They are useless in court.”
“The car rental had been cleaned several times but it still revealed some traces of blood, but too small to be used for analysis,” remarked Linda as she studied one of the reports. “I think we batted zero on this, Steve.”
“Maybe not so,” Steve answered as he guided Linda into one of the interrogation rooms and closed the door. “How can we match Petersen to Jonathan Smith-Hughes with this flimsy evidence here?” returned Linda as she leaned against the table in the room.
“We know it's flimsy but Jonathan doesn't,” Steve remarked. “What if we issue a warrant for his arrest and charge him with his wife's murder, stating that we have discovered his fingerprints in the car and plane rentals. We also inform him that traces of Laura's blood was uncovered from that car rental that Petersen drove that night. Maybe, just maybe, we may be able to flush a confession out of him.”
“It might work, but if that Stidwell character has him clammed up, our bluff goes for naught. It's worth a try, Steve. Let's go for it.”
“Inform Charlie and Jerry to retrieve an arrest warrant from the D.A.'s office and have Jonathan picked up immediately. I'll give the Captain the low-down on our plans,” Steve replied as he opened the door and headed for the Captain's office with the reports in his hand. Upon hearing of Ciminelli's plan of action, he agreed whole-heartedly to it. “Go for it, Steve. Bluff the bastard into a confession, and don't hold back any punches.” He then patted Steveon the shoulder and praised him for his effort. As Steve was leaving the Captain's office, he spotted Maureen and the WKWL camera crew entering the Squad Room. As Maureen walked up to him, she gently planted a kiss on his wanting mouth and greeted her lover in a professional manner. “Good afternoon, darling. We're on time just as I said we would, and I hope Linda and you are ready for our telecast,” Maureen related to Steve as she grabbed his arm and guided him to an open part of the Squad Room.
“Hello Maureen,” greeted Linda as she joined the two in that area. “Congratulations on your engagement to this ugly hunk, but if you don't want him, let the rest of us girls know please.” Linda’ s voice was laughing as she stated that remark and Maureen thanked her and held Steve's arm tighter.
“Not in a cold day in hell am I going to let him leave me. I'm stuck to him like glue, so tell the other girls that he's taken,” Maureen remarked in a joking tone and with a very possessive smile.
The interview in itself took only fifteen minutes to accomplish under the hot lights of the camera, but it took nearly an hour to set up. Maureen's questions were meaningful and Steve and Linda presented themselves in a very professional manner, even though they related very little that was new to the case. Steve looked so sharp and handsome, that Maureen was excited to think that he was her man, and Linda complemented the two so beautifully that Hollywood couldn't have done better. An hour and a half of moving here and standing there for just a five minute spot on the News Center at Six presentation. Maureen explained how a thirty minute News report could take over six hours to prepare before anyone faces a single camera.
As the telecast was being done in one corner of the Squad Room, everyone in the room stopped or slowed down to witness the event that was occurring before the cameras. Several times the cameras would turn and focus on their audience and illustrate that the Homicide Department was a team process, not just individuals working for themselves. Before Maureen left the Squad Room with the camera crew, she thanked the Captain for allowing her to hold this interview and she then thanked Linda again for her cooperation. Steve grabbed her arm at this time and walked her into one of the interrogation rooms. He closed the door and as he turned to face Maureen, she draped her arms around his neck and proceeded to plant kisses on his wanting lips. Steve wrapped his arms around her and pressed her tight to his body and could feel her firm breasts pressing into his chest. Her heart beat could be felt and his lips were locked with hers.
“Steve, I love you very much. You are just what any woman would desire in her man and I'm glad I'm the girl who controls your heart,” Maureen whispered into his ear. She then kissed it and nibbled on it with her teeth. Steve laughed and kissed her passionately and he wanted to have sex on the table. His hands reached down and searched for the top of her panty hose, but as he did this, Maureen pulled away and informed him that he could have anything he desired that evening, but not now. “I have too much to do sweetheart and a quickie would only louse me up for the day. See you tonight, tiger” Steve kissed her hard and released her from his grasp.
As they were leaving the interrogation room, Linda walled over to inform Steve that Jonathan Smith-Hughes had just been brought in by the two detectives who were sent out to arrest him.
