Chapter 15
Paula Waters
Paula was anxious to talk to Walter Satterwhite to find out if he or one of the other investors in Richmond Oil and Gas could have been pissed off enough to want Richmond dead, but before that meeting she had to attend a status conference with Ricardo at which time the judge would likely set a trial date. She couldn’t believe that thirty days had already passed. She knew that this judge liked to move his docket along quickly so the case would probably be set within ninety days. The thought of that scared Paula as there was so much yet to do and she knew how fast those days would fly by. When she got to the courthouse Ricardo was waiting for her nervously.
“You don’t need to be nervous today,” she assured him. “The only purpose of this hearing is to make sure you haven’t skipped out on your bail and to set a trial date.”
“How is it looking? Do you think I’ve got a chance?” Ricardo asked.
Paula shrugged. She wished she could assure him everything would be okay, but that wouldn’t be honest. “Well, they’ve got some very damaging evidence—the box of rat poison and the money in the shoe box.”
“I know, but I didn’t even know the rat poison was there. It belonged to the prior tenant.”
Paula nodded. “Well, whoever the killer is he’s very clever. He used poison in your garage to kill his victims and then provided you with a motive by leaving the shoe box full of cash.”
“So, can’t you do something?”
Paula sighed. “I’m trying. We’re all working day and night to find the real killer. I guess Sonia told you about the meter reader.”
“Right. He’s got to be the one who did it. The garage isn’t locked. He could have easily gone in and taken some of the rat poison.”
“But how could he have gotten into your apartment?”
Ricardo shrugged. “The locks on these doors aren’t that great. He could have picked it or maybe he found the spare key I keep under the mat.”
Paula frowned. “You leave a key under the mat? That’s pretty stupid.”
“Well, I don’t have anything a burglar would want. All our furniture came from the Salvation Army Store.”
“So, that’s a possibility but unless Sonia can testify that the man posing as a TU Electric meter reader was Chris Jamison, then we have nothing.”
“She’ll do it. She’ll swear that he is the guy.”
“Yeah, but she’s already told me she’s not sure. The jury is going to be suspicious anyway because she’s your girlfriend.”
“We could break up,” Ricardo replied desperately.
“No. That would never work and I couldn’t let Sonia lie to the jury.”
“Shit! I’m screwed.”
“No, you’re not. There’s still plenty of time. Just try to relax and let me do my job.”
“Yeah. Well, it’s not your ass on the line.”
As they were talking Brian Rutledge approached them. “Can I speak with you a moment, counselor?”
Paula nodded. “Ricardo, go ahead on in and take a seat in the gallery. I’ll be right in.”
Ricardo nodded and reluctantly went inside.
“So, what can I do for you?” Paula asked.
“I just wanted to tell you that I’ve talked to my boss and he’s agreed that if your guy admits to the murders and identifies who hired him that we’ll withdraw our request for the death penalty.”
Paula shook her head. “The problem is my client doesn’t know who is responsible for the murders. As we’ve told you over and over he was just a pawn in these crimes.”
“We both know it was Tom Wilkinson and his crew who hired your client,” Rutledge said. “All we need is your client to testify that they hired him to do the deed.”
“So, you think Wilkinson ordered the murders?”
“We know that’s what happened but we’re just a little short on evidence. We need your client to confess.”
“Even if you offered Ricardo a free ride he couldn’t take it because he wasn’t involved in the murders.”
“Yes. So, you say,” Rutledge replied irritably. “We were just hoping to save the taxpayers some money. But if your guy insists on a jury finding him guilty of murder, we can certainly accommodate him. He’ll love it on death row.”
“Why don’t you save the taxpayers some money by finding the evidence you need to convict Wilkinson, Hunt and Jamison and leave my client alone? He’s not the one who is a threat to the general public. Who knows what other crimes Wilkinson is planning as we speak.”
“The police are working on that, but without your client’s cooperation it’s a rather tedious process and we’d really like to try all these cases together.”
“Well, that’s fine. It’s not going to make any difference to me since none of the defendants will be testifying anyway.”
Rutledge shook his head. “Alright, I tried to cut your guy some slack. Tell your client to get his affairs in order then, because he’s going to be on death row by year’s end.”
Rutledge turned and went inside. Paula gritted her teeth and followed him in as the judge was taking the bench.
“All rise,” the bailiff said.
Paula rushed up and took her place next to Ricardo.
“Alright. The State of Texas v Ricardo Rizzi. Can I have appearances?”
“Paula Waters for the Defendant, Ricardo Rizzi.”
“Brian Rutledge for the State of Texas.”
“Okay. Where are we at on this case?” the judge asked as he studied his docket sheet.
