Apologize for me? What was Sean thinking?
Schmidt continued, “I was not having an affair. I … I loved my wife.”
I rolled my eyes. Schmidt was turning on the emotions again. Like any of us believed that.
“I believe you, sir,” Sean said.
My jaw dropped.
“I’ll talk to Ms. O’Brien and make sure she understands the situation,” he added.
Schmidt dropped his chin and did a sad shake of his head as if he pitied poor Sean for having such a crazy girlfriend. “Oh, alright, Panelli,” he said, patting Sean’s back and throwing in a good-old-boy smile. “Don’t sweat it. I’m not going to press charges or anything. Just keep her away from me. I don’t need this right now.”
“Of course, sir.”
Then Schmidt bent down and whispered something into Sean’s ear. Both men chuckled. Infuriated, I spoke up, “Since you have nothing to hide, Councilman, I’m sure that you wouldn’t mind if the police took a look inside your shed.”
Sean’s back stiffened and his entire face, including the tips of his ears, turned red. Schmidt, on the other hand, didn’t miss a beat. “If I oblige this weird fantasy that your girlfriend has concocted, will you get her off my back, Panelli? For good?”
“We have no cause to search your shed.” Sean glared at me. I could only imagine the fight that we’d have later.
“I know that, Panelli. I just thought that if I were to let you, then maybe it would satisfy her and she’d leave me alone.”
“That’s completely up to you, sir,” Sean replied.
Schmidt pulled out a key chain and unlocked the padlock. It dangled for a second and then hit the ground with a thud. He stepped aside and dramatically swept an inviting hand in front of the door. “Be my guest gentleman … and Ms. O’Brien.”
The group moved toward the shed with me taking up the rear. Sean pulled me back. “Let my guys go in first.”
I waited, expecting them to come out at any second, brandishing a bloody golf club. However, after less than a minute, the officers emerged with blank expressions. “Didn’t see anything unusual, boss,” Officer Sanchez said, his eyes averting the area where I stood waiting. He actually looked embarrassed for me.
Schmidt spoke up, “Well that’s because you officers aren’t as adept as Ms. O’Brien at finding clues. Ms. O’Brien, why don’t you have a crack at it?”
Wishing that my red-headed skin tone didn’t defy my emotions, I took a flashlight and stepped into the shed, waving away the cob webs that were dangling from the door jam. Shining a jittery light from corner to corner, I saw a wide array of dust covered flowerpots, several well-used gardening tools, and a shelf of pesticides, but not a single golf club. If I could have, I would have locked myself in the shed and never come out.
“Satisfied, Ms. O’Brien?” Schmidt asked after I emerged from the shed.
Ignoring the despairing looks from the officers, I forced myself to look directly at Schmidt. I opened my mouth to reply, but a speak-and-you’ll-die glare from Sean made me rethink my retort. Instead, I just nodded and continued to glare at Schmidt. I’m not sure what my eyes revealed, but his expression readily reflected his amusement with the situation. He had made a fool out of me and he enjoyed it.
Chapter Four
That night, after enduring the fall out of Sean’s fury and promising him that I would never again ‘play detective,’ I laid awake in bed listening to the rain pounding the rooftop and contemplated my next move. Sure, I could leave it alone and let Sean do his job, but would justice be served? Doubtful. With the Councilman’s clout and inside connections, it was more likely that he’d get by with murder. I just couldn’t let that happen.
So, after careful consideration, I decided that I should attend the victim’s funeral service. More than likely, Schmidt’s mistress would be there and maybe I could figure out who she was. That would go a long way toward
Schmidt continued, “I was not having an affair. I … I loved my wife.”
I rolled my eyes. Schmidt was turning on the emotions again. Like any of us believed that.
“I believe you, sir,” Sean said.
My jaw dropped.
“I’ll talk to Ms. O’Brien and make sure she understands the situation,” he added.
Schmidt dropped his chin and did a sad shake of his head as if he pitied poor Sean for having such a crazy girlfriend. “Oh, alright, Panelli,” he said, patting Sean’s back and throwing in a good-old-boy smile. “Don’t sweat it. I’m not going to press charges or anything. Just keep her away from me. I don’t need this right now.”
“Of course, sir.”
Then Schmidt bent down and whispered something into Sean’s ear. Both men chuckled. Infuriated, I spoke up, “Since you have nothing to hide, Councilman, I’m sure that you wouldn’t mind if the police took a look inside your shed.”
Sean’s back stiffened and his entire face, including the tips of his ears, turned red. Schmidt, on the other hand, didn’t miss a beat. “If I oblige this weird fantasy that your girlfriend has concocted, will you get her off my back, Panelli? For good?”
“We have no cause to search your shed.” Sean glared at me. I could only imagine the fight that we’d have later.
“I know that, Panelli. I just thought that if I were to let you, then maybe it would satisfy her and she’d leave me alone.”
“That’s completely up to you, sir,” Sean replied.
Schmidt pulled out a key chain and unlocked the padlock. It dangled for a second and then hit the ground with a thud. He stepped aside and dramatically swept an inviting hand in front of the door. “Be my guest gentleman … and Ms. O’Brien.”
The group moved toward the shed with me taking up the rear. Sean pulled me back. “Let my guys go in first.”
I waited, expecting them to come out at any second, brandishing a bloody golf club. However, after less than a minute, the officers emerged with blank expressions. “Didn’t see anything unusual, boss,” Officer Sanchez said, his eyes averting the area where I stood waiting. He actually looked embarrassed for me.
Schmidt spoke up, “Well that’s because you officers aren’t as adept as Ms. O’Brien at finding clues. Ms. O’Brien, why don’t you have a crack at it?”
Wishing that my red-headed skin tone didn’t defy my emotions, I took a flashlight and stepped into the shed, waving away the cob webs that were dangling from the door jam. Shining a jittery light from corner to corner, I saw a wide array of dust covered flowerpots, several well-used gardening tools, and a shelf of pesticides, but not a single golf club. If I could have, I would have locked myself in the shed and never come out.
“Satisfied, Ms. O’Brien?” Schmidt asked after I emerged from the shed.
Ignoring the despairing looks from the officers, I forced myself to look directly at Schmidt. I opened my mouth to reply, but a speak-and-you’ll-die glare from Sean made me rethink my retort. Instead, I just nodded and continued to glare at Schmidt. I’m not sure what my eyes revealed, but his expression readily reflected his amusement with the situation. He had made a fool out of me and he enjoyed it.
Chapter Four
That night, after enduring the fall out of Sean’s fury and promising him that I would never again ‘play detective,’ I laid awake in bed listening to the rain pounding the rooftop and contemplated my next move. Sure, I could leave it alone and let Sean do his job, but would justice be served? Doubtful. With the Councilman’s clout and inside connections, it was more likely that he’d get by with murder. I just couldn’t let that happen.
So, after careful consideration, I decided that I should attend the victim’s funeral service. More than likely, Schmidt’s mistress would be there and maybe I could figure out who she was. That would go a long way toward
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