“He seems to think that you might be out to harm his family,” said Odelia.
“I know. He’s been spreading rumors about me for years. How I’m a member of the Polish mob, and how I run a drug racket, and launder money through my wine business. I’ve always let it go, even though by rights I should have pressed charges against the fool for defamation of character. But Ididn’t want to stir up a hornets’ nest, so I just let it slide. But if he’s accusing me of murder now, I might want to have a word with the man. And maybe talk to a lawyer this time, cause he’s taking things too far.”
“Where were you this afternoon between two and three, Mr. Kosinski?” asked Chase.
“I told you to call me Ben,” said the man frostily, then glowered at the cop. “Are you calling me a murderer now?”
“Just a routine question, Ben,” said Chase smoothly. “So we can eliminate you from our inquiries.”
“Well, I was here, of course. At the house. And I’ve got about a dozen people who can confirm this.”
“Looks like you’re off the hook then,” said Chase with a tight smile.
“Look, this nonsense about the mafia is exactly that: a lot of nonsense. Kosinski may be a Polish name and I may have some Polish blood owing to some great-great-grandfather, but I’ve got nothing to do with the mafia, Polish or otherwise. I run a respectable business, and if Ian Stewart thinks he can try and destroy my good reputation I’ll see him in court. And I mean that. He’s gone too far this time. There’s only so much I’m prepared to take from that man.”
“Is there anyone else you can think of who might want to harm the Stewarts?” asked Odelia. “Or Jeff in particular?”
“Like I said, I didn’t know Jeff personally, but what I can tell you is that when Steph got married to the guy there was one person who was extremely unhappy about it. And that person was Robbie Scunner.”
“Larry Scunner’s son.”
Ben nodded.“Steph and Robbie used to date in high school, but when she left for college that ended. Not that it was ever anything serious, mind you. Just a boy and girl affair. At least to Steph it was never serious. But to Robbie it was. That young man suffered when Steph broke it off with him. Sulked for months. His dad even thought he might never recover. See, his mom died when he was a young boy, and so when Steph left, it must have done something to Robbie’s psyche. Now I’m not a psychologist, but it doesn’t take a genius to see that’s one very damaged kid. So it’s hardly surprising that he wasn’t happy when Steph finally returned from France with Jeff Felfan in tow. Kevin tells me that when Steph and Jeff tied the knot Robbie was dressed in black. And told everyone he was in mourning.”
CHAPTER 23
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Once outside, and on our way back to the car, we looked around for Kevin, but he proved as elusive now as he was before. His car was gone, and so, presumably, was the man himself.
“Tough guy to pin down,” said Chase.
“Yeah, he seems to come and go as he pleases,” said Odelia.
In light of what Ben Kosinski had told us about Robbie Scunner, our humans decided to pay another visit to the Stewart Winery for a little chat with the foreman’s son. And possibly Kevin Stewart, who kept eluding us somehow.
We found Robbie Scunner in the warehouse where the large stainless steel tanks were housed, which are used to ferment the wine. As we had learned, this was the best way to give white wine its crisp flavor, whereas red wine is fermented in oak barrels, giving them a smoother, creamier flavor, often with notes of vanilla and oak. Not that I cared one bit how wine tasted. To me it was all vinegar, but then I’m just a cat, so what do I know?
Robbie was checking some gauges on the tanks, and when he saw us looked none too pleased. It immediately made me suspicious of the man. As they say: an innocent person has nothing to fear from a visit by the constabulary, whereas a guilty man might become shifty-eyed and wary, just like Robbie right now.
“Chase Kingsley, Hampton Cove Police Department,” said Chase, briefly holding up his badge. “And this is my wife Odelia, civilian consultant. Can we have a quick word, Mr. Scunner?”
“Sure,” said Robbie, wiping his hands on a dirty rag. This time he was dressed in clean blue coveralls, and not in his cowboy do. “Is this about Steph’s husband?”
“Oh, so you’ve heard about that, have you?”
“Who hasn’t? It’s big news around here.”
“First off, could you tell us where you were between two and three? Just a routine question. We’re asking everyone.”
“I was right here,” said Robbie, gesturing to the giant metal tanks.
“Can anyone corroborate that, Mr. Scunner?”
“Sure. Ask my dad. He’ll tell you.”
“That would be Larry Scunner?”
“That’s right.”
“So how well did you know Mr. Felfan, sir?”
“Not very well. I mean, I’ve seen him around, of course. But the Felfans spend most of their time in New York, and only come out here for the weekends.”
“Only we saw you and Jeff go toe to toe last night, almost coming to blows.”