Sometimes a case seems like it's going one way...then it actually winds up going in a completely different direction....I took the knowledge that a mysterious man was seen consoling Althea Washington just hours before she died and the revelation that she was three months pregnant at the time of death as thinking that maybe this horrific double murder wasn't about Frederick Washington, Dynamic African-American City councilman and police corruption activist at all....but more about his wife!!!
In the coming days...I talked to his family members and his closest friends as well as his city council colleagues... They all told me what was quite evident...That yes there had been some tension in the marriage and that they were working it out... They knew about the two miscarriages and how bad they both had felt about it...They all were surprised to know that she was pregnant a third time!!!! None of them knew it and Frederick Washington, who wanted a baby more than anything had said nothing about it!! Now why was that??
The fact that she had been seen visibly upset and being consoled by a mystery man made me think....Made me think that maybe Frederick didn't know and maybe....just maybe...It wasn't his baby!
"That's what I like about you Kevin....When you ask somebody to go out of their way....You make it up to them." laughed Dr. Farber.
''Aint it the truth?" seconded Sissy.
He had had pulled out the DNA reports on the two deceased victims and the fetus....as I had asked him days earlier.....He looked at us both gravely...
"I don't know why I or the case detective didn't think much about this a year ago...but not only was Mrs. Washington pregnant.....but the DNA of the fetus is not a match for Mr. Washington!!!" he said.
"Meaning that she was pregnant by someone else?" I said.
"Exactly!!" said Dr. Farber.
"Okay Kevin...that would back up your claim that she was upset....But what would that have to do with a double homicide?" she asked.
"I think someone , someone who had a lot to lose if this was discovered wanted this hushed up...Wanted her hushed up!" I said.
"Wow , you're out in left field on this one." she said.
"Match that DNA and you've got your killer..." I said.
"How you gonna prove that?" asked Sissy.
"I don't know." I said.
II-
So back to the drawing board! I was back at Robert Foxworth's law offices....Looking at the compiled evidence on Frederick and Althea Washington...
"Man, you're in here so much I'm going to have them get you a desk" joked Robert Foxworth. Cole laughed.
I smiled too.
"I know....I'm working on a theory counselor....Althea was three months pregnant at the time of her and her husband's murder. The baby wasn't her husbands" I said.
''WHATTTTT?" said Robert Foxworth...
"It coulda been Floyd Jeters baby." said Chance Howard non-chalantly.
I spun around!!! So Did Robert. "Who is Floyd Jeters?" he asked.
"Some Aide to Frederick Washington...I caught his act yesterday..a real smooth operator..Reminded me of you." I said looking at Robert Foxworth and laughing.
''Very funny, very funny." said Robert Foxworth.
''Floyd Jeters??? What makes you say that?" I asked Chance.
"He was Frederick Washington's aide.....He worked for the man....but before he was that....He and Althea had known each other in High School....They had had a short relationship." he said.
"Wow!! Chance, how did you find that out?" I asked.
"A few days ago when you said that you was going to talk to him...I called our guy in records and did a little digging into his background...He grew up here in Philly...He and Althea attended the same high school...I did a little asking around....You know , mutual friends and what not....They were pretty hot and heavy at one time...Then they broke up..She went off to college...He went to college here and they met up again when the Washington's moved back to Philly.....It was rumored that they uh caught up on lost times and that that was why the Washington's seperated.." said Chance.
''So wait a minute....This guy has an affair with a guy's wife and he hires him to work for him?" I asked ,incredulous....
"It's uh kind of keep your enemies close and your friends closer!" said Chance... Both Cole and Robert Foxworth laughed their heads off. "It was a favor from Jeter's father in law...Claude Jerguson...a businessman...He had a number of big construction contracts with the city and was a friend of the mayor. " he continued.
"Jeter's father in law eh? I might need to talk with him." I said.
"Uh that's not gonna happen Kev." said Chance.
"He's that connected?" I asked.
''No...He's dead." said Robert Foxworth.... ''Lung Cancer ...died a little over a year ago." he continued.
''With him dead....Washington could have fired him." I said.
"Yeah and the fact that he had knocked up Washington's wife wouldn't have helped his case at all." said Robert Foxworth.
"So he had to go....just like the pregnant Mrs. Washington had to go." said Cole.
''It all fits...There is your previously missing motive." I said.
"Yeah...but he probably wanted to put the missus at ease, before the kill." said Chance.
"Hmmmm, that makes sense...What if he was the man seen consoling her on the day she died?" I asked.
"You know he's got three kids...The third child was born just weeks after the Washington's were murdered." said Chance.
"Oh Yeah?You should have seen him the other day...Had some woman stretched across the desk in his office...Had his pants down around his ankles...goin to town...He didn't seem like the happily married family guy type." I said.
"Damnnnn ,across the desk huh?" said Robert Foxworth...Cole ,Chance and I all gave him the side eye..
"What? Just askin!" he said innocently.
"He was probably on thin ice everyday with this man he worked for....and with a wife ,two children and one so close to being born, he couldn't afford to have one with his bosses wife and then suddenly be disgraced ,embarrassed and unemployed too." I said. "Plus with his benefactor gone...he had no political protection...This was a survival move." I continued.
"You stretchin here Kev. All of you are...You can't prove any of this...It's all just speculation." said Robert..
"I'm bettin I'm right....Robert , Get on the phone and call Peeping Tom and Lockpick Johnson...I got a job for em to do....Cole ...call your security guard friend at City Hall....I need to know when the good councilman leaves for the day..." I said.
"What are you going to do?" asked Robert Foxworth..
"Right now? I'm going home....Today has been a good day." I said.
"Yeah?" asked Robert Foxworth...
"Yes it has....I've got a whole new perspective on this case." I said.
III-
"Remember how you said you wanted to go on one of my cases with me?" I asked
"Yeah?" she said.
"I just might have a job for you to do in a few days." I said.
"REALLY?" she said...her eyes lighting up!
"Yeah and uh...wear that Green dress you bought a couple of months ago...the tight one!" I said.
She gave me a side eye!
(To Be Continued...)
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