The camera crew had already departed and as they walked passed Steve and Maureen, he informed her that what she had just witnessed was not for publication, at least not yet. She understood and gave Steve a loving kiss and left the Squad Room. The detectives escorted Jonathan into the empty interrogation room and placed him in a waiting chair. He was not in cuffs as normal suspects would have 1 been and when Steve entered the room, he rose from his chair and asked why he was there.
“Detective Ciminelli, why was I arrested for my wife's murder? You l{now I didn't do it. I was in Chicago at the time,” Jonathan declared calmly and deliberately.
“Mr. Smith-Hughes, we have enough evidence to charge you with your wife's death. You may have your attorney present at this time because anything you say from now on will be used against you,” Steve commented as he turned to inform Linda to call the District Attorney's office of Jonathan's arrest. Smith Hughes nodded his head that he understood the warning. “Detective Ciminelli, I don't intend to say anything to you until my attorney arrives,” he replied, and he then sat down in his chair. The Squad Room now started to become very active as several people proceeded to put the material in place that was needed for this very important interrogation. Linda walked out of the Captain's office with a large folder and she stopped to chat with the Captain on an important matter. As she did so, she pointed toward Jonathan and the Captain would nod his head in agreement. After a wait of about forty-five minutes, Mr. Stidwell, Jonathan Smith-Hughes's attorney arrived and joined his client in the interrogation room. Soon after that, Lucius Marco, the District Attorney showed up to join the group. Steve was the last person to enter the room, and before he entered, he conversed with another detective and requested some needed material. As he closed the door, he walked to the head of the table and placed his folder down next to Linda's. The room now contained Steve and Linda; Jonathan and his attorney Mr. Stidwell; the Captain and District Attorney Lucius Marco; and a fellow detective operating the video equipment. Jonathan Smith-Hughes had just returned from being finger-printed and his mug shots taken and was wiping his hands clean of the ink on them. He sat next to his attorney and received counsel as he leaned toward him.
“Jonathan Smith-Hughes,” declared Steve with a sharp tone to his voice, “let it be known that you are now being charged with the murder of one Laura Smith-Hughes.”
“Detective Ciminelli, on what charge do you hold my client? I believe it to be impossible to be in two places, a thousand miles apart, at the same time,” attorney Stidwell declared as he rose from his chair.
“But he wasn't, sir,” interjected Linda in a deliberate voice. “Your client was in Washington at the time his life was being killed.”
“Can you prove that detective? My client has an alibi for that night,” Stidwell remarked in return as he slowly sat down. Jonathan was leaning back in his chair and placed his head in his hands, carefully listening to all these procedures. “Let us explain how your client accomplished this crime and then the District Attorney will indict him for Laura's murder,” returned Steve as he rose from his chair and opened his file. He flipped a few pages and then straightened up and proceeded. “On Monday, July 11th, Jonathan Smith-Hughes scheduled a flight to Chicago with his corporate jet. He piloted the craft himself and four other people accompanied him on that flight. He arrived at Midway Airport at 2:30 Washington time, but 1:30 Central time. He was then taken to the Chicago Hilton Hotel and booked into one of their suites. His corporate jet was scheduled to return to Washington that evening, so that a scheduled maintenance check could be done.” At this time, Steve reached for a cool glass of water that was placed on the table .. and moisted his throat. He looked at Jonathan who was seated in his chair showing no emotion to any of the proceedings so far. “Mr. Smith-Hughes entertained several of his corporate officials at a dinner held in the Hilton dining room. That dinner lasted until 7:30 that evening, when Mr. Smith-Hughes retired to his room for some much needed rest.”
“Yes, detective Ciminelli, and he stayed there and he made several, phone calls that the phone records at the hotel will verify,” blurted out Mr. Stidwell sharply.
“This places Mr. Smith-Hughes in his hotel room and makes it impossible for him to reach Washington in time to murder his wife, unless you can prove him to be Superman.” Jonathan Smith-Hughes showed a little emotion after his lawyer made that statement by leaning over and whispering some message into his ear. He then looked straight at Steve and supported his chin with one of his hands. The man was showing very little feeling for what was going on in the room at that time. He just stared at Steve and Linda or he just closed his eyes.
