Blood Money by Laura M Rizio

“Before I give it to you, will you answer a question for me—something which I don’t understand, that’s been bothering me?”
    “Maybe. Ask me and I’ll let you know if I can—or if I will.” Nick reached for his drink on the glass coffee table.
    ‘Do you know why Celia Lopez would have this in her safedeposit box?” Kirby opened the envelope and showed Nick the tape, while keeping a firm grip on it.
    “ Raiders of the Lost Ark .” Nick read the title aloud, paused, and reflected for a few minutes. “Yeah, I know why,” he lied. “I collect old films, and I didn’t have this one. She told me that she would make a copy for herself and give me the original. We used to talk about old movies all the time.” He sipped the last of his single malt, put the glass back on the table, and held his hand out for the tape.
    “But why wouldn’t she just give it to you? Why would she keep it in a safe-deposit box?” Kirby continued to hold the tape, ignoring Nick’s open hand.
    “I don’t know. Celia was a little weird. She thought some things were important that weren’t. She’d make ten copies of ordinary correspondence, copy all the phone messages…she was paranoid… closed, if you know what I mean. She thought that since it was a first release…cassette…you know, original 1981…it had particular value. I told her it didn’t, tapes lost quality with age. She wouldn’t hear it. She said she’d will it to me when she died instead of giving it to me now. I don’t know,” he shook his head. “I guess she wanted to prove a point.”
    “I thought it was a little weird, too, so I watched some of it—you know—ran it for a while—then fast-forwarded it.”
    Nick’s expression suddenly changed. Kirby noticed his smile had disappeared and his body had tensed. Body language. You couldn’t hide it. It never failed, Kirby thought.
    “And…?”
    “And I found that it was just a Raiders of the Lost Ark tape. And you’re right—the quality is poor.” Kirby laughed. “Age has a way of knocking the hell out of things.” He patted his stomach hanging over his worn, brown leather belt and handed Nick the tape.
    “Thanks…if that’s all, Detective Kirby…?” Nick moved toward the door hoping the old detective would take the hint.
    But Kirby moved toward the coffee table and stopped to read the caption on the top of the pile of papers Nick had left on the glass top.
    “Oh, Sean Riley. Are you trying that case?”
    “Yes.”
    “Yeah, I knew Captain Riley. He was a good man. Shame, to die so young. He had a lot of life left in him. I know Dr. Manin, too. Always helped our injured when he could. You know, gave to the police and firemen’s fund and all that…a true friend of the force.”
    “Yes. Well, good night, Detective.” Nick opened the front door before Kirby had finished his sentence. He didn’t see Maria Elena in Kirby’s path, he was so intent on getting rid of him.
    She smacked into Kirby in the doorway and practically ricocheted off his broad belly. Fortunately for her it was soft.
    “Excuse me.” The detective was visibly shaken—until he saw what it was he had collided with. Then he was visibly impressed. He smiled. “I’m sorry.”
    “Oh, pardon me. No. It’s all my fault. I was so clumsy. I should have looked where I was going,” she said coquettishly, tossing her dark hair back.
    “Not as clumsy as I am. Sorry, miss.” Kirby gestured gallantly with a hand toward the entrance as he stepped back to let Maria through. “Detective Ralph Kirby at your service, ma’am.”
    “Thank you.” She stepped through the doorway past Kirby and then turned to him with an outstretched hand. “Maria Elena Maglio.”
    “Relative of Joseph Maglio?” Kirby asked, shaking her hand warmly.
    “Yes, his cousin.”
    “Too bad. He was a great lawyer. A good man, too. I don’t care what they say about him.” Kirby paused, looking up. “What did Marc Antony say? ‘The good is oft interred