Ster Crazy

“Where's the bag of money?”

Detective Brennan and Detective Doherty looked at each other, thought for a moment and replied in unison, “We don't know.”

< < ^ > >

While the two patrolmen and two detectives were at the hospital, ensnaring Sterling, Chief of Police Josephine Tierney had sent an additional patrolman to the bank to safeguard Sterling's office, until the detectives returned.

< < ^ > >

Brennan introduced himself to patrolman Horace Adams, outlined what was expected of him and made sure he had the necessary keys and lock picks to accomplish his assignment.

< < ^ > >

“How about grabbing patrolmen Cipriotti,” Brennan said, with a slight smile, “and search the vehicles of all the employees?”

Detective Doherty's broad smile was her reply.

“Use the recorder to keep notes and don't forget to check the batteries.”

“Have any employees been cleared of wrong doing?” she asked.

“Not officially. What I'm asking you to do could go a long way toward that end.”

Maybe I should write a manual on how to search a suspect's vehicle, Brennan thought. I wonder if there's any money to be made in writing.

< < ^ > >

Detective Doherty sat behind the desk in the interrogation room with Patrolman Cipriotti seated closely on her right. She unplugged the recorder, pressed 'play' and the tape wheels began rotating.

“Looks like the batteries are good,” she said. As she was about to press 'record,' they heard Ronald Roman's voice say, Sterling told me he had two sure methods to get away with the money, without getting caught.

Doherty said, “Wait! Captain Brennan should hear this.”

Patrolman Cipriotti said, “I'll go get him while you wind it back.”

< < ^ > >

Doherty said, “Wait til you hear this, S.B.!” Upon hearing detective Doherty call detective Brennan, 'S.B.', Patrolman Cipriotti gave her a quizzical look.

The three of them heard Roman's voice repeat the startling information.

He continued. With the first method, I'm supposed to act as if Sterling had really shot me. I fall down and wait for the ambulance to pick me up. Sterling would take the money bag and go back in the bank, using the rear emergency door he came out of.

Detective Doherty turned up the volume up.

Before going in, he would toss the bag on to the roof. There's a parapet all around the roof so no one could see the bag from the ground.

He said me and him would be the only ones to end up with money. That told me he knew Trudy was dead and that he's the one who switched the blanks for real bullets. But, after telling me all that, he said he had a better plan.

“Stop the tape. Let's let that sink in for a minute,” Brennan said.

< < ^ > >