thanks.”
“I want this on speaker.” Bennie leaned over, pressed a button on the phone, and walked around the desk as the call went live.
“Deputy Inspector Johnson,” said a voice Bennie didn’t recognize, but she wasn’t deterred.
“Deputy Johnson, this is Bennie Rosato, a lawyer in town. We haven’t met.”
“No, I started last month. Relocated from the department in Milwaukee.”
“I’m a well-known lawyer, and I have a twin sister named Alice Connelly, whom I represented in a murder trial. Detectives Azzic and Holland worked the case, and they could give you the background. Are they in?”
“No. They’re on vacation until after Labor Day.”
“Can they be reached?”
“Don’t know. Why, what’s this about?”
“On Friday night, my sister drugged me and buried me alive, trying to kill me.”
“Excuse me?”
Officer Villarreal interjected, “Deputy, we’re trying to get to the bottom of this. We’re out in Cambridge County and we picked up Ms. Rosato, who seemed to think you could verify her bona fides.”
Bennie interrupted, “The issue is that we need to find Alice Connelly. She could be anywhere at this point. She’s guilty of attempted murder and grand larceny, because she also stole my car. She even set a fire out here, to destroy the evidence.”
“Is this some kind of joke?”
“No, not at all,” Bennie shot back. “I’m being questioned in connection with a crime I didn’t commit while a killer goes free. I can’t seem to convince anybody out here that Alice Connelly is worth investigating, so it made sense to call you.”
Officer Villarreal turned, angrily. “We’re investigating, Ms. Rosato. We may not be big-time, but we manage. Why do you think I’m making this phone call? Why do you think I took the wineglasses? Why do you think we drove you all over Creation?”
“You’re accusing me of setting a fire. You’re investigating a fire, not attempted murder.”
“That fire caused major loss of property and damage to-”
“Folks?” On the speakerphone, Deputy Johnson cleared his throat. “Excuse me, can I break in? Ms. Rosato, you say that this woman tried to kill you by burying you alive. Where did this take place?”
“In a field, in Cambridge County.”
“Well, if you’re a lawyer, you would know that the Philadelphia police have no jurisdiction over an attempted murder in Cambridge County. Our jurisdiction ends at the city line.”
“I know you don’t have jurisdiction, but I’m out here with no way to convince these people that I’m not spinning stories. That’s why it’s important to try and reach Detectives Azzic or Holland, even on vacation. They won’t mind. In fact, they’d be angry if I didn’t. If you call them and tell them to find Alice, they’ll be all over it.”
“Even so, your friendship with two detectives doesn’t confer jurisdiction on your case.” Deputy Johnson paused. “Ms. Rosato, if you were attacked in Cambridge County, the local constabulary is who you need to be talking to. Thanks very much for your call. Take care, all.”
“Thank you, Deputy Johnson,” Officer Villarreal said, hanging up. He turned to Bennie, his jaw set. “I don’t agree with your saying we’re not investigating. We are investigating. Part of your story rings true, but some of it stinks to high heaven.”
Officer Dayne stood up, his eyes narrowing. “Cut the crap, Ms. Rosato. You were found drunk in a hay field that burned up the next day. You set that fire. Maybe you did it for kicks, you’re a pyro, you got problems, I don’t know. Or maybe you and somebody else partied too hard and sparked it, by accident. It would be easy, with a cigarette and a bottle of whiskey.”
Bennie looked from one cop to the other. She actually understood their position. They weren’t going to help her, and neither were the Philly cops. She was on her own. She’d hunt down Alice herself. She went to the door.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Officer Villarreal asked, frowning.
“You don’t have enough to charge me on this fire. You have no evidence that I committed a crime.”
“We will when the Chief completes his investigation, in a day or two.”
“You won’t know if he finds a burned-up box out there, either. Not for a day or two.”
“There’s no burned-up box,” Officer Dayne interjected, but Officer Villarreal waved him off.
“So?”
“So I have a day or two to find Alice. I need to call a cab, because I’m leaving.”
Officer Villarreal cocked his head. “Where are you going?”
Officer Dayne said, “You can’t leave the county.”
“Unless you arrest me, I sure can, and you know it.” Bennie took a pen from the desk and scribbled her phone number and home and office addresses on a statement form. “Here’s where I am. Call me when you find the box.”
“Hold on.” Officer Villarreal blinked, uncertain. “I don’t know about this-”
“Then lock me up right now, and I’ll call a lawyer. I own a law firm, so the price is right. In the end, I’ll win.”
Officers Villarreal and Dayne exchanged glances.
“I thought so.” Bennie opened the door and walked out of the interview room.
Chapter Sixty
Alice was pretending to work in Bennie’s office, with the door closed. She tore open the USABank envelope, skimmed the instructions from Marla, then took out the signature cards. She opened the desk drawer, found Bennie’s checkbook, then set the register on the desk as a handwriting sample. She forged Bennie’s name on the signature card, then did the six others.
She signed the paperwork, scanned it in her desk scanner, and emailed it to Marla at USABank. She found the DHL envelope, put the cards inside, and sealed the envelope. She bent the envelope in half and stuffed it in Bennie’s purse, which was sitting on the floor, in front of the locked drawer that held the money bag. Then she called USABank.
“Marla?” she said, when the call picked up. “It’s Bennie Rosato. How are you today?”
“Just fine. Did you get the signature cards?”
“Yes, thanks, I’m done. I scanned and emailed them to you and put the hard copies in the DHL envelope. I’d like you to wire the money to BSB right away.”
“I will. Wait a minute, I see your scanner copies coming into my email, right now. After I wire the funds, your account will be open at BSB, but you can’t use or withdraw any of the money until tomorrow, when they get the original signatures.”
“Understood. Please make the transfer after we hang up. My sister has already begun impersonating me.” Alice filled her in quickly on the details. “And now I have a restraining order against her. I think it’s prudent to expedite things.”
“Of course, I’ll make the wire transfer as soon as we hang up. Thanks so much for entrusting your business to USABank and its partners, in such a difficult time. You know how much we value our relationship.”
“I do, thanks.” Alice hung up, then pressed information, got the number of the TV station, and waited until the call connected. It was a little risky to call the media, but she had to preempt Bennie, who might go there in desperation. Alice had to keep the upper hand, especially now that Bennie was on the loose.
When the phone was answered, Alice asked, “May I speak to Emily Barry, please? Tell her it’s Bennie Rosato.”
“Yes, please hold.”
Alice didn’t have to wait long.
“Bennie!” Emily said, picking up. “It’s great to hear from you. We haven’t spoken since the Connelly trial.”
“Thanks for taking my call. You did some of the best reporting on that case, so you were my first choice of reporters.” Alice paused for effect. “I’d like to give you some information, but it has to be off the record. You can’t
