From the case files of Private Investigator Brian Blackwell. Names have been changed to protect anonymity. Copyright © 2013 Brian Blackwell.
Carrie suspected her husband was cheating on her, but she never would have imagined that Steve, a man she loved dearly, planned to end her life
Wednesday, July 21, 2013
Driving along the lonely stretch of road back to Seattle, reflecting on the case. Hopefully our worse suspicions won't be confirmed. These types of cases never get easier. It's painful, but she wants to know, she needs to know...and we need to know. So I have a job to do.
Five days earlier...
9:05 a.m. — Received a call from a woman in Tacoma wanting her husband investigated. She suspected he was having an affair and that something more might be going on. She said: "You were recommended to me. I need your help."
I met Carrie at a coffee shop at Tacoma's waterfront to discuss her concerns and obtain details on her husband, Steve—his daily routines, his work schedule, type of vehicle he drives, a photo of him, etc.
Carrie told me of her suspicions of Steve's infidelity —he was being more concerned about his appearance than usual, staying late at the office more frequent and longer than usual, being secretive while on the Internet at home, texting much more often, spending more time on Facebook. The typical signs.
"It's been getting worse. I feel there's more to it than the affair. He isn't interested in spending any time together whatsoever and has been very irritable lately. I just want to know what is going on. I heard about you from a friend. I need your help," she said. I assured her I would get to the truth.
I gathered up my notes and the photo of Steve, wished her a good day, and met up with my associates, Aurora and September, and devised a plan of action.
I had September dig into Steve's background, while Aurora visited his office to do some snooping. Aurora posed as a potential client—under a false identity, of course—and befriended the suspected two-timer.
6 p.m. — We met up and went over the information we gathered so far. 6:23 p.m. — I gave Aurora and September the night off, while I drove to Steve's office to tail him during the night.
Carrie told me Steve was staying late at the office, supposedly until 9 p.m. Since she works nights as an emergency room physician, she is unable to verify his exact whereabouts at night and what he does.
7:10 p.m. — Sitting in my vehicle in the parking lot outside the office building where Steve's office is located waiting for him to depart. Scanning up to the fifth floor with my binoculars, I see that he is still in his office. Waiting for the woman to show up or his phone to ring, I found myself saying, "Come on, ring...ring! referring to his phone, so I can get taped evidence." (Aurora had planted listening devices in his office earlier.) 7:48 p.m., his phone rings. I could tell by the way he was talking that it was a female on the other end.
Steve repeated her instructions, "Take the Ferry at 11:00... okay... at the dock by 11:00, okay... got it." Then Steve spoke, "No, Carrie is going to San Francisco to visit family. She won't be around."
I sent Carrie a text so we could meet. We met and I informed her of the situation so far. I told her to make sure she visits family in San Francisco as planned, and make sure to not behave in a suspicious manner so Steve doesn't become suspicious of her knowledge of his activities. I stressed to her that he must not suspect that she knows.
Saturday, 10:25 a.m. — At Seattle's Pier 52 awaiting Steve's arrival.
10:35 a.m. — Waited to board the Ferry to Bainbridge Island. I kept visual contact on Steve.
11:00 a.m. — Boarded the Ferry. Following Subject onboard, being just a few steps behind him walking behind other individuals.
I called September who was keeping tabs on the female in question at the dock on the island. I hung up and got myself a cup of tea at the boat's snack bar and enjoyed the view to the island while Steve sat and read a newspaper, after all, he wasn't going anywhere.
Thirty-five minutes later, right on time, we docked. Departing the Ferry, Steve approached a 20 something blonde. It was obvious they were more than just friends. They sped away in a red VW convertible, while September and I trailed behind.
She drove up to a single level house off the waterfront and they both entered the home. September and I surveilled the home parked along the street. After an hour had gone by, we continued our surveillance from a Cafe' that was across the street and waited for movement of the Subjects.
2:08 p.m. — Steve and the unidentified woman departed. We tailed them to a restaurant. September and I entered the restaurant shortly after them and got a table to continue our surveillance.
3:26 p.m. — Departed and tailed Subjects to a downtown shopping area, where they picked up groceries. A half an hour later, we followed them back to the house.
September and I continued surveillance, while Aurora—trained at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia, and one of the best in the private investigation business, especially when it comes to computer forensics—was at Carrie and Steve's home examining Steve's laptop and PC to gather evidence of his infidelity and any other possible wrongdoing.
4:37 p.m. — Sitting, watching the house, I reflected back to what Carrie told me during our initial meeting. She talked about her and Steve and how they met. They met on a cruise to Catalina, and after a four month romance, they married. They've been married for five years. He's from Los Angeles and has had a successful career in marketing. She's from Tacoma. She talked about the house they lived in and about the falsities in Steve's past she discovered. The house had been left to Carrie by her parents along with a large inheritance when they died in 2008.
5:30 p.m. — Aurora called, said she found some very disturbing stuff and that we should meet right away. September continued surveillance while I headed back to the office in Seattle to meet with Aurora.
Arrived back at the office at 7:12, reviewed what Aurora obtained. It was very hair-raising. Steve and his new love—who is now identified—devised a plan to element Carrie. Steve had planned to take Carrie on his sailboat for an evening cruise of Puget Sound, but with only him returning. Carrie was to be a victim of a "tragic boating accident." Communications between Steve and Teresa, the now identified mistress, showed Steve's intentions were to be the beneficiary of Carrie's wealth.
I called Carrie and told her she needed to return home right away, evidence discovered needed urgent attention.
The next morning, Carrie called to tell me she just arrived at Sea-Tac (Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.) It was 11:06 a.m., on a gloomy July Seattle morning—ironic setting for what I was to tell her. I asked her to stop by my office to discuss our findings.
11:53 — Carrie arrived, I showed her the communications between Steve and Teresa, and video and photograph surveillance footage of them on Bainbridge Island.
To say she was devastated would be a vast understatement. She was horrified—as we were—of his plan—cold—blooded murder. She broke down. I consoled her.
I advised her, for her safety, that we needed to go directly to the police and that she needed to stay at another place other than her home, which she agreed without hesitation. After all, how could she want to be anywhere near such a cold-hearted person, as Steve had become?
Steve wanted his new love, Teresa, along with his wife's riches. He was so confident he would get away with murdering Carrie and having her wealth all for himself, but instead of living off of Carrie's money with Teresa, he's serving time in a Washington State Prison. Teresa was also convicted for her part.
The complete—yes, there is more to the story—will be in the book I am writing about my cases working as a private investigator. Names will be changed to protect anonymity. I have some intriguing, and very fascinating investigations to share with you.
Copyright © 2013 Brian Blackwell
BRIAN BLACKWELL
Private Investigator
info @ brianblackwell.com
The complete story will be in the book I am writing. Stories will be from my cases working as a private investigator. Names will be changed to protect anonymity. I have some intriguing, and very strange and fascinating investigations to share.