“At our last hearing you indicated you would give us a trial date today,” Rutledge reminded him.
“Right. Let me see. How about September 7th?”
“This year?” Paula asked.
The judge smiled. “Yes, Ms. Waters. This year, 1997.”
“We could use a little more time, Your Honor. This is a complex case with three murders. We have a lot of investigation still to do.”
“The State will be ready, Your Honor,” Rutledge advised, “unless we decide to try all the co-conspirators together and then we’ll need more time.”
“When will you know?” the judge asked.
“In the next few weeks.”
“Well, if you decide to try everyone together, you’ll have to move for a consolidation of the cases and we can deal with setting a new trial date at that time.”
“That will be fine, Your Honor,” Rutledge said.
Paula sighed. “Yes, Your Honor.”
“Very well. See you in September or sooner if we consolidate. You’re excused,” the judge said looking down at his calendar to see who was up next.
Paula said goodbye to Ricardo and told him she’d call him the next day to report on her meeting with Satterwhite. When Paula got back to the office Maria motioned for her to come over to her.
“What’s up?”
“Stan just left to run an errand. He didn’t say where he was going but by the look on his face he was going out for one of his rendezvous.”
“Oh, God. How long ago did he leave?”
“Just two minutes ago. You might still catch him if you hurry.”
“Okay. Wish me luck,” Paula said and went back out the door.
When she got to the parking garage, she saw Stan’s Mazda RX7 exit the garage and then go east. She ran to her BMW intent on following him. As she exited the parking garage she saw his car turn left. Following him at a safe distance she got to Forest Lane where he turned left again. He put on his blinker and Paula realized he was getting on Central Expressway. She slowed down so when she turned he wouldn’t notice her following. He traveled north on Central for several exits and then got off the freeway. Paula noticed he was coming up on the Twilight Motel. She cringed at the sight of the notorious motel where rooms were rented by the hour.
Stan drove behind the motel and parked. Paula parked at the end of the drive and watched Stan get out of his car and go up to a room. He knocked on the door and it opened immediately. Paula gasped when she sa
w a long-haired blond woman wearing a slinky cocktail dress greet him. The sheer black dress left little to the imagination. She couldn’t see the woman’s face clearly as she was wearing sunglasses and lots of makeup. The woman wrapped her arms around Stan’s neck and they kissed long and hard. Then she pulled him into the room and closed the door.
Paula just stared at the door for about fifteen minutes. She couldn’t believe Stan would be out with a prostitute. It just boggled her mind. Then she thought of Rebekah’s problems since the children had grown up and left. She’d been struck hard by the empty nest syndrome. Stan had told her Rebekah had lost all interest in sex. And then there was the mysterious illness that took the doctors over a year to diagnose. Paula figured Stan was getting pretty desperate to be out with a hooker. Finally she started the car and drove back to the office. When she got there she went straight to Jodie’s office.
“He’s at the Twilight Motel with a hooker getting his pipes cleaned,” Paula said.
“Oh, my God!” Jodie said. “Are you sure?”
Paula shrugged. “Well, I couldn’t see the woman’s face very well but judging from the outfit she was wearing and the way she was all over Stan, I think it is a safe bet she was a hooker.”
“What are we going to do?”
Paula shrugged. “Nothing, I guess. It’s probably better he’s taking care of his sexual needs from a professional rather than getting entangled in an affair with a woman looking for a long-term relationship.”
“What if he is arrested?”
“That’s not likely. He’s too smart for that. He’s represented guys who were caught by female cops dressed up as hookers, so I’m sure he knows all the tricks the cops use to nail johns.”
“Really?”
“Yes. In fact, I’ve heard him give clients advice on how to be sure a prostitute wasn’t a cop.”
“Do tell,” Jodie said wide-eyed.
“Well, he told them never to pay for the first trick.”
Jodie frowned. “How do the prostitutes feel about that?”
“I don’t know. But that’s what he tells clients. Never pay a woman for the first sexual encounter. A cop can’t have sex with a suspect, so get the first trick free and you’ll never have a problem.”
“I wonder if he followed his own advice.”
“I don’t know. I just can’t get the image out of my head of that prostitute dragging him into that sleazy motel room.”
“It is rather unsettling,” Jodie agreed.
Paula went back to her office and answered phone messages until Maria advised her Walter Satterwhite had arrived. Satterwhite was tall, rather frail looking but did have a full head of snow-white hair. Paula motioned for him to take a seat.
“Thank you for coming in,” Paula said. “This shouldn’t take long.”
“It’s okay. I just want to clear my name. I promise I would never kill anyone.”
Paula nodded. “I’m sure you wouldn’t, but I have to ask some questions to eliminate you as a suspect.”
“Sure.”
