Behind The Pseudonyms

1: Suspect: The Grieving Widow

"Are you kidding me? She's the prime suspect, Brent!" Lara Holtman starts to debate with her partner in the Crime Investigation Unit.

The worn-out man with growing stubs on his chin shifts himself from sitting on his chair. He did not sleep last night. He's trying to get deeper into the killing of John Cargill, a retired businessman. His 23 year old new wife is the prime suspect.

The crime was neat. Only the lock of the entrance door implied a forcible entry. 

The detective leans forward to Lara who is now sipping her coffee at his desk. "What am saying is, the girl is not just innocent but put in a bad state. She just married this guy for a couple of weeks and three days after, he was gunned down in their bedroom. No weapon was found in the crime scene. The rich old man died without leaving anything to her!"

Lara raised her eyebrow. "So...?"

"The dead man's Will was not changed since they got married in Italy. He brought her home to his L.A. Mansion. They were still in the honeymoon stage. " Brent folds his arms over his chest then continues, "No motive. Must be a burglar. Some cash and jewelries were missing. Unless one of Cargill's children who are living faraway in New Zealand, Australia and Copenhagen masterminded the old man's death. "  Brent ends his debate with sarcasm.

Lara puts down her cup. "I'll do more background check on her before we can finalize that it is really some random burglar attack."

He shrugs as he follows his partner with his eyes to the door. As the door closes, he sips from the same coffee cup as his memory brings him back to the shuddering young wife.

 Brent Sherwood had been in the bureau for 6 years. He's a good judge of character. He can surmise a killer just by talking with intent stare. The profile of Mrs. Cargill depicts not of a killer.

He found her in the walk-in closet when he rummaged everything inside and saw her in a fetal position, scared, withdrawn and in utter shock.  

Her fright was palpable through her voice. "Sir, he's dead...is he? I heard 2 shots. I hid myself over here. I'm scared!" Nikola cried hysterically clutching Brent on his shoulders until he signaled the paramedics to give her tranquilizer. She was carried to the waiting ambulance.

It turned out that the Cargill children did not know that their father remarried. John Cargill had been a widower for 17 years until he met Nikola Tocci, a waitress at Club del Doge Restaurant in Venice. The old man was staying in Gritti Palace Hotel for a summer vacation and the 23 year old lass had been his favorite waitress at breakfast.

Their camaraderie led to another and the whirlwind romance ended in a civil wedding in Florence, Italy. A limited guests of the young woman was invited at Florence's hotel, Il Palagio, which is the picture of Italian elegance where they had a 2 week honeymoon. From there, they flew to Los Angeles.