Murder and Mayhem in Manayunk Read online

  Ichowitz flashed his shield and said, “Young woman, we need a word with Mr. Nooris, and you look too young to be in a place at which alcoholic beverages are being served. Now, since I didn’t actually see you drinking anything, why don’t you just go on home, and I won’t ask to see your ID. Is that all right with you?”

  She nodded, grabbed her purse and left the bar without saying a word.

  “Mr. Nooris, that young woman didn’t look a day over sixteen. Not only could you lose your license for serving minors, but the laws in this Commonwealth are rather clear with respect to statutory rape.”

  “Officer, the young woman is my niece. I resent the implication. You frightened her. Now I’ll have to call her mother,” Nooris said with a smile. He spoke with a characteristically Israeli accent, not quite perfecting the ‘R.’

  “Please accept my apology. If you like, I’ll call the girl’s mother myself. Why don’t you give me her name and phone number?” Ichowitz replied.

  Nooris stopped smiling and said, “No, that won’t be necessary.”

  “Mr. Nooris, I’m Assistant District Attorney Regan and this is Detective Ichowitz. We’re investigating the murder of Megan Larson. We’d like to ask you a few questions, if that’s all right. Do you have an office or someplace private where we can talk?”

  Nooris led them to a small office behind the bar. The metal desk and three uncomfortable folding chairs were squeezed in the center of the room that was filled from floor to ceiling on three sides with boxes of liquor. The room had no ventilation and Regan felt slightly queasy from the sweet smell of Nooris’ after shave.

  Ichowitz, noticing that his friend looked pale, said, “Mr. Nooris, we know that you and Ms. Larson had been friends since you were students at Radnor High School. Can you tell us how Ms. Larson came to be staying at your brother’s condo?”

  “She was also Ari’s friend. She needed a place to stay for a couple of weeks and Ari said she could use his condo.”

  “So it was your brother and not you who gave her permission to stay there?”

  “My brother, me, what’s the difference?” he said with a shrug of his shoulders.

  “You said she was a friend of your brother Ari. Ari is several years older than you, ten years older, is that right?”

  Nooris nodded.

  How did he come to know Ms. Larson?” Ichowitz asked.

  Nooris shrugged his shoulders again and said, “I don’t know, I guess you’ll have to ask him yourself.”

  “But your brother is in Israel.”

  “No he’s not. He’s here he came back a few days ago.”

  Ichowitz looked over at Regan and said, “Mr. Nooris, if your brother had returned from Israel, was he also staying at the condo on Friday night?”

  “I don’t know. I don’t think so. I mean, he was probably at his house in Gladwyne with his wife and children. I don’t think Ari’s wife would like him staying at the condo with Megan,” he said and smiled.

  “Did you go to the condo Friday night?”

  “Why would I go there?”

  “Is your answer ‘no?’”

  He nodded.

  “When did you find out about Ms. Larson’s homicide?”

  “The security company called me around midnight. One of their patrol cars responded to an alarm. They found the back door to the unit open and found her body.”

  “The security company called and told you a body had been found at your brother’s condo where your friend Megan Larson was staying, and you didn’t go to the condo?”

  He nodded and asked, “Why would I go there?”

  “Weren’t you upset? After all, it was your brother’s place and your friend was the victim.”

  “In Israel people are killed all the time,” he said and stared at Ichowitz as if he were talking to a child.

  “Did you call your brother to let him know what had happened?” Ichowitz asked.

  “Why would I do that? What could Ari have done?”

  “Mr. Nooris, can you tell us where you were on Friday night between 7 PM and midnight?”

  Nooris raised his eyebrows and stared at Ichowitz, “Should I get an attorney?”

  “Why do you think you need an attorney?” Ichowitz replied.

  Nooris shrugged and said, “I was here at the bar until around nine, and then I went to Sweat, the gym on Main Street.”

  “How long were you there?”

  “Until around eleven, then I went home.”

