The Gate House   ::   Demille Nelson

Detective Nastasi said, “As for Tony Rosini, we picked him up at theBellarosa residence – he apparently has a room there in the basement – and he said he was there waiting for his boss to call for a pickup. That’s all he knows.” Nastasi added, “As of now, he’s being held as an accessory to a number of felonies.” He said to Susan, “Early tomorrow, you’ll need to identify him in a lineup as the man who accompanied Anthony Bella-rosa. Then we can charge him.”

Susan nodded.

Detective Nastasi let us know, “The fact that the alleged perpetrator has died will make this investigation and the resolution of this case a little simpler and faster than if he’d survived.”

True. Dead thugs tell no tales, and they can’t make statements to the press or to the police that contradicted statements made by their victims. Most importantly, Anthony was not coming back.

Nastasi asked us, “Do you have any questions about what is happening or what will happen with this case?”

Susan asked him, “How long will you need us to be available?”

He replied, “A month or two, although that’s not my decision to make.”

Susan informed him, “We’re getting married the second Saturday in August, then we’re going on a honeymoon.”

He nodded and said, “Congratulations.” He added, “That shouldn’t be a problem.”

“No, it won’t be.” Lady Stanhope then inquired, “Where is my car?”

He replied, “It hasn’t turned up, but I guess Rosini knows where it is. When we find it, we’ll need to hold it until the crime lab is through with it.”

She nodded, then asked, “When can we return to our house?”

“In a day or so.”

I didn’t think Susan actually wanted to return so soon, but if or when we did, we both knew it would be temporary. After we survived the media circus, and got through the criminal investigation, we would sell the guest cottage to Amir Nasim and go someplace else. Where, I didn’t know – maybe we’d throw a dart at a map of the world.

Detective Nastasi broke into my thoughts and said to Susan, “I believe that the grand jury will come back with a finding of justifiable homicide. So don’t worry about that.” He suggested, “Find a place to stay tonight, keep in touch, and tomorrow morning we’ll do that lineup.” He concluded, “Detective Jones says we don’t need you here any longer.”

We thanked him, shook hands, and another detective escorted us to our bedroom, which was still filled with crime scene investigators.