As Long As We Both Shall Live (Dangerous Women & Desperate Men) Read online

  Table of Contents

  As Long As We Both Shall Live

  Author’s Note

  Added Reading Features

  Six Seconds (Excerpt)

  It took years to create Six Seconds

  Author’s note on Vengeance Road

  Vengeance Road (Excerpt)

  Author’s note on The Panic Zone

  The Panic Zone (Excerpt)

  Headlong Into the Panic Zone

  The Story Behind The Panic Zone

  In Desperation (Excerpt)

  About the Author

  Praise for Rick Mofina’s books

  For more information please visit

  AS LONG AS WE BOTH

  SHALL

  LIVE

  RICK MOFINA

  As Long As We Both Shall Live

  Rick Mofina

  Kindle Edition

  Copyright 2011 Rick Mofina

  ISBN: 978-0-9877080-5-2

  This e-book is intended for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be sold or given away to other people. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Amazon.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  e-Formatting provided by Carrick Publishing

  Copyright © 2011 by Rick Mofina

  Copyright © 2007 by Rick Mofina

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the creation of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Also by Rick Mofina

  IN DESPERATION

  THE PANIC ZONE

  VENGEANCE ROAD

  SIX SECONDS

  Other books by Rick Mofina

  A PERFECT GRAVE

  EVERY FEAR

  THE DYING HOUR

  BE MINE

  NO WAY BACK

  BLOOD OF OTHERS

  COLD FEAR

  IF ANGELS FALL

  As Long As We Both Shall Live

  RE: INVESTIGATION OF SPENCER DALTON

  PLACE: Criminal Court Building

  DATE/TIME: 11.am., December 24, 2007

  REPORTED BY: Kim Willoughby Deputy Court Reporter

  STATEMENT OF: Elizabeth Dalton

  APPEARANCES:

  PAUL UPSHAW, Assistant State Attorney

  DONNA WHITE, Attorney for the witness

  ALSO PRESENT:

  BILL POPE, Detective Fuller County Sheriff’s Office

  SAMANTHA VINE, Detective, State Bureau of Criminal Investigation

  MARK AYER Detective Hartford Police Department

  CATRINA LOPEZ Detective Hartford Department

  Elizabeth Dalton

  Having been first duly cautioned and sworn to testify the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, testified on her oath as follows:

  DIRECT EXAMINATION

  BY MR. PAUL UPSHAW:

  Q. Right off, I want to acknowledge that everyone has rearranged plans in order to be here and we appreciate everyone’s patience as we deal with this serious matter. Now, could you please state your name for the record.

  A. My name is Elizabeth Dalton.

  Q. Are you known by any other name?

  A. I’m known as Liz Dalton.

  Q. My name is Paul Upshaw. I’m a prosecutor for the State Attorney’s Office. We are conducting an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of your husband, Spencer Dalton, 993, Hickory Shade Lane, Hartford, Connecticut. For the record we will summarize the facts to date, is that okay, Mrs. Dalton?

  A. Yes.

  Q. In your statement to Detective Bill Pope, of the Fuller County Sheriff’s Office, May 17, 2007, you reported your husband Spencer Dalton missing after he had left your family cabin at Sweet Pine Lake in Fuller County. He left alone in his 18-foot Galaxy Aqua Glider boat to go fishing, is that correct?

  A. Yes.

  Q. You were last to see Spencer Dalton. Is that correct?

  A. Yes.

  Q. Detective Bill Pope headed the investigation that involved a number of agencies and services in an extensive search. The search for your husband yielded no results beyond the recovery of his boat and one life jacket. Spencer Dalton is missing and presumed to have drowned. This is reflected in Detective Pope’s sworn report in the file dated July 21, 2007.

  A. Yes.

  Q. For the record, Hartford detectives Ayer and Lopez located you at approximately 8:00 a.m. today, December 24th at Bradley International Airport during pre-boarding for SunEx Flight #1975 to Miami, Florida with a connection on Globo Rio Air Flight #4587 to Sao Paulo, Brazil.

  A. That’s correct.

  Q. They indicated to you that new information of an urgent nature in the Spencer Dalton case had arisen and we were seeking what knowledge you have pertaining to it. You volunteered to postpone your flight and cooperate upon advice of your attorney, Ms. Donna White, who is present. Is that correct?”

  A. Yes.

  Q. I’ve gone through the file but would like to ask you to first provide a bit of biographical information. Your date and place of birth?

  A. October 13, 1950, Sao Paulo, Brazil.

  Q. Did you grow up in Brazil or the United States?

  A. Both. My father is an American citizen from Boston. He was a diplomat, a military attaché with the Embassy in Brazil where he met my mother. I was born in Brazil. When I was twelve, my father left his post for a job here in Hartford.