  “That’s a pretty long work out,”

  Nooris smiled and flexed his biceps in reply.

  When they left the bar, Regan said, “What a cold man.”

  “You haven’t been around many Israelis have you?” Ichowitz asked.

  Regan shook his head.

  “They’re different from us. It must come from growing up surrounded by millions of people who want to kill them.”

  “I get that, but Avi grew up in Radnor.”

  Ichowitz told Regan he would stop by the gym and check out Nooris’ alibi. Regan drove past the Grape on his way home and decided to stop in and see if Kate’s offer for a nightcap was still good.

  He found O’Malley behind the bar. There were still a few tables with late diners. The dinner rush had passed, and some of the regulars had returned.

  “What happened to your bartender Melody?” he asked O’Malley as he took a stool at the end of the bar.

  “I told her to go home, since the toffs were all gone for the night. What did you do to Kate?”

  Regan gave him a puzzled look and asked, “What do you mean?”

  “She’s been in a dark mood ever since she served you and Izzy. Did ya forget to leave her a tip?”

  “Mike, is she still here?”

  He nodded his head in the direction of the kitchen. Regan stood up and walked towards the kitchen, and O’Malley whispered, “Be careful, she has sharp knives.”

  He pushed open the door and stood there and watched her as she cleaned the range. “O’Malley, I sent Gloria home.” She turned and said, “Oh it’s you.” She turned back to the stove.

  “Kate, did I do something wrong?”

  She turned and stared at him and wiped the lock of hair from her forehead with the back of her hand contemplating her response. “No no, it’s nothing you did.”

  “Can we have that nightcap then? There’s something I wanted to discuss with you,” he said.

  She nodded, “I’ll be with you in a few minutes. I’d like to put myself together first, if ya don’t mind.”

  “OK, but you look put together fine to me,” he said.

  She waved at him and said, “Oh, I do, do I?” and flashed him a smile. “Go wait at the bar and O’Malley will draw you a draft.”

  “Ay see you’re still in won piece,” O’Malley said as Regan resumed his stool. The bar was now empty and the last of the diners were settling up.

  “The chef said you’d draw me a pint of Harp” Regan said.

  “She did, did she?” O’Malley turned with a full pint glass in hand and placed it in front of Regan. He pulled a bottle of Tullamore Dew from under the bar and poured a generous shot in a tumbler and placed it next to him. “Kate likes her whiskey neat.”

  “Thanks, Uncle Mike,” she said as she walked out of the kitchen.

  “I’ll leave the two of you to close up if ya don’t mind,” he said as he walked to the stairs that led up to the living quarters.

  She took the stool next to him raised her glass and said, “Slainte.”

  He repeated the toast as their glasses touched.

  They sat silently after their toast, not looking at one another. She said, “You had something you wanted to tell me.”

  He took another sip of beer and said without making eye contact, “It’s been a long time since I sat at a bar with a woman. I’m a little out of my comfort zone.”

  “Looked to me like you were doing OK earlier this evening when that Ms. Wells kissed you,” she said looking at his reflection in the mir
ror behind the bar.

  He looked up at her reflection and said, “Courtney and I are old friends, but believe me I was not expecting that kiss.”

  “Well, with those pictures in the newspaper and all, looks to me like the two of you are more than old friends.”

  “Yes, I know how it looks, but there’s really nothing more going on. Before last weekend, I hadn’t seen Courtney since my wife’s funeral, and that’s nearly two years ago. I like Courtney, but we are not a couple. Kate, I haven’t been out on a date since Susan passed away.”

  “OK, but seems to me that Ms. Wells thinks there is more to your relationship than really nothing.”

  He sighed and said, “You’re right I guess.”

  She turned and faced him and asked, “What is it you want from me?”

  He stared at her, surprised at her question and said, “To be perfectly honest with you, I’m not sure. I guess I’m still not ready to start dating, but I was going to ask you and Liam to come to the race this Sunday. You know, meet me at the finish line, but I guess that would be awkward now that my mother arranged for Courtney to drive me to the race.”