“Let me continue Mr. Stidwell and we'll see what kind of alibi your client has,” commented Steve coolly and sternly.
“It's true Mr. Smith-Hughes retired to his room after dinner and he made several calls to several people that the hotel phone records will verify, but can this be done without being in the hotel room. The answer is yes,” Steve slowly looked at the reaction this had on Jonathan's face, and it resulted in Smith- Hughes raising his eyes to stare at him. “There are phone machines that will allow tape messages to be sent out over a phone line at specific times. As a matter of fact, one of Mr. Smith-Hughes's subsidiary companies produces the mechanism for AT&T. His phone calls could have been rigged in such a way as to allow him to be in Washington at the time of the murder.”
“That's absurd detective. His calls were made and received. The hotel phone records verify the length of time for each call. He couldn't have done it as you just described, and…”
Mr. Stidwell was promptly interrupted by Linda. “Counselor, we checked those calls. When we were in Chicago last week, we dialed those same numbers at the exact time Mr. Smith-Hughes did and all calls reached an answering machine on the other end. No one, no human being answered those calls and when I called the people he called, their answering machine tapes on three of them had the exact same message as if it was a recording being transmitted. The other call had wiped out their tape.” A pale now could be seen on Smith-Hughes face as he straightened his head to this new revelation.
“You see Mr. Stidwell, Mr. Smith-Hughes before dinner had contacted his flight attendant on his jet to expect a passenger named Petersen for the return flight to Washington. After setting up the SBX-lO, the automatic calling machine, he slipped out of the Hilton and hailed a cab to Midway Airport. Dressed in Redskins sweats with an Oriole baseball cap, he boarded his corporate jet and sat quietly in the rear. With the baseball cap and dark glasses, the flight attendant didn't recognize him and they left him alone in the rear of the plane on the flight back to Washington National that night,” Steve ‘elated very carefully and in a firm tone.
“Mr. Marco, if this is the evidence you are going to base your indictment on, well, I don't believe you'll get it pass the Grand Jury,” replied Mr. Stidwell as he placed his pencil down on his legal pad.
“Mr. Stidwell, why don't you allow detective Ciminelli and Hannigan to finish their presentation and then we'll see if it's strong enough for the Grand Jury,” District Attorney Marco answered quickly. “Continue Steve.”
“When the corporate jet arrived at National sometime around 10:00 or 10:30PM, Mr. Smith-Hughes or our Mr. Petersen left the plane quietly and quickly. He then rented an auto from Arlington Car Rental and drove to his apartment at the Watergate Complex. We don't know -what the exact time he arrived at apartment 3C, but he had a key to enter the premises. I wouldn't be surprised that he arrived as Laura's visitor was leaving,” ‘Steve projected with a stern tone. He stopped a t this time to take a few sips of water and as he did so, he noticed that Jonathan Smith-Hughes was starting to play with his fingers on the table top. “Upon entering the 3C apartment, he discovered his wife dressed in her night gown and probably showed his disgust with her behavior. She probably laughed at him and this probably incensed Mr. Smith-Hughes to murder his wife at that time. He then drove the rental car to Baltimore National Airport and rented a twin engine Cessna from Maryland Aviation Corporation under the name of Mr. Harold Petersen. He had disposed of the murder weapon, probably a knife, and his Redskins sweatsuit, probably covered with his wife's blood and replaced it with an Eagle sweatsuit, but he still had the Oriole cap on.”
“Detective Ciminelli. May I kindly inform you that thousands maybe millions of people wear Redskin's sweatsuits and wear a Baltimore Oriole cap,” Stidwell remarked sharply. “This doesn't make them a chief suspect for murder.”
“Again counselor, may I inform you that your client is a die-hard Oriole fan. He has owned a private suite at Camden Yard since it opened and he regularly attends Oriole games. This is documented, sir,” comments Linda. Jonathan looks up at Linda but continues to be silent and plays his fingers on the table again.
“After renting the plane, Mr. Smith-Hughes then flew it to Midway Airport in Chicago and returned to his room by cab and “disconnected the SBX-10. He disposed of it and his Eagle sweat suit and his Oriole cap and then rested waiting for a call from Washington informing him of his wife's death.”
