True Detectives

“You see him as evil.”

Arnold's eyes rose quickly, dropped to below Moe's level. “I see Ray as misled. I'm not saying some unseen arm is guiding him-it's not a matter of a demon with a forked tail. More like Ray's negative energy overpowered the positive.”

That sounded new-age. Or all faith simply boiled down to belief in the invisible.

Moe said, “Do you have any idea why I wanted to talk to you, Reverend?”

“I have an idea now,” said Arnold Wohr. “When I asked for you downstairs, they informed me I'd be going to Homicide. I'm terrified.”

But he'd wanted the interview away from his family even before that-expecting something bad. Arnold Wohr suspected there was more to his brother than dope and petty theft.

Time to soften him up.

Moe said, “Well, I don't mean to scare you, but we are investigating your brother's association with a homicide victim.”

“Association? Is Ray a suspect?”

“Not yet.”

“But he might be?”

“Would that surprise you, Reverend?”

“Ray's never been violent. Yes, of course it would surprise me.”

Moe slid Adella Villareal's happy-face color photo from her murder book and showed it to Arnold. A tremor plinked the corners of the guy's eye sockets then slow-walked to his hairline. “She's dead? My God.”

“You know her.”

“I met her once. She was with her baby-in that same blue blanket. Dear Lord-what happened?”

Moe said, “Where and when did you meet her?”

“Ray brought her for Easter. Not last Easter-two Easters ago.”

Barely a month before Adella's murder.

Moe said, “Easter di

Wohr nodded. “We'd stopped inviting him years ago because he never responded. So wouldn't you know when he's not invited, he pops in? Holding some flowers he'd obviously picked out of someone's yard.”

“With this woman.”

“That was the second surprise. Ray bringing anyone, he always came alone. The third was that she-what was her name… something Spanish-Elena?…”

“Adella Villareal.”

“Yes, that's it, Adella. The third surprise was her not being the type of person you'd expect Ray to associate with.”

“How so, Reverend?”

“She was well groomed, polite-a really nice young lady. Excellent ma

“Different from the other women in Ray's life.”

Arnold sat back. “I've never met any other women in Ray's life, Detective, it's just… it seemed as if she and Ray didn't fit. Not that Ray wasn't trying to be on his best behavior. When Ray shows up it's always for money. That day he didn't ask for any. Was dressed decently, collared shirt, clean jeans. I told myself maybe she's a good influence.”

“You saw them as a couple.”

“I didn't know what to think. But there he was, with her and baby. So yes, of course, I assumed. I remember thinking Poor baby, if Ray's his dad. Lord forgive me.”

Moe produced a mug shot of Alicia Eiger.

Arnold said, “Who's that?”

“Another friend of your brother.”

“This would be more what I'd expect.”

“How did Ray introduce Adella to your family?”

“Just, Hi, we're here, this is Adella.’ My wife ran off to set extra places. No point embarrassing the girl.”

“You assumed Ray was the baby's father but at some point that changed?”

“There was nothing romantic going on. Ray and Adella hardly talked to each other-mostly she talked to my wife about the baby. Mostly, she focused on the baby.”

“And Ray?”

“Not the least bit interested. When Adella got up to nurse him-he was a boy, cute little thing, lots of hair-Ray just kept shoveling food into his own mouth. The way he learned in prison.” Hooking his arm and hunching.

“Protecting his food,” said Moe.

“Exactly. Do you have children, Detective?”

“No, sir.”

“In the early stages it's all about physical caretaking. Feeding, burping, changing, then more of the same. Adella seemed to relish that. She ate so little at the table that we prepared her a little care package.” Frown. “Ray cleaned his plate then moved on to hers. Said something like ‘She'll never get to it, no sense wasting good grub.’”

“When Ray and Adella did interact, how did he treat her?”

“You think he killed her.”

“Reverend, where the case stands right now is Ray knew her and because of his criminal record, he needs to be looked at.”

“He's never been violent.”

“Sometimes people do things they never get arrested for.”

Arnold didn't answer.

“Would it totally shock you if Ray did kill someone?”

Arnold Wohr's eyes trampolined. “You just said you have no evidence.”

“That's true. I'm just asking.”

“Detective, the idea that my brother… no, I really can't see it. Ray's never been violent. Never…”

“But…”

“But nothing.”

“Sorry,” said Moe. “I thought I heard a but.”

Arnold Wohr crossed his legs, tugged at a lapel. “If you had evidence, of course I'd… no, no, I just can't believe Ray would ever go that far. But if he did something like that, of course I'd want him put away where he could never hurt anyone else.”

“Anyone else,” Moe echoed. “Is there something you need to tell me about your brother?”

Arnold's eyes zipped to one side, like a shotgun slide. He stared at a spot on the wall. “I'm not sure what you're asking, Detective.”

Sounded clear to me.

“Reverend, I could be totally off base here, but I've been picking up some serious concern on your part. Maybe because you know something about your brother that no one else does?”

Silence.

“Reverend, I understand about family loyalty, but protecting the i

Arnold stared at him. “You look young but you've been doing this for a while, haven't you?”

You are my new best friend.

Moe smiled. “You look a lot younger than your brother.”

“The virtues of clean living,” said Arnold. Then he laughed. “My wife says that. I tell her it's more the absence of dirty living.”

His attention shifted to the floor. “Yes, I do need to tell you.” Deep breath. “What you picked up isn't concern about Ray being violent. Not in the strict sense of causing physical harm…”

Moe waited.

“I feel like Judas, Detective.”

“Judas betrayed a savior. Doesn't sound as if your brother fits into that category.”

“The savior,” Arnold corrected. “Are you a religious man, Detective?”

“Depends what day you catch me.”

“Fair enough… I know it's my moral obligation to be truthful. But this is… I guess if I could be sure it was relevant, but I can't.”

“Ray's hurt someone in your family.”

“No!”

Moe shifted closer, spread his shoulders, establishing dominance. “What, then, Reverend?”

Head shake.

“Reverend, there's no morality in delaying. This is a homicide case. Adella Villareal was strangled and dumped. Her baby hasn't been seen since.”

Wohr's hands covered his face. “My God.”

“I think we both know what God thinks about that-”

“Ray never hurt her,” Arnold blurted. His hands dropped. “But he frightened her. My daughter. My younger daughter, Sarah. She's thirteen, caught him watching her through a window.”

“Her bedroom window?”

Nod. “The girls share a room. Eve was out with friends.”

“Sarah caught Ray peeping.”

“Dear Lord, yes.”

“When did this happen, Reverend?”

“Six months ago. Ray was back to his usual-filthy T-shirt, baggy shorts, the rubber sandals. He stank of alcohol.”

“Back to asking for money,” said Moe.

“This time he had a story. He'd turned his life around, was now a ‘great investment.’ I gave him everything in my wallet-a hundred and ten dollars. He asked for more, I said no, he cursed and left.”

“Is that when you gave him your car?”

“My car-oh, the Toyota. No, that was donated to the church last year. I thought my wife could use it so I paid the church full blue-book value. But it wasn't practical. I've got a second job, I install prefab cabinets and sometimes Francine and I need to deliver materials to a site. We purchased an old Suburban and gave the Toyota to Ray.”