  “Awkward, yes it would be that at the very least.”

  “Well, how about Saturday afternoon, after Liam’s soccer game? We could do something together.”

  “We as in you, me and Liam?” she asked.

  “Sure, if you like, or we as in you and me,” he said looking at her reflection in the mirror.

  She looked at his reflection in the mirror and then turned towards him and asked, “Just as friends?”

  He nodded.

  “I think that would be nice, seein as neither Liam nor I have any friends in this town.”

  NINE

  “Did you see the lead story on the first page of the Inquirer?” Ichowitz asked Regan as he entered Regan’s office the next morning.

  “Uh-huh,” Regan replied with a nod.

  The article reported that Dorothy Wiggins, “a prominent Philadelphia attorney,” had received over $10 million in fees as the attorney for the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, in the real estate deal for the construction of the Philadelphia Division Family Court House at the same time that she was partners with the real estate developer on the project. If the allegation was true, representing both the buyer and the seller in the same transaction is a clear conflict of interest, in violation of both legal canons of ethics, and possibly criminal laws.

  According to the newspaper, Wiggins claimed that there had been no breach of ethics or any criminal violation, because her relationship as counsel to the Court had ended before her partnership with the real estate developer began. She insisted, moreover, that she had disclosed all of the pertinent facts to all of the principals involved, including Chief Justice Robert Fogerty. Justice Fogerty was unavailable for comment, according to a spokesman for the Court.

  “Izz, the court house project was only one of the allegations the Grand Jury was looking into,” Regan said as he put down the newspaper.

  “Jack, looks like Wiggins threw Fogerty under the bus. If he knew she was working both ends of the deal and did nothing about it, he’s in deep doo-doo. If he didn’t know about it he’s gonna come off as the biggest schlemiel this town has ever known.”

  Regan nodded his agreement. “I’m sure Fogerty is trying to figure out how to respond. Did you check out Nooris’ alibi?”

  Ichowitz smiled and said, “It appears that there is a slight problem with Mr. Nooris’ story. He did in fact go to the gym to work out at 9 PM on Friday as he claimed. He also left the gym at 10:57 PM.”

  “So his story checked out,” Regan said.

  “Not quite.”

  Regan looked at him and waited.

  “Jack, you know where Nooris’ gym, Sweat, is located, don’t you?”

  “It’s on Main Street about a half mile south of where I live.”

  “And where is it in relation to the Nooris condo?”

  “I guess it’s a couple of blocks.”

  “It seems that for around forty minutes or so, Mr. Nooris was out for a jog along the Manayunk Canal. According to the staff at the gym, their clients often combine aerobics with the weight training, either using the equipment in the gym, or jogging on the canal path. No one could remember seeing Nooris after 9:45, so they assumed he went out to the canal, the same canal that goes past the back of the Old Pickle Works.”

  “I suppose a follow-up with Mr. Nooris would be in order,” Regan observed.

  “I was thinking that, but I want to interview his brother Ari first,” Ichowitz replied. “I thought we could see him this morning.”

  “Izz, I can’t make it this morning. I have a sentencing hearing on one of my other cases on the schedule. I’m sure you can handle this without me.”

  “No problem. By the way, did you have that nightcap with Ms. O’Malley?”

  Regan could feel the heat in his face and realized he must be blushing.

  “I guess it went OK,” Ichowitz said and got up to leave. “Did you decide what you’re going to tell Courtney?”

  Regan blushed again.

  “Looks to me like both you and Chief Justice Fogerty are going to need to make some comment on your respective mishogas; I’ll fill you in on my interview with Ari Nooris this afternoon. This sentencing hearing, is it the Mathais kid?”

  Regan nodded.

  “Ichowitz sighed, “Tough one. Good luck.”

  Fogerty drummed his fingers on his desk as he stared at the newspaper.