  Q. You have dual citizenship?

  A. Yes. I consider myself an American citizen.

  Q. Do you have children?

  A. One. Our daughter. She’s a language therapist. We have two grandsons. Our son-in-law is Professor of American Studies at the University of Lisbon. They moved to Portugal seven years ago.

  Q. I noticed you did not name them.

  A. You did not ask for their names.

  Q. Tell me, in the seven years since your daughter moved to Portugal, how often have you seen her and your grandsons?

  A. Inaudible.

  Q. Mrs. Dalton, how often have you seen them?

  A. Twice.

  Q. Twice? In seven years?

  A. Inaudible (boys were born?)

  Q. Would you like a tissue?

  AFTER RECESS:

  Q. Okay we’re back on the record. What is your occupation, Mrs. Dalton?

  A. District manager of deli items for North-World Imperial Consolidated Food Group.

  Q. The retail chain?

  A. Yes.

  Q. What is the nature of your responsibilities?

  A. I ensure the meat sections of the stores are in compliance with all aspects of the company’s policy. Selections, meat case display, everything.

  Q. And your husband? His occupation?

  A. Senior Sales for Encore Auto Restore.

  Q. The national auto body repair chain?

  A. Yes.

  Q. How did you meet Spencer Dalton?

  A. Inaudible.

  Q. Mrs. Dalton, I know this is difficult. Can you answer the question, please?

  A. Inaudible.

  Q. Mr. Upshaw, can we give my client a moment?

  A. Certainly, Ms. White.

  AFTER RECESS:

  Q. Okay we’re back on the record. Mrs. Dalton, how did you meet Spencer Dalton?

  A. We met at County High School in our senior year. We both attended Community College. After graduation, we got married and moved to the city.

  Q. At the time of Sp
encer Dalton’s death, how long had you been married?

  A. Thirty-five years.

  Q. Was it a happy marriage?

  A. It was a good marriage.

  Q. Were you happy in your marriage to Spencer?

  A. I loved Spencer.

  Q. Did you feel loved in return?

  A. I know he loved me.

  Q. How do you know Spencer loved you, Mrs. Dalton?

  A. Inaudible.

  Q. Mrs. Dalton?

  A. He took a vow to always love me. I - (inaudible).

  Q. Here’s another tissue. We’ll give you a minute.

  AFTER RECESS:

  Q. Okay, we’re back on the record. Mrs. Dalton, have you ever been unfaithful to your husband?

  A. Inaudible.

  Q. You’re shaking your head. Mrs. Dalton, I have to request that you please remove your hands from your face and answer for the record, please.

  A. Never. I was never unfaithful to Spencer. He’s the only man I’ve ever loved.

  Q. Do you suspect your husband was unfaithful to you?

  A. No response.

  Q. Mrs. Dalton, do you suspect Spencer was ever unfaithful in your thirty-five years of marriage?

  A. How could he be?

  Q. Excuse me?

  A. He took a vow to love me. To always love only me.

  Q. Mrs. Dalton, please answer the question.

  A. Inaudible.

  Q. Mr. Upshaw, I think my client needs another moment to compose –

  Q. No. We’ll continue, Ms White. Mrs. Dalton, our recent investigation shows that Spencer Dalton travelled a great deal on business and he travelled alone. Would you say that is correct?

  A. Yes.

  Q. On March 5th, 6th and 7th of this year, he was registered as a guest at the Sunrise Luxury Suites in Houston, Texas. Here are hotel records and his plane ticket we obtained by executing warrants. Mrs. Dalton, did you accompany your husband on this trip?

  A. No. I was at my office here in Hartford.

  Q. At your office? Mrs. Dalton, e-mail traffic originated by you indicates that you informed your assistant that some business emergency had arisen requiring you to fly to Atlanta March 5th and that you would make your own arrangements. Here are copies of records we obtained through warrants.

  A. I may have my dates confused.

  Q. Mrs. Dalton, you did fly to Atlanta March 5th but according to the records we obtained you never left Atlanta Airport for the city. From Atlanta you purchased a ticket to Houston then checked into the Desert Arms Inn in Houston. You’ll note it is across the street from Sunrise Luxury Suites in Houston. This is confirmed by the records and photographs in the file. You will also see that you have been recorded registering at the desk by the security camera at the Desert Arms Inn where you rented room 3009 for March 5th, 6th and 7th.

