A Stranger on the Beach(91)

“Unless Callahan worked for the Russians,” Vargas said.

“He’s a bartender in Glenhampton who was sleeping with Stark’s wife,” Jess said. “He has no connection to the Russian mob.”

“That you know of. But take a look at this.”

She clicked to the next photograph. It showed Aidan Callahan’s truck several car lengths behind the blue Audi that carried Jason Stark and the Russian woman.

“This photo was taken by one of our surveillance agents on the day that Jason Stark and Galina Morozova met with the enforcer at the auto parts store. We ran the plate. The red truck you see here is registered to Aidan Callahan. He followed them to the meeting. It’s possible that he attended the meeting. Here’s a photograph of a man walking down the alley on the side of the auto parts store heading in the direction of the rear parking lot. We think this is Callahan, but we can’t confirm it.”

She put up another slide showing a man walking away from the camera, taken from a distance. The man’s face wasn’t visible, but based on height and hair color, it could very well be Aidan Callahan.

“This is the only photo we have of him,” the prosecutor said. “We went back through all our surveillance material, and he doesn’t show up in anything else relating to our case. We can’t prove he worked for our Russians. But it is suspicious that he showed up at this meeting. Now, I’d like to hear about your evidence. What’s your proof that Callahan was the shooter?”

“Our case hinges on a detailed witness statement from Mrs. Stark,” Jess said. “She admits to having an affair with Aidan Callahan. When she ended it, she says he started stalking her and her family. That’s why Callahan followed Jason Stark. It has nothing to do with any Russians. Caroline Stark claims that Callahan later broke into their home and shot and killed her husband. She saw it happen. Callahan was arrested in that same red truck. The truck was full of blood, and he was wearing blood-soaked clothing. A silver handgun was retrieved from the vehicle.”

“We now have forensic test results on the blood and the gun,” Vernon Mays said. “Phil, can you summarize?”

Phil Nadler was a storied crime scene investigator with a craggy face and salt-and-pepper hair, who’d worked some of the best-known homicide cases in recent history. A rumor was going around that he planned to retire any day now and start raking in the cash as an expert witness. Jess was excited to have this opportunity to see him in action.

“Afraid I forgot my PowerPoint,” Phil said, drawing chuckles around the table. “But I do have some pictures to pass around, with extra copies for the feds if you’d like to take home a party favor. Okay, Callahan’s truck, interior and exterior views. Notice the substantial amount of blood on the front upholstery. Photographs of Callahan wearing blood-soaked clothing, and the blood on his hands. Photographs of a silver-gray handgun, a Beretta APX RDO with bloody fingerprints. And photographs of a man’s jacket and a blanket both recovered from a cave where we believe Callahan may have dumped Stark’s body. The body has not yet been recovered. We believe it may have been swept out to sea by the storm surge from Hurricane Oswald. The good news is, we no longer need the body to prove the murder. The blood on the seat of the truck and on Callahan’s clothing belongs to Jason Stark. We were able to develop a DNA profile for Stark based on a lock of hair taken from his daughter Hannah. That sample is one step removed, however. It’s reliable. But I’d prefer a direct sample from Jason Stark for trial. We could get that from his hairbrush, razor, whatever. We searched the beach house based on Caroline Stark’s consent. Unfortunately, Jason didn’t spend time there, and we were unable to obtain a hair sample that we could confirm as his. We’d like to search their apartment, if his wife would give permission. But I’ve been told Caroline Stark is no longer cooperating with the investigation.”

Everybody turned to look at Jess.

“Is that true?” AUSA Vargas asked.

Jess felt her face flush.

“She was physically assaulted by Aidan Callahan at the Glenhampton police station. He broke loose while being transported. After that attack, Caroline turned off her phone and stopped responding to my calls or texts. She claims she fears for her life and doesn’t trust the authorities to protect her. Which could be the explanation for why she went AWOL. But—”

Jess took a deep breath. Her hands were clenched into fists. She made an effort to uncurl them and speak calmly.

“Deputy Castro and I have developed new information that causes us to doubt Caroline Stark’s version of events. This information may—and I stress, this is preliminary—it may implicate Caroline Stark as a coconspirator with Aidan Callahan in her husband’s murder.”

There were some indrawn breaths around the table.

“This is news to me,” Vernon Mays said. “When were you planning on telling me this, Lieutenant?”

“At this meeting, sir.”

Mays was about to yell at Jess in front of everyone, but to her intense relief, Phil Nadler interrupted.

“I have evidence that undercuts Caroline’s story also. Honestly, I dismissed it, but it could be read to say she’s lying.”

Phil hadn’t brought his damaging evidence forward before, either. Jess was off the hook.

“Everybody wants to ruin my case today,” Vern said. “Go ahead, Phil. What have you got.”