Detective Denny Miles and Detective Jensen Lukasky looked out the store window as the man identified as Bartholomew "Bart" Smith strolled past the front of the store as if he had no care in the world. From the commentary by the store owners, it would seem to clear Yvette Smith of the crimes related to cashing Margaret Smith's social security checks and so forth, but that didn't mean that a crime hadn't been committed or that the two detectives didn't have a case to solve.
"Thank you, you've both been quite helpful," Denny said to the two store owners and lead his partner out after the older looking male werefox.
The door made a soft "ding" as they exited the building, and the male werefox surely heard it, but he continued to walk calmly. He was certainly as cool as a cucumber as he did so, which a sense DID make sense. If he ran, he would give away not just his guilt but the fact that he knew he was guilty. Walking calmly would give the look that he was innocent, and gave both Denny and Jensen that Bath Smith was rather clever, but cleverness could only get one so far. There was no such thing as the perfect crime and that even the supposed criminal masterminds left behind clues that pointed to their guilt. The issues that let guys seemingly get away with things was that the evidence found was circumstantial and wouldn't hold up in court, as that could create doubt in a jury, even though the defendant had likely committed the crime.
"Excuse us," Jensen called after Bartholomew Smith, "Mr. Smith... could we get a word with you?"
The man paused and came to a stop and then turned. The turn was rather casual.
"Is something wrong, sirs?" Bartholomew Smith asked.
"Could be," Denny answered as he and Jensen approached, "I'm Detective Denny Miles and this my partner, Jensen Lukasky."
"Lukasky?" Bartholomew asked with a raised eyebrow.
"My father escaped Russia in 1917 before the Reds took over and started murdering people," Jensen answered, "he made his way here and married a nice English girl who'd also recently immigrated."
"Could we have a word with you?" Denny asked.
"I suppose," Bartholomew asked, "what would you like to know?"
Denny traded glances with Jensen as the coolness that Bartholomew Smith gave off unnerved both of them. Yvette Smith's antics had put the whole town on edge on the eve of a family moving to Moon Lake to escape the mob and now with person who might expose were-beasts coming into Moon Lake the previous night, though both detectives didn't know about that. Their concern was to clean up the mess that had been left behind by the trouble caused by Yvette Smith.
"We have some questions concerning Margaret Smith," Denny answered, and was about to continue when he was cut off.
"A terrible shame about her," Bartholomew spoke up in a tone that was obviously fake and to Jensen sounded rather shifty, "She tried hard to try and teach her daughter right from wrong... but things didn't seem to work out between them."
That was an understatement to Denny. However, Yvette was in custody and pending medical and psychological tests would be in custody for a very long time. The direct issue was with Yvette's mother's situation. She had been dead for about a year and a half and it was so far looking like suicide from an overdose of anti-depressants.
"Yes," Denny answered, "however the issue has more to do with someone cashing Margaret's social security checks. And we were told that you were the one cashing them."
"Well... I cashed them for a while before she died," Bartholomew answered, "She did need someone to cash them for her."
"That's the story we were told," Jensen commented as he moved to flank Bartholomew, "but the thing is... those checks were being cashed AFTER she had died and that someone was squatting in her home WITH her corpse."
"And you are the only one we've had identified as cashing those checks," Denny answered.
"Well... uh..." Bartholomew said slowly.
It was at this point that Bartholomew ran. The two detectives had made a direct point that demonstrated their suspicion with some proof of Bartholomew's involvement. And while he might be able to lay some claim that his actions were at Yvette's or someone else's insistence, the likelihood of that being considered plausible wasn't good. In that, Bartholomew took the only option he had, and that was to run. Denny and Jensen both gave chase immediately and kept good pace. None of them were particularly young, and were in fact older than they looked, but they were in good shape and made good time. Bartholomew made it about a twenty yards before Denny and Jensen caught up with him and tackled him.
"Goororroofffff...." Bartholomew grunted as he was brought down onto the sidewalk with Jensen landing on his back.
"For failing to report the death of Margaret Smith and fraudulent cashing of social security checks," Denny spoke and took a deep breath, trying to catch his breath, "You are under arrest. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law..."
While Denny continued to read Bartholomew his Miranda Rights, Jensen managed to get the werefox up back onto his feet. The werefox didn't fight and let his the junior detective pull his arms back and place cuffs on his wrists.
"Do you understand these rights?" Denny asked as he finished the Miranda Rights/
"Yes," Bartholomew answered, but with a tone that actually accepted being caught.
"Now... how did you meet Margaret Smith?" Jensen asked.
"Through the mail," Bartholomew answered, "she seemed kind of desperate..."
"And you took advantage of her?" Jensen asked.
"Not explicitly," Bartholomew answered, "she was beautiful..."
Denny didn't fully trust that, as people didn't get married just because the partner was beautiful. He figured that the two had never got beyond the casual dating part of the relationship, but a full bond never formed between the two. And while a loving husband might might not report the death of a wife, but in those cases, the husband would be found in a state of despair and clutching at the one he loved, as if he could somehow bring the wife back to life. Nothing that had they had found gave any indication that Bartholomew Smith had done any of that.
"What business have you had with your daughter?" Denny asked as they walked back toward their car.
"Yvette? Not really any business," Bartholomew admitted, "I've had work in Vancouver from time to time... Margaret always wanted me to move here full time, but the work kept me in Canada a lot. I couldn't do that..."
"So why come back at all?" Jensen asked.
"Hey... when a woman with an F Cup chest says she wants you... you go back to that woman," Bartholomew gave a bit of a smirk.
"To take advantage of her," Denny grumbled. That's probably what set up Yvette's answers when she was questioned that she didn't know her father. He was not only out of Moon Lake but out of the country for much of the time. He even wondered if Bartholomew Smith was actually part of the Moon Lake Skulk or from a different werefox community. "When she died... you decided to cash in on her money... what money there was."
"You said it, not me," Bartholomew answered.
"Is he right?" Jensen questioned Bartholomew.
The werefox didn't answer. He had a slightly defiant face, but there was also the look of someone who knew he was caught and wasn't going to get out of it. It gave Denny and Jensen the answer to that question.
"You're a rotten father, you know that?" Denny answered, "and perhaps a rotten individual. You been living off of your wife's social security checks... You haven't been there for your daughter, who probably needed a real father figure."
Bartholomew didn't answer as they reached their car. Jensen opened the door and Denny moved to usher Bartholomew into the car and then buckled the werefox in. The two then paused after the back door was shut.
"Will this close everything?" Jensen asked.
"With the social security checks, probably," Denny answered, "though may still need to ask Yvette a few questions... just to see if she had any contact with her father that she hasn't admitted to..."
Jensen nodded.