Necessary Decisions, A Gino Cataldi Mystery Read Online Free PDF Page B

returned. While he poured the wine, I took out my notepad. “Tell me what happened, Mr. Marshall, and try to go through it slowly. No detail is too small or too insignificant.”
    From the intense look in his eyes, I got the distinct feeling he understood. “I was in the shower when they came in. Roger, my son, was in his room showering. I’d picked him up from football practice and we came home and, as we always do, went to shower.” He sipped his wine and stared at me. “It’s almost too much of a coincidence that they chose that moment to come in—when both of us were showering. Don’t you think?”
    I made notes as he talked. “Who answered the door?”
    He shook his head. “My wife, but I know the details. One of them rang the bell, which she answered. The others came in through the sliding door in the back.” Marshall rose from the table and walked into the next room. “As you can see, there is easy access from the golf course, with plenty of cover from the foliage.”
    From the periphery, I saw the butler nodding. I wondered if he had warned them previously of what I was thinking.
    Keep the fucking door locked.
    “The door wasn’t locked?”
    He scoffed. “It never is, except at night. My wife checks the doors and sets the alarm before going to bed.”
    I walked outside and took a look around. We hadn’t had rain in weeks, so the ground was too hard for footprints, even with sprinklers. “Did they wear gloves?”
    The butler stepped forward. His accent wasn’t British, as I expected, but it was eloquent. “All of them did, sir. Surgical gloves.”
    I made a note and turned back to Marshall. “What happened next? Did you hear them?”
    He shook his head again. “I didn’t know anything had happened until one of them came into the bathroom. He opened the shower door, wielding a knife, and ordered me out.” He flushed before continuing. “For God’s sake, Detective, they wouldn’t even let me dress. They forced me out naked in front of my daughter.”
    “I wouldn’t say it’s common practice, sir, but a lot of professionals do it. It makes people feel helpless. Naked victims are less likely to resist.” I wrote down what he said, then continued. “What did they do next?”
    “They took our jewelry and cash then the one who seemed to be the leader asked where the safe was.”
    “You say the leader . Is there a reason why you say that?”
    “He ran the show. There were five of them, four white and one black. The tall man I’m talking about was white. He gave the orders.”
    “Is there anything else you remember about them? Take your time.”
    The butler spoke. “One of them seemed…feminine.”
    “You mean gay?”
    “No. A woman. She spoke only once. When the man struck Roger, she yelled ‘Number Three.’ After that, she never spoke again.”
    I sat upright, muscles tensed. My fist clenched involuntarily. “She said ‘Number Three.’ You’re sure?”
    “Positive,” the butler said. “I thought it odd at the time. It stuck in my head.”
    I looked to Marshall. “Did you hear it?”
    He seemed to give it thought. “I honestly can’t say. I was focused on Roger.”
    The butler spoke again. “After she said that, the lead man hollered ‘That’s enough, Number Three.’”
    My pulse quickened. My heart raced. This was the only lead I’d had to the mysterious Number Three since that fucker knocked me out and stole Mary’s watch. I was so damned nervous, I couldn’t think straight.
    I turned to the butler. “You said one was a woman. What makes you think that?”
    “Her voice sounded feminine. She was slight of build, and the way she moved shouted female. I was close enough to see her skin, too. It was smoother than the others’.”
    “I thought they wore masks.”
    “They did, but her arms were exposed. Or perhaps I should say her forearms were.”
    “That’s very good. That may help.” I turned back to Marshall. “What happened with your son? Why did it turn