  “Chief, you all right?” his secretary asked. He looked up at her and said, “Not to worry,” and gave her an insincere smile.

  “Mr. Saunders is here, should I tell him you’re busy?”

  “No Martha, please show him in.”

  Mickey Saunders had been Fogerty’s right hand man when Fogerty was District Attorney. After his term of office was up he became his law partner for the brief interlude before Fogerty’s election to the Supreme Court. Saunders was his closest friend and confidant.

  “Mickey, good of you to come,” he said and gestured his visitor to take a seat.

  Saunders sat down and said, “Bob looks to me like this time you really stepped on your dick.”

  Fogerty smiled and said, “Now tell me something I don’t already know.”

  “Bob, did you take any money from her?”

  He shook his head.

  “Good. Did she give you anything in writing that she was withdrawing as counsel from the project?”

  He shook his head again.

  “OK. Did she give you anything in writing that said she was a partner with the real estate developer, what’s his name?”

  “Nooris. No nothing in writing.”

  “Good. Did you meet with Nooris, which Nooris was it?”

  “Ari.”

  “Which one is he? Is he the kid with the muscles, or is he the older one who looks like Omar Sharif?”

  “Ari’s the older brother.”

  “Good, the kid’s a loose cannon with a big mouth. The other one knows how to keep his mouth shut. So it’s your word against hers.”

  “So what do I do?”

  “You call a press conference and you act outraged and tell them you knew nothing about Wiggins being on both sides of the transaction, and that you are canceling the deal and demanding the return of both Wiggins’ fee and any money paid to Nooris. You’re retaining independent counsel to investigate the entire affair and based on the outcome of counsel’s investigation you will decide if criminal proceedings are warranted. At the very least you will request that the Disciplinary Board consider if there has been a violation of the Canons of Ethics.”

  “But…”

  “Bob, you’re the fucking Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania! You’ll tell them that this news article was a revelation to you, and it validates your belief in an independent press. The reporters will eat that shit up with a spoon.”

  “What do I say if they ask me questions?”<
br />
  “Bob, you can’t answer any questions while this matter is under investigation, even though you would sincerely like to accommodate the press.”

  Fogerty stared at him.”Who am I retaining as independent counsel?”

  “Why, me of course; you OK with that?” Saunders asked.

  “Yes.”

  “Good. Let’s get this show on the road then.”

  “Thanks Mickey.”

  Saunders shrugged his shoulders. “Bob, one more question.”

  Fogerty nodded.

  “Did you really pay that bitch $10 million dollars?”

  Fogerty nodded again. Saunders shook his head and stood up.

  “Remember, you didn’t know a fucking thing about her playing on both sides of the deal until now.”

  When Saunders left the office, he pulled out his cell phone and hit the speed dial.

  “How did it go?”

  “He’s even a bigger fool than when he was the DA,” Saunders replied.

  “Is there a paper trail?”

  “Probably not, we’ll talk about it later,” he said and ended the call.

  As he approached Court Room 500, he saw Police Lt. Gary Mathais standing by the side of the door. Mathais nodded his head in the direction of the stairwell, signaling Regan away from the courtroom. Regan looked at his watch and nodded.

  “Counselor, how’s it gonna go in there?” Mathais asked.

  Regan put his hand on Mathais shoulder and said, “Gary, your son is going to do some serious time. He should have copped a plea. The judge was prepared to accept our recommendation, but your son’s attorney…”

  “I know I’m not blaming you. It’s going to kill the boy’s mother.”

  Gary Mathais Jr., the twenty-one-year-old son of Lt. Gary Mathais, had been convicted of Vehicular Homicide and other felony charges three months ago. Gary was high on cocaine and other controlled substances when he ran a red light at Broad and Pattison Avenues and hit two female joggers, killing one and seriously injuring the other, and then he drove away from the accident. The two women were first-time visitors to Philadelphia who came to town from Milwaukee to watch their hometown club play the Phillies.