  A. Yes.

  Q. Why didn’t you join your husband at his hotel across the street from your hotel?

  A. I – well, he was very busy and he had a lot of business in Houston.

  Q. Did you join him for dinner, or anything like that?

  A. I – he was very busy.

  Q. Was your husband aware you were in Houston, across the street from him?

  A. No response.

  Q. Mrs. Dalton?

  A. Inaudible.

  Q. Do you not think it odd that you would fly all that way and not join him?

  A. Mr. Upshaw, perhaps a break would --

  Q. No. We’ll continue. Mrs. Dalton, tell me, what was your business in Houston?

  A. Inaudible.

  Q. Mrs. Dalton, why did you mislead your office, fly to Houston and check into the hotel across the street from where your husband was conducting business meetings, then never join him?

  A. I had to see.

  Q. You had to see what?

  A. Inaudible.

  Q. See what, Mrs. Dalton?

  Q. Mr. Upshaw, please. Can’t you see she’s not in any shape to –

  Q. Ms. White, I would advise your client to answer the question.

  A. Inaudible.

  Q.(Expletive?) All right. Two minutes.

  AFTER RECESS:

  Q. Okay we’re back on the record. Mrs. Dalton, I’m going to show you a photograph. Do you know who this woman is?

  A. I’ve never met her. I’ve never spoken to her.

  Q. That’s not what I asked, Mrs. Dalton. Do you know who this woman is?

  A. Melinda Cain, it says right on it.

  Q. For the record this is a copy of the Colorado State driver’s license of Melinda Jean Cain. She oversees fleet maintenance for UGL Fleet Corp., which manages auto rentals. Our investigation shows Melinda Cain has been the contact for UGL’s business dealings with your husband’s company for approximately three years. Have you ever met her or spoken to Melinda Cain, or heard your husband speak of her, Mrs. Dalton?

  A. I already told you, no. Never.

  Q. You can see from her photograph she is quite striking. She is thirty-one years old, a former regional beauty queen. At age nineteen she was crowned Rocky Rivers Dairy Princess. She obtained a business degree before joining UGL. She has no children and is recently divorced from her husband after a year of separation. Did you know these facts about Melinda Cain, Mrs. Dalton?

  A. I do now.

  Q. You do now because I am telling you? Or because you ventured on your own to learn more about Melinda Cain after your trip to Houston in March of this year?

  A. Inaudible.

  Q. Mrs. Dalton perhaps this will help you clarify your response. You’ll see in this photograph recorded by the security camera of the Sunrise Luxury Suites that Spencer Dalton is entering the room of Melinda Cain. You’ll note the time, 10:30 pm, March 5th and you’ll note the time in the next photograph of his exit from Ms. Cain’s room, 8:30 a.m., March 6th.

  A. Inaudible.

  Q. Fine. A brief break and more water please.

  AFTER RECESS:

  Q. We’re back on the record. Mrs. Dalton, will you confirm that on July 24, 2007, approximately two months after Spencer Dalton disappeared in Sweet Pine Lake, you sold your family vehicle, a Blue 2000 Chevrolet Trailblazer 4WD SUV, VIN #97365398748 to Old Glory Federal Truck Sales?

  A. The SUV reminded me of Spencer. I could still smell his cologne inside and it broke my heart. I had to sell it.

  Q. In turn, Old Glory Federal Truck Sales sold your SUV to Kyle Lee Jeddison of Brooklyn, New York.

  A. I don’t know who that is.

  Q. Two months after the transaction, Kyle Lee Jeddison was arrested in a joint forces drug operation run by the DEA, FBI, the NYPD and New York State Police. As part of the investigation the vehicle in question was seized and processed.

  A. I don’t understand what that has to do with me.

  Q. Forensics on the SUV yielded traces of B + blood, which is the type consistent with that of Spencer Dalton. Further DNA analysis of the blood shows that it matched the DNA sample you provided police from Spencer Dalton’s tooth brush and razor, to use for comparison and identification in the event searchers located his body. Have you any thoughts on these facts, Mrs. Dalton?

  A. I don’t. Maybe Spencer may have bled a bit in the back of the SUV when he was chopping firewood and hauling it in the rear.

  Q. Why did you say the blood was found in the rear of the SUV? I never mentioned the location, Mrs. Dalton?

  A. I just assumed. Please. This is hard.

  Q. Mrs. Dalton. Please look at these photographs . Tell me, are you’re familiar with this building and its location?

  A. It’s a former meat cutting facility used by my company for training. It’s located near Sooback River.

  Q. Have you ever had reason to enter this facility?

  A. During college, for summer jobs, I trained there as a meat cutter and butcher.

  Q. A review of your work history shows that you have also worked in an abattoir, is that correct?

  A. Yes, during college to help pay for school.

  Q. You are
skilled in the operation of meat cutting equipment such as a band saw and you are not distressed by the site of blood and carcasses being butchered?