14

Cope

It was a day of firsts for Cope. First time at a police station, reading a police report, and seeing autopsy photographs. Being present at a news conference on the steps of City Hall was another thing Cope had never done before. How many more firsts were to come in the course of investigating this case?

Cope stood off to the left of the steps, watching as media members jostled one another for the best spot. Cameramen tested their gear while audio techs set their microphones and digital recorders on Ronan's podium.

At exactly 2:00 p.m., Ronan stepped out of City Hall and walked down the steps. Fitzgibbon flanked his left and Jude his right. All three were dressed in dark dress pants and crisp white button-down shirts. With temps in the nineties and the high humidity level, those shirts weren't going to stay crisp for very long. Each of the detectives wore mirrored aviator sunglasses, like Tom Cruise in Top Gun . In fact, Jude, Ronan, and Fitz all looked like they'd just stepped out of central casting. Tall, with movie star good looks, each of them oozed confidence. Cope wished he could bottle it and use it himself on days when he felt a little low.

"Good afternoon. My name is Detective Ronan O'Mara. This is Detective Jude Byrne and Captain Kevin Fitzgibbon. We're with the Cold Case Unit of the Salem Police Department. Earlier this morning, Chief of Police Cisco Jackson asked us to reopen the Domenica Fibonacci case. It's our aim to determine once and for all if she jumped or was pushed off that cliff in 1984."

"Where does the investigation stand right now?" a voice called from the crowd of reporters.

"We spent the morning going through the case file and evidence collected the night Domenica died. I've sent items to the state crime lab for DNA testing, including the shirt Vic Rothschild wore that night and the nightgown Domenica was wearing when her body was recovered. DNA technology as we know it today wasn't available in '84, and there have been great advances in hair and fiber technologies. We're hopeful we'll uncover evidence that wasn't collected at the time of the incident. I've put a rush on the samples."

"Why are you putting a rush on evidence that's forty years old? Do you think this case is more important than current cases the Salem PD is working?" John Jameson asked.

Cope had always thought the reporter was handsome, but looking at him now, gunning for Ronan, showed the man in an entirely different light. He looked like a shark, ready to devour Ronan for the slightest slipup.

"No, John, we don't think this case is more important than any other. Domenica and her family have waited forty years for the events of her last night to be revealed, and as a citizen of Salem, she deserves justice if she was murdered or to be left to rest in peace if she indeed took her own life." Ronan took a deep breath. "While we're waiting for the results to come back from the lab, we'll be interviewing those who knew Domenica back in the day. I'd welcome anyone who has information about this case to come forward. The Salem PD has a dedicated tip line. Please call if you know anything. The smallest detail could be what breaks the case open. I'll take a few questions now."

"Argyle Tanenbaum, NPR. Are you going to arrest Vic Rothschild for the murder of his wife?"

"Not at this time. We do not yet know if Domenica was murdered. We will be setting up an interview with Mr. Rothschild to go over the events leading up to his wife's death. Please remember he is innocent until proven guilty."

Ronan pointed to a blonde reporter who'd been waving her hand in the air like a first grader who needed a potty break. "Purple dress."

"Vanessa Carlton, CBS Boston. Detective O'Mara, my sources tell me Chief Jackson could be on his way out if this case isn't solved. What do you have to say about that?"

"With all due respect to Cisco Jackson, this case isn't about him. It's not about Captain Fitzgibbon. It's not about me. We're here today for Domenica Fibonacci. So much emphasis is being placed on Vic Rothschild. Did he or did he not kill his wife? Reopening this investigation isn't about him either. My goal here is to follow the evidence to determine how this victim died.

"Green vest." He pointed to a dapper-looking reporter wearing a matching bow tie.

"Kent Miller. WBZ Radio. Will you be exhuming the body of Domenica Fibonacci?"

Cope gasped at the question. It made him uncomfortable at the thought of Domenica's husband hearing about this possibility for the first time from a press conference rather than from Ronan or Fitz in person.

"That will depend on several factors, one of which having to do with tissue and blood samples being available from the original autopsy. If those items are available for testing, it's my hope the step of exhumation will not be necessary."

"How dare you!" an angry voice shouted from behind Cope. "How dare you stand here in front of reporters and talk about digging up my wife's grave! Have you no shame?"

Cope turned to see Vic Rothschild advancing toward Ronan's podium.

Ronan held his hand up. "Mr. Rothschild, all investigative options will be discussed with you when we sit down to meet."

"I'm not meeting with any of you!" Rothschild bellowed. "It's been forty years. Leave my wife to rest in peace."

"Sir, I'm sorry for your loss, but I don't think now is the time or place to discuss this matter."

"This is exactly the time and place. In front of cameras so everyone can see how the Salem Police Department conducts itself. Browbeating innocent widowers amid the threat of prying my beloved wife out of her coffin and subjecting her remains to yet another invasive procedure. I'll be forced to submit a DNA sample, which will be added to a national database forever, even if I'm found to be innocent, which I am. I'll have to give blood and hair samples. A violation of my right to privacy. My home will be invaded and searched. When will this end?" He took a gasping breath. "I'll tell you where it ends—with me being arrested and convicted for a crime I most certainly did not commit. I'll be railroaded and bullied up until I confess my sins or take my own life as my poor wife did. Domenica knew all about living in a world that did not understand her. She was forced to conform herself to this world rather than it accommodating her. If she were standing beside me today, she would tell you what a travesty of justice this is. Hasn't my family suffered enough?"

"You're talking about the Rothschild family, right? At the time of Domenica's death, yours was the sixth richest family in America. From the media accounts at the time of Domenica's death, it was thought that you bribed the Salem Police to look the other way, destroying evidence and making sure that a charge of murder couldn't be made against you, much less prosecuted. I'm not one to pay much heed to rumors or lip service, but you can damn well better believe I will do everything in my power to make sure you pay for your crime if you killed your wife. No man is above the law, and you're about to see that in action, up close and personal." Turning from the podium, Ronan strode up the stairs and into City Hall with Jude and Fitzgibbon behind him.

"You!" Rothschild screamed, striding toward Cope. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Cope watched in horror as all the television cameras swung toward him when Rothschild advanced on him.

"Are you trying to communicate with my wife's spirit again? You're nothing but a charlatan! A flimflam man! A con artist! You're the one who should be arrested, Mr. Forbes, for cheating people out of their hard-earned money. I'll make sure you get what's coming to you." Rothschild lunged forward with a roar, shoving Cope with all his strength.

Cope flew backward, landing hard on his ass before his head cracked against the pavement. He tried to sit up, but a wave of dizziness and nausea washed over him. He laid his head back and shut his eyes, which stopped the world from spinning but did nothing to block out Vic Rothschild slandering his name, his reputation, and his family.

"Jesus, Cope, you're bleeding. Are you okay?" Jude asked, kneeling down beside him.

"No," Cope whispered. "Don't let him come at me again. He's pure evil. I'm gonna be sick." He managed to roll to his side and vomited. As he retched a second time, he heard Ronan's voice telling Vic Rothschild he had the right to be silent, followed by the metallic clink of handcuffs being applied to the still-shouting man.

The last thing Cope heard before he lost consciousness was Vic Rothschild screaming he would get Cope if it was the last thing he did.