“Beautiful, detective, just beautiful,” clapped Mr. Stidwell as he rose from his chair, “but Mr. Smith-Hughes is not Mr. Petersen. Go catch him for this crime.”
“We have., counselor, we have connected Jonathan Smith-Hughes to our Mr. Petersen. You were sloppy Jonathan. You left your fingerprints in the rental car and on the rented Cessna. We also found traces of Laura's blood in that car, sir,” Steve coolly remarked and he stared hard at Jonathan but he could only receive a mild reaction to his statement. Mr. Stidwell slowly took his seat and turned to look at his client .
“What motive would Jonathan have in killing his wife? He tolerated her affairs and he could have just divorced her. Why would he kill her?” questioned attorney Stidwell.
“Blackmail is the motive, sir,” Linda replied sharply.
“Laura was blackmailing him.”
“You're joking, detective,” remarked Jonathan's attorney. Jonathan now looked up and sat straight in his chair. “Why did you write a check for $25,000 to your wife each month for the last nine months Mr. Smith-Hughes?” asked Linda.
“She asked for it and I sent it to her,” answered Jonathan, speaking in his own defense this time.
“But why a personal check and not money transferred to her bank account, sir?” returned Linda. She wanted him to answer that question personally.
“I don't know. I just decided to write her a check out of my account. I really don't know why, detective,” he answered. “You did it to pay her blackmail demands and that kept it private, sir,” projected Steve.
“What blackmail, detective? What could Mrs. Smith-Hughes have on her husband to blackmail him with?” questioned Mr. Stidwell.
“It wasn't on Jonathan Smith-Hughes but on a Claude Benjamin Smith-Hughes, sir,” replied Steve. This remark made Jonathan turn quickly and face his attorney and he was ready to state something but he stopped and then stared at Steve. “We have uncovered the material Laura Smith-Hughes used to blackmail her husband. It was damaging material that would destroy his brother and his family.”
“All that's nice to hear detective Ciminelli,” Mr. Stidwell remarked, “but this whole scenario would be hard to prove in a court room, sir.”
“Well, Jonathan, it may be hard to prove this in a court room, but sir, if this goes to trial, the blackmail material on your brother would have to go public, and what would that do to him personally You silenced Laura because she continued to threaten you with it, but if you fight this in court, it goes public any way,” Steve related as he looked straight at Jonathan.
“We'll see you in court Mr. Marco and believe me…”
Stidwell was interrupted by Jonathan's arm on him as he rose from his chair. “No, Bob, please. I don't have the right to destroy Claude's life,” Jonathan remarked to his attorney. “Detective Ciminelli, when I first laid eyes on you, I knew you could see through me. You're right in your theory and I'll sign a confession to it.”
The Captain smiled as he heard that last remark.
“What happened at the apartment when you arrived Jonathan?” Steve questioned with some compassion in his voice. Jonathan sat back in his chair and continued to silence his lawyer. “When I arrived, that bastard Anderson was leaving and when I entered the apartment, Laura was as angry as hell. She asked why I was there and I informed her that I wanted to buy the blackmail material on Claude, but she only laughed at me I. and said I won't come close t her demands. She still needed me to do some of her dirty work against Anderson. She taunted me and all I could remember is that I grabbed the letter opener on the desk and followed her into the bedroom and I…” He paused for a movement. “You know the rest.”
“What did you do with the murder weapon, sir?” questioned Linda. The camera and recorders were busily working and every one was excited at the latest results.
“The letter opener and the Redskins sweatsuit are somewhere at the bottom of Chesapeake Bay, between here and Baltimore. Don't ask me where, for it was at night and I don't know the location,” Jonathan Smith-Hughes replied.
“Mr. Marco,” Stidwell remarked sharply, “let's make a deal. Involuntary manslaughter for his signed confession, based on mental incapacitation.”
At this time, Jonathan sat back and relaxed for the first time, as if a huge weight had been lifted from his back. The Captain was smiling as he turned the case over to the District Attorney and he then shook Steve's and Linda's hands. “Great job people. Great job.”
“Thanks boss,” returned Steve as they all started to leave the interrogation room. Linda walked out and slowly headed for her desk and sat down and buried her thoughts in some work on her desk. Steve was busy chatting with other members of the department.