“I assume you have read about the murders.”
“Yes, it’s been all over the newspapers and I’ve been watching the reports on TV.”
“So, you know someone laced the Parmesan cheese with rat poison.”
“Right. That was pretty ghastly,” Satterwhite said with a shudder.
“What have you been doing since your retirement?”
“Oh, puttering around in the garden when we’re not traveling. We have a motor home.”
“Were you in town the week of May 5, 1997?”
“Well, we got back from Padre Island on the 5th. We have a timeshare there.”
“Have you ever dined at Emilio’s Italian Restaurant in Highland Park?”
“Yes. We have been there before.”
“How about the week starting May 5, 1997?”
“No. It’s been six months or better since we have been there.”
“Do you know Emilio Bellucci?”
“No. Never met him?”
“Do you know Ricardo Rizzi?”
“Your client? No. I’ve seen his picture in the papers.”
“Did you have anything to do with these murders?”
Satterwhite swallowed hard. “No. Absolutely not.”
“Okay, tell me about the other investors who lost money at Richmond Oil & Gas.”
“Well, there was one investor, Clyde Morrow, who lost twice what I did.”
“Do you know him?”
“We have talked a few times about teaming up to file a lawsuit.”
“But you haven’t done it?”
“No. We can’t find an attorney who will take it on a contingent fee basis.”
“So, did Clyde threaten to get revenge or anything?”
“Yes, when I told him no attorneys would take the case, he said not to worry about it. He had other ways to deal with the likes of John Richmond.”
“Did he elaborate about that?”
“No. And I didn’t press the point because I didn’t want to get dragged into a conspiracy to harm him.”
“Is there anybody else besides Morrow?”
“Not that I am aware of.”
Paula thanked Satterwhite, got the contact information on Clyde Morrow, and then escorted him to the reception area. After he’d gone she went back to her office and started to construct a murder board on an easel she’d bought. As she was working Jodie walked in.
“What’s that?”
“Oh. This case is so complicated I decided to build a murder board like the detectives working the case do.”
Jodie nodded. “Good idea.”
“Oh, Rutledge just informed me they believe Tom Wilkinson ordered the murders at Emilio’s restaurant. They offered a deal to Ricardo to rat them out.”
“Really?”
“I told him he couldn’t help them since he wasn’t involved. If they get the evidence they need to convict them they may want to try everybody together in the interest of judicial economy.”
“Oh, my God! That will be a nightmare.”
“Not necessarily. In fact, it would make our job easier since the State would make sure all the witnesses showed up. None of the defendants will testify so I don’t see how it could hurt Ricardo’s case.”
“It will make the trial a bitch, though.”
“True, but there’s nothing we can do about that.”
“I guess not,” Jodie agreed.
“I just talked to Satterwhite. I don’t think he had anything to do with the murders but he gave me another name, Clyde Morrow. I still want to look for other suspects. Just because Rutledge likes Wilkinson as the mastermind that doesn’t mean it’s true.”
Paula wrote the name Clyde Morrow on her murder board under the pictures of Walter Satterwhite, Ben Benito and Tom Wilkinson. “Don’t get me wrong, Wilkinson still looks like our best bet but I haven’t interviewed Ben Benito yet either. He’s next on my agenda.”
“Yeah. Benito had a good motive and there was a long history of animosity between them,” Jodie said.
“He knew the restaurant too, since he used to work there, so he would have known how to get in and out of the kitchen without being seen.”
“I heard his business is booming now, so he has really benefitted from the murders.”
“I guess we’ll move him to our number two suspect then,” Paula said rearranging the photos. She looked over at Jodie. “Is there something you wanted to tell me?”
“Yes, I have been looking into previous Wilkinson Investment acquisitions and I have found eleven of them.”
“Oh, thank you. Did you learn anything?”
“Not yet. I have to go talk to the sellers and see if they were intimidated by Wilkinson to sell.”
“Oh, that sounds dangerous. Maybe—”
“Oh, don’t worry. I’ll have Brandon with me. Plus, there is no reason these people would contact Wilkinson. If he strong-armed them into selling, Wilkinson would be the last per
son they’d want to talk to.”
Paula nodded. “Well, be careful. The last thing we need is for Mike Sutherland to get wind that you’re snooping around again.”
After Jodie left, Paula worried about the logistics of a consolidated trial. Each defendant could insist on having their own attorney and that would make examining and cross examining witnesses extremely tedious. She wondered how Emilio would feel if the cost of Ricardo’s representation doubled on account of the trial taking much longer. They couldn’t afford to work if they weren’t getting paid and she knew neither Stan or the judge would allow her to withdraw from the case if Emilio decided to quit paying her bills. She prayed that wouldn’